Over the past few weeks, my neighbors have done extensive yard work. Not just routine mulching and mowing but outright replacement of shrubbery and the planting of new trees. Today the "For Sale by Owner" sign went up and I was a little surprised, but only a little. And in a few days' time I may ask them where they hope to move to.

I thought they liked the house and the neighborhood. They moved in three years ago. Their novel and overt attention to "curb appeal" let me know that something was up. In general, my impression of them as homeowners is that they have better things to do than fuss over their house. Heck, they never shovel the driveway after it snows! Their poor kids stumble and trip up and down the iced-over snow for days as a result. They've done little things over the years to the outside, most notably replaced the shutters and the front door. On the inside, she told me that they replaced the kitchen cabinets and some carpeting. They replaced a fence in the back, chainlink out, white picket in.

They paid 550 plus a time-share. I don't know what they hope to get for it, certainly 6 and maybe 7. I think it's five-bedroom but Jeff thinks it's only four. It's a bigger house than ours. The resale housing market has slowed. Another house on my street has been on the market for months but their problem is that they can't find anything to move into.

It's difficult to know how serious they are. A lot of people put out a for sale sign, especially by owner, just to see what comes their way. And this family has a penchant for hanging out for sale signs, without actually selling anything, usually on any of their numerous vehicles. He has two BMW motorcycles and has had them both out for sale on a couple of occasions. He also has two tow trucks, yes, two. But I think he got rid of one. They have three Mercedes cars and have tried to sell two of them, off and on through the years, one is for sale at the moment. She has a big Cadillac and he has a Porsche which he hardly ever takes out. He's tried selling that once or twice. But our street is so quiet ... no one comes down here unless they live here. Well, it should be interesting. Maybe I'll be dropping off another Delicious Orchards pie there in the near future to the house's next inhabitants.