This is a decent neighborhood with lots of kids playing all over the place. The only real complaint I have are the idiots who burn rubber and excessively speed up the street. My street runs horizontal to a main road but has no stop signs or lights so people cut through and scare the hell out of me with how fast they go. With all the kids out playing it's just way wrong.

It seems a neighbor that lives kitty corner to my backyard has added a second dog to her house. The new dog tore her house up when she was at work one day so she had to take action. She had a dog walk hastily assembled (plywood floors and crooked fencing) where the dog has to stay all day. Nothing like being stuck in a confined area with non-absorbent floors where you have to defecate.

*rolls eyes*

The problem is the new dog is not exactly thrilled with being left all alone in the confined space. He is very vocal about it. He whines and howls loudly all morning and afternoon long. The first time this happened was a weekend about 2 weeks ago give or take. and my neighbor next door (his yard shares a property line with her) and my neighbor across the street away from her place and I got together.

We discussed this public nuisance. We were rather annoyed. The neighbor with an adjoining property line has a passing acquaintance with the lady and he chose to talk to her about it. The problem was gone the next day.

No harm, no foul. There was a problem she didn't now about, she was informed and fixed it. Good neighbor.

Today it happened all over again. Started in the morning and continued all through the afternoon towards early evening. Being summertime with then nice weather we have on days like today I leave my windows open. I had to close them it was so overly annoying. It even disturbed my kids nap.

That is going to far.

So this evening I called up the neighbor who had talked with her the first time and explained. His wife was off work today and had already told him how screwed it it was. I asked if he thought it would be better if he continued the dialogue with her or if I should go over. He said he had heavily dropped hints and didn't know what to do next. We came to the agreement it was better for me to go, showing her it was not just one neighbor with the problem.

Let me start with these City Ordinances:

17-35 PUBLIC NUISANCES AFFECTING PEACE AND SAFETY

The following acts, omissions, places, conditions and things are hereby declared to be public nuisances affecting peace and safety, but such enumeration shall not be construed to exclude other nuisances affecting public peace or safety coming within the provisions of this chapter.

*snip*

(J) Unnecessary Loud Noise

All loud, discordant and unnecessary noises or vibrations of any kind;

(K) Noisy Animals

The keeping or harboring of any animal or fowl which by frequent or habitual howling, yelping, barking, crowing or making of other noises shall greatly annoy or disturb a neighborhood or any considerable number of persons within the City:

In a nutshell, she was not only rudely affecting the neighborhood to the point people were discussing it she was also breaking the law.

I grabbed the kiddo, put on her bicycle, walked the long way around the block as to get to her house towards the end of the trip. When we arrive she is mowing her lawn. Her two dogs are in the front yard (illegally I beleive since they are not on a leash as city ordinance demands, she has a newly installed invisible fence) are excited to see strangers approaching their territory (we never left the sidewalk).

She walked over looking a bit wary. I can understand that, I'm a tall guy, closely buzzed hair and wide (fat). Not exactly the type of stranger a woman alone wants to deal with I'm sure. I went out of my way to try and be cool and put her at ease. I did not go over to be confrontational. If I was going over to cause trouble I sure as hell wouldn't bring my 3 year old on her pretty pink bike with streamers on it wearing a pink helmet with cartoon bunnies. Not exactly the height of intimidating.

My goal was to be polite, personable yet firm. I wasn't going to drop hints, I was going to nicely let her now this is not acceptable and needs to end. I'm guessing she had a bad day. She is most likely frustrated over the new dog causing trouble and it is hot out and she had to stop mowing to deal with this guy interrupting her.

I basically said,"Hi there, I live in that house over there *points* and there is a bit of a problem. I know in the past the gent who lives there (not using his real name) has discussed with you your dog whining and howling loudly all day. You fixed it and all was good. Well today it happened all day long. I don't like having to come over here having this awkward talk but this is not acceptable. It needs to stop."

She replies with,"No need to be rude. You told me so fine."

Instead of just walking away I told her I was sorry she took it that way. It was not my intention for that. Being annoyed with her additional rudeness (the dog freaking out all day was as rude as it gets to all the neighbors) I said,"Fine. It happens again I'll call the cops."

She ended with,'You do that!"

I snipped back,"Wiil do." Then I told the kiddo to move along on her bike and we went home.

I knocked on my neighbors door to let him know how it went but he wasn't around. About a half hour later or so I called him and told him the whole deal. This way he knew if she got jerky with him he knew why.

He laughed. He even told me of another neighbor who was going batty over this.

She wanted to compound insult to injury when I tried to be adult. Next time i will print out the necessary ordinances, call the cops and lodge a formal complaint. Then I will give the addresses of those I know affected so the cops can ask them about it.

All of this could have been avoided if she had not been self centered and screwed the neighborhood and then acted the injured party. She either fixes it or not. If not I will take the only appropriate action. I'll call the police. They can deal with her telling them how rude they are.

~The Dad