Backyard cottage

 

 

That's an example of a fairly attractive backyard cottage. Most look more like oversize chicken coops. It's called an ADU (accessory dwelling unit.) 

The permitting process is complicated and expensive, but Seattle encourages homeowners to build them to supposedly help with the affordable housing crisis. I don't know about that, because they start at about $300,000.  I think people do it because they want extra space, and it transforms single family homes into a property income asset.

Anyway, they're building one right behind us on the alley. We don't know these neighbors or what they intend to do with their cottage. That's pretty typical in this very dense (and somewhat unfriendly) neighborhood. 

They tore out a good new garage to make space for the cottage, which bothered me because our pitiful "garage" is ready to fall down. The construction workers show up late in the day (John thinks they're on overtime) so the banging starts when we sit down to dinner. 

This is not a quiet place!  On the west side, construction started on the big new school addition. The kids are back in school with all the extra traffic that goes with that. Late at night, you can hear the trains and shipping down on Harbor Island. And usually a car speeding by 60 mph after the bars close. No wonder my ears ring in Twisp at night. What's that strange little sound? Just the river talking to itself...