To not throw ball back from communal garden

[MardyGarden]

I have a garden. Surrounding it is a large communal garden which is rarely used. On the other side of the communal garden are other people's large private gardens.

I am working from home, I am never usually here in the weekday. Upset about the lockdown but following the rules - I haven't opened my front door since I got back from a medical appointment on Saturday, am eating weird combos of cupboard food until I absolutely must shop again, etc etc.

A family from the other side of the communal garden, who have their own large garden, have decided to make full use of the communal one. I think this is a bit silly because other people will follow suit and stop thinking the rules apply to them, but I try not to get too het up about it. The mum also has an ongoing cough that I can hear through my closed windows.

I try to ignore and get on with working from home - I have no intention of going out until I need to, I am not using the communal garden so it's no skin off my nose, and I don't want to be arguing, it's a tense time for everyone. I sympathise, it's difficult to keep kids indoors in this beautiful weather (though am about why they can't use their own garden, like every time I've seen them outside at weekends etc).

The kids are shouting and playing over the last two days, I block it out. Until... they kick a ball which goes over my 6ft fence and thuds against my window. The kid somehow climbs up and looks over my fence but scarpers when he sees me.

A few hours later my bell rings. I ignore as I'm not expecting anyone. It rings again and I answer (on the phone) - it's the mum asking if I can throw the ball over. I say "no, because of this whole coronavirus thing", and she tells me to just wash my hands after. This annoys me so I say they shouldn't be playing for hours in the communal garden anyway, playgrounds around here are shut on the same principle... She says OK and goes.

I am now thinking she'll send her husband over to shout at me later

Ordinarily I would have just chucked the ball back as soon as I saw it in my garden, but I don't know if I'm extra grouchy having to stay in while people all around me seem to be looking for loopholes. I'm not scared of germs, if I get the virus I get it, but it's the principle. I'm torn between a) just throw it back and stop being sour and b) maybe this is a lesson in community responsibility...

So, aibu to not throw the ball back? They'll probably climb into my garden to get it...

On judgement day they will definitely win the dickhead neighbour award (but that's another thread) , so I'm not concerned about my reputation.

"Where does it say that? Boris has said once a day, not for a specific time." indeed.. One very long walk could be your exercise.

Wow

Yabu

Btw it's a new continuous cough that started in last 7 days. Hers could be an old cough, smokers cough, asthma, allergies etc.

Throw the bloody ball back.

Wow. I conceded on page 1 that I am being unreasonable .

I say "no, because of this whole coronavirus thing"

Just stick a pair of rubber gloves on, or pick it up in a carrier bag.

Oh ffs just tell her to send the kid over to retrieve the ball.

They might be horrible neighbours, no idea why they’re using the communal space (more room?), but if there’s no one else about and she’s coughing, so what?

If you have something to say to them about it, say it. If not, let them get the ball.

Again, on reflection I don't think it's the ball that bothers me. It's the extended hours needlessly using a communal facility. The ball is no longer in my garden and I did not use PPE to remove it.

"if you have something to say to them about it, say it. "

Which is what I did when they rang my bell

Jesus I bet you're fun.

Yeah, I don't get why people with symptoms are using communal facilities - but according to a similar thread on here, most of mumsnet think this is acceptable.

It is not. To isolate means to isolate, away from communal facilities and spaces.

Fun is overrated

When my then 2yo discovered with glee that he could kick/ throw balls (anything else) over the fence, we decided to not ask for anything back (except his brother's favourite cuddly toy...) until the end of the day so that he learned that once it's over, you go without.

Out of our neighbours, one side have a fellow football crazy classmate and the balls flow freely with the fence being more like an over-sized tennis net. Another side have an open garden but use it less. They remember the days of their own children's balls flying around and throw over any that come over. The last side are pensioners and put over any they find which is more sporadic as they spend less time outside and balls can get lost in bushes. We don't rush to ask for the balls back.

I'd just put over any stray balls in one batch late in the day (and wash my hands after at present).

Christ, what a miserable thread.

You haven't got a lot of cats by any chance?

Just through the ball back over the fence and wash you hands. They'll be putting out a call for volunteer specials for the Fun Police in a few weeks. You can sign up then.

I'd probably throw it back after dark, but I would be irrititated too.

My next door neighbour kicked six balls into my garden today and came asking for them back. I put them in a bin liner and gave them to his dad asking him to give them a quick spray of something before the boy used them. I have symptoms and am self isolating...... I'm now cringing that I was a bit of a dick after reading this thread but we're supposed to be being careful aren't we

Aw BogRoll, a tough lesson for a two year old! But maybe necessary.

I generally never care about stray play equipment or noise, it's part of childhood.

Even my normally grumpy old man of a neighbour has found it within himself to throw our balls back over the fence during this time. He even did it with a smile today. Everyone has to make the effort to be a bit more tolerant, you included.

I don't have a single cat. Would bloody love one.

Mathilda I think that's what's annoying, some people are being ultra careful and others are being blasé, I just want this to be over so that we can go back to the normal days when I don't give a shit what the kids manage to get over my fence. My biggest fear is that these restrictions go on for months.

I feel the same as you OP and gave a few toys in my garden that gave arrived today.

I will Rhône them all back when it goes dark and wash my Ganda straight away.
No doubt this will continue but it is nice to hear children playing. For a bit.

Very mixed messages on MN atm - split between ‘you’re being OTT’ to ‘you need to act like an Ebola nurse’

I get it OP because it's part of a bigger picture that's getting on your nerves - that a lot of people have suddenly discovered a need to do something they've never done before. In this case, play in the communal area rather than in their own gardens as they always have done.
But yes, let them have it back for now. Rethink if it becomes a habit.

😂😂 my autocorrect

Have toys ! Have arrived !

Throw them back

Wash my hands straight away