Not very big, about 40 feet by about 60 feet.
A cedar tree on the corner of that little patch of grass that was no bigger than our toddler's were when we moved in 20 years ago.
Not ours, but looks like ours.
It belongs to The Duplex around the corner, and because of the lot configuration and building locations, looks like a side yard for both our properties.
When we moved into Our Humble Castle, the sunlight reflecting off the snow covering that little patch of grass warmed our home, our plants, our pets and our hearts.
Still does.
When the snow melted, it became apparent that no one was going to mow that little patch of grass, so I did. The then Owner of The Duplex was an Absentee Landlord, as have all the others have been since. (seven, by our count) Some of them maintained that little patch of grass, some did not. Over the years, I've mowed that little patch of grass and cleared the walks for some of the Absentee Landlord's.
Sometimes because they asked.
Sometimes because I had to.
I entered into Gentleman's Agreements with some owners, maintaining that little patch of grass in exchange for use of it when Canada Day parties got large.
A few years ago, a tenant of The Duplex planted some nice flowering shrubs along the edge of that little patch of grass, close to the street. They didn't look like they were going to make it that first summer, so I watered them along with my own flowers and plants.
It makes for a nice little corner; flowering shrubs, that cedar tree is over my eaves now, and a blue spruce we planted our first spring here (it had been our Christmas tree the year before) is about 25 feet high now.
In May of this year, The Duplex was purchased by yet another Absentee Landlord. He immediately got into a disagreement with one of the current Tenants (a nice, quiet guy) who served notice and moved out. When Thing 2 was looking for a place to live, she applied and when the Absentee Landlord found out we were her parents, he signed her right up.
He told me when we signed the lease that he was going to make an addition to the rear of The Duplex next year, and that was fine.
What he didn't disclose was a plan to erect a whole new structure on that little patch of grass.
Not fine.
The implications of this new building on Our Humble Castle would be tremendous. I did calculations and made drawings that demonstrated that it would block our sunlight for 6 months a year, leaving us in a dungeon. There are also many engineering problems involving soil conditions, water tables, sewers and foundations.
But mostly it's the sunlight, or proposed lack thereof.
M.D.B. spends a lot of time at a table beside one of those windows, sewing and crafting. Preparing dinner. Visiting with friends. Watching the world on that street. What would she do if there was no sunlight?
There would be no more scenes of the dog and cat curled up in the same warm patch on a February afternoon.
Dark and stark for about half the year.
The Absentee Landlord of The Duplex needs variances and approvals for his plan, and at a meeting in July, he got told by The City to go back and try again. His plans weren't complete.
So now he's trying again, with virtually the same plan..
We will be at that meeting again, fighting to keep our sunlight...
...and a little patch of grass.
DJW
I'm fighting for the right to mow someone else's lawn?
Well the City turned the Absentee Landlord of The Duplex down.
So the little patch of grass is safe.
For now.
