lake forest shores

It's the Karen in Me

September 27, 2024

I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I'm glad summer season is behind us. That was one hell of a heat wave and of course, the Trabuco Canyon fires didn't help with the air quality. I was told by my pulmonologist to walk an hour each day, but the extreme heat and poor air quality made it a bit challenging. Luckily, I think everything is back to normal. And yes, I'm looking forward to lower electric bills and cooler temps for the rest of the year. It's the best time to have your windows open and enjoy the nightly cool air that remains at a consistent temp throughout the night. It's said that the best temperature for sleeping is between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit.


Anyhow, one of my concerns that I wanted to address in my previous blog had to do with landscaping. Fortunately, I believe there was a transitional period from one landscaping company to another; therefore, the reason as to why it seemed as if the bushes and trees weren't being trimmed, and the grounds were looking unkept.

The new company seems to be working quickly in getting everything done from one end of the community to the other. I've noticed they are done by 2:00pm and so far, I don't have any complaints. Walk around and you'll notice the bushes are trimmed and the grounds have been kept clean. I'm not sure about anything else, but only on what I can quickly see without digging in too much. I guess only time will tell...

As for pest control, I feel that maybe they're a little too comfortable coming into the community, parking for 40+ minutes without getting out of their vehicle and finally, stepping out to spray for 5 minutes. I've seen them doing this several times throughout the year on my days off. As an example, Western Extermination parked at 8:40am, but didn't start spraying until 9:21am and finished at 9:24am. It's a bit difficult to keep track of their work without having eyes 24/7 on the outside, except if you have a security camera. That might be a good option for proof, but am I willing to invest in it and will it make a difference if a complaint is sent to Huseby Crummack? Again, based on my experience, the quality of service from this property management company is not the same as before. Of course, others could have a difference in opinion.

If it is not the extermination company that Lake Forest Shores uses, then some resident is getting ripped off; ask for your money back.

Shall we do one more? Let's talk about parking! I think this one is more simple to see, yet nothing is being done. To be honest, I'm not even sure if Courtesy Patrol makes their rounds each night. That's not to say do as you please. Make sure you follow the rules & regulations to avoid getting towed at your own expense. Based on my observations, I've seen them give away parking permits to oversized vehicles that cannot be parked in the garage. Moreover, I've seen vehicles parked in areas that go against the rules & regulations, yet nothing is done for several days before a warning ticket is issued. And when they are on the premises, patrol seems to do a quick drive-by, so they are out as quickly as they came in; maybe even quicker.

I know, it's difficult to keep an eye on this stuff, especially late at night. What about during the day? I've seen violations occur all of the time. Between the Board and the management company, is there anyone that walks around the community? There are vehicles using the handicap parking without displaying tags, trash containers being left out beyond the specified amount of days, vehicles not parking in designated parking spaces. This is at a quick glance of what I see and believe me, I don't go out too often.

Maybe I'm being a "Karen", but oh well. I'm sure the rules & regulations weren't created for some to follow and not others.

Lastly, the City of Lake Forest sent out notices regarding a slurry seal project for the surrounding areas that will be taking place in October. It looks like the project will be from October 1st - 8th. I remember them doing something like this a few years back. Unfortunately, idiots will take the opportunity to leave skid marks on the newly coated streets by drifting. It's done late at night, so it's quite difficult to catch them...Ugh!

Alright, Karen has left the building. Peace out!