Those #@%# Neighbors
I loved my house. I loved my yard. I loved my garden. I loved my deck. I loved my windows. I didnt even mind my garage door. That is until the Jones moved in next door. Now dont get me wrong the Jones are very nice people. They even take care of my cat and bring in my mail when Im away. Good neighbors those Jones. But they destroyed my old love for all those things Ive already mentioned. In fact they have destroyed the illusion of contentment for every one of my other neighbors, too.
You see they did something that none of us had considered before they moved in. They redressed their house with decorative hardware. This doesnt sound like a big deal but believe me these folks did an incredibly beautiful job of making the rest of us look mediocre at best.
First the front door was adorned with a large bronze lion head doorknocker. It smiled in the sunshine and gleamed radiance to all visitors. People still used the doorbell but that doorknocker was a knock out looker. None of us had ever considered how a doorknocker would enhance the look and feel of our entrances before. Nice touch indeed.
Then came the garden gate hardware. Up until now a gate was just a gate but after the Jones moved in they turned it into an amazing entrance that left the passerby wondering what lay beyond. They added strap hinges and a gate latch. Plus a decorative spiral iron portal that turned the gate into a grand entranceway.
Now there was no stopping them. Fear grabbed us all. There they were one day. Beautiful working shutters with strap hinges, shutter dogs and locking bolts. They were the jewelry of the windows, perhaps the jewelry of the entire house. At least from the perspective of us neighbors they were an addition that enhanced the charm and character of that house one thousand fold, aside of the fact that they actually protected the window in severe weather with the close of the shutter and the throw of a bolt.
For the price of hardware and shutters the Jones had increased the value of their home by leaps and bounds.
Youd think theyd finished. But the coup de grâce was yet to come. They turned their plain garage door into a carriage house door look alike. They added aluminum strap hinges with clavos nails and aluminum handles. No strain on the overhead motor and instant and gorgeous carriage house doors.
Why had we all been such dullards? It took the infamous Jones to bring real style and beauty to an already lovely neighborhood. But the standard had been raised and little by little our lovely little neighborhood became more enhanced and beautiful. Eventually it was noticed by others and became something of interest to the entire city. Even our local homes magazine did a special issue on us and talked about how any neighborhood could accomplish similar improvements.
Many thanks to the Jones.
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