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Looking after neighbours suitcase

309 replies

ShakyBake · 25/09/2026 21:52

Neighbour of ours, friendly known her for about 7 years is off on holiday next week.
We were talking about it over the wall yesterday and informed me she will be taking 3 cases and would it be ok if I keep the suitcases (packed) in my living room until the morning she gets picked up. I said yes of course and didn't ask why. My husband doesn't understand why we need to keep them here. I said don't be silly we are neighbours and it's the right thing to do. That's not unreasonable is it?

OP posts:
Bjorkdidit · Yesterday 12:29

BrezhnevsLuxuriantEyebrows · Yesterday 11:53

I can't believe all of the fanciful and, frankly, utterly ridiculous scenarios that people are dreaming up... when it's perfectly obvious and straightforward to anybody who is familiar with the classic conundrum about the man who has to get a fox, a chicken and a bag of grain safely across the river in his rowing boat.

She's going on holiday to a small island nation where her DGD lives on a combined coach/ferry journey. Her DGD is crazy-mad about Sugar Puffs, but sadly you simply can't buy them where she lives. The suitcases are therefore stuffed to the gills with Sugar Puffs that the neighbour has bought from her local supermarket, clearing their shelves completely - emptied out and loose of their boxes, as you can cram far more of them in that way.

The problem is that she has a pet dog who is also a big fan of Sugar Puffs. He is also going on the holiday with her, to visit the family who live there, as they love him and he loves them. Naturally, as a dog, his sense of smell is top-drawer - so he can instantly smell the Sugar Puffs through the fabric of the cases, and is a strong and determined mutt, so he would easily be able to tear his way into them overnight, if they were in their own living room, and snaffle the lot well before dawn.

Therefore, the dog and the Sugar Puffs can never be left alone together - hence the cases need to stay overnight in next door's living room, which the dog cannot access. This part is key.

It's only by making sure that the cases go safely into the separate luggage hold of the coach, whilst she watches her dog like a hawk and takes him with her into the passenger seating area, that the Sugar Puffs will survive the journey intact.

Of course, when they arrive there, her DGD is going to be so excited to see both the beloved dog and the Sugar Puffs that she will want to scoff every last Sugar Puff within the hour, and maybe even share them with the dog in one massive Sugar-Puff-eating frenzy - which is clearly not a great idea for the health of either of them... but that's a whole new conundrum to be resolved separately, and one which OP can sadly have no logistical part in facilitating.

Edited
Grin

Well that is an excellent cover story if she is a drug smuggler or has murdered her DH.

Perhaps we should feed the thread into ChatGPT and ask it to write a cosy crime novel based on this premise. We'd make a fortune.

TorroFerney · Yesterday 12:25

ShakyBake · 25/09/2026 22:05

Shes in her 70's and I said to my husband we should be helping and just had a blazing row. I'll ask her tomorrow and update them as I'm fed up with this and just trying to be neighbourly

I consider myself neighbourly as I say hello to my neighbours!

Millytante · Yesterday 12:20

ShakyBake · Yesterday 11:26

Thank you and that was exactly my reasoning and the point I was making to him. To me, if a neighbour asks for a favour it doesn't matter what it involves just that you try and help and be a neighbour

Me and my husband are still not speaking this morning so I went to collect the cases on my own and as suspected there is a very simple explanation to this as I told my husband several times. My neighbour was burgled once when she was on holiday, she wants to tell the taxi driver she is actually RETURNING home and that she was staying with us, I have agreed that me and my husband (I've not told him yet) will wave her off from our house. She will simple come into our house 10mins or so before the taxi arrives

Getting a quick trip to Marks and Sparks organised must involve terrifically Baroque chicanes and feints round your way!

Millytante · Yesterday 12:16

BrezhnevsLuxuriantEyebrows · Yesterday 11:53

I can't believe all of the fanciful and, frankly, utterly ridiculous scenarios that people are dreaming up... when it's perfectly obvious and straightforward to anybody who is familiar with the classic conundrum about the man who has to get a fox, a chicken and a bag of grain safely across the river in his rowing boat.

