And now for a bit of news we never imagined we’d type: remember that Instagram repost from May about our day filming a short segment with the OWN crew? Well, that short film is airing this Sunday. It will appear toward the end of the Super Soul Sunday season premiere, and we’re still reeling at the thought of Oprah possibly saying our names out loud. I’m pretty sure someone should hand me a fan and a chaise lounge so I can swoon dramatically.
But on to the neighborhood moments we grabbed — and the one we missed. Let’s start with the miss. A few blocks away, a neighbor was mid-renovation; a large dumpster in the driveway gave it away. One day we spotted outdoor furniture peeking over the top. Was that chunky wicker, maybe Restoration-Hardware style? Iron chairs and a table? It looked in good shape. Why would it be in a dumpster? Could this be the sunroom furniture we didn’t know we needed?
We started imagining a trash-to-treasure rescue: a little cleaning, a rust-removing spray, and voilà — new patio pieces. But then the doubts crept in. Maybe it was in the trash for a reason. Would it be awkward to knock on a stranger’s door and ask about raiding their dumpster? We agonized over whether it would be better to let possibly salvageable furniture go to waste or to risk looking nosy.
After a couple days of internal debate — genius idea or crazy impulse? — I finally decided to ask. Before I could knock, John deflated my plan: “I noticed on the way back from preschool that the dumpster had been emptied.” Cue sad clown face. Maybe the furniture was trash anyway, but now I’ll never know. I guess I’ll have to find another dumpster to dive into someday.
On a brighter note, the family two doors down is doing major landscaping: an outdoor fireplace, a stone patio — all the good things. We love watching their project progress, and even Burger is on amicable terms with their dog, which is a small miracle since Burger usually prefers cats. We don’t have a big project yet, but their work inspired an idea. A few months after some tree work in our yard, we were left with uneven spots — high mounds, shallow dips, and areas where grass just wouldn’t take because of leftover root and mulch piles. Photos don’t do the ankle-twisting potential justice: some spots were as much as 15 inches higher or lower than the surrounding lawn, which is a lot of displacement when you’re talking about yard grading and safety.
We had planned to wheelbarrow the piles out slowly, but it became clear this needed heavier equipment. Renting a small earthmoving machine seemed tempting (John would have been over the moon), but the smallest dozer rental we found was about $425 per day. So instead we asked the landscaping crew two doors down if they might have a spare moment to help. It seemed sensible: they were already working nearby and could swing over between tasks, which would be cheaper and more efficient than a standalone rental.
I walked over one afternoon, found the person who seemed to be in charge, and asked if they could squeeze us in. They were friendly and totally game, but reminded me we should have Miss Utility mark the yard first so no pipes or cables would get hit. I called 8-1-1, the yard was marked a few days later, and thankfully nothing lay beneath the piles.
With flags in place, we checked back with the crew and got front-row seats to the mini excavation. Clara watched in complete awe at her own personal “digger show.” What we expected to take several hours was finished in about thirty minutes by a pro who knew exactly what he was doing. John was only a little jealous.
The operator scooped up the mulch that was too acidic for grass and moved it to our wooded side yard, where he spread it out neatly so you can’t even tell it’s there. After thirty minutes of levelling, he asked for $60. We were thrilled — way better than the time and cost of a rental. Our front yard looks so much improved. It might still be brown and a bit weedy, but it’s flat and ready for grass seed.
We may ask the landscaping guys for a quote to deliver some topsoil before we seed — it’s not essential, but a fresh layer of topsoil would help in our first season of grass growth. They mentioned we might be able to piggyback on a delivery they’re already making to the neighboring house, which sounds efficient and cost-effective.
So that’s one missed moment and one well-seized opportunity. Small neighborhood happenings like these are the best: dumpsters that tease, crews that save the day, and little improvements that make a yard safer and more inviting. By the way, the end of our stair railings kind of look like hamburgers — I’m half-tempted to paint them in homage to Burger.
Have you noticed more home projects around your neighborhood lately? With cooler weather and kids back in school, lots of people seem to be tackling house and yard projects. We’ve seen new fences, fresh paint jobs, and plenty of landscaping — it’s definitely the season for home improvements, and we love watching it all unfold.