Althouse: The view from my window, just now...

January 2, 2016

The view from my window, just now...

12 comments:

Humperdink said...: I often wonder why neighbors build garages/sheds so close to one another. I don't get. How does one make repairs?; 1/2/16, 9:05 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "I often wonder why neighbors build garages/sheds so close to one another."

It would be better to build one double garage spanning the property line, but that requires legal work and coordination. The way it is is done to minimize the sacrifice of back yard space, so you put it right up in one corner of the yard. You're likely to pick the same corner as the next door neighbor, because that's the side where there already is driveway, so then there's just driveway all across on one side of the house and lawn on the other side yard. The positive side of this is that there are mostly no garages showing from the street side.; 1/2/16, 9:17 AM
Hagar said...: Eastern custom from when they had stables back there.
Western cities, being new, are built for automobiles and have the garages out front, which also shield the homes from street noise.
And building codes out here usually require 5' min. distance from property lines.; 1/2/16, 9:34 AM
Heartless Aztec said...: We have alleys here in my San Marco river village neighborhood of Jacksonville - comparable to Althouse's neighborhood in Madison in prairie style and house size. We've all had our garages turned into little houses and apartments. I've closed off the 100 year old-ish front house and live in the renovated 550 sq ft back house. In the mild North Florida weather (avg yearly temp 66*) we have attached sheds, etc. for dry storage.; 1/2/16, 10:06 AM
Ipso Fatso said...: Andrew Sullivan weeps.; 1/2/16, 10:08 AM
chickelit said...: I wonder about that tiny window on the smaller garage. What is its purpose aside from allowing in a tiny amount of natural light?

It could also be a window into Althousian lifestyles from the ground level. It's a view we'll never see unless the ghost of Joe McGinnis moves into the property.; 1/2/16, 10:35 AM
Ann Althouse said...: You know, it's a great benefit to have neighbors around you who keep an eye on your place. We help each other and watch over each other. The distance between the houses here seems perfect to me. You have your separateness and privacy, but you're close enough to see if thing are out of place and to call for help or answer a call. You can take care of your neighbor's dog.; 1/2/16, 11:23 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Meade watches the position of the shadow of our roof on those 2 garages as the winter moves toward spring. The horizontal lines are a measurement. Right now the shadow is at the bottom of that little window, a fact that Meade finds interesting and delightful.; 1/2/16, 11:25 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: Quite lovely - practically Rockwell-esque.; 1/2/16, 11:44 AM
MadisonMan said...: Nice to see the Sun today. We do share a garage at our house. Works out pretty well. The space between two garages is a great place to store a canoe, though -- just put it on the two roofs and let it span the small distance.

I brought in the laundry already -- I put it out yesterday. This time of year, the neighbor's huge pine trees shade my backyard where the laundry hangs anytime after noon. Once it's about mid-February, the sun angle gets high enough that the laundry doesn't get shaded.

Is there a better smell than laundry just brought in off the line? Not many.; 1/2/16, 11:54 AM
Coconuss Network said...: Some neighbors are sociable, others not so much, but we all keep an eye out for each other, and yep, puppysitting privileges play a very beneficial role.; 1/2/16, 3:26 PM
Rusty said...: Looks about the same rime I got my last deer of the season.; 1/2/16, 4:48 PM