View Full Version : Thoughts about new neighbors
It has been very interesting to watch the conversion of my neighborhood from its previous middle income status to one with increasingly higher household income levels. A place where people not so long ago used to mow their own lawns and hang their own holiday decorations. New residents moved into a brand new 4000 sf home across the street this past week. Normally, I don't spend much time staring at neighbors comings and goings but there were so many trucks blocking the street that it was hard not to. First, three huge moving vans and an ongoing series of "vendors" for the next four days. Then the video alarms system installers, the bug man, the irrigation system crew, the landscape crew, the maid service and new appliance and several furniture truck deliveries. Finally, a junk service had to come pick up all the boxes and debris from unpacking. I can only imagine the cost of all that service not to mention the million dollar price on the home. I wonder if I had the means would I also pay people to do everything like that. I don't know...
I was watching an old episode of "Hart to Hart" yesterday. They were visiting Jennifer's father, who was a very rich man. He had a huge manicured lawn and a spectacularly beautiful huge stone house. The inside was tasteful, and everyone dressed really nicely. They ate wonderful stuff. It made me feel good just to look at it. Then I thought..........How would I feel if I were living like that? It would be wonderful to not have to cook every meal I needed to eat, or clean the house, or kill myself just trying to keep the weeds down, etc., etc.,etc. But I also think about the impact it would have on the earth......which would be pretty big. I guess I could settle for a bigger house with a part time cook and house-cleaner-upper.........But I'd nix the lawn stuff and do mostly flowers and trees. Definitely no irrigation. I sure hope the junk service was going to recycle all that stuff. The thing with those McMansion people is all their consumption. I wonder if they ever even think about it..........or if they just think they've "arrived". Gag.
iris lilies
1-19-16, 2:37pm
We watch the youngsters across the street in their $400,000+ houses and see all of the services they hire out. That's good for the economy.
One of them had a new security system installed and that is typical for our urban core neighborhood. Only problem is, she went out of town and someone broke into her house, took a big tv and not much else. The security company cannot tell her how that break in happened without setting off alarms to the police department.
New stuff is nice but it has gotta work.
Apologies if this is off topic, but how do y'all feel about these home security systems? I haven't noticed crime in my neighborhood, no police activity or neighbor complaints, but lately there have been several companies coming around asking to put signs on the lawn and schedule a "consultation" with a security company. I feel like bars-on-the-windows and signs-in-the-yard implies that an area is dangerous, which is not good for property values or peace of mind. Am I just being a naive ostrich in wanting Less of this sort of thing rather than more?
iris lilies
1-19-16, 2:55pm
Apologies if this is off topic, but how do y'all feel about these home security systems? I haven't noticed crime in my neighborhood, no police activity or neighbor complaints, but lately there have been several companies coming around asking to put signs on the lawn and schedule a "consultation" with a security company. I feel like bars-on-the-windows and signs-in-the-yard implies that an area is dangerous, which is not good for property values or peace of mind. Am I just being a naive ostrich in wanting Less of this sort of thing rather than more?
In my urban core neighborhood we never turn on our security system. We were always, from the get go, too cheap to pay for a monitored system so we installed wires in the wall (they were open to the studs anyway during renovation) for a system, but all it does is make a horn scream. But we haven't had the thing on in 20 years. When our house was burglarized 3 years ago it would not have helped, even a monitored system wouldn't have helped. These perps know about system and they've got a 5 minutes for a smash and grab before cops even think about coming.
tl;dr: don't bother with a monitored system.
Apologies if this is off topic, but how do y'all feel about these home security systems?
I have dogs.
In my urban core neighborhood we never turn on our security system. We were always, from the get go, too cheap to pay for a monitored system so we installed wires in the wall (they were open to the studs anyway during renovation) for a system, but all it does is make a horn scream. But we haven't had the thing on in 20 years. When our house was burglarized 3 years ago it would not have helped, even a monitored system wouldn't have helped. These perps know about system and they've got a 5 minutes for a smash and grab before cops even think about coming.
tl;dr: don't bother with a monitored system.
