So, this is one that I have been pondering for a while.  I haven’t been able to decide whether I should discuss it or not.  Why would I not, you may ask.  Well, my thought process goes something like this.

Joy writes a real blog under a fictitious name.  Joy uses real events and people, only changing their names.  Everything works for a while and no one discovers the secret. Then, one day, Joy slips up – or a friend figures it out – or a neighbor recognizes Joy’s story – or a co-worker of Ray’s reads something that identifies their mutual employer…

See how sticky AND slippery this slope is???  In writing this now, I have to automatically assume that someone will find me out later.  Then, once I’m discovered, people may go back and re-read some of this stuff trying to align names to stories.  I am not trying to get anyone in trouble but, I want to be able to say what I want to say without worrying about pissing anyone off.  So, for now, I am going to proceed as if no one knows who I am – and they don’t – and write what I want.  Which brings me back to this issue that I have been thinking about bringing up.

Ray and I bought this house last year.  Ray went through a job change, he took a big promotion, but it was into sales and so we were to be moving from a regular, adequate bi-weekly paycheck, to a MUCH smaller bi-weekly check but with the addition of a once-a-month fluctuating commission check.  At the time, we were living in the requisite up and coming, middle class, McMansion on a very nice half acre, in a neighborhood of similar… or even larger… houses.  Our then home was brand new, gorgeous, huge and a level of luxury I didn’t ever expect to live in.  I know, brag, brag, brag… Just wait.

So, Ray gets this job offer with his company to move both up and down with money, low fixed salary, possible high commission… and after much discussion, we decided he should take it.  But now, our mucho grande mortgage payment is a tad more difficult to manage since the monthly money is always going to be in flux.  After a whole lot more discussion, we make the choice of putting the Barbie Dream House on the market and seeing if we can get out of it.  Big surprise, we do.  It sells within a few weeks of going on the market, we got a good offer and had no issues getting the property to pass inspection (it was brand FREAKING new when we bought it a few years prior).  Closing was easy and out the door we went.  Do you happen to see anything missing from this scenario?  Anything at all?  Maybe a new place to live?  Aaahhhhh… you see where I’m going now, huh?

So, with no where else to go, we move in with family and wait it out.  During the sale of our house we had been looking for another place to buy, but every time we came up with something we were either outbid, were the backup offer or the new place didn’t pass inspection (seriously, one had termites, radon, wiring not up to code, drainage issues AND was in a flood zone.  No shit.).

Then, finally, by some miracle, a house comes on the market in the right neighborhood, at a good price, already vacant and a TOTAL DUMP.  It was involved in an estate issue, and we were willing to mess with it, but the whole thing had to be pretty much gutted and started over.  After much negotiation with the trustee, we made a deal and bought the house.  I had never dreamed of having to buy a place that needed so much work.  Most of the walls stayed in place, but everything else was pulled.  We did floors, roof, doors, windows, tile, paint, electrical, plumbing, landscaping, casework refinishing, EVERYTHING.  Obviously, this did not happen overnight, but took some weeks to get it all done, with Ray, Win and I doing the bulk of the work.  We hired some contractors for a few of the really big pieces, but much of it fell to us.  We were trying to get set up in a place with a much lower payment, but still have all the amenities that we had been used to in the last house.  So, it was work, work, work, to save, save, save.

Over a few weeks, there was a LOT of construction mess.  There were contractor’s trucks and vans, delivery people coming and going during the days, installers in and out, a dumpster in the driveway for a while, it was nuts.  We did go around and meet all the neighbors to let them know what we were doing and that it would not last forever.  We wanted everyone to know that this was a work in progress, and that there was a method to our madness, but it would be an extended pain in the ass since we were doing most everything ourselves.

