This is a picture of where three backyards meet: ours, the next door neighbors', and the neighbor's around the corner. About a year or so ago, we had a large maple tree cut down. It stood to the left of the lopsided tree in the picture (as you're looking at the picture). The cut tree had a v-shaped trunk and cracks were forming in the v part. We figured we'd have it taken down in case the cracks were problematic for the tree's stability.
That left the funny looking tree in the picture. I guess the cut tree really hindered this tree's growth because this one's underdeveloped on one side. AFAWK, though, this tree is healthy; just funny looking. We decided to see if this tree would fill out on the one side now that the other tree was gone.
Anyway, all this to say that, a coupla weeks ago, a limb from this tree fell on the garage of the neighbor, Joanne, around the corner. She was away on vacation; we didn't even notice it. I guess it fell off during a storm. This tree appears to straddle the property line between our and the next door neighbors' (Rich and Susan) property. She went to the next door neighbors' house (I don't know if she thought it was their tree or if we weren't home or what) and, from what I understand, told them about the limb falling on her garage and what were they going to do about it. Well, we all called our insurance peeps and they all said her insurance should cover it.
Our next door neighbors called yesterday to see if we'd received a letter from the other neighbor to the effect that the tree should come down. I missed the mailman, but he did leave a thingy to go to the p.o. and pick up a certified letter. I'm guessing that's our copy of the letter. I imagine her insurance person or lawyer told her that if she communicated her concern about the tree to us, that we would be considered 'on notice' that the tree might still be a hazard. By this time, we had pretty much decided we would take this tree down, anyway, even if it's not a hazard. I am miffed, however, that this chick couldn't have just walked around the corner or into our backyard to talk to us about this. I mean, would it have killed her to do so? And if, for some odd reason, we balked at taking down the tree, she could have sent her letter.
I feel a rant coming on.
Ya know, some people just don't know how to be neighbors. When this chick moved in a coupla years ago, we went over to introduce ourselves, welcome her to the neighborhood, leave our names and phone number if we could ever help her, etc. I even brought over fresh baked, homemade cookies! What a waste of perfectly delicious cookies. Since then, she's been invited to neighborhood things, our parties, etc. She's never attended, which isn't a big deal, but she's never even bothered to rsvp, which I find very annoying. How hard is it to phone in an rsvp? I don't care if she never came to anything; several declinations on her part would have politely stopped the invites. The invites have certainly stopped by now, but I would think better of her if she'd just rsvp'd like a normal person.
There's another Joanne that lives across the street. She's more of a character. She once left/mailed (I forget which) a note for the old next door neighbors. Those guys were travelling Easter Sunday, leaving in the early afternoon, and would be gone for a coupla days. Now, Monday is garbage day. You can put your stuff out by the curb 6 pm or later on Sunday night. Well, these guys were leaving before 6 pm and would be gone for a night or two, so they put their garbage out a few hours early. So this Joanne lives right across from us and diagonally across from these neighbors. She leaves/mails them a note about how they shouldn't put their garbage out before 6 pm, especially on Easter Sunday. WTF? These neighbors happen to celebrate Easter, but what's Easter got to do with putting out the garbage? I'm unsure whether or not she signed the note; I think the neighbors wondered for a long time who wrote it.
Another time, the old neighbors on the other side were selling their house. It was winter. They plowed and shoveled their property. Wanting to maintain curb appeal, they pushed the snow across the street...right in front of Joanne's house! Again, she rarely uses this space. And she has a double lot, so there's a fair amount of open street space in front of her property. Well, she called up these neighbors and told them to move their snow back to their side of the street.
Oy. Ya know, if I even noticed that the old neighbors put their snow in front of our house, i.e., lumped in with our snow, I would've guessed there was a reason for it and thought no more about it. Annnnnd, Joanne has since been getting her drive plowed during the winter and where do you think the plow guy puts the snow? In front of our house. Do I care? No. Should I care? No.
I once got a note. I usually park in the driveway or on the street in front of the house. Joanne never parks in front of her house. Rarely - as in a few times per year - a relative or friend of hers parks in front of her house. Occasionally, I'd park in front of her house, especially if I was facing that way when I came home, if I were going out again soon, etc. She left a note on my windshield about how she doesn't know how to say this, but would I please not park in front of her house because she's hesitant about mowing the grass by the curb when my car is there, the street cleaner will miss that spot if my car is there, etc. She did sign this note, though. I thought that was a pretty stupid request...I mean, it's freakin' public property. But I pretty much went along with her request, only occasionally parking there and for very short periods of time.
One time, I parked there on a Thursday afternoon, fulling intending to go back out shortly. I had been feeling like I was coming down with something and it worsened while I was home at this time. I ended up with the flu and home until Sunday. So my car was in the verboten spot all that time! When I went to go somewhere in my car on Sunday, my driver's side mirror was smashed! Now, I'm not making any accusations here, but I will say the situation was rather uncanny.
Edited to add: I feel I should mention that the majority of our neighbors have been and are very good neighbors.
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