Some adjustment is inevitable when you switch from living in
a free-standing house on over an acre of land to a condo sandwiched between
three other condos and topped by more above.
I’m still working on getting My Guy to realize that not everyone appreciates having hits from The Eagles waft out of our screened porch into theirs three feet away.
I’m still working on getting My Guy to realize that not everyone appreciates having hits from The Eagles waft out of our screened porch into theirs three feet away.
We are
conscientious about cleaning up after Mamie, flattening our boxes for the
communal recycling bin, and closing the windows in front when we leave. (Mamie
never, ever, barks except when we are away and she’s left in charge of
defending the castle. As soon as I put on shoes she jumps up on the guest room
bed and will sit there looking out the window until she sees me return. Anyone
who passes while she’s sitting sentry will be given what-for.)
We smile and
wave when out walking, pat neighbors’ dogs, and don’t feed the wildlife living
in the pond in back of us. (Unlike our neighbor, who twice a day is feeding a
growing assortment of ibis, fish, turtles, cranes, and now seagulls.)
But we’ve
also learned two other valuable lessons.
Even though that strip of grass in
front of each small first-floor porch (aka, the lanai) is legally “common
ground”, it’s inconsiderate to use it as a short cut through the complex.
Speaking as someone whose appearance when lounging on the lanai often isn’t up
to visitor-grade status, I get this. (I may have scarred one or two landscape
guys for life.)
When asked by your upstairs
neighbors if they make too much noise, LIE.
Yes, you’ve wondered why they seem to be dismantling every
pipe in their bathroom at 10:30 at
night, and yes, their two seemingly angelic granddaughters have the tread of
overweight flamenco dancers, but always LIE.
They’re obviously nice people if they’ve cared enough to
worry about this, and what purpose would be served by asking who it is in their
household that tippy-taps back and forth and back and forth and back and forth
at 6:45 a.m.?
Communal living definitely requires consideration.
ReplyDeleteOnly yesterday I was wondering whether the 'song' of the birds which come to our feeders bothers the neighbours. (Our birds are often beautiful but rarely musical.)
Living in an apartment complex with downstairs and next-door neighbors, I can relate. I'm the one up there at 5:30am walking around, but at least I'm in my Crocs until I leave the house! :-)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't do it. Have to have windows on all four sides of my house.
ReplyDeleteI think you have the start of another good book. Now you just need a catchy title!
ReplyDeleteI wish people here would learn to flatten their recycling boxes. In spite of all efforts, many still use the recycling bin as a regular household bin too. I've given up trying to tell them different.
ReplyDeleteYou have learned the fine art of compromise in late life and that will serve you well. You will always make a good neighbor!
ReplyDeleteAdjustments must be made, perhaps that is why end units are popular...less neighbors:)
ReplyDelete