Same here. When we built our house in 1995, I had all windows and doors wired along with several interior motion detectors. I declined to have the system monitored, preferring to use the loud klaxon in the attic to scare off any intruders. That system has never been armed, although the beep,beep,beep,beep,beep every time an exterior door or window is opened felt like good insurance when the grandkids were small and we were concerned about them sneaking off to the pool.
Ultralight
1-19-16, 3:28pm
Apologies if this is off topic, but how do y'all feel about these home security systems?
Well, I like to think I reduce my risk in a few ways:
1. I live with two other people who have different schedules than I do.
2. I have my dog.
3. I have a device that makes this sound that translates into many languages and says "Get the F--- out!"
4. I don't have much I would need to secure or protect.
We have a security system that was installed by the people who owned this house before I bought it. I've never done a thing with it. It sits, silently, at the back door. Every old window of the house had a "Protected by ADT" sticker on it. The city also requires an alarm permit be displayed on the house.
AFAIC the stickers do most of the job because if you're a penny-ante thief looking for money for your next fix, you're not going to want to chance that the alarm system advertised within will go off on you. Maybe we just have dumb criminals. But this is not a rich neighborhood, so there's no serious burglary/robbery problem.
We also have a dog (who is more unpleasant to listen to than threatening-sounding) and we have installed security film on the doors which would make the "smash" part infinitely harder to accomplish. And we don't do stupid stuff like leave the garage door open all the time, leave boxes to fancy items out for the recyclers, etc. There's no way I'd waste $30-50 a month on a monitored alarm.
My plan is to own so little that I don't waste my thought process in worrying about protecting it.
iris lilies
1-19-16, 6:36pm
My plan is to own so little that I don't waste my thought process in worrying about protecting it.
It's nice to be chill. Wish you could have been here when our house was burglarized because I WAS actually chill until the cops talked to me about how the perps planned to beat my dogs with bbq forks if the dogs acted up. The cops surmised this from the strange presence of BBQ grill equipment in our living room. I don't care about our stolen tv but I do care a little bit about my dogs. And oh yeah, the back door was a pain in the ass to fix.
Also, things don't always go as cleanly as our house robbery did, there are plenty of stories where homeowners are involved and engaged during breakins.
Teacher Terry
1-19-16, 6:52pm
WE have 4 dogs and one is 80lbs so I doubt anyone wants to fool with him.
WE have 4 dogs and one is 80lbs so I doubt anyone wants to fool with him.
One of ours is sort of huge, and quite protective. And you can hear him call for miles. Mind you, paying a monthly alarm fee would be way cheaper than feeding this ox.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EiuN3aspkaM/UOYkx6a1atI/AAAAAAAAHEA/zoUDfDT524A/s640-Ic42/Awesomized.jpg
I agree with both Steve and bae, a prominent sign advertising "This house protected by XXXXX" will turn around most opportunity thieves, and a dog that barks at everyone approaching your house is the best alarm you could own.
I also have a canine alarm system.
I have to say that my Marine husband also gives me a feeling of security most of the time. If he weren't around I'd do the ADT + canine home security system. I have too many doors and windows to be able to feel 100% safe.
iris lilies
1-19-16, 7:50pm
Well the perps here are a tougher breed than out there in suburban land. Haha.
at the time of our breakin we had three dogs, but they were small yappers, so i sont know how they appeared to the criminals.
our friends up the street were burglerized in the middle of the night and they are big dog people. One german shepard in her prime plus three mutts her size slept through most of the breakin, they were all on the third floor with the air cndirioner gong steong so hard to hear anything.
rodeosweetheart
1-19-16, 7:58pm
Goodness, IL, I would have been out of my mind if somebody threatened my dogs, I am sorry that happened and glad you all okay. That is really traumatic.
