(no subject)
The Old Dairy
We got the keys to our new house on 22 June 2007. We're mostly happy. I write mostly happy instead of insanely, wonderfully, or greatly happy because we might have the neighbors from hell living next door.
Rant about Neighbors
Our neighbors aren't obnoxious juvenile delinquents. No. They are a middle-aged married couple who don't have children and who really, really don't like children, AND they have opinions on the appearance of our house and garden. The woman is a director at Toyota, and the man works from home as a computer programmer.
My favorite quote from the man is, "Children have never been inflicted upon us before."
For starters, our new neighbors did not get along with the people who sold us the house. They didn't like the way in which the people who sold us the house converted the barn. To be fair to the neighbors, the people who sold us the house didn't do a great job on the conversion. It's structurally sound, but it needs a new kitchen and redecorating throughout--in other words, all fixable stuff, but our neighbors don't have confidence that we will make changes that are in accordance with their standards.
The neighbors are wealthy and have a mansion. Their house is probably 3,000 square feet and beautiful inside. I know it's beautiful inside because the man insisted on showing it to us so he could gloat and brag. And then, a few days later, he got nasty.
We put up a swingset/play area in our yard. To be fair, it is large. But, it is also very nice. It isn't metal or plastic or unpainted plywood. It's treated, painted wood and very attractive looking. And, it's on our property! Yet, the man thinks it is a big, ugly eyesore. So what did he do? Did he come to our door and say, "Gosh, that's a big swingset, can you move it a bit so we don't see as much of it?" Nope. He yelled insults over the garden wall, called the swingset a "f'ing monstrosity," and made an ass of himself. Joy.
Not to be outdone, I hurled some zingers of my own, like "Don't be so mean," and "It's our property!" Oh yes, I'm sure I had him quaking in his leather loafers. And then I started crying. Brilliant.
After Chas told him off (really told him off), Chas ushered me inside, where I frantically paced the floor, crying and yelling. Chas was also very upset, but he kept his cool.
After about 10 minutes, Chas went to the neighbor's house to discuss the situation. This was a very smart move. Chas essentially called out the passive-aggressive meany. By meeting face-to-face, instead of over a 6 ft. tall garden wall, the man had to do a bit of back-pedaling and he eventually apologized. (If Chas hadn't gone over there, I imagine the man and I would have had several verbal exchanges over the garden wall, one passive-aggressive meany to the other.)
Chas said two things to the man that were real gems:
First, he asked the man to show him from which rooms in his house or garden that he could see the swingset. The man led him to his upper hallway, from which point you can see the very top of the swing. This is the only place on the man's property that you can view our swingset. Chas said, "I assume you don't do most of your living in the hallway, do you?"
Second, to address the general child-unfriendliness of this man, Chas said, "You know, no one, not the Council (UK Council = US city, county, or town administration), not the neighbors, not the estate agent, no one gave us a memo stating that this was a child-free neighborhood. And furthermore, one of the big reasons we bought this house was for the great yard for our kids. Our kids are well-behaved, but they're going to play in the yard and make noise on their swingset."
The neighbor apologized (in his own precious, condescending way).
Sadly, at the recommendation of several of our friends, I've started a log with times, dates, and facts in case this man bothering us becomes an issue. Because the man works from home and because I stay home with the kids, I'm afraid I'll be the one dealing with him most. Unless of course my scathing remarks and terrifying crying have scared him away for good.
You know one of the best things of all? When this man stands in his hallway and looks down into our garden, do you know what he saw before we put up the swingset? Our garden shed! What a jerk!
On a positive note, another neighbor (opposite side) sent us a very nice welcome card with a little, hand-drawn map of her side of the neighborhood, complete with first names of other neighbors. AND, she and her husband have an eight-month-old little girl named Francesca. Guess which neighbor gets the first batch of homemade brownies!?!
We got the keys to our new house on 22 June 2007. We're mostly happy. I write mostly happy instead of insanely, wonderfully, or greatly happy because we might have the neighbors from hell living next door.
Rant about Neighbors
Our neighbors aren't obnoxious juvenile delinquents. No. They are a middle-aged married couple who don't have children and who really, really don't like children, AND they have opinions on the appearance of our house and garden. The woman is a director at Toyota, and the man works from home as a computer programmer.
My favorite quote from the man is, "Children have never been inflicted upon us before."
For starters, our new neighbors did not get along with the people who sold us the house. They didn't like the way in which the people who sold us the house converted the barn. To be fair to the neighbors, the people who sold us the house didn't do a great job on the conversion. It's structurally sound, but it needs a new kitchen and redecorating throughout--in other words, all fixable stuff, but our neighbors don't have confidence that we will make changes that are in accordance with their standards.
The neighbors are wealthy and have a mansion. Their house is probably 3,000 square feet and beautiful inside. I know it's beautiful inside because the man insisted on showing it to us so he could gloat and brag. And then, a few days later, he got nasty.
We put up a swingset/play area in our yard. To be fair, it is large. But, it is also very nice. It isn't metal or plastic or unpainted plywood. It's treated, painted wood and very attractive looking. And, it's on our property! Yet, the man thinks it is a big, ugly eyesore. So what did he do? Did he come to our door and say, "Gosh, that's a big swingset, can you move it a bit so we don't see as much of it?" Nope. He yelled insults over the garden wall, called the swingset a "f'ing monstrosity," and made an ass of himself. Joy.
Not to be outdone, I hurled some zingers of my own, like "Don't be so mean," and "It's our property!" Oh yes, I'm sure I had him quaking in his leather loafers. And then I started crying. Brilliant.
After Chas told him off (really told him off), Chas ushered me inside, where I frantically paced the floor, crying and yelling. Chas was also very upset, but he kept his cool.
After about 10 minutes, Chas went to the neighbor's house to discuss the situation. This was a very smart move. Chas essentially called out the passive-aggressive meany. By meeting face-to-face, instead of over a 6 ft. tall garden wall, the man had to do a bit of back-pedaling and he eventually apologized. (If Chas hadn't gone over there, I imagine the man and I would have had several verbal exchanges over the garden wall, one passive-aggressive meany to the other.)
Chas said two things to the man that were real gems:
First, he asked the man to show him from which rooms in his house or garden that he could see the swingset. The man led him to his upper hallway, from which point you can see the very top of the swing. This is the only place on the man's property that you can view our swingset. Chas said, "I assume you don't do most of your living in the hallway, do you?"
Second, to address the general child-unfriendliness of this man, Chas said, "You know, no one, not the Council (UK Council = US city, county, or town administration), not the neighbors, not the estate agent, no one gave us a memo stating that this was a child-free neighborhood. And furthermore, one of the big reasons we bought this house was for the great yard for our kids. Our kids are well-behaved, but they're going to play in the yard and make noise on their swingset."
The neighbor apologized (in his own precious, condescending way).
Sadly, at the recommendation of several of our friends, I've started a log with times, dates, and facts in case this man bothering us becomes an issue. Because the man works from home and because I stay home with the kids, I'm afraid I'll be the one dealing with him most. Unless of course my scathing remarks and terrifying crying have scared him away for good.
You know one of the best things of all? When this man stands in his hallway and looks down into our garden, do you know what he saw before we put up the swingset? Our garden shed! What a jerk!
On a positive note, another neighbor (opposite side) sent us a very nice welcome card with a little, hand-drawn map of her side of the neighborhood, complete with first names of other neighbors. AND, she and her husband have an eight-month-old little girl named Francesca. Guess which neighbor gets the first batch of homemade brownies!?!