|
Most men were born to live in caves. It is where they feel most
comfortable. If it weren't for women, mankind would still live in
caves. We wanted windows so we could let the light in. Thanks to
all that light, we now see every speck of dust on every surface.
Maybe there are some advantages to cave living.
I went along to humor my husband, but also to ask the questions
that wouldn't occur to him, like: "How do you get rid of the
stalactites?" and "Do your pupils stay permanently dilated after
living in a cave for a year?"
When we pulled into the driveway, we saw a Spanish-looking
hacienda, complete with curved arches, stuccoed walls and terra
cotta overhangs. Behind the arches was a sheltered patio and behind
that, a bank of tinted windows.
Looking around, I thought, "So where's the cave?"
The owners came out to meet us. They didn't look like cave
people, so they must live in the hacienda.
I was in no real hurry to see the cave (OK, underground house),
so I was more than happy when they invited us into the warm and cozy
hacienda. It was absolutely breathtaking!
The living room was huge with a 15-foot domed ceiling and the
modern look of hardwood floors and perfectly matched but comfortable
furniture. They had a fireplace that they said was "just for looks,"
because they hadn't used it in 22 years. The U-shaped kitchen
featured the same high ceilings as the living room. It also boasted
beautiful cabinetry and opened to a cozy dining room.
The huge windows in the front of the house combined with the
high, domed ceilings gave the house a feeling of lots of space and
light.
[to top of second column] |
The bedrooms each had those huge windows and high-domed ceilings
as well. The bathrooms and the laundry rooms were the only rooms
that had no windows. I always thought that windows in bathrooms were
kind of silly anyway. What's being done in a bathroom is private.
Why would you want a window in there?
These hacienda people were pretty smart. The cave people could
probably learn something from them. This was the way to live! The
sun, the space, the airiness.
My husband started asking questions about how much the electric
bill was for this house, as if that mattered. Look at this place!
Who cares how much the electricity was? Our gracious hosts gave us
an impossibly low figure. I thought it was probably just for lights.
They wouldn't need any during the day because of those huge windows.
They must use natural gas for heating this amazing place.
Nope. No gas bill at all. Huh? Beautiful and inexpensive living?
How could that be? And when would we be seeing the cave?
I nudged my husband during a discussion with the owners about
geothermal heat and solar power. "Where's the underground house?" I
whispered.
He stared at me as if I had lost my marbles. Then he gave me a
pointed look and rolled his eyes. After 30 years of marriage, I
recognize that as the you-are-being-stunningly-ignorant look.
This? This was the underground house? No way! Where were the
stalactites?
[By LAURA SNYDER]
Laura Snyder is a nationally syndicated columnist,
author and speaker. You can reach her at
lsnyder@lauraonlife.com
or visit www.lauraonlife.com
for more info. |
