I've had it up to here^

[Snickerdoodle]

 

And here it is.

At the risk of sounding clueless for why it might be weird, I love that yard.  

 

[elegantlion]

WTM needs a Rent-a-B**** program, where you get to fly-in the poster of choice to deal with confrontations like this. 

 

I'm afraid I'd all BSCrazy on this woman. In lieu of that, I'd follow Hillfarm's response. 

[mothergooseof4]

You ladies crack me up!

 

Dh was SOOO angry when I told him about our day.  He was close to going over there himself and that would not have been pretty in the state he was in.  He would have probably had the police called on him.  I will be talking with her and perhaps even sending her a letter, fully documented of course, explaining that she is no longer to talk with my dc at all.  If they are on her property, she may tell them to leave (them don't step foot on her lawn), otherwise, she is not to approach them when they are on our property at all.  Dh told ds if she tries to wave him down while mowing, he is to simply point at the house and keep going.

 

If it happens again, dh will not handle it well.

[Caroline]

image.jpg

 

And here it is.

It's almost like part of a miniature golf course in the middle there.

[Gentlemommy]

OP, those reasons are why we want to look for ten acres in the middle of the country. :-/ Plus the fact that, as homeschoolers, I must not have enough on my plate and so neighbors are constantly asking me to watch their kids or just sending them on over. So frustrating.

[*Lulu*]

OP you could buy one of those bouncy houses and set it up 3-4 times a week in your yard. Take it down at night. Drive them nuts all day.

 

Turn every day into- make an obstacle course in the front yard-day

 

Or start creating a homemade mini golf hole a day in the yard.

 

Nothing is permanent, it gets cleaned up by your little darlings every night, why would sweet children playing outside bother anyone?

 

Then let it sink in for your neighbors that your kids are home all.year.long.

 

:P

[AmyontheFarm]

Call whoever is in charge of the HOA and tell them about the bullying.  Tell them, that if it continues you will have to call the police and no one wants police coming routinely to a house in their neighborhood.  Ask if minutes are recorded for the HOA meetings and let them know that you will need a copy for the police to prove she is being a nuisance to everyone.

 

Then quietly suggest the HOA could deal with her and tell her to stop.  Otherwise, teach the kids to smile and say "Take it up with the HOA.  Have a nice day." and then walk away from her.

 

If she realized you don't care and the HOA doesn't care and the police won't care maybe she will stop? Or driver herself nuts.

 

Also, make sure they never walk on her property.  If a ball rolls over there, they must get you or Daddy to get it.

 

I do like the gnomes staring at her idea that could be fun.  I'd let the kids make masks and tape them in the window that faces her house.  Or a huge poster  that says, "Love your neighbors".  It would just depend on which one I felt like doing and when I had my coffee that day.

 

 

[JumpyTheFrog]

I have to say this thread is making me paranoid about ever moving. Most of our our neighbors seem normal enough. If we ever do move, we'll have to interrogate people in any neighborhoods we consider.

[Berta]

This is a boundary issue, in terms of interaction with your dc, in terms of your property, and in terms of your basic rights.

 

First, I would write an open letter to the HOA regarding harassment that has been escalating and is nearing an untenable level. And give examples. Perhaps they can read it aloud at the next meeting. I would include something about "hating to resort to legal measures to stop the bullying, but are increasingly feeling forced to consider that action". I would also speak to her immediately (with a witness present) regarding the problem of speaking to your dc. If she has anything she wishes to communicate with your family, she should do so directly to one of the adults.

 

Second, is there any type of lawn decoration that would be okay with the HOA but annoying to the bully? If so, I would buy them in bulk and let it be known that every time she (or others) complain about you when you are not breaking a rule, another garden gnome will appear - looking directly in her direction, watching her. You could call them Sentinels of Shame or something similar that would provide quite a bit of levity for your family, but probably drive her to distraction. I'd be up front about it. If she insists on complaining about you publicly, then she shouldn't be surprised when you respond in the same arena.

 

Third, I would research (and let it be widely known that you are doing so) the laws in your area regarding restraining orders and bullying. Find out if you have any legal recourse. Talk to the PTB of the HOA. Ask them how they think it would be best to respond to someone who is overstepping her boundaries to this degree.

