What's up on my side of the fence?

I think it's a shame that people can't just live in a community, mind their own business on a day to day basis, keeping a general eye out for the unusual, but leaving the people living around them to live their lives in relative peace.  Why some people feel the need to leap from their comfy chair to peer out the window every time a door opens, or a car pulls into an adjoining driveway, I have no idea.  Personally I  have a lot more going on in my world than time allows already, let alone keeping track of every entrance, exit and visitor to my neighbors. Who has the time?  Don't they have cleaning to do or kids to watch?  

When these neighbors also create drama, actively vandalize other neighbors property, verbally abuse members of their household and fail to follow basic ordinances, it makes life near them ....interesting.  We have endured visitors from almost every agency in the phone book for a multitude of reasons, none of which were valid, if not made up entirely or staged by them.  Cars, property, children and pets have all been victim to some obviously incredibly bored and joyless individuals. Oil mysteriously appearing in the driveway, threats to children, false accusations to the law, damage to vehicles, the list some days seems endless. Some days we can laugh at how pathetic it is that adults would behave this way, and other days we want to sit around a campfire in the driveway and burn sage and chant to ward off the evil that drifts over the property line.  OK so we actually did the last one night lol, it resulted in the fire department showing up ( the neighbors seemed concerned that our chiminea, surrounded by adults with a bucket of water standing by, would burn down the block...)

A privacy fence erected by the neighbors to "ease neighbor relations" may have worked, if the neighbors did not parade back and forth on their remaining 22" of property on my side of the fence, or peer from their upstairs windows over the fence.  A privacy fence placed between 2 houses (conveniently labeled on my side as "Private", in case I didn't understand...) should afford BOTH parties privacy.  Ironically we never cared what they did over there anyway as long as we didn't hear them abusing anyone, or see them creating traffic hazards. It does seem unfair that while they achieved a level or privacy, we did not. We could erect our own fence, but it wouldn't keep them from looking over it, and I can find many better ways to spend my money.  Not to mention that it would truly be a 'spite fence' in every sense of the term, and again, we will not stoop to that level, I have a bad back and probably could not get up if I went that low.

It is hard to teach my kids that it is better to be the bigger person, to let this all roll off our backs and that eventually, they will either tire of being the neighborhood bullies and find a hobby to fill their days or the law will put a stop to their tax dollar wasting nonsense when it has continued as long as this has.  We have had numerous discussions that Karma is a bitch with a very busy schedule and she just can't be rushed.  We continue to be patient.  We have been blamed for the law gracing their doorstep on numerous occasions, in spite of the fact that only 1 time was a phone call made from here (which can be verified by 911 if anyone cared to check) and I was not even home at the time.  My son heard the father verbally abusing his teen daughter and became frightened.  I explained when he called me, crying, that since I was not home to hear what was going on, I could not call 911, but his older sister was home, he should alert her and she would have to make the decision to call or not.  The verbal abuse continued and 911 was called.  Ultimately we don't care what the outcome is, it is up to the law to determine the consequences if any. There was no intent of trying to 'hurt' them or to pay them back.  I guess my point is that when children recognize abuse happening to another child and want to help, or are frightened by it, someone should listen.  We knew if a call was made their would be consequences, and I am sure there will be, but my kids made the right choice anyway.  We will not sink to their level, and make nuisance calls to the authorities, we will not vandalize their property, we will not lie about their behavior, we will continue to do the right thing and wait for Karma to clear her schedule.  I only hope when she has an opening she has precise aim because we live very close and their should be a heap of consequence laid on them considering how miserable they have made all their surrounding neighbors over the years. 

Enough back story and onto today......

So I am out in my driveway sweeping all the gravel off the blacktop (and the catshit and catyak from the neighbors cats) so I can flush it with a mix of hot water and white vinegar and they feel it is necessary to not only watch, but to take pictures of the gravel on their "area". (exactly WHO is it that can't mind their own business??) btw I didn't sweep gravel thier direction, in fear of causing a problem...I swept it the long way across...I hope they enjoyed the show, it was raining and in spite of the fact that I did it today so it would be as cool as possible while cleaning out my laundry room and the driveway...I was a sweaty mess, and as belatedly realized...braless.  Let's hope those pics they took don't end up on youtube! It's bad enough they will end up in some poor unsuspecting public servants inbox.

I also had to flush out the mats on my back step since their damn cats come over here to pee on my doorstep.  It now smells like a pickle factory out there , that is however better than cat pee any day.  When these cats come over here and leave...deposits all over my steps, driveway and yard, I start to get creative...super soakers loaded with (harmless) food dye, a trail of something icky (still harmless) that would stick to their paws as they head home and track up their property, Hav-a-heart traps that could just be left on their doorstep over and over again (could get expensive) OR... solid "deposits" could be loaded on a flexible spatula and flung over the fence onto their owner's property.  I am fairly certain that last one could be considered as assault...and as previously stated, we will not break the law.  I also remind myself on a daily basis that it is not a case of bad cats.. it is bad owners.  I will not take out my frustration on something that can't decide on it's own to stay in it's own yard.  That doesn't mean I won't have pleasant dreams of skipping down my driveway in my nightie flinging cat shit over the "privacy" fence.....