Would these comments bother you?

[rie'smom]

This isn't the exact phrase but:Tall fences make good neighbors.

 

[SleepyMom]

I do feel better knowing others would be bothered as well, I wondered if maybe I was being too sensitive...

They are mostly very nice and so when they make these comments I am just thrown as to how to respond. With the husband being a Pastor, it just makes me wonder how they can be so judgmental towards others.

I love all the suggestions, and just wish I was brave enough to do some of them. I have started giving them back the presents their dog leaves us... I used to always pick them up, but now I just flick them back into their yard.

I need to work on a come back for the next time I am thanked

 

[mytwotinks]

I'm thinking that these folks think sooooo highly of themselves that they just assume that any compliment from them would be the highlight of anyones day. I like the idea of really filling your yard with the tackiest plastic nativity set you can find this year. My neighbors have a giant one that they incorporate a Santa and a snowman into! Maybe you could find something like that !

 

[Stitchfans]

Good grief, its like living next door to Marie Barone, huh?
If it was me, I'd make the opposite comments back, like, "oh, I'd appreciate it if your son and his band could quite things down some, wouldn't that be nice?
OR Your daughter practices her piano a lot, maybe she could take a break once in a while, wouldn't that be nice?

Plus, maybe you should purchase a pooper scooper for your yard and mine, wouldn't that be nice? Get my drift?

 

[ChristmasElf]

See, that is what I have been thinking of doing, something along those lines to let them know I get what they are saying.

They always say it nice, but adding the thank you really rubs me, like it is something we did specifically for them. We are such burdens you know Whatever

We don't put up the tacky monstrous sized decorations, and we have never gone overboard (although DH would love to be the Griswold house just once in his life ). This isn't an older couple either, maybe 5 to at the very, very most 10 years older than us (I'm a horrible judge of age), their kids are right in between our girls.

Even DH has grown very tired of their back-handed compliments.

imsorry - Dash is doing great. We are slowly weaning him off the anti-histimine for the winter months, but the Vet feels he will need them again next Spring and Summer. We'll have to wait and see... thanks for asking.

The FIRST thing I would consider would be a back fence. A nice 6-8 foot tall privacy fence. That will cut short the football games and the free use of your playset.
The next time they say anything with a thankyou attached to it, respond with something like "well, we were only thinking of you and you're welcome" be sure to maybe roll your eyes a bit or smirk sarcastically while you are at it!

As for the lawnmower, I would be mowing that lawn at 7 am sharp! And if they say something about that, respond with "hey, we all gotta live around here" or something equally condescending.

Good Luck!

 

[Lizzy2]

The next time there is a comment put out there like that just say this,
"You know, insert name, You really might want to be careful making comments like that around the neighborhood. It doesn't bother me but some of the other neighbors have been talking about how condescending and patronizing they are and I really believe its starting to hurt your ministry."
BELIEVE ME, my BFF growing up her Dad was a pastor and thats the kind of talk that pastor's listen to. "Hurting your ministry" often means hurting your offering plate!

 

[Topper]

I have started giving them back the presents their dog leaves us... I used to always pick them up, but now I just flick them back into their yard.

Even better, box them up, knock on their door and say: "Your darling canine Poopsie has been leaving us the most delightful presents, but we are unworthy to accept and must insist that you take them back". Then hand them the box, say "good evening" and go home.

I doubt they'll darken your doorstep again.

 

[va32h]

I totally understand the desire to have a snappy comeback. Or some kind of revenge. We had a neighbor whose dog pooped in our yard, and my husband would scoop it up every time and plop it on their front step!

You've done a wonderful job of putting up with it so far. I think Keli's suggestion is a good one. Just stare at them blankly with a "why on earth would you say that" expression until they get uncomfortable.

I do make an effort to be courteous with noisy things like lawnmowing (although I had a neighbor complain when I mowed at 8 am on a weekday - like I was supposed to know he stayed home sick from work?!).

