Yesterday, my friend Phyllis and I took a totally unplanned
tour of downtown Oklahoma City and the old neighborhoods
close to downtown. We were amazed to see that the
downtown area has spread into them and new commercial
buildings are being built where there were once stately
homes.

It is probably a good thing for the city because it has
brought new vitality to the area. There is now a river
walk and the old North Canadian River has been re-christened the Oklahoma river with boating available.
The streets used to be deserted and are now teeming with
life.

The old warehouse district has condos and restaurants
and just east of it dilapidated old buildings have
been replaced with urban grocery stores and apartment
buildings. It is now the "in" place to live.

My old home in Crown Heights is now deemed a historic
area with the attendant restrictions on renovations.


It has to be sinful to love houses as much as Phyllis
and I do. We picture ourselves living in each one
we see, alternately embracing or scorning them. She is
a realtor and if she is showing one I find interesting,
we go and look at it together. People have funny
hobbies and that is one of mine.