[lodwick]

A few of our older houses have brick construction and some even have basements, but most of the newer homes are semi-cheesie things throw up on concrete slabs.

Your homes were built with nice thick walls to retain what cool there was during the night, and then to be pleasant during the heat of the day. And just the opposite during winter. Yours sounds very nice to me.

I've decided that I would rather have a few bites of the king's food, than an all-you-can-eat buffet of the pauper's.

If that makes any sense to you. ;-)

[lodwick]

throw up? thrown up? Much better.

[palo verde]

you are right loddy
our walls are hugely thick
and we do not have insulation
the houses I see bein' built round here now are different
they seem to have wood frames
with stucco as surface