She's going on holiday to a small island nation where her DGD lives on a combined coach/ferry journey. Her DGD is crazy-mad about Sugar Puffs, but sadly you simply can't buy them where she lives. The suitcases are therefore stuffed to the gills with Sugar Puffs that the neighbour has bought from her local supermarket, clearing their shelves completely - emptied out and loose of their boxes, as you can cram far more of them in that way.

The problem is that she has a pet dog who is also a big fan of Sugar Puffs. He is also going on the holiday with her, to visit the family who live there, as they love him and he loves them. Naturally, as a dog, his sense of smell is top-drawer - so he can instantly smell the Sugar Puffs through the fabric of the cases, and is a strong and determined mutt, so he would easily be able to tear his way into them overnight, if they were in their own living room, and snaffle the lot well before dawn.

Therefore, the dog and the Sugar Puffs can never be left alone together - hence the cases need to stay overnight in next door's living room, which the dog cannot access. This part is key.

It's only by making sure that the cases go safely into the separate luggage hold of the coach, whilst she watches her dog like a hawk and takes him with her into the passenger seating area, that the Sugar Puffs will survive the journey intact.

Of course, when they arrive there, her DGD is going to be so excited to see both the beloved dog and the Sugar Puffs that she will want to scoff every last Sugar Puff within the hour, and maybe even share them with the dog in one massive Sugar-Puff-eating frenzy - which is clearly not a great idea for the health of either of them... but that's a whole new conundrum to be resolved separately, and one which OP can sadly have no logistical part in facilitating.

Edited

Please accept this gold star for that. Fabulous work!

Mumek · Yesterday 12:14

Maybe she is going on a cruise and needs 3 suitcase for evening dresses/medication/hobby materials etc.

pelamo · Yesterday 12:12

This is mad. She could put a blow up doll on the sofa/chair by her front window, head visible above the window sill, and wave it goodbye as she leaves HER house shouting, "Bye love, thanks for having me stay, see you next time".... 😊Loud enough for the taxi driver to hear. If anyone did break in they'd think they were an extra in the film Psycho. Win win.

Yetone · Yesterday 12:10

ShakyBake · Yesterday 11:26

Thank you and that was exactly my reasoning and the point I was making to him. To me, if a neighbour asks for a favour it doesn't matter what it involves just that you try and help and be a neighbour

Me and my husband are still not speaking this morning so I went to collect the cases on my own and as suspected there is a very simple explanation to this as I told my husband several times. My neighbour was burgled once when she was on holiday, she wants to tell the taxi driver she is actually RETURNING home and that she was staying with us, I have agreed that me and my husband (I've not told him yet) will wave her off from our house. She will simple come into our house 10mins or so before the taxi arrives

But why can’t she bring the suitcases off an hour before she leaves?

pigmygoatsinjumpers · Yesterday 12:09

TremendousFlatulence · 25/09/2026 22:32

But actually IS a blazing row an overreaction? Because if my husband, say, said 'Oh, I've agreed that the farmer's donkey can live in our bathroom for a week starting Monday' then that's the same level of stupid and yes, there would be a blazing bloody row!

That made me laugh.

I am over 70, but there is no way I would want to lug 3 suitcases on holiday and nor would I expect my neighbours to look after the suitcases for me until it was time to leave the house.

I've not read the rest of the thread after your post TF, but I hope there is an explanation.

Mymanyellow · Yesterday 11:54

She could come round with the cases ten mins before hand. An elaborate show of waving her off, not sure why You’ve got them now.
Hope no one on here lives near you and is a burglar. 😀

BrezhnevsLuxuriantEyebrows · Yesterday 11:53

I can't believe all of the fanciful and, frankly, utterly ridiculous scenarios that people are dreaming up... when it's perfectly obvious and straightforward to anybody who is familiar with the classic conundrum about the man who has to get a fox, a chicken and a bag of grain safely across the river in his rowing boat.

