Neighborhood Living

Our new next door neighbors seem nice enough, but they have a seriously huge collection of STUFF! The backyard is home to a huge jungle gym (with VERY squeaky swings) a trampoline with one of those tall screens around it, and a soft side above ground swimming pool. Oh, and two little yappy dogs that stay outside all the time.  Did I mention they bark? All. The. Time.

So, today when I looked outside and saw them erecting a cheap metal shed, right next to our fence I might have gone a little crazy.  We have lived in this house for over three years, and every minute we have chafed at the neighborhood covenants which require approval by the architectural committee, and only a wooden outbuilding with composition shingles of the same architectural style as your home.  This must be submitted for approval and approved prior to building, at least five feet away from a fence.

I don't think I made them happy, but seriously? The house has two stories, five bedrooms, a game room, a two car garage and they need a shed??

In other news, we are almost ready to list this place for sale!!  We just have some work in the garage and outside, but the inside is as good as it's gonna get.  We painted the library, the guest room, the hall bath, one wall in the studio, the living room ceiling, covered over the verses on the hall wall, and painted one small wall by the kitchen/garage door.  We have de-cluttered, rearranged, thrown away, given away, and sold an immense amount of stuff.  Unfortunately, we still HAVE a lot of stuff!  But I'm sure it will all fit in the other house now.

We also cleaned.  Lordy, have we cleaned!  It took me hours to clean our bathroom, sorting through drawers and cabinets, scrubbing, finding homes for things we kept on the counters... then there was the kitchen, which now has a sparkling clean oven, microwave, dishwasher, sinks and cabinets, and counters. I have moved or hidden everything from the counters except the coffeemaker, the knife block and a basket on the bar. The dining room table, and in fact every surface in the house is clean. (But don't look in the closets!)

The Realtor was ready to list it Wednesday night, but we really needed this weekend to get everything done. We will still be working like fiends for a few days on the yard, but the place is looking really good, if I do say so myself! :)