As I write this, I am stuck in my own suburban version of Survivor, The Construction Edition. Of the four houses abutting our property, two have been under extensive high decibel renovation—blasting, hammering, rumbles of heavy equipment, the works—since last July. And yesterday, to complete my induction to Homeowner Hades, the third of those four adjacent houses, the one that was right next to our bedroom, was completely razed. So we’re in for another year of this, blasting and all.

A special shout out and thank you to the only one of my four immediate neighbors who’s not doing anything to their house this summer except planting some lovely (and blessedly quiet) flowers.