She's going on holiday to a small island nation where her DGD lives on a combined coach/ferry journey. Her DGD is crazy-mad about Sugar Puffs, but sadly you simply can't buy them where she lives. The suitcases are therefore stuffed to the gills with Sugar Puffs that the neighbour has bought from her local supermarket, clearing their shelves completely - emptied out and loose of their boxes, as you can cram far more of them in that way.

The problem is that she has a pet dog who is also a big fan of Sugar Puffs. He is also going on the holiday with her, to visit the family who live there, as they love him and he loves them. Naturally, as a dog, his sense of smell is top-drawer - so he can instantly smell the Sugar Puffs through the fabric of the cases, and is a strong and determined mutt, so he would easily be able to tear his way into them overnight, if they were in their own living room, and snaffle the lot well before dawn.

Therefore, the dog and the Sugar Puffs can never be left alone together - hence the cases need to stay overnight in next door's living room, which the dog cannot access. This part is key.

It's only by making sure that the cases go safely into the separate luggage hold of the coach, whilst she watches her dog like a hawk and takes him with her into the passenger seating area, that the Sugar Puffs will survive the journey intact.

Of course, when they arrive there, her DGD is going to be so excited to see both the beloved dog and the Sugar Puffs that she will want to scoff every last Sugar Puff within the hour, and maybe even share them with the dog in one massive Sugar-Puff-eating frenzy - which is clearly not a great idea for the health of either of them... but that's a whole new conundrum to be resolved separately, and one which OP can sadly have no logistical part in facilitating.

Shinyandnew1 · Yesterday 11:43

PrincessHoneysuckle · Yesterday 11:35

If this was me
Neighbour- Please could you look after my 3 suitcases?
Me-Why? Laughs
Neighbour- tells me
Me-Decides whether its a good enough reason to agree.

This is what 99.9% of people who get on with their neighbours would do.

Blindly agreeing to requests because ‘neighbour’ is totally bizarre, bordering on incredibly naive and foolish.

Whaleandsnail6 · Yesterday 11:42

ShakyBake · Yesterday 11:26

Thank you and that was exactly my reasoning and the point I was making to him. To me, if a neighbour asks for a favour it doesn't matter what it involves just that you try and help and be a neighbour

Me and my husband are still not speaking this morning so I went to collect the cases on my own and as suspected there is a very simple explanation to this as I told my husband several times. My neighbour was burgled once when she was on holiday, she wants to tell the taxi driver she is actually RETURNING home and that she was staying with us, I have agreed that me and my husband (I've not told him yet) will wave her off from our house. She will simple come into our house 10mins or so before the taxi arrives

So why do you need to have the cases for the next few days? Why not just bring them to your house 10 minutes before the taxi is due?

Id be annoyed if I was your husband...you have disregarded his feelings for something that didn't need to be done so far in advance, you could have agreed to neighbour bringing them round the morning she goes as a compromise

ColdAsAWitches · Yesterday 11:40

ShakyBake · Yesterday 11:26

Thank you and that was exactly my reasoning and the point I was making to him. To me, if a neighbour asks for a favour it doesn't matter what it involves just that you try and help and be a neighbour

Me and my husband are still not speaking this morning so I went to collect the cases on my own and as suspected there is a very simple explanation to this as I told my husband several times. My neighbour was burgled once when she was on holiday, she wants to tell the taxi driver she is actually RETURNING home and that she was staying with us, I have agreed that me and my husband (I've not told him yet) will wave her off from our house. She will simple come into our house 10mins or so before the taxi arrives

That's not a simple explanation, that's extreme paranoia!

Twatterati · Yesterday 11:36

magicstar1 · 25/09/2026 22:14

I’ve a couple of older relatives like this. They don’t want to be seen leaving their house with cases. They think people are watching and waiting to rob them while on holiday.
if they leave without bags then they might be back at any time.

So no one’s going to see her leave with 3 when she takes them next door? 😆

@ShakyBake- she wouldn’t be the first sweet little 70 year old to smuggle drugs.

