When Neighbours are NOT good friends

We have our very own soap opera going on in our neighbourhood. About 6 months ago we got new neighbours. They are right next door to us, but its not us directly they are having the feud with.

The mud map above shows the approximate layout (I am no town planner or artist). The black wavy lines is the river, the parallel lines on the left is a major road. We are in a little cul-de-sac that was just a dead-end when the old house subdivided its land and 5 blocks of land were created. The people who bought the 5 blocks, us included, all built within a year of each other. The only one who didn't was Noisy Kids, they were about 5 years later. 

Hippy Neighbour has lived in her house across the road for over 25 years, she is a very sweet, kind lady, who keeps to herself, and has 2 dogs. You have to have dogs where we live, there are a lot of undesirables wandering about, and the houses without dogs get broken into. We have been broken into 3 times, once while we were in the house and asleep. It happened when we didn't have an outside dog.

It has been a happy place to live. Most of us get along, we have parties in the street, know each other, have helped out when needed, rescued dogs when they got out etc. There are a few characters (the latecomers with squeely girls) who are a little prickly, but on the whole its amicable.

Then the new people arrived. Not very friendly as in, we stop to say hello and we get a brush off, or their little puppy gets out and we take it back and there is barely a thanks but a whole lot of yelling at the dog and kids. Little things that tell you they are just not friendly neighbours and that's fine, Mr K and I have got used to living in suburbia now. This is what you get. We get along fine with Hippy Lady, she is warm and chatty, and the Old House people are the same. The Noisy Kids family are luke-warm too, bit weird (that's a whole new story there) but they generally keep to themselves.

About 3 months ago, Mr K gets a phone call from a very distraught Hippy Lady. She has had a visit from the rangers saying there is a complaint about her dogs barking. Its never happened before. Her dogs do bark a bit, but only because she lives on the main road and opposite is a service station that is frequented by some people who think its their local pub. There are often fights and police and of course the dogs are going to bark - that's why we have them.

Hippy Lady confronted the New people, and said that we have been a nice little neighbourhood and we normally just talk to each other if there is an issue instead of rushing off to the Ranger. She was upset, she is a very touchy feely type, but sensible. New Man just was rude and said to keep her dogs quiet.  A few weeks after this, Mr K gets another, more distraught phone call from Hippy Lady. She has had an argument with the New people and a letter from the council. Mr K advises her to just do the best she can about the dogs, and to ignore the New people. She has also found out that the New people have gone to all the houses in the street (except us) and asked them to sign a petition against Hippy lady. None of them did, but she is now furious at New people.

Mr K talks to her for a while, trying to get her to see a lighter side, to not take it as her problem but theirs. Hippy lady lives alone so her dogs are her protectors and company. Mr K suggests she write them a note telling she is doing what she can (she bought a bark buster collar and locks them up when she goes out) and jokingly, to lighten the mood, he said "give them some earplugs."

So she does!!  She writes a long letter (she gave us a copy) and includes some earplugs for the family. You can guess what happened next! Mr K comes home from work and there is an all out fight going on, not physical but verbal, between Hippy lady and New man. Mr K, ever the negotiator steps in and calms them both down, when New Lady gets home, sees the letter and the earplugs and comes ranting and raving out her house to confront Hippy Lady. 

Its calmed down a bit since then, but there are flare ups and these New people are quickly running out of friends. They don't realise that they make as much noise and disturb people too. Their kids are very noisy, he starts up his truck at 6am, he is a compulsive blower-vac user, and we have heard rows that get loud.  They have an alarm that goes off regularly and guess what?  All of us ignore it. That's all part of living in a close neighbourhood. You just have to mutter under your breath (or blog about it like I do) and get on with your life. We can't go about complaining and whining about every little thing that bothers us. 

If New people wanted quiet, they should not have picked a house that was so close to a main road, a train line, a B&B and other houses. I work from home. Yes it can be noisy, but you know what? I either close my window or play music or put in earplugs. If I want perfect quiet I will move to the country! 

I can't see it being a very friendly Christmas party this year, but it will sure be interesting. Stay tuned for further episodes.

Feng Shui and Home Office Layout

Never one to really believe in unicorn ideas, I need science to explain to me the unexplained and proof that there is a tangible reason behind it. So Feng Shui at first glance for me falls into the positive thinking will get you everywhere, praying, The Secret, Lucky Bamboo category. Until we bought a house many years ago and when Mr K and I were viewing it, we both felt the same thing and commented how good it made us feel. A year or so living in this house, I received a book on Feng Shui and for giggles, I overlaid the principles on this house.

