I hope you get some relief soon, Consuela.

We'll see--I'm clearly not suffering as much as you are, though. For me it's more that I get a constant drippy nose, and only get the headaches/pressure when it's really bad. But I've had two sinus infections since early December, which is way too frequent.

Right now I'm on Flonase, but I'm not seeing much change in the situation.

Of course there's been a big movement back towards towards urban density in recent years.

One of the reasons Portland OR became the awesome place it is, is that back in 1970 or so they passed an ordinance establishing a metropolitan boundary. Once they couldn't expand outwards anymore, they began to experiment with a lot more infill and mixed-use development. The end result is a ridiculously walkable city with good public transit and a lot of services built into the neighborhoods.

DC is looking at changing the zoning laws to allow local stores for food, etc. Ironically, some of the historic neighborhoods have a number of tiny grocery stores and so on and people will sign petitions if they're threatened. I stay in a less than optimal apartment largely because of the location - I can walk to the grocery, cleaner, etc. (Amy - I have what my mother and sister refer to contemptuously as a "granny cart" which lets me haul large amounts of stuff.)

There have been stories about schools where none of the kids walk to school, regardless of how close they live - there aren't any sidewalks or, in some cases, they'd have to get across a multi-lane road with fast traffic. Turns out some jurisdictions require that you have kids walking before they'll put in sidewalks, hire crossing guards and so forth.

I have what my mother and sister refer to contemptuously as a "granny cart" which lets me haul large amounts of stuff.

I see those all over my neighborhood - they're awesome.

I have what my mother and sister refer to contemptuously as a "granny cart" which lets me haul large amounts of stuff.

They have a new rule here that you have to remove your items and fold up your granny cart on the bus. Which is sort of difficult, as there is often no place to put the items. They also say it is the law, which seems excessive. I think there might be a regulation that aisles have to be free of stuff, but there are often people in the aisles, and if there is no place to put your stuff, you are stuck in the aisle holding bags, which seems dangerous as well.

I am also a little weirded out that you have to take infants out of their carriers and hold them in your lap. I would think they would have some sort of way to buckle the car seat in, like they do the wheelchairs.

I had multiple granny carts in NYC, but only for things within walking distance. Probably on a few occasions I took them on a subway, but never the bus. Carts on the bus are a nightmare.

They do make bags with wheels: [link] that would carry less, but would work better on a bus. Still, you are looking at only one bag of groceries. Which? nsm an issue in NYC where a daily commute would take you by multiple grocery stores, but more of one if the grocery store is a trip out of the way.

Today I did grocery shopping over lunch, but only for frozen meals to re-stock my options in the office fridge.

I have a dream of inventing the perfect granny cart...lightweight, folds into small backpack, and with a few simple flicks (makes whooshing sounds and gesticulates madly in the air) it becomes an awesome cart with durable wheels.

Other than some vague ideas about Kevlar and the mad gesticulations, it hasn't gotten very far.

I have dreams about parenting skills, housecleaning, and craftiness that center around probably similar gesticulations.

Of course there's been a big movement back towards towards urban density in recent years.

Unfortunately it is mostly towards urban density. Density is not just for cities. The classic American small town with a main street filled with houses within walking or biking distance of stores is also outlawed. And much harder to change. Hillsboro in Oregon is one of the few suburbs seriously trying to changes this, but mostly in small towns in suburbs not only do these laws remain, you get major grassroots resistance towards attempts at change.

The thing that's crazy is that even as rural as I am, I have a little general store within walking distance, and that was an element for me. Of course, I also used to have a bar within walking distance, but that burned down in a mysterious fire the day after our fire chief was indicted for fraud and the fire department closed.

When I lived in the town, while we were building the house, I was within walking distance of a doctor, pharmacy, Walmart, Home Depot, thrift store, and the best little corner bakery ever, which also closed mysteriously but didn't burn down. And the bowling alley. Where the bus stop was.

All of which is amazing to me because we really are the opposite of efficient land use, what with all the Arizona independence and whatnot.

I live in walking distance (which for me is about 2 miles - I like to walk) of almost everything except two of the very major things: my kids' school, and my job. There's a shut-down school about half a mile away, that closed because too many people with kids gave up on the city schools and moved to the suburbs or put their kids in private school. The existing school is great, but it's over 2 miles, and while it's ok for me it's too much for little kids to walk without mucho hassle and whining.