Well the perps here are a tougher breed than out there in suburban land. Haha.
at the time of our breakin we had three dogs, but they were small yappers, so i sont know how they appeared to the criminals.
our friends up the street were burglerized in the middle of the night and they are big dog people. One german shepard in her prime plus three mutts her size slept through most of the breakin, they were all on the third floor with the air cndirioner gong steong so hard to hear anything.
I'm sure that makes you think differently about your home and safety..
Two days before my son got married (last October), my other son (who lived with his brother until just last week) was upstairs in his room sleeping. He awoke, and heard someone call "Hello!" Well, there were a lot of people coming and going that week because of the wedding, and one of their friends had stayed overnight, so my half-awake son thought it was the friend who forgot something and came back. He heard the "friend" come upstairs and walk around a bit and then go back downstairs and out.
When my son got up and went downstairs he noticed his computer was missing. As it turned out the person in the house was not the friend, but a robber who took two computers and an iPad. He had actually had the nerve to go up to my other son's bedroom where he found my DILs computer. He missed the wedding rings that were on the nightstand, thank goodness. And more importantly, he did not try to go into my sleeping son's room.
And this is in what I would consider to be a safe place: downtown Burlington VT. It rattled them for sure, and what a bummer to lose all those computers, with all the stuff on them. My son is a musician and all of the songs and ideas for songs he was working on were gone.
I know my DIL is planning on getting a dog in the spring.
Teacher Terry
1-19-16, 8:36pm
Bae, it would be cheaper for us to have a system. The big guy (husky/shephard mix eats like no tomorrow and is on expensive meds. However, he can be vicious when called for even though he is old. A dog came running for me growling, etc and Noki got in front of me and took a stance. That dog knocked him in the air and then was on top of his throat. Within an instant NOki had him by the throat. It is really scary that people are bold enough to break in knowing people are in the house. My ex was a Marine and in Vietnam and I always said I would feel sorry for whoever broke in-he has a bad temper.
Ultralight
1-20-16, 7:17am
My plan is to own so little that I don't waste my thought process in worrying about protecting it.
+1
Ultralight
1-20-16, 7:21am
Wish you could have been here when our house was burglarized because I WAS actually chill until the cops talked to me about how the perps planned to beat my dogs with bbq forks if the dogs acted up.
This right here is my main concern. The stuff I own? Who cares.
That is why I say I reduced my risk by not having much stuff and having only things that can be fairly easily replaced.
My risk has not been eliminated because someone could hurt or kill my dog.
I think my risk is pretty low since several huge new houses went up on my street a few years ago. Why would you break into a small house that has small economy cars in the driveway, when across the street is this huge house with ginourmous SUVs that are prominent consumers- they have two overflowing trash pickup bins every week. They obviously have more and better stuff. ;)
I lived in a house in a neighborhood that was recovering from a long period of gang violence. So there were bars on the windows and that always made me nervous honestly (more worried about fire than a robbery). However I did start locking my car and doors very well, after living in the mountains as a teen I was not in the habit for a long time. Now I am in an apartment and there is security available here, however this complex has changed in the last 2-3 years and so there is not regular police presence
Now my work neighborhood is different, mostly our school goes on lock-downs due to neighborhood incidents (4-5 this school year). The last one had me laughing though, an escaped prisoner still in handcuffs. Okay yeah, we need to not let preschoolers on the playground of course but I just had a vision of the transport vehicle stopping at Starbucks and then realizing the guy was gone. Sick sense of humor.
awakenedsoul
1-20-16, 9:57pm
My neighborhood is pretty low income. I don't think there has ever been a break in. We all watch out for each other's houses, and most of the homes here have someone home during the day. Also, the dogs all bark in a chorus anytime anyone walks down the street. It's kind of annoying, but it does deter criminals.
