I had gotten into the habit of sleeping late, channel surfing, and then writing into the wee hours of the morning. And believe me, I do mean wee hours. I was writing until 4:00 or 5:00 AM, sleeping until 2:00 or 3:00 PM, only to do the same thing again the next evening.

Well, while I enjoy the time to write when my creativity flows best, I do recognize that this lifestyle is not the best for my health and to switch back on a dime should a call for an interview come would be difficult.

So, I have been slowing easing back, writing until 3:00, then 2:00, then 1:00 AM and getting up earlier each day. Today, however, the choice of rising early was not mine to make. The owner of the duplex attached to mine decided to hack away at his bushes. And I do mean hack! Below is a photo of what is left. The other side of the stoop is just as bad...

Now, you tell me what was the point of leaving them like this? If you take away probably 80% of the bush, shouldn't you just rip it out? I fear they will not survive this hack job. I am also curious as to why he did this. Strange, too, is the fact that the owner's son moved in a few weeks ago after the place standing empty for three years. It is not strange that he moved in, but the fact that his parents are still cleaning the house and doing the yard work for their grown son is. He is forty-five if he is a day, yet his stooped and grey haired parents are slaving away at the maintenance of the property. Weird, eh?

I feel sorry for those poor bushes...