Once upon a time -- that is how all stories with happy endings begin, so we hopefully and earnestly proceed -- a man and a woman, very much in love, dreamt of dwelling in a home with slightly more space.  More space to be, more space to raise a family, more space to host friends and family.  Longing for space, they were challenged by the roots they had planted in carving out their place in the city -- a street of good neighbors, in an urban neighborhood that felt like living in a small town. 
A place where people know one another, not just because they live close to one another, but because they live closely -- invested in one another’s lives and well being in a place of both rare beauty and occasional danger.  This useful setting, with the tension necessary for actions difficult and improbable, is how slightly over a year ago a crumbling 122 yr old house became our odessey.  This is our story.