Looking to eat out but just can
Ah, spring. Time to plant, prune, mow, and make our property come alive in a
way that makes Miracle-Gro actually seem like a miracle. But as most of us
strive for Stepfordville perfection, there’s always that one house, the one ugly
stinking house on the block that hasn’t been mowed since the Nixon
administration.
Fortunately for that individual, Scarsdale has no property-maintenance
ordinance, which means simply that no matter how disheveled his yard becomes,
the town can’t impose a fine.
Frustrating as it may be, there are other, more tactful ways to deal with
these not-so-green thumbs. Fact Finding: Before you start leaving nasty notes,
assess the situation: Are the owners sick? Has their mower broken? Enlist the
block’s other undesirable resident, the nosy neighbor, to do some sleuthing. The
Golden Rule: If your research yields nada, and your children fear walking by the
home because it’s like a horror-fl ck set, volunteer to have your gardener do a
gratis makeover.
Now that’s neighborly love! The BBQ Party Ploy: Still not cooperating? Invite
the offending homeowners to see your greener grass, and learn how you manage
it—a lesson that’s easier to stomach with a couple tasty burgers.
Melissa Leonard is an etiquette coach and mother of two extremely
well-behaved children in Harrison. Visit her website at
www.establishyourselfNY.com.