 

I am sure you initially tried being nice. Unfortunately, some people don't understand "nice". They think it is permission to trample all over you. If "nice" isn't working and the problem is getting worse, then I would move on to reflecting whatever she brings to you right back at her. She needs to learn that not only will her meddling not bring her the desired result, it will cause her to experience public embarrassment equal to that which she is trying to dish out, legal trouble if she is trying to get you into legal trouble, HOA problems if she is trying to cause HOA problems for you. Don't get sucked in to arguing with her directly, just reflect back at her what she is trying to put on you.

LMAO Sentinels of Shame!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

When I lived in NJ there was a big stink over this statue that some guy put in his backyard. After a few complaints from neighbors he put a fence up around the yard. They still complained so he started to grow bamboo. I don't know if you've ever seen bamboo, but it grows TALL and EVERYWHERE. To get around it being a nuisance he insisted he was selling the bamboo. Something to do with an agricultural permit. So the bamboo stayed and it literally swallowed up the entire yard. He had one little sign on the door saying "bamboo for sale".

 

The thing was huge and had glowing red eyes, which is what ticked off the neighbors. I used to love to ride by and see it. lol.

http://www.bubblews.com/news/602469-babylonian-fertility-god-demon-was-in-my-town

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/1615

[Eagle]

That statue is awesome!!!

 

We put in a bamboo hedge to screen off our crazy bully neighbours. She actually emailed me to say it was unneighbourly and did I know bamboo spreads uncontrollably. Yes, yes I did know that. ;)

[idnib]

[Berta]

We had a neighbor complain because we put up a clothesline. It was a small umbrella type that folds down. She called me a redneck. I went out and found the biggest pack of old lady granny panties I could find and hung them on the line. They stayed on that line and every so often I'd go out and add a hole-y sock or rotate the thing so she could have a better view. I'd add gaudy looking clothes and even hung a sheet that had a huge pepsi stain on it. It looked like someone couldn't hold their bowels. I hung ghosts on it at Halloween and put Christmas icicle lights on it for Christmas. We did not live with an HOA (and never will) and there were no township laws/regulations against them. She just felt that in this day and age people should use a dryer inside their house.

[PeachyDoodle]

LMAO Sentinels of Shame!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

When I lived in NJ there was a big stink over this statue that some guy put in his backyard. After a few complaints from neighbors he put a fence up around the yard. They still complained so he started to grow bamboo. I don't know if you've ever seen bamboo, but it grows TALL and EVERYWHERE. To get around it being a nuisance he insisted he was selling the bamboo. Something to do with an agricultural permit. So the bamboo stayed and it literally swallowed up the entire yard. He had one little sign on the door saying "bamboo for sale".

 

The thing was huge and had glowing red eyes, which is what ticked off the neighbors. I used to love to ride by and see it. lol.

http://www.bubblews.com/news/602469-babylonian-fertility-god-demon-was-in-my-town

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/1615

 

Well that just puts every lighthouse I've ever seen to shame...

 

:smilielol5:

[MomtoCandJ]

Love gnomes especially these

 

 

 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PhenomeGNOME?section_id=6936902&ref=shopsection_leftnav_1

Those are awesome!!!! Might have to buy two of those for each side of the driveway, though I do need solar lights on them.

[MedicMom]

If I lived someplace with an HOA I would suspect we have the same neighbor.

As it is I live in a rural town with no HOA and crazy, crazy neighbors. Today two of them accosted me the moment I returned from work an stepped out of my vehicle. They are mad because the remodel on the front porch has been going on for two years and is an eyesore(we had to reframe and put in a new door, and some of the enclosed front porch now has plywood). Plus I have not planted flowers in the front lawn or hung hanging baskets which they seem to feel is important. And they want us to pave our driveway.

I will admit that it looks out of place in the rest of my quiet, well to do, somewhat elderly street. I also freely admit that my husband is working the maximum amount of hours allowed by his doctor and has to rest a shoulder injury the rest of the time and I am working two jobs to keep the bills paid, plus I have two preschoolers. Planting flowers around my front porch is about the lowest priority there is right now, along with residing the porch itself.

 

They are going to drive me crazy.

 

(I told them they could do it themselves if it was that much of a concern. Everyone knows DH is limited from the injury as it was sustained fighting a fire here in town and was well publicized.)