And feeling more and more depressed every day.
Someone stole two pink flamingos from our front yard. They have been there since the middle of September as a protest against plans by the City Planning Commission to declare our neighborhood an historic neighborhood.
A few busybodies in the neighborhood realized that our neighborhood was 50 years old, and thus 'qualified' for historic status, so they petitioned the Planning Commission to change our status, and impose an H-1 overlay on our residential zoning.
Unfortunately, if this goes through, it will impose restrictions on what home owners can and cannot do to the property they own. And this really rubs my last libertarian nerve the wrong way.
To top it off, the architecture of the homes in this neighborhood is quite unremarkable. They are typical 1950s suburban tract houses. Nothing at all special about any of them.
Those of us in opposition to this zone change planted the flamingos in our yards in protest. What better symbol of the tackiness of the 1950s than pink flamingos? We have also managed to talk the city council into imposing a moratorium on this and other attempts to restrict property owners' freedoms.
Unfortunately, that moratorium has expired, and a final public hearing has been scheduled prior to the biased planning commission imposes the change.
The disappearance of the flamingos seems to coincide with the planting of a sign giving notice of the public meeting in front of our house. I'm trying not to imagine that a city employee was responsible for the theft of the birds, but it is hard not to. Our city government has always been corrupt and dictatorial. Why should they change now.
This really pisses me off, and along with a bunch of other stuff I have had on my mind lately, has nudged me to the sad side of the thin line we all walk between happiness and sadness.
I wish I could run away.
You could run away, but you have to come back. Get more flamingos!...get a giant blow up flamingo! Make a huge poster about the meeting with your 'puter and post it in the window!
Posted by: token | April 12, 2007 at 18:05
I love those flamingos, and can certainly see why you would be very frustrated about all this crap! You and Alison should run away to WA where I will buy you some good Hef.
Posted by: Margaret | April 12, 2007 at 19:55
Come to CA. You can do whatever you want here. I used to drive by a house every day with over 20 flamingos in their yard.
How aggravating to have someone trying to tell you what YOU can do with YOUR home. Sheesh. Next they'll have you dressing in period clothing so the tourists can come gawk at you.
Posted by: Catheroo | April 12, 2007 at 21:04
If this passes, we are SO going to fill the front yard with tacky 50s shit.
Posted by: Alison | April 12, 2007 at 22:20
This has little to do with your post...but everything to do with the title.
When I was a kid, my dad used to listen to James Brown's version of "I'm a Soul Man." I always thought the song was, "I Am So Mad."
I used to wonder what he was so mad about. Now I know.
Although, I'm sure that Mr. Brown (RIP) is mad about all kinds of other stuff now, like getting buried well after he died. That would probably tick me off too.
Posted by: Mist 1 | April 13, 2007 at 01:44
How bizarre, a day of pink flamingos. First of all I get a email from archimcphee.com saying they have the last batch ever of pink flamingos (exactly like the ones in your photo) and now this post.
Hope it gets sorted.
Posted by: Katherine | April 13, 2007 at 04:22
Woops, archiEmchpee.com
Posted by: Katherine | April 13, 2007 at 04:23
Go get more flamingos! Don't let them push you around!
Posted by: LittleMike | April 13, 2007 at 09:16
Get more flamingos and a survelience camera.
Posted by: Susan | April 13, 2007 at 09:51
i'd be pissed too!
for about the last 20 yrs my mom and her best friend play a game on each's birthday. if it is my mom's friend's birthday, my mom will sneak on to her property and place a pink flamingo somewhere very visible. then this woman keeps the pink flamingo in her possession until my mom's birthday, and then the same thing happens to my mom.
we live in a VERY preppy, conservative town, so that's why they think that this is funny to do - so TACKY. they laugh about it a lot.
they also started a game of placing a banana sticker (dole, chiquita...whatever) on the other's car in a non-noticeable place for the other person to find at some point. then payback...
these are women in their mid 60's.
i am not sure why i told you all this. but, anyway i am enraged for you that someone would take something, ANYTHING from your property.
Posted by: rebecca | April 13, 2007 at 12:27
Two words: LAWN JOCKEY
Seriously, I think you should cover your whole front yard with pink flamingos in protest. Just a sea of them. And post your sign in protest over this new zone change right in the middle of them all.
Or maybe you should start collecting relatives of Gnomad and setting them up in your yard...
Posted by: newwavegurly | April 13, 2007 at 12:33
It seems to me that the Tiki Lounge look is mid-fifties decor too....I suggest that you embrace that and add a grass roof and coconut palms everywhere and don't forget the great big neon sign. Gotta have that!
Posted by: Karan | April 13, 2007 at 22:45
Or maybe...it's time to move to Olympia!
Posted by: Karan | April 13, 2007 at 22:53
Oh, yeah, this definitely calls for some escalation.
Posted by: Joolie | April 13, 2007 at 23:23
First, I don't blame you for being pissed!
Second, great idea with the flamingos!
Finally, I think you should take all the ideas everyone posted and do ALL OF THEM to your front yard. And don't forget to keep us posted :)
I hope they don't pass this heritage thing.
Posted by: Carrie | April 14, 2007 at 14:13
That does stink. Late last year the original company that made pink flamingos went out of business. People can so be so mean.
Posted by: Michael C | April 15, 2007 at 12:38
I know exactly how you feel. A few years ago someone stole a few freshly planted flowering plants out of my front yard. I couldn't believe it! I was so angry and discouraged. I looked on everyone in my neighborhood with suspicion for weeks afterward. Horrible.
Posted by: Kathryn | April 16, 2007 at 17:42
more flamingos... get more flamingos! this time? attach a fake camera to one of their heads. and say, we're watching you now.
corrupt government? who has ever heard of such a thing. :wink:
i am with Ali. if it passes? they are gonna sooo be sorry. :wink:
Posted by: melanie | April 16, 2007 at 19:41
If it were me, I would be tempted to file a police report for stolen property. I don't like the idea of wasting their time for something that is unlikely to be recovered but if you are planning on replacing them and the next ones get stolen (and you can find out who did it), it might help provide a basis for showing harrassment...or someone with a flamingo fetish.
Just being able to read about two stolen flamingos in the newspaper's crime report section would make it worth reporting.
Posted by: marybeth | April 22, 2007 at 02:40