An unusual thing appears to be happening in my neighborhood - someone might be moving. I say "appears" and "might" because there is no FOR SALE sign on the lawn, but, a neighbor a few doors down has had some cosmetic work done to her house (a few trees trimmed, others cut down, a fresh paint job on the front door and garage, a yard sale). My street is the kind people put down roots on. it is literally tree-lined and in the almost 15 years I have lived here, one house has gone on the market among the ten closest to mine.
A little old lady lives in the house that is undergoing these changes. Her husband died a couple of years ago. "Frank" was the kind of guy who, even into what appeared to be his 70s (?) was out there shoveling the snow and raking leaves. I did not know him other than the brief exchange of pleasantries or a quick wave that people tend to do in suburbia, but I still felt bad when he died - he seemed like a nice man. Anyway, their kids are over frequently, but it makes sense that they would want their mom to not have a big house to deal with anymore. She did get a couple of Shi Tzu dogs last year and she walks them in the morning and at night, but other than that, it feels like the closing of a chapter for her.
Selfishly, I do worry about what will happen if she sells. The street has its own unwritten rules and customs, everyone pretty much keeps to themselves, but, as is the case in suburbia, are militant about outward appearance - it seems like there is a race to see who clears their driveway first when it snows and whose lawn is best maintained. You never know what happens when you introduce a new variable into the mix, maybe she is just freshening things up for herself because this is an odd time to put one's house on the market, but I guess we will find out soon enough.
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