Finally, early in the summer, we get to move in.  Most of the big remodel was done, some was still left to do but we could work on that while actually in residence of the house.  But, now come the movers.  And stuff.  So much stuff.  We went from 2300 sq. feet on our main floor to about 1600 sq. feet and not all of our furniture would fit.  Now we have to start selling items, replacing items, donating items, etc.  Yes, it was chaos.  Yes, it was annoying.  No, we didn’t throw the old ceiling fans and the early 1990’s fridge on the lawn and just leave it for decoration…

Eventually we get moved in and settled.  But, it summer and there’s still lots to be done.  We own a flatbed trailer that we were using for transport of supplies and replacement furniture.  While the trailer was in use SOOOO much, it didn’t make sense to try to store it anywhere, so we left it out for easy access.  Most of the time it was parked in the driveway (allowed by the city), some of the time it was hooked up to the Suburban and parked at the curb (because we were just getting ready to pick up something or had just brought something in, still allowed by the city) but some of the time it was stored in the grass right next to the driveway (not really allowed, but shuffling cars was a real pain and we figured it was short term and better than parking it in the street).

One fine day, the mailman comes to the door with a certified letter.  To me.  I sign for it, rip it open and find it’s from… THE CITY.  It appeared as if they had received a complaint about us and our wayward trailer, so they were giving us 10 days to remedy the situation.  Two problems here – one was that the trailer had since been relocated to the back yard, behind a fence and out of view – and two, the trailer is in Ray’s name only AND he is the primary on the house.  How in the hell did this get routed to ME?  Did the complaint get made when it was still out front?  Or had someone decided that we couldn’t store it out of sight in the back either?

Ray decided to call the lady listed in the letter, the city employee, and see what he could find out.  In his conversation with this very nice woman, he was told that it was a neighbor that called it in, and the complaint was that it was in the grass.  Now that the trailer is in the backyard and behind the fence, we are in compliance.  Ok, well, that’s a relief.  The city lady did tell Ray that they don’t take individual information from a caller like THEIR name or address, they just log the complaint and send a letter to the non-compliant resident notifying them of potential trouble.  So, technically, any neighbor could call on anyone else anytime for anything and there is no recourse.

So, you might be asking yourself, Dr. Internet, why I am so aggravated about this situation that has been worked out for a while, in our favor and is now old news.

Because I feel like we should have been cut some slack.  We bought this then hell hole for a decent price and then dumped a LOAD of money into it to make it nice.  We’ve increased the value of this place 40 to 50 thousand dollars in a month of work and that benefits the whole neighborhood.  We drive nice cars, the lawn is moved, we don’t have wild parties, barking dogs or teenagers coming and going at all hours.  I feel like if one of the neighbors had a problem with the trailer, they should have come to us.  After all, we went to all of them explaining all the work and it was obvious that the trailer was not staying there permanently, since it was always moving.  If they didn’t want to come face to face, what about an anonymous letter to us requesting that we move it or they will THEN call the city.  Maybe leave a note on the trailer asking us to move it?  Seriously, who calls the city on someone who is obviously working on a property to the betterment of the whole subdivision???

Even if the city lady didn’t know who it was, I think that I do.  I’m pretty sure it’s the single, old bat down the street that walks the neighborhood every day.  She’s been alternating between really nice and somewhat pissy everytime we see her out and about.  We always wave to her, sometimes stop to talk, but her mood swings are strange since I don’t even know her name – I don’t think her issues are actually with me, but you never know.

I have been debating having Ray hook the trailer up to the tow vehicle and leave it in the street for a while again.  I’ve also been thinking about bring it back up front, painting it neon pink, sitting it in the driveway with an old, broken, avocado green toilet (easily purchased from Habitat for Humanity) filled with fake flowers, and attaching a comments box.  Alternately, I can leave it where it is, behind the fence, and let whoever called the city feel like they won the battle (even though it had already been moved by the time the letter came) and hope this is the end of the HOA pissing match.  Ray thinks I should do like that infernal Frozen song and just Let It Go.

Tell me, Dr. Internet… what do YOU think I should do?