This is part two of my secondhand smoke series... (See my first post here: No Smoking Please!)
So the smoking is not going away and neither is the marijuana smell. Actually, as I sit here and write this, I'm breathing in the nice ripe smell of pot, at about 10:08 in the morning. And just last night our neighbor spent two very long hours smoking his cigar inside his apartment with all of his windows open. So now it's coming into are house through every little crack and crevice it can find.
I don't like either smell but the cigar is by far the worst. It STINKS! It makes the whole house STINK! And it gives me a headache! The headache is probably more from frustration because I get so angry that my body shakes. So angry that my heart revs up and I can't sit still. I feel as if I could flip this whole building upside down with my anger -- because this un-thoughtful man is surrounded by children, young children. To the right is an apartment with three children, to his left there are two children, and above him (our apartment, which is taking in the majority of his smoke) are one and a half children. We've asked him nicely, my husband then eventually got into an argument with him, and I finally called the cops last week when our whole entry way smelled like a frat party (all following numerous complaints to our HOA). But the cops can't do anything 'cause guess what? We live in the "it's ok to smoke pot for medical reasons state of California." Something I originally supported but at the time didn't realize that many, like myself, are being forced to breath it in without wanting any part in it.
So I've completely changed my stance. In fact, this past November I voted yes on making Marijuana legal, but I won't be doing that again! At least not until laws are put in place to protect those who live in communal living spaces. Just because you like to un-wind with a cigar, or smoke pot for your foot pain (or whatever your reason), why do I need to deal with the negative repercussions of it? Why should my house smell like pot every other day just because you have a prescription? Why should my family be forced into breathing your polluted air just because "this is how you like to unwind....?" I'm about ready to unwind with a nice game of catch with the dog followed by a long round of jump rope with tap shoes on, all while listening to gangster rap with the bass cranked all the way up....
Any way, we have an HOA board meeting this coming week. The landlord of this apartment was told to attend after we sent multiple complaint letters, over the past two months. We have a close friend on the board, and are friendly with another. The only concern we have is that the third member smokes. We just hope that we can get him to see that this is becoming a complete nuisance to our family. We also hope that we can show the landlord that we are very serious about this so he can appropriately fore-warn his future renters.
If the board refuses to see our side then we will take legal actions against not only the landlord of the apartment but our HOA for not protecting us, especially since we are now expecting another little bear in the near future. My worst fear is that we will have to wait a long period of time before this is really taken care of and I just don't want to spend the rest of my pregnancy with this problem.
And yes, there was no formal blogging/Internet announcement for my pregnancy, but I am pregnant. It's fairly early on and I didn't want to announce it online just yet, but it is a major part to this situation. The reason i didn't want to announce it just yet is because I have a big fear of miscarrying and part of the way I think is that if I tell too many people then I will lose the baby. I know it's stupid ~ but I just want to put it out there, in the hopes that, if by putting it out there, I will (magically) negate my perceived (non-logical predictive) out come. I had planned to wait until at least the second trimester for the big announcement but I just can't keep silent about it when I'm forced to breath in 2nd hand smoke. Blogging helps me to relieve some of my stress and creates a platform for me to occasionally get certain things off my chest (and this whole situation is like having a 20 pound bag of bricks attached to my chest and throat). I guess I'm really just writing this paragraph more as an apology to myself...
I'd also like to mention that when you're vomiting into the toilet at 1:00 in the morning and your bathroom reeks of pot, it is undeniably the most aggravating moment of all of this. It makes me wish we were renting because at least we could just get up and move!
So, as I sit here with all windows open and our new air purifier on full blast, the pot stench is starting to subside, but my frustration isn't quieting so easily. What I really want to do is go downstairs and cuss him out and If we didn't have the board meeting coming up then I would. Most people know me as a shy, quiet, reserved person, but when I'm pushed-I will push back! Don't test me when it comes to the health of my children! Just wait till you see this mommy in action...
All in all -- I Pray that this all just comes to a quick and easy end this Wednesday.
Please keep is in mind!
And if not, I will keep on pushing - pushing until they move out!
xo
Bear's mom
So the smoking is not going away and neither is the marijuana smell. Actually, as I sit here and write this, I'm breathing in the nice ripe smell of pot, at about 10:08 in the morning. And just last night our neighbor spent two very long hours smoking his cigar inside his apartment with all of his windows open. So now it's coming into are house through every little crack and crevice it can find.
