Good god. Our neighborhood is insane. On the one hand it is a GORGEOUS, historic, tree-filled, hillside neighborhood crammed with incredible turn-of-the-century homes and craftsman masterpieces. We are lucky to live here at all, it's something like the 5th most popular real estate in the nation right now. BUT, on the other hand we happen to live on one of the only 3 arterial streets going north to south on this entire side of the river. We are one block from hipster Hawthorne ave, major tourist attraction, and at least five different bars (formerly known as the 'barmuda triangle') and three blocks from newly gentrified Division street, home of the 150 unit condo "The Fifty" where our favorite taco truck Los Gorditos used to be....so basically we are in hell every weekend. Normal people only have to put up with traffic a couple of times a day, during rush hours, but here on party avenue, when rush hour ends the party begins. I am a very sensitive person so it's been truly a hardship for me, living on this street. I've gone crazy a few times and threatened to sell, but the real estate reality of what we own and what we could get brings me back down to earth. I am trying to create an oasis within the maelstrom for myself by adding pergolas, hanging curtains, feeding the animals, letting things grow, building fences, etc, but sometimes fate just steps in and knocks you back. Makes you deal with it.
Case in point, and this is a minor one, believe me I have some stories that would curl your hair. But this is the most recent woe. I have been allowing a certain rose bush to grow large and proud in our dead end. Everything else is kept tidy and trim, but this beauty has been allowed to flourish, and it treats us to a huge display of blooms every year. AND, it dissuades people from parking on that side of the dead end. Which I like it being our side. So many times work trucks will take their lunch break there, idling away for a half an hour while they eat their sandwhich and look at their computer. SO freaking annoying!!!!!! Or, partyers will "hide" back there and smoke pot or something, bumping their stereos the whole time. Sucks! Once a neighbor parked his DUMP TRUCK there while he rennovated his yard, FOR A MONTH! It's all I can do not to scream. I would never park anything in front of anyone else's house, except for a visit or something. It's just so rude!!!! But nobody else feels that way apparently. Anyway, so this rose bush is really helping me out in this way, and then....tragedy.
We had the landscapers come to clean up the yard and they cut. it. down. All of it. It's gone. It will come back in the spring, but until then......no pretty rose (I think it's pretty even without roses), no privacy, and anyone can park there now. And someone did. Immediately. The weird guy down the block who just moved in who drives a totally trashed black cadillac with a bullet hole in the front window. And it has a huge bumping stereo, and he likes to eat in the car. Right next to my house, tucked up under the eaves of my pergola. A trashed black cadillac with a bullet hole. Makes me want to cry. :(
I can only think that this is one of those life meditations, sent to test you. I have to let it go. I have to try to "surrender" to life. I am always so tense, living here, ready to do combat with the literally THOUSANDS of trucks, motorcycles, stereo cars, homeless vans, and idling work trucks that pass and pull up in front my house. And I can't win. I have to make peace with it, or move.
So wish me well. I've already mentally wished the bullet hole car guy well, hoped he had a nice sandwich and is resting comfortably. Just please don't play the stereo.
xoxoxo DR
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