My neighbor strikes again...(long).

[Happy]

We have a lady like this in our church. Not as bad as your neighbor, but definitely not a pleasant person to deal with. Her own children have 'divorced' her. She really latched on to my husband. He's taken her and her husband to the doctor, funerals, etc...

I'm just glad I don't live next to her (or be related to her, either.)

 

Moving is probably your best bet. A quick note about listing and selling your home from a newbie real estate agent. You can list your home and NOT have a sign in the yard. Just tell the real estate agent you don't want one. It happens a lot when a landlord sells a property.

 

Remember the key to selling these days is to be very, very realistic about price. Shine everything up. Pre-move (pack up half your stuff) and get out and get on with your life. If you are anywhere near Dallas, call me. I'll help you.

 

I'm very sorry you are having to deal with all this. May God use your experiences for good.

[OLG]

You know what? I'd see about getting a restraining order. She is obviously harassing you. There are plenty of police reports to back this up. Call a lawyer. If you have any fear that she will hurt you, your dh or your kids you need to articulate that. You also need to articulate that you are afraid that she will escalate and do something that is illegal and basically frame you or your dh or your kids.

 

ETA: I've thought about this some more. Get copies of each and every police report. See if you can get a copy of what the post master sent to her. Document Every. Single. Thing! Even the key and the flowers, narrow it down to the week of such and such date she approached you to do ____

 

Excellent advice! This woman is not all there - protect yourselves. SO sorry you have to deal with this. My folks had something similar and it about drove them to their graves. They finally ended up in court but that still didn't resolve the issues. Be prudent at every turn.

[5LittleMonkeys]

New Update:

 

Dh got home a little while ago and was carrying groceries in. She came out and stood in her yard and smirked at him. He continued carrying groceries in while saying "cuckoo, cuckoo". He said he regrets doing it but that he just couldn't help it after seeing her van in front of our house (with her garage and driveway empty) and all the signs down the property line. Anyway, she gets this horrified look on her face and runs back in the house. About 20 minutes later... yep... cops knocking at the door. They came in and said that she wanted to file charges of harassment against dh for calling her a cuckoo, which they told her she couldn't do. The Seargent said he looked through all of the calls she has placed in the past and after talking with her today wanted to come over personally and tell us that he believes she is "cuckoo", although he was nicer about it. He talked with us for quite awhile about things that have occurred. He had no advice as to how to deal with her other than to tell us to just stay away from her and never talk to her. He said to call him if she continues with her behavior. He also said that they will probably not be responding to her calls anymore. He told her that she needed to move her van too and that she needed to find somewhere else to park. He said he expressed to her that nothing we have done is illegal or even wrong in anyway.

 

I really hope this is the end of it but I doubt it. Thank you again to all of you today. You've helped me get through this today. I'll keep you all updated if anything else happens. Right now I just feel emotionally drained.

[Jennifer3141]

Update: I just glanced out the back yard window and she has put up "No Trespassing" signs every 5 feet all along the property line. Big no-no with the homeowners association. I just called them and left a message. She really is nuts.

 

Awesome!

 

Start keeping a log of everything she does and make sure you get the police officers' contact info every time they have to come out.

 

And it's beyond time to get your HOA involved. :grouphug:

[5LittleMonkeys]

 

If you are anywhere near Dallas, call me. I'll help you.

 

 

 

 

That is so sweet! Thank you. We don't know where we might end up if dh gets laid off so it is a distinct possibility.;)

[delaney]

I feel for you and COMPLETELY understand your frustration. Your neighbor sounds like mine. She has called the cops on every neighbor around her more than once. She has 5 dogs that barked non-stop until the day the police came and one of them bit the officer!:D She has tried to get my husband fired as volunteer soccer coach at the middle school claiming that he blackballed her daughter off the girls team last year. She has continually told me I am a bad mother who doesn't supervise her kids. Really? I don't work. Who left her 6th and 4th grade kids alone for 3 summers in a row all day long all alone? not me. She is a GOOD CHRISTIAN and tells you every time she can that you are wrong if you are not Catholic. Well little does she know I know for sure that her and her DH have a sub to a particular dirty cable channel. Yup....she's clean as a whistle

[Hedgehog]

See this is what I want to believe. I want to believe that there is some purpose behind it. The thought that it is just random scares me. I just wish the reason wasn't so vague...is that bad to say?

 

No. IMO it just means that God hasn't revealed it to you yet. God tells us that we are as the apple of his eye, and he knows how many hairs we have on our heads.. I really can't imagine why our day to day lives should be random when he cares about this kind of detail. Even if you can't see anything good about this, or see anything you can learn, then maybe someday you will be able to help someone else going through the same situation as you are now. There's nothing like a sympathetic ear and a hug, n'est-ce pas?

 

My heart feels so much lighter now than it did earlier today. I know that it is because I'm giving the situation over to God and because of everyone's prayers, thoughts and kind words here. I wasn't going to post about the situation but I'm glad I did. Without everyone reminding me where my strength lies and all of you, I might be out there puncturing her tires right now.

 

I'm glad you're feeling a little better. Try not to give in to that temptation.. although it would be mightily satisfying, wouldn't it.. :D

 

Let God work for you. He really can do anything. :001_smile:

Edited March 29, 2011 by Hedgehog

[Puma Mom]

I think you just have to start thinking of her as disabled. She obviously has some kind of mental issue going on. You just happen to be the focus of her obsession. Just smile politely and move on.

