Are your neighbors insane?

[ugeauxgirl]

Thanks. I wasn't complaining or commenting. Just found it a humorous misinterpretation based on guests of some eccentric neighbors.

I laughed out loud. I'm glad you have a sense of humor about it too! I think having a good sense of humor makes lots of things ( including relationships with neighbors) less stressful!

 

[marko]

Most of my life people assumed I was wealthier than I am. For me it is a refreshing change to be viewed as "help"!!!

 

[RunningBum]

What would the comment be?

"Did my butler really say that?"

 

[gwraigty]

We recently came across an online comment from a friend of theirs who stayed with them for a week. She was gushing about how she enjoyed her stay and how generous they were with allowing "the help" (that would be us) to live in such a nice, separate home "on the family compound".

Wonderful! Have you asked for your raise yet? Obviously you're doing a first rate job!

 

[skipro33]

I'd offer to air b-n-b your house to neighbor on those occasions they have extended stay guests again. Then take a trip with the money. They could move their servants into those digs and play like they really are all they hope to be.

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Well, I thought I was done with this thread, but...

The house next door is a quite a bit larger than ours. Over the years, the neighbors (middle aged brother and sister) slowly made their house color, siding, shutters and fencing etc the same as ours. At holidays, they pretty much copy our decorations. Imitation being flattery one would suppose. From a distance and a certain angle you'd mistake both homes as one, very large seaside house.

Don't get me wrong, they're great neighbors and we love them. Like us, they are living in their grandparents home, so both our grandparents were also neighbors and while not best friends, we've known each other all our lives.

But here comes the kicker!!

We recently came across an online comment from a friend of theirs who stayed with them for a week. She was gushing about how she enjoyed her stay and how generous they were with allowing "the help" (that would be us) to live in such a nice, separate home "on the family compound".

We laugh about it because they're the sort who grew up portraying a certain image (some of it legit, some of it BS) so we just see it as another extension of their own 'positioning' of how they want to be seen. It's harmless and we ignore it but we found ourselves wondering how they explain how the help (that would be us) are able to be around all week and never set foot in our employer's house, entertain our own friends and come and go without checking-in. Why I was driving "their" new Mercedes and they were in an old Jeep would've been another good question.

Insane? A bit. Eccentric? Definitely! Fun? Always.

This is hysterical

 

[hausfrau]

Well, I thought I was done with this thread, but...

The house next door is a quite a bit larger than ours. Over the years, the neighbors (middle aged brother and sister) slowly made their house color, siding, shutters and fencing etc the same as ours.

Neighbor 1 next door very much admired the paint scheme of Neighbor 2 down the street. N1 asked N2 what brand of paint and colors he used, but N2 refused to answer!

 

[Willers]

Marko , That is so funny ! I almost spit out my coffee .

+1 That story made my day. I had a neighbor very much like that when we lived in a lake house. I could totally see their guests thinking that of us.

Love that you see it as nothing more than a funny story.

 

[gwraigty]

OK, I'll put myself out there again, too. Last week we had a 10 foot driveway extension installed from the house all the way down to the street. It was a 3 day project, in between the rain. We're on a corner with a side-loading garage. During Day 1, the backhoe operator had to temporarily block the East/West street while excavating close to the street. This did not prevent anyone from getting where they needed to go. People who approached from either East or West could have driven around the block, simple as that. It's not a main street, just residential, but it's not unusual for a car to pass about every minute or two all throughout the day.

I watched as multiple drivers approached the backhoe, stopped, and just sat there, as if expecting the operator to stop his work and move his backhoe out of their way so they could pass!

At one point, I saw 4 cars lined up in a row, waiting. To make matters worse, IMO, he decided to lift the big bucket in the rear so that the cars could drive underneath the bucket. Um, safety issues, anyone?

I'm not sure how long this went on before I went outside to tell them how to direct people around them. When they moved further up in their excavation, they weren't blocking the street. I had to leave for about an hour and a half. When I got back, I saw an official city vehicle stopped next to their equipment, which was not blocking the road then. He was talking to the crew. After he left, the backhoe operator told me that he'd had to block the road again for some more work near the street. One of the guys stood at the intersection and gestured for all the approaching cars to turn left down the other street.

All but one driver complied right away. An old guy who drove straight from some condos at the end of the East/West street refused to turn left. He sat there, glaring at them. The crew weren't budging this time. Eventually, the old guy made the turn. They didn't give him any other choice. It wasn't long before the city official drove up and said they'd gotten a complaint about them blocking the road. When he saw what they were doing, he told them not to worry about it and drove away. The backhoe operator told me that if they have to block a street for hours at a time, then they're required to put up cones and post detour signs. But not for short, intermittent periods of time.

