The Neighbors

Oh, there's plenty I could write about from the last week...but I am going to skip all that and discuss my concerns regarding our new neighbors.

To set this up- I live in a row of four homes, in one of the middle homes--my new neighbors are the other middle home. My previous neighbors were a married couple with one daughter (junior high age). They kept to themselves but were very nice. The husband actually mowed our grass a few times after Liam was born & would help me unload groceries from my car, etc. when I was pregnant. But they had their struggles and ended up splitting up last year. I never heard them argue-they were not that type. We didn't know until the husband was moving out. I knew the wife didn't really take much interest in the house but I had no idea how much she DIDN'T do...

Anyway, new neighbor (we'll call her Terry) told me (the first day I met her) that she is married but she isn't "sure what her husband's intentions are"(WTH?)... She has 3 children: a girl and two boys. Terry told me ALOT about the poor conditions of the house including mold in the bathroom, cat poo in the basement and many other gross details. She is in the process of having the bathroom and kitchen re-done prior to actually moving in-along with other painting, etc. She apologized for the noise, etc. that would be created by that.

So she sounds okay, right? Fixing up the house, obviously wanting to take care of it. I feel bad for her--I don't know if she didn't get a good inspection or do a walk through but it seems that she got more work than she bargained for when she bought the house.

Here's the problem: Terry is LOUD..I know EVERYTHING she is doing to the house because if my front door is open, I HEAR every word she says when she is there...Her kids (the boys) scream ALOT more than any of the other kids in our neighborhood. She yells at them ALOT. Her husband- the few times I have seen him--is also loud and likes the "F" word...hmmm. Not that I haven't been known to use some bad language but definitely NOT so the whole neighborhood can hear it and NOT in front of children. I foresee DRAMA---and LOTS of it.

Our neighborhood isn't "sha-sha" AT ALL. But our street is comprised mostly of families with youngish children and few teenagers. There is really never excessive noise. One family who happens to be Hispanic has extended family living with them and they like to play Spanish music on the weekends--but it is never obnoxious. We have always been fairly happy living here- even though this is not our dream situation.

I just feel like the balance has been disrupted by the new arrivals. I feel like I am always going to hear everything that goes on in their life whether I want to or not. I worry about what my children will overhear--and they are getting to be an age where it does matter. I am trying really hard not to rush to judgment. Time will tell and I will let you know if my initial impression was correct or if it was much ado about nothing. I am really hoping for the latter.