So, I live in a close within a close of 8 homes. 🏠
When we moved in, the neighbours were all very welcoming and I usually chat with the ones that are most chatty regularly. The close had this tradition already established of whoever is around pulling everyone’s emptied bins back to each home by garden gates and so on.
I have slotted right in and been doing my fair share for years.
Until about a month ago. I was away on a couple of international trips, so gone for around two weeks with less than a week home in between. Between the two trips I had a mammogram. Then after second trip, I was recalled for scans, then biopsies, then called in and told diagnosed with breast cancer and it’s been constant appointments for more scans, bloods, and pre surgery appts,
So all in all, I have not gone out for everyone’s bins for the past 4-5 weeks. Although my bins weren’t out all these weeks due to the trips.
The day after I told my next door neighbour the bad news (Amazon had left a package and I was getting it and we got to chatting), it was chucking down rain and a bin day. I had put mine out the night before but was sick all day with a migraine. Late afternoon, almost sunset, I go down and see one lone bin left at the end of our close in the sheeting rain. I go hum, hope that isn’t mine. And check the window by my garden gate, no bin. So it was mine. Someone had taken everyone else’s bins per our close tradition but deliberately left mine.
So in wellies, PJs and an umbrella I retrieved my bin using the arm that works (still very sore on other side due to biopsies but ok to clamp an umbrella awkwardly) and wondered who in my close was making the point and why they hadn’t said something.
It seemed kind of passive aggressive to me. And given my health, I don’t know if I will be able to rise to whatever bar they have set. It feels like a game of Clue in a way and one I’d rather not play.
Any advice?
My DH works long hours out the house until late so he is never home during the window post bin men and when someone gets the close bins.)
No DC living at home.
Just me, what do I do?