Following on from yesterday’s blog about the limited area occupied by my squigglometer…

I was daydreaming today about what my future home might look like. For now I am perfectly happy with my “global nomad” (i.e. homeless) status, but maybe one day I will want somewhere to call home.

Time was, back in my materialistic days, when I would drool over the huge estates and sumptuous houses in Country Life, or the chic city mansions in House and Garden.

But not any more. Now they would just make me ponder how much maintenance and upkeep they would require, and how much time and energy to furnish and decorate them, time and energy that I’d rather spend doing other things. The house would end up owning me, rather than the other way around.

Who knows, maybe we’ll see a backlash against the McMansions on their 5 acre plots, stretching the suburbs out far into the countryside. Maybe we’ll see a return to more realistically-sized homes (does a family of four REALLY need 6 bathrooms?!), within walking distance of amenities, leaving more of the countryside for the non-human inhabitants of Planet Earth.

As for me, there was a very nice little guest cottage south of San Francisco that a generous friend allowed me to live in for quite a while in 2007-8. About 700 square feet. One bed, one bath. Add an extra bedroom for guests and that would be perfect.

Or maybe a canal boat. Compact, snug, and if I got tired of the neighbourhood and/or the neighbours it would be easy as pie to move house. Perfect!

(Photo: Splash Protection.)

Other Stuff:

Today was rough. Splish, splash, splosh went the waves, and bish, bash, bosh went the oars. Nothing stylish about it – just trying to get the oars in the water and not get swept overboard. But at least I’m moving, and in vaguely the right direction.

Blue Vision Summit – thanks for the update, David. I thought BVS must be coming up any day now. It was brilliant last time, and I’ve stayed in touch with many of the folks I met there. I will most definitely be with you in spirit. Have a fantastic time, keep pushing the ocean agenda, and enjoy that glass of wine on my behalf!

Bruce – want sargassum? I’ve got sargassum! I see it all the time. I discovered it was quite a haven for wildlife when I pulled some on board to photograph it, and found little brown shrimps on it. Maybe if the big charismatic megafauna continue to be conspicuous by their absence, I will become a connoisseur of seaweed inhabitants instead.

Sponsored Miles:

Bradley Kehoe, Hans Verwey, Nick Perdiew, Courtney Elwood, Larry Grandt, Jennifer Bester, Kamas Industries – thank you for sponsoring Roz’s latest rowing miles.

37 Comments

  • Roz, Scary… “About 700 square feet. One bed, one bath. Add an extra bedroom for guests and that would be perfect.” Just what I have been looking at in Maine… “Or maybe a canal boat. Compact, snug, and if I got tired of the
    neighbourhood and/or the neighbours it would be easy as pie to move
    house. Perfect!” Another lifelong dream of mine! I guess, even through cyberspace we are “birds of a feather” – maybe fish of the same scale?

    BTW, I just ordered my “Super-Stupendous” model of the “Squigglo-Wigglometer” for 39.95 – with a free autographed bottle of Sedna’s Bilge-Water!

  • I have Coffee with Roz each morning
    “I Know!” Where she is she is snoring
    No matter, It just still feels right
    To do this at morning’s first light
    Otherwise DFW is just too boring
     

  • Indian News Just said, That reports are coming in of an unknown bright, orange squiggle on the horizon… The origins are unknown, and the distances so vast as to be impossible to investigate, BUT, it was so brightly colored orange, that it was visible to the naked eye – panicking the locals…

    • Richard, It looks wonderful, and Roz would approve the heating system. Not only is it way beyond her means, but she can’t even see it as she cannot access the internet while she is on the boat. Not too sure at being so near a volcano . . . . 

      •  In a way @d9af093cfe929083ea9270ba4c02b5e6:disqus I was just sending her something to review when she is back on Terra Firma… I kind of had the feeling she would have no access to see it… I am in the midst of a horrible …bad medicine mess here in DFW – hopefully to be resolved shortly… So IF that place is still available when this resolves itself, I MIGHT be seriously interested… Iceland is also a leading research location for skin cancer – something I was born with (essentially) having been operated on for it over 400 Times in the last 38 years – so that is important too… You, Roz, Doug, @Pippa:disqus and any Rozlings who want to, will just have to come for a visit… A VERY Nice Dream at the moment!!!

        • Get those meds right Richie. At least it has a hot tub, ’cause otherwise it would be way to cold for me! 

