Our Neighborhood

As you know, since Grandpa retired, we have taken up walking.  Usually, we take 2-3 walks a day and take Sparkles along with us and have been checking out our neighborhood area.  We try to change our routes and I am totally amazed that we have lived here for what......over 30 years.....and there are parts of our subdivision (yes, it was called that at one time) that I have never seen! I never knew there were so many styles of houses in our area.  We've lived on a block that is one-level ranches on both sides of the street...as some would call them "cracker boxes".  They are either two or three bedroom and each  has its own personal look but basically the same shape and style.  Taking our walks is like visiting a whole other world and I have discovered......

• Some people take very good care of their houses, lawns and landscaping and some don't.
• You can have a beautiful well-kept house right next door to one in disrepair and/or 'junky'.
• Some houses are set in the middle of jungles because of the lack of tree trimming or way too many BIG trees to begin with on such tiny lots. (We've had to duck under branches walking by some houses).
• We have walked down blocks like ours where all the houses are basically the same but other blocks that have ranch type houses along with two story houses....that breaks up the theme rather nicely.
• We passed one house where the kids swing set and other toys were buried in tall grass and I know the kids are grown already!
• Sad, but on each block, there is at least one house that is boarded up or empty.
• We passed one house on a corner where on one side of the front lawn there was beautiful landscaping with a terraced wall with flowers but on the other side, a lawn with big bare spots....what the heck?
• You can tell that some, at one time, had beautiful landscaping but now with new owners has gone to the wayside and is now a mess of weeds.
• The small trees that were planted when the houses were first built are HUGE and should really come down.....or a fierce storm is going to bring them down on top of houses.  We have one on each side of us in the neighbor's yards.
• Some yards are beautiful with patios or decks, back yards with well-kept gardens and flowers; a nice place to sit, relax and enjoy a summer day.
• You can tell by looking at any house if the original owners still live there or whether they have been sold once or many times over.  The original owners still take such pride in their homes.

I find it hard to understand how someone can buy a home and let it go downhill; the house along with the yard.  I mean after you spend your hard-earned, saved money, you are not going to care any more to protect your investment?  Maybe it's because the housing market has changed so much with subsidy down payments and low interest loans that people don't care?  They haven't had to work hard like we did to get what we have to really cherish it. How sad is that?  It's a whole new attitude out there these days....at least in our area.

Unfortunately, because of that, our house has been on the market for 9 months without even one offer (and have lowered the price twice).  Our house is in wonderful condition; both house and yard but if you were to drive just down to the corner or around the corner, you would think you were in the 'ghetto'.  What does that tell a prospective buyer?  You don't just buy a home, you buy the 'area' too.

Sorry I 'digressed'......back to walking.  Our walking has been fun and I think Sparkles has lost a few ounces; maybe even a whole pound and she loves it!  In fact, she will drive us nuts and whine if it has gone too long since our last walk.  I see that we are going to have perfect walking weather today, the heat has finally broke so today could be a 3-walkie day!!  Sparkles will be thrilled!