Sometimes I can be such a fool.  Not that people attempt to dupe me into things.  It’s just that I can become blinded by a situation and make poor decisions, but then again, hindsight is 20/20, isn’t it?

Like when we purchased our house.  It was a prerequisite for me in order to move forward with trying to conceive another child.  Along with the dated, 2-prong electrical outlets strategically hidden behind polished Pottery Barn furniture, there is a laundry list of issues the previous homeowners failed to disclose.  Most of them were to be expected with any older home.  But one of them, us warm weather natives, never had the foresight to inquire about.

Our house is a typical New England colonial home. The type of home a child sketches in crayon, with a centered front door, a billowing chimney, and a tree just to the side on the lawn. Only at our house, the lawn would not be colored with any shade of green.

We bought our home during the winter.

So picture if you will, a wintry holiday scene: a picturesque two-story home with a gorgeous holly wreath hanging on a heavy wooden door.  Perfectly manicured spruce trees framing the front windows and walkway.  And everything.  Everything.  Covered in a shimmering, white blanket of snow.

Including the front lawn.  (more…)