Fencing Coach Gift Idea Etiquette: Who Gets The Good Side?

by Carson


Posted on 27-07-2020 01:19 AM



When you get a new fence, you can’t just think about yourself—you have to consider your surrounding neighbors. If the type of fence you want is permitted in your neighborhood, you may feel you have the green light to install it. However, your fence may be in your yard, but your neighbors are still going to see it every day from their yards or windows. fence There are a few rules of fence etiquette you should keep in mind before you go forward with the installation.

Options for metal fencing range from classic to contemporary, with a variety to match or blend with any home exterior. Wrought iron fences have survived centuries of style changes, and with good reason: more than simply classic, they’re extremely durable. Consider hiring a specialized fencing contractor if you’re looking to incorporate the traditional appeal of wrought iron into your property, as these enclosures tend to be custom made to fit the property and even include more intricate patterns. Some newer metal options—including cast iron, aluminum, and steel fences—package the strength of wrought iron with a more diy-friendly panel installation.

The finished side should face toward your neighbor. Not only is this more polite, but it's the standard. Your property will look a lot nicer with the “good” side facing the outside world. Otherwise, your fence will look like it was installed backward. Click to read more on it. In this manner, which side of the fence is my responsibility?.

A chain link fence is a sturdy, long-lasting, and maintenance free option. It’s quite affordable and pretty easy to install. This makes it a popular option for those with a lot of ground to cover. A chain link fence is also a “green” material because it can be recycled. The main downside to this type of fence is the utilitarian look. The good news is, there are some options to get around that, such as the vinyl coated styles available in basic colors.

If you’re the courteous type and enjoy getting along with your neighbours, you might decide to give them the smooth side, but this is far from being an established convention and there’s absolutely no obligation to do so. These days, homeowners sometimes erect their own fence, even though their neighbour has put up an existing fence behind it. If your neighbour has erected their own fence on their side of the boundary, they’ve saved you some soul-searching! your conscience is clear to face the “good” side towards your own garden!.

Fences come in a range of materials and styles. It’s a good idea to think about the purpose of your fence when considering your options, angie’s list suggests. For instance, if you want to add visual appeal to your yard, a simple picket fence may be an option. But if you want a privacy fence, a taller wooden fence may make more sense. You may want to also take maintenance into consideration, angie’s list says. While a vinyl fence probably won’t require much upkeep, wooden fences may need periodical cleaning, painting or staining. The kind of care your fence may need, as well as how long it’s expected to last, may be factors in choosing the right fence for you.

When you get a new fence, you can’t just think about yourself—you have to consider your surrounding neighbors. If the type of fence you want is permitted in your neighborhood, you may feel you have the green light to install it. However, your fence may be in your yard, but your neighbors are still going to see it every day from their yards or windows. fence There are a few rules of fence etiquette you should keep in mind before you go forward with the installation.

Face the finished side of the fence toward your neighbor

When it comes to a wooden privacy fence or a picket fence , the finished or “nice” side of the fence should face your neighbors. pool Not only is this common courtesy, this is a rule enforced by the vast majority of townships and boroughs. Facing the wrong side of the fence towards your neighbor, either when installing your fence on your own or working with a contractor, can lead to you being legally forced to switch the fence—at your own expense. This rule applies for all manner of wooden privacy fences, whether or not you paint or stain either or both sides of the fence. The nice side of the fence needs to face outwards for almost every type of common wooden privacy fence, including:.

Good fences may make good neighbors, but an ugly, flimsy or poorly built one won’t make anyone happy. This fence, on the other hand, is durable, handsome and sure to please everyone. Rules in most regions require that the best sides face out (toward the neighbors), but our fence is designed to look good from both sides. Here are 10 other modern fence ideas you can thing about.

As a general rule of thumb, the “pretty” side of the fence faces outward. The side with the rails and posts will be visible inside your yard, and the smooth side will face your neighbors, the street or the alley. There are several reasons for this: if your fence faces a street, it will look much better with the smooth side out.

