Yet Another Gripe Post...maybe someone can help?

[StPaulieGirl]

I've been up for a couple of hours.  The neighbor from hell called the cops on us yet again....this time because my son and his friends got bored and decided to dig a "bunker" out in the backyard.  Finally, he's doing something normal!

The cops are cool, because she's called them on us for like 100 times in the last 3 years.  I can't fix the fence because the asshole for a lawyer won't let me.  I guess he feels that might cut into his profits.  However, the cops do need to show up., because it's their job.  The fence is rotten and falling down. It's been that way for 15 plus years.  Our backyard has an alley access, and my son informed me that the "block captain"(you're next, you witch)has been cruising down that alley checking out our backyard.  Word on the street is that she's friends with pyschotica.

Hey everybody, I've had it with that neighbor.  I can't even work in my front flower garden without her running out and picking miniscule weeds...always watching.  I bought some plants.....she hops in her car and buys plants, and sits there fussing over them while she's watching us.

My question is....how many months in jail will I get for dropkicking her wrinkled ugly rear end in the middle of the street?  Maybe I should pose this question to socrateaser....

This next installment will deal with how I got screwed by Los Angeles County MediCal....3k and counting.

[Mellybug]

I can't actually answer your question as to how many months in jail, but I can certainly understand your frustrations. My neighbors actually had to put up with PBFH living here and her son tearing up THEIR yard! (wasn't a bunker, but it was property damage on property NOT HIS). They acutally put up a fence, at their cost to keep her son out and PBFH from spying on THEM!

I have also been wondering how long I'd have to go to jail and what kind of fines would I have to pay for clocking PBFH in the mouth - just once. She's threatened bodily harm to me at home, as well as threatening me through my boyfriend at my work (we work together). The police want me to have her arrested, although so far I've only filed complaints for Aggravated Harassment.

Best of luck to you.

Mellybug

[StPaulieGirl]

I bought plywood sheets and red caution tape.  We'll see what she comes up with next.

I'm pretty mad that I would even think about punching her out, but the frustration builds up as you know.  While I was at the hardware store, I picked up some more plants.  Of course she ran right out squawking on her cordless phone.  Then she got in her car and came back with...plants!  This is the same nutjob who told me that "we" were going to change venue, and take my ex back to court and double my child support.  That's when I quit talking to her.  Unfortunately she will not be ignored.  Around that time I realized that she was the one who had been calling the police on me the whole time she was playing at being a friend.  Bah!

It's almost impossible to get a restraining order against a neighbor.  It wouldn't be enforceable, I'm thinking.  I've been told to file harassment charges against my neighbor, but I'd rather just move.

I'm just trying to ignore her as much as possible.  I really don't want to end up in jail :/

[msme]

I have had neighbors like this & I found the best thing to do is to find subtle ways to make 'em nuts with curiosity. Get large boxes from things like computers, T.V.s, stuff like that. Put something in them so they carry heavy (like put your groceries in them) Cut the boxes up & put them in black garbage bags to put out. Keep appearing to bring all kinds of good stuff in & if she sees you, just smile mysteriously & keep going.

When you leave the house, & she is outside, make loud statements about things like, "Whatever you do, don't tell anyone where we got all this money from." Or, "You can never tell anyone what really happened to uncle George, they wouldn't understand."

Have fun with it, make up stuff to drive her nuts. Always use totally fictious names & things so when she reports something, you can honestly say that there is no one in your life by that name & give a look that says it all.

You could also call the IRS & tell them that you don't know if it is true but you have been hearing rumers about all the money she is hiding & not paying taxes on.

Remember, it does no good to worry why irrational people don't act rationally. You are only hurting yourself. Turn the tables. You may not be able to make her a good neighbor but you can make her crazy! Good luck & God bless.

msme


You never get a second chance to make a first impression!

[StPaulieGirl]

Heehee, thanks for the suggestions :-)

One thing I did do was make a call on the Workman's Comp Fraud line.  The school district tried to fire her, so she claimed that she injured herself falling down the stairs is/was suing them.  All this started because she called me over to help her move boxes....her back you know. Next thing you know, she's telling the kids to call her Grandma, and micromanaging our lives.  I was watching her running around causing trouble, and realized that her back is better than mine is!

Now here in CA, businesses are being hit hard with Workman Comp claims that are unjustified, if not outright fraudulent.  So I decided to be a good citizen.

I know how to make her weep, but I don't want to spend the money.  We discussed some of the nastiest color combinations to paint a house with.  Violet and Pumpkin??  turquoise and hot pink?  My friend gets creeped out by her and suggested we get everyone together and fake an exorcism in the front yard.  Or fake demonic rituals on a full moon, dancing around a Hibachi.  We just mainly laugh at her.  My 21 yr old had a good one.  When Joanne comes stomping out of her house, squawking on her phone, Kathie says, "Oh look, Joanne's talking to her answering machine again"!  

