For better or for worse, I have become that guy.
That guy who stops mowing at the edge of his neighbour's half, when it wouldn't take much more effort to mow it all.
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| My half, which is much much less that half the whole lawn is the mowed (mown) right side. |
For almost 19 years, I have been mowing the whole thing. When we first moved here, the guy on the left was somewhat compromised, so of course I did it all. Happily.
When he moved out, a landlord purchased the property as an investment. He first rented to young males who, as decent as they otherwise might be, were not about to keep up appearances. So, I continued to take care of both halves. No problem.
Next, the almost-slum-landlord rented to druggies, and AC continued to mow because there was no alternative.
When miserable landlord finally evicted the druggies, the place was in such bad condition that it sat vacant for three years while he worked off and on at refurbishing the house.
The next and last tenant, for now, actually did her share, especially last year when I wasn't doing so well.
But now she is gone, and the property once again sits vacant while the landlord does this, that and the other thing before he rents it out again or perhaps even sells. Who knows what the heck his plans might be? I hope he sells because he exhibits no interest in being a good landlord who has any interest in assisting his tenants if any bits of maintenance are required.
The guy is a misery. He's been nasty to us and others in the neighbourhood. When the fence between him and his other neighbour blew down in the derecho two years ago, he refused to contribute to the cost of putting up a new one, even though the neighbour was willing to do all of the labour.
So, AC here is very reluctant assist him in any way and to do his work for him. Mind you, I know that I will probably eventually break down and do it for appearances sake because he won't be rushing over with his lawnmower.
But for the present, I am being extremely petty and am on strike.
21 comments:
I'm amazed your town hasn't taken action against him. Can they force him to keep up the place? It drives down property values, prized by most towns
Given the history, I probably wouldn't do it either. I've blown snow for others as a neighborly gesture but never mowed lawns. I guess I have always lived near people who were pretty particular with their lawns and how they are cared for. They don't seem to care about how snow gets cleared, only that it is cleared.
I'm with you but I would probably break down eventually and cut the other section too. It is a quandary.
Totally understandable.
That's just awful. Thank God I have an enclosed lot with fencing on 3 sides. I might put up a fence in the front to keep the riff raff out.
Totally justified. and yes, you will likely end up mowing because you have to look at it. Hopefully he sells.
Maybe your city or the neighborhood or township will get on his case if he doesn't mow. They do here, but it has to get pretty unsightly first. I see your point completely. Pity he doesn't check out his tenants more carefully before renting.
You are not being petty in the least, AC, but most likely you will eventually mow the other half because it would look better. Too bad that landlord is such a scumbag and was renting to people who did not keep up the exterior which of course makes one wonder about the interior..
I actually posted for tomorrow about encouraging lawn owners to plant pollinating wild or otherwise flowers for the lawn, and let lawns grow more. Those dandelions are lovely...but when they go to seed, not so much. So sorry there is that trouble with the guy who owns next door. What a cad!
So right, AC!
I'd be petty too! Though if it does go up for sale a neat lawn might attract better buyers? Or not.
Hope your strike works!
Unfortunately, I doubt the unpleasant landlord will notice or care. If I may, is your home considered a condo, a duplex, a townhouse l, or something else? With the sharing of some walls, the designations can sometimes be rather hazy.
I suspect the “ruffian” appearance of the abandoned side will eventually aggravate enough that you will acquiesce and end up mowing it. But, I completely understand your stance and hope you give it a valiant attempt!
It is interesting that although the grey squirrel more commonly has a black morphological form, the orangish (red) squirrel does also express a black morphology, but less often.
What I find especially interesting is that at my doctoral school, the population of the black morphological form was intensely stable and made up ~ 1/3 of the population. And it wasn’t clear if the black morph was more likely the grey species or the red species.
There are so many ways though that they can and do mate. There is disagreement on whether there are hybrids. Some say yes some say no. But, from what I had seen, I think they can and do produce hybrids.
From a genetic standpoint, though, I would suspect that any hybrids produced would be akin to mules…… and be sterile.
PipeTobacco
No good deeds go unpunished
What a pain in the arse. I am so sorry.
You've done your part. Why are there slum landlords? It would seem to ma that a good landlord would make more money.
Stay on strike at least through May. It's the grow your grass month, to encourage beneficial insects and bees.
I wouldn't call it being petty. It seems as if you have plenty of reason to simply stop doing it.
What Jenn said. Geez.
I say I wouldn't do it, but it would bug me so I would probably give in, then hate myself for it. My neighbors with whom I share a front lawn are nice but do nothing. Then they wonder why my side looks so green and lush and theirs doesn't. A little fertilizer and weed killer perhaps? Sigh. I do mow both parts because they have 5 kids and I like to mow.
I understand completely. I would not do it either, but it would bug the heck out of me. What a jerk that landlord is!
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