MY TRIP TO SAN DIEGO WAS A HOMECOMING FOR ME AND A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR MY WIFE. I LIVED 40 YEARS IN SAN DIEGO BEFORE LEAVING IN MAY 2005 FOR SOUTH AMERICA. I NOW LIVE IN CHILE.

WHEN WE DECIDED TO COME BACK TO SAN DIEGO, I FOUND AIRBNB. I LIVED IN PT. LOMA, AT THE OTHER END OF THE RUNWAY, SO I STARTED LOOKING AT ROOMS THERE.

ONE DAY, WHEN I SIGNED ON, THERE WAS THIS BEAUTIFUL OLD HOUSE! WHEN I SAW THE ADDRESS, FRONT STREET, I WAS STUNNED!. I WAS A GROCERY SALESMAN FOR OVER 25 YEARS AND DROVE ALL OVER THE CITY. THERE ARE TWO SMALL MARKETS NEAR MICHAEL'S HOUSE THAT I SOLD TO. AS YOU CAN SEE WALKING AROUND NEIBORHOOD, THERE ARE APARMENTS EVERYWHERE. THE HOUSES WERE IN TOTAL DECAY. I DO REMEMBER MICHAEL'S HOUSE 20 YEARS AGO. THE YARD WAS OVERGROWN WITH WEEDS, THE PALM TREES WERE DYING, THE HOUSE WAS A DRAB GREY OF DEATH, THE ROOF WAS SAGGING, THE PORCH JUST HUNG THERE.

I SHOWED THE PICTURES TO MY WIFE AND TOLD HER ABOUT THE HOUSE. WE MADE RESERVATIONS FOR 12 DAYS. WHEN THE TAXI PULLED UP FRONT, I KNEW WE HAD MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE. I WAS HOME IN SAN DIEGO!!

THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT AROUND 1890. MICHAEL RESCUED HER FROM THE BULLDOZER. HE TOTALLY GUTTED THE INSIDE AND PUT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER AGAIN. SHE IS NOW A STATELY OLD HOUSE FROM THE HOTEL DEL CORONADO ERA. MY GRANDMOTHER HAD A HOUSE LIKE THIS IN NEBRASKA WHERE I GREW UP. MICHAEL GREETED US ON PORCH, THE SAME THAT WAS JUST HANGING. SOLID!! HE SAID OUR ROOM WAS UPSTAIRS. I SAW THE STAIRWELL I STARTED UP AND THE STEP CREAKED, AND THE NEXT, AND THE NEXT, AND ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE! OUR HOME FOR THE NEXT 12 DAYS!!!!!

THANK YOU MICHAEL. YOU DID GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!