They're now concluding the second week of landscape work next door, and not yet finished, although they'll be closer to their goal by the end of the day. Another half-week, I imagine, should do it. There's quite a crew working on the project with no end of mechanical equipment at their disposal and since they're experts they move right along, despite occasional adverse weather conditions.

I was hopefully naive last week, thinking that the worst of the ambient thumps and bangs, cracks and roars had been done with when all the existing stone- and brick-work surrounding our neighbours' porch, deck and swimming pool had been pulled up and hauled away. There was yet to be excavated those areas, plus the driveway and the garage floor. A year ago Dan, our convivial neighbour, had explained to us their plan to have the floor in the garage dug up and replaced, when they planned to have the larger landscaping work done.

A year. That's how long it takes for the many landscaping companies operating out of the Ottawa area to finally address themselves to a contract. Truth is, they can also name their own price for anything they undertake, because there is such a long waiting list of people anxious to 'improve' and beautify their immediate, ownership-pride property. That, while the area unemployment rate remains high and food banks continue to rely heavily on the charitable impulse of those that have to spare.

All that heavy equipment, along with a succession of dump trucks make their presence known. Not only has the closer portion of the street been taken up with these parked heavy-equipment vehicles, along with the personal vehicles of the workers, but the trundling off of an amazing tonnage of clay soil, gavel and construction detritus keep this area a lively place.

Their workday begins at 7:00 a.m., so often when we prepare for bed we also close the upstairs interior doors and windows at the front of the house, thanking the heavens above that our bedroom is located at the back of our house where work of somewhat quieter dimensions proceeds.

Another week and our neighbours will be able to sigh with the comfort and satisfaction of having had completed yet another project they imagine will transform their humble abode to the status of grand mansion. In keeping with the adage that every man's home is his castle.