My "Mayberry" ...

NOTE: Tuesday night I made a little speech to my mayor and city commission. I ran a little over the three minutes they allow for "public speaking," but, I think I got my point across. Here's what I said. You decide.

I moved into my home on April 12, 1987. My daughter was born five days later and she grew up in a neighborhood where we knew everyone on our street. She walked to elementary and high school and spent many hours at Hagen Park and Mickel Field.

I awoke in the wee hours this morning thinking about The Andy Griffith Show’s episode 10 from season one, “Stranger in Town.”  It was on cable TV last night. The citizens of Mayberry were suspicious of a young stranger who seemed to know everything about them. It turned out that his army buddy was from Mayberry and he had loved hearing his friend talk about home. After discharge, he began subscribing to the local newspaper and he had decided to come to Mayberry and make it his home. Thanks to the sensitivity and wisdom of the local sheriff, the folks of Mayberry came to see this man deserved to be welcomed because he loved their small town as much as they did.

So, there I am at three in the morning thinking about this, and I had a little epiphany.  I’m watching my “Mayberry” morph into something I don’t recognize and I can’t do anything about it.

My daughter is 28 years old now and, sadly, I don’t know everyone on my street any more. Of the ten houses that line my block, four of them are vacation rental businesses. Today, three are lined up in a row, across the street from where I live.

There are those who say these houses were blighted and their rehabbing has increased our property values. I don’t know if that’s true. I agree that they look pretty. But, the thing is, they’re not part of community life. There’s no one to know. They’re not residents. And, that makes me suspicious.

When this whole conversion thing started a few years ago, it took me a while, but, I came to accept the business across the street. After all, I didn’t have much choice.  Then, I discovered there were two other vacation rental businesses on our street, but, they were scattered in between my real neighbors, so, I worked at making peace with their presence, too. I knew the State Legislature had stripped municipalities of the ability to regulate vacation rentals in any meaningful way, so, I knew I had to be patient and give the cities time to find a way to rein them in.

Then, last month, an owner occupied house between two vacation rentals was sold and I’ve learned it is being converted to a vacation rental, making three vacation rental businesses in a row, across the street from where I live. So, I have come here to ask. Can you do anything about that? Is it okay for 40% or 50% of a residential neighborhood to be Stepford Wife vacation rental businesses?  Don’t we, homesteaded residents, have a say in this? And, if not, why not?

U.S. property laws guarantee me the “right of quiet enjoyment” of MY property. That’s pretty much gone from my life and, I admit, I’m mad about it. Please? Can you guys help save my “Mayberry?”

Thank you.

Hubby has a new hobby!

 My darling husband loves woodworking. He built our kitchen cabinets, the island in the office with cubbies for paper and books and such, and a shed for our generator, just in case we're hit by a hurricane and have no power. Recently, he found something new to do with wood and it's been a delight to watch the artist in him unfold, like a butterfly from a chrysalis. It began with blocks of wood and YouTube videos.

He bought some serious looking tools. I never saw tools like these and I had no idea what he could do with them!

This is the first wine stopper dh made. The wood block in the pic is how it looked like before he turned it! Very impressive if you ask me! Now, when I get home from work, he's usually in his shop, turning wood. And, the weekends? Right after he drinks his morning cup of joe, he disappears to his shop. I finally went out there with my camera to find out what the attraction was. And, he was happy to show me! :)

There is something hypnotic about the wood turning on the lathe and watching the shavings peel away as he guides the tool. I think I understand why he's addicted to it. It's like crocheting ... there's a rhythm to it and it pulls you in and you just want to keep doing it.

He made  a candlestick which I like very much. It sits by the front door now, ready to hold a Christmas candle! And, I've put in a request for a pepper mill. He's been watching the YouTube videos about turning bowls, and I'm excited that he would attempt something so ambitious. Please stay tuned for more projects!

When my darling husband is in his shop turning wood, Miss Minka Kitty keeps me company. She oversees life around the house from her perch by the fireplace. Unless I go into the Barbie room. Then she wants to hang out with the dolls!

What a life, huh?

Who gets paid when you pin on Pinterest?

I have 2,059 followers on Pinterest today. I don't obsess about it like I did here, so, when I reached the 2,000 benchmark sometime last week, it was a surprise. I know it doesn't matter in the overall scheme of things, but it matters to me because it reflects my connection to the rest of the world. And, I like that about Pinterest. Sharing ...

Around the time my counter crossed that 2,000 mark, I received a message via e-mail from Pinterest addressing the "testing" of what they're calling "promoted pins."  In the back of my mind, I knew it was just a matter of time before PAID advertising came to Pinterest. And, that message explained how the test would go.

Then, while catching up on my e-mail this morning, I was lead to this article about Pinterest. The article came from AD AGE.

Pinterest Will Test Promoted Pins -- but Won't Charge for Them (Yet)
By Cotton Delo, Published September 19, 2013
Part of Social-Bookmarking Company's Inevitable March Toward an Ad Business

So, now I have questions. How will that affect the overall appearance of Pinterest? Will the "advertisements" appear as pins? Don't a lot of advertisers already do that? Don't a lot of pinners already do that for a lot of companies?

For example, I have a pin board for Soft Surroundings. It's a catalog of fashions for women and the home and seems targeted to middle aged folks and I receive e-mails from them as well as printed catalogs via USPS at home.  By pinning the items I like to my pin board, aren't I already "advertising" for them? If someone "repins" from my board, then goes on to purchase that item, shouldn't I get a percentage of that sale for promoting the item that lead to the sale?

C'mon now! Aren't those "pins" advertisements?

You bet they are!

I have pinned things to my personal style board and actually purchased an item after pinning it. And, I've done this more than once! My most recent "Pinterest Purchase" was this sweater from Garnet Hill. I love polka dots, so as soon as I saw it, I pinned it. Then, it just wouldn't do but I had to have it. Click. Click. Click. And, that adorable garment is at home, waiting for cooler weather so I can wear it!

A valid pin leads to the web site where the item is/was available, and it's merely a click or two or three and it's on its way to your address! Aren't advertisers already benefitting from Pinterest this way?

You bet they are!

It will be interesting to see how this goes. It is, after all, "social networking." We gravitate to those pins, pinners and pinboards of others who SHARE our style, interests and ideas. Marketers are itching to figure out how to make money from that. Me? I'm happy to have so many followers!