And you guessed it - this house followed all the basic rules of good Feng Shui. So whether it was just luck, or designed this way, or coincidence, the house certainly felt nice to live in and made for a happy house. It never made us wealthy however! We sold this house as we needed to look after my MIL, but when we designed the house we were to build (the one we still live in) we subconsciously applied some Feng Shui rules. Within reason anyway, the block is a battleaxe and the house is huge with a granny flat so we had space constraints.

So what about my home office? As you may remember, last July we renovated the house, including turning the old guest room into my office. It was the last room done and as I had to be up and working very quickly, it was all put together in a rush and that'll do for now. Over the months, it has been feeling all wrong, but I just ignored this as I am so busy and need to work, not re-arrange furniture. The worse thing was having my back to the door, don't know why but it felt all wrong. (Probably because I am a born sticky beak and I like to know who is walking past my door.)

On Thursday, I had a major assignment due, some work deadlines and yet I had this loud and determined voice shouting at me "You have to move your desk, its bad energy to have your back to the door". I tried to just get on with my work, but I kept drifting off and thinking of a better configuration. Friday I knew how it would be. I would move my desk to the commanding position, so I had a view of the opposite wall (and all my books) a view of the door and a view out the two windows outside to my front porch and garden beyond. I would have a solid wall behind me, for strength. 

With the aid of Son#1 and Mr K, I moved it all around and it does feel better. I feel more creative. Lets see if my grades at Uni reflect this!

Now, according to the experts, I have to get an indoor plant (please not bamboo), an inspirational poster to look at, and pack away all my books, except for ones with uplifting titles......

.... WHAT???  Hang on.  Lost me right there. Pack away my BOOKS? Apparently the edges are poison arrows and harmful. I can keep them only if there are a few, there is some softening of them like an ivy draped over, or some crystals scattered in the book shelves. This is not going to happen, so I guess I have just lost any hope of this being my wealth centre and becoming a millionaire.

Oh well.

Little spending spree on the weekend

It started off Saturday afternoon, Mr K and I were both looking for something to do other than housework.  We had done the basics, and while there are a million things to clean and fix and attend to around here, neither of us had any motivation to tackle them.

So we went shopping.  The great 21st century pastime. 

To buy a CD.  The new Jack White CD to be precise - Blunderbuss.
(awesome IMHO)

Off to JB's, which where I live is located at the end of a very long line of large shops, never counted them but there would have to be at least 30 shops all in a row.  We parked at the opposite end to JB's so we could have a nice long walk in the sun.  Past all the shops .... (insert scary music here)

 

 

Mr K just casually mentioned that he wanted to pop into the HiFi showroom - in his words - 'just to check out what is new in there'.  Two alarming thoughts -

1. He must be awfully familiar with what was 'old' in there to know what was new?  Meaning he goes in there an awful lot!
2. Mr K never window shops for no reason.  I can feel a sales pitch coming from him about why we need a new speaker/amp/whatever.

Time to use tactic - well don't take long honey, I will just pop into Kitchenwarehouse and have a look while I am waiting for you to use. This would put him in a quandary - but have the desired effect of making him hurry up.  Poor man didn't stand a chance, I can snatch and grab kitchen stuff and be at the counter with my Visa card out quicker than he could cross the threshold of HIFI planet!

 

But I only bought necessary things - a white salad bowl and 2 white creme brule ramekins.  Oh and some cupcake cases, some really cute storage label thingies, a cookie cutter in the shape of clouds, ummm, think that's all.  Like I said the necessities of life - this was a cooking shop - we all have to eat!

 

The car was parked this end, so into the boot with the goods, when I noticed that the lighting store was having a 50% sale!  50%.  Wow.  So I asked Mr K if he is still looking for a floor lamp for his office - good time to look I say!  We walked out of there with no floor lamp - but with the following:

1. A very nice light for the dining room
2. A chandelier (fake - of course!) for our bedroom
3. 3 shades for the hallway batten lights
4. 2 shades and hanging kits for the guest rooms

My excuse was that they were on sale and we had only lived in our house for 11 years with NO light fittings at all (except for the bare batten holders the builders put in)  Not sure why Mr K was starting to look tired, maybe it was the thought of putting all these up when we got home - they all said D.I.Y

 

Back to the car, unload goodies.  Our walk continues.  Next was Freedom.  We always pop in here, to see whats new and hope that they bring back our favorite lounge - The Barcelona. I have also been undecided about a 2 seater lounge for the reading room.  Didn't want to spend too much on it, but still liked it enough to keep looking out for it on sale.  The minute we walk in, Mr K spies a new leather office chair - perfect for his office.  I leave him swiveling and checking out the airlift features and go and sit in the Ashbury - yep still like it.  The lovely saleslady who has got to know us by now, tells me that its still on back order and still $899. 

