Neighbors

xoxoxoBruce · 11-26-2006, 04:20 PM

I was driving along a country road in Monson, MA. There were 6 or 8 McMansions on either side of the road, fairly new, pretty expensive.
Then there was a small mid-1800s cemetery on the left with an open field on the right, followed by this scene.

Obviously this guy is not a happy camper and his house is a little older but that doesn't mean he was there first. He could have bought it after the newer houses were built. It remains a puzzle.

A couple people on this board have mentioned having neighbor problems before. Do you get along with your neighbors? Peacefully coexist or friends?

Clodfobble · 11-26-2006, 04:38 PM

We've always gotten along with our neighbors, but don't interact a whole ton. Though we own our home, the neighborhood is about 50/50 renters and owners, and the renters usually leave after a one-year lease.

Funny thing though, every single neighbor that came by to say hello while we were moving in had the same conversation-starter: how happy they were that the crazy old lady had finally left the neighborhood.

Before we were married, my husband and his two roommates used to have an older male neighbor who would mow their lawn for them every two weeks uninvited, and the only thing he ever asked in return was that they and their friends not park in front of his house. He was a nice guy, I always made sure everyone remembered the parking rule.

Undertoad · 11-26-2006, 05:00 PM

People across the street: good earnest folk, dude is ex-Navy, wife is too highly strung, we get on well.

People to the right: nice introductions, the woman broke down in tears at us on the day we moved in because she was losing her best neighbor. She got divorced months after I did and I became less anti-social and we are now more friendly. No not in that way.

People to the left: pretty much keep to themselves, professional family, but they appear not to outright dislike me. They didn't know for six months when Bean died and I think it would take about that long for them to realize if I died, as long as someone cut the grass.

People behind: woman seems half-decent, first time I went to introduce myself to the guy he gave a gruff grunt and turned away. I suspect they don't like it that my dog can poo wherever in the back yard and I don't clean it up. Hey, the poos are tiny, and I don't let her in their yard...

Aliantha · 11-26-2006, 05:25 PM

We've moved to a new neighbourhood recently as most of you probably know and the neighbours seem pretty good. We've met most of them and they've been pretty welcoming.

We've only had one run in and that was between the kids on the street and was sorted out fairly quickly.

The lady next door lives there with her teenage daughter. They seem to go between loving each other to death and hating each others guts. Sometimes they fight a lot. The ones across the street and down one have had the cops over there on about 4 occasions because they've been belting the shit out of each other. The ones on the other side of us just recently cleaned out the garage and gave my boys each a bike which they're very happy with, although they already had perfectly good bikes. Two doors down the other way there''s a bunch of islanders who sometimes have rowdy afternoon early evening parties, but the music is worth the disturbance. Across the road and to the left there are three old timer residences and they're all very quiet and enjoy mowing their lawns every other day...even though it doesn't rain and the grass doesn't grow.

I think we've got pretty good neighbours. I hope they all think the same of us.

footfootfoot · 11-26-2006, 06:53 PM

XOB, you sob, you were in Monson and didn't pay us a call? you were only an hour away!

neighbors to the left, neighbors to the right, into the valley of death rode the six hundred...

I'm cool with all my neighbors, a couple of whom we have an open door policy. i.e. out of butter? just walk into the house and open the fridge. Other neighbor, who have psychological problems which manifest as them thinking I want their dog's shit on my lawn, we have a cool detent at best.

glatt · 11-26-2006, 07:44 PM

Family next door are good neighbors. We aren't close friends, but their daughters babysit for us. We watch out for each other. Twice when they've been on vacation, I've had to go over to their house and fix big stuff that's been broken. (We have each other's keys.) Once, it was a flooded basement when all the basements in the area were flooding, and the other time the house sitter came over for help when a kitchen circuit shorted. We built a wooden fence on our common property line together, to keep in their dogs and give us each a little privacy, but it's only 5 feet tall, so we can talk over it. Only thing that bugs me about them is that one of their three dogs barks at me whenever I'm in my own back yard. But that's not a big deal.

On the other side are a couple of kooky old sisters, and their best friend (male) moved in across the street. They are nice enough people, but we don't interact too much. The guy across the street is a bit of a junk hound hoarder, his house is packed and it's now spilling out into the side yard and front porch. He recently had a junk car (not even a nice project car, a real POS) towed into his driveway. It just sits there. Nobody ever works on it. He bugs me a little. I miss the folks who lived there before.

Next to him is a quiet single guy. Works in IT. Is never home. Tore down the little old house that was on the lot and built a McMansion. Drives a few different (company?) cars. Mercedes, Porche, Range Rover, etc. Different car every week. I've spoken to him maybe three times. Probably said a dozen words total to him in the last three years. Nice enough guy, but our paths never cross. He recently has had a lady visitor stay over a lot, which is good for him. He looked lonely before in that HUGE house all by himself.