But I'd never tone down my Christmas or Halloween decorations because my neighbors found them tacky. I always thought they were supposed to be tacky in the first place!

 

[Aquagirl]

I would put up a row of the bushes that they hated in between my yard and there yard.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

ignore them. don't waste your time thinking and bothering yourself with their comments.

 

[Chattyaholic]

Yes, comments from neighbors like that would annoy the crap out of me! It isn't any of their business what you do in your own yard, how you decorate, etc. They are beyond rude!!

We have a neighbor who put their old bathtub out by the road, in their front lawn in the corner, when they remodeled their bathroom. I figured the trash man would take it, but he never did. They finally moved it to the field beside their house. I think it's tacky looking, but would NEVER say anything to them about it. It isn't any of MY business!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I think that the most I would really say to them is, "You're welcome...I think". Say that every time they thank you. I would fling the dog poop back into their yard, at leas that's what we used to do when we had that problem. I've written about my neighbor problems and I can certainly identity with yours. Our neighbor was nasty about everything, though. I'd take fake sweetness over nastiness I suppose.

 

[Jeanny]

I didn't know there was such thing as a quiet lawn mower...
thank you for letting me know.

 

[Sandy22]

I can't believe that some posters would put up with the neighbour's dog doing it's business in your yard. I would be livid! I wouldn't put up with that at all! I have 2 dogs and would be mortified if they did their business on my neighbour's lawn - I would never dream of leaving it there for them to pick up! Anyway - I have a fence so it's not an issue. But you can bet I would never pick up a neighbour's dog's "presents".

 

[magicmato]

LOL. Well, since they LIKE the non-blinky lights, you should festoon your house with as many of those little non-twinklies as you can!

Next time they are in your yard, I would put on boots and march out, letting them know they should wash any exposed skin that came in contact with your lawn, as you JUST had a powerful poison applied.

Lastly, I would run your lawnmower every day when you can, and if they make a little 'friendly' comment, just smile and cut them off, saying sweetly, "You are welcome! I know how much you love hearing our new lawn mower! If you had not mentioned how quiet it was, we would NEVER have felt comfortable using it this much!"

 

[azgal81]

They sure sound like a fun bunch!

 

[Papa Deuce]

I hardly talk to my neighbors and this is why. I'm sure there are good neighborhoods, but when I moved into mine, the neighbors came over not to welcome me but to tell me that I was taking too long to bring my garbage cans back in on garbage day (I do it the minute I get home from work, I guess I should come home on my lunch hour??), to tell me they wanted me to move my vegetable garden so they couldn't see it (apparently vegetable gardens are tacky), to complain about the type of grass we put in the lawn, to complain that our mail box was too cheap looking.....there were other things, but I've tried to block them out.

Just do like I do and keep your distance.Who needs the aggravation?

gated community?

 

[FreshTressa]

I would probably keep blowing off the comments, but it would be hard not to toss up a few uber-tacky decorations just to honk them off a little.

Yup, that is what I would do.

Since they are neighbors, not friends, I would let it slide and just ignore them. They are very annoying people, obviously, and rude too.

 

[Heidict]

First off, I think you need a fence. It's one thing to ask to intrude into your backyard on special occasions, but apparently, asking in not one of their priorities. A fence would allow you some privacy but also stop the dog from doing his business in your yard.

Secondly, all presents would be sent back to the sender. I would fling them back into their yard. Don't pile them all in the same place, that makes it to easy for them to find and to easy to clean up. It's more fun to just let them fly. You can make it a game!! 10 points if you hit the picnic table, 5 points for the back porch.....

 

[jgmklmhem]

The comments I would probably ignore, but the actions you describe I could not stand for if it were my home. The dog poo, the parking in front of your house, them using your yard, and them using your playset would set me off. I assume you have never confronted them about these things and because you haven't it is my feeling they think all these things are ok with your family. If you don't like the actions that are occurring then I would definately confront them soon.