Christmas in West Hartford
‘Tis the season for giant Christmas trees and reindeer.
A Tiny House is Stolen (and Recovered)
Stealing an entire house is a new level of larceny. The tiny house movement has now made that possible, as a St. Louis woman recently learned. Thieves took the next step from taking packages, bikes, and cars when they hitched a trailer-based tiny house to their truck and sped off. The structure was not yet complete, so fortunately nobody was inside. The home was recovered after a social media-fueled search and returned to its owner.
Free Houses in Japan
Small towns in Japan apparently have so many vacant homes that they give them away. Of course, free is not really free. If you want one of the homes, then you have to commit to living in it after you invest in rehabbing the property. Demographics are driving the property giveaway, as Japan has an aging and shrinking population. Rural areas are under pressure as their long-time residents die off and their younger residents move
Remembering the Shopping Mall
Once upon a time, the shopping mall was at the top of the retail food chain. The mall was home to the best stores, and the most excitement. Amy and I grew up in the mall era. Our small town (population ~25,000) had its own little mall that kids hung out in, but it was not comparable to the shopping destinations that are available in Greater Hartford. Both of our families made the hours-long drive
Mid-Morning at the Old State House