Thursday, October 11, 2007

The Fence ...

I think when it comes to neighbours I've been cursed by some neighbourhood gods or something. I've posted my irritation before about the neighbour on my immediate left and now I'm gonna let you know of my irritation (well, it's the wife's irritation really, but what irritates her, irritates me!) about the neighbour on my immediate right. I seriously think I'm cursed when it come to me and neighbours. Before you even begin to think that maybe it's not the neighbours but maybe it's just my plain unfriendly attitude at home that's causing all my neighbours to rebel against me, just hear me out, k?

My wife gets up much earlier than me in the mornings to prepare the elder boys breakfast before he goes to school. Sometimes she'll also do the laundry at the same time (while I'm still happily snoozing away). So, one morning, she stomps up into the room and grunts in this extremely irritated sound,

"Arggghhhhhhh ......"

I'm jolted from my sleep and the first thing that runs through my mind was,

"oh, oh, what did I do now?"

I mean, I couldn't have done anything, I was still sleeping right, but you can never be too careful ... LOL! So I groggily ask her what's with the grunting and she says,

"I hate that woman, that stupid old woman!"

I give her this blur look (I was soundly asleep before this remember) and say,

"what old woman?"

She replies (in a single sentence with no full stops and comma's, she's still in this very irritated mood, you don't wanna be anywhere near her when she's like that ... hehehe)

"that woman next door the moment I open the gate to hang out the laundry she rushes out and hangs stuff on the fence depriving me of space and she does that everytime she hears me open the grill gate! I hate her, one of these days I'm gonna take all those things she hangs from the fence and throw them away!!!"

Ok, let me explain in more detail about the wife's rage. From that conversation it might look like a small thing but it really is not. I live in a double story terrace house and have neighbours on my right and left sides. This particular neighbour consists of the mother (the culprit in this story) and her 3 daughters. She has a son but he doesn't live with them. We have a fence on either side separating each house from the other (typical house formats here in Malaysia). And due to lack of proper place to dry the laundry (I'm not rich enough to own a dryer, k, besides, I need to save up for my DSLR camera fund!) we hang our laundry on this common fence to dry.

What happens is, my wife tells me that every morning, when she go out to hang the laundry, this woman, the moment she hears my wife opening the gate, she hurries out and starts to hang old dirty rags on the fence, thus depriving us valuable drying space. At first I though my wife was just exaggerating it a little. So one morning, I just experimented a little and I went out to pretend to dry clothes and true enough, the moment I turned the key in our grill gate, she came rushing out like the flash or something and started grabbing whatever old rags, towels and stuff and started quickly hanging them on the fence. I stood there in total shock with my mouth totally wide open like a hippo (I'm sure you can imagine a hippo's mouth when it's open right, no, no Adrian I wasn't insulting you ... LOL!) When she saw that it was me, she just quickly walked back into the house (she knows what kind of crazy lunatic I can be at times, I'll tell you all about that story one fine day ... hehehe)

That was seriously totally selfish of her! My wife told me that it happens everytime she does the laundry. I didn't know that fence belonged exclusively to her. Last time I checked it was a common fence! I mean, I can understand if she needs to dry her laundry too which she does, but what's with the dirty old rags? And it only happens when my wife is out there alone wanting to dry the clothes. It doesn't happen when I'm there with her. (maybe she's jealous of you honey cos all her daughters are not as gorgeous and beautiful as you are and still unmarried some more ... hehehe). Ok, ok, that was cruel :)

I'm seriously at a loss here as to what to do here. It's not like we love washing clothes and hanging it on the fence and depriving anyone of space but somethings just have to be done, like the laundry for instance. Why am I cursed with crazy neighbours? The one on the left has this thing about my mango tree leaves falling into his compound when it rains or when the wind blows (duh, I can't control the weather dude!) and the one on the right has this thing about fences. Siggghhhhh .....

Maybe it's just old age. Both these neighbours are well into their sixties and maybe as you grow older you become a little bit more loony, I sure hope not cos I'd hate to turn into one of those monsters when I grow older. My other neighbours are such nice people, the one directly opposite my house is a nice fellow who always waves at me, the one two doors is also a decent guy whom I always bump into when I go on my runs and always sends cookies and goodies my way during the Hari Raya celebrations (hope he sends some this year too ... hehehe). Do people really become a little weirder when they get older? I don't know, I seriously don't know. Or is it just the way they were brought up? Or maybe it's just these two neighbours. I know a lot of other people who are so nice and considerate that it boggles my mind how some people can be the exact opposite.

You guys have this kind of problems too? Tell me about it cos then at least I won't feel like the odd one out here ... hehehe ... Until I lose my temper and throw all those rags away honey, you're just going to have to be so much quicker than her when you need that fence ... LOL!

