At least I'm consistent...

HOUSES!

Ever since I was a little guy in Omaha I've had a fascination with cars, old cars, blonds, convertibles and houses. I loved doing those charity collections where you had to hit up everyone on your block. I got in every house on the block in Sunset Hills. Sometimes I got homemade cookies for my generous efforts at making the world a better place. HA! I did so well some of the charities gave me a bonus block! Needless to say, between oncoming adolescence and multiple charities, I was less popular as the years dragged on. But while it lasted, I knew everything about some of these families. They should have known better because I had real issues with chattering away as a child.

But I loved seeing how all these mid-50s ranches could appear to be more or less the same but were quite different. The Hagstroms had a huge kitchen with a bay window...the Manchester's was too small for a table even...The Williams' had a fabulous intact 50s kitchen with turquoise appliances and big windows. Mr. Dowd's kitchen was big but I don't think any food was ever prepared there.

I still love houses. Just ask Chris...not brother Chris...Southern Chris. When visiting him in Chicago, we drove out to Glen Avon Woods Ellyn to see my cousin's house. He thought we'd do a quick drive by, see if they're home and head back to the safety of urban life. No! Even though he was driving, I sneakily suggested a few "I-don't-know-where-I'm-going" turns because of something I'd seen on Google maps. But he was a good sport. Just set me loose in a neighborhood of interesting houses and I can meander like an old lady in the health and beauty aisle at the Safeway.

So here's my topic for my first blog. (The crowd yells "Finally!")

I think you should be able to take over your neighbor's house if they completely ruin the neighborhood.

Repaint, remove ugly additions, relandscape all at their expense!! You have to look at what they've created, for goodness sakes. A simple vote of your neighbors and you'd better hold onto Grandma or she'll get a makeover, too!

I have an example of course:
Hancock Park in Los Angeles is a beautiful neighborhood of large homes with great architectural style from the 20s and 30s.
.

There are wonderful Tudors

(although someone chose to cut down all the trees)

& Spanish/Italian Villa-esque homes (C'mon...it's LA!)

Then we come to this!

Don't miss the details! Check out the droves of Davids along the drive!

And does anyone really need that many bars when there's so much evidence there is NOTHING worth stealing from this house?
I tell you, they should come home from work some day and find that it's been returned to it's original 50's mega-ranch house blandness, AND huge bills from a contractor and a trash hauler.