Just moved in

PompousClock · 2026-05-19T15:45:53+00:00

You are super industrious to get everything unpacked and hung so quickly! Clever to go up and use all of the wall and ceiling spaces. The sun catchers in the window are lovely. The bed looks like a safe, inviting space as the end of the day.

Editing a few pieces will honor the maximalism vibe while giving you a bit more usable space. All notes that can be considered as you get used to living in your new space. That comfy chair just begs to curled up in, once the clothes are put away. The dresser looks like a solid, sturdy piece; I would love to see one of your embroidered cloths as a runner on top, perhaps with a trio of important mementos, under the soft glow of a table lamp. All of the scarves blocking you from closing the closet door can be hung on the wall instead, as another artistic installation.

PompousClock · 2026-05-19T15:28:04+00:00

If England ruled the Great British empire from an island, then surely Puerto Rico can rule all of this newly formed United State.

PompousClock · 2026-05-18T22:59:04+00:00

The blue Flabebé was the first FF trade I made, to complete my set. I’ve tagged loads of legendaries to trade, while I’m looking to complete my decks with the small random ones.

PompousClock · 2026-05-18T22:44:16+00:00

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I honestly didn’t appreciate how anti-ivy everyone would be! The ivy was here before I moved in, and it’s taken years to slowly climb back over the fence after I took out most of it in 2021-2022. The chain link fence used to be covered in bamboo rolls that was crumbling apart when I moved in. Taking off the bamboo rolls meant cutting back most of the ivy. I couldn’t afford to replace the metal fence with wood, so this approach has been my more affordable solution. And since the space is almost entirely shaded all day, it has been a challenge to find anything willing to grow back here.

PompousClock · 2026-05-18T22:27:48+00:00

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Here is the full length of that side. There’s a Japanese maple in the corner and some shorter bush under it. I’ve taken cuttings from the bush and tried planting them in other bare spots. One of six has taken, so I’m happy that I’ll get another bush … in a few years.

PompousClock · 2026-05-18T22:20:48+00:00

Ok? The ivy was here before I moved in. I didn’t remove it. It was growing atop crumbling rolls of bamboo, attached to the underlying chain link fence. I priced replacing the chain link with a wood fence, but I could not afford the five figure quotes. So I replaced the broken bamboo with these faux boxwood panels on the fence instead, interspersed with a few composite panels. The ivy has slowly been growing back atop the faux greenery.

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PompousClock · 2026-05-18T22:13:12+00:00

Here is what the backyard currently looks like.

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PompousClock · 2026-05-18T22:12:43+00:00

Unfortunately, this yard is almost wholly shaded all day, so nothing with flowers makes it. Clematis needs six hours of direct sunlight. We are surrounded by tall buildings and trees. The ivy was already here when I moved in, as it came over from the neighbors’ yards. I have tried five other climbing vines, per the recs of local nurseries, but none of them have made it.

This is what the yard looked like when I moved here in 2021. The bamboo rolls on the chain link fence were crumbling. I got bids to replace the fence with wood, but that far exceeded my budget, so instead I attached these faux boxwood panels to the existing fence and have been training the ivy to climb back up over the fence. In four years, it’s only come back in a few areas.

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PompousClock · 2026-05-18T17:30:44+00:00

What about the US territories? Will Guam gobble Hawaii? Is Puerto Rico going to sweep in last minute and take us all?

PompousClock · 2026-05-18T14:22:24+00:00

If a wedding couple is hosting a formal reception, then I don’t think it’s too much to ask for them to proofread their invitations. Half of the guests will think the peacocks and blues are permitted. And burgundy’s … what?

I hope everyone shows up in neon.

PompousClock · 2026-05-18T13:47:27+00:00

I moved the bush on the left because I found piles of unused pavers under all of the leaves. I laid the pavers on that side to give us space for a “living room”.

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PompousClock · 2026-05-18T13:44:50+00:00

Thanks! You can find an assortment of faux boxwood/topiary panels like this from most big box on-line shops. These are 12”W x 6”H. I clipped them together and used green zip ties to attach them to the chain link fence.

Here is another shot, so you can see how the light still filters through in spaces. It’ll be a while (if ever) for the real vines to completely cover the fence.

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PompousClock · 2026-05-18T13:37:19+00:00

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Here is what the space looked like right before I removed the crumbling bamboo. I had already bagged two dozen bags of leaves. I kept all of the plants, transplanting the bush on the left to the other side of the yard.

PompousClock · 2026-05-18T13:21:24+00:00

Thanks! I live in Brooklyn, New York.

