I have a new phone number label in my cell phone

It's Stupid Neighbor.  I was going to name it something else, but I have enough entries under B already.

The saga began a few months ago, and you can read my wife's take on it here, while my view is here.

Two weeks ago, on a beautiful 70 degree day, at 6:30 PM, the cops showed up again.  Our wonderful neighbors called them out, again.  As I went to bring the dogs inside, I could see her out in their backyard.  She appeared to be antagonizing the dogs so they would be barking while the cops drove by.

This time, it turns out, they were having a party at their house and didn't want to be disturbed.  Of course they told the cops it was barking, but truth is only a minor detail - so easily overlooked.  We could have called the police back out due to the screaming and yelling as 40 year-old idiots did cannonballs into their 2.5 foot above ground pool, but decided not to.

I think this is what their pool might look like.

The cop also asked me not to go down there and say anything as the last time I did, she called them back and chewed them out.  She thought the officer told me who had called them.  Lovely woman.  I did him the favor of not going down there, and asked him to do me a favor and just call me next time to save a trip for himself.  He couldn't do that, so I wished him well, until next time.

This time, all I did was leave a note on their car, asking them to stop wasting the cops time and just call me if they had an issue.  I said it nicer than that, but it was the same message.

Today, she called me.  At NOON!  Our dogs have been outside for three hours, barking non-stop - according to her.  Actually, they have been outside most of the morning, but only started barking once the neighbors were out mowing their yard.

Apparently,

"We live in a very nice neighborhood and shouldn't have to put up with this.  All the neighbors are fed up with it.  Nobody else leaves their dogs out for three hours.  I can understand an hour, but not three."

I called Julia and she was in the middle of lunch with the the girls.  I called the neighbor back, informed her the problem would be taken care of and asked if she could give my wife ten minutes or so to finish the meal.  She said okay.  I also informed her the neighbors were outside mowing, which was causing the issue.  Their dog was also outside barking.  She said she knew they were out there.  I asked if she wanted me to call them and have their dog taken inside, and she said no.  I apologized again, thanked her for the call, and said we'd try to limit their time outside to smaller chunks.

I didn't mean any of it, but I thought it could do no harm to try and make her feel heard.  Turn the other cheek, smother it with love, or whatever you want to call it.  Maybe this will help the situation.  Maybe not. 

Giving them two cheeks is not the same as turning the other cheek.

With any luck, we'll be moving soon and this will all be behind us.

In the next post, I'm going to vent a bit.  I'll take her statements and lay out my case as to why she is wrong.  Should be a lot of fun.  At the very least, it will be therapeutic.