We really like you Dan - but could you please move your van?
I got to thinking afterwards that we can't be alone in this. I expect everyone has something that drives them crazy about their neighbour. Small, ridiculous, petty complaints. It's inevitable.
Our neighbours on the other side also irritate us in tiny ways that they are, in all likelihood, completely unaware of. They seem like very nice people - that's why we wonder why they only cut their half of the green strip we share between our driveways - while JJ Hubby cut the whole thing for years (now he only cuts our half, lol!)
When we first moved into this home, close to 12 years ago, I remember these same neighbours shaking their heads at the previous homeowner, who liked to vacuum at 11 pm, with a very loud built-in vacuum system.
This all makes me wonder what WE do that drives our neighbours crazy... ! I bet Dan doesn't like that my vines start to crawl under his fence by about mid-June every summer. Especially since he literally doesn't have a tree, bush or flower in that backyard to speak of - another thing that really irks us, haha!
As for our neighbours on the other side, it could be anything - maybe I water too often or too long. Perhaps we don't pay enough attention to their dog when we happen to meet them on the street (that dog creeps me out for some reason - it's quite unfriendly itself). I bet they suspect I try to avoid them when we are all outside at the same time. I admit I do - I am an introvert, after all!
This isn't to say that over the years we haven't had to address some issues; we've had to politely work things out with Dan on a number of occasions - he regarding where our drain spout was pointing - we regarding his drainage hose. But these are legitimate concerns. How do you go about telling your neighbour where to park? You don't - you just chew about it over coffee :D
Well obviously nothing I do would drive anyone crazy ;)
ReplyDeleteWe have two side neighbours who are great - friendly and neighbourly. We look after each other's gardens and collect mail when away, respect that we might not share each other's taste in music etc etc.
But the neighbours that back onto our property are a different story. They have two big dogs that bark whenever I go out my back door or work in my garden or hang out my washing. They play their music loud (and unfortunately their limited selection of cds ensures we get tired of their music very quickly), they swear at each other when they are seated on their back verandah and the sounds carries over onto our place so often we eat our planned al fresco meal inside. Sometimes what happens up there is better than TV lol but mostly it's just annoying!
Lol, of course not Annie :D I genuinely like my neighbors - they are very quiet, in fact just about everyone on our cul-de-sac are empty-nesters. It's just those little annoyances that get to you! Thank goodness nobody's playing their music for the entire neighborhood to 'enjoy.' - you have my sympathies. The swearing might be entertaining, though!!
DeleteThat Dan sounds bloody annoying, Jane! I have new neighbours because I've just moved. On one side, we've yet to meet them and the other side seems OK. BUT...they had a drainage company out and rather than move one of their own cars to allow the drainage people's van to park outside their own house, the van parked on my driveway because it's bigger. I said OK but then needed the space for my kitchen fitters and the bloody drainage van driver took his time moving. I eventually TOLD him to move rather than asked. So that whole business really annoyed me.I think the saying "Good fences make good neighbours" is very true. I think I'd like the Waltons or Ma & Pa Ingalls, but that's about it!
ReplyDeleteLol, I had thought of entitling this post "This City Living Is For The Birds" - we never had these irritants when we were on an acreage. Your neighbours sure have some cheek - unbelievable that they couldn't (wouldn't) recognize they should move one of their own vehicles... !!
DeleteWe've been here for about three and a half years, and so far, so good. Although I'm sure our neighbours have a thing or two to say about us :) Many of them are on a higher tax bracket, if you know what I mean, and their properties are much better maintained than ours. Because we can't afford to pay anyone to do the maintenace, no matter what kind, including all the gardening, you can well imagine that our home is not as superb as theirs in presentation. Oh well... But we are very quiet and polite, and we do mind our own business, so I guess they are forced to kind of like us despite our maintenance shortcomings...LOL...
ReplyDeleteI used to have a neighbour that would have her dog off leash whenever she took him on walks, and he was the overly-excited type, so he ran all over the place, sometimes stomping over flower beds, etc, even jumping on people once in awhile. She was also lazy when it came to picking up her dog's poop. She'd send him into the heavily-treed areas in the green space behind the homes and he'd poop in there. As far as I could tell, she never picked up after him. She seemed totally oblivious to how annoying all this could be. But that family moved away. She was very friendly, and I liked her, but some of her habits were frustrating.
The one thing I can't stand is a snob! At least you are getting some fresh air and exercise - and a sense of accomplishment. If anything, I bet your home stands out in a good way (we've all seen the pictures of your gorgeous flowers) - most of the time we are our own worst critics.
