2010

I just noticed there hasn't been a single post this entire year.  Which means two things - either this blog is dead or I've gotten lazy.  Unfortunately it's the later and I'm not all that sure the laziness is new.

My most recent event was the other day.  I had left the house and walked to my bus stop on a crisp cold sunny morning.  I had sat down and had just pulled out my book when all of a sudden there was Mr. Yellow House walking Rufus - they must have been just behind me.  Normally we usually just do a head nod or some sort of acknowledgment - sometimes a 'hello' even.  But this time, when I look up and see him, he stops and starts to tell me how they thought they had seen one of my boys (winston) out on their deck.  They were worried he had escaped but it turns out it was a neighbors cat that looks similar.  I mentioned that the boys love the bird feeder they put out - it's like cat TV.  He said they were just about to put it out and off he went.  A nice little exchange and we went on with our normal mornings.

The other news I don't think I've posted about (I'm too lazy to look up), is that after a series of short lived tenants in their back apartment, their daughter and son-in-law moved in.  I think it was this fall.  Maybe summer actually.  They leave their blinds open in the main room more than any of the other tenants.  Which means I've had to start pulling the blinds down a bit more often when I'm visiting the toilet.  Which is a bummer as there's nothing I like better than doing my business while looking out the window at the world going by.  However, I realize at night, even with the lights off, and especially when they are having dinner guests over (i.e. meaning there are eyes pointing in all directions including at my place), I really should draw the blinds.  I still probably don't do it often enough, but hey, we're neighbors.  That's gotta mean something.

Well, that's 2010.  We'll see what 2011 brings!

And now the leaves are gone

And I have to remember this. Especially in the bathroom. Especially since there are new tenants. The gay couple didn't last that long (I think only one guy was living there, so maybe they moved into the other guy's place). I think a girl is staying there now, about my age or maybe a little younger.

However, the other day (maybe month now), I was coming home, talking with my dad on the phone and realized when I got up to my place that the new tenants keep their blinds open at night and on full view. It was a strange tv show - watching this guy sit there and play some video game. I still think a girl lives there - based mainly on the type of stuff in the room - more comfort, less just functional. But haven't really seen them yet. I couldn't pick them out of a line up. Lesson learned from that evening was twofold: 1. I don't really know my neighbors, 2. I might want to consider closing my blinds occasionally.

On a different note, this morning while waiting for my bus, I was sitting on the stone wall emptying the contents of my bag trying to find a battery for my MP3 player (I think I forgot to turn it off when the doctor finally came to get me yesterday) and in my limited vision I noticed Rufus walk by! They were on their way back from their morning walk.

Oh and yesterday I saw the dad deliver the mail to the back mail box. I was home early. It was sweet.

You know spring has arrived...

when the yellow house neighbors are flush with new foliage. All the wonderful lilies and greenery are filling out nicely. Even the vines climbing the porch railing are showing life again. The porch furniture is back out and the potted plants have emerged and are along the porch edges and up the stairs. Very nice and wonderful.

There was a little period there though that I forgot about - the time when you open the windows but the leaves are still buds - no insulation between you and the neighbors. But now the leaves are full providing the appearance of camouflage.

For the new tenants, I think they're a gay couple. I forget how I came to this conclusion as I hardly ever see anyone, but think I must have seen two guys together once. They're tall and lanky - New England style. They seem nice, but then again I haven't really seen much of them. But summer is just around the corner so you never know.

Christmas Shopping

Shortly after I got back from Phoenix for Thanksgiving I noticed a gift haul. Mom and dad were walking back from the garage with a Nordstrom bag, Sears bag and a nice 19" flatscreen. Someone's going to enjoy Christmas. Or maybe Hanukkah.

Also, I think they rented out the back rooms. I haven't been walking by the front door lately so haven't noticed if the sign is down. But I did notice a new car parked in the driveway. It's a Subaru with NH plates. Interesting. Can't wait to see the new tennants.

Signage

Last night, I was walking home from my bus after a night on the town doing some business development for my new job. I was enjoying the crisp air of the late fall and the rustle of the remaining leaves on the sidewalk, when all of a sudden I was jarred out of my autodrive. Just as I passed the first large bush of the yellow house I saw it - a very large white real estate sign. At first I thought the house was for sale. I wasn't ready for that. There's been a bunch of change I've been going through both in the personal and professional life, that I find I hold onto what stability I have remaining. Even if it's just the stability that your neighbors are your neighbors. Even if you don't actually know them, they're still a part of your life in a certain way.

Well the real estate sign was for renting the back part of the house. So now that puts the whole question of the son back into the forefront. Maybe he wasn't the son. I just assumed that because he had hte same style sense as the daughter (black, goth like, etc). But maybe he was just someone who rented. The awkardness of interactions between the son and the parents could have equally been explained that they were relative strangers. Now I have to admit I'm 50/50. He still could have been the son and just moved out for whatever reasons and now the parents have the opportunity to rent the place. Who knows. I wonder if I will ever find out. I wonder who the new tenant(s) will be.

Renovation on the Inside

They might have been doing some renovation on the outside of the house earlier in the month (there was a sign on the front yard), but they are definately doing some work upstairs. I always thought the back room on the second floor was the master bedroom. It's really large and has rows of windows on three sides of the rooms which have some wonerful mullions. Generally that's all I see as the blinds are always kept closed. But recently they've been left open for awhile. There is rolled up used carpet out by the back door (what I think of as the separate entrance) and I'm thinking this must have been the sons mini-apartment. You can see that there are stairs that lead into this room directly.

One afternoon I saw the dad painting in the room - trim I think. They're also doing some painting in the little room outside this big bedroom. I think it's a hallway, but it's hard to tell. They've been at it for awhile now, several days now if not weeks (I'm having trouble keeping track of time lately).

Last night, walking up my sidewalk on my way home I looked up and the lights were on and blinds were up for another room on the second floor. You could see an easel and some paintbrushes, so think this must be the studio. I know the mom is an artist as she had some of her work on display at the local art studios this summer. Of course, I only learned about it after the fact.

So they must occupy and use the front half of second floor of the house, and the back half was the sons. I wonder what they will use the space for now. Their house is about the same size and layout (long and narrow) as the house I grew up in. I remember my dad saying he was going to move after we grew up as it was too large a house for just two people. I think their house is a little smaller, but still large.

Moving day

I was going to post this before I headed off on my trip to Spain, but there was a moving truck and boxes galore a few days before I left. I was busy with my whole whirlwind of packing for my trip so didn't really observe much. Since I've been back I've only seen the dad and Rufus on their way back from their morning walks, so I guess anyone is fair game. My bet is that the son moved out of the back. I believe he had a girlfriend living with him as well as there was both a saturn and a corolla that weren't the parents I don't think.

Today and yesterday there's been a bunch of pickups in the driveway but I think they have some renovation work going on for the outside of hte house. As I settle back in maybe I'll figure out what has changed. Fall is starting so the leaves will soon fall.