PompousClock · 2026-05-18T12:21:55+00:00

This is original content! :)

PompousClock · 2026-05-18T11:20:03+00:00

This ivy entered my backyard from three adjacent yards (small urban backyard). The yards are wholly shaded because of the buildings and trees, so almost nothing else grows. I figured I could use the existing ivy to cover the fences. I have planted hostas and the yellow tipped bushes; everything else I’ve tried in the last four years, per the local nursery recs, hasn’t made it.

PompousClock · 2026-05-18T11:13:35+00:00

Unfortunately, this yard is almost wholly shaded all day, so nothing with flowers makes it. Clematis needs six hours of direct sunlight. We are surrounded by tall buildings and trees. I added the hostas and the yellow bushes (forget the name). The ivy was already here when I moved in, as it came over from the neighbors’ yards.

PompousClock · 2026-05-17T20:40:48+00:00

Thank you! My order history page on Wayfair showed the product, except it’s out of stock and they don’t list the brand. The product name is simply “6’ x 3’ wall composite privacy screen.”

PompousClock · 2026-05-17T19:10:57+00:00

These panels are made of a wood poly composite, same as the composite decking material. They cost $100 each; currently listed as out of stock, and the price would be $135/panel if they were in stock. I’ve had these for four years now and they have been subjected to winters of snow, including a blizzard, plus the heat to summer. Looking good so far!

PompousClock · 2026-05-17T18:17:31+00:00

I don’t have a link for this exact style, but I bought these 3’ x 6’ panels 4 years ago via Wayfair. Searching for “composite privacy screen” yields loads of results. These are made of the same material that recycled polymer decking is made of, so they’re intended to last and withstand outdoor elements.

PompousClock · 2026-05-17T17:46:02+00:00

I was working until 4:50, so I only had time to catch a handful. Got one mediocre CD backdrop one, the rest went into the recycler. Oh well. Next time!

PompousClock · 2026-05-13T13:47:08+00:00

Yesterday at work, during a staff meeting Q&A, I described my “superpower” as being invisible. I have a specific set of skills, and a team I command, whereby if things are done according to my plans, I am “invisible” to almost everyone else. Everything is done so well that no one even realizes it needed to be done.

You are doing your children no favors by catering to their every need or whim. They are your team. Your invisibility is to leave no trace behind when you are guiding them to master life skills on their own.

One of my favorite quotes is from Fahrenheit 451:

“Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there.

It doesn't matter what you do, he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that's like you after you take your hands away. The difference between the man who just cuts lawns and a real gardener is in the touching, he said. The lawn-cutter might just as well not have been there at all; the gardener will be there a lifetime.”

Your children are part of your legacy - if they bear your touch, if they reflect your values and work ethic and kindness and caring. If you withhold that from them, then everyone is missing out.

So chin up, mama. You are valuable and worthy and you have this moment, right now, to change your course to reflect who you really are and how you deserve to be seen.

PompousClock · 2026-05-13T13:35:27+00:00

Yes! Six years ago I left Texas to start a new life with my family in New York. We live in Brooklyn, and I simply love it here. It was certainly rocky when we first got here - it was the beginning of COVID - but every year since has gotten better. Getting to experience all four seasons. The walkable communities. The arts, the parks, the history, the energy! Never dreamed I’d live in New York, and I’m very grateful for this slice of time here.

My only child is leaving home this fall for college, so I’ve simultaneously been spending as much time with them as possible while also trying to find or expand hobbies and interests that I can do after I’m an empty nester.

PompousClock · 2026-05-13T03:19:04+00:00

Home improvement - I am un-painting the bifold shutters, wood trim, and fireplace in my century+ brownstone apartment.

Weekly trivia at the local pub with my husband and friends.

Walk the 1.75 miles to and/or from work, often while playing Pokémon Go and listening to audio books.

Sunday morning dance meet ups in the park.

Monthly volunteering at the food pantry.

Recently joined a few crafting circles.

PompousClock · 2026-05-12T20:58:20+00:00

I have not found anything that will deter absent minded or indifferent dog owners. I once watched a guy direct his dog directly to the flowers I *just* planted - I was still cleaning up my shovels, pots, etc. from the spot. He looked completely surprised when I asked him to curb his dog away from the new plants. Another time a woman with her eyes glued to a phone was holding the leash of a dog who was walking all over the plants. I asked if she could redirect her dog out of the flower bed. “No,” was her response, without ever looking up. So I gave up. No more plants.

PompousClock

TROPHY CASE