Renters across the street next to the junk guy. The landlord does a good job keeping the place filled with decent young folks. Worst complaint I have is that there are a lot of cars on the street. Not bad at all. But don't know the current batch.

Behind us are other renters. It's vacant now. Guy's asking $3200 a month, which is insane even for this overpriced area.

Pretty good neighborhood overall. We shut the street down once a year for a block party. Lots of kids around here. Not close friends with the immediate neighbors, but lots of friends in the neighborhood.

Aliantha · 11-26-2006, 07:54 PM

At our old house the neighbours dogs used to bark at us when we went in the yard, so I started hosing them each time they did it. They soon learned their lesson.

The neighbours knew I was hosing their dogs. They understood the purpose.

CaliforniaMama · 11-26-2006, 07:56 PM

This is my #1 complaint in this town -- but not because of "bad" neighbors, they just aren't friendly.

We've been here 5 years, we've had yard sales, have hosted two block parties (annual Night Out that is nation wide, police and fire depts come by) and still have only a nodding acquaintance with the people who live closest to us. The people we know the best are 10 houses away or so.

No one welcomed us to the neighborhood and when we had the first yard sale, it was all about how we don't keep the yard as neat as the last people. Yeah, well they were retired and we have 3 young kids! It's a tad more difficult for us than it was for them.

One of our dumpier neighbors just moved out and the house finally sold. We took the iniative and introduced ourselves, but I doubt anyone else in the neighborhood will. For one thing, we seem to have too many language barriers in our neighborhood.

People seem to really congregate based on ethnicity and don't seem too willing to go outside that circle. Too bad, really, because there are so few of us with same age children. It would be nice if our kids could play together.

Not like when I was growing up and the whole neighborhood watched out for all of us kids . . .

So far, though, no problems. Fingers crossed!!

zippyt · 11-26-2006, 08:12 PM

The neighbours knew I was hosing their dogs

HE HE she said HOSING !!!!!

Aliantha · 11-26-2006, 08:13 PM

What else could I say? Is there another word to describe wetting someone's dogs with water from the garden hose?

zippyt · 11-26-2006, 08:18 PM

wetting someone's dogs!!??!!??

sorry its a Bevis and Butthead thing !!!!

Aliantha · 11-26-2006, 08:19 PM

Not a program I ever watch.

zippyt · 11-26-2006, 08:26 PM

Sorry Ali , I couldn't resist !!!!
Neighbors , well I have had good ones and bad ones , the worst I ran back over the fence we shared with a shot gun , the beter ones I apprecheate and help when I can , we have some pretty good neihbors right now but the house behind us has changed hands 4-5 times in the 10 years we have lived here , nice folks liveing there now

Hoof Hearted · 11-26-2006, 08:28 PM

We moved to Georgia about 5 years ago from the West Coast and we LOVE it! The people are friendly.

In CA when we first married, we became friendly with the landlord's brother who lived next door. The landlord and Owen were our ONLY neighbors for several miles in any direction (farmland). Owen was about 85 years old. Every summer I would help him pick watermelons. The year we moved to Washington state, I flew down to help him pick watermelons that summer. We had three days and went into the fields 4 times. I carried about 30-35 melons that averaged 35# each time for a total of approx. 140 melons totalling approx. 4500 +/- pounds! Owen liked to give them away to people he knew. He gave me 10, which I then gave to friends I had known and was visiting while there, and I took about 5 to my Mother's house for her to give away!

Our neighbors here in Georgia are very diverse, but no children. Some have professional careers, most are blue collar workers and some are retired. There is only ONE house in the neighborhood no one is friendly with, he is an older alcoholic and lets druggie people (relatives?) stay and deal from his home. There have been many 'busts' at that house, including a man who walked into our garage and stole our weedeater (prob. to pawn for drug $). Theft to arrest in under 45 minutes, it was like an episode of "Cops".

We have house keys exchanged with several of our neighbors and Hubby fixed one neighbor's burst water pipe one freezing morning a few years ago. We sometimes have the neighbors over for summmer BBQs. Everyone is relaxed and comfortable with each other.

xoxoxoBruce · 11-26-2006, 09:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

XOB, you sob, you were in Monson and didn't pay us a call? you were only an hour away!

Where were you? I don't remember you asking permission to leave NY?

I went to Monson to check out Echo Hill Orchards. When I was a kid they could make a living from apples, but times change, so they have a DoDad gift shop with candles, baskets, seasonal stuff, jams, pumpkin butter and the like.

