My Pet Peeve

I’m guessing all of us have at least one pet peeve, one that makes us roll our eyes, bite our tongues, or count to ten. Apparently, office workers gripe over food stolen from the common fridge. Hikers cringe over littering on trails. Homeowners are bothered with neighbors’ home upkeep of garbage and landscape issues. And, most of us shake our heads when seeing others illegally texting while driving.

One of my pet peeves is the ubiquitous weed. Well, I know what you might be thinking. Colorado and weed (cannabis) do go hand-in-hand. The Colorado Amendment 64, which voters passed on November 6, 2012, led to the recreational legalization of marijuana. But, no, that’s not the “weed” I’m referencing. My pet peeve is weed and cracks and, again, not what you’re thinking.

I live in a Homeowners Association (HOA) neighborhood and specific standards and covenants should be abided by, such as house paint colors, landscaping maintenance, and structural repairs of roofs, fences, and driveways. I was a member of the Architectural Control Committee (ACC) for many years and am now gladly retired from it. It is a watchdog group that reviews the visual compliance of standards throughout the community. It was disheartening to cite the same homeowners repeatedly for their lack of property upkeep. I always wondered what the insides of their homes looked like (now that would make for a good story!). But, I digress.

It’s a neighborhood of over 300 homes with greenbelts, tennis courts, and a pool, with an elementary school within walking distance. Suburbia. Growing up in a small town in western Pennsylvania, I felt that this was a great alternative to raising a child within a big city like Denver, a small-town feeling of connection within a metropolis.

So, now that you have the picture of my neighborhood, I’ll proceed with the weed and cracks scenario. In the community, there are many walkers, all counting their 10,000 steps or savoring the sights of 50-year-old trees and mature landscaping in the greenbelts. While walking, I guess I need to stand up straighter and look forward; I tend to look downwards. I don’t want to trip on an uneven sidewalk. 

Here’s where my annoying pet peeve comes into play. Our sidewalks, driveways, and curbs—all have many cracks in them. Guess what? There are lots of weeds growing out of them!  I know it’s hard and time-consuming to maintain and water a lawn or trim a bush, but how hard is it to pull a weed in a concrete crack? Is it a lack of time or caring? Has it just gone unnoticed? If everyone in the neighborhood would take care of their own weed and cracks issue, think how this one little gesture would have a positive reflection on the overall care and appearance of the community. 

Sometimes, it’s the little, picayune details gone askew that drive a pet peeve forward.  Just like Elsa from the Frozen musical, most would probably just “Let It Go;” others like myself don’t. On my walks it bugs me to see unsightly weed growth between the cracks.  The little things in life matter, or so I’ve been told. Often, we can’t tackle the big picture, but we can focus on addressing the little steps, little issues, and little cracks (double entendre) in our lives. So, people, particularly those from my neighborhood reading this, start small and get rid of those weeds in the cracks by your home. You’ll smile; I’ll smile and so will your neighbors.

So, what irks you? What are your annoyances? I bet there are many people shaking their heads in agreement with your list.

P.S. I’ve attached one picture on my morning walk. Maybe some lover of botany can identify this pesky culprit.

Bit by bit, that’s all she wrote…