Category: Uncategorized

I was chatting with a coworker about painting, home repair and the like and he asked if I had to go through my HOA. Thank G-d I don’t. A good thing about the hood, no home owner associations (HOA). I can paint my house pink with yellow polka dots. I can put out the world’s ugliest garden gnomes. Or I could have any style fence or mailbox I darned well please.

I’m also happy I don’t live in a condo. There are some huge pluses that come with condo living, but Nora Bombay is paying almost $600 a month in condo fees. Of course her fees include maintenance, cable, electricity, indoor parking, AC, heat and water. But still $600 a month, that’s almost like a small mortgage.

I’ve heard enough horror stories about HOAs and condo boards that get power hungry and crazy, see Columbia, MD. Why would I want to expose myself to that? No I will take the hood, where people have the freedom to put up tacky Christmas lights, have crappy looking yards, and have to pay directly for their own utilities.

Ok 1st things first, before I forget, there may be a Christmas Tree lighting at the Florida and 1st Street park (where the local winos hang) at 3:30pm this Sunday. I left early so if any changes were made, I don’t know about them.

Well this Bates meeting was nice. It was less of a meeting and more of a party. There were grapes, and those Lindt chocolates. If it weren’t in the basement of a Baptist Church the Egg Nog might have had a bit more kick. It was good, it was laid back. Q Street, Bates Street and 1st Street were well represented. Jim talked about the history of the Bates Area Civic Association, Scott talked about the Truxton Circle site (note: need to mail restaurant review to Scott or Matt), and the rest of us talked about our houses. It was a positive discussion.

I got sleepy and had to call my mom so I left. As I was leaving I saw Councilmember Vincent Orange heading towards the Church with his assistant/body guard/ random guy, so I missed out on that. But I’m happy to see Mr. Orange in a post election period. I am happy that he has discovered the NW section of the Ward because I was getting the feeling last year that we were the redheaded stepchild of Ward 5.

Over dinner the Bethesdites, friends of mine, were wondering how on earth they were going to buy a home with the real estate prices going up. Then they turned to me to ask about Shaw. Now I know their temperment and there is a reason why they live in Bethesda. I really don’t think they would like Shaw. I like Shaw and I tolerate Shaw. The good stuff, like restaurants and such, is more than 4 blocks away west of 9th Street. The stuff closest to the house is okay. Then there is the witnessing two guys in a knife fight a block from the house, doesn’t make me think I need to move out of the hood. I’ve been informed that someone was shot a block from the house, I’m still unfazed. The Bethesdites, I’m afraid, would have seen that as a good reason to sell.

I’m going to have the Bethesdites over for dinner next week. As they have never set foot in Shaw, I figure this is a good opportunity to see Shaw in is glory and ugly. Well they won’t see too much of the hood as they are driving and will see as much as one can from 30-45 mph. Or from the parked car to the house, which depending if there are any church services when they come can be from 20 feet to 1 block.

Shaw is not Bethesda, and that’s okay. Of course, I really would like a Barnes and Noble.