Neighbour

“Every year, some 1,200 people make a mad dash for the summit of Mount Everest during the climbing season that begins in May…. In the roughly two months that it takes to climb Mount Everest, the average alpinist will have produced around 27 kilograms of excrement.” That’s 32,400 kilos of shit annually and decades of it are up there. We ruin everything!

•

Larry came out of the bushes, his hand extended. 

“My mother told me to be wary of strangers let alone weird old men coming out of the woods.” I said, smiling broadly.

He laughed and explained that he wanted my permission to drive a backhoe through my property into the lot next door.

“Sure, why? Is the lot sold?”

It soon likely will be once I give the interested buyer my report.

“Is he planning to build a summer home or a permanent home, do you know?”

“Permanent, I think. He’s moving down from Prince George.”

Permanent means more trees down. My ideal forest view, that I face looking through my office window where I spend much of my day, is going to go. That means way more light in my yard, depending on where he situates his house what kind of lot he wants to have. 

So I’m doing the front lawn for sure and building more fences. I got the magic formula for creating a lawn: One cubic yard of soil for every 800 square feet of land if I want 4” of topsoil. 

And the vegetable garden and deer fence will go in come Springtime. That will give me a greater sense of privacy from the incoming neighbours.

•

I did zip on the palace yesterday, but I got a lot of gardening done. First thing this morning I take my car in for new tires and a tune up; Jay is picking me up and we’re going for breakfast together and then he’ll bring me home. Jay will being me back here to finish the third room on the palace and do more gardening.

•

Last night I watched the new Great British Baking Show. God I love that show. Even though they’ve changed the hosts (and format) I still love it because they are excellent  at choosing bakers. I get incredibly attached to so many of them. I love them because their love of baking permeates all they do and say.

I’m particularly smitten with Liam. He was only nineteen when they shot this show and his charm and talent make me swoon every week. I also hugely admire Stephen, but all of them are incredibly appealing.

This morning I Googled Liam and discovered he’s gay, he loses but he wins an impressive agent and gets a hosting gig on another TV show.