Tuesday 13 October 2009

Old homestead.

On my last trip to California I avoided looking for the new home I need, as the never ending process had become annoying and boring,not something as important as home searching should be. On my present visit I have decided to search again and it seems like I have come up trumps in the first week. The house in question is in the Napa valley rather close to my sister Vinogirl and it has the requisite couple of acres and no passing traffic. The house itself unlike many I have viewed actually looks like a house and not a glorified shack (money doesn't go far in Napa) as it was built not too long ago by a German couple and seems to have some European influences whilst still remaining fundamentally American in feel and appearance. If all goes well I am sure I can make it a rather suitable place to make a future final move to America for family OTW. Unlike the period home project that I embarked upon in England recently,the house just requires large amounts of cosmetic work,trim,bathrooms etc to make it a perfect rural retreat, although my blogging friend Sippican Cottage would perhaps look askance at the large attached garage. The major problem that needs overcoming is the potential presence of boron toxicity in the water...what the hell is that?....it just doesn't sound good does it? If the well report (well? what century are we in?) says that my children will not end up glowing in the dark then an offer may be on the table.

10 comments:

Candle said...

Gratz on finding a nice place. Beautiful picture btw (not the place, is it?). Boron toxicity:
http://www.drlera.com/MINERALS/BORON.HTM

Generalities on Boron:
1) crazy high levels are lethal (18-20 grams). Normal daily dosage of normal people is about 1mg a day. You will know if you are getting too much boron because you'll start to show obvious, in your face symptoms of sickness (vomiting, weight loss, loss of appetite).
2) low levels are essential for blood stuff - dietary boron, basically.
3) its taken in through drinking water, food, and 'damaged skin' - ie, a shower while scraped up gets you some boron.
4) excreted through urination - ie., its not like heavy metals, which stay around for a long time or forever.

So you just need to know how much boron we're talking about. It might still be doable because there may be filtration systems you can look into.

Thud said...

Candle..ta for that...I had visions of two headed children dancing in my head.Apparently I have to look at a reverse osmosis system?!?! Area around house looks pretty much like pic.

James Higham said...

Do you live in any of these?

Thud said...

James..we will be camping out in the glorified wirral campsite when we return at christmas and the Napa house if purchased will be woerked on and lived in as much as possibel,plus may build again in Utah...it's how I make my living.

Thud said...

that would be worked and possible!

James Higham said...

We might meet up for a beer.

NotClauswitz said...

From somewhere in the deep recesses I recall hearing that boron is used in agriculture...for strawberries? Otherwise as borax it's a cleaning compound. Mine it and sell it?
Big attached garages might be a California thing. You need a place to build or restore that '34 Chevy hot-rod, store the lake boat, park the motorcycles, make beer - after midnight.

Thud said...

James...the chaps and I will be at the seven stars in Thornton Hough and the Wheatsheaf in Raby over christmas...feel free to join in.

Vinogirl said...

Vomiting from boron toxicity...no biggie...as long as my vines don't die!

Putz said...

oh boy building in utar, maybe you could redo my cement driveway for me???????