More model homes, more floor plans, more sore feet, more time on the road.

The Great House hunt started as a plan to build a simple, compact, log home. After all, we’ve lived — for the most part — in a 950 square foot condo in Arlington for the past 23 years, so why do we now need 2600 square feet, two floors, a large deck and so on?

A simple bungalo would do. You know, something with a den, a spare bedroom for occasional weekend guests and a small yard that won’t take all day to mow. For the past two decades, yard work meant sweeping off the Astroturf on the balcony.

But it’s out of my hands. Out of my control.

There’s a signpost up ahead. Next stop, the Twilight Zone.