I have lots of ex-Californian friends. Friends who've fled to Colorado, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Virginia, even Ohio for God's sake (but she's back!). They all send me pix of their houses and tell me, Michela, my dear, why do you stay there. Look what you get here for so much less money. This is why. It can pour down rain for 24 hours straight, then sunny and warm enough the 25th hour to put the top down on the car, and to see this view from my balcony...

and to be geographically minutes from this, on any day in January...

I'm supposed to trade this for 1000 extra sqaure and 1000 times the humidity?