Rant

So when we bought our house in 2010 we were excited, nervous, overwhelmed, and naive. When I say naive I don't mean only about the responsibility of a house, that we partly knew.  What I am talking about is HOA's and neighbors. I guess I remember (or choose to remember) back in the day when people had great relationships with their neighbors and there was an unspoken code of respect.

For instance, everyone knew not to mow their lawns or use loud lawn machinery after 8pm. People (kids) knew that they had to respect other peoples lawns and property. That if and when kids were outside at 10pm they knew to be respectful and quiet. They knew that you don't use someones brick house to practice catching your lacrosse ball, at least not without asking first.  Most of my neighbors I have never even seen, no one comes outside...ever. I know a few of our neighbors, the ones I know are wonderful. Not to mention we pay them $700 a year for a pool, tennis court, and two play grounds.

With HOA's its a different ball game. I understand rules about keeping your lawn mowed and flowerbeds weed free. I understand keeping your house pressure washed and mail box fresh looking. For instance, we have a retractable clothes line. It is a small device that is attached to the side of our house it is about 8 inches by 6 inches. You cant see it from the street. The white line pulls out and you hook it to the tree across the yard, which is on our property. I used it once a week to hang dry cloth diapers. I hang dry them in the sun, because the sun has a natural bleaching effect that takes any #2 stains out.

This picture is the before picture when the diapers are still wet...you can see a little staining, but 2 hours in the sun and the stains are gone! 

Anyway, I sent an email to our HOA asking polity if they could send an email to our residents of other subdivision if they could try and not use leaf blowers and lawn mowers after 8pm. The HOA contact agreed, that after 8pm since school was in session again was to late for loud lawn care. He sent out a very polite email and made a status on the HOA Facebook wall. He emailed me today and said he had to take the comment down because people were "very mad" at my request. He said he did not understand the "hostility" but he apologized and wished me good luck.  Just the day before I got a written notice from our HOA saying that there is a bi-law stating that no clothing item is allowed to be hung outside and that clothes lines of any kind were not permitted. 

We are a corner house (and bus stop), and we let a few girls use the corner of our yard for a lemonade stand in the summer. Usually, they are good about cleaning up. Then today, Aaron walked inside and said go out and look at the yard. I walked out and pretended to be locking my car doors. I looked at the yard and there were Styrofoam cups and pieces of styrofoam cups all over our yard, not to mention two half eaten balonge and cheese sandwiches which were swarming with bugs. 

I don't mind letting parents and kids use our yard and driveway to play and be safe. I do expect them to be respectful. I do expect them to pick up their trash and to be mindful of our property. I know they are kids, but there is a certain level of respect I think I (or society) should expect from a community.

It breaks my heart when I hear these elementary school and middle school kids "playing" with each other. Racist comments come out of their mouths left and right. "well you wouldn't know because your Asian" "hey Indian,..why don't you make us some curry" "Hey potato head, whats that stupid towel you wear on your head" 

So after the hostile comments about lawn work late at night, my clothes line and total disaster of my yard. I had half a mind to write a letter and stick it on all of our neighbors mail boxes and ask them to remind there kids to be respectful of other peoples property. To be tolerant of other peoples beliefs and that other kids skin color/accent is not important. Then again who am I to govern the way other kids act.

All I know is Aaron and I are going to do our best to make sure Parson and all of our kids understand they need to respect their planet, their friends, and other peoples property.

-Patty