KILLING ME SLOWLY... WITH NOISE

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The old man who lived next door for many years is now in a care home. It’s so sad when this happens to people we know and love. He was on his own and had been for many years and as neighbours go he was the tops. I understand he is happy where he is so that’s a blessing.

Until Joe’s illness prevented it he visited Doug on a weekly basis. He was that kind of man, always kind, always considerate. Joe would report back and it seemed that nearly always he had found Doug in the bar. I didn’t even know care homes had bars let alone encourage residents to use them. No wonder Doug liked it there.

Eventually Doug’s bungalow was sold to a couple of sisters. Nice enough people but they do like spending money. Admittedly, since the house was in the same state as when Doug’s parents lived there, there is plenty to spend money on... new roof, new kitchen, new bedroom by way of a loft conversion, new garage, installation of gas (I didn’t ask!), garden jobs. End there, because apart from continual noise from workmen’s machines, banging, drilling, and hammering, this is what affects me!

Down one side of my garden are were exceptionally tall conifers that Doug would never have cut down. Joe wanted them down but I didn’t. I liked to see the birds nesting and playing in those trees. Well, Joe would be happy because the first thing new neighbours did was to take them out – not cut down – OUT. Completely! Every single one, roots and all! I never counted those trees but at a guess I would say ten or twelve. I couldn’t believe what they were doing. Of course, I’ve got used to it now and neighbours the other side agree with me that we certainly have more light. The lounge is lighter and so is the garden. It means that plants and shrubs will now be able to grow straight instead of leaning towards what light they could get. On the plus side, the view out of my lounge window is better. I can see the sunrise in the morning even if it does blind me. The only trouble is that I can’t see inside the house because of the penetrating sunlight so I’m having to rearrange everything -  including my actions.

Where once I applied facial make-up in the kitchen, because it was the best light in the house, now I have to do it in the bedroom where there is NO early sunshine. There are no counters in the bedroom on which to deposit the make-up containers, or brushes, or mirrors, magnifying and otherwise; neither is there anywhere to sit except the bed. So, you see, I’m having a rethink about what goes where. I have emptied drawers in order to fill them with different things, and when that doesn’t work I have one of those foot-stamping moments. On a bad day I throw things, though as yet nothing breakable. All because people destroyed perfectly innocent and beautiful trees.

After the tree cutting was done, they started on their front garden, removing a perfectly good hedge that separated our drives and gave us privacy from each other. Another problem arose from that. Since we’re on a hill it means my property is slightly higher and now I have to guess my way when reversing onto my drive. I have already dented the garage door ... which required the services of a helpful neighbour. I suppose you’re all muttering under your breath ‘why not drive straight in?’ I’ll tell you why. Yes, I could drive straight in but the narrowness of the road means reversing out can be quite dangerous. I was the first one in the road to realise that and you’d be surprised at the amount of male drivers who copied me. Trust a lady, eh? What did I do? I examined the layout of the front garden, measured and planned, and decided that as soon as I was able to see the wheelie bins in their hidey-hole it was time to stop ... or else! I mean, I can’t keep on asking the helpful neighbour on the other side for assistance.

 

The above moan is nothing compared to the way I feel now. The latest alteration – they come fast, literally one after another – is their roof which is being extended to accommodate a new bedroom. Soon, instead of the rear view of a tidy row of bungalows we will have one with an extension which takes up almost half a garden because they want a bigger kitchen (current one is huge) and another bedroom. The property will no longer be classed as a bungalow which is what the rest of us live in. It puzzles me why people don’t buy what they want in the first place instead of buying something small and having to extend so dramatically.

As I said earlier, the two ladies are nice people, friendly and chatty and keen to get on with new neighbours. It's just that... oh, if only they’d take a break from all those noise inducing alterations. I know Charlie the cat would be pleased if the noise stopped.