Stoney

It's September! I got behind again. Imagine that. 

Silly neighborhood stuff has been going on, and that's a good thing. It's hot and I'm usually a hermit in my dark air-conditioned cave. It's also easy to not even get to know your neighbors when we have the brick walls separating us, and we pull into our garages and just go inside. 

Well, Stoney the Neighborhood Horsie joined our neighborhood last month!

It started as a simple $5 exchange from two families we know from church. One had the full size heavy horse (I have no idea where it came from or how they got it) that they wanted to sell it as their son didn't want it anymore. Another family purchased it. 

For a joke, they put it in their front yard. That night, another family moved the horsie ("Stoney" is his name) and put it in the yard of another ward (congregation) family. A note was left for the original family that said, "Sorry your horse got out...." or something like that. 

The nomadic journey of Stoney began. 

First yard that Stoney was moved to!

A couple days/nights later, Stoney ended up here.

Then the third house met some fun little costume changes throughout the day. Stoney started out like this:

Then later that same day, he ended up like this:

After that, he ended up at my hairdresser's house, and it rained that night, and someone provided Stoney with an umbrella.

 

But the same house the next day, or maybe the day after that, Stoney looked tired:

Too much partying over the weekend, Stoney?

He feels better!

From there he ended up at the home of Mikelle's Sunday School teacher. Their kids were amazed. Stoney was described as a "hot mess" upon his arrival.

Therefore, Selena whipped him into shape!

Apparently, when Stoney needed to go to another house, the "bandits" were caught in the act!

But the new house is a photographer, and she captured Stoney as one "sexy beast" that weekend while he visited.

I am one SEXY BEAST!

From the above, Stoney made it to my street! But I have to back up. Somewhere from the Unicorn Stoney, Tired Stoney and Hot Mess Stoney, it was made apparent that there are grouchy people in the neighborhood that do not like the fun. 

They wanted to report Stoney's antics to the HOA.  Boo!

Well, I got on the Villages of Queen Creek Facebook site and posted this along with the photo below it:

Dear Neighbors: I do not know who is being grouchy, but please do not ruin the fun of our Nomadic Villages Horsie, Stoney, by complaining to the HOA board. It's a fun "joke" between friends in the neighborhood when this newly acquired mascot ends up in someone else's yard. The person's yard that gets "tagged" is aware of the joke and it isn't intrusive to the person being visited by Stoney. It brings joy to people and is only temporarily in each yard.

Stoney only stays in the "tag! you're it!" yard for a couple days until he is moved into another one. It is a considerably LESS amount of time than seasonal stuff (like Halloween and Christmas decor), and is just one object, compared to the longer-term seasonal things like all the tacky inflatables and stuff (I do not object to seasonal decor. I do object to inflatables because they look like crap, but I don't complain to the HOA about them).

What better and fun way to get to know neighbors than have Stoney as a conversational piece? Plus, isn't Queen Creek an equine-friendly town? Sure, we can't have *live* horsies in our type of zoning in our neighborhood, but isn't Stoney a perfect way to keep the spirit of our Equestrian friendly town? Yes. I think so. I know others agree too. Therefore, if you don't like Stoney, don't worry, he won't end up in your yard. Just ignore him and he'll move on. Please don't ruin the fun by complaining to the HOA board. Let's be adults about this child-like innocent fun.

Good gravy on a stick. This is nice way to deal with the doldrums of summer months... be nice!

I honestly expected some people to be grouchy and make comments about not appreciating the humor of Stoney and respecting the rules of the neighborhood. 

But no! 

Many comments followed and they were all in support of Stoney! So within a couple of days, the official Stoney Facebook Page emerged. Those in the neighborhood can message the page if they don't mind a visit from Stoney! Stoney has now branched out from our weirdo Mormons punking each other with Stoney to our other neighbors as well!

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. Stoney made it to my street! That house was so happy to get Stoney!

And she's a swim teacher, so later that day, Stoney was all ready for an important message!

Sadly, one of the cranky people left a note on her front door saying to get rid of the horse or she'd call the HOA. The culprit is this cranky lady who rides a golf cart around the neighborhood "walking" her dogs who are two big standard poodles. She is known to complain about a lot of things. 

Funny, when I posted my message above, someone who is on the HOA board is in support of Stoney! 

Stoney made it to my yard after that! The swim teacher's sister lives next door. Stoney was in our yard, but he was tied to the tree next door.

X-man and Stoney...Bare shirt and riding nearly Bare back!

 Therefore, I took the opportunity to have Stoney channel his inner Dali.

Anyway, we decided to keep Stoney only one night, because cranky poodle lady "walks" her dogs (she rides the golf cart) down our street. In case she wanted to leave a mean note on my door, I taped this to my door:

I did not receive any grumpy message on my door about Stoney!

Therefore, on the eve of a Friday, Chris and I put Stoney in another yard...the home of one of my past summer art students, whose house may not be seen by cranky poodle lady. 

We decorated Stoney's keester with sticky notes praising that it was "Friday" and we made a Friday banner around Stoney's neck. And we kept the Dali mustache on him!

From that house, Stoney celebrated Mardi Gras at another neighbor's!

And I guess the Stoney transfer to the house after that was quite eventful. This was the picture that was posted:

Yes, that picture could be funny. But it can also rub people the wrong way. Therefore, I'm moving off that subject...

Here is Stoney in that same yard! He has the Sombrero to shade him from the hot days that we still get cursed with in September!

I know for a fact Stoney has now been moved from the above to another yard as of tonight of this entry. However, I have not had the opportunity to see any pictures yet or get a picture myself.

Therefore, that's our neighborhood Stoney adventures!