Category: neighborhood

Posted in neighbor, neighborhood

Anonymous neighbors

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Breno Assis on Unsplash

I have three new neighbors who live within one hundred yards of my home. Since the day they moved in, I have never seen them outside of their house.

As you (my readers) know, I walk my dogs at least twice a day. I pass by these homes in the early morning and in the afternoon or evening. I drive from and to my house and out of and into my neighborhood at least once a day. I see cars in the driveway and lights on inside the house. But I have never seen the people who live in these homes.

Do they never come out of their house? Do they spend all their time on the lanai by the pool out back? Does someone deliver their groceries to them? Are they alive? (On TV, people die in their homes and no one discovers them for weeks.) Are they nocturnal, awake at night but asleep during the day?

I know, I should take the first step. I should knock on their door and introduce myself. I should bring cookies or brownies to welcome them to the neighborhood.

But I don’t. I walk by their houses, wondering who’s in there. I naively assume that I’ll see them out and around. I’ll wave when they drive by. they’ll wave when I drive by. I’ll see them cutting the lawn, working in the garden, or washing their car. I’ll pass them walking around the block or gathering mail from the mail box.

Nope. None of that happens. Either they totally isolate themselves or they are completely invisible. I see no one going into our out of their house or garage.

I think that’s amazing. In this digital world, it’s almost impossible to disappear. We leave traces of ourselves everywhere, when we get cash from an ATM, drive through intersections, pay for gas, buy stamps, check email, text a friend, and follow GPS to a destination.

Aren’t there times when we all want to be invisible?

Posted in neighborhood

Mary has a prominent place in this neighborhood

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I’ve been noticing the statuary in the front yards I pass on my morning walks. One that piques my interest is Mary. The one pictured here is a full-sized representation of the mother of Jesus.

Why have a large (or small) statue of Mary in front of your home?

From what I’ve read, a statue of Mary is a profession of faith as well as an appeal for protection for that home and neighborhood. It serves as a reminder of Mary’s faith, encouragement to pray, and a witness to the community.

This family has constructed a small shrine. A nativity sits in front of it through the Christmas season. Colored lights illumine the statue at night.

I’ve never seen a statue of Jesus. I suppose that’s because of the commandment prohibiting graven images. St. Francis of Assisi has a spot in some gardens, reminding us his traditional close connection with flora and fauna.

A seashell sometimes surrounds a statue of Mary. The shell was a symbol of baptism in the early church. It also represented the sea, traditionally connecting Mary with protection for fishermen and sailors.

Posted in neighbor, neighborhood

Do you smell that smell?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Thomas Park on Unsplash

I exclaimed, “Wow, do you smell that?” As the big dog and I rounded the corner on an pre-dawn Sunday walk, an amazing aroma filled the air.

Someone must have been frying bacon on a cast iron grill. The incredible smell filled the air around us for at least a hundred feet of our walk. I thought, “I need to get to know these neighbors!”

My joy quickly evaporated as we turned another corner and slammed into the obnoxious smell of someone lighting up their first cigarette of the day. That must be a powerful addiction to have to light up before sunrise.

We pass another house where someone likes to start their day with a cigar. I don’t mind that smell so much. It just surprises me when the breeze blows that smoke across a yard that early in the morning.

The other early morning aroma I enjoy comes when someone has been smoking brisket or a pork butt all night. What better than the smell of wood, seasoning, and cooked meat filling the air?

Posted in neighbor, neighborhood

Nothing but white

Posted on by William Douthwaite

This is the latest episode in the saga of a neighbor with unusual house projects. So far, he’s torn out his lawn, installed yard lights, modified his yard lights, and made it very clear he doesn’t want to be disturbed.

He has decided to paint his house. He’s painting his house white. All of it. Walls, trim, and shutters. Everything.

I have nothing against the color white. White walls with contrasting trim could be attractive. White trim against darker walls is eye-catching. One hundred percent white? Sorry, that just doesn’t work for me.

Do you think he’s priming it in preparation for a few color? That would make sense. But I doubt it.

I haven’t actually seen my neighbor working on this project. And it looks like he’s using a brush rather than a roller, so this is going to take some time.

I’ll keep you up to date.

Posted in neighbor, neighborhood

That’s a lot of stuff

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Most garage doors are closed when I walk through the neighborhood. Those that are open are typically full, and this one was no exception. It’s hard to see them all, but I count at least thirty yellow-lidded black storage totes balanced along the wall. The opposite wall is just as impressive.