41 comments:

  1. Experimenting with the "next blog" button. Nice blog btw. Maybe you can do the same thing to her perhaps? maybe just to see what happens. I dont know your living style, but maybe make your own drying space on your lawn out of wood or something.

    But LOL thats one crazy old lady though haha.

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  2. ask ur wife to get up extra early (or maybe u?) before the old lady does....and 'rob' the fence off her..LOL

    What about talking this out with her instead? Say, take turn to hang clothes on the 'public' fence?

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  3. and i think such attitude doesnt come with old age...it's been there to some people and just got worst over time :)

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  4. Is there any other way to get to this fence other than through the grill gate? If not, you should get your wife to keep opening and closing the gate and making the old girl run outside all the time for nothing. Eventually she will be so worn out your wife will then beat her to the fence and VOILA!!! The fence will be all yours.

    Thank goodness I don't have these problems anymore.

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  5. What an inconsiderate neighbour of yours. No wonder wifey is so mad. I would have reacted the same. They are really out for trouble & fights huh !! Is there any way to talk terms with them to take turns or what? What about getting those stands for drying clothes. We have those folderable ones here sold for only S$9. Its really handy we have been using it to hang the boys clothes in the living room since they were born :)

    Janice Ng

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  6. I support for j@n!ce advise. Why don't just pretend to open the gate and just let the grand-old-lady have the fence (make this everyday and see how she reacted). Just go and buy the one mention by j@n!ce. Should make wifey life more easier (no more stress).

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  7. Vitaly, glad yo stumbled upon my blog :)She is one crazy lady, that's for sure. I'll tryyour advice about doing the same thing to her .. LOL! Hope to see you here more often:)

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  8. Carol, get up earlier? What me? the most laziest person in this world? LOL! I think that woman gets up real early in the morning as it is my wife wakes up around 6.20am already ... and talking to her ain't gonna work!

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  9. Gypsy, now that is one very good idea, in fact I think I just am gonna try it myself ... LOL! Would love to see that woman run in and out ... hehehe

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  10. Janice, the wife has been asking me to get those stands for her for so long, I've just been too lazy to do it ... hehehe, maybe it's time to get it for her, ya?

    As for trying to talk to that inconsiderate family next door, I'd think I'd rather talk to my mango tree la ... LOL! They are really such inconsiderate people, one day I'll tell you more stories about them :D

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  11. Lee, ok, ok, I'll get the wife the clothes stand already ... hehehe ... she has been asking for it for quite a while now. Ya, I'm sure it'll be less stressful for her with the stand.

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  12. Wow, that is so mean of her.

    But anyway, fret not Nick. I have a suggestion. Go to the nearest hardware shop and buy:

    i. Those standing clothesline. I saw at the shop the other day. Costs about RM70-Rm150. Depending on size.

    ii. Transparent grease.

    Now that you have those in your hand, all you need to do is:

    i. Put the standing clothesline outside for your neighbor to see. Jealousy will soon arise.

    ii. Grease the top of the fence. Revenge is sweet.

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  13. Cindy...transparent grease?? How cruel...ROFL...but i do want to see the old lady's face lah when she discovered all her baju kena the grease...

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  14. LMAO!!!! Cindy that is one cruel piece of advise but I think it's the best advise I've had so far (groannn, I'm still laughing that my sides hurt!). Man, I think my wife would definitely agree with you la Cindy, she hates that woman!!! I'll let you know how it went :D

    And ok, I get the message about the clothes stand already ... hehehe ...

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  15. Carol, I'd have to agree with you that Cindy's idea is cruel but brilliant! I'm seriously going to do it and I'll keep you guys posted on the results ... LOL! (damn, I'm still laughing about Cindy's idea ...)

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  16. 100% vote for cindy idea... Hehehhe...

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  17. Buddy! What kind of neighbours you got lah? Two crazy coots LOL
    I support Cindy's idea and please do let us know the outcome! LOL My suggestion would be to put the grease first and then put the standing clothesline up! :):):)

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  18. Wow - she's nutty. I'd get those stands AND open and shut the gate about 100 times a day. Then she can come out and see how nice you laundry looks.

    P.S. I love hanging laundry outside. Ahhhhh.

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  19. bad neighbors are the worst. the worst. I have been blessed with some great neighbors. Unfortunately I think I might be the bad neighbor in my bldg. I am a VERY LOUD individual.

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  20. Hey Nick,

    You do not have enough available space for me to talk about the crackpot neighbors that I've had over the years.

    So, that being said, I think Cindy had the best advice. After you do this you've got to take pictures because I think we ALL want to know what that old lady's response will be.