 

I am chatting to her and looking around, Mr K has got bored with his Astor and has made himself at home on the Townhouse.  He asks me if I have considered this one?  Nah, its not the right style.  It's very comfortable he says.  I go try it and yes, it is very comfortable.  Right colour, and the style is actually rather nice, not old fashioned like the Ashbury, but could blend very well in any environment.  The saleslady, lets call her Janet, because that's her name, tells me that all the staff go sit in that lounge as its so comfy. 

 

Janet, being the great saleslady she is, runs off to the computer and comes back beaming as the 2 seater Townhouse in Maine Stone is available.  I wont have to wait.  AND its only $699 AND there is a promotion that if you spend $1000 you get a gift voucher of $100!   The planets had all lined up and the furniture gods were smiling.  Or was that Janet thinking of her commission?  For she knew she had me.  1 hour later we left Freedom. 

 

With:

1. The Townhouse being delivered this Friday
2. 2 x Astor on back order but delivered 1 October - yep we fell for the old buy one get one half price trick.
3. 3 cushions - now that's a whole new post right there
4. 2 curtains
5. 1 curtain rod
6. 2 x candles in glass jars - don't ask
7. A very happy Janet

NOW we can go buy a CD.  But you know?  Neither of us had our hearts in it and I didn't even take it out of its wrapper and play it until Sunday evening. 

 

Shopping is exhausting.  Physically but most of all, mentally.

 



The Townhouse



The Astor

 

 

 

 

 



 



Three Days In

It's Wednesday evening, dinner is simmering away on the stove (authentic Italian Bolognaise sauce), I can smell it from my office.  Did I say MY office?  MY very own, no-one but me is allowed office?  It's such a thrill.  I have been silently falling in love with this room since first thing Monday morning.  But like all women who fall in love, as soon as we have them, we want to start changing them.  Just little cosmetic things, maybe a bad habit or two, they way they dress, how they do their hair - just enough change to put our own stamp on them without breaking the original character. 


Thus it is with my very own office.  It looks outside through 2 casement windows.  Sadly the view at the moment is the 4X4 Navara and some weeds.  But I have plans come Spring.  I have a desk that goes across the two windows, fresh air and light - something I missed terribly in the basement that was my old office.  The desk has my PC/monitor (all in one), a printer/scanner/fax machine (all in one), a lamp, a jar of jelly beans, a box of tissues and a pencil holder (none of them are all in one!).  That's it.  The rest gets put away every night.  I want streamlined minimalist.  I tried to even have the printer on another surface, but the tech head, aka Mr K said it had to be directly connected to my PC if I wanted to scan.  Sigh.

Now this looks messy and not calm or pretty at all.  Have to work at this

Plain old boring.  Needs colour and curtains

On my right side (yes I know all that know me are giggling at the thought of me working out which way was right!) are two bookcases, the closest one is full of work files and pretty boxes of stationery.  All neat and co-ordinated and appealing.  The other bookcase has books in the categories of : writing (I so want to pursue this again); genealogy (ditto) horse management (ditto, ditto) and a million cook books (I have some Nigella Lawson thing going where I imagine myself sitting at my desk writing family history cookbooks!)

Idea is good, execution is not.  Will make all files the same size and select better papers

Right next to my desk is a newly purchased heater - that was scored Monday as it was so cold in here, my fingers were frozen.  Also purchased this same day was a little bed for the muppet.  She is yet to be convinced it's her colour, and sometimes she gets on it, other times she prefers to sit right behind my chair, under the wheels - I have tufts of her tail fur to prove it.  The cat however thinks its devine.

Minty on one of the rare times she liked her bed

On the opposite side to the bookcases and to my left as I sit at my desk, is one of two credenza's.  This one proudly displays my horse on the top and paper and envelopes inside.  The other credenza is directly behind me, near the door, and this will be for odds and ends and ugly files I don't want to see the light of day.  Kinda like the interesting, but ugly fish in the depths of the dead sea.

Needs a lot of work - pictures behind I think

Ditto here, just plain dull.

Nothing adorns the walls yet, but don't worry, I have plans.  On the little wall between the casement windows will be a new clock like this:

Have purchased this and hung it up - looks lovely

and a pin-up board covered in a lovely fabric

Bought material today - will play in my craft room this weekend.

