Window Furnishings, non-approved.

I've been brooding over this since before Christmas, when I received, along with all other residents, a letter from our body corporate. There are 97 flats in this block, and about six people attend meetings. Nevertheless these six felt empowered to send the rest of us an item headed Window Furnishings. This took the form of an edict relating to Non Approved Window Furnishings. I should not have been surprised - they once made a rule that no shoes were to be left outside doors, and they have succeeded in enforcing a no-other-plants-but-geraniums-in-the-window-boxes edict.

But window furnishings? Non-approved not allowed? What could possibly be a non-approved window furnishing? So I went out to have a look at the windows that face the public courtyard. There were plastic venetian blinds, which I think came with the flats when new. A few windows had wooden venetians, and some had drapes. (That's American for curtains.) But one, no doubt the poor soul being targeted, had hung a selection of Indian shawls in her window. and very nice they were too.

So what we have here is the Window Police. Will they patrol? Will they be brave enough to tackle the owner of the non-approved window furnishings? Will she tell them to get stuffed?

Just for comparative purposes, I checked out the windows of the community housing block which I see from my back windows - there were drapes, Indian shawls, a US Confederate flag, a skull and crossbones, a bead curtain, soft toys, mobiles, dreamcatchers,a stuffed crescent moon with a doll sitting on it, and one person appeared to have hung a bridal veil in her window.

Me, as soon as I've got time it's red satin in the spare bedroom.