We did have a problem with a neighborhood kid vandalizing. I caught him trespassing on a neighbor's new home before they moved in, and called the police. He was letting himself into people's garages, too. I woke up to him keying my car in the middle of the night. He spent a lot of time in jail, and died there in his early twenties.
I have a German shepherd and a German shepherd mix. They do a great job protecting the house.
printslicker
1-30-16, 12:23am
It makes a difference if you had the means to pay other people to do odd jobs that you can just do on your own. What I find ironic is, you work so hard, longer hours just to pay someone else to do stuff around your home--and you're never even around to enjoy the things you paid for. :) I'm happy that they can afford to buy things and get their lot to look good but why bother? teehee. It's just my opinion, people's opinions differ so I can't really speak for anyone else but myself.
:) I'm happy that they can afford to buy things and get their lot to look good but why bother? teehee. It's just my opinion, people's opinions differ so I can't really speak for anyone else but myself. The older I get, the more I embrace this idea. I'm starting to understand why older people's houses can appear rather "shabby", because personally, I'm getting over the whole "we need to" attitude in connection with my house. For me personally, clean and organized is good enough, I just don't care very much about "upgrading" unless it's a functional improvement. I'm pretty sure my road to happiness is not paved with new living room furniture and a backyard fountain.
ETA: yesterday brought yet another security system salesman to my door. That makes four of them in the last two months. This is a really modest neighborhood and I think they've decided this should be the new target for the young men on their teams - if the rich Mr. Jones six blocks over wants 24-7 security monitoring, surely the lesser classes will want to keep up. Hah. He tell me other people in the neighborhood are very concerned and interested, he names names of neighbors down the street who are wise enough to be worried and put his sign on their lawn. Good for them.
I had to chuckle yestereday when a company specializing in picking up dog poop showed up at their house. I am trying to keep a compassionate mind and be glad that they are able to do what makes them happy.
I had to chuckle yestereday when a company specializing in picking up dog poop showed up at their house. I am trying to keep a compassionate mind and be glad that they are able to do what makes them happy.
Are you kidding?? OK, I'll try to keep a compassionate mind, too. :confused:
wee rant of my own.. Following last week's blizzard, a lot of people didn't shovel their sidewalks. A police car drove around reminding us that we can be fined. So, I went out there with my shovel and got to it. BIL who has NO money (and lives next door) came out shortly after I did. He stuck his shovel in the hardened snow listlessly and then started with the complaints. He needs a steel shovel. He needs a rest. He needs to find out from our neighbor if he can get someone to come and do it. All this annoyed me, because a) I'm 10 years older than he is, and I was shoveling my walk with no complaint, and b) we've been helping him out with his housing and food and now he's going to spend money for someone to come do something that any able-bodied person could do--including a 63 year old woman?
Not sure if this rant even fits in this post, but it has to do with people who delegate normal every day stuff. Of course, they can do it. It's their choice. But really. Hiring someone to pick up your dog's poop?? Hiring someone to shovel 50 ft. of your sidewalk when you're broke?
IshbelRobertson
1-30-16, 2:55pm
Catherine
I think the Scottish saying fits him well...
Fur coat, nae knickers
:~)
Catherine
I think the Scottish saying fits him well...
Fur coat, nae knickers
:~)
You got it, Ishbel! :)
I had to chuckle yestereday when a company specializing in picking up dog poop showed up at their house. I am trying to keep a compassionate mind and be glad that they are able to do what makes them happy.
It's not a pleasant task. If someone is willing to do it for $$, more power to them!
I agree that it seems counterproductive to work and then pay someone to do things one could do on their own. But I think we all have tasks we dislike enough to want to farm them out. Some would rather pay others than walk around the yard stooped and digging for poop. I'd rather pay someone to change the oil in our cars rather than crawl underneath them in the sub-freezing temps. Pick your least favorite task....
