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.

Heat wave siting

Today should be the last day of the heat wave we've been having since this weekend. The neighbors have been eating outside on the deck/porch but I've mostly been out of town. However, this morning, I head out the door hoping to get to work early. But get stuck in that abyss of bus service (they usually come fairly regularly - there are three lines that come by, but there are spots where you can wait double the normal time). I'm sitting in the sun, thinking there is a breeze and it's early, but I have a black dress on and am starting to heat up and the bus just isn't coming. I just want to be in the bus, but it is nowhere to be seen, but keep thinking it should be here any minute. If I had known, I would have sat a few doors down in the shade. As I'm waiting, I pulled out the knitting and am on my second row when I look up and there is the dad and Rufus walking down the street. Rufus is nicely closely shaved, which makes him look like he is keeping cool (considering he's a sheep dog). As they pass we share hellos/good mornings. Soon afterward, my bus I'm waiting for finally arrives and I'm transported on an AC bus to an AC subway to an AC work. Trying to stay cool. I just hope my boys are staying cool back home.

Contact!

I just realized I meant to blog about this earlier but completely forgot. I think it was Tuesday of this week, I was coming home from work before running off to pick up my first farm share of the season, make a pit stop at Trader Joes before heading off to yoga. I was walking and reading my latest book (The God of Small Things). It was a great sunny day with everything in full bloom. As I'm heading past their driveway, I notice that there are several people mid-way down. I believe the dad and the mom, but it was a quick glance. I think I did mutter a "hi". As I rounded the corner and headed down the sidewalk to my front door, running through the hedge that separates the property is Goblin barreling towards me. He's a pug (or something like that, sorry, don't really know my dogs). He was all excited and he said "hi" and I got to pet him for a moment before he ran back to his folks who were calling after him. And that's that. My first real contact. He seems like a sweet dog, really friendly and happy go lucky. Plus he's always so fun to watch as he warbles along on his short legs and chunky body.

On a different note, I'm still torn about another issue. I've really been enjoying their majestic gardening they have. They've planted all their annuals and everything is just so lush and vibrant and colorful, even all the potted plants on the side deck/porch. I really want to take a picture and share this gorgeousness, but feel like up until now, the anonymity (unless you know where I live), is respectful. Posting a picture of their place - even if taken where you wouldn't recognize it from the street might be too much. But it is so wonderful.