PrincessHoneysuckle · Yesterday 11:35

If this was me
Neighbour- Please could you look after my 3 suitcases?
Me-Why? Laughs
Neighbour- tells me
Me-Decides whether its a good enough reason to agree.

shhblackbag · Yesterday 11:34

she wants to tell the taxi driver she is actually RETURNING home and that she was staying with us, I have agreed that me and my husband (I've not told him yet) will wave her off from our house.

Do you often agree to weird things like this without involving him? It would grate on me really quickly. I think you're being unreasonable.

Mymanyellow · Yesterday 11:33

So she thinks the taxi driver will let it be known that she’s on holiday?

Mymanyellow · Yesterday 11:33

BrezhnevsLuxuriantEyebrows · Yesterday 11:31

Apparently a nice lady came over and started chatting to her and then asked her to mind the case for a bit (it was a carry on).

Was the nice lady Hattie Jacques or Barbara Windsor?

Took me a minute but that’s brilliant. 😀

BrezhnevsLuxuriantEyebrows · Yesterday 11:31

Apparently a nice lady came over and started chatting to her and then asked her to mind the case for a bit (it was a carry on).

Was the nice lady Hattie Jacques or Barbara Windsor?

BrezhnevsLuxuriantEyebrows · Yesterday 11:29

Steeleydan · Yesterday 08:41

Why on earth is 1 woman taking 3 suitcases on holiday? Presumably she's going on a plane? She'll be paying alot in hold baggage. If its a package deal youre allow 1 case.
All a bit odd,why on earth would you have to keep a suitcase in your house?
First thing I'd say to her is ,why?

She might not be going on a plane - it could be a UK coach tour that arranges pick up from your home. Or she could be going with two friends who live nearby and the local coach company asked if they could pick them all up from one house to reduce the faffing time before getting underway... so two of the cases are not hers, and she's suddenly realised that they all take up a lot of room in her own living room, but somebody else's cluttered living room doesn't matter to her personally?!

B1anche · Yesterday 11:29

ShakyBake · Yesterday 11:26

Thank you and that was exactly my reasoning and the point I was making to him. To me, if a neighbour asks for a favour it doesn't matter what it involves just that you try and help and be a neighbour

Me and my husband are still not speaking this morning so I went to collect the cases on my own and as suspected there is a very simple explanation to this as I told my husband several times. My neighbour was burgled once when she was on holiday, she wants to tell the taxi driver she is actually RETURNING home and that she was staying with us, I have agreed that me and my husband (I've not told him yet) will wave her off from our house. She will simple come into our house 10mins or so before the taxi arrives

That's exactly what a drug smuggling husband killer would say.

ShakyBake · Yesterday 11:26

maxslice · Yesterday 02:59

It doesn’t matter why. If it doesn’t inconvenience you or your husband, I don’t see the problem. It’s an odd request, but even more odd to object to it. Be nice, OP, and tell DH to spend his attention on something more worthwhile.

Thank you and that was exactly my reasoning and the point I was making to him. To me, if a neighbour asks for a favour it doesn't matter what it involves just that you try and help and be a neighbour

Me and my husband are still not speaking this morning so I went to collect the cases on my own and as suspected there is a very simple explanation to this as I told my husband several times. My neighbour was burgled once when she was on holiday, she wants to tell the taxi driver she is actually RETURNING home and that she was staying with us, I have agreed that me and my husband (I've not told him yet) will wave her off from our house. She will simple come into our house 10mins or so before the taxi arrives

OP posts:
Kate8889 · Yesterday 11:22

I would be worried for her mental health if she didn't give a reason. It's really difficult to manage three suitcases as one person while traveling and my first thought these are things she wants loved ones to have once she's not around.

Either way I would be asking for a reason.

shhblackbag · Yesterday 11:04

Why is her age relevant? It's a nonsensical request. I'm with your husband.

cartagenagina · Yesterday 10:53

Do you think she might be leaving her husband?

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