9 aug, 2019 houston fence , houston fence company working with an established houston fence company is usually the best way to achieve the results you’re looking for in your new fence. Your fence is an integral part of the impression you make on neighbors and those passing by your home. Knowing the rules of fence etiquette will help you to make the best choices when installing your houston fence this year. Consider a couple points when deciding which side of your fence should face the inside or outside of your residential property.

Some privacy fences have one side that is finished, known as the "good side," where the wood appears smoother and more refined, while the other side will show both the rails and posts. If the style you've selected has a "good side," then that should be installed to face the neighbors and street. This is not only standard practice but common courtesy. Additionally, your property will appear nicer from the road if the "good side" is facing outward.

Alternating the side on which the slats go creates a fence that looks the same on both sides. In this method, the fence slats are installed on alternating sides with a slight overlap, so you can't see right through to your neighbor's yard. Both neighbors get a finished look, and the gaps between the slats allow wind to blow through the fence to keep your backyard airy. Those gaps can also be a drawback if you're near the fence and look through at an angle since it's not a solid wall of fencing. Your neighbors could peek into your yard through the gaps if they wanted.

This is considered common courtesy and the standard way to install a fence. Not only will it make your neighbor happy, but having the “good” side of your fence facing the outside will ultimately make your property look nicer. (if you can’t bear to have the “inside” of the fence facing your yard, ask your fence contractor about a double-sided privacy fence , also called a “good neighbor fence. ” these double-sided fences are created with “sandwich construction” so both sides look finished. ).

Who gets the nice side of the fence?

15377 depends i am a bulder and my naighbour told me the same just to piss him off still put the nice side on my side. Now when you looking at your garden your back to the house left side in your baundry and right is your neighbours. On the left you have to let the neighbour to have the smooth side of the fence, and your neighbour on your right has to do the same. fences

The challenge of enclosing your backyard only is that if you were to create a solid loop with your boundary wire around your backyard, your dog wouldn’t be able to get out the back door without being corrected. Logically, this is not what you want. What to do? the answer is a double loop. Here is how it works. You go around 3 sides of your yard, then double back on the first wire you put down, laying the wires parallel to each other. You just have to be sure to separate the parallel wires by at least 4 feet. If you don’t, you won’t get a nice strong signal along the boundary. In addition to this, you may have dead spots where there is no correction at all. Do you already have a fence in place? in this situation, you can simply begin by running your dog fence wire along the bottom of the fence, and then come back to the transmitter by running the wire along the top of the fence.

Fences are typically replaced with the pickets facing their original configuration. Switching sides can sometimes cause unforeseen issues with landscaping, irrigation and maybe even property lines. Many customers want the “good” side of the fence. There really isn’t a “good” side. Some customers feel that the smooth side or the picket fence side is nicer looking and so many prefer to see this side. It is important to note that any fence visible from the street should have the smooth side facing out toward the street. Many if not most hoa’s require this. If security is an issue, we recommend facing the smooth side out as it’s the side that is harder to climb. A well framed fence looks good from both sides, but many will disagree. Either way, this should be discussed with a residential fence contractor and your neighbor.

Cauliflowerbalti thu 07-jun-18 12:06:48 i was unaware of this particular piece of crackers british social etiquette - i have just spent £2500 on fence panels for my boundary with my neighbour. The concrete posts are being installed today, and my neighbour just shouted across that she's done some research and i do know that i'm supposed to give them the 'nice' side, right?.

12 november 2011 at 11:55pm ormus forumite tossing a coin is the best way to decide with nice neighbours. Get some gorm. 12 november 2011 at 11:55pm vibrant forumite 12 november 2011 at 11:55pm i would just ask them, they may not mind. If they prefer the "smooth" side as well, try a cash incentive, but only then. Keep it light hearted, no point falling out over a fence.

