Home Owner's Association

Our housing addition has a Home Owner's Association. Being part of a Home Owner's Association is both good and bad. It is good because they can prevent some one from painting their house purple or putting a car up on blocks in the front you while they repair it. That being said a home owner must get permission for a project ranging from realigning a flower bed to adding solar screens and storm doors. A few weeks age we connected the two trees in the front yard with edging and added mulch for a flower bed. A simple project that got compliments from people walking by and enhanced the look of our front yard. Lo and behold we got a letter from the good ole Home Owner's Association saying this is a "Friendly Reminder" which will be followed by warnings and fines if we do not submit paperwork to have this project approved. Amazing...a simple project has to be approved by a bunch of storm troopers that I pay a yearly due to so they can tell me what I can do with the outside of my house. Yet when I complain about barking dogs, too many cars parked at the curb, kids playing basketball on front driveways with portable baskets (all in violation of the HOA rules) I am told we cannot do anything about that and am referred to some worthless city or country agency that either doesn't answer the phone or will not return my calls. If had know then what I know now I would not have bought a house in an HOA housing addition, and never will again.

In all my years on the planet one of the most beautiful things I've heard is the sound of "Amazing Grace" played on the bagpipes and sung acappella, but most of all played on the bagpipes. Maybe its because my ancestors are from that area and it stirs the ole celtic blood. Bagpipes have led brave men into battle and then plyed the haunting refrain of "Amazing Grace" as the heros of the battle were laid to rest. For no one is more brave than he or she who lays down thier life for God, country and their fellow man.

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