[Scott K]

Don't you hate it when someone has a problem with you, that they don't have the nerve to confront you about it directly? Sorry, ranting again, long, boring story to follow.

The tarp I used to cover my oversized, leaking shed was too big for it, as well as rather heavy, so we ended up letting it hang over 2 sides, with some plywood and boards holding it down. I only intended this as a temporary thing, until most of the rainy season passed, and I could afford to buy the proper materials to do the job right. I can't afford them right now, I have to waste the small amount of money I have on frivolous things like food, and bills. Naturally, it wasn't especially pretty, but the side facing my fussiest neighbour wasn't one of the overhanging ones. Despite that, he didn't like it anyway. I found him putting stakes in along our mutual property line one day. I asked if they were for the garden expansion he had talked about. Nope. Putting in a fence. A fence? Yup, he was tired of looking at my "stuff", suggested I "get a blue tarp to cover your house as well", and "thanked" me for costing him money! Huh? I thought we had finally found a way to get along. I guess not. Everything visible from his house, looked better than it has in a while. had already cleaned up the winter's mess from that side, and thought it looked pretty good. We had even planned on cooperating to cut down a linmb from one of my trees that overhangs his garden.

Several days later, the stakes disappeared. Several days after that, I received a notice form the town, stating several building code violations, and giving me 10 days to fix everything! They had apparently received "anonymous" complaints. Was it realy necessary to do that? He couldn't have just come to me and said, "hey that looks bad, can't you do something about it?" Guess not. I've been working on it for most of this week now, struggling to make do with plywood I've picked up along the road, and re-using old nails. I spoke to the town's inspector yesterday, when he stopped by after seeing me out working. The electric line to the shed, which has also been there for 21 years, was also apparently a specific part of the complaint. Huh? I can't imagine why, but now I have to disconnect it, until the house connection can be re-done. That's no problem, I can do that myself. The problem is that I have to have it inspected afterward, before I can use it, and that also costs money. Maybe I should go over and thank this guy for costing ME money. I guess he must have decided not to put up the fence after all (dang, I was looking forward to that), by getting the town to make me fix his view of our property.

Anyway, so now I need to come up with money for paint (can't leave the repaired sections unpainted), the electrical inspection (unless I decide to do without my security area light mounted on the shed, as well as electricity inside it), and more roofing materials. Thank goodness for the GOOD neighbor I have on the other side of me. He gave me a roll of tarpaper, so I at least have a start on proper covering of the patching I've done.

The funny thing is, the guy on the other side of me, is the one who had the worst view of the tarp down the side, and all the junk on top I had to put there to keep the tarp from flapping too much (the flat roof slopes in his direction, you can't see that from the other side). HE didin't have a problem with that, he knew I was planning to fix the problems soon.

Oh, well. At least the inspector was nice to me this time, since the problems are mostly fixed, and I'm being cooperative. The first time I had to deal with him, it was over the small motorhome I once had here. The same neighbor took issue with that, too, and I was forced to re-register it, and put the insurance back on it, so I could legally keep it in the yard here. I went to the town hall with an attitude, and it was returned. The neighbour and I both lost that time. I had to spend money I couldn't afford, and he had to continue to look at the "ugly" motorhome. Well that's long gone now too, sold to pay a bill last summer.

It's funny, I lived in a trailer park for 20 years, and never had any trouble with my neighbours there. I've been here in this "real" house, officially for less than a year, and have this going on.

Sorry for the ramble, I just needed to vent, again.

Scott K.