Teacher Terry
1-31-16, 1:40pm
You don't have to bend/stoop to pick up dog poop. I bought a little rake and shovel made just for this task. I do it daily while I am standing outside anyways why the dogs do their business. WE have a company in town that does that to and I thought that is really laziness not to pick up your own dog poop. I see oil changing in a different category.
^^^ See, we're all different in our expectations...
People can earn a living (Stimulates the economy!) doing chores others can't or don't want to do. And that's a Good Thing.
It's not a pleasant task. If someone is willing to do it for $$, more power to them!
I agree that it seems counterproductive to work and then pay someone to do things one could do on their own. But I think we all have tasks we dislike enough to want to farm them out. Some would rather pay others than walk around the yard stooped and digging for poop. I'd rather pay someone to change the oil in our cars rather than crawl underneath them in the sub-freezing temps. Pick your least favorite task....
We don't farm out a lot of tasks but we do have a cleaning guy who comes every other week for a few hours. Before we hired him I always dreaded that chore. Using up several hours of my weekend to clean house just sucked. At least to me. If I had more free time it wouldn't seem so bad but it's not as though I can tell my employer that I want to take off every other Tuesday afternoon so that I can clean the house myself during the week. Even if I offered to have my salary reduced by $150/month (the cost of the cleaning guy) I doubt my employer would agree.
People can earn a living (Stimulates the economy!) doing chores others can't or don't want to do.
Yes, it has stimulated a lot of entrepreneurial ventures no doubt. Never would I have thought to start a poop scoop business though. Soon there will be robots for that task or maybe there already are. Let's see...what other things do people with the means to pay hate to do?
People of modest means are buying prepared food that I would never even consider buying due to the cost and actual ingredients but they are so it is not just wealthy spending differently.
Teacher Terry
2-7-16, 2:46pm
When i worked we had cleaners come 1x/month and it was definitely worth it to keep my weekends free. The poop thing though just takes a couple of minutes so that is why I find it silly.
ApatheticNoMore
2-7-16, 4:07pm
You don't have to bend/stoop to pick up dog poop. I bought a little rake and shovel made just for this task. I do it daily while I am standing outside anyways why the dogs do their business. WE have a company in town that does that to and I thought that is really laziness not to pick up your own dog poop. I see oil changing in a different category.
I'd think: why are people that are so ridiculously lazy about the responsibility involved in dog ownership, even owning dogs? But you pay someone to do it so it's a job. Oh whatever. If there are so few actually useful real jobs, maybe we should just stop tying survival to having a job anyway.
I don't think it's ok not to do a particularly distasteful job, but to pay some low income person who is in no position to refuse or to farm out THEIR unwanted tasks to do it. I think it sucks. This is of course different than people of relative equality having division of labor, whatever that may be, it's not particularly objectionable. But the plumbers job might sometimes be yucky? Yea but really I think plumbers do well enough for themselves in this society in what is afterall a skilled trade, for me not to worry too much about them, it's really not desperate minimum wage (if that, we all know that some of these "hire our your chores" are staffed with illegal immigrants) labor.
I'd think: why are people that are so ridiculously lazy about the responsibility involved in dog ownership, even owning dogs?
Based on what I sometimes see around here, there's a lot more to dog ownership than picking up poop. Some owners let the dog run around the neighborhood without a leash or even tags. Others let the dog bark outside throughout the day because it's bored. Some don't bother to train the dog to not hurl itself against the fence as people walk by. Sometimes it's the same owner hitting that trifecta. That, IMHO, is ridiculously lazy. Not wanting to pick up poop in the absence of other options ... I guess I don't see that as ridiculously lazy.
I don't think it's ok not to do a particularly distasteful job, but to pay some low income person who is in no position to refuse or to farm out THEIR unwanted tasks to do it. I think it sucks.
There certainly can be an element of exploitation involved under certain conditions.
