"hat" mail

It's just been one of those weeks this week...

On Wednesday I was walking on my treadmill when I noticed a large group of people sitting on my front step. I didn't think much of it until I went to get the mail and noticed they were still there, 4 hours later (approximately 5 PM). I didn't say anything to them, just got my mail.

I heard something put through my mail slot around 530. It turned out to be two flowers and what my neighbors all called "hate mail".

not sure what this says, my best guess is "I hate you, I'm your boyfriend" or "I hate you and your boyfriend"(????) or "I hate you I'm your brother" - no idea - though, interesting to deliver bad news that you hate someone with flowers

As I was retrieving this letter I asked the people sitting right up against my safety door if I could help them. The guy in the group made a phone call and a few minutes later a car came to pick them up.

what the fuck? and how did all these people fit in that little car?

I'm not sure what's going on but it isn't the first time this has happened. It's always a group that appears to be a family of some type, with an adult male and female and a bunch of kids. Not sure what to do. I don't want to be rude to them but I don't want them hanging out in front of my house. They left a bunch of trash which I had to pick up.

This on top of a series of abandoned vehicles that have been left in front of the end unit in the building, including a closed jeep. We kept calling to have it removed, but that took a month, and things were being piled into the jeep during the time it was parked in front (couldn't see what the stuff was because the windows were tinted).

One of my neighbors texted me thursday morning thanking me for giving him flowers. I was like "I didn't give you flowers" and sent him the above pic of the letter. He was like "haha, glad they hate you instead of me". Sigh. He also believes, for reasons not easy to fathom, that an abandoned vespa scooter in front of his house is being used by the cops to film people going in and out of the house across from his which has a lot of drug traffic, domestic violence incidents, and other fucked up stuff going on.

Don't ask me, I have no idea...

yard, 2005 - 2014

I'm still shocked every time someone compliments my back yard. I recently found these pics taken in August 2005 when I moved in:

back of the house, the wood deck was falling apart and the upper deck was too dangerous to go out on

close up of the back of the house - my dad bought me those flowers and then they died

my backyard - that crap concrete walkway was completely uneven and I didn't have a garage

In 2014:

built the garage in 2006 and then had the yard professionally landscaped in 2010

house was repainted, the upper deck replaced, the lower deck replaced with concrete and under decking installed

new furniture

And here's what my new furniture looks like. Special thanks to FH for driving us down to Salida and hauling the furniture home in his truck...

new table! it's made of buckeye burl - had no idea it was exotic wood...I love this table because it has cool holes in it like the countertop I wanted to get for my bathroom, but didn't

new cabinet in the kitchen!

Ken made this bowl for me - my dad always teases me that he spends so much money there but I'm the one who gets free stuff

new cabinet - it's custom made out of barn wood and then done with a crackle finish - Ken and his wife said they were glad it was going to a good home - so far I've put my cook books and apron in it - nicer to hide them away rather than looking at them and feeling guilty for not cooking...

And here's the table my dad and I bought three years ago from Ken:

now all I have to do is learn to cook and throw a party...

Chihuly exhibit at the botanic gardens

My parents and I went to see the Chihuly exhibit at the BC last week. We saw it during the day and then went back to see it at night. They start lighting it up around 530. It was fantastic. Anyone within a 200 mile radius of Denver should come see it.