Like most neighborhoods in central Florida, mine is comprised of a mix of young families and retirees.
I've heard mixed reviews about the snowbirds; they have a reputation for sitting on their front lawns with radar guns and clocking your speed as you drive down the street.
All of the ones that I have met so far, however, remind me of my grandma...which is a good thing.
Today a group of painters came to my new house to fix a couple holes in the drywall and remove a 12 x 12 foot map of the world that the previous owners had super glued to a bedroom wall.
By lunchtime, the poor guys were pulling their hair out. Four hours had past and they had only removed Australia.
I told them I would buy them lunch. I left the garage doors open when I left.
When I got back to the house a half hour later, several senior citizens were standing on my driveway. They waved as I pulled up.
"You've got a lot of work to do in there," one whistled.
"Why are you taking that map down?" asked another. "Don't you like maps?"
"I like the tile in your kitchen," said a third.
I just stood there with my mouth hanging open.
"I feel violated," I told my husband when he came home from work.
"You like going through other people's houses too," he pointed out.
"I didn't invite them!" I cried. In my mind, there is a big difference between a realtor's open house and trespassing.
"Welcome to Florida," he replied.
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31 comments
I would have been FLOORED Wow! Some people's nerve!! I would never just waltz into someone's house..that's crazy. lol
LOL! When we were working on our house our neighbors would invite themselves over and sneak a peak all the time! I agree. Welcome to Florida! Buncha nosy rosies! Good luck!
Wow. Just wow. But then I guess old people are like that-they just don't care. Kinda like they're perfectly comfortable telling people how they should parent and have no problem asking/telling HORRIBLE stories about people's bodies. Good luck in Florida!
Love your blog. You have a beautiful family. I am also a mother (one of my daughters is adopted from China as well as your sister)& I read your blog to remind myself to find humor in the trials and tribulations of raising kids..not petty gossip. I understand you probably thought it would make for a "funny/only happen to me type blog": but it reads very petty. On top of that you didn't even confirm it. I don't want this to read as though I am putting you down because you seem like an amazing person, however, I think gossip is perpetuated with the best intentions.
I juat took your blog off of my favorites. Your humor has shifted to making fun of others. I don"t like that.
Well, I personally don't find your humor "petty", and I don't see how having your home violated is "making fun" of other people!
That being said, I think I would still be picking my jaw off the ground and I had come home to find my neighbors had given themselves an unguided tour!
I think that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with being shocked at finding complete strangers had just gone through your house, uninvited, and without your presence! And it made me laugh to read the blog, but only because it didn't happen to me. You have a wonderful way of taking the mundane/boring/frustrating/crazy in life, and inspiring us all to see the funny or the good. Thank you, and I definitely look forward to reading your blog, everytime. And I also share it with anyone who will listen. I know that there are so many thousands that follow your blog that you have no idea who I am, but thank you sista!
Whoa. Anonymous seems a little out of line here. I don't find your blog subjects petty. I think your ability to find humor in some of the situations you find yourself in are hilarious. I totally get your humor. And you are entitled to be a little put off from nosy neighbors going through your house just because your garage door was up. Nobody has the right to do that no matter what their age.
I wonder in anonymous was the previous owner of the house or a nosy neighbor that is now offended.
Yikes! I wouldn't like that either!! not one bit...
I live on a cul de sac with only 6 houses. We are the only worker bees, we often find them milling around waiting for the handy Big Tuna to get home to "help" them out.
"on top of that you didn't even confirm it" Confirm what???!! DUH! The nosy old farts were in your house, what more do you need to confirm. Jeez, guess some people will always be haters. Not really sure what reads as gossip here- obviously "anonymous" just needs to assert her above normal tolerance for people's idiocricies. You have oodles of people that think you rock- keep it up!!
The nerve of some people! Maybe you should go check out their houses sometime? :)
By the way, your blog is not petty and there is not one thing wrong with being shocked at having UNINVITED guests in your home...especially when you aren't even home!!