          •  @9ded466cb37f14648c547bf3da0e14bf:disqus Do you know why the Explorers of Iceland named it Iceland? As they were exploring the far North Atlantic they found this “Warm Oasis” – and it became their Private Natural Hot Springs “Liberty Call” or Spa… They hoped to keep it to themselves, So they came up with the name Iceland – hoping to scare others away… It did, except for their descendants, for hundreds of years… This “Sounds” funny, But it is true… Please don’t let it scare you off – I am counting on visits from you, your family, Roz & Rita – as I plan on basing my Environmental non-profit there, and any other Rozlings who want to see Icy Iceland from the some warm pool somewhere…

          • Iceland and Greenland are a conundrum. Check out the Google Earth image below. Seems the volcanic features and geothermal activity are a dominant influence. 

            Looks like a nice place to visit — not sure I’d want to live on an active volcano — unless you have a real pioneer spirit and are essentially a recluse, eccentric or otherwise. Or have the wherewithal to fly jets to more familiar and naturally livable places.

            But jetting around would totally offset any carbon neutrality of the abundant geothermal.

            A conundrum … sorta like living in a space ship … or a row boat. Nice for a while, but not the long term.

            Beautiful pix here http://www.marcusbleasdale.com/iceland/ and here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kj%C3%B6lur … 

            From a little quick research, there is a dearth of ice pix.

          • @UncaDoug:disqus & @9ded466cb37f14648c547bf3da0e14bf:disqus  “Looks like a nice place to visit — not sure I’d want to live on an
            active volcano — unless you have a real pioneer spirit and are
            essentially a recluse, eccentric or otherwise. Or have
            the wherewithal to fly jets to more familiar and naturally livable
            places.” Doug, I have spent much of my life in the wild and exploring… I lived on the Big Island of Hawaii – Near the “Most Active Volcano in the world” – it was beautiful… And I have been looking forward to becoming a Hermit when all this malpractice stuff is done – Might be in Maine too – which is even colder… And Iceland is a Leading Research and Hospital Center for Skin Cancer – a rare form of which I have had for 38 years – with over 400 surgeries to keep it in check along the way, so I am used to isolation too… So it all sounds pretty wonderful to me…

  •  I agree that small is good. For some years I lived in a 12′ caravan. I found it just right. Richard in DFW your profile doesn’t show much, can you please tell us more about yourself. My “jimbellofbelmont” persona (First name Last name of Suburb) allows me almost always to get a unique user name on any site I join. Google me and you’ll see what I mean 🙂 Jim Bell (NSW Australia)

    •  @jimbellofbelmont:disqus Tell me what you want to know… I do not think I have anything to hide – and dying 3 times in 2008 reminds me that such games are a waste of the “blink-of-an-eye” time that we have on this planet anyway… Any Rozling can write me – richard_custis@yahoo.com

      •  @jimbellofbelmont:disqus and Rozlings et al, I DID NOT mean to be “Off-Putting” suggesting that you contact me directly, to ask any questions that you have… Roz’ Blog just does not seem the place for my “Nuisance Routine” life-story – to me anyway?

        Hey:

        Roz went Whole-Hog on Her Blog
        Never was one to sit on a log
        We all waited with baited breath
        And we will, Pending Our death
        Knowing she has nowhere to jog

  • I think big homes are an image thing. In November of 2009 we bought a small single level (my knees say thanks) home with a small yard. Low maintenance and payments which leaves time and $ for fun stuff.
    Do you think moderate housing is a way to conserve resources?

    •  @Marks_the_spot:disqus I have done A LOT of research into this for my Environmental Bucket List Project… Very Interesting Question!!! Research indicates that if you “Conserve Resources” too much in the building process, That you actually increase the use of the same “Resources” in the “Maintenance” of these homes over their expected lifetime, To say nothing of having to rebuild them more frequently due to overly thrift initial construction… MUCH better to build for hundreds of years – even at the added cost and use of resources originally, that to rebuild and/or redo, using more resources every 20 – 40 years…

    •  P.S. @Marks_the_spot:disqus Touching on my response to your query a moment ago, There used to be an OLD slogan – (MIGHT have been just an American one), “Build forever, Build with Stone”… Still a great idea for all sorts of reasons – if someone is building something new… Reduces the need for heating a cooling immensely!

    • Marks_the_spot, I am with you.  I bought a two story house because of it’s location at the edge of the city limits … I border the county line. BUT, my knees sometimes squeak and creak … reminding me that was not a sustainable decision. 

      Smaller houses take less to heat and cool, and to build in the first place. Definitely YES! to moderate housing conservation.It doesn’t cost anything to reduce energy and $$$ consumption.Instant return on investment (or “investment” avoidance)

  • A bird never makes a big mansion for a nest. Cozy and warm and just enough room. We should learn from them.

    • Susie, I like that. Cozy and warm and just enough room! 

      Do you mind if I tack on a funny little thought to your cozy little statement? At the end of 12 hours toiling and roiling, Roz selects a few choice words to convey a simple thought — amazing, but your seem to understand that. Here is my funny tongue-in-cheek attempt:

      a lass of few words
      alas our sound print’s foot print
      jibber jabber … weeeeeee

      Thanks for the space, Susie!

