Saturday, May 22, 2010

5/23/10

I write in a state of peeve! When we moved into our little townhouse the tiny 'garden', more like a courtyard, at the rear was surrounded by a neat jasmine hedge, full of blossom in spring and a rich green for the rest of the year. I loved the shut-in feeling. I'm a reasonably friendly person but I hate other peoples' clothes lines and I always said I got a 'three bears in the wood' feeling when I was sitting outside with a coffee. Well, we've been here about fourteen years now, and I've continued to love our hedge. However, the jasmine has grown enormous and has started to break the wooden fence so it has to go. We share the fence with four other houses so we've just had a meeting about what we should do. We had a man around to give us a quote for Colourbond, a very popular and not unattractive type of modern fence. The jasmine will all go and we'll just have this stark modern fence in its place! That wouldn't be so bad but all the other interested parties want a shortish fence, over which one can see easily. I was the only one asking for a higher one and so I was a voice crying in the wilderness! Democracy being what it is I was out-voted. I really feel heart-sore about the whole thing but there's little I can do about it and Malcolm seems to think I'm making a fuss about nothing too! Do I feel less peeved now I've peeved in cyberspace? NO!

A fairly recent photo of my cousin's son, Tim and his little daughter showing our lovely jasmine AND the offending fence! 
(Tim has recently been made a trade attache to China for NZ so we wont be seeing him often!)

P.S.
Surfing the web I've just come across a series of blogs looking for diets. I've never really been overweight although I definitely look round because I'm short. I hover just under 60 kilos. However, I AM trying to lower my cholesterol so I'm on a sort of diet. Monday to Friday I eat sparsely; lots of fruit, muesli, etc etc and completely reject fats. Then, on Saturday I have a cheese day (my weakness) and on Sunday I have a chocolate day (another weakness). I find this lowers my 'naughty' eating by 5/7ths a week. It seems to be working anyway. I think 'rewards' are essential in life. Do you think I'll win a Nobel Prize!

3 comments:

  1. Oh Brenda, do I have a plan for you. Yes, you are going to be stuck with a short fence BUT you can still create a private area for yourself. Choose a corner and pick some selected dwarf type trees. Keep them potted and encircle a smallish area with a chair and side table for you to enjoy. Let your neighbors know (nicely of course) that you are off limits in the morning whilst you enjoy your cup 'a.

    I'm a strong believer in looking for the Plan B's of life. Search for, find and build your Plan B, Brenda. I'll love seeing the results.

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  2. I like Annie's idea. You could even create a "hedge" of sorts by placing the potted trees closely together inside the whole perimeter of the new fence to attain privacy.

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  3. I understand your peeve...can you re plant the jasmine or will it take years to give you the privacy. Or perhaps another hedge. Have a wonderful Sunday!

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