But I think if someone wants to advertise their services to pick up poop (or empty long-forgotten basements or clean out grease traps or whatever), then is it wrong to hire them? I hire someone to clean out my gutters every fall. I don't like heights and there's no way to get to the roof but to climb a ladder. If it doesn't bother someone else to do it, I'm more than happy to compensate them. Win-win?
IshbelRobertson
2-7-16, 6:27pm
I have a weekly cleaner, for four hours, who also does our ironing. Not my clothes, but my husbands and the table linen and bedding. She has worked for me for many years and is worth every penny I pay.
I also have someone who comes in to clean my oven 4 times a year.
These are jobs I hate, so this is money well spent, IMO.
Teacher Terry
2-7-16, 8:16pm
WE have 4 dogs and they are much work and their poop is the least of it. They are all old and 3 are on meds. 1 gets meds 3x/day and 1 -twice. Plus feeding, baths, walking, etc. Someone here has a business picking up poop and they get to work for themselves which they like and don't mind doing it. Most of their customers hire them to just come 1 or 2x/week. It's a good thing I am now semi-retired or I wouldn't have time for all of my doggie responsibilities:~).
On the Main title topic Thoughts on New Neighbors,
I semi jokingly say now "I think less of the New Neighbors". The mound or the Mountain of boxes at the road again this week, not even squashed, not for recycling, and yes 1 mile away we have a cardboard recycling center, just hauled out the road. This is the second semi of household movers to come to the house.
I am not the only one in the neighborhood to feel this way.
It's not a pleasant task. If someone is willing to do it for $$, more power to them!
I agree that it seems counterproductive to work and then pay someone to do things one could do on their own. But I think we all have tasks we dislike enough to want to farm them out. Some would rather pay others than walk around the yard stooped and digging for poop. I'd rather pay someone to change the oil in our cars rather than crawl underneath them in the sub-freezing temps. Pick your least favorite task....
I battle with how much of my money I'm willing to part with to do things I don't like to do, and I admit I should do more hiring out, probably. I don't clean my windows enough because they are a real pain, especially since they're 40 years old and very stiff. My house would look nicer if I hired a housecleaner, and just the other day I was thinking every a once a month or once every other month deep cleaning would probably be a good investment, since I travel so much. DH is home and could do it, but frankly, his idea of cleaning is definitely not mine.
I tried to see the whole dog poop thing from another POV, but I still have a hard time with it. I don't have the backyard problem as much because I walk my dog and pick up along the way. But let's say she was a back yard dog. She poops once, MAYBE twice a day, so if I had someone come out once a week, there would be maybe 10 piles to clean up. How long does that take? And since I use my yard a lot, I certainly wouldn't want to wait more than a week to do the pooper scooping. I'd rather pick it up myself than step in it. So, a truck comes and you pay them to do 10 minutes of poop removal? Hmm... maybe if I had two big dogs I'd consider it.
We paid a landscaper to come and mow the lawn for a while (about 2-3 summers), and one or two of those years I LOVED it! The yard always looked nice. But last year they came in and carelessly mowed down my blueberry bushes, and I constantly have to remind them not to take the grass clippings away. One year I had them clean out my garden in the spring, but they "relocated" all my border flower bulbs and I was so annoyed about that I swore I would never have them come out to do that again. So last year we stopped them from doing the lawn--plus Dh could use the exercise, frankly, and we're hoping our expansion of the raised beds will cut down on the amount of lawn.
At this point we hire people to cut our hair, change our oil, and do house and car repairs that we are not skilled enough to do, but my personal philosophy is, if I can do it myself, I'll do it myself. I also strongly resist sending clothes to the dry cleaners. I don't like having to include that kind of expensive upkeep in the cost-per-wear. Seems ridiculous to spend $20 for a blouse and $7 to get it cleaned. Maybe I'll change my mind when my godawful debt is paid off.
