I am irrationally mad

I am irrationally enraged at the moment.

But maybe rationally enraged.

My husband suggested I write about it and was surprised I wrote about the 1 year Covid anniversary instead in my last post.

I have the misfortune to live in an HOA. This means a home owner’s association neighborhood.

I do not have children.

I do not use the tennis court.

I do not use the playground.

I have NEVER been in the pool.

I have mowed lawns on empty foreclosed houses.

I have talked to neighbors about their children.

I have listened to those children’s lung sounds and reassured the neighbors.

I try my best with upkeep.

I do mow my own lawn.

I try to keep up with the planting beds in front.

But this last year?

This pandemic year?

This year where I was at the hospital nearly every damned day?

And I could count the numbers of actual days off where I was not at the hospital on two hands?

Excuse me if I still need to mow the lawn from before Christmas and there are leaves.

Excuse me when I don’t get my trash containers inside on a timely basis.

Excuse me when I don’t have the mental bandwidth to worry about what all my other neighbors are doing, San Diego!

I received a cheery little passive aggressive email from the HOA this last week.

Informing me of the yearly inspection that will be done on April 15th, so please finish all the chores to the outside of the house and pressure wash the house and drive way. And plant flowers if we wanted to (heavy on the if we wanted to).

Basically pretty up the yard and house.

I’ve lived here 15 years. This is the FIRST time I have received such an email.

One the reps for the OR lives two streets away. I can literally see his house from mine. And he was shocked by the email. He also thought that it was directed at him.

And I saw RED!

I have had some not very fun times with the HOA in the past.

But this!

I am daring them to say something to me.

I will inform them that I am a working nurse.

I have been at the hospital pretty much non-stop since the pandemic began.

I have held people’s hands as they go under anesthesia.

I have comforted family.

I have ensured that the OR evening shift is run smoothly and if they needed help it would be available.

What I have not been doing is staying at home during lockdown.

Someone has to care for the patients.

Someone has to buy groceries.

I am looking at lawn signs to put up on the day of the “inspection.”

“Hero Nurse Lives Here!”

“I’m a Nurse What’s Your Superpower?”

Subtle don’t you think?

Beats taking the day off (snort of laughter here) and waiting for them to come by and accosting them. And informing them, probably at the top of my lungs, that I have had a hell of a year and I do not need their condescension, or cute little emails, or neighborhood spies (I’m looking at you, San Diego.)

And get off my lawn!

I will be buying a door mat that says “Keep Calm, I’m a Nurse”.