…. I can’t remember whether or not I mentioned it before, but I have new neighbors. They bought the house next door, moved in about a week ago and have been renovating ever since. I haven’t met her, but I’ve talked to him a few times now. They are in their mid-20’s and seem like a really nice couple. He and I have talked about the things he is doing and plans to do to the house, and it sounds like some great improvements. Inside won’t matter to me much, but he wants to get rid of the 
white vinyl siding (he thinks it’s too boring) and change it to a rust colored siding with wood trim, a rustic style. The picture he showed me looks kind of like in this one, but without the green and the rock. It should be a lot nicer to look at out my window than the blinding white, not so well fitting, vinyl.
…. Anyhoo, he’s storing a truck for his sister and asked me if I owned the property behind my garage. When I told him that I did, he wanted to know if it was ok to park the truck back there for a while. …. I told him that since I won’t be starting any projec
ts back there until at least next summer, that it wouldn’t be a problem until then. He said thanks and then asked me if I liked Fuze, since he is the regional distributor for them in this area. I really like the sugar-free flavors, I buy tons of them whenever they are on sale, so he goes “Well, there are 5 flavors of the sugar free, I could give you a case of each - - - every month.” So today he looks over the fence, just like Wilson on Home Improvement, and says he’s got some Fuze for me, and just starts piling cases on the fence ledge for me. You can see it all in the picture there, including a case of NOS and NOS shots (their energy drink). When I told my friend Adele about this she said “You could fall in a pile of horse shit and come out holding 2 dozen roses.” I don’t think I’m that lucky, but every time I get a little down I remind myself I really do not have anything to bitch about.
…. Even without the freebies, I think the new neighbors are going to work out well. (Sorry Writer, I know misery loves company, but I’m still glad I didn’t get my own “The Blob” next door.)
7 comments:
Yeah, I knew you were posting this just to bug me.
Space rent paid in soda -- not bad. Good thing it's stuff you like, too.
Vinyl siding is pretty tacky any way you go about it. The only excuse for it is if the brickwork is damaged or beyond ugly. (Yes, I know, that one house I looked at had siding on it, but I was wondering if it'd come off.) There is a house a few down from where my grandmother once lived that has vinyl siding on it now, but it's an improvement. I know the house has that "weeping" mortar stuff -- the kind where they let the cement goosh out between the bricks and don't wipe it off. And the owners in the 1960s painted it pale pink. Yeah, the brick and gooshy mortar both. At age three I could think of nothing but a giant birthday cake with gooey frosting when I saw it. In this case, the siding is completely justified.
Yes, I am totally jealous of your getting decent neighbors. My street has really gotten ridiculous with kids and dogs. The house three up from me sold to fairly nice people, but they have babies and a puppy. Yuck.
Right now, two houses are vacant -- one for sale, one for rent. I'm really hoping for single grad students who like tropical fish.
Hook a sista up with some NOS brotha!
You totally could capitolize on this and resell it to the students out of your class room, thus, perhaps no one would be stealing your DC from the locked fridge!
WRITER: I have no idea what people were thinking with those houses with the mortar squished out. I just can't imagine someone thinking "man, that looks cool", unless they were heavily self-sedated. Then again, we had that orange and brown shag carpet when I was in high school. Yeeesh. But I do think the vinyl siding looks better than having an add-on that doesn't match, which is what I think the case is with the house next door. I'll still be happier when they put something nice on instead, it's beginning to warp and fall off in places.
JO: Could be done. I'll try to remember some next time we do dinner.
DISASTER: Hmmm, not a bad idea, but the lock stopped the theft of my Coke, so maybe I'll just be selfish and keep the Fuze to myself.
Okay, add-on that doesn't match may justify siding.
And if you want to see something scarier than brown and orange shag carpet, drop by sometime and see the blue and gold FOIL wallpaper I"m trying to scrape off the bathroom walls. I guess in 1967 it made sense....
Yeah, in 1967 a lot of weird stuff made sense. Avacado green appliances. Foil wallpaper. Bright green shag carpet. Chairs with no back. Richard Nixon (although compared to our last president......)
Save me a piece, I'll scan it for you so you can use it for blogfodder.
Congratulations Max. You got lucky with your new neighbors, they seem like they will be positive additions to your neighborhood. Oh and enjoy the Fuze.
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