River Dreaming -- Visions from a garage roof

Assabet River watershed

It was a beautiful autumn day, cool and crisp.  The Assabet River sparkled sunlight reflections below me.  I was on my hands and knees, hammer in hand, shingling the garage roof of a 1960s ranch.  Taking in the view, I thought, “What a wonderful place this would be to live”. 

Original 1960s ranch

Fast forward 10 years.  I drove by the house and noticed a 'For Sale' sign in the yard.  The owner, a widower in his eighties and an avid river boater, was no longer able to take care of his home. It had become a true handyman’s special. 



Jazzed by this turn of fate, I thought, here’s a chance to act on a dream that began on the rooftop. Could I bring that vision alive?  Could I transform this tired home into a dwelling for the 21^st century, with updated systems, energy efficiencies and design for the way we live today? 



When my offer was accepted, I took a deep breath, and asked, “OK, NOW what do I do?”



Stay tuned for our next post on how this vision came to be …