My life lately has had it share of sour moments, but overall - it's sweet enough to get by. I have a nice house, a husband who loves me, two dogs who love me and plenty of knitting to keep me busy and happy for some time.
It's just that some of the sour parts have been creeping up on me lately. One example just happened today. We had a home owners meeting this evening with the entire neighborhood. We talked about all the normal stuff like dues, landscaping plans, mailboxes, blah blah blah and then we got to end of the meeting and my neighbor says - "We should talk about the dog issue before we go." The dog issue? I'm thinking someone's dog has died or something. I don't know of any other dog issue. We have two dogs, they have a dog and many others have dogs as well. But when she starts to talk about the 'dog issue' it's apparently my dogs she has the problem with.
She said she found 7 poops in her yard in the past few months. (Yes, she counted the poops) and wants us to leash our dogs from now on. Now I have no problem with that and normally do leash my dogs (I do occassionally let them out without a leash if it's like 3am in the morning and I'm in my pajamas and they walk 3 feet out the door, pee and come back in) and if I ever see them poop on someone else's lawn - I immediately pick it up. I find it relatively hard to believe that my dogs poop on her lawn at all - let alone 7 times. Well this may be fine and an understandable concern for a neighbor who does not have a dog, but she does have a dog. And .... (it gets better) - her dog poops on our lawn regularly. I'm talking everyday. They also NEVER leash their dog and he roams the neighborhood spraying his un-neutered unrine all over my new plants and trees turning them yellow. (I actually prefer the poop to the pee. At least I can remove the poop from my yard - I can't remove the pee stains from my trees and bushes.)
Anyway - I can't believe she would point this out in front of everyone that my dog pooped on her lawn 7 times this year. What kind of person is that much of a hypocrite? She's worried about 7 times in a year - versus every day? Hmmm... I don't know - I guess that's my fault?
I tried to laugh it off - but I was obviously upset about it. So - I leave the meeting and now need to walk my dogs since I spent the last hours in this meeting being bored. So I was out walking the dogs (on a leash) later this evening when she came out of her house and down to me and said she didn't mean to hurt my feelings, but she was really upset by the 7 poops. Well - let's just say I lost it. I started to tear up (Yes I admit it - I'm a crier. When I get upset, angry, sad, happy, sunburned. You name it - I cry...) and explain that yes it really did hurt my feelings that she said what she did about my dog when her dog pooped on my lawn regularly.
Well - she then denies it and says "No - he poops in the woods (which border my lawn). I said - sometimes he poops in the woods - but I find poop in my lawn regularly. (She has a very large yellow lab and his poop is distinctly different from my 2 little schnauzers' poopettes) She denies it again and says she doesn't think it's her dog's poop. Well - I don't what to say at this point, I'm crying and trying to manage 2 dogs on 2 leashes at once - and not scream "bloody liar!" in her face.
She eventually gets uncomfortable and says - "Well - OK, I'll talk to you later, bye!" in her blond snobbish way (did I mention she was blond and also a snob in general). So she leaves - blonde hair bobbing behind her as she walks and I'm left with my two leashed dogs (who are now wrapped around a tree, each in different directions), my mousy brown hair (which does not bob behind me as I walk away) and my tears (which aren't cute and make my entire face look red and swollen.... I know... I've seen it).
So - now you know why my day has been like rhubarb pie.
The rhubarb = a sour neighbor who can't handle 7 poops in one year - but lets her dog poop at will.
The pie? The fact that I have 2 wonderful dogs, a yard for them to poop in and the ability to bend over and pick up said poop.
Some days life is sweeter than others - I just have to remember to love the rhubarb along with it.
2 comments:
Fences make the best neighbors
If the poo fits . . . Oh Jody, I feel your pain. I have two legal indoor cats. My neighbor, however, has a lovely (read: evil) black and white creature which stays outside (read: unleashed,running wild, hangs out by my birdfeeder and birdhouses most of the time) because he "crys and carrys on if we don't let him out". Puuh-leese. I've offered my best tried-and-true cat owner advice. Buy 2 squirt guns to keep one inside and one outside the door. Tux won't like water in his little kitty face and learn to abhor the door area. I even mentioned Howard County law concerning roaming animals. His response? "Oh, well, you can call Animal Control if it bothers you. They'll just have to put him to sleep." Aaaarrrgh.
Meanwhile, my husband threatens rat poison and tries to run him over with the van.
I know, I know. Just keep knitting . . . just keep knitting . . .
Perhaps you could knit a Lab-sized diaper?
Bonnie K1P2
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