I’m impressed with the labeling, too. But I’m more impressed with all the stuff. Tote after tote of stuff. (Those totes aren’t cheap! Nine or ten bucks a pop.) Holiday decorations? Seasonal clothing? Books? Souvenirs from trips? Picture albums? Collections?

To tell you the truth, I can’t imagine enough content to fill all those boxes. But that accumulation is the rule not the exception. Three-car-garages are standard in new builds in my neighborhood. Few folks park cars in those garages. Cars live in the driveway, while box after box after box occupies the row of garages.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I have a neighbor whose three-car-garage contains a universal gym, multiple tool cabinets, and a grill he wheels out to cook supper. He’s got no clutter in his garage(s). He also has no cars or trucks in there.

Posted in neighbor, neighborhood, noticing

Do not disturb

Posted on by William Douthwaite

This is another chapter in the bizarre happenings at my neighbor’s house. In our last episode, he had removed all the glass from the solar landscape lights around his front yard.

The other morning, the front door looked different. I couldn’t really tell what was across the front door and what was written on a piece of paper. I hesitated to walk up to the front door at 6 am. What if there’s a camera behind the doorbell or watching the front of the house?

But that evening, my curiosity got the best of me. I couldn’t see any lights on in the house. What did I have to lose? The big dog and I walked up to the door to find two handwritten warnings: “Do not disturb.”

Interesting. From what I’ve seen, this is the last house in the neighborhood I’d like to disturb. On the other hand, I’ve gotten tired of door-to-door tree services, alarm companies, pest control companies, and well- meaning religious groups knocking on my door. I’ve just haven’t gotten around to putting a stylish “No soliciting” sign by the doorbell.

What’s going on in that home? Something illegal? Something sinister? I don’t know. But I’ll bet this isn’t the last post I’ll write about this house!

Posted in neighbor, neighborhood

The glass is all gone

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I’ve written about this fun neighbor before. In previous episodes, he tore all the sod out of his front yard, letting a field of weeds replace the grass. He then installed a string of thirty-two solar lights across the length of his property. He even drilled holes in the driveway and set the light spikes through the concrete.

Well, early this morning, the big dog and I noticed that this guy had taken all the glass panels out of every solar light spike. The lights worked, but all the glass was gone from every one! Just when I think it can’t get any weirder, it gets weirder.

I’m starting to think I should say something to someone, but I have no idea who. Keep in mind that this person lives across the street from someone who has a Ghostbuster vehicle parked in their driveway.

Posted in neighborhood

The mailbox didn’t have a chance

Posted on by William Douthwaite

How fast do you think this person was driving?

The first thing that caught my eye was the uprooted mailbox post. It was completely lifted up out of the ground. I thought, “Who would do that?”

Then I saw the car or truck parts along the tire track in the lawn. Someone took the curve too fast, swerved onto the grass, and took out that mailbox.

But where was the mailbox? I spotted it up by the house, about twenty yards away. Wow, they must have been moving!

I know the guy who used to live in this house. Used to means I don’t know what happened to him. I used to see him all the time, riding his bike around the neighborhood. He either died or is living in a care facility. A company cares for the lawn each week. But no sign of him.

If someone put their mind to it, they wouldn’t have much trouble finding the offending vehicle that picked up a few dents and dings and left a few trim parts behind.

We’ll see if anyone notices or cleans up the yard in the next few days. It’s on an isolated section of a road I often walk on in the morning, easily overlooked. I’ll also keep an eye out for the rest of the truck or car.

It could have been worse. Some folks build bricks around their mailbox posts for these kinds of moments.

Posted in neighbor, neighborhood

It’s beginning to look a lot like…

Posted on by William Douthwaite

…someone lost a bet and had to put the fuzzy flamingoes in their front yard this year.

…someone cleaned out their attic and found some long lost yard decorations. “Hey, remember these? Everyone said we had the best yard in the neighborhood!”

…the HOA went belly-up so anything goes.

…someone up the street died. Whoever cleaned out her house left stuff like this out on the curb. One person’s trash…

…my neighbor put out the first decorations on our block. While some are still trying to coax a few more days from Halloween pumpkins, many have started their Christmas festivities. Less than 25 yards from my house, I have the pleasure of seeing these fuzzy flamingoes every day. This is their first year along this neighbor’s driveway. They are an omen of what’s to come. Soon this neighbor will fill his yard with a hideous hodgepodge of lights, trees, ornaments, snowmen, and other Christmas characters.