I trimmed a piece to fit tightly between the two center supports on the fence base. Then, using a piece of scrap from the angled center supports, i set the angle on my table saw. I cut an angle into the piece i just trimmed, flipped it over and cut the other side. This left me a piece with parallel angles on each side. Once i had the piece fitting nicely, i marked center and drilled out a hole to match the size of fitting on my shop vac. The size of this hole will vary so cut it to fit your tools.

When you place a fence a few inches inside your property line, you can’t forget about the part of your property outside the fence! while your neighbors might mow the additional strip of yard on their side to be nice, it’s technically your job to make sure the grass is cut and the weeds are pulled.

Which side of the fence should face me?

If you didn’t win the neighbour lottery (and let’s face it – not many do), day-to-day home life can be a little difficult. Things can get a lot more difficult, however, when fence politics is thrown into the equation. When you purchase a new fence, unfortunately, it’s not going to look identical on both sides; one side will look clean and uniform, the other will have horizontal struts running along its length. The problem is, no matter who buys the fence, or who wanted it in the first place, someone is going to have to live with the “ugly side”. fencing

Typical terminal post fitting diagram view of bottom brace band for bottom wire, and four tension bands for a 5' high chain link fence. View is from the inside of fence. Notice tension bands are offset so that the flat side is facing out. End post with brace band bolted with a rail end cup. All nuts face towards the inside of the chain link fence enclosure.

34779 when you agreed to paying for half the couple fencing gift ideas fencing mug fencing gift ideas , did you talk about this ,, you should be able to see if there is a general run on the fencing , look at as many other fence lines in your street as to uniformed rule to the gifts for fencing enthusiasts fencing funny mug fencing gifts ideas . Then you can see if there is a general rule. It is either right side facing or left hand side facing,,, will say that , as you have stated , the clean face was on your side has now changed. This is not allowed ,(but will cause you a lot of problems, if you wish to get it changed back to the way it was)is it really worth it to you).

Moved into a new place, finally have a chance to replace the tatty old fence panels at the rear. It's 100% my boundary, plans say it, the neighbours agree. I'd like to replace them similar to the rest of the garden, with feather edge, but every other panel faces in. Do i give the neighbours the good side, or can i keep it for myself, so all the garden matches?.

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: when there’s a fence conflict, cooperation is the key to finding a solution, provided your neighbor is the agreeable type. Maybe your neighbor just doesn’t care which way the fence faces and is happy to let you make decisions even though they’re paying half! they may also simply not care about getting the good side as much as you do. In fact, maybe your neighbor would be delighted to give you the good side as long as they don’t have to pitch in as much money. Ultimately, talking about it is always the way to go, but you don’t have to talk about who gets the good side, and that brings us to the next point.

No, although there are limitations on fence location and height. Fences may be placed directly on the property line; however, you should have a clear understanding of where this line is to avoid future property disputes. Fences must be built with the construction side facing the builder (the “good side” of the fence must face the adjacent property). In the front twenty (20) feet of the property, the fence cannot be higher than three (3) feet. For the remainder of the property, the fence can be six (6) feet where it is not within a clear vision area (see community development code chapter 42 for a discussion on clear vision areas). Chapter 44 of the west linn community development code provides additional detail on fence regulations. See the link below for more answers regarding a fence.

Having uncertainty in your relationship because your partner continues to be unfaithful is very different than being on the fence because he is needy or calls too much. One of these issues is a serious crack in the foundation of your relationship, and the other might be fixed with an honest conversation. When you are on the fence, a large part of you is already out of the relationship but a small part is hanging on and might consider staying. When you find yourself on the fence of a relationship, take a step back and imagine if there is anything he could magically change or become, would it help you consider putting a little bit of your heart back in the relationship? will the problems you face allow you two time for recovery if he starts showing up exactly how you need him to be? or is it “too little too late?”.

How do you know who owns a fence?

