Neighbor update

Yesterday, I wrote the big long blog about the rude neighbors and the note they had given us the day before (thanks for the comments, by the way). I also mentioned it on Facebook and got a ton of comments. Then, as I was driving down my street yesterday evening, I noticed 3 yards that had approximately the same length of grass as us, which ruled all of them out. So I had thought it must have been either the next door or across the street neighbors. But the across the street neighbors were out of town that day, and the note mentioned the shared flower beds, so I became convinced that the note was from next door We'll call them the B's. When I got home I told N all this stuff about the blog and the comments and the yards, and he just listened. Then he said, when I was done, "Yeah, it was bothering me all day too, so I went and put a note in the B's mailbox."

What?!? Yeah, you read that right...my non-confrontational, don't stir anything up, keep the peace husband, after telling me not to do it, had gone ahead and noted them right back!! I was so proud! Well, I was disappointed that he didn't wait for me, but mostly I was proud that I have passed some of the dark side on to him. He told me it said something along the lines of,
"We aren't going to deal with the flower beds, as we discussed when we first moved in. Please feel free to take care of them if you feel the need. We are looking into professional care for our lawn and it will be done soon, since it bothers you so much." Hee hee. For my taste, the part about the lawn had a little kow-towing to it, but overall it was well done.

Then he called me at work this morning to say that he had a "run-in." When he went in to the garage and opened the door, Mr. B was standing in his yard, near the flower bed. N said hi, so did Mr. B. then N asked, "Did you get my note?," which I think is hilarious. Mr. B said that he had, then apologized to N. He said there had been an overreaction from "some people." In my mind, "some people" means Mrs. B. N repeated that we were trying to hire a lawn service, and Mr B. suggested that, since he had some extra time on his hands, perhaps he could do the neighborly thing and mow our lawn. Wow!! N told him we had some Twins tickets that we can't use* and offered them to the B's. They had a neighborly handshake, and N went to work.

I was quite proud of my confident husband. Although I had an influence on him, his handling of the situation was a lot less volatile than mine would have been. And I think that his was better, in the long run. Mine would have been more satisfying short term, but it wouldn't have led to better neighbor relations, as his did. Go N!! You're the best. We got an apology, a free lawn mow, and the avoidance of a feud. Sweet!

* Usually there is no such thing as a Twins ticket that we can't use. But we got them free from N's work, and my mom will be here then. She's probably the only person I'd turn down a Twins game for. :)