The Cold Hard Truth
So first I wanted to blog about my awesome free online read I have going on over at the Harlequin site – The Nerd Who Loved Me. I figured everyone needed a shot of a hot dentist (pun totally intended) and the girl he drooled (again, intended) over as a gawky teen, but then I remembered that I’m blogging here today and at the Superromance blog, so y’all got a reprieve…or maybe you might think I totally denied you good stuff with refusing to tell you about my fun little sexy story. Never fear, you can still read it if you pop over to Http://www.harlequin.com and click on Community (far right side).
But I guess I’m bummed because there was a neighborhood association meeting tonight for our community of Long Lake and they had a guest speaker – a policeman. And what he had to say pretty much popped the Talley’s bubble. SO this is it. No more golf cart.
Now, I know it’s not the end of the world, but here’s the deal. This past year, we got us a pretty, shiny blue golf cart with headlights and a back seat so we could toodle around the neighborhood, driving our kids to people’s houses or picking up at the bus stop. On occasion, the husband and I pour a glass of wine and let the dogs ride along as we tour the neighborhood, talking about who is doing a good job with their yard and who needs to have a little more work done on the flower beds. Nothing better than wheeling around, spending time talking to each other and stopping to visit with neighbors.
But enter the kids and teenagers, roaring around, not paying attention to where they are driving, acting like veritable morons.
Yep, those little *(&%*(@** ruined it for us all.
There have been complaints (legitimate ones) and grumping and all out positioning on the golf cart issue, and tonight it culminated with the cold, hard truth – they are illegal on the streets.
Hmmm…wish I would have known that 10 months ago when we spent several thousand dollars to buy a golf cart. So needless to say, the husband is peeved, the kids are sad and if the dogs understood what just happened, they’d probably beg to take a dump on the grumpy old neighborhood association president’s lawn. Talley’s are not happy, but what can you do? My neighbor says to wait a few weeks for the police patrols to die down and then move on, business as usual. Maybe, but the rule follower in me says that won’t work. Because now it’s no longer enjoyable. Now we can’t relax and feel the wind in our hair as we watch the sun set over the lake, cruising in our sweet little golf cart. Now we have to watch our backs for the po-po.
Damn, but the cold, hard truth ain’t fun.
So have you ever made a dumb purchase (that you thought was wonderful but turned out to be a lemon)?
Aug 22, 2012 @ 02:16:16
Those haters gonna hate! lol, Damn I can’t afford those golf cart soo I’m saying its illegal.lol
mia recently posted..Texas Woman Teaches Babies to Communicate through Sign Language
Aug 22, 2012 @ 06:46:39
LOL, Mia – I’d totally be nodding my head, too, if i didn’t have one. But I have one and we love it. So I’m greatly distrurbed. I feel like sticking my tongue out at the world.
But, seriously, the very adult part of me knows that it’s probably for the best. Even if it sucks.
Liz Talley recently posted..East Texas Romance Writers on August 18th.
Aug 22, 2012 @ 08:26:04
Liz,
Ack! We’re at our second home in FL right now, and EVERYBODY here drives a golfcart! In fact, we went to look at new ones yesterday, and my husband found one he really likes. Doesn’t it make you mad when a few ruin things for everybody?
So sorry for your loss:-( And as a fellow (former) teacher, I’m with you on the play-it-by-the-rules thing. My husband would agree with your neighbor, but if it’s against the rules, I couldn’t bring myself to do it either.
Aug 22, 2012 @ 11:07:32
stupid kids! no fun Liz! Yall had a good thing going there.
for me, I’d hang back, see if the other neighbors started up with riding around. Let them “test the winds” for a couple weeks and if nothing happened, be back on my cart.
KeriFord recently posted..Let’s Play!
Aug 22, 2012 @ 11:27:04
Well first…there is such as thing as “street legal” golf carts! It is possible that driving one on your neighborhood street might not be a “illegal” as the cop said. He could have been doing a favor for someone who wanted them gone. Know what I mean?
And second..the problem lies with the parents who allowed underage kids to drive them. I have a place where Pamela is and I LOVE driving my golf cart around. In fact, I bought one while I was there.
I’m will Keri. Hang back and see what happens.
As far as buying a something and regretting it…Of course. Who hasn’t done that? I bought a new car 2years ago. I like it, but I don’t LOVE it. I’d trade it tomorrow without a backward glance! But don’t tell hubby! He was pissed when I bought it.
Aug 22, 2012 @ 12:04:47
Bummer, Liz. I once bought a used car that really was a lemon. The first time my husband drove it he could tell the transmission was “soft”. I had no idea.
I also bought a brand new SUV after my first big promotion, but the joke was on me less than a year later when I quit working to stay home after my 2nd son was born, and we had to sell it at a loss. I didn’t buy another new car for ten years, and then I made sure I put enough down to keep that from happening again. Hmm, I quit a year after I bought that one too…
Good luck!
Gwen Hernandez recently posted..Write fearlessly
Aug 22, 2012 @ 13:18:47
Cyndi makes a good point. It shouldn’t be too hard to look up the actual law and find out if it’s legal or not. Print a copy and keep it in the cart.
Otherwise, I’d feel the same way you do. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it, knowing I was breaking the law and setting a bad example for my kids.
My most recent dumb purchase: I saw an awesome dragon ear cuff online and HAD to have it. My husband paid $50 to order it for a Mother’s DAy gift, plus hassles and more $ to have it shipped from Australia, it took forever to get here, and…it didn’t fit. I realized the picture had been on a DRAWING of an ear, not an actual ear, and the curve of the body meant it wouldn’t comfortably go in my earhole.
I used pliers on it and bent it until I managed to get it to a workable shape, but it’s HEAVY and the pointy ruff behind his head pokes my delicate skin, so I can only wear it for short periods of time.
Not really comparable to the golf cart $-wise, but same feeling in the end!
Natalie J. Damschroder recently posted..Welcome Keri Ford on her Roughnecks Blog Tour!
Aug 22, 2012 @ 20:29:37
I so hate it when a few bad seeds ruin it for everyone else.
Your little golfcart outings sound like so much fun! Hope things (or veritable morons) settle down in your neighborhood so you can find a way to continue.
Aug 22, 2012 @ 20:37:03
Okay, y’all rock and all made me feel better about the whole deal. We’ve decided to let things die down and see where we are in a couple of weeks.
And I wonder if you aren’t correct, Cyndi. Perhaps someone called a relative to come speak about it. I don’t agree with the kids on it, but I kinda need my wine drives around the place
Thanks, friends!
Liz Talley recently posted..East Texas Romance Writers on August 18th.