Probably the most common garden fence problem is deciding who is responsible for repairs and maintenance. As mentioned earlier, talking to your neighbour and coming to a mutual conclusion can solve most issues. posts However, if it isn’t as simple as this then it’s important to know where you stand. If there is a dispute between you and your neighbours about who is responsible, it is necessary to settle who owns the disputed bit of land. If you’re unable to come to a decision based on the deeds or land plans then it is possible to refer disputes to the first-tier tribunal (property chamber – land registration) and they will make a decision on what should happen.

Who owns the existing fence? in many situations, a neighbor will feel a sense of ownership over the existing fence, either because they paid for it, feel that it is on their property, or simply because they’ve been there longer than you. The best place to start is finding out who legally owns the fence. Looking at your property lines on your land plat survey.

When it comes to understanding fence boundaries or knowing who owns what, the best starting point will always come with the title deeds. If your home is included in a new housing estate or scheme, it is very likely that there will be an available scale plan which will clearly mark out the boundaries of a garden and property.

Most cities and towns in bc have local bylaws that determine the kind of fence you can put up. These bylaws set the rules: what materials you can (and can’t) use, how high the fence can be, and so on. For example, in many communities, a fence between residential properties can’t be made from barbed wire or razor wire. It can't be electrified.

How much does it cost to have a fence installed?

By elma | last updated we may earn commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Learn more lots of dog owners are on the hunt for the perfect way to keep their furry friend contained, safe, and secure in the backyard. For some, a traditional fence or wall is a perfect solution. However, a lot of pooches can jump over or dig under fences like that. Plus, they can be way too expensive to have installed. In search of a more viable option, many pup owners turn to the market for invisible fences. They tend to be cheaper, cannot be burrowed under or jumped over, and are often more aesthetically pleasing because they are in-ground or totally wire-free.

A security fence costs $30 to $60 per foot and is typically constructed from steel, iron, wire mesh, chain link, or a combination of metal. For the average home, expect to spend between $4,500 and $9,000 on security fencing. A security fence has one purpose, and that’s to keep people out. Commonly installed with spires and pointed edges on top, most security fences are at least 8 feet tall, and is built with a very secure gate system. Security fences are topped with pickets, either straight or curved, with a flat or pointed top.

Which side of the fence do I own UK?

Last update: march 11, 2019 7min read views: 234,692 can’t sleep at night over a garden fence dispute with your neighbour? or you’re just wondering in general about which side of the fence you’re responsible to maintain? well, you’ve stopped by here just in time. Our new post will clarify what exactly the uk garden fence law says about property boundaries and regulations when it comes to replacing, installing and maintaining your boundary fence. We’ll also focus on how to determine which fence side is yours – left or right – and explore the different ways you can use to find out. And finally, you’ll learn about what to do to avoid an unnecessary fallout with your neighbour over your shared fenceline border.

