okely dokely neighbor

The carport looked like this for four days.

I'm going to start this post by telling you how much I like my neighbors (and the fact that they don't know how to use the internet.).   I'm going to end this post by stating how excellent the exterior paint on my house looks.  I have no excuse for everything in between. 

So, we bought our house from our neighbors.  As in, we purchased this house and they moved next door into someone else's (now their) house.   It makes for the occasional awkwardness when we do any kind of renovation to the house (like when we ripped up all their carpet the first week we moved in).  They really are good neighbors - we occasionally feed each others dogs or get each others mail... we have keys to each others houses and have watched each others kids grow up.  They are good people.  

BUT CURRENTLY DRIVING ME CRAZY. 

Over the years (we've lived here six or seven?)  we've had those minor neighborly annoyances.  I am SURE they could come up with a list a mile long about us - especially in the beginning when their kids were younger and we had, um, a more active nightlife and our friends often wound up at our house - and in our driveway or backyard not far from their windows -  until the wee hours.   

And we have some on them too - like The Year of the Ticy Taco stand (the photo below is not the actual camper - the real one was bigger and, uh, a little worse for wear) where they parked a camper from their deer woods between our houses for approximately one year (Karl and I decided we were going to sell tacos out of it - hence the Ticy Taco name.). 

Additionally, they once hung a dead deer from the tree in their backyard and proceeded to process it there - is that even legal in the city?   And, really, it's best not to get me started on their inability to leash their dog and their dogs ability to poop in my front yard (where all the neighbor kids play) or come inside my house if I leave my front door open.

THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS ARKANSAS.

BUT THAT IS NOT THE POINT. 

Ahem.   

THIS IS: 

We hired said Dad Neighbor to paint the exterior of our house.  We are currently on WEEK FIVE of the job.  FIVE.  As in almost the ENTIRETY OF NORA KATE'S LIFE.  It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't working from home (Ever nurse a baby half-nakey in your bed and open the blinds and BAM SHIRTLESS NEIGHBOR ON A LADDER WAVING IN AT YOU?  No, just me?).  

It also would be a little, um, less awkward if I didn't come home one day from picking up Nate at school to find my holly bush CUT IN HALF (vertically and TO THE ROOT) and THEN asked if that was okay.  CAUSE THAT IS GOING TO GROW BACK NORMAL. 

It also would be a little less intense if Neighbor Dad didn't feel the need to discuss his start times (late), lunch times, and end times (early) and ask me if it was okay if he took off early to head to the (you guessed it) deer woods! Which, in a way, is real sweet (but no consult on the tree slashing!?!) and in a way makes me want to shoot myself in the head and tell him I don't mind at all JUST FINISH PAINTING MY HOUSE AND I CAN PAY YOU.  

There.  

Done now.  

I know, I know.  I'll stop.  I'm sorry.  

Like I said, the house looks really great.  (It really does). 

Carry on.