I managed to get into my new house a couple of weeks ago. Took a lot to get in with lockdown etc but managed it - had viewed it before lockdown.
It’s a detached house but there’s a shared bit of grass at the front between the houses. Anyway, a couple of days after we moved in, I got the lawnmower out and cut front garden and moved over to the shared grass. As I was cutting it, I noticed the neighbour staring out the window at me.
I Smiled and waved and kind of signalled to him to open the window as I was going to ask him if he wanted me to cut the grass on his side.
Lo and behold the window opens and he screams out the window
“DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH MY GRASS. I HAVE JUST SCARIFIED IT. DO YOU HEAR ME? WELL DO YOU?!
I’m laughing writing this because he was like a man possessed and I nearly took a fit of the giggles.
My husband had been in the garage and he came out to see what was going on.
I said to the neighbour “no worries, I leave it alone...” Later on we were out the back having a glass of wine and I could hear him speaking to someone perhaps on the phone about the upstart neighbour trying to cut his “recently scarified” grass and how rude I was 😕
Now when I leave the house he glares Out the window and if he’s out the back he humphs about when I go out to hang the washing out.
He is going to be the neighbour from hell, isn’t he?
AIBU?
To think my new neighbour has over reacted...
monotata · 01/07/2020 21:18
@whatcolourisyourfriday
I don’t think you’ve read the thread. I cut grass that I own
I asked him if he wanted his side of the grass cut....
Please, do explain how I’m wrong cutting grass that, and lll say it again, I own. 
Why not completely fuck up his world
What is wrong with some people? 
. The sheer aggression is disturbing.
Maybe he meant you to hear? He does sound the type of person who gets obsessive about a thing, and that thing is the grassed area. My sister has a patch of grass between her garden boundary and her neighbour's garden. Her neighbour maintains HIS side and ignores the other half, which I find bizarre We have a roadside verge outside my and my NDN's houses and I look after that, but I cut the whole thing, not just half. It looks strange otherwise (and my NDN originally was elderly and couldn't manage, so she was grateful that I'd done all of it). It just seems petty too, like "I'm not doing the bit outside YOUR house!"
To be truthful, your NDN doesn't actually sound knowledgeable about lawn care, but he thinks he does, and will sound it to you. He might use this feeling to feel superior to you. I think if my NDN was like this I would try to avoid engaging with him about the grass and just remain cheery but distant. He was very rude in how he spoke to you, so unnecessary!
Scarifying is a bit like plucking/brushing a moulting dog, you're getting rid of all the loose dead bits that prevent light, water and air getting to the grass. It does tend to look a bit scruffy after it's been done, but it's not like you can't walk on it or cut it afterwards, unless you've just put grass seed down or something. (In which case you'd bellow, "I'VE JUST PUT GRASS SEED ON THERE!" I suppose...) Are there gardens as well, or is it just lawned area?
@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland I didn’t cut his lawn. I cut an area of grass I own and asked him if he wanted me to cut the other side of it that he owns.
If he’s “scarified” my grass then hell mend him because I’ll cut what I own.
@Figuredasmuch hahaha to be fair I have laughed at the ridiculousness of it all.
Also, to the person who asked how I managed to hear him. Even though it’s a detached house our gardens are right next to each other. I think he must’ve either been standing at his back door or shouting to someone one phone with the window open...which would not be an unreasonable assumption to make.
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