to wish we could play out in the back garden unobserved?

[TriangularEarrings]

My 3 (DTs 8yo and DS2 5yo) love to play out in the garden most days after school with our dog.
I generally join in and we have jolly good fun winding down, playing games, having wacky races, hide and go seek, lots of imaginative adventurous play and so on.
The silly old dog just tends to faff around digging and redigging his bone lol, all-in-all happy times.
The problem is, the old guy who lives next door - he's ever so friendly and we chat a fair bit, you know, neighbourly stuff. But the second he hears any action outside, he's there peaking over the top of the fence with his little JTR yapping bouncing alongside him.
TBH I know he's doing a U3A creative writing course and I am now worried that we're being targeted as characters for a story the amount of observing he's doing lol. We have a lovely lifestyle, nice house, holidays, lots of different friends around for fun and japes - I can see why we'd make good retro reading iyswim?
AIBU to wish for some alone time?

[Merrin]

:o

[HeadfirstForHalos]

I know everything about the OPs' family! [sinister emoticon]

[Roseflower]

So... what is the punchline then?

[Wallace]

If I were you, OP, I would be a bit freaked out by how much people on here seem to know about you and your neighbour. Time for a name-change, perhaps?

[eandemum]

Does he sometimes lose his glasses and they are foung hovering mid air somewhere!

[WorraLiberty]

This is a jolly wind up right?

[HeadfirstForHalos]

He has no chance with Gran she's too "hardass" and cool for him with her motorbike and leathers!

[Wallace]

where has the op gone?

[Wallace]

Anyway, didn't you say you were planning to move house?

IIRC you said it was a nice big old house with a huge garden, so you'll have no nosy neighbour then!

[FaffTastic]

I must be having a dim moment as I really don't get it.

Let me in on the joke. Pleeeeease.

[Merrin]

Do none of you get it?

[Wallace]

I'm surprised he is so friendly still. Isn't this the neighbour you posted about your dh accidently throwing a bucket of water over when he was having a waterfight with the kids?

[A1980]

Self flattery isn't becoming. Perhaps he's really just saying hello.

You and your kids in the garden are hardly interesting material for a creative writing course. It's run of the mill stuff.

As for We have a lovely lifestyle, nice house, holidays, lots of different friends around for fun and japes - I can see why we'd make good retro reading iyswim? No I don't see waht you mean. Sounds boring as hell to read about.

[MenopausalHaze]

How very peculiar. And a bit stealth boasty.

Why do you think your jolly hockeysticks lifestyle has any bearing upon anything?

[valiumredhead]

But why would you presume he's taking inspiration from you?

[Merrin]

I too am familiar with your neighbour! If you are the lady I think you are I must compliment you on your ear rings, very nice.

[TriangularEarrings]

Don't writers take inspiration from all around?

[valiumredhead]

Blimey, you have a high opinion of yourself if you presume that next door would write about you! Perhaps he just wants to say hello.

[TriangularEarrings]

Conifers, yes that's a good idea.
Bramshot, it sounds like you know exactly what I'm talking about.
:)

[Bramshott]

Ah-ha, I think I know this neighbour of whom you speak. Does he have round glasses by any chance??

[mrsjay]

least you dont have my neighbour who used to shout at my children for going up and down the path on their trikes , bang on her window if they got too near her wall etc etc , be grateful the old man is enjoying your fun and games and not being miserable ,