ktgrok Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 (edited) If you see a woman out in the Florida summer heat in long pants and long sleeves and rubbers shoes and nitrile gloves carrying 4 gallons of water on her back in a tank sprayer and she is sweaty and walking in a purposeful, methodical stride while spraying a solution on the lawn and has ear buds in, that is NOT a sign that she is bored and this is a good time to walk over and have a neighborly chat. And if you get confused and DO chat with her, and see that she is having to dance and jump and shake and pump to keep the spray solution agitated while you are talking, that should REALLY clue you in that this isn't a good time for a talk. It just isn't. And yet two different neighbors thought otherwise tonight. And then I got all dicombobulated and started spraying the wrong section of yard, and messed up my first application of the new plant growth regulator and fertilizer I was trying for the first time. I used a special website and calculated out all the math for each part of my yard, weighed out the stuff for it, and because of that had to in my head try to figure out what to do in order not to over apply or run out in a weird spot. Then because second neighbor also had to chat I ended up not finishing until after dark, so couldn't be sure I was spraying evenly. Reverse engineered the math and most of the yard got half what it was supposed to, but it was too late to do more. I love my neighbors, but seriously? Especially since I've told them my favorite part of yard work is that I'm an introvert and when i do yard work no one bothers me! Edited August 9, 2019 by Ktgrok 1 6 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercyA Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 I'm sorry! At least you know you are likeable! 😉 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 5 minutes ago, MercyA said: I'm sorry! At least you know you are likeable! 😉 Yeah I guess I don't have much of a resting b*#@h face, lol. 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 (((Katie))) Aren't you glad writing isn't an outside task? 😜 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Oh yikes. Clearly these people are totally unobservant! I think it's okay to simply cut them off and say, "I'm sorry. I have my day carefully planned, and won't get this yard work done if I take the time to chat. Have a nice day." Walk away. Refuse to engage. If they can't take a polite hint, that's not your problem. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Frustrating, yes. And next time, it's totally fine to say after the first exchange of greetings "hey, I've gotta get this done, I'll talk with you soon!" 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 1 hour ago, Another Lynn said: (((Katie))) Aren't you glad writing isn't an outside task? 😜 Yeah, with writing it's just family that interrupts. Even DH does it! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another Lynn Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 25 minutes ago, Ktgrok said: Yeah, with writing it's just family that interrupts. Even DH does it! Funny, not funny. We need an eye-rolling, exasperrated "like!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 54 minutes ago, Another Lynn said: Funny, not funny. We need an eye-rolling, exasperrated "like!" Seriously. The kids are bad enough. "Mommy's writing for 15 minutes - just give me 15 minutes" somehow translates to "come tell me every small thing you've ever thought of" DH will just want to chat about his day, etc. Finally I have to point blank tell him, "I really do love talking with you, but I'm really trying to write" and he will stop. Usually. I guess I need to be more blunt with the neighbors but it feels so rude. One has a missing cat, and was asking about how my family was etc etc..the other is elderly, so no way can I brush her off. And she DID start by complimenting the lawn, lol. But then it was about their upcoming move, etc, which I already knew about, etc. Sigh. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet2ndchance Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 31 minutes ago, Ktgrok said: The kids are bad enough. "Mommy's writing for 15 minutes - just give me 15 minutes" somehow translates to "come tell me every small thing you've ever thought of" THIS!!! I can spend plenty of time making sure that everyone is fully engaged in something that DOES NOT involve me and something about the clicking of keyboard keys, no matter if I'm just hanging out on a message board or working on something important that I have a deadline for, it seems to be the universal sound of "Mom (or My wife) needs to know every little obscure and non-sense thought I've had all day today." lol And they wonder why I get up hours before them all to have my "quiet time" :-P 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 even with yard work, it's okay to say: "I need to get back to spraying. I'll talk to you later". (I would hate to suggest they're just noticing you're making their yards look bad by maintaining yours...wink wink. nudge nudge.) just like passing the bean dip in conversations.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 29 minutes ago, sweet2ndchance said: THIS!!! I can spend plenty of time making sure that everyone is fully engaged in something that DOES NOT involve me and something about the clicking of keyboard keys, no matter if I'm just hanging out on a message board or working on something important that I have a deadline for, it seems to be the universal sound of "Mom (or My wife) needs to know every little obscure and non-sense thought I've had all day today." lol And they wonder why I get up hours before them all to have my "quiet time" 😛 when a friend was in college, she stayed home ill. she told her roommate she didn't want to be disturbed. roommate kept coming in. she finally had a "conversation" with said roommate "do not disturb includes you". oh. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 I wonder if I put on big ear muff type headphones, instead of the ear buds (although they are the ones with the thing that curves over the ear, so not hidden) it would help? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 I think if you add eye protection goggles and a huge sun hat they might be so weirded out they’ll leave you alone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 19 minutes ago, Ktgrok said: I wonder if I put on big ear muff type headphones, instead of the ear buds (although they are the ones with the thing that curves over the ear, so not hidden) it would help? Yes! With the goggles and hat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 2 hours ago, Ktgrok said: I wonder if I put on big ear muff type headphones, instead of the ear buds (although they are the ones with the thing that curves over the ear, so not hidden) it would help? dh's niece would do that to avoid talking to mil. "can't hear you grandma". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 When the kiddo was a child, and I wore her, I used to put a sign on our shared back saying "Baby is sleeping", which worked like a charm. Maybe a sign on your 4 gallons of water saying "Busy doing yardwork, can't talk. Don't disturb" would help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 2 minutes ago, Tanaqui said: When the kiddo was a child, and I wore her, I used to put a sign on our shared back saying "Baby is sleeping", which worked like a charm. Maybe a sign on your 4 gallons of water saying "Busy doing yardwork, can't talk. Don't disturb" would help? Time-sensitive Spraying In Progress--Can't Stop Skull and Crossbones or Mr. Yuck stickers on the tank? I hope the uneven application works out okay anyway or is easily fixable! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted August 9, 2019 Author Share Posted August 9, 2019 19 minutes ago, kbutton said: Time-sensitive Spraying In Progress--Can't Stop Skull and Crossbones or Mr. Yuck stickers on the tank? I hope the uneven application works out okay anyway or is easily fixable! You know, maybe a yard sign I could stick in the ground would work 🙂 And I think it will be okay, just frustrating as most of the yard got half of what I planned to apply, due to the mix up and time constraints. Nearly pointless at that rate. Oh well, too little is better than too much. So far, no stripes, lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 Wear a gas mask? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted August 9, 2019 Share Posted August 9, 2019 2 hours ago, Caroline said: Wear a gas mask? And make sure it makes Darth Vader sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted August 12, 2019 Share Posted August 12, 2019 There is absolutely nothing rude about saying you are unable to talk at the moment, regardless of how old the interrupter may be. You can include an apology if you wish. "I'm sorry, this has to be applied right away, can I get with you after?" That's not going to crush anyone's feelings. Don't inconvenience yourself over something that is likely of very little importance to them (talking to you right now vs talking to you later). I wouldn't care if someone told me they couldn't talk, but I'd be super embarrassed if they didn't tell me and I later realized I was holding them up. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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