Getting from A to B

Outside, associated loosely with Nice Mr Next Door, are five cars, one caravan, one burger van and a sofa on a trailer.

Lots of people, it seems would get upset at this. But he always leaves space for dear heart to park, he is a wonderful person, a great neighbour, unfailingly indulgent to little bear (quite a key point) and incredibly helpful.

And he likes a gossip as much as me!

I can live with the cars.

Another afternoon without little bear

Little bear has been going to nursery for about six weeks now, and he is enjoying it. I don't mention the 'n' word until after he has eaten something as otherwise I have no chance. Also, I am so proud, he is actually parting with his boops and wearing the expensive Clarks shoes to nursery.

Today Nice Mrs Next Door came with me, as the nursery will not allow anyone to pick up little bear who they have not been introduced to, which I am very keen on. After the problems trying to deal with swine flu, dear heart and little bear at nursery I knew I needed a fall back.

I don't often get to chat to Nice Mrs Next Door as she is usually inside and her husband is usually outside fixing a car and I chat to him, with little bear. I really must call round more often - she is a lovely lady and so kind.

Beautiful Irony

Nice Mr Next Door had a car or two towed by the DVLA a few days ago. This has not really cramped his operations, and more cars are multiplying outside and the place looks more like a garage than ever.

I am not terribly upset by this. Dear heart sometimes has a problem parking, but what generally happens is that they move the car for him, if not at the exact time that he arrives then soon after. It also means that there is usually someone out and about and discourage the more random burglaries and vandalism. Several very little ones play in the street as well, so there are always plenty of pairs of eyes.

Well, last night dear heart couldn't park outside the house and Mr Next Door knocked around 8.30pm to say that he could move his car to the front of the house. Dear heart came in chuckling. You see, the cars had been towed after a sustained campaign from Her Three Doors Down (apparently) but two of the cars now overflowing in the street were from the people who towed the car - they needed some work done and were happy that they had just found someone who could sort it out. I believe recommendations may follow.

I've been quite cheered up.

Next door's roof

There is a lot of weather around today, and unfortunately this is the day that they have decided to mend the roof next door.

It is a terrible dilemma - I am really grateful that the roof will no longer leak and get damp into our house, and I am desperately happy for the people living next door who can start to get the house fixed. However, I would really have liked to see the landlord prosecuted, because he is so horrible, and this should have been sorted out at least two years ago and it is only the threat of prosecution that has made him do the minimum. My damp is unlikely to be finally sorted until the leak in the bathroom is properly fixed.

I am not confident with the roofers either. Not only has the landlord employed them, which suggests that they are naive, desperate or very poor at their job, but they looked very young and they knocked on my door about mending my roof. I said I had it in hand. He actually said, 'we can do it for you now, really cheap'. This is not a phrase that fills me with confidence. Though I do rather sympathise with them climbing up on top of a four storey house in howling winds and rain. They got very upset when I wouldn't employ them, so I won't be taking out tea and buns for the poor young lads, but it must be desperate times.

Now I hope that the gentleman who is supposed to be doing my roof will actually do my roof!

Confessions of a nosy neighbour

I am something of a failure as a nosy neighbour. I never notice anything - I completely missed the armed police and sniffer dogs searching the street when there was an armed robbery at a nearby bookies. Now that we have double glazing I hear even less.

However, Sunday afternoon I did actually notice that an argument was taking place, but I was a little rushed and I thought it was not the right thing to do to go out and gawp. I knew it was the gentleman next door, who is lovely but will stand no nonsense. I decided that it would look very bad if I actually went out as a spectator.

I carried on until I realised that there were three policemen outside! I thought it must be serious, three policemen on a Sunday afternoon. Tried to discreetly crane around my curtains, but I got no clues.

Monday came, and I was torn. Should I call round to the lovely people next door and ask whether they had a visit from the boys in blue? Should I wait until they mention it? I was absolutely caught between trying to be a reasonable, sensible, non-of-my-business neighbour and desperate curiosity. I was confident it would not be anything dreadful if it was due to the people next door but what was it?

I felt somewhat let down when I found out that 'Her three doors down' had been a little upset when her sister couldn't park directly outside her house (I have mentioned the congestion around here) so she complained. She does tend to go at these sort of things like a bull in a china shop and when the gentleman next door refused to move after all (as there was space within yards and the people involved were all able bodied) she called the police and complained that the gentleman next door had been verbally abusive.

I had to think about this. 'Her three doors down' has a vocabulary that would get little bear's mouth washed out with soap. I mean, I know all the words, and you need to be able to let off steam, but really the language is, well, industrial. When she gets into full flow, she could strip paint. I can see her point, it is like living in a garage forecourt, but if you just say something reasonable to the gentleman next door then all the cars are moved and there is no problem. And her calling someone else verbally abusive...

I haven't heard her side of the story, but I do have trouble feeling for her. If I say that she makes Lily Savage look like Barbara Cartland, I would be exaggerating for comical effect. Unfortunately, I think I would be exaggerating less than you would think.