About 20 minutes later... yep... cops knocking at the door. They came in and said that she wanted to file charges of harassment against dh for calling her a cuckoo, which they told her she couldn't do. The Seargent said he looked through all of the calls she has placed in the past and after talking with her today wanted to come over personally and tell us that he believes she is "cuckoo", although he was nicer about it. He talked with us for quite awhile about things that have occurred. He had no advice as to how to deal with her other than to tell us to just stay away from her and never talk to her. He said to call him if she continues with her behavior. He also said that they will probably not be responding to her calls anymore. He told her that she needed to move her van too and that she needed to find somewhere else to park. He said he expressed to her that nothing we have done is illegal or even wrong in anyway.

Based on this, I would say, if you must say anything to her when she wants to get friendly, "I'm sorry. The police said I shouldn't speak to you."

[KnitWit]

I'm so glad the police talked with you! You must feel much better now!

 

As far as there being a *purpose*, well, I'm sure you are learning stuff and growing in character, but you know what? Sometimes it's not about us. You live next door to a whackadoodle. Doesn't really mean a thing about you. :) It's just *life*. You just keep doing what you are doing and being who you are. :)

[elfgivas]

:grouphug: i am so sorry you are going thru this.

 

fwiw, i reckon paying interest on moving expenses would be way, way cheaper than defending yourselves in a law suit, or paying for a psychiatrist.... which i would need if i had to live like you are living now. life is just too short.

 

:grouphug:

ann

[jujsky]

Yay! I'm so glad the police also think she's a whackadoodle! I'd like to believe this will be the end of it, but I doubt it. At least you have some police support now.

[Tree House Academy]

I will pray for you. That sounds like Hell on earth. *hugs*

[Lolly]

The police are correct, just ignore. At least they won't be stopping by now. She cried wolf once too often. I would put a camera up that covered the mailbox. If you catch her getting into it on video, she will be in trouble. Tampering with someone's mail is a big no-no. I would most definitely go after that.

[TN Mama]

:grouphug: Sounds like a nightmare. I'm so sorry.

 

I got a little confused in your first post. Do you have a key to her house? I know you said she tried to give you one, but you refused, but that she asked you to water plants while she was out of town.

If you have that key, I'd return it asap. And I wouldn't step foot in her house, whether she was home or not. She sounds crazy enough to accuse you all of stealing or something along those lines.

 

Again - so sorry. :grouphug:

 

ETA: Ahh - I reread and see she asked you to water the plants in her front yard. Totally disregard what I said then. :) That's what I get for reading/responding before my coffee!

Edited March 30, 2011 by TN Mama

[ReneeK]

:grouphug::grouphug: How horrible, so sorry. Praying for you. On the bright side-she has never called on you for homeschooling;) Or she hasn't figured that one out yet. I would be afraid to let my kids out in the front yard without out me!:grouphug::grouphug:

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Your neighbor sounds crazier than mine!

 

He called the police on a SUNDAY at NOON claiming my kids were being too loud outside and he had to sleep for work (I guess work must be another word for hangover).

 

Then he called for my car being on the wrong sinde of the road. It was on the wrong side, but there is no law that it can't be there. Either way it wasn't affecting him in the slightest.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

You know what? I'd see about getting a restraining order. She is obviously harassing you. There are plenty of police reports to back this up. Call a lawyer. If you have any fear that she will hurt you, your dh or your kids you need to articulate that. You also need to articulate that you are afraid that she will escalate and do something that is illegal and basically frame you or your dh or your kids.

 

ETA: I've thought about this some more. Get copies of each and every police report. See if you can get a copy of what the post master sent to her. Document Every. Single. Thing! Even the key and the flowers, narrow it down to the week of such and such date she approached you to do ____

 

:iagree:

 

She doesn't seem to understand that you want nothing to do with her. I think a restraining order would make it clear to authorities that she is harassing you if there was ever a really major crazy episode.

 

I understand what you are going through to a small degree. Two friends and I rented an apartment when we were younger (mid 20's) and most of the residents were older people. I think our neighbor just assumed we would be trouble because we were young. Once, she called the police because I emptied melted ice water from a cooler onto a bush outside the apartment. They came and told me I couldn't do that since it technically wasn't my property. Okay. Then, one night, we had 2 guests over, and one of my roommates was at work, so a total of four people were in the living room, watching the World Series on TV. We weren't drinking, the TV wasn't loud, but soon after the guests arrived, the police were knocking on our door because they had been told we were having a wild party. They came in and looked all around the apartment (maybe expecting to find all the wild partyers in the closets :confused:). When it was obvious to them that we could not possibly have been making the noise the neighbor complained about, they left. She called one other time on my roommates, but I wasn't home at the time. Fortunately, we had only signed a 6 month lease! We got out of there as soon as possible. I can't imagine having a crazy like that next door to my home with my children. Getting a restraining order will let her know that you are really not going to tolerate her communicating with you ever again. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

[Beth in OH]

I just want to add a bright side: At least you know that if you ever need the police, they do respond to calls from your neighborhood. Some folks make calls and never get a response, or get one much, much later.

 

Hang in there!