I think the landscaping is done by the same tiny elves who blow cold air in my registers.

The other day we drove to check on the new house, we've done this about 31 times since we finalized our deal and each time we have some incredibly pressing issue we must address at the new house. Like, I just really think there should be toilet paper there. Or, I want to check and see if my broom will fit in that closet. Or, is the ice function on the refrigerator functioning properly.

It's gotten to the point where I feel a little silly making these incredibly important stop ins, especially since we always see at least one or five neighbors who are most likely at this point thinking, "Just move your stuff in already."

However on Monday we drove by and one of the neighbor's had lost all their landscaping in the front yard. The next day, the day we needed to see if all the doors were still in the same place (they were, Thank God) there was all new landscaping. Like magic.

Or like they'd paid someone to come and put it all in, but you can't tell me that's what happened because I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that people have actual laundry chutes and places for their cars to sleep. I just can't believe it, next you'll be trying to tell me people actually hire people to painstakingly remove years of wallpaper from their walls.

******

This week at The Buzz Off we made a lot of ice cream using an ice cream ball. I wrote about it here, but these are the parts I left out due to language and general streaming off topic-ness. While we were out in our side yard, shaking up our ice cream ball, it got awfully loud once the ice began to melt. Imagine a large cocktail shaker being handled by a 6 and 8-year-old. Gee, I'd like to imagine that.

Ed and Tile Cutter were quietly sitting across the street on their own front porch (they've been awfully quiet lately. I like it.) and once we'd been shaking for about 10 minutes straight they got up, went in the house and slammed the door.

For a minute I felt a little sheepish, because there have been a few play dates, extended playdates in the last month or so which have disturbed the neighborhood. And you know the whole golden rule, I try to give out what I expect from my fellow neighbors. But we've got 8 more nights of sleeping in this house so, you know, we're making ice cream and you can go in your house for once and try to drown out our noise.

******
In other news Brandon sent me this article. Noted without comment.

Comments

[Kate]

I can't believe that after all the shit you've put up with - the boats, the music, the shirtless roof-walking - you were still concerned about disturbing Ed and the Tile Cutter with the noise of making a snack. You're the perfect neighbor. Everyone in the new neighborhood is going to LOVE you.

[Chicago Chick]

You're excited about the new place - the one next door to where magic elves take care of the lawn. I can relate and you shouldn't feel bad about visiting it.

[SUV Mom]

You should have TOTALLY chucked that ice cream ball across the street at their doors and/or windows. Of course, that would have involved law enforcement. Which, in general, can be very un-fun. So maybe just wait for payback until the last night you're in the 'hood.
Also, you rock. I love reading your blog and can SO relate to nearly everything. ;)

[jon deal]

You should go back and check on the ice maker RIGHT NOW! Sometimes those things forget how to make ice and they need a gentle reminder. Plus, I'm sure the 'fridge appreciates how much you care for it and how excited you are to see it. EVERY TIME.

But you should probably stop fondling it. That's going a bit too far, don't you think?

:-]

[superblondgirl]

That article makes me feel so much better about "throwing money away" renting. Or, it would if I didn't hate my apartment.
I have been dying for one of those ice cream makers, they look like so much fun!

[Cory]

Congratulations on your new house! Re: renting v. owning, the response from Trent at Simple Dollar offers a different argument.
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/07/23/renting-to-get-richer/

[Womanwithkids]

We have one of those, the ice cream ball. I think it's right up there with giving a drum set as a gift... Just as mean.

But, think of it as a parting gift for your neighbors!

[Ashley]

When we got our new house (which we RENT), but were still living in our old house, I used to come over and "clean" several times a day. That mostly meant walking around looking at our cool new house and then telling my fiance that I cleaned the whole kitchen. Have fun with your new place!

[micheled]

Don't feel guilty. Having fun with your kids (in the yard, OMG) is a perfectly acceptable kind of neighborhood noise. You'll find this out when you move to the dream neighborhood. In the DN, your neighbors will appreciate this kind of activity, and maybe come over and ask for some of the ice cream.

I just wouldn't do any tile cutting in the DN.

[Amanda Mandajuice]

I've been meaning to e-mail you about how much better it is to rent in a declining real estate market, but that article sums it up pretty neatly. We're struggling with the same thing right now - we can save gobs by not buying something or be stretched to the max and own a house. My greed for a house will probably win out, but financially, both short and long term, we'd be better off renting! Don't feel bad about it!

I think the rental house is BEAUTIFUL.

[MelissaS]

I have since figured out that Ms. "Do You Want To Be Broke" Katherine is a particularly weasely little troll I've had issues with for 4+ years now.

I think we stretched ourselves when we bought this house. I was pregnant and believed we "had to" own a house if we were having a baby. I also believed it would be a 'forced savings' and it wasn't. It gave us money but also forced us into a whole other precarious financial situation we've only recently climbed out of.

For now, buying would have put us back in that same type of situation. In a year, who knows.

[carosgram]

I knew Suze Orman never steers me wrong! I bought the ice cream ball for each of my daughters but I don't think either of them has used it. I am hoping they will be inspired when they read your blog. Glad you are enjoying anticipating the move. Can you imagine how much it cost to have new landscaping overnight? Are you sure this is your dream neighborhood? LOL

[Jenny]

You go girl. Party like it's 1999.

[Katie]

I'm so happy you'll be moving into the new house very soon!

That article made me feel better about our current renting situation. We're in a very expensive neighborhood and pay half in rent monthly what we would in a traditional mortgage. Also if we had bought in 2005 when we moved (seems to have been the peak in the market here) we would have lost at least $75,000 in value by 2007 home sale prices. And since we don't plan to be here much longer, I feel so much better that we choose to live comfortably month to month money-wise rather than killing our budget to own.

[blonde chick]

Coming from someone who will be moving into a new house (we are going to be our own GC) I can only say... GAH!

New reader here-- will definitely be back!

Thanks for the laugh!