DeleteI also see a lot of doggy-doo here on my walks... !!
Whatever other irritants our neighbours may provide, at least none of them are loud party hearties. Late night party noise is THE WORST of all things. It makes me nuts. I am willing to forgive an awful lot for peace and quiet.
ReplyDeleteI agree and am also thankful that my street is very quiet. Loud music (and screeching/revving vehicles!) are hard to stomach.
DeleteWell, I'm in a new place, so I haven't been here long enough to annoy the neighbors. But give me time!
ReplyDeleteProbably in the old place the only thing that really bugged me was the neighbors who weren't neighborly. You'd say hello and they'd ignore you. (Obviously have heard you, looked at you, but ignored you.) If it were just one person I'd think things like extreme shyness or agoraphobia issues or something, but there were many people who would do this. As I was not known for wanting to borrow cups of sugar or money, I found the lack of kindness mystifying. Otherwise, it was the landlord who got my ire.
Hehe, we'll have to check back with you in a few weeks :)
DeleteI don't understand someone who can blatantly ignore a greeting. It's bizarre. I am an introvert and freely admit I go to ridiculous lengths to avoid conversations with my neighbours (ie: I will hide behind my fence if I hear them outside chatting with my husband, who is much more outgoing than I) - but I could never go so far as to completely ignore them when we cross paths... !!
Ok...next summer, mow then water your yard while the van is still parked in front.
ReplyDeleteI like the way your devious mind thinks, lol!! I'm seriously considering it, hehe :D
DeleteBeing a paranoid dog owner, I lauged at that cartoon. When flynn does her business in the Fall it is often so well camouflaged in the dirt and leaves it takes me getting down on my hands and knees to find it. Ha ha. I am bothered by two neighbours who don't walk their dogs and I know that I irritate my neighbours because try as I might I just can't park straight! Recently received an anon note complaining about my crooked parking!
ReplyDeleteAt least we know you are a responsible pet owner.
DeleteHahaha!! You hear of people leaving anonymous notes (& I've fantasized about doing so), but you never meet the people who've received them. Too funny!! Do you know, or suspect, who left it?
Having said that, I suddenly remembered an extremely upsetting anonymous note I received when I was 20. I was suffering from very bad acne at the time and some religious nut in the church I was attending (I no longer take part in organized religion) left a note in my mailbox stating that I obviously was going in the wrong direction and God was trying to get my attention with this punishment, yada yada, and I needed to repent, lol!! Yikes. I'd completely forgotten about that sad incident.
Deletehahaha Poor Dan thinks his ride is hotter than it actually is. I have neighbors who will not reply to a bog smile and a "good morning." My neighbors upstairs make wild noisy sex... highly entertaining actually. Although one day I wasn't sure if she was enjoying things too much or if he was killing her...
ReplyDeleteLol, I hadn't thought of that!! Yes, maybe he's trying to make us jealous of his mini-van :D
DeletePoor you, I don't know if I'd be able to look your neighbours in the eye the next morning, after listening to their escapades...
I can relate. One of our neighbors has 5 cars, and none of these cars are ever in their garage..... and two of them don't even run. There is always an empty driveway on one side, and the rest of the cars they park in the street which makes it difficult for us pulling into our own driveway.
ReplyDeleteI also have a neighbor that let's the engine on their motorcycle run for several minutes before they finally leave.
We also have quite a few noisy neighbors that throw parties all night (noisy and they've thrown food over our fence), and others that like to pop fireworks in the middle of the night for no reason.
Three doors down from us lives a few people that come and go because of trouble with the law. One of our neighbor's has seen them with machine guns before. (One of them was seen hiding in the floorboard of the car at the time).
I could go on forever....
I don't understand why anyone would choose to park on the street if they had a garage and driveway at their disposal. I wonder if, in your neighbour's case, it's because they never know what vehicle they're going to want to drive next and are too lazy to have to move one of two to get out.
DeleteNoisy neighbours would be the worst - in spite of all my complaints, I'm always thankful our neighbours are quiet and I feel relatively 'safe' on our cul-de-sac.
