Sunday, June 29, 2008

am i that lady?


Ya know, the one that doesn't want the neighborhood kids playing in her yard...the one who loves dogs but doesn't want them to poop in her yard...the one who takes care of her yard and doesn't like it when the neighbors decide to pile all of their brush in front of her house and on her lawn, then not pile it neatly or cut it down to size so the city will pick it up. Oh shoot! I am that lady! Let me explain...okay, first of all , I don't ever recall playing in, cutting through, or riding my bike across anyone elses yard when I was growing up. Even now, as an adult, I would never do that...but, I digress. So, look, I have children, I love children, even other people's children, but when the neighbors have the biggest yards on the block, big, beautifully fenced in yards of their very own, why do they insist on throwing the ball, riding the bike, playing tag, in my yard? Watch out for my flowers! Oooh, did he just dig a hole in my yard? Okay, and the dog poop...I'm a dog person, but with small children, small yard, city living, it's not ideal for a dog...so I appreciate that I have a nice yard on a corner lot with nice grass and no dog poop so the girls and I can play outside with no shoes...but wait, what's that smell? Eeeewww! All of our neighbors have dogs, most of which also have fenced yards, but let them out with no leash...so we get the stinky piles in our yard. Look where you're going, and for Pete's sake, make sure you're wearing some shoes! Oh, and the brush pile. First our passive aggressive neighbor does some yard grooming and piles the brush in front of our house. Then says, hey, if you want to, you can add whatever brush you may have to my pile so the city can make just one pick-up. Oh, and while you're at it, why don't you call the city so they can come get it. What?! Breathe..Breathe...Breathe...I'm not a confrontational person so my tongue I do bite. He said he called the city already. But wait, he evidently invites other neighbors to add to the pile as well. So now the pile is taller than me, at least 15 feet in length, and not only in the street in front of my house but also on my lawn. So I catch see the hired hand of the neighbor across the street adding to the mountain that is in my yard and I actually confront him, in a kind and gentle voice, of course. He said he's just doing what he's told, but that the city had been called to pick it up. Okay, but seriously, those are like small trees in the pile, not branches. No, I didn't say that out loud. So, 0f course, I called Tim at work to vent. I have to get it out of my system....aaahhhh, that's better. Now, thinking back, me venting to him probably didn't help with his stress level. But, he always knows exactly what to say :o) So I call the city and they say it'll be picked up the next day. That'll be the day! So Saturday morning I hear the big truck coming down our street. It had driven by the pile several times in the past week but never stopped because the trees branches were too long. But, this time they stopped! They came when they said they would and they removed the mountain of brush! Yippeee! So, am I wrong? I mean, since I stay at home with my girls I try to keep the yard looking nice. It's hard work, especially in this heat. Am I wrong for wanting people to respect my property?

8 comments:

Erin said...

Ok I hate to be so blunt- but your neighbor is just plain weird! Why would he pile it up in your yard? And the dog poop? If I was feeling fisty enough I just might get a shovel and return it to it's proper owner.

You are just way too nice!!

Anonymous said...

I'm happy for you. Yeah! the pile of neighbor's cuttings are gone !!Way to go Lynchburg garbage service!! I cannot believe the way some people do!

I visited the Crafty Crow today. It has many great things there. I had to see how to make that Ice Cream. I think your Big Gramma will enjoy trying this. Hopefully she won't break her booty when she is shaking it!! Ha Ha.Love Ya.

Anonymous said...

This is a very funny post! I can totally relate and find myself turning into 'that lady' quite a bit. Scary! :)

Anonymous said...

I hear ya! I live in the country so we get all sorts of stray dog traffic.
I often wonder tho when I come back into my home huffing and puffing-- have I become a persnickety adult? :o}

angela said...

Thanks so much for all the comments. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who has felt this way. I am really trying to NOT be that lady. In my mind though, it's just a matter of respect and it's shocking to me when grown-ups don't show respect or teach their children respect.

Rebekah said...

I'm with Erin - I'd be out there returning his stuff to his yard!!! That is just plain & simple rudeness to put it in your yard.

As far as dog poop goes, our city has a rule about picking up after your dog on a walk, and if people don't do it, they can be fined. This works best when the offended yard owner gets pictures of the dog & owner in the act, and can identify who they are/where they live.

angela said...

Okay, as far as returning the dog poop...well, this particular neighbor, although outwardly nice, is very passive aggressive and has had issues of the same nature with the person that lives on the other side of him. I think he likes to see how much he can get away with before being confronted. That's all fine and good, but since I stay at home with my girls AND he isn't always working, it's just better for us if I keep my mouth shut and my shoes on!

Jamie {See Jamie blog} said...

One of my cousins has horses. She has SO many people let their dogs poop on the manicured part of their yard, and she says what she rally wants to do is follow them home and leave some horse poop in their yard! And we have neighbor kids that walk thru our yard every day to catch the bus; I wouldn't really mind except they have NEVER once asked, even when we're out in the yard! And they ride bikes through our yard, too, and that irks me! Glad I'm not the only one!