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  21. Hey! Some of us old folks do not make bad neighbors! If I play my tv too loud... it's just because I can't hear it! LOL I do get into cooking wars with my neighbors though. If they start fuming up our shared air vents with garlic, I retaliate with sauerkraut! :-)
    My suggestion would have been that then YOU start hanging out the laundry, but I guess you've already vetoed that idea, huh? Bet just the thought makes you hurry to the store for that drying rack... the wife will bless you for it!

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  22. Buddy, I'll be sure to let you know :D I'm surprised you didn't suggest a few things cos with that devious mind that you have, I'm sure you'd have some great ones ... LOL!

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  23. AB, she's been nutty since I moved here, in fact her entire family is nutty! I'm going to do just that ... :D

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  24. Meleah, I don't mind loud neighbours, but not the inconsiderate or selfish kind. My 2 boys are so loud at times that I think the entire neighbourhood can hear them ... LOL!

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  25. Nick, its really vomit blood talking to inconsiderate pple. I think I understand what you mean. I would rather talk to the wall too... LOL :)

    Have a good Raya holiday :)

    Janice Ng

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  26. MP,ah,someone who understands what it is to have crackpots for neighbours and trust me the whole family are crackpots ... LOL! Would love to hear your neighbourly stories though ... hehehe

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  27. Josie, sauerkraut, man that sticks (pun intended) LOL! I do hang the laundry out for the wife unless of course she does her laundry while I'm still snoozing away early in the morning :D Yeah, looks like that drying rack is just round the corner for her ... LOL!

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  28. LOL Janice, I'm sure the wall will be more cooperative ... Happy Raya to you too, I'm just gonna stay home all Raya and sleep ... LOL!

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  29. I could tell you my neighbor woes, but it would just aggrivate my ulcer, so I wont....suffice it to say - I hear you!
    I didnt read everyones comments, but think I saw a drying rack being mentioned....Id definately get one - or maybe two since you have a family you might need two - or can you rig a clothesline up in the back? Either way, time to get that sorted - my first husband used to say "A happy wife is a good wife"...please note that it was my first husband who said that!! ROFL!!!

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  30. LOL Lavender, that was the funniest comment so far! Yeah, two drying racks might be a better idea. Rigging a clothes line at the back ain't gonna work, you should see the tiny back yard (if you can call it that) I have.

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  31. Always my neighbors (take note, it's plural) are turning monsters, too, hahaha! On my right, my kumare (I'm a godmother of her child) enjoys hanging her rags on my fence which is right across my front door (grrr). On my opposite, they didn't have the proper drainage so everytime they do their laundry, excess water always flow towards my gate (grrr once more). Them, with my other two neighbors, the far right and the far right opposite enjoy harvesting all my guava fruits. They fill their stomach with my fruit when I'm not around. hahaha!

    I knew their characters because there was a time when I only worked at home as a programmer, and then several years I didn't have a job. Good thing today, I teach in school, work the whole through, and don't get so much time to notice what they've been doing.

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  32. Albine, what you don't see or know won't hurt you ... LOL! Gosh looks like your whole neighbourhood is crazy ... hehehe ...

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  33. can understand how irritating is that. We normally have our own hanger on our own compound so we hang on our own place. Prob that could help? I dont like my neighbours hanging over the fence too, I think it looks pretty awful .

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  34. Mummy to qiqi, welcome to my blog. I'm in the midst of getting the wife her own drying stand. Hoe that will solve the headache ...

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  35. What about getting those metal drying racks? They're foldable so they don't take up much space.

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  36. lis, that's on my list of priorities at the moment. Now if only I wasn't so lazy to actually go out and get it for the wife ... LOL!

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  37. Ha ha ha, I can just imagine the old lady running out to "chop" her fence spot ha ha ha.. but seriously, what is up with that??? How come both ur neighbours so teruk? After this story, the mango tree guy sounds like a saint! ;)

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  38. 'chop' her fence indeed. I haven't heard that 'chop' word since my school days ... LOL!

    It's just my luck to have weirdos for neighbours. Actually wifey suggested to go matchmake the two crackpots and I thought it was an excellent idea ... hehehe ...

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  39. You've got very interesting neighbors! LOL!

    Our neighbors in the Philippines also have their "unique" traits.
    Since we don't have that sound-proof walls or even fire walls, there are times that they could overhear our stereo playing. And if they do, they would also turn on their stereo and have it play much, much louder...
    and nope, we don't turn the volume high, except my brother.

    Well, probably it's my brother's fault and all they want is their revenge ^0^

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  40. Shiera, welcome to my blog. Your brother sounds like he has the right idea for 'revenge'. LOL! Maybe I should start being a vengeful neighbour too ... LOL!

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