Wow, this is great, I love everyone's neighbor stories! Jane, you should start parking your car in front of your neighbors house. OK my turn to share. We had wonderful neighbors for several years and shared our love of gardening together. When they moved the new people were clueless and have killed or cut down almost every living flower, shrub or tree that was growing there. We had to basically draw a red line on our property border so they would not cut down OUR plants or trees, (they tried)! On the other side - the newlywed neighbors we had for a couple of years had three huge and nasty dogs that I swear would have killed us all if not for a six foot fence. They moved after the husband took up with the bridesmaid and they got divorced. Then the house went into foreclosure and it has been empty for several years. We wonder if there is anything unusual in the swimming pool that has been covered for three years now. We didn't see the husband for a long time before the wife finally moved... We just got new neighbors in that house and they seem OK so far. It will be interesting to see what happens when they clean out the pool next spring. Hope they don't have to call in CSI.
ReplyDeleteWe've actually joked about starting to park in front of Dan's house. I wonder if he'd get the hint!
DeleteI can't imagine having neighbours who wanted to cut every living thing down in their yard. How depressing. To me, the true beauty of a neighbourhood is in it's landscaping. I love streets with small, older homes that are lined in trees.
I truly hope your new neighbours work out - and that there are no surprises come spring :D
I really need that bush:)
ReplyDeleteMy neighbours are over achievers. They make us look bad!
Lol!!! You are hilarious :D
DeleteInteresting observations about neighbours by everyone. We have never had really bad neighbours, some were just more friendly than others. Some folks just prefer to keep to themselves, as long as everyone is quiet and look after their place, I'm fine with that.
ReplyDeleteYears ago people went back and forth to the neighbours a lot more I think.
Yes, Jane why does your neighbour park his car in front of your place????
I'm appointing you to find out about this and will expect a full report back here to us.....we all need to know now that our curiosity has been spiked by you.
I agree Lorene - I've found everyone's tales quite entertaining!! It helps to know we're not alone :)
DeleteI totally agree - we are much more isolated from our neighbours than ever.
Not sure we'll ever figure that mystery out... we've been working on it for years now and are completely stumped!
We say the same things...never thinking thinking that we ever irritate anyone!
ReplyDeleteWe bag our leaves...a neighbor blows his into the street so that they blow into our yard...it s almost funny!
Yes, isn't it funny how most of us never stop to realize that WE are guilty of driving our neighbours crazy as well :)
DeleteOy vey . . . maybe Dan just wants to share the awesomeness that is van . . . but in all seriousness, it is very odd that he parks in front of your house when he has space on his property for it. In fact, I'm really quiet curious to know the reason . . . if you ever do find out, please, please share with us this mystery.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm . . . neighbor annoyances? Well, we've had our share of very trying neighbors over the last 20+ years we've lived in this house, but I won't go into past grievances. I feel pretty lucky, actually. My only complaint would be that occasionally one of our neighbor's hosts parties that consistently feature loud 80's music (80's music irritates me) for several hours at a time. Fortunately, it's not too often, so on their party days I make sure to leave my house for a few hours to preserve my sanity. They're actually really nice people.
Lol, the funny thing is that for some unknown reason, Dan actually parked his van in his driveway for 2 days after I'd posted this...!! I am 100% certain that he has no idea I have a blog - let alone the address to it, but it was quite ironic and fun while it lasted - but unfortunately, he's now back in front of our house!
DeleteOur neighbour grew ivy up the side of our house. We didn't know because we don't use that side for access, it was only when she can to say we might want to cut it back because it was climbing under our roof! Why would you grow an invasive climber up someone else's house?
ReplyDeleteI know I annoy her by leaving the border under our front window empty. She even offered to plant it for me, but now I have become awkward about it!
Yes, it makes you wonder why she left it so long if she knew it was there...
DeleteNice blog....love your header. NEW FOLLOWER.
ReplyDeleteGREAT POSTS too.
Happy Friday.
Stop by my blog if you like to see a review of THE SECRET KEEPER
AND
A review and E-book giveaway of MURDER TAKES TIME
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
http://silversolara.blogspot.com
Thanks Elizabeth and welcome :) I will definitely drop by for a visit.
DeleteHi Jane, Thanks for the visits to my blog and your lovely comments. I promised to visit so here I am! Our previous house was a terraced house and next to a rental. Over the 14 years we lived there we had some good, some indifferent and some truly awful neighbours. One used to vacuum at 3 in the morning - she left after her live-in boyfriend hit her. Another would bring back her friends to continue partying in the early hours on a work night. And our last neighbours kept us entertained with their loud and passionate arguments. One one occasion he must have thrown his dinner at her because we heard her shriek 'you've just thrown mackerel on your baby's toys'! So funny! We thought they'd split up but they're still there and together - thankfully we moved away 3 years ago!
ReplyDelete