Gutter adventures
Nov. 22nd, 2011 04:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soniaSunday was sunny! I did All The Yardwork, including clearing the garage gutters on the near side. The far side is behind my neighbor's locked gate. I can tell my body is doing a lot better because raking leaves didn't hurt. And I didn't have to stop to rest between tasks. And much as I hate getting up on a ladder, clearing the gutters wasn't that big a deal.
It has been pouring down rain ever since, and this morning there was water coming in the far corner of the garage. Not surprising, given the composted leaves I found blocking the gutters on my side. So I knocked on the neighbor's door, got him to let me in his yard, and hauled my ladder in there.
I knew about the overgrown camelia I'd have to wrestle with, but the compost pile right up against the garage was a complete surprise. Augh!!! No wonder there's water coming in!
I cleared what I could reach of the gutters, getting drenched in the process (yes I did pour a scoop full of gutter water right down my sleeve, and also it started pouring down rain again). Then I went back around to the neighbor's front door to let him know I was done and tell him the compost pile can't be against the side of the wooden garage.
He said he would shovel it away, so I guess all's well that ends well, although I'm a little afraid of what the cleared wall will look like. I wonder how long the pile has been there. What was he thinking!??!
Anyone else have experience with a building forming part of a property line, so one side is essentially in the other person's yard? My neighbor seems thoughtless in a way that makes me feel frustrated and vulnerable. In the past, it has just been things like throwing dandelion seed heads in my driveway when he clears them out of his yard, but this is beyond annoying and into property damage.
It has been pouring down rain ever since, and this morning there was water coming in the far corner of the garage. Not surprising, given the composted leaves I found blocking the gutters on my side. So I knocked on the neighbor's door, got him to let me in his yard, and hauled my ladder in there.
I knew about the overgrown camelia I'd have to wrestle with, but the compost pile right up against the garage was a complete surprise. Augh!!! No wonder there's water coming in!
I cleared what I could reach of the gutters, getting drenched in the process (yes I did pour a scoop full of gutter water right down my sleeve, and also it started pouring down rain again). Then I went back around to the neighbor's front door to let him know I was done and tell him the compost pile can't be against the side of the wooden garage.
He said he would shovel it away, so I guess all's well that ends well, although I'm a little afraid of what the cleared wall will look like. I wonder how long the pile has been there. What was he thinking!??!
Anyone else have experience with a building forming part of a property line, so one side is essentially in the other person's yard? My neighbor seems thoughtless in a way that makes me feel frustrated and vulnerable. In the past, it has just been things like throwing dandelion seed heads in my driveway when he clears them out of his yard, but this is beyond annoying and into property damage.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 10:16 pm (UTC)My sister in Berkeley had a lot of trouble with one of her neighbors over a lot of border issues, and while I think this sister is pretty much a terrible person, it doesn't seem that she did anything to cause this issue. The neighbor hacked at a gorgeous elm tree on my sister's property, requiring immediate and expensive arborist intervention to save it; neighbor put a compost pile against a fence sister had just built, and it went on from there for years. This year, the neighbor caused a drainage issue that cost sister thousands of dollars to correct by blocking something at the top of the rock wall that divides the properties. They both have had lawyers handling these issues for years. Sister is a realtor and filed copies of letters on the issues with -- not sure, city planning at that address? -- deliberately so that if/when the house sold, the issue would have to be disclosed to a buyer. That's what's going on now involving the driveway drainage/rock wall issue.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-25 10:34 pm (UTC)I also dropped off some info on compost bins and city regulations today with a note saying I'd be happy to help them clean up the pile, here's when I'm available this weekend. Too bad they're not here now, it's actually sunny!
Oh, and thanks for the congratulations.