Pushing The Limits
Some people don’t understand that there’s a limit to “cute.”
There is a house locally that has a manatee mailbox. It is a sculpture of a momma manatee with a nursing baby, and a mailbox coming out under momma’s chin. It that weren’t enough, there have been seasonal hats and scarves put on the manatees from time to time. The treacle is enough to slow your car when you’re trying to drive by.
We just try to ignore it and hope the people will come to their senses and put up post for their mailbox like everyone else.
Now they have escalated. For the “season”, in their front yard, lighted at night, these people have put up two flamingos in Santa hats!
It is about time the code enforcement board did its job. The house and property have to approach $2 million as a newer house on a large piece of land on the waterfront. There need to be some standards, even for the wealthy.
Update: I would note that Bill O’Reilly has no problem attacking rabbis for wanting a menorah at their local airport, but has been silent on the flamingos.
10 comments
Well…if the manatee mailboxes make the boaters remember to slow down so they don’t slice the manatees up with their keels and motors, it’s all good. Well, sorta good. But treacly.
At least you haven’t the prankster who thought it was funny to nail a mailbox high up in a tree and paint on it ‘Air Mail’…..
But flamingos in Santa hats are a whole ‘nother thing….
…on the other hand, given the wild success that pagan Germanic ritualistic symbolism using conifers has had over time, these folks may just be on the cutting edge of societal advancement. I have a Christmas album that – swear to God – has the song “Christmas in the Carribean” by Jimmy Buffet; plastic flamingos with Santa hats seems like the next logical step…
Ellroon, we don’t have manatees up here and we can’t get them to slow down when their wakes are pushing water into the living rooms of people who build stupid houses too close to the water without consulting tide tables. Black bears, alligators, dolphins, sea turtles – yes, manatees – no.
Jack, Jimmy is from South Florida, as are manatees and flamingos. Nashville is a shorter drive than Miami. We are not even in the same time zone as those people. No point in worrying about them because they will disappear when the sea level rises.
Hmm – I didn’t see any Giant Furry Rodents (Squirrels or Bunnies) in that bunch…that’s about the only ones we’d have up here…or maybe an Egret or Heron.
I think it’s a Florida company, Karen, which means they eat squirrels and bunnies.
That’s quite a selection for sale. Whoever thought of this must have suffered a conch on the head.
These are the kind of people that made “Precious Moments” and Thomas Kincade wealthy. They have more dollars than sense, and what taste they have is in their mouth.
Sigh. Someone I know well has been drawn, quite beyond my ability to comprehend, into the Thomas Kinkade thing. Back in 1999, I wrote this, which I probably shouldn’t post, but whatthehell, it’s certainly to the point…
Painter of Fright?
Her phone goes unanswered; her bills go unpaid;
She’s paying attention to Thomas Kinkade.
Her dog goes unneutered; her cat goes unspayed;
Her favorite creature is Thomas Kinkade.
Through thousands of things on the floor she must wade
To get to her mailer from Thomas Kinkade.
She’s better off spending her dough on a maid
Than sending a bundle to Thomas Kinkade.
She doesn’t care whether or when she gets laid,
As long as she’s getting her Thomas Kinkade.
He’s billed as the Painter of Light? I’m afraid
He’ll lighten her purse, will this Thomas Kinkade!
– SB the YDD
Speaking of manatees …
I didn’t mind him on a Christmas card, Steve, but he was a con artist. He was/is an illustrator, not an artist, who has been painting the same scene for years.
I saw that, Kevin, and wonder at the draw of the ‘Net.