I don't like either smell but the cigar is by far the worst. It STINKS! It makes the whole house STINK! And it gives me a headache! The headache is probably more from frustration because I get so angry that my body shakes. So angry that my heart revs up and I can't sit still. I feel as if I could flip this whole building upside down with my anger -- because this un-thoughtful man is surrounded by children, young children. To the right is an apartment with three children, to his left there are two children, and above him (our apartment, which is taking in the majority of his smoke) are one and a half children. We've asked him nicely, my husband then eventually got into an argument with him, and I finally called the cops last week when our whole entry way smelled like a frat party (all following numerous complaints to our HOA). But the cops can't do anything 'cause guess what? We live in the "it's ok to smoke pot for medical reasons state of California." Something I originally supported but at the time didn't realize that many, like myself, are being forced to breath it in without wanting any part in it.
So I've completely changed my stance. In fact, this past November I voted yes on making Marijuana legal, but I won't be doing that again! At least not until laws are put in place to protect those who live in communal living spaces. Just because you like to un-wind with a cigar, or smoke pot for your foot pain (or whatever your reason), why do I need to deal with the negative repercussions of it? Why should my house smell like pot every other day just because you have a prescription? Why should my family be forced into breathing your polluted air just because "this is how you like to unwind....?" I'm about ready to unwind with a nice game of catch with the dog followed by a long round of jump rope with tap shoes on, all while listening to gangster rap with the bass cranked all the way up....
Any way, we have an HOA board meeting this coming week. The landlord of this apartment was told to attend after we sent multiple complaint letters, over the past two months. We have a close friend on the board, and are friendly with another. The only concern we have is that the third member smokes. We just hope that we can get him to see that this is becoming a complete nuisance to our family. We also hope that we can show the landlord that we are very serious about this so he can appropriately fore-warn his future renters.
If the board refuses to see our side then we will take legal actions against not only the landlord of the apartment but our HOA for not protecting us, especially since we are now expecting another little bear in the near future. My worst fear is that we will have to wait a long period of time before this is really taken care of and I just don't want to spend the rest of my pregnancy with this problem.
And yes, there was no formal blogging/Internet announcement for my pregnancy, but I am pregnant. It's fairly early on and I didn't want to announce it online just yet, but it is a major part to this situation. The reason i didn't want to announce it just yet is because I have a big fear of miscarrying and part of the way I think is that if I tell too many people then I will lose the baby. I know it's stupid ~ but I just want to put it out there, in the hopes that, if by putting it out there, I will (magically) negate my perceived (non-logical predictive) out come. I had planned to wait until at least the second trimester for the big announcement but I just can't keep silent about it when I'm forced to breath in 2nd hand smoke. Blogging helps me to relieve some of my stress and creates a platform for me to occasionally get certain things off my chest (and this whole situation is like having a 20 pound bag of bricks attached to my chest and throat). I guess I'm really just writing this paragraph more as an apology to myself...
Dear originally pregnancy news planned me,
I'm sorry but I just had to get it out there...
For I am about to drown myself in frustration...
xo
Bear's mom
I'd also like to mention that when you're vomiting into the toilet at 1:00 in the morning and your bathroom reeks of pot, it is undeniably the most aggravating moment of all of this. It makes me wish we were renting because at least we could just get up and move!
Sigh... Deep breath... Namaste...
So, as I sit here with all windows open and our new air purifier on full blast, the pot stench is starting to subside, but my frustration isn't quieting so easily. What I really want to do is go downstairs and cuss him out and If we didn't have the board meeting coming up then I would. Most people know me as a shy, quiet, reserved person, but when I'm pushed-I will push back! Don't test me when it comes to the health of my children! Just wait till you see this mommy in action...
I'm about to get Grizzly on your...
All in all -- I Pray that this all just comes to a quick and easy end this Wednesday.
Please keep is in mind!
And if not, I will keep on pushing - pushing until they move out!
xo
Bear's mom
First, Congrats, and sending the best of wishes for your pregnancy. Second, I agree with your stance. So sorry that you have to deal with that.
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