I know why it is quiet

The people behind have indeed moved out.

I hope they have found somewhere nice, but from having spoken to them, they do seem to make a habit of falling out with neighbours. I suspect that the very nice lady will soon find that her kids are once again completely misunderstood. To be fair, the kids were always polite to me and I was never sworn at, but I think that they didn't always understand how noisy they were. I think that they were nice people who kept getting it wrong.

When we moved in to this house the people behind used to be almost silent (except the lady of the house used to finish hoovering at 6am) but since then the house has had some remarkable tenants. The best ones from our point of view, with the least noise and disruption, were later accused by the landlord of dealing drugs, but what we heard didn't seem to bear that out. Of course, I have no idea what drug dealers would sound like, but I suspect unpaid rent may have clouded the issue.

So, now we wait to find out who is going to move in next. We have had some truly awful people living there, and although the last lot were not too bad (if you didn't mind the noise and the fighting), our expectations are not high.

I suspect, from some of the noise, that they have removed the kitchen, which they installed. I would be more sympathetic to any other landlord, but from experience I don't think he will rush to make good his property. Which begs the question, what sort of people will rent a house without a kitchen? Because that is who is likely to be moving in behind us.

It's quiet - too quiet!

I am not sure what is going on with those at the back. I am sure there is something. But what? I am dreadful, I am terribly bad at twitching curtains and keeping tabs, but deep down I love gossip. Gossip is not good. Then again, neither is chocolate in the quantity I consume.

I think, and this is all conjecture, that the teenage sons of the house got themselves into a bit of bother last time darling father visited as there was lots of shouts and yells and people running up and down outside the house waving golf clubs and yelling things like, 'come on then!' with what looked like rage. Or fear, as I heard that the three young lads tried to take on a bar full of men. This is probably a learning experience.

Well, I then saw them talking to the nice man next door, looking extremely stressed. This is quite a development as they had previously set on the young man of the house.

Then yesterday I noticed that all the fences that they had put up had been taken down and that there was no sign of the akita or the rottweiler. The dogs are incredibly well behaved and well looked after, but a little off putting.

Yesterday there was only noise around 9pm - woke up little bear - with lots of banging and swearing. There is normally lots of noise all day, usually banging and swearing. There has been no noise that I noticed so far today.

Dear heart hopes that they haven't gone, because we have had worse neighbours, but then he is not kept awake by them on a Sunday night. I don't know what the family does on a Sunday but I don't think it includes a Prayer meeting. All noise stops at 11.55pm. Though Marilyn Manson at 11.45pm at full blast is not conducive to sleep.

I'm not really on visiting terms with them, so I can't really pop round for a cup of gossip, although I tried to be pleasant. I can't bear to speak to the landlord of the property as the way he has conducted business has made our lives so much worse. They didn't make as many friends as perhaps they could, due to riding noisy motorbikes at all hours and fighting in clumps so there is a restricted group I could ask.

I shall have to keep an ear out for further developments.

Things that go bump

Little bear is stirring. This may have something to do with someone at the back of us falling of a ladder and swearing loudly, or at least swearing loudly, I just have to guess at the crash, thunk thunk.

There is a consistent scraping noise, so they may be decorating after their last argument. If they decorate every time they argue badly enough to trash the house they will keep B&Q in business.

I had better go - poor little bear has been short changed for his nap.