Some pictures on the walls, I am thinking some of the nice maps I have will suit.  Still havent really settled on a theme/colour accent so on the lookout for a fabric, or picture that I fall in love with that can be the jumping off point.

Renovation - Day 15

Home stretch.  Saturday sleep in was a pipe dream as the front gate bell went at 7.30am, but I guess we did get 30mins extra.  Took a few coffee's for us and Chris, who was on his own with no sidekick - Ryan we found out was only 17 and still on the weekend sport phase of his boyhood.

Got warmed up by moving piles of books and magazines to my office and craft room.  Must have walked up that hallway 1000 times! Found 2 more boxes of books out in the carport.  Think I 'might' have a bit of a book addiction?  I then just moved from room to room, unpacking things, setting things up, preening, cleaning, with lots of admiring and smiling at how it has all turned out.  To say that I am happy with the result is a huge understatement - I am thrilled.

In the coming week, I will post in detail what each room is like, what I have plans to do there, how to decorate it etc.  For now, here is a brief photo update:

The bookcase in my office.  Have room to acquire here :-)

Reading (and obviously TV) room.  No capacity to add any books here - will have to be disciplined with the one in one out rule here.



Hall table in the reading room.  Will get a large mirror to hang above this.

Corner of the reading room waiting for a wing back chair and 2 seater sofa.

One side of the craft room.  Love the view to the garden.

Other side of the craft room - just look at all that storage!



Renovation Day 14

The Friday, the last day of our holidays, the last day of decoration.  The carpet layers are due about lunchtime, so that gives us time to clear out the lounge, in an almost "we are on holiday" approach.  Of course we didn't, we both worked and pottered and placed and organised and cleaned right up until they arrived.  In their usual fashion, the lads (Chris and Ryan) got stuck right in and within the hour my new office was all carpeted and ready for me to move in. 

More cleaning - my desk that was out in the carport, the credenza's, also in the carport.  My PC, the printer, files, office stuff - all needed a dust and wipe over.  If I never see a chux again, it will be a fine thing.  But it was oh so lovely to have everything shiny and new and clean and fresh.  I am vowing to keep it this way - surely I am old enough now to be able to play grown ups and keep my house nice.

The carpet in the lounge was looking lovely ... until ... we had a minor, well major really, disaster.  the carpet layers use a very hot iron to melt the strips that hold the carpet to the edges and to make joins.  He usually kept the iron in a (plastic ... weird) box with layers of old carpet to insulate it.  That morning he has cleaned it out, but something very wrong happened, the iron overheated and burned a hole through 4 layers of old carpet, a plastic box, out new carpet and the underlay.  Eeeek.  Poor Chris, he was so stressed, it was 4pm on a Friday and there was no time to get another batch of carpet out to us before the end of day.  There was nothing for it but to calm Chris down, give him a beer, order new carpet for tomorrow and commiserate with him that he too is human. 

The only real annoyance for us was losing an evening to put the lounge back together, and we spent the night on the patio where our lounge chairs and outdoor heater and TV were.  We huddled under blankets, with the dogs and cat and watched the opening ceremony of the London Olympics.

So much for a sleep in tomorrow, the new carpet will arrive at 7am.

Silver lining?  We have some bargain carpet for our bedroom which we were not planning to do right now, but may as well re-carpet the whole house. 

The yucky, stained, mottled, old (no not Mr K!) carpet in the lounge.

Minty's 'wee' patch.  And the elephant in the room aka the Server Cupboard

Chris the Carpet Layer - had to make him pull up his pants as he was looking more like a Plumber!

Chris - just before disaster struck.

My new office - before it gets filled with stuff

The lounge - fresh and clean and streamlined

My new horse!

Found this handsome lad and just had to bring him home with me.

He has been stabled in the hallway for the moment, but he will move to my office when it has been renovated.

What a mess for him to live in!

Planning

Now the exciting bit (well for me anyway, any readers are probably bored silly by now) - the planning of project 'house renovations'.

8 Stages

1. Planning
2. Preparing
3. Storeroom
4. Guest Lounge Room
5. Guest Bedroom
6. My Office
7. Mr K Office
8. Shed

Scope of works

Renovate and change use of rooms that are now not being used (or being used as junk dumping grounds).  Decorate the rooms so that they work well for the purpose we want them for.  Make better use of space.  Improve the value of the house and start preparing for the day when we will sell it.  Give me a reason to go in and look around and smile and feel good inside. (Like I keep doing in my walk in robe :-*)

Rooms to renovate -

Cams Room - to become the Guest Bedroom - this has the nicest outlook, well it will have when I have redone the gardens

Ash's Room - to become my storeroom (and maybe also a craft room if it doesn't work in my office)

Activity Room (shared by boys) - to become Guest Sitting Room

Guest Room - to become my office, and craft room (maybe)

Old Office/Library  - to become the office again, as well as Mr K's gentleman's retreat.  Also to display his Military collection.

