avatarPam Winter

Summary

An older couple disagrees on home decor, specifically the use of fake red Geraniums on their porch, with the author drawing a line at this suggestion due to concerns about neighborhood perception and a preference for attracting hummingbirds.

Abstract

The author, part of the oldest couple on their street, describes the 47-year ongoing disagreement with their spouse over home aesthetics, emphasizing a recent conflict regarding the placement of artificial flowers on their porch. The author is concerned that such decorations might convey a stereotypical image of elderly residents to their younger neighbors. Despite their reservations, the author compromises by allowing the flowers to be placed on the deck under the guise of attracting hummingbirds, after their spouse invested in a large quantity of the fake flowers from Hobby Lobby.

Opinions

  • The author believes that fake flowers, particularly in front of the house, are a tacky decor choice that broadcasts an "Old people live here" vibe.
  • There is a sense of pride and concern for appearances, as the author does not want their home to be perceived negatively by the younger neighbors.
  • The author's spouse is depicted as having poor taste in decor but is also seen as endearingly persistent in their decorative endeavors.
  • The author is willing to compromise and finds a creative explanation for the fake flowers to satisfy both personal taste and their spouse's desire for decoration.
  • There is an underlying appreciation for the spouse's effort, as evidenced by the author's eventual concession to place the flowers on the deck rather than the porch.

Shorties But Goodies/Humor

“No Honey, You Will Not Put FAKE Flowers on our Porch”

Not over my dead body

Photo by Yichen Wang on Unsplash

Sometimes it’s really hard being a senior married to another senior who has strong opinions, yet very little taste in decorating. We’ve had battles over our differing ideas about this for 47 years, but I recently drew a hard line at his idea of putting fake red Geraniums on our porch.

“Yes, dear, you’re right. They would look good, but no — just NO.”

As the oldest couple on our small court, I’m worried about what our younger neighbors might think of us and aren’t fake flowers in front of a house a red flag that screams “Old people live here”?

“Yeah, okay, you can put them in a planter on our deck, since you actually went to Hobby Lobby and bought out almost all they had. Fake red flowers on our deck can be easily explained… We put them out to attract Hummingbirds!

Thank you Liberty Forrest, Author for your prompt to write about being concerned about what people think of us. Since this scenario recently played out it’s fresh on my mind and I hope you enjoyed it!

Shorties But Goodies
Ageing
Gardening
Humour
Hobbies And Interests
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