On Day 2, they didn't have to block the street at all, but an official city vehicle drove by multiple times throughout the day, which doesn't usually happen. Someone probably didn't like the noise of the cement truck.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Most of my life people assumed I was wealthier than I am. For me it is a refreshing change to be viewed as "help"!!!

I too laughed out loud—you’re a good sport! Next time the neighbors have houseguests, rent Downton Abbey “downstairs” attire and parade around on your lawn for m’lord and m’lady.

 

[RunningBum]

I too laughed out loud—you’re a good sport! Next time the neighbors have houseguests, rent Downton Abbey “downstairs” attire and parade around on your lawn for m’lord and m’lady.

Or get some picket signs and go "on strike" against your neighbors!

That really was a funny, unexpected twist to the story, Marco. I think you could have some fun with this! Maybe go Bill Murray/Caddyshack on their garden.

 

[marko]

I too laughed out loud—you’re a good sport! Next time the neighbors have houseguests, rent Downton Abbey “downstairs” attire and parade around on your lawn for m’lord and m’lady.

Or get some picket signs and go "on strike" against your neighbors!

That really was a funny, unexpected twist to the story, Marco. I think you could have some fun with this! Maybe go Bill Murray/Caddyshack on their garden.

Both excellent suggestions! "Go kill all the golfers...."

As I said: Insane? A bit. Fun? Always.

IMO, the moral is that if you don't care what strangers think of you (like being someone's 'help') it's easy to turn what could be a put-down into a laugh.

In actuality, we do believe that the guests came to their own conclusions based on our neighbor's general wealth and lifestyle. An honest assumption. Our neighbors just didn't dissuade that impression is all. But hey! He makes a great spaghetti sauce that he shares with us!!!!

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Marko , That is so funny ! I almost spit out my coffee .

+1

I found this story very entertaining.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Really no sense spoiling a nice neighbor friendship over this. It just struck me initially as insulting. We have neighbors I like and I appreciate them since it can go the other way.

 

[Retch The Grate]

very amusing story.

 

[marko]

Really no sense spoiling a nice neighbor friendship over this. It just struck me initially as insulting. We have neighbors I like and I appreciate them since it can go the other way.

One might be insulted, but we don't really care what people we don't know think about us.

As noted, we suspect that our neighbors didn't instigate the idea but just let their guests come to their own mis-conclusion based upon their prior experience with them.

We really don't care and found it amusing more than anything else.

We really like our neighbors and find them fun, funny, odd, eccentric and a bit crazy. I could write a book about their zaniness. You'd have to know them to forgive their failure to correct a wrong impression.

 

[redduck]

I could write a book about their zaniness. You'd have to know them to forgive their failure to correct a wrong impression.

As their servants didn't you have to sign a non-disclosure contract (or whatever it's called)?

 

[marko]

As their servants didn't you have to sign a non-disclosure contract (or whatever it's called)?

Yes. That's why I said I COULD write a book. I could, but I can't. Legal, y'know...

But on second thought they might appreciate the idea; attention-hounds that they are.

[Edit] OMG I just remembered that she recently told us she is having a ghost writer over to do her autobiography. Could be more BS but stay tuned!

 

[RunningBum]

[Edit] OMG I just remembered that she recently told us she is having a ghost writer over to do her autobiography. Could be more BS but stay tuned!

It's the neighbor on the other side!

 

[Clone]

It's the neighbor on the other side!

You mean- The servants on the other property.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

My neighbors are not insane, but THEIR neighbor is. [emoji16]

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

When we lived in Clear Lake City, two houses down, a divorcees boyfriend stabbed her ex to death in front of her and her two kids.

Down the other way lived an astronaut. We used to get each other's mail for some reason.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

About 15 years ago, someone unknown practiced bagpipes one night. Once.

 

[ncbill]

I've got my recently deceased aunt's home on the market now.

Just over a decade ago her daughter was staying there with her infant when she heard gunshots.

Turns out it was a boyfriend killing girlfriend (then killing himself) up the street...nice, expensive, historic neighborhood.

And I knew the girlfriend...had gone to private junior high and public high school with her.

Ended up going to her funeral...

 

[Rianne]

Nextdoor introduced us to 2 amazing craftsman who work out of their garages. Saved us mucho $$. Fixed chairs, one antique and one Swedish ergonomic (10 yrs. old) that need base wood replacement. Also found trustworthy lawn care (dad and his son) to care for our lawn for 3 weeks while in Europe. Many post reviews and opinions about local businesses. Yes, the crazies are there and entertain me.

Our immediate neighbors are a mixed bag and we like them all. We get together a few times a year.