The Simple Life at Home

Ok, I'm toasted. As in really mad. We have neighbors who moved in about a year ago. The previous woman who lived there was very quiet and when you did see her, she was friendly. These people...not so much. Well, that's not true. The husband is fairly friendly, the two little girls are ok, but the wife seems very unfriendly. Especially right now.

My kids, another little boy and her kids were out back playing together. As soon as the other little boy left, the older daughter told my children in a very haughty tone that her mother told her to tell my kids to "quit knocking over their tree and stop touching their cats." Ahem.

First of all, my kids haven't knocked over their tree. We've had a lot of storms and it's been very windy. And secondly, if you kept your dang cats in the house, and out of my yard and everyone else's, no one would have to pick them up to return them to your yard. Did I mention we are talking about 6 week old kittens?

And thirdly, let me tell you what kind of neighbors they have been:
1) When they first moved in, we had a picnic table out in the back, in the common area by the lake. Nothing fancy, but it was ours. The very first day they moved in, the drug it up into their yard where it has stayed to this day. We never said anything, out of wanting to have good relations with the neighbors and like I said, it wasn't anything too special, but still...it was ours.
2) We had a paddle boat(that was recently stolen) that one day I looked out and they are using it. Didn't ask or anything, just took it out for a spin around the lake. Again, my hubby decided to say nothing because he doesn't want to rock the boat.
3) The dad is a truck driver. As in semi-truck. And he brings his big rig home and parks it in the yard. This is what we and two other houses get to look at when it's there rather than the lake that we paid a premium to be on. And this is what we get to listen to (the low rumble of the engine) when he comes in and out or loads it). Imagine having a semi truck running for over an hour 60 feet from your bedroom window at 6:30 am.
4) He also uses a forklift in his back yard to load the truck - more noise.
5) They've stored all kinds of junk in the unfenced (and therefore in complete view) yard - piles of tile, old furniture and appliances.
6) They used to tie up their little dog to (our) picnic table and leave it there for hours on end. The poor dog had about 1-2 feet of leash to work with and whined the whole time they had it there. I finally wrote them a note about it. My daughter tells me they now keep it on a leash attached to a chair leg in the house.
7) Their daughters hit us up to come jump on the trampoline every time they see us outside. Even when our kids aren't around.
8) Their kids have been invited to my kids' birthday parties - no RSVP or anything, but they always show up anyways (sorry, this is a pet peeve of mine)
9)And now the cats. They have these little kittens that are all over everyone's yards that are cute now but are going to grow up to be pooping in everyone's yards and having more little kittens and making everyone miserable. They are in our yard all the time and my kids are afraid our dog will kill them. That's why they bring them back to their own yard. Such rotten kids, huh?

Sorry, I'm just a little upset about this right now and needed to rant a little. I know I should have grace and mercy, and I do, but I'm getting a little tired of living next to people who have no respect for others.