"Good fences make good neighbors" R. Frost Although you could do many punitive things back at him the reality is that you need to protect your roses, children and yard without his co-operation. In these days of angry gun-toting (and using) people we all need to act defensively, not offensively, for self-protection. I'm sure you've made an effort to talk about it ("it didn't go so well") so now you need to be defensive. You've gotten good ideas but perhaps if you posted a photo, one from your side looking out and another from his side looking in, you could get the benefit of everyone's brain, and the BEST inexpensive solution. I went thru this dealing with our HOA landscaping crew when we lived in Naples FL. It took phone calls, letters and yelling (over the noise of their sprayers) to end it. I had to threaten calling the state authorities that regulate pesticide use (they used Round-up as well as pesticide). Online I found the regulations that they were breaking and called the state office to find out procedure to file a formal complaint. I don't suggest you do that because you live next to the offender. I was dealing with employees of the HOA. I now live in a non-HOA home (only reason for selling and moving). Put up your defense shield (Star Wars?), make a Secret Garden behind it and enjoy your roses. Denise

The sentimental value of the dress seems to be your friend's, not necessarily her daughter's. She seems to be finding a reason NOT to cut it up even though she says she wants to. Personally I think placing sentimental value on some thing for future generations is just putting a burden on them. How many of us have something socked away that we don't like,have absolutely no use for but hang on to because a previous generation harped on how lovely,valuable,sentimental it was? That stuff is pounded into us from childhood and then we end up being guilt tripped into accepting and hanging onto the item. Then it gets passed on until someone finally has the guts to get rid of it. It's a dress. It's just fabric. The only one it really truly meant something to was the one who wore it. If your friend likes it so much then maybe she should make something for herself out of it. The grands won't care. I'm assuming Great Grandma is no longer with us. If that's the case the grands will never have even known this stranger who left them this this piece of cloth they're supposed to cherish.

Would put a waist high black metal fence from the house to the edge of the drop. Find a half dozen or more rectangle shaped concrete planters. Then, add to the sloped area parallel to the front exterior wall of the house: rebuild those "steps" to create actual steps with a metal railing that matches the black metal fence then set a rectangle planter on each step. Those steps and your wall need to be higher than the ground beside it to direct water away from the house. In the nook itself, unless you you're going to face the side of the wall and steps with stone or brick to create a more "finished" look, you could paint that block with the dark gray concrete paint to make it visually stark, and plant grass and keep it mowed until you know how you want to use that space. In the meantime, you could also add something not permanent such as concrete a bird bath in the center of the space or a tall post with solar light atop it -- something that matches your metal fence above it..

A benefit of un-stacking the washer and dryer is that it gives you a convenient spot to sort and fold clothes, on top of the appliances. As you have it now, I don't see that you have a good place for that. It's nice not to have to do it bending down to the floor. Some good ideas here. This one looks so much like your arrangement with the window and width of the room, although if it were me I wouldn't put use those metallic boxes, but rather leave the full depth for laundry sorting etc. A room like this can be a bit more fun and less serious than a living room or kitchen e.g. if not wallpaper then a fun colour for the walls or cabinets. I love the one with the pale blue cabinets in the link above. I see you don't have a laundry tub in that room. Depending on your family's needs, it might be a good addition for muddy/messy things coming into your house. Or even a lower-placed slop sink or dog washing station. This one is just a simple shower pan. A hanging bar can go over either a high or low sink, for dripping wet things. Just throwing out ideas here. Depending on how much storage you add, the cost of storage cabinets can add up. It can even get pricey to buy fancy storage boxes for open shelving. Resale places like ReStore are one option, and paint them to your liking. Since this is not going into your kitchen you don't need to be that fussy about the quality of the paint finish. Or use open storage and put a short cafe-style curtain across each shelf to hide the contents.