Skip to main content

Location, location, location

A friend of mine in the neighborhood has a lovely house and an inviting yard that always shows signs of life. Bikes and other children's play equipment hint at the active fun her children must be having. It's a perfect example of suburban loveliness imbued with liveliness.

But her house holds a secret. A darker side that surely didn't come to light until after they had lived there for awhile. As any realtor would tell you, it's all in the location. It's halfway down a small street that is the only connection between two more important thoroughfares. There's a bit of an incline.

What this means in good weather is that her home is under almost constant police surveillance. Well, not really. It seems that this spot is the ideal one to nab folks who roll through the nearby stop sign. I have to admit that I would feel a bit unnerved by that much togetherness on a daily basis. But she and her family take this in stride. It's just the way things are.

However, in the winter, it's a different story. Ice and snow on the little road mean my friend is on the lookout for misplaced motorists--in her yard. Something about the incline of the road, and the location of her house, and the speed of drivers combine into the perfect recipe for disaster. She has seen people take out street signs, mailboxes, even careen into her yard.

"Why me?" She must be thinking. And yet, I don't think she does, because she is far too positive-minded and, frankly, too busy to allow this state of affairs to fill her with dread. All houses come with challenges. This is theirs.

Well, I am forever getting involved in other people's business, as you know. I want to see if problems can be fixed, connections between people forged to start the process of improvement. And so, I wonder. Is there anything about this situation that could be changed that would make the little road safer, and keep her house out of the 'line of fire'?

I know some incredibly helpful people who work for the County. And I am going to ask them, but not today. I think they are going to be very, very busy. In the meantime, please keep my friend and her lovely house in your thoughts. It could be a very exciting day for them.

Under the circumstances, I think an uneventful day is what she's wishing for.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more