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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To tell neighbour the lights look crap so take them off my hedge please?

111 replies

honeypie10 · 27/11/2014 19:49

Basically I've lived here for 15 years and share a hedge with my neighbour which she has always gone overboard decorating at Christmas time.

There was an issue 2 years ago with the back wall separating our gardens, it was found out that side of the house was our responsibility, fair enough we had the wall knocked down and replaced, they didn't offer anything. They then a few months later were asking us to go halves to have the hedge in the front taken out and replaced with a wall - this led to lots of laughing at how bleeding cheeky they were between me and dp (especially as they hadn't offered anything towards the cost of having the back wall done!) but we pointed out to them that it was our side of the house and our hedge so not their choice to make, they were ok with this.

So every year she decorates her house with anything available that's tacky (Some are ok but its the sheer volume I struggle with, I'm sure you could see her garden from space. I'm not just talking about nice little lights, she has them up the garden path, draped on anything that sits still in her garden for long enough

She says its for the "kids" - her youngest is 21 Hmm. So last year she gets out the stupid hedge lights, they didn't work. I saw her struggling with them so we got chatting, I said oh maybe just leave them this year, be nice to maybe do something for ourselves in our side of garden anyway, as we had a ds who was getting into the lights and Christmas thing, so in the end we had our side decorated in our lights and she had none, I knew she was absolutely Fuming that she realised the hedge wasnt hers to decorate as she didnt talk to us for around 2 months - yes she is very, very petty, shes the type to put her wheely bin in her space if she goes out for 5 mins to stop anyone else parking there!

You can set your clock by her usually, 1st December she will be out putting up her works of art, but not this year, nooooo, she must of been seething all year round waiting for the day to claim back "her" hedge. Tonight i've come home to a multitude of colours of twinkling fairy lights draped haphazardly, glow in the dark sunflower heads and a light up reindeer on the top. The reindeer has since gone not sure where but why it didnt take the rest i dont know. The rest of the garden has been done too but i know she'll have more, its not even half of what she does usually, almost as if she wanted to get the hedge done first Smile

So what do I do, leave them, say nothing but put mine up next year in the summer to beat her.

Take them off my side and tell her they look a mess and i've hated this type of crap for the past 15 years, now I know its our hedge i dont want your crap on it.

Or just stick my stuff on top, I wouldnt mind if she just did her own side but the fact she seems to think i need glow in the dark sunflowers in my life gets me wound up.

I realise this is not a first wrld problem but the first year were having lots of new people over at christmas for dinner, I dont want there impressions of us to be a light up meerkat wearing a tie and holding a pipe Grin

OP posts:
honeypie10 · 28/11/2014 13:02

ladyface Im Shock that the meerkat has sold out!!

Ok new update:

went out to get something from the car before and saw her and her dp in the garden, she said Hiya and we chatted (if she had seen this thread she would not of even looked at me so she obviously doesn't know) She said her lights had got trapped in the front door causing the wire to snap and wouldn't work, so she'd had to take everything off to get to the net of lights.

I just said that we'll do our own side this weekend or next anyway so you don't need to and made something up about ds has chosen stuff to put on it ( now have to go somewhere and buy something to decorate a hedge Hmm - why didn't my brain think up a better excuse, hedge being cut down, root rot, not being able to support anything heavier than a feather!!!).

And then I actually stopped talking and looked at what they were doing, did i mention they have a fountain? She has now moved all her fake flowers from the hanging baskets into the fountain, they have one of those old fashions tall lamps in the corner - that has now been wrapped in white felt or something to make it look like an 8 foot Snowman. Its usually wrapped up to protect it from winter frost but dont ever think i've seena black hat thing on it before, The rest of the garden is currently being decorated with trains, and other various life size things that light up. Have been looking slightly from the bedroom window and cant see any sight of the meerkat, I do hope he's ok! I remember seeing on the news that someone kidnapped a meerkat once and left threatening notes for the owner, if this happens to weirdo next door Ii don't think she'd hold up well.

As soon as she turns on the illuminations tonight I promise I will take a picture.

The hedge is still bare! Result Grin

OP posts:
EbwyIsUpTheDuff · 28/11/2014 13:15

my little boys would LOVE to see her garden in it's full illuminated state!

