The house we are renting in Carmel Valley is different from our house in San Francisco. It has high ceilings and lots of space.
The greater difference is the atmosphere here, warmer and greener. The house came with an automatic sprinkler system and a gardner. This is a good thing, since both Misa and I are lousy at taking care of plants. We have the "Black Thumb."
There's a small park behind the house, where people run their dogs and throw frisbees. I'd forgotten that summer could be pleasant. In San Francisco, we ran the heat almost every day of the year, even in August. That may be hard to believe, but San Francisco has an unusual climate. Warm weather in the inland valley pulls cold fog across the city, so you only get a truly warm day a few times a year. It's like living with the thermostat stuck on 65° F.
I'm sitting in the back yard, shaded by palm trees. The fresh grass cools my bare feet. We've been here one month now. I can't be sure this place is going to work for us, in the long run. This time, here and now, may be worth all the money and work it took to get here.