Actually I went to check out their line of fruit based wines. Nine different varieties, white and red, plus hard cider.
The corks are like a vinyl sleeve filled with high density foam. No way I could get it back in the bottle.

11-26-2006, 05:25 PM	#4
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	We've moved to a new neighbourhood recently as most of you probably know and the neighbours seem pretty good. We've met most of them and they've been pretty welcoming. We've only had one run in and that was between the kids on the street and was sorted out fairly quickly. The lady next door lives there with her teenage daughter. They seem to go between loving each other to death and hating each others guts. Sometimes they fight a lot. The ones across the street and down one have had the cops over there on about 4 occasions because they've been belting the shit out of each other. The ones on the other side of us just recently cleaned out the garage and gave my boys each a bike which they're very happy with, although they already had perfectly good bikes. Two doors down the other way there''s a bunch of islanders who sometimes have rowdy afternoon early evening parties, but the music is worth the disturbance. Across the road and to the left there are three old timer residences and they're all very quiet and enjoy mowing their lawns every other day...even though it doesn't rain and the grass doesn't grow. I think we've got pretty good neighbours. I hope they all think the same of us. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-26-2006, 06:53 PM	#5
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	XOB, you sob, you were in Monson and didn't pay us a call? you were only an hour away! neighbors to the left, neighbors to the right, into the valley of death rode the six hundred... I'm cool with all my neighbors, a couple of whom we have an open door policy. i.e. out of butter? just walk into the house and open the fridge. Other neighbor, who have psychological problems which manifest as them thinking I want their dog's shit on my lawn, we have a cool detent at best. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

11-26-2006, 07:54 PM	#7
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	At our old house the neighbours dogs used to bark at us when we went in the yard, so I started hosing them each time they did it. They soon learned their lesson. The neighbours knew I was hosing their dogs. They understood the purpose. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-26-2006, 07:56 PM	#8
CaliforniaMama I wonder . . . Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The Left Coast, a pretty good place to be. Posts: 1,278	This is my #1 complaint in this town -- but not because of "bad" neighbors, they just aren't friendly. We've been here 5 years, we've had yard sales, have hosted two block parties (annual Night Out that is nation wide, police and fire depts come by) and still have only a nodding acquaintance with the people who live closest to us. The people we know the best are 10 houses away or so. No one welcomed us to the neighborhood and when we had the first yard sale, it was all about how we don't keep the yard as neat as the last people. Yeah, well they were retired and we have 3 young kids! It's a tad more difficult for us than it was for them. One of our dumpier neighbors just moved out and the house finally sold. We took the iniative and introduced ourselves, but I doubt anyone else in the neighborhood will. For one thing, we seem to have too many language barriers in our neighborhood. People seem to really congregate based on ethnicity and don't seem too willing to go outside that circle. Too bad, really, because there are so few of us with same age children. It would be nice if our kids could play together. Not like when I was growing up and the whole neighborhood watched out for all of us kids . . . So far, though, no problems. Fingers crossed!! __________________ Take time for silence. You never know what you might hear.

11-26-2006, 08:12 PM	#9
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	The neighbours knew I was hosing their dogs HE HE she said HOSING !!!!! __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

11-26-2006, 04:20 PM	#1
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Neighbors I was driving along a country road in Monson, MA. There were 6 or 8 McMansions on either side of the road, fairly new, pretty expensive. Then there was a small mid-1800s cemetery on the left with an open field on the right, followed by this scene. Obviously this guy is not a happy camper and his house is a little older but that doesn't mean he was there first. He could have bought it after the newer houses were built. It remains a puzzle. A couple people on this board have mentioned having neighbor problems before. Do you get along with your neighbors? Peacefully coexist or friends? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump. Last edited by xoxoxoBruce; 04-07-2007 at 05:49 PM.

11-26-2006, 04:38 PM	#2
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	We've always gotten along with our neighbors, but don't interact a whole ton. Though we own our home, the neighborhood is about 50/50 renters and owners, and the renters usually leave after a one-year lease. Funny thing though, every single neighbor that came by to say hello while we were moving in had the same conversation-starter: how happy they were that the crazy old lady had finally left the neighborhood. Before we were married, my husband and his two roommates used to have an older male neighbor who would mow their lawn for them every two weeks uninvited, and the only thing he ever asked in return was that they and their friends not park in front of his house. He was a nice guy, I always made sure everyone remembered the parking rule.