HAHA that's hilarious! I'm guessing you probably won't be leaving your doors open again any time soon. I mean, seriously, when the door is open, that's an invitation for anyone to walk in! Now you've received the memo. ;)
Ha! That happened to us when we moved into our old house in Tampa! The neighborhood was mostly 60 & up(isnt that what those retirement villages are for?) and they all toured my house when we had it renovated.
My revenge was going through theirs. Since most of the houses were the same in that neighborhood I pointed out everywhere I had improved mine.
ooppps! Was that petty of me?
I would bet that they all knew the house's history...and just had to see it for themselves!
We just bought a house in Ft Myers, Florida - after living in the Midwest for 40+ years, I thought I had seen everything. But Florida is VERY different. They don't call it "weird" for nothing. Our neighbors here are VERY friendly - but it's kinda nice; I feel like they're all taking care of us and watching out for us! :)
I also bet that anonymous was referring to the previous post about the lifestyle of the last owners.
This reminds me of when I bought a townhouse that required some renovation before I could inhabit it. One day while I was there inpsecting the progress (it was nearing completion), I answered the door to find a neighbor I had not yet met. She had no qualms telling me that, despite the workmen and me keeping the place locked, she and a friend had been jimmying open a window so they could get inside for regular tours of my place. I totally understand why you feel violated.
I don't think age has anything to do with being curious or being rude. I think we all have moments of being nosy, judgmental, and being way to outspoken. Thank heavens we can eventually laugh (and blog)about it or we would all be tearing our hair out! Love your blog.....
Sounds like something out of a movie! Wow! They definitely have some nerve!
Two sides of the coin here. Yes I use to live in Florida. operative word is Use to, and yes it is weird. Second, I can betcha those work men invited them in. little ol' grandmotherly types hang outside and when the workmen come out they get asked "Whatcha doin'?" and the workmen say "Ya Gotta see this to believe it" and they all waltz in. I am older (52) AND have many even older folks living around us. As well as young families. The older ones have plenty of time and nothing else to do so they "wander over" when ever we are doin' stuff in the yard or outside the house. Remember they come from a generation where things were much more natural and friendly and not so suspetious as we are now. Either way, it was rude to not wait till the owner invites them in. Shame on the workmen as well.
That is hilarious! We have a ton of snowbirds here as well. They're nice enough. Even ask us to park in their driveway once in a while when they're not here. I will make sure to keep my garage door closed, now.
And as for the drywall- I would just cut out the offensive map and put a new sheet in the hole. Badabing, badaboom.
Lol! We lived in Mesa, AZ for a year while my hubby was in grad school and rented a house on a cul-de-sac where everyone else were retirees. They would totally invite themselves in. It was so funny. I was in my bedroom once and the gentleman from next door came in and started talking. He said he had knocked, but no one answered and the door was unlocked. I was just folding laundry, but holy smokes. I had two little girls so i never shut my bedroom door when I dressed so that I could listen out for them. It was so crazy, but at the same time, the were the sweetest people in the world and it wasn't as creepy as you would think. I learned to lock the doors. The would also go into the backyard to look at our plants. The person who owned the house had been a friend of theirs and she had moved into a nursing home, so i am sure they just were considering that the house was still hers and we were just guests. It was pretty crazy.
I think petty anon might be the swinger neighbor lady walking the dog who wanted to see if she left any incriminating items behind. Your posts are hilarious, good fun and not at all petty. Thank your stars petty anon took you off his/her fave list. One less naysayer to comment.
Being a little petty myself, I'm guessing Anonymous is probably a swinger and feels insulted. :-)
I don't think I'd ever leave without locking my door!
I thought a blog was a method of telling others about your day. This happened to you, those were your thoughts and they are funny. I hate haters.
Love your blog and your wit. So refreshing to find ppl to tell it like it is. Wishing you a happy new year!
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The Miracle & Messes of Motherhood
I would have completely felt violated too. I also would have said something to the neighbors probably landing myself in the "oh she is the mean one in the neighborhood" Reading this makes me thankful there is a fence around my entire yard...of course that doesnt stop the one neighbor that I see behind my property peeking thru bushes in her night gown and rollers...and I just wish I was kidding... As for Anon Petty deleting you off her reader... Petty is speaking against someone on their own blog...you know the last place where freedom of speech is actually real!
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