Recent examples on the web: noun the fence was supposed to minimize police presence and protect the justice center, attorneys wrote. — oregonlive, "city, multnomah county detail violence, damage, cost of repairs in response to don’t shoot portland’s motion to restrict tear gas, less-lethal weapons," 8 july 2020 even now, washington’s bradley beal and others remain on the fence. — allie morris, dallas news, "even during a pandemic, seeing and hearing luka doncic can evoke hope for mavs fans," 2 july 2020 police took longer to remove one demonstrator named salamander pride, 27, who was attached to a fence as part of the protest. — usa today, "memphis police clear downtown plaza, detain protesters who camped out for two weeks," 1 july 2020 but others say the airlines do risk scaring away customers who were on the fence about flying. — chris isidore, cnn, "middle seats and packed planes are coming back as airlines prepare to ease restrictions," 29 june 2020 for those reasons, supporters groups are divided both at red fury and los bandidos; some members would attend matches no matter what, some are on the fence and some will stick to watching from the television at home. — briar napier, the arizona republic, "phoenix rising fans find new ways to cheer, anxious for reboot," 28 june 2020 trump and a group of local, state, and federal officials put their signatures on the fence tuesday afternoon following a briefing on border security enhancements made under the trump administration. — anna giaritelli, washington examiner, "trump signs ‘foolproof’ border wall," 23 june 2020 on a bright may day at the edge of a queens neighborhood, dozens of men stand with their backs to a fence. — sarah matusek, the christian science monitor, "in queens, residents become the coronavirus safety net," 22 june 2020 all but one of a dozen people interviewed in and around killeen in recent days, including african americans, said fort hood should remain fort hood — but most stayed close to the fence, without strong opinions about it. — sig christenson, expressnews. Com, "push to purge confederate names gets minimal traction around fort hood, but military is paying attention," 20 june 2020 recent examples on the web: verb concerns about visitor safety eventually led the city to fence off the structure. — bob sandrick, cleveland, "north royalton expands cemetery vault project, increasing cost by 56 percent," 27 june 2020 concerns about visitor safety eventually led the city to fence off the structure. — bob sandrick, cleveland, "north royalton expands cemetery vault project, increasing cost by 56 percent," 27 june 2020 concerns about visitor safety eventually led the city to fence off the structure. — cleveland, "north royalton cemetery’s receiving vault stabilized as makeover of historic burial grounds continues," 7 june 2020 meanwhile in washington, workers have put up a new line of fencing gift ideas gifts for fencing enthusiasts fencing coffee mugs around the white house, ostensibly in preparation for another weekend of demonstrations in floyd's name. — aj willingham, cnn, "5 things to know for june 5: george floyd, ahmaud arbery, coronavirus, lynching," 5 june 2020 bach, for example, likely would have won a second gold medal in fencing at the 1980 games before boycotts derailed that plan. — tom schad, usa today, "what we know: the 2020 olympics have officially been postponed. What happens next?," 24 mar. 2020 another small portion, measuring 0. 9 miles, will add secondary fencing on both sides of the andrade border crossing. — rafael carranza, azcentral, "u. S. Waives laws, requests input for 91 miles of new border wall construction in arizona," 17 mar. 2020 the defense department also released new details about how the $3. 6 billion would be spent — building 175 miles of border fencing at 11 locations in california, texas and arizona. — nbc news, "pentagon taking over $400 million in funding for military projects in puerto rico for the wall," 4 sep. 2019 the fire ignited some palm trees and damaged power lines and fencing on san altos place near placentia street. — karen kucher, sandiegouniontribune. Com, "orange line trolley is operating a little slower after sunday's fire in lemon grove," 29 may 2018.

How high can you have a fence?

You do not need a high fence to keep most rabbits out, and a shorter fence -- especially if it is short enough to step over -- will make it much easier for you to access your garden. A 2-foot-high fence is adequate for ordinary cottontail rabbits, but in the western united states you might need 3 feet of height to keep out jackrabbits. The best material for the rabbit fence is metal because it does not decay and because rabbits cannot chew through it.

The neighbours said it was dangerous, and their two and four year olds could potentially scale 1. 4m tin fence. The council acknowledged they were at fault and came up with the solution of building a 2m high fence. The neighbours complained again, as their homes are in a heritage area where fences seen from the road are to remain at 1. 4m.

Myth 1 a shock from my electric fence is harmful to myself and my animals. Truth the shock from an electric fence is more of a memorable discomfort than harmful pain. Your animals will learn to respect your fence not due to fear, but rather the annoyance of the shock. The amperage on a fence is read in milliamps where households are measured in amps. In terms of danger, it is not the voltage but rather the amperage that harms you. Most energizers on the market today are low-amperage, high-voltage, and low-impedance.

Most cities and municipalities have their own local rules. For example, portland requires that you get a building permit if your fence is higher than seven feet. There may be additional restrictions that apply to your specific community. If you need advice on how to handle a neighbor dispute, talk to a real estate lawyer in your area. For more information on this area, check out our overview of real estate laws.

