big love for small houses
My grandma Helen Peterson lived in the same 988-square-foot house for almost her entire life—from when she was a toddler until she passed away at 81. She and my grandpa Tannis, married 50-plus years, raised my dad and uncle there, and hosted countless family gatherings because Grandma was by far the best cook. Built in 1900, the little white house had two bedrooms off the living room, one full bathroom, and a cute little porch. The table in the kitchen was always too big for the space; you couldn’t open the fridge door all the way without rearranging the chairs. But I don’t remember my grandma ever wishing she had a bigger house. Everyone fit just fine, and everything had its place. That’s why I totally relate to the homeowners…