I semi jokingly say now "I think less of the New Neighbors". The mound or the Mountain of boxes at the road again this week,
So I'm not the only one. The consumers across the street have 2 way-overflowing trash receptables each and every week (and these are LARGE containers on wheels). There is no one in the family in diapers, so I'm at a loss as to how one family (3 kids) can produce so much trash consistently.
Debating hiring the lawn to be done this year, tractor is dead. Dilemma is the new tractor costs ruffly $2500. Yard man will cut for $180 a month x 6 month October is $220 for leaves. = $1,300 for the year. Yes two years would = tractor cost. I probably won't be in the home in 2 years and never know what next place will need for yard big tractor, small tractor or push mow. I bought a new snow blower in October as the other on had seen better days. Thankfully had not used it yet this season. The same dilemma I had then as the blower was $1000 but the yard guy would do the drive for $65 each time. I made the wrong choice as I should of had him do the drive.
It is all had to figure when it comes to that kind of stuff.
Teacher Terry
2-18-16, 1:36pm
I think part of it depends if you are still working f.t. or not. If you are some things can really be a stress reliever. My monthly house cleaner was very important when I worked f.t. Now I do it. However, if I was rich I would never clean again:~). I pay to get my hair cut/colored every 8 weeks because I am fussy about that. My hubby is handy so many things he can do which saves us lots of $.
my personal philosophy is, if I can do it myself, I'll do it myself.
Mine too. I was thinking today about how we just had to pay a plumber $2100 yesterday to replace the 50' water line from the street to our house and then connect it to existing pipe. DH and I could have at least dug the trench (it took two men less than an hour to do it). But gasp, what would the neighbors say! I think I have a bit of poverty consciousness going on since every service cost so much now. Used to could hire a kid to mow the lawn for $25; now it is $100. Today, I am painting the bathrooms. It would have cost several hundred to hire it out. Thinking it would be so much easier just to rent an apartment and be done with this house and yard ball and chain.
My house would look nicer if I hired a housecleaner, and just the other day I was thinking every a once a month or once every other month deep cleaning would probably be a good investment, since I travel so much. DH is home and could do it, but frankly, his idea of cleaning is definitely not mine.
My mother would never have hired a housekeeper because they would not have done a good enough job for her. And her DH, my father, also was not up to the task. A couple of years after dad retired mom's ankle broke due to osteoporosis. Dad attempted to take on the task of cleaning, but after a couple of weeks mom couldn't stand it and had to get involved. Since she couldn't walk around she had dad put one of the kitchen stools in the middle of the living room and she sat there and vacuumed around herself. In the meantime dad placed the other stool a few feet away. After she was satisfied with the first section he helped her hobble over to the other stool and she vacuumed around it. Meanwhile he moved the first stool to a third location. And on and on until she had vacuumed everywhere to her satisfaction.
ToomuchStuff
2-18-16, 4:35pm
Debating hiring the lawn to be done this year, tractor is dead. Dilemma is the new tractor costs ruffly $2500. Yard man will cut for $180 a month x 6 month October is $220 for leaves. = $1,300 for the year. Yes two years would = tractor cost. I probably won't be in the home in 2 years and never know what next place will need for yard big tractor, small tractor or push mow. I bought a new snow blower in October as the other on had seen better days. Thankfully had not used it yet this season. The same dilemma I had then as the blower was $1000 but the yard guy would do the drive for $65 each time. I made the wrong choice as I should of had him do the drive.
It is all had to figure when it comes to that kind of stuff.
Why do you think you won't be in the house for two years? Anyone else in the house (spouse, kids, etc)?
What is the situation in your neighborhood? Does anyone else have lawn service, or are their kids in the neighborhood that mow?
If you use the same service as a neighbor and are thinking of moving, then I think you could get a bit of a discount and it would be worth it to not have to move things.
If your spouse or kids either enjoy it, or need it to be done, then I might consider a used mower off of CL or such, or see if a votech type of school could fix your old tractor (they get experience and you just have to pay for the parts).
