• When I was married, I was a homeowner, occasionally even a multiple homeowner, but my ex got the house in the divorce. After that, as part of the general theme of avoiding long-term commitments, I haven't really thought about it much for the last decade. This year I've realized that pissing big-time Mill Valley rent down the drain is just plain dumb.
• I want to be near running water.
• I want to be near the downtown of whereever I am.
• I've been looking in Chico (Big Chico Creek, Cal State Chico), Susanville (Susan River, not much else), Reno (Truckee River, practically everything), and briefly, Bend, OR (Deschutes River, a bit of a scene).

Bend turned out to be a little too trendy, Susanville a little too nowhere, and Chico a little too hot, but Reno was as Goldilocks says, just right.

Then I found the perfect place there -- 30 yards from the river, looking out on tennis courts and two basketball courts, 1/4 mile from the trendy coffeehouse, and easy walking distance to all of downtown.

But now I am already mired in condo politics - it's in the CC&R's that the other owners have 30 days to match the offer, and somebody invoked that, so now I am in day 8 of this 30-day limbo where I may become an owner or I may not. highly annoying.

stay tuned...