BolshierAyraStark · 28/11/2014 14:27

Awwww, her garden sounds like Xmas tat heaven-DD would adore it.

Buttercupsanddaisys · 28/11/2014 15:39

But does she have a Santa climbing up her roof-yet?i particularly love thoseGrin

motherofmonster · 28/11/2014 16:18

desperately waiting for the sun to go down so i can see it in all its glory!! Grin

NoArmaniNoPunani · 28/11/2014 16:30

I need a light up meerkat in my life

WireCat · 28/11/2014 16:42

Her garden sounds great! Blush

slithytove · 28/11/2014 17:04

Its dark out, picture time!

BolshierAyraStark · 28/11/2014 17:06

Come on OP-pics?!

GoldenKelpie · 28/11/2014 17:12

I remember your previous thread, OP!

Suzietastic · 28/11/2014 17:15

It's dark now!!

Back2Two · 28/11/2014 17:36

This reply has been withdrawn

This post has been withdrawn due to privacy concerns

hamptoncourt · 28/11/2014 18:41

Ooh yes I remember the last thread!! Hedge Wars combined with Christmas........gets out bingo card

How do you get on with your MIL OP?

Marylou2 · 28/11/2014 18:45

I've seen your hedge and it definitely needs pruning.Get the garden shears out immediately. ....Grin .

Christina22xx · 28/11/2014 20:11

Youre being petty yourself. I would stop talking to you too, youre making an issue out of nothing likes so what, for a month you have "tacky lights" does

Christina22xx · 28/11/2014 20:15

Oh its your hedge hmm i suppose you should say something

mum9876 · 28/11/2014 20:17

She sounds exactly like my ndn. I cope by having no conversations with her. I would ignore it myself. I'm imagining that film - Christmas Vacation. Must watch it again now it's nearly December.

BreconBeBuggered · 28/11/2014 22:48

Your neighbour can move next door to me. I love tacky Christmas lights, but I also like my curtains shut in winter and I'm too broke to illuminate the garden for the benefit of passers-by.

nicenewdusters · 28/11/2014 22:54

Back2Two - I can't tell you how much your picture of the meerkats made me laugh with the "We'll be back" caption - genius !

I don't do outside lights (too tight and lazy!) but I do love other peoples. My sister and I used to drive around a neighbourhood close to my parents just to spot the best/tackiest lights. This was part of our run up to Christmas and we loved it. I'm actually disappointed if they're not tacky.

Not sure if the op is being unreasonable, although definitely unreasonable for the nn to come into her garden without asking. If we don't get any pictures of the newly installed trains or decorated lamp post though I may be forced into a YABVU !

honeypie10 · 29/11/2014 07:49

Sorry everyone, she didn't turn them on last night. Only icicle things on her fence? I would of taken a picture of that to show you but thought after i'd built it up with fake flowers in her fountain it would be an anti climax, I was waiting by the bedroom window, pretending to be playing with ds and nothing!

Not sure why? or if she's planning a big opening event, Ill take a daytime pic today but you wont see everything in its full glory!

hamptoncourt Ahhh, The Mil, you certainly remember me Grin.

She's still annoying, I hardly see her these days, maybe once a month when she visits and even them I usually make sure i'm busy "cleaning" or visiting a friend. Its easier this way and I don't have to bore everyone on here with tales of what she's done lately.

OP posts:
waithorse · 29/11/2014 08:30

I love the 8ft snowman/lamp. Grin

Chippednailvarnish · 29/11/2014 08:54

I also remember this from last year.

It's a shame you don't know anyone dastardly enough to kidnap her crap lights and hold them for ransom. I can just see her Daily Fail sad face.

lemisscared · 29/11/2014 09:40

She didn't put them on?? She's read this thread, she knows Grin

Starlightbright1 · 29/11/2014 09:44

Did you post about this last year I remember a very similar thread?

Buttercupsanddaisys · 29/11/2014 09:48

Praps she's waiting til the 1st DECEMBER?! For...ta-da! The Big Reveal(like they do on the tele)?

Yep, I bet that's it. And will there be Angels singing? (Ie Christmas carols played on a loop) dusk to dawn?

That'd be good.

Grin