11-26-2006, 05:00 PM	#3
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	People across the street: good earnest folk, dude is ex-Navy, wife is too highly strung, we get on well. People to the right: nice introductions, the woman broke down in tears at us on the day we moved in because she was losing her best neighbor. She got divorced months after I did and I became less anti-social and we are now more friendly. No not in that way. People to the left: pretty much keep to themselves, professional family, but they appear not to outright dislike me. They didn't know for six months when Bean died and I think it would take about that long for them to realize if I died, as long as someone cut the grass. People behind: woman seems half-decent, first time I went to introduce myself to the guy he gave a gruff grunt and turned away. I suspect they don't like it that my dog can poo wherever in the back yard and I don't clean it up. Hey, the poos are tiny, and I don't let her in their yard...

11-26-2006, 07:44 PM	#6
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Family next door are good neighbors. We aren't close friends, but their daughters babysit for us. We watch out for each other. Twice when they've been on vacation, I've had to go over to their house and fix big stuff that's been broken. (We have each other's keys.) Once, it was a flooded basement when all the basements in the area were flooding, and the other time the house sitter came over for help when a kitchen circuit shorted. We built a wooden fence on our common property line together, to keep in their dogs and give us each a little privacy, but it's only 5 feet tall, so we can talk over it. Only thing that bugs me about them is that one of their three dogs barks at me whenever I'm in my own back yard. But that's not a big deal. On the other side are a couple of kooky old sisters, and their best friend (male) moved in across the street. They are nice enough people, but we don't interact too much. The guy across the street is a bit of a junk hound hoarder, his house is packed and it's now spilling out into the side yard and front porch. He recently had a junk car (not even a nice project car, a real POS) towed into his driveway. It just sits there. Nobody ever works on it. He bugs me a little. I miss the folks who lived there before. Next to him is a quiet single guy. Works in IT. Is never home. Tore down the little old house that was on the lot and built a McMansion. Drives a few different (company?) cars. Mercedes, Porche, Range Rover, etc. Different car every week. I've spoken to him maybe three times. Probably said a dozen words total to him in the last three years. Nice enough guy, but our paths never cross. He recently has had a lady visitor stay over a lot, which is good for him. He looked lonely before in that HUGE house all by himself. Renters across the street next to the junk guy. The landlord does a good job keeping the place filled with decent young folks. Worst complaint I have is that there are a lot of cars on the street. Not bad at all. But don't know the current batch. Behind us are other renters. It's vacant now. Guy's asking $3200 a month, which is insane even for this overpriced area. Pretty good neighborhood overall. We shut the street down once a year for a block party. Lots of kids around here. Not close friends with the immediate neighbors, but lots of friends in the neighborhood.

11-26-2006, 08:13 PM	#10
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	What else could I say? Is there another word to describe wetting someone's dogs with water from the garden hose? __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-26-2006, 08:18 PM	#11
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	wetting someone's dogs!!??!!?? sorry its a Bevis and Butthead thing !!!! __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

11-26-2006, 08:19 PM	#12
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Not a program I ever watch. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

11-26-2006, 08:26 PM	#13
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	Sorry Ali , I couldn't resist !!!! Neighbors , well I have had good ones and bad ones , the worst I ran back over the fence we shared with a shot gun , the beter ones I apprecheate and help when I can , we have some pretty good neihbors right now but the house behind us has changed hands 4-5 times in the 10 years we have lived here , nice folks liveing there now __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

11-26-2006, 08:28 PM	#14
Hoof Hearted ...you smell something? Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Monroe, GA Posts: 420	We moved to Georgia about 5 years ago from the West Coast and we LOVE it! The people are friendly. In CA when we first married, we became friendly with the landlord's brother who lived next door. The landlord and Owen were our ONLY neighbors for several miles in any direction (farmland). Owen was about 85 years old. Every summer I would help him pick watermelons. The year we moved to Washington state, I flew down to help him pick watermelons that summer. We had three days and went into the fields 4 times. I carried about 30-35 melons that averaged 35# each time for a total of approx. 140 melons totalling approx. 4500 +/- pounds! Owen liked to give them away to people he knew. He gave me 10, which I then gave to friends I had known and was visiting while there, and I took about 5 to my Mother's house for her to give away! Our neighbors here in Georgia are very diverse, but no children. Some have professional careers, most are blue collar workers and some are retired. There is only ONE house in the neighborhood no one is friendly with, he is an older alcoholic and lets druggie people (relatives?) stay and deal from his home. There have been many 'busts' at that house, including a man who walked into our garage and stole our weedeater (prob. to pawn for drug $). Theft to arrest in under 45 minutes, it was like an episode of "Cops". We have house keys exchanged with several of our neighbors and Hubby fixed one neighbor's burst water pipe one freezing morning a few years ago. We sometimes have the neighbors over for summmer BBQs. Everyone is relaxed and comfortable with each other. __________________ I have the ability of single-minded determination and focu...Hey, look! A horse!

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