If we ever used profanity my mom (the teacher) rather than scold would sit us down and say 'lets try to think of a better adjective than the one you just used'. Well I can think of no better adjective to fit my neighbours than F**ing A*holes. After reading this perhaps you can suggest some for me. It would make my mother happy.
On the 24th of May 2010 I posted a diary regarding the damage a neighbour was doing to my property. The neighbour his still there, the damage has escalated. For background, here is the link to my original diary: http://www.dailykos.com/...
Don't talk to me of Christianity because living next to me is a couple who claim to be Christians and get up every Sunday morning and trot off to church to prove it to the world. The remaining 6 days of the week they are liars, trespassers, murders of plants and trees, bigots and racists. (Mary heard that there was a chance I would be moving and approached me one day to ask that I not sell my house to any blacks, orientals or fags because those fags down the street have put a blight on the neighbourhood).
I live on a beautiful little treelined street that leads down to Lake Ontario. I purchased my home in 1994. It is a well established neighbourhood where everyone chats to one another and helps out in a pinch, impromptu street gatherings and shared plants when they became overgrown and needed to be divided up. Within months of my purchase the house beside me went up for sale and was bought by a couple of fuddy duddies. When we decided to erect a fence, I did not really trust him so I paid to have a survey of the property line done to circumvent any future conflict. We both agreed the survey was correct, even had the surveyor mark the property line from front to back with fluorescent spray paint. The contractor arrived several days later, erected the fence and the neighbour and I each paid 50% of the cost.
About three years later the fuddy duddies moved and the house was resold. Lo and behold the people that purchased the house were the parents of two sons that had gone to high school with my two sons. Since moving in they have planted a very traditional English garden with boxwoods and frilly flowers and spend most of their day in the picture perfect little back garden. I have even been told to stop cutting my lawn or playing music if they were entertaining in their Garden. Other than a few brief instructions such as these, things went well until the following summer. About that time I noticed that all the vines I had planted about 5 years prior (and had always been healthy) started to wither and die. Not suspecting anyone or anything, I mentioned the dying vines to Joe thinking maybe we had insects or something. Bold as you please he told me that he was getting rid of them because he did not like them on HIS fence. I said nothing and walked away with a gaping mouth. Keep the peace I told myself
The next incident was my trees. I had three maple trees that had rooted themselves and I had nurtured them along from teeny tiny sprouts. As soon as they were four or five feet high, still not peeking above the wooden fence, both Joe and Mary complained that they were not real trees, just weeds and I should rip them out. I just laughed and bushed off the comments as 'silly' not thinking that anyone really thought a maple tree was a weed. My bad. I came home one Sunday evening and went out to check on my beloved trees only to find that the crowns had been cut off from all three. I was horrified but said nothing to the neighbour. The following summer, expecting only denial, I asked Joe why he cut the tops of my trees. To my horror, and proud as a peacock, he puffed out his chest and said because they are only weeds and I don't like them. Again, wanting to keep civil because I have to live here, I walked away in complete shock. That was three years ago.
Joe was far from done with me.
I travel a great deal for work and am away from home sometimes for months at a time (I have a neighbour who is retied and loves gardening so is more than pleased to take care of things in my absence). My sons have been encouraging me over the years to plant native plants and avoid all pesticides - I am now pesticide free. Going with the native theme, the side of my lot that buts the fence between Joe and I, I had spent a lot of money on ferns, stag-horn sumac (the non-invasive type), lilly-of-the-valley and trilliums. One day I noticed that the leaves on my trees were dying as were some of the plantings around them. I though, again, maybe I had grubs or insects of some type. I was leaving for another assignment but mentioned it to the gentleman that tends my gardens. The following summer, the trees bud and leaf but some of the ground plantings did not. About mid July all the leaves on the trees died and the remainder of the plantings. Call me stupid, but it was now beginning to dawn on me that perhaps this was not connected to Mother Nature and probably more to do with Joe and Mary. Again, I kept my lips zipped.
There have been too many other mean and vindictive things this couple have done to go into more detail without boring you or writing a novel so lets just fast forward to this week. Joe approached me and said that he really liked the garden building I had and that he was going to put one in as well. I said fine, wondering why he thought I would care what he did on his property. Joe then proceeded to tell me that the fence was not on the property line but was actually 26" on his property and that he was going to take down the back two panels of the fence to accommodate his shed. At this point I could no longer contain the anger and contempt I felt for this man. I told him, nicely, that he could do whatever he wanted on his property but that the fence stayed. To be sure I was on safe footing, I called the city by-law officer. What I heard sent cold chills through my whole body. If a fence is built 'on the property line', regardless of who paid for it, either party has the right to dismantle it without the permission of the other party. After I hung up the phone I had to fight for breath. About an hour later it dawned on me, if he can dismantle the fence, so can I. Bring it on Joe.
Yesterday I was out puttering about and pulling weeds when Joe came into his back yard. In a very friendly voice I said, hey Joe about the fence. He came over and I told him that I had called the city and that yes he had every right to dismantle the back two portions of the fence and erect his shed. He got the biggest smile and puffed out his chest. Before he had a chance to respond I said, and I have the right to dismantle the rest - so Joe, how will you feel if you come home some day and find that we have full view of each other's back yard and what is going on therein. I swear, the man's eyes flew open, his mouth dropped and the veins in his neck looked like they were about to burst. Four years of my pent-up frustration gone in a flash but I kept a straight face.
But Joe does not quit. This morning he came over to my driveway as I was leaving and informed me that when he purchased the house, there was a stipulation in writing that the previous owner had paid !00% of the cost of the survey and the fence. Furthermore, he stated that the previous owner had the fence build 26" into his own property. Now unfortunately for Joe, the previous owner has died and I have receipts showing I paid for the survey and 50% of the cost of the fence. I reached into my purse and pulled out the business card of a friend, who it just so happens is a lawyer. I handed it to Joe and said with a smile, gather up all you documentations and have your lawyer contact this person. Joe just stood there stunned. I know things are extremely tight financially for them (one day Mary must have had a lapse in judgement and thought I was her friend and told me how strapped they were) and a lawyer is the last thing they can afford. I said Have a Nice Day Joe and drove off.
My big concern now is that I have just spent over $500 to replace all the plants and I just know this man will feel very justified in getting revenge and it will not be in the form of anything legal. How do I leave my home for even a couple of hours without worrying about damage of some sort?
PS - Have a great weekend