The design and finished manufactured fence are high quality. The track rails are angle iron and finish is so-so. I love this upgrade to my table saw. This new fence accurately locks into place and stays in place. It is easy to make fine adjustments; it is what a table saw fence should be. If you need a fence on an old table saw – you will like this one.

Before we get into the build details, here are the tools and materials required to build a privacy fence. Pressure-treated fence posts (4×4 or 4×6) 2×4’s for the rails (pressure treated) pickets (these are the slats – they usually run 4″ wide x 1″ thick x 6ft. High- either dogeared or flat top – pressure treated).

I wanted cedar, because it resists rot and splintering. You don't even have to treat it, although i planned to paint it white. I bought the fence and posts at ring's end, a connecticut-based chain of high-quality hardware and lumber stores. The fence is cedar gothic picket, four feet tall, available in panels of eight-foot lengths. I used five-inch-square posts, which are sturdier and, i think, better looking than four-inch, which look spindly by comparison. I bought federal cedar caps for the top of each post and, since i hadn't yet bought my f-150, picked it all up using richard's pickup truck, to avoid the delivery fee. Although i did gas up the truck, which was like sixty bucks.

Can I legally paint my side of Neighbours fence?

Having an 'argument' with the old man at the moment. He is currently painting the fence with some cuprinol and we need to get some more 5ltr cans, so i ask him now many and he says double what i think and then says we need to paint both sides. I laughed and said you must be joking if you think the five neighbours that our fence covers are going to let us into their garden to paint our fence. He said don't be nervous, i then said i couldn't give a sh*t about being nervous, it's just not what you do. You can't expect to go into someone else's garden to paint the other side of our fence, what if they want a different colour or just don't want a stranger in their garden?.

Can my Neighbour put nails in my fence?

So, what are your rights when a new dividing fence needs to be put up between you and next door? broadcaster richard glover wrote a column for the sydney morning herald outlining to his son on his 18th birthday some lessons he’d learnt about life. One of them related to the neighbours: “never get into a fight with your neighbours. Apologise. Make peace. Buy them a case of beer… anything”.

A close board fence is ideal for giving your back garden much needed privacy from overlooking neighbours. These fences are strong and can be purchased up to 6 feet tall. You can purchase a kit that comes with ready-made panels for approximately £150. All that is required is concrete posts to be put in place, insert a concrete gravel board at the base of each section and slot the fence panels into place above the gravel board. Concrete posts cost around £20 each. If you use a good quality wood preserver , this type of fence will last for many years.

My neighbour put up a closeboard fence three years ago to replace their old panel fence. They had the board side but i have been told that i should have that side facing me. The posts are also inside my boundary. This was not really a problem until now as they are good friends.

Gwen hill has lived in green valley way in the suburbs of sydney all her married life. This is a suburb many aussies will recognise from their childhoods. One where everyone is friendly and are always popping in to each other's houses for a cuppa or a beer. The kids are let loose to play in the street, all growing up together, fed by one neighbour or another, returning home tired and dirty at tea time. Gwen's best friend babs lived next door and together they had planted a row of beautiful crab gwen hill has lived in green valley way in the suburbs of sydney all her married life. This is a suburb many aussies will recognise from their childhoods. One where everyone is friendly and are always popping in to each other's houses for a cuppa or a beer. The kids are let loose to play in the street, all growing up together, fed by one neighbour or another, returning home tired and dirty at tea time. Gwen's best friend babs lived next door and together they had planted a row of beautiful crab apple trees between their houses instead of a fence. But now babs has died and the house has been sold to a couple with four children from the inner city. Gwen is prepared to be friendly, but when frankie and brandon desmarchelliers and their children four year old twins amber and silver, toddler marigold and baby bijoux move in with labradoodles peanut and butter, frankie immediately informs gwen that she wants to put up a fence.

Can I paint my Neighbours side of my fence?

