Anne-apolis

  I have recently been house-sitting in a home that is very different from my own in many ways, yet being there is a real delight. This leads me to ponder what it is that makes for the atmosphere that is deeply satisfying, yet is completely different from my own home. The first thing I notice on arrival, is the multiplicity of pot plants at the entrance - rich and varied in scale and texture, from cacti and succulents to frangipani and hibiscus. Beside the door are some wind chimes, made of thin slices of decorative stone that give a very subtle background of sound, less obtrusive than the more common metal ones. The entrance hall is huge - setting the scale for the interconnected spaces of dining, living room and music room, all just visible from the entrance door giving a sense of the flow of space. Light floods into this entrance space from a skylight above the wooden staircase - natural wood is the predominant material here, for all of the furniture as well as the balustrade an...

  If you live in an apartment and are thinking of getting a cat (or two), the answer is a resounding "yes": the advantages of cat ownership are many, including a number of claims about the benefits to your mental and physical health. They are quite independent, so if you need to go away on business or for a holiday, a neighbour popping in once a day to check on the food and water supply is usually sufficient. I have only had the briefest spells of no cats in my life, but always the "cat redistribution system" has come through for me as soon as I moved out of each of the apartments I lived in where cats were not allowed. I recently had to put down my older cat, of the quintessential "rescue" breed, and decided to wait a couple of months to see whether my younger cat enjoyed being an only child. As at least one day per week I am out for the whole day, I was concerned that he was becoming lonely, so enter Willow, a Friday cat made from all the leftover scraps...