Daphne’s Random Thoughts

Front Flower Bed

It started last Friday.  I had a few errands to run, I was in a really good mood, then I picked up the mail.  There was a letter from the property managers for my condominium development.  It said that the plant hanger hooks, I call them Shepard Hook’s, was in violation of the Rules and Regulations of my Condo Association.  They said the Rules stated no ornaments in the front planting beds, I have 15 days to comply or be fined.  I was upset for many reasons.  I called the Mr. and told him what the letter said.  I told him that right now if I called them I would use language best kept to a podcast with an explicit tag.  He said he would call them.  I was supposed to start cleaning up the house for a family cook-out of Sunday but all I wanted to do was hit something, so I played some Wii Tennis, very badly, and some Wii Bowling, made Pro status.  While I was playing the property management company called the house looking for the Mr.  I gave them his cell number because I still couldn’t be civil to them.

Right now you are saying “Daphne, it’s just 2 Shepard’s Hooks. Move them and be done with it”.  Well, there is more to this than just moving them.  I have lived in this Townhouse Condominium for 4 years.  We moved in before half of them were even built.  We moved in before there was an association.  When the association came into power we were told anything that is currently up, that was up before these new Rules and Regulations go into effect, will be grandfathered in.  This included the little retaining wall which we built and you can see in the photo.  It includes any storm doors that were installed since the Condos did not come with them.  This also included any plantings that might be in the planting beds.  Also the rules stated that we are not allowed to plant anything in the beds but we can put out flower pots as long as they are in the bed and don’t interfere with the landscapers.  The rules that we have, the official rules of the association, make no mention to ornaments at all.

The Shepard’s Hooks I have were bought 4 years ago.  They were placed in the planting beds 4 years ago.  They have never been taken out since we tend to forget about them until the ground is frozen solid and most years I hang a balls of evergreen from them around Christmas.  In my opinion these Shepard’s Hooks are grandfathered in.  Just like the peonies one of my neighbors planted 4 years ago that are taking over their planting bed.  Also in my opinion, the Rules say I can’t plant anything in those beds and I like seeing color when I look at my home.  I like plants that are large and flowery, I like hanging plants and since I’m not allowed to attach hooks to the house this is the only way I can have hanging plants.

Like I said I don’t remember seeing anything in the Rules that banned Shepard’s Hooks.  I can understand they don’t want large lawn decorations in the front of the units, but look at the photo, do you even notice the hooks?

While I was cleaning up for the cook-out on Saturday I came across the newsletter from the Landscaping Committee to all the unit owners.  This was left sandwiched between the storm door and the front door a few months ago.  I remember glancing at it and just not really caring.  The Landscaping Committee is (and this will sound bad but really I don’t mean to slight Stay-at-Home-Moms at all) a few Stay-at-Home-Moms who gave up their careers to be moms and are now bored and are looking for something to do so they all decided that they know better than the professionals on how the common areas should be landscaped.  I live in a bedroom community.  People have houses here because it’s convenient to the major routes and it’s a quiet town to raise your kids and spend you time away from work.  So, I looked over this newsletter and there I saw the statement about no ornaments in the planting beds, but we were now allowed to plant annuals or perennials, but not clumping perennials because they spread.  Yes, you read that right they said “Clumping Perennials” spread.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but  I watch way too much HGTV and I think I remember something about when shopping for Bamboo to look for the clumping variety or it will take over you lawn.  Anyway, the new “rule” about ornaments and plantings was in a newsletter, not in the official Rules and Regulations.  A newsletter that is put out by volunteers, not by the elected Condo Association Board Members.  The Mr. said to trash the newsletter, it’s not an official document by a long stretch.

Back to the Mr’s phone call, turns out the property managers are only doing what they are told and we have 15 days to submit a grievance in writing.  I’m not moving the hooks, I will chance the fine.  In my opinion, which is just as good as the Landscaping Committees because I have as much training as they do in how to landscape a large Townhouse Development, having half dead plants in those beds all winter because the owners never got around to pulling them up come autumn is more unsightly than my 2 hooks will be in the fall when I throw away the dead plants, pots and all.

But back to the Newsletter, they said we are allowed to do whatever we want on our back decks.  This is where the Flamingos come in.  I have a 12′x12′ back deck.  I live on the inside of a Cul-de-Sac.  I have 14 neighbors on the inside of the Cul-de-Sac who can see my deck from their decks and a few more who can from their front yards.  I usually have 2 Pink Flamingos in some flower pots back there and they are due to be replaced.  Now I’m thinking bigger…. why stop at 2?  Why stop at just lawn ornament flamingos?  I have a electrical outlet back there. I’m thinking pink rope light along the railing and maybe a string of flamingo lights around the umbrella.  Yes, I’m thinking tacky, I’m thinking annoying, I’m thinking that if I can’t have my 2 hooks with my 2 flower pots, then they have to look at my flamingos.

It’s a small rebellion, It’s childish and maybe a little petty, but it’s my childish, petty rebellion.  I am having another cookout next week, I should be all flamingoed by then, I’ll post pictures.

flamingos

Originally uploaded by mybloodyself

Tags: General, Real Life //