My mother would never have hired a housekeeper because they would not have done a good enough job for her. And her DH, my father, also was not up to the task. A couple of years after dad retired mom's ankle broke due to osteoporosis. Dad attempted to take on the task of cleaning, but after a couple of weeks mom couldn't stand it and had to get involved. Since she couldn't walk around she had dad put one of the kitchen stools in the middle of the living room and she sat there and vacuumed around herself. In the meantime dad placed the other stool a few feet away. After she was satisfied with the first section he helped her hobble over to the other stool and she vacuumed around it. Meanwhile he moved the first stool to a third location. And on and on until she had vacuumed everywhere to her satisfaction.
That is hilarious! No, I'd lower my standards in that case. I'm not THAT clean.. it's just that in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king, and I'm definitely the one-eyed man in my family!
SteveinMN
2-19-16, 11:19am
I tried to see the whole dog poop thing from another POV, but I still have a hard time with it. I don't have the backyard problem as much because I walk my dog and pick up along the way. But let's say she was a back yard dog. She poops once, MAYBE twice a day, so if I had someone come out once a week, there would be maybe 10 piles to clean up. How long does that take? And since I use my yard a lot, I certainly wouldn't want to wait more than a week to do the pooper scooping. I'd rather pick it up myself than step in it. So, a truck comes and you pay them to do 10 minutes of poop removal? Hmm... maybe if I had two big dogs I'd consider it.
And there's the difference. We have just the fluffy white Bichon. She should be walked more often than she is, but when it's close to zero degrees outside or really icy on the sidewalk, we don't go out. So she's out in the backyard pooping 2-3 times a day. In the winter, she's the only one using the back yard. So, by the end of the winter, there's a fair amount to pick up.
I don't think I'd be game for paying every week for someone to come by and pick up poop for 10 minutes. But I might be more willing to pay someone to do a once-around when spring arrives.
We paid a landscaper to come and mow the lawn for a while (about 2-3 summers), and one or two of those years I LOVED it! The yard always looked nice.
I have zero interest in paying someone to mow my lawn unless I physically can't do it. Our lawn takes only about 30 minutes if I really (literally) push it (the mower, that is). In fact, the front lawn grows so slowly right now that I don't mow it every week. If I mow the lawn, there are no conversations about what not to mow, how high to mow (it varies during the growing season), how to use the electric mower (which I already have and which works), etc.
Horses for courses. That's been my point all along. I won't slag someone else for paying for something I wouldn't pay for -- and vice versa. We're all keeping the economy going in our own (very little) ways.
Teacher Terry
2-19-16, 2:15pm
I find it much easier to pick up the poop daily. I keep a bag outside and I use my little rake and shovel and when the bag is nasty I tie it up and throw it away. Then it's a 2 second job versus a big deal. My Mom would never hire cleaners either because she was too fussy. Once when she was visiting and the cleaners left she said "You are satisfied with this?" I said yes I am. I have weekends free because of them.
iris lilies
2-19-16, 6:44pm
I find it much easier to pick up the poop daily. I keep a bag outside and I use my little rake and shovel and when the bag is nasty I tie it up and throw it away. Then it's a 2 second job versus a big deal. My Mom would never hire cleaners either because she was too fussy. Once when she was visiting and the cleaners left she said "You are satisfied with this?" I said yes I am. I have weekends free because of them.
I've always said that anyone can clean my house and it would be fine, my standards are not high. Please, anyone come here and clean!
But do NOT mess with my garden. Do not weed. Do not try to clean it up, you will just muck it up. I am picky about that.
I come from women who don't give a damn about housework. A newspaper reporter once interviewed my aunt's family for something or another and she was appalled that her husband described her as a good cook--surely he could have come up with something less domestic! Maybe some day, I'll hire a housekeeper. As I've said repeatedly, I should live in a hotel room...
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