My back yard would be a pleasant oasis (jungle next door notwithstanding), if not for the fact that:
- The jungle next door is a draw for unwanted wildlife of the most unpleasant sorts.
- The neighbor decks all overlook each other, so there’s really no privacy.
- Apparently I have accidentally moved into the 17-year cicada zone and my deck is not enclosed.
So… while I can’t really solve the first problem, I’m tinkering with some solutions for the latter ones.

I’ll let you know how it all comes out.