Tuesday, June 07, 2005
A neighbor e-mailed me today:
"I am writing to tell you how disappointed I am with the houses you are building. I feel you mislead the neighbors telling them you planned to build some nice little cottages on your property. From my point of view, the places that you are building are NOT cottages and they seem to be totally out of sync design-wise with the kind of homes on our block. I am just glad these homes are not in my back yard."
I wrote back, saying I thought the existing wide range of styles, designs, and eras on the street was a valuable thing, and I hoped to add to it. I don't know where the neighbor got the idea that Mabel and Galusha would be cottages, but it's unfortunate that it became part of anyone's thinking. It's the first time someone's out-and-out criticized Mabel and Galusha, and I feel kinda hurt and protective.
I just hope the result mollifies her. No doubt, the shape the place is in now is far from pretty. There's a trench from the street on back, and piles of dirt you can hardly see over. This spectacle was my first sight on coming back from vacation, and then I also heard that some damage was done to the neighbors' fence when a piece on the front-end loader broke. The fence is repaired, but it seems like everyone's nerves are a little frayed and any incident can send someone over the top.
With Hawaii just days behind me, it's surprising how fast I'm right back in the thick of it. One point of solace: I've got to be at least halfway done. Right?
Check out the new photos coming soon.
"I am writing to tell you how disappointed I am with the houses you are building. I feel you mislead the neighbors telling them you planned to build some nice little cottages on your property. From my point of view, the places that you are building are NOT cottages and they seem to be totally out of sync design-wise with the kind of homes on our block. I am just glad these homes are not in my back yard."
I wrote back, saying I thought the existing wide range of styles, designs, and eras on the street was a valuable thing, and I hoped to add to it. I don't know where the neighbor got the idea that Mabel and Galusha would be cottages, but it's unfortunate that it became part of anyone's thinking. It's the first time someone's out-and-out criticized Mabel and Galusha, and I feel kinda hurt and protective.
I just hope the result mollifies her. No doubt, the shape the place is in now is far from pretty. There's a trench from the street on back, and piles of dirt you can hardly see over. This spectacle was my first sight on coming back from vacation, and then I also heard that some damage was done to the neighbors' fence when a piece on the front-end loader broke. The fence is repaired, but it seems like everyone's nerves are a little frayed and any incident can send someone over the top.
With Hawaii just days behind me, it's surprising how fast I'm right back in the thick of it. One point of solace: I've got to be at least halfway done. Right?
Check out the new photos coming soon.
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