The Killing of the Trees and the Privacy.

For the last five years, I've done major battle with an elderly woman living next door who had dementia. She'd routinely cut my plants down, pour poison over the fence, and create all manner of mayhem. Sadly, it was her dementia speaking, but she was convinced I was on her land in my yard and house, and was going to take it back by hook, crook or Round-Up. I could delight or terrify you with the hair raising stories about this woman and all I went through with her, but I think you get the picture. If you know me well, you've likely had the er..pleasure, of seeing this action first hand.

Well, long story short....sort of....she died. And she went the way she wanted to go, in her own house...in her own time. It's horrible, and sad, and honestly, we came to some kind of a degree of peace between us when she realized I was her only lifeline if some dreaded thing happened and she needed help. I survived several rescue missions on her behalf--and so it goes.

Her very dilapidated house sat empty for eight months, and then was sold. The new owners moved in, paying 50k cash for the place, and began renovations. Great, thought I to myself! Finally some nice people. And I present this information to you all with the pre-presentation that they are indeed nice folks. But! They are very loud. Very different. Very BIG. And since they've moved in, there's been non-stop partying in their yard with loud music, big families, and sadly---a total lack of privacy for myself and O.C.

All of this get used to it business aside, my greatest sadness about this whole thing has been the loss of the beautiful fruit trees. They paved paradise...not that crazy ladies house or land was that, but this area where we are is full of large lots and very old homes. With this comes very old trees.

These folks came in and tore down just about every fruit tree in the yard. Ripped out a large shed that provided privacy, and put in cement to park their trucks. Not cool.

The photos above will give some indication of the current scene. The two trees in front are lovely pineapple, er, were lovely pineapple guava. All gone now.

It has put a spin on the world I never thought I'd have. Total lack of privacy and really noisy, but nice, folks next door...and a parking lot of gardener trucks to look at.

In wondering about karma, one has to ask, why me? I did my time already....

But so it goes.

A lot has changed around here, given the economy. Empty homes lead to more crime. And this has been utterly true in these parts. It has gotten to where I only feel safe in the confines of the farm here, and have given up trying to run or ride the foldy bike here in town. Too many dangerous types and too much violence out there in urbania.