The first night back, I took a walk around the neighborhood. Even in the dark there were significant changes. FIVE new houses were built, just on the simple walk that I take with Lance. And these were not just houses, but McMansion monstrosities. Daylight showed two more underway.
On Sunday, I went to the open house for 2 of the houses. When I left Arlington 11 months ago, there was a dense bamboo forest at the corner of Lorcom and Edgewood. Now there were 2 huge houses. At the open house, one woman noted that there was not much yard -- duh -- they filled the whole lot with house. Another potential buyer commented that there would be room for the man-cave that the Dad had always wanted, for a Mom cave, AND even another room for a girl cave.
There is a formal entry area, "Grand Foyer Entry"-- but the house is directly on Lorcom and no one arriving by car can even stop briefly to let someone out on that busy street. The house also features an "Inviting Living Room," "Butler's Pantry" and a "Sun-filled Family Room." The house is 5217 square feet, and $1.7M or $1.8M.
This is pretty hard to take after seeing the housing in townships in South Africa, rural villages in Ghana, and urban India.
Perhaps the biggest monstrosity is the 3 story house that now overlooks our back yard. I knew that construction was underway, but this thing is huge. Just like in "Bartholomew Cubbins and the 500 Hats" by Dr. Seuss, the big houses look down over the little houses. We just do not have enough tall trees to screen the house. They have planted a few, but not really in the strategic locations for providing screening.
I am considering options. Fast growing bamboo? Liz suggests that hornbeam grows fast? Perhaps some nude sunbathing, and they will put in more screening themselves.......
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