HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY

Happy Birthday to the best Dad in the whole world--in my opinion.

It's weeks like this that I really wish you were still here.

I need a good sit-down and talking to.

Fortunately I knew you and loved you long enough to know what you would say.

1. It's not worth causing feelings over.

2. It's people that matter, not things.

3. You had it for 35 years and maybe it's time to share.

4. Maybe they had a good reason.

5. Look on the bright side.

On the other hand I know what you went through to hang onto the 6th generation family farm for your children and grandchildren and great grandchildren.

So maybe you would understand what we're going through ...

and

you would be right about one more thing-

It's not as bad as the "Summer of the Skunk".

But truly you are a good, good person because you would not have posted

more photo's of the hole in the ground next door.

Excuse us--would you like us to move our cabin so your circular driveway won't come
quite so close to that tree.

You may have a good contractor and you may own your own business and be really
smart but even I know that if you sink a basement lower than the lake 20 feet away
that you may have a small water problem. Duh. The soil is already seeping. Good luck.

“REALLY NICE PEOPLE” vs. REALLY BAD NEIGHBORS

The good friend that started me blogging gave me some advice. “Don’t put anything in your blog that you wouldn’t say from the pulpit”. Well if anyone had invited me to speak in church this morning …….
We have our home on a small quiet lake-nice neighbors and only one McMansion in the bunch. Very small to medium older homes. The property next to ours sold 2 years ago for a bundle of money but it has two lots and an older but nice duplex that straddles the property line of the two lots. First owners in 1968 were very generous in giving neighbors on both sides plenty of room.
This brings us to our “New Neighbors”. For 2 years the contractor and his girlfriend have been telling us what nice people our new neighbors are. We’ve talked to the new owners and indeed they did seem to be nice people. SO can you tell me why 3 people need a 10,000 foot home with a full basement but most importantly why it needs to sit 10 feet (the legal limit) and 2 inches from our property line on the south side and leave 100 feet on the north side of the property? Also why couldn’t they put their house even with our house to the north instead of 40 feet forward of the old house (which by the way they are tearing down). That way at least it wouldn’t sit right in our face the entire time we are out on our deck or in the dining room, or for that matter in the bathroom or hiding behind the refrigerator. Did I mention that these “really nice people” have a ranch and beautiful cabin just 3 hours from here and probably won’t be using this house but a couple of times a year?
Did I mention that they brought in the heavy equipment yesterday and started digging and I had to leave and spend the day in town – in tears? Did I mention that today is Sunday and we looked forward to a quiet day to get our emotions together and they started digging at 8:00 A.M. and it’s 4:30 and their still going strong?
And yes, I know that someone is going to mention that I should stop complaining because not everyone can be fortunate enough to live in the Colorado Mountains. And yes, I know that I should just “put on my big girl panties and deal with it”. YES, I know all that. I just want to know why I can’t stop crying.

100 feet of forest to the north of the construction site.

They could have had a view comparable to this.

Instead, this is the view they will have. The only other “McMansion” on the lake. Maybe the two owners can have “peeing” contests off their balconys.

Oh, Lordy-- the words "peeing" and "panties" is really going to

bring in the idiots. Sorry to disappoint you guys.