Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Cut your *&^#$@ grass!!!! Or be SHOT!

Okay this is my bitching (again) journal. I know everyone agrees with you, but not everyone agrees with me completely, not even my wife, family and some friends.

I am so logical I wonder why everyone does not agree with me? After all I am right!

What got me started was the local police in Stanley, NC arrested a woman because she did not cut her grass. We have fine County ordinance that says grass CANNOT be allowed to grow more than 12 inches high. NOW I DON’T LIKE THAT!

Let me clarify, I love a lawn that is manicured, landscaped and fresh looking. My sister Shirl has always had a neat yard, landscaped and clean. My brother in law Sonny’s yard, although not landscaped, was always neat. I loved to enjoy at them both. I remember a person’s comment that had recently returned from Canada. They said, “I would swear that everyone up there has just mowed their lawn, painted their houses, and planted fresh flowers.” Looking back at the times I was there I agreed. Now that you know I think mowed lawns are neat I will continue.

IT AIN’T NONE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S BUSINESS HOW HIGH MY GRASS IS!!!! Grass produces Oxygen we all need it!!!!

The folks around the lady said her land was a health hazard. Now I honestly doubt that. A health hazard is ‘Three mile Island’. Toxic waste is a health hazard. I know many do not like snakes and rats, but they are a part of nature. A rat is nothing but a squirrel with less hair and a slick tail. If you don’t like rats, snakes do. They have to eat also.

The folks said they wanted the ordinances enforced. I don’t really think so. We have an ordinance saying you cannot have a chain link fence in public view from the street. We have an ordinance saying you cannot have a dog house past the rear line of your house. There is an ordinance saying you CANNOT have more than one storage building. NO PRIVACY fences allowed in your side yard. You cannot even park on your own grass. No 'inside' furniture on your porch,If you have a business your sign cannot be over 12 ft. high. IF you have a service station only three signs are allowed. To conform only the prices of the three grades of gasoline can be displayed. They cannot advertise a $15.99 oil change; they would be in for a ticket. There is an ordinance against pot holes, (for some reason,that one is ignored.)

Burn your trash? You could be shot! Hey the list goes on.
All I am saying is that I am a ‘property rights’ person. I get tired of someone thinking because they think a house is pretty painted pink, that everyone should have a pink house. I expect every council meeting to hear an ordinance against Butter pecan Ice cream, because they are all chocolate lovers. Now I have said it.


I ain’t mad at anyone, and this isn’t pointed at anyone, Just my OPINION. I am glad you can have an opinion without being locked up for it. WE can still be friends can’t we?



Having said all that life boils down to two questions:

Should I get a dog?




Or should we have children?






Thanks for coming by the Log, have a great day, and remember to cut your Grass!
Nite Shipslog
PS:
Two Mexican detectives were investigating the murder of Juan Gonzalez.. 'How was he killed?' asked one detective.
'With a golf gun,' the other detective replied.
'A golf gun? What is a golf gun?'
'I don't know.
Scroll down
But it sure made a hole in Juan.'


10 comments:

Lucy said...

I do not totally agree with you and if I could point my camera over a fence from our house to the end of the block, 3 back yards all belonging to the same people, grass, weeds, boards, pile of junk everywhere , some covered with tarps you would change your mind. Fences leaning against each other to try to hide it. They have grandkids and a grown son that could help them but none do. We do not turn them in but yet they are turned in all the time. As for rats, no thanks. Wish that was all that came out of there.

Paula said...

Funny you should mention grass mowing. I just wrote about John mowing his. One time he was without a mower and he let his grass grow knee high to a giant. Well that is why I have my own house across the street and the yard is mowed and trimmed. Also my inside doors are closed and the drawers shut. lol

Anonymous said...

LOL Jack, that was a great rant! I totally agree with you. I think that "ordinances" take things a bit too far, probably because of pressure from people worried about "property values", money money money...I like a nice lawn too and seeing garbage and old crap all over someone's lawn isn't really pleasing to me. I think as long as there is no real danger or smell about the place, let people live the way they want. If it's only a matter of "the view"...that's just stupid. The grass around the outside hedge right now, is probably 2 feet high, and they'd take me kicking and screaming before I pull another muscle mowing it! No privacy fence, now that one is not right. When I finally settle down, I'll have to make sure I have the right to do what I want on my land (with acceptable restrictions of course!)...thanks for making me think of that!

betty said...

LOL with the dog versus children; that's a tough question for sure

I'm for those ordinances for public safety; limiting a business to 3 signs or less is not for safety, unless signs are blocking traffic. Allowing grass to grow up a bit before cutting it is not a safety issue unless gopher size holes that people couldn't see because of the tall grass and were breaking their ankles. I think there needs to be a bit of common sense when ordinances are being thought of and passed

and now I better get my ruler and see how high our grass is

okay, I had some time to think about it; dog instead of children :)

enjoy the day

betty

Anonymous said...

Once while my Dad was in ICU we got a "warning" about our grass.Back then Dad still insisted on cutting the grass himself & would not let me pay for a service, but in ICU it's sort of the last thing on your mind. Uhm, I had a neighbor with trucks parked on HIS FRONT LAWN and he didn't get a warning. I feel that woman's pain. ~Mary

ps pet or children? My 4 1/2 pound cat has ruined the antique woodwork in my home. I never TOUCHED the woodwork as a child. It survived me fine, the cat, not so fine.

Melanie said...

Dang.....are you crabby get some sleep!!!!

just kidding sweetie...I still didn't mow my weeds..lol....maybe tomarrow

Melanie

Jean said...

Okay Jack I worked hard all morning and about a hour late yesterday cutting the grass I didn't want the City to come cut it and send me a bill, lol. Well that was what they said they would do a few years back, but I haven't seen them out cutting any yards and they are houses around with grass knee high. Maybe another word for it I didn't want to step on a snake, lol. Take care, jean

robert said...

Good morning,
read this with much interest, as I own now a garden as well. Luckily it may be too dry and hot to grow grass ever.
Now nearly twenty to four in the morning the picture with the kids nearly made me laugh aloud.
Last night I changed the kid at 04.00, as his diaper 'went over' without waking my wife up, wondering why he wears something different in the morning. So maybe a dog would be easier, nevertheless, the 'fun part' is probably bigger with kids.

Lucy said...

You really got different opinions. Joe has a heart condition and that yard gets mowed by him when he needs to. It is a law and I know Laws are made to be broken, but, this man that owns all these properties is very crippled up but when you have several grandchildren and a grown son living across town there is no excuse. He inherited 4 from his mother-in-law and owns 3 dumps across the alley and makes no effort to get someone to mow for him. If I want to live in a jungle I will move to a jungle, If I am afraid of hurting myself mowing I would move to a Sandy front yard.If I wanted rats I would move back on the big blue river where there are river rats. I thought I was the only one that said what they think and got in trouble. Everyone has that right to free speech, even you Jack. Good think You clarified that it was your opinion and you aren't mad at anyone. Actually I feel sorry for the neighbor guy but they are not well liked in the neighborhood. His goat was down by our cars eating leaves and we talk to them but with Joes heart and my balance can't offer to help. He loves his goat and when she heard him call her name she went home. We have an interesting neighborhood. lol

shirl72 said...

Oh brother did you ever open a can of worms.
The only reason we have those ordiance is so
people will half-way keep things in order.
If not the town would look like a junk yard, which you could be the manager.

You know me with Zoning and Code enforcement.
I do fudge a little on things. I don't know why I was born a neat person. Don't know what happened. You be funny.....you just like
to stir the pot. I don't agree with all them.

Shirl your code enforcer sister.