Passion behind the plans

At the moment we are living in just a few rooms of this sprawling house.  It is kind of nice to live so compactly, gives us a great feeling of what it will be like when we move out to the (much smaller) house at Wattle Grove.  But it seems a shame that we are crammed in this space when we could spread out and be much more organised.  I am SO over clutter, and if we cant move (which is normally how I deal with clutter - move house and have a huge sort out) then we will have to have the sort out on its own.  It makes sense to use each empty room for one purpose - this will make it work better, look better and when we have to put the house on the market - it will display better.

The main concept of each room will be:

Guest Wing
I want to have a really relaxing and welcoming guest wing.  A retreat where guests can have their own private space and feel like they are on holidays.  I love to play hostess so I want to make these rooms look stunning, comfortable, fresh and clean.  Much like a hotel room, but much more personal. The bedroom has a built in robe, so this will save buying one.

Guest Bedroom

• Bed - queen sized - already have
• Bedside tables - have but old/need revamping
• Chest of drawers - maybe use the WIR if space is limited
• Storage - a low set of shelves that shoes/bags etc can go in and an open suitcase on top
• Chair in the bedroom for dressing - may not have space.

Guest Sitting Room

• 2 comfortable armchairs - to buy
• Footstools - to buy
• Small dining table and 2 chairs.  Can also be used as a writing table.  Maybe have?
• TV and DVD player - already have
• Bookcase - already have

Storage Room

Very indulgent but I would like a room which has wall to wall  and ceiling to floor shelves - or even better the Expedit shelving with cubby holes.  In this room will be all the items that need to be stored.  Craft things, Christmas decorations, games, picnic items ... anything that I want to keep, is seasonal, is too good to go into the shed.  There will be rules however for storing things in here.  (that's a whole other post!) I may also put in a workbench if there is room as use this as a craft room, or wrapping room.  My aim is to make this room very functional yet beautiful.  If it looks nice and is easy to store things and retrieve them, then it will stay that way.

My Office

This room needs to inspire me to go into everyday and work 8+ hours.  It needs to make me feel professional, business like, inspired to help develop the business further.  I need a large desk, benches for printers/scanners, lots and lots of storage.  I would like to look outside and for it to feel bright and airy.  We have existing office furniture, but I am not sure I like it as its a beech timber and I had in mind white furniture.  Might have to look into what I can adapt what we have to save some money.  Will look at painting the room white, or antique white, using the beech furniture and accessorising with lots of turquoise.  I want it to look very sleek and uncluttered.

Library/Gentleman's Room

The old office where we first ran the business has sat as it was left when we moved the business into the city.  Its a lovely big room, with windows at either end, but has limitations with 3 doors, furniture will have to be carefully positioned.  As this is to be Mr K's room, (and therefore left to his own devices would just be a giant mess and junk room) I am taking a bit of control and would like it to have an old fashioned, library or man of the house study.  So lots of leather seats, a nice solid timber desk, wooden display cabinets with glass doors for his ever growing military collection, and the long wall completely lined with bookcases, also with glass doors. 

Now that I am inspired, onto listing each task.  Amazing how now that I have got all inspired, I feel energised to tackle this, excited to start and the project doesn't feel at all daunting. 

Onto the next Project

So now that we have the office sorted with new showroom counters and the techs have their new helpdesk bench, and the tenants are happy (for now) with the work we have done out at Wattle Grove, and the boys have finished most of the big projects at their place, its time to turn our attention to our very neglected home.

It's a bit of a "there's a hole in the bucket dear Liza" scenario - we have to do each part in sequence.  Two time critical projects -

1. Now that I am working from home I need a dedicated office that is not in the loungeroom and
2. The guest wing needs to be finished for when Mum has her hip operation in September so she can come and do her re-hab here in comfort and with her own space. 

I am hoping we can take 2 weeks off work (our holidays) to get stuck in and do the whole lot at once.  Its not much fun doing it in dribs and drabs on weekends, and I really am ready to have a few weekends to myself to do normal things, like the weekly washing, vacuum the floors and maybe, just maybe, read a book or go to the movies. 

So, for now, some inspiration to keep the enthusiasm up ...

Home Office

Guest Wing

Storeroom

Library/Gentlemans Room