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My Quiet, Stylish Neighbours

concrete renderingIt’s true, you don’t see many Buddhist temples that look exactly like a large, classy, eastern-suburbs home. Maybe that’s a good thing. They actually call themselves Zennists, and I can’t really speak out against them because they’re just the quietest of neighbours. I never hear a single thing from them about anything, really. So long as they’re not pushing leaflets through my door it’s all good, because I do yoga with Kezzia in town and she’s just magnificent. That’s all the mystic do that I need!

Oh, but their ‘temple’…so nice to look at, as I’ve said. I actually asked one of the monks as he was coming out, and he said they specifically looked up whatever would give them the cleanest, sharpest look, and that lead them to several companies in Melbourne that apply rendering. Concrete rendering, eh? Look, I’m not the most house-proud, but wow, that could really increase my standing in the neighbourhood. Gloria next door just had a pool installed, and you wouldn’t believe how much time they spend in that thing even in the chill of winter. I get it, the whole thing is heated, but it’s massive! So much electricity! But that’s how Gloria is, and her whole family in fact. They love to show off in any way possible. She makes a point of mentioning that was should come round and enjoy it sometimes, so maybe one time I could have my house rendered, and it’ll be a treat for the eyes. Gloria will stop me while I’m doing the weeding out the front and say, in a slightly hushed tone, how I got such a thing done. Oh, this old thing? Got some cement rendering, isn’t it lovely, oh it is. Terribly lovely.

Not that I’ll just get the exact same thing as the monks, because that would just be copying. There are probably more concrete rendering ways than just that; I’ll just have to do my research.

-Gladys