Joined: fri may 06, 2005 7:38 pm location: west midlands quote post by coppisnowdon » fri may 06, 2005 8:01 pm the deeds show that the fence between my neighbours garden and my garden belongs to me. I have rebuilt the fence ensuring that the whole of the fence is on my land. This is means that some of the godfather posts arson his side but still on my land. The fence has been built with the good side on my side. My neigbour insists that the godfather posts must be on my side. He insists that the good side should be on his side. I disagree with both his claims. It is my fence. I own it. He has fixed trellis to my fence. I have told him to remove it. He refuses. Can anyone point me to any laws covering these points?.

A black man carrying an american flag stood outside portland’s federal courthouse saturday night, telling a crowd of protesters that “none of you guys represent black lives” as they tore down a fence during the city’s sixth straight week of nightly unrest. Jorge ventura, a reporter with the daily caller, captured video of the unnamed man sitting outside the courthouse when demonstrators began to remove the fencing surrounding the already vandalized and spray-painted building.

I have an older bare redwood picket fence shared with two neighbors. Once neighbor has stained an sealed his side, but has not touched the top or side edges of the wood. The other neighbor has not painted or stained. My question is, how do i protect their side from getting painted?  do i leave the top and side edges of the fence bare and make sure to just paint the panel facing me?   thanks! kezig.

Your backyard privacy will never be invaded again with this contemporary wood wall design idea for your backyard. What you can do is to arrange your wood horizontally as tall as you want it to be until it becomes a wall that separates you from the outside world. Besides giving you some extra privacy to sunbathe in your backyard, your fence will look very modern. It is a perfect way to get that modern vibe without having to paint your fence black.

There is some debate on whether to paint or stain a fence. Either choice will provide protection from the elements, insects and normal wear to extend the life of your fence. While this is a personal choice, there are some things to consider: painting a fence can be less expensive, but may require more frequent maintenance depending on your region and the quality of paint used. Painting will also require some additional preparation before re-painting.

They say good fences make for good neighbors. But it's also true that many disputes arise between neighbors over the construction and maintenance of those fences. This is no less true in california, where houses are packed closely together and neighbors like to maintain their privacy. Luckily, state law provides some guidance when it comes to fences, property lines, tree trimming, and more. Read on to learn about property line and fence laws in california.

Federal officials say the stringent security measures — which include block after block of tall, black reinforced fencing and concrete barriers to close off entrances to lafayette square and the ellipse — is temporary. But washingtonians know all too well that “temporary” security measures almost never go away. Think of the closing of pennsylvania avenue, the banishment of the public from a sidewalk along the fence of the white house, the addition of bike rack barriers.

May 21 · milton, pa · a week after i turned 15 i applied at the fence for a waitressing position. Shortly after, matt called me in for a interview and i was given the job that evening. On my first day, i shadowed my soon-to-be best friend, who trained me on the counter and introduced me to everyone in the restaurant. It was maybe two weeks into the job that i felt like i was part of this ‘family’ we all had created working with each other every day. The following year i waitressed, meeting some of the best people i’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. One of our customers made the cake for my baby shower, one family continues to drop holly off to my house every christmas, and numerous others that request me as their nurse because they knew me as their favorite waitress. To this day, the family deb, rob, matt & trisha helped us create still remains the same. A bond that we all cherish that can’t be compared to another. So while the decision to keep the restaurant closed for everyone’s safety right now is frustrating to a lot of its patrons, it’s also important to keep in mind who’s safety is on the line. It’s not just the kids that are working, but also you as the customers that we all hold so dear to our hearts. As most know, young adults can be carriers without knowing, inadvertently passing the virus to the tens of thousands of customers they come in contact with. The seniors, those that are immunosuppressed, babies, and yes—even those of you without a co-morbidity. I can confidently tell you that every business decision that is made by this family is made in unanimous agreement with their customer’s & staff’s best interest at heart. It’s easy to sit behind a phone screen and be judgmental and negative. But, during such a scary time, shouldn’t we all be a little more concerned about those we love? then maybe we’ll all be a little more appreciative of that fish sandwich. 🐟.