Back in the summer, we received a letter from the management company about our cat being spotted around Hearthstone Manor "without a leash". Since I've never had much success with a cat on a leash, we've done our best since that time to keep her inside, except when she slips out when we open the door and runs off for a few minutes. She always comes back quickly, and if she doesn't, we go out and find her. We've made two exceptions for her, though. One is when our older daughter is accompanying our younger daughter to the bus stop in the morning. Our cat typically trots along behind her, waits patiently for the bus to come for our younger daughter, and then trots back home with the older one. The other exception we've made is when our kids are playing outside. Our cat typically joins them, seemingly "supervising" their play as she lounges in the sun. The kids know to pick up after her, should nature take its course, and she always comes back in when they do.
There are many reasons we live at Hearthstone but, as you can imagine, our kids don't always think it is the "perfect" place to live, since there are few other kids and no backyard. However, we've always tried to accentuate the positive - safety, proximity to church/school, good neighbors, etc. Yesterday, March 17th, 2008, was a day where they felt very happy- lots of bright sunshine, out of school on spring break, and being able to bike and play ball safely on our quiet cul-de-sac. However, their play was interrupted by a neighbor out walking his dog who saw that the cat was with them and chose to stop and chastise them for that. They came in shortly after, dejected, and told me they had "gotten in trouble" for having the cat with them.
We have lived at Hearthstone for five years now. We try our best to be good neighbors and citizens. There are rules being broken here each and every day, some right in our own "backyard". However, we've chosen to overlook the negatives and focus on the positive - of which there is plenty.
To our knowledge, there is only one person here at Hearthstone who has ever had an issue with our cat and who has reported us to the management company or reprimanded our children. To you, sir, I ask that you reconsider the ultimate importance of these occasional "infractions" on our part, as compared to the grand scheme of things here at Hearthstone. Additionally, I ask that you refrain from reprimanding our children for something we, their parents, have knowlingly allowed, since it sends mixed messages to our little ones.
Thank you.
Beth and Ed Leary
118 Hearthstone Manor Circle