      Row crisply, Roz!

    • Excepting, say, Bower Birds! They build mansions to attract a mate. Used to be that one measure of a man’s suitability as a mate was his ability to provide a suitable home for his intended – and what was likely to be suitable? My preference is for a small home in about 6 acres, but I can get that only because so many other people prefer to live in houses that are crowded together. My acreage is for chickens, sheep, deer etc. 

  • In honor of Roz’s constantly positive attitude … and sense of humor:

    squiggle splish splash splosh
    eco rower wears orange
    where the day wares on

    Row warily, Roz ❤

    •  Doug, Inspirational:

      Squiggle splish splash splosh
      Another wave, Oh-my-gosh
      Roz prays they will stop
      As she stumbles, Cur-plop
      Happy to have found a good Nosh

  • As long as I can see the light in your eyes & that beautiful smile … I know in my heart you nare OK.  Please stay that way. 
    Jimmy-in-Dallas   😀

  • Roz, I’m glad you’re appreciating the microcosm of the sargassum. People love the big critters, but without exception it’s the small ones that produce and convert food for all the rest. Regarding the “charismatic megafauna,” they’re also around you, but mostly at night! You’re traveling through an environment where most of the biodiversity hides away during the day, much like the critters in terrestrial deserts. The largest biomass migration on the planet occurs not on the Serengeti but between the first several hundred feet of the open ocean. As the sun sets all sorts of critters migrate to the surface to do their business, then retreat back to the depths to avoid the morning sun. Many of them are bioluminescent–perhaps you’ve seen glowy things in the water at night… They are not evolved with or in the slightest interested in rowboats. If you have a bright light at night you might be able to see some of this night life, maybe even large squid. They might even test your boat or paddles for palatability. Like octopus, they’re very intelligent. That would be special!  

  • http://greatchange.org/footnotes-overshoot-easter_island.html

    This is a great article along very similar lines to Roz’s post. If you all have just a few minutes to read. It is pretty short for it’s volume and a catalyst for change that can be easily shared. We should learn from our mistakes.. In this case in particular, it is “preaching to the choir” but I hope that like Roz’s message, that you share this on your social networks so that we can get the word out! Simply cut and paste and help save the world.

    if the link does not work, just search:

    Easter’s End By Jared Diamond

    Thanks always!
    Row Roz Row
    Jay

  •  We are tired of the monster homes where you have to drive to everything…just sold our home in Toronto, Canada and moving our children, dog and cats to Devon, England to a lovely small house in a a town where the grocery store, train station, library etc are all within walking distance, so the house is a third of the size of what everyone is used to, personally I am so excited I cannot wait !  Love the idea of small spaces and being able to live and enjoy life instead of being a slave to a mortgage and maintenance a big house dictates !  New house is close to the ocean too so looking forward to introducing the littlest one to the pleasure of the sea.

    …maybe even get her to take up rowing !  🙂

  • Roz’ Eyes Twinkled More Than The Stars
    Her Smile Could Be Seen On Mars
    She Wore Her Heart On Her Sleeve
    No Need To Deceive
    She Loved Us In Spite Of Our Scars

  • It Is A Dark And Stormy Night
    The Doggies Are Hiding In Fright
    Can’t Help Thinking Of Sedna
    Paddled By Roz NOT Edna
    See You At Morning’s First Light

  •   I have just been looking at Roz’s Fan Page in a few moments of leisure, and I just loved two videos there: one about plastic water bottles, made by a young man of 21; the other is about a penguin escaping from a killer whale by leaping onto an inflatable dinghy which just happened to be there. http://www.facebook.com/RozSavageFan?sk=wall

  • I am in the process of packing to move to a home that is a tad under 800 sq ft., and am rapidly coming to the conclusion that I need another one just for my books!  I fantasize about it being beautiful and neat and with a delightful ambience, but realistically, the only way to attain that will be to fill the smaller bedroom with all the “stuff”, stacked floor-to-ceiling!!  I don’t know how people, including Roz, manage with a small number of possessions–I aspire to it–but I suspect it is just not in my nature not to collect books I love or am dying to read, and beautiful things when I find them!  I am recycling things like crazy (thank goodness for my local Freecycle!) but I see simplicity as something I am working towards in my lifetime, like enlightenment!

    Enjoy your amazing and pared-down-to-necessities time on Sedna, Roz, you are such an inspiration!

  • I love books too, Claire, but had to put my foot down & say no to collecting when I ran out of shelving… I now appreciate my local library more & hope that it won’t be a thing of the past in years to come. 

    •  I am in love with my local library (no 1) in the nation and my Kindle! if not for them I would be buried in books!

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