Living in the land of the avocado tree like I do, I was shocked at the mention of the 4 for $5 price. ACK! I've seen them at $1 apiece during "the season" but that's at places like Vons. If I watch sales, it's pretty easy to find them 3 for $1 at the grocery OR the guy that sells bags of 20 for $5 on my way home from work (on the side of the road). But if I'm really patient and lucky, I just wait until my neighbor's two avocado trees start bearing fruit. Sooner or later he brings me a bag! Guacamole came to my mind. The other thing that came to my mind: I didn't like avocado either on my first try. I got a not-so-good one. Wait until they are soft, cut in half, remove the pit, scoop out the soft part. Yum. Guacamole recipe that I like: 3 ripe avocados 3 tbsp lime juice 1-1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 can diced green chilis 1 medium sized tomato Puree the avocados, lime juice and salt. Pour into bowl and add onion, chilis and tomato. Mix, cover, chill. Can be used as a garmish for tacos, enchiladas, burritos. If you have a choice, we like Ortega or one of the Mexican brands of green chilis. Like the ad used to say, PHTHTHTH on Old El Paso brand! Donna in SoCal

I bought 2 similar idea sorta wagon wheel . I used the small solar lights in them and put them on a pole cemented in a hole in the yard . I may use another one I have and hang from a tree limb with a chain use battery tea lights or even better are the white fingertip lights I got from Amazon..little lights kids wear on fingers on Halloween..they have colors too but they do not throw as.much light. They are great for the glass light covers that are at all the thrift stores. Great for parties n just sitting outside. These types can line a walkway when u have company. These r cool because they are bright n cheap.

Haha, that looks a lot like my eyesore! We're eventually going to tile over ours but I was thinking of whitewashing it like they did in this link. I was actually here to find out if whitewashing it would make it impossible to stick tile to it later, but if you're not to looking to do that then this would be a super easy fix. It allows you to still see the texture of the brick but lightens it up a lot! https://www.infarrantlycreative.net/how-to-paint-a-brick-fireplace/

When houses are positioned like this, it is not just a simple matter of privacy. It grows into an uncomfortable feeling that surpasses the most obvious privacy issues and becomes a more deeply disturbing feeling of what is outside that window being a back drop to your own private space. It is supremely disappointing to have a nice window only to look out and see your neighbors house. No matter what you frame into that window, no matter what placement or choice of furniture or color palette you are working with, it will always be against the back drop of your neighbors house and window. It is unmovable and you have absolutely no control over it. It is like a piece of art that is hung on the walls, it is uninteresting or ugly and you can't remove it. I have never understood why so many houses are built like that, with those huge windows and absolutely no regard, whatsoever, of what is outside of that window. Actually, I do understand that. It is so that they can sell it as a design feature and also so that more houses can be snugged up next to each other to create more profit for the developer. Around where I live the building is going so strong and these very large houses are going up so close to one another that there is barely enough room to run a lawn mower down between them.! And, I am NOT exaggerating! These builders around here must have gotten some permit to put the house so close to the property line. It is almost like a cavern between them, it is so narrow. And these are big and expensive houses with big feature windows. I remember being at the home of. a relative down in Florida and I was startled to see a man looking directly into their window. Actually he was just the neighbor who was standing outside of his own house which happened to be the same as standing outside of their window. The sad truth is that you just cannot disguise your neighbors house. It is what it is and it it not going anywhere. It is always going to be framed right there as a part of your decor unless you completely cover up your nice window. Whatever that blue is on your neighbors house even reflects on your mirrored surfaces in your room. If you put up a folding screen or heavy drapes, it would negate the window. Besides, the view of next door goes all the way up the window. Nice window, horrible view! Sorry, but that is just the truth of it. I see that the previous owners grappled with this, too as evidenced by the three layers that they tried to use. You are just going to have to find some acceptance for your neighbors blue windows and their siding. I can understand why it bothers you. You can change the inside, but you have no control over the outside.