What Ana Does

I have this reoccurring dream about a house. It's old and huge and needs a ton of rehab. And we're either buying it or we're just moving in. From the front yard, it looks like it's set in a lush, dark green jungle and just off a main road. The busy main road makes me nervous about the girls playing out front. The back of the house is right on the beach, with sand on the back porch, and tall, rocky cliffs crowding in on both sides. It's windy and the sand and ocean stretch out forever. There are usually a crowd of boats and surfers in the water. In one dream, a storm rolled in with large waves and rain. In another, we built a huge water slide from the roof straight into the sea and Alice was too scared to ride down it. From Abandon Places Gallery Some dreams take place only inside the house, and I find myself wandering around the decaying rooms and thinking of all the work needed. Sometimes, I pick a room and clean it up, paint it and move into it. (Yes, I...

If I could be doing anything right now -- this minute, money being limitless, I would be in a different country soaking up all it has to offer. With my family. Exploring. Writing. Walking. Eating. That's what I would do. And this blog would have a whole different flavor. But ... Anyway, a few months ago a friend pointed out this site, that's similar to AirBnB (which I would highly recommend) but with rental properties that cater to families with small kids ... and very large wallets. Each time I receive a Kid&Coe newsletter in my inbox I spend the better half of an hour clicking on the properties and imaging us all there. What would I have done this morning if we were staying in this apartment on Blvd Voltaire in Paris? Or the flat a few blocks from the Prado in Madrid. Is that kitchen big enough? Is there a market down the street? Sigh. Related posts: Other travel stories to prove my wanderlust