Why do I Live in a Brick Ranch in the Burbs?

Is it time to quit the yard work and home repairs?

Lately I have been working my buns off around the house. Not something that I expected to do in my retirement. For several years, I have put off some much needed work on the flower beds and the yard. Carol and I don't have a large parcel of property. One quarter acre would be a gracious guess. So one would think that I could keep up the work. No, I was able to procrastinate my way clear of this drudgery.

Well, the leaves from the fall had stayed were they fell in the beds. The Burmuda grass was on its way to the front door. My folks used to call this vermine of a fescue lawn, wire grass. There is no better discription. This stuff is impossible to pull up and even more difficult to throw away. The beds have been cleaned in the front and everything looks good, except we need mulch. That's why we got the pick-up truck, I guess.

In the meanwhile, I have taken on the task of painting the kitchen and dining room. Have you ever tried to paint kitchen cabinets? Don't! Removing cabinet door and washing with a grease remover and treating the pine knots that were so in style in the 50's. Last time they were painted white, this time light yellow. I know that I am going to like this whenever it is finished. The last six doors are on saw horses awaiting the paint roller. After the kitchen, then installing a new back door and storm door.

After this, then the planting beds in the back yard. There is an over grown butterfly garden that needs serious cleaning and replanting. I would also like to include a fountain. There I go dreaming. This does not include the stained glass projects on the agenda.

If you are tired from reading this, then think how I must feel. Here is the question. Why do I live in a brick ranch in the burbs? When we move here, it was a part of the American Dream. Three bedrooms and two baths and two cars in the drive way. But I was not yet thirty years old at the time. Now I am past sixty and my two sons have moved away and the grandsons are not big enough to help in the yard.

I begin to think about those really nice condos with small yards that the homeowners' association is not such a bad deal. No yard work! The place probably would not need paint for 20 to 30 years, Hmm?

It is not such a great idea, after all. First, there is a new mortage, this rascal is paid for. Next, is the shopping for a condo, doesn't like much fun! Then, moving all of our stuff. We have more stuff than you might imagine. How do we decide what to take and what to move? After all that picture of my jeep resting on its back bumper and the front bumper against a tree is priceless.

Also it is comfortable here. We have been in this house since 1971. It may not be the nicest house on the street, but it's ours. More than 50% of our neighbors were here when we moved in. And they are neighbors. People who care about us and who we care about. We went to their kids ball games and they went to ours. Yes, the neighbors are the best of what is here and I see no reason to change.

So I will go ahead being grouchy about the yard work and I will continue procrastinating and yet taking pride in our little part of the world that we call HOME.