I think the last call she made about the hole, was the final straw for the cops.  She has a habit of running around on warm days wearing short shorts and a exercise bra.  Especially when there are gardeners around.  My son in law says he wants to call the cops and report her for littering.   She's mid sixties, and not in too bad shape, but it's still scandalous.


You know what's really sad?  Everyone on this street keeps their doors and curtains shut.  With all the kids on this street, you'd think that they'd be running around outside....it's in the 80's today.  I remember all the pickup football and baseball games when I was a kid living here.  It's just a creepy street now.  We still are stubborn and sit on the front porch, but we're about the only ones.

I'll tell you what really drives her nuts.  When all the kids are over, including the grandbaby.  From her own mouth she told me that she isn't allowed to see her grandchildren because her son in law says she's just evil.  At first I thought it was harsh, but now I understand.

[StPaulieGirl]

I have my mom's car and my dead Ny'r in the backyard.  We moved them back there because of the garden weasel.  Well apparently that's against the law, too.  I have 2 weeks to dispose of them.  I tried to find someone to haul my car away in September, but the one junkyard that agreed to pick it up never showed.  My mom's car is in her name.  Guess I need to speak the lawyer about it.

Gee, what's next?  I'm tired.

[msme]

In some states, you can have a car on your property if it is covered. You can get a cheap cover at Pep Boys. That might be the easiest answer for now.

[StPaulieGirl]

Actually we had to disable both cars.  Even though the tranny blew up on the New Yorker, it still ran.  My mother's car sat in the driveway for 3 years, but my son got it running.  Well my son in law and grand baby daddy(how else can I explain him), were teaching him how to drive.  He would sneak the cars out and drive them around the block.  Bitch from hell called the cops, but luckily he had put them back and went to bed.  

I had the guys disable the cars after we moved them into the backyard, so the boy couldn't take 10 mph joyrides in them anymore.  The excuse is that the fence is falling apart, therefore people can "see" the cars.  I swear to God, this place is the Twillight Zone!!!!!

I could get those cars running again.  All I need is batteries and a distributor cap.

Anyway, I've given this much thought.  Over the last 3 years that we have moved into the house my dad bought in the 50's, we have been harassed continually.  My son has some mental difficulties.  My probate attorney was obtained by my uncle, who recommended the law firm by a lawyer who is best friends with a real estate agent.  I don't want to think about who introduced him to the real estate agent :-(  This guy just makes things worse and worse, no matter how many times I've talked to him about the problems caused by the neighbor continually calling the fire dept, the city, and the cops.

Yeah.  Unfortunately, I can't talk to him because his health did a nose dive trying to help my mom.  He lives in AZ, so when he came out I'm sure the Garden Weasel (aka Kali-Goddess of Destruction, etc) was right on his rear end.  

I live quietly, but my kids are loud and love to fight and run around.  The property is admittedly run down, but a reasonable person would understand that everything that can be done, is being done. I've told them over and over what the situation is.  I'm thinking about contacting the ACLU or the Southern Poverty Law whatever, I'm that desperate to make these idiots leave us alone until we can pack up all this stuff and auction off the house.  I've been told that I have grounds for discrimination, harassment, among others. This city's police dept. practically invented DWB(driving while Black).   Anyone who reads this:  the next time you say you'll do something when hell freezes over....remember this paragraph.

If anyone in law enforcement has any advice, let me know.  Btw, thanks to all this stress, I've run up over 3k in medical expenses.  Turns out I'm not eligible for MediCal after all.

[StPaulieGirl]

Yesterday was really bad.  My oldest and son in law are moving into a larger apt in their building, and I bought two oversized leather easy chairs from them.  They're very nice.  

Of course the queen of the Harpies was watching.  The next thing you know, she's on her front porch talking crap about us with a young woman.  My son in law called her a well deserved name, and got on the phone with the cops.  After being hung up on once, he redialed and demanded to speak with the watch captain about this woman.  While he's talking to someone, someone starts banging on the door.  I get handed the phone, and as I'm trying to explain the situation, these people are threatening to kick my son in law's rear end.  

Apparently they thought the bad name was meant for their daughter.  Great way to meet the new neighbors.  One thing I noticed was that the man in the group (his presumable wife for that matter) looked exactly like a tweeker.  That is someone who uses methamphetamine. Telltale signs are rotten teeth and burned out eyes.  There's about 3 families that went in on the house, and I've wondered how they came up with the money to buy a 500k house.  Of course that isn't any of my business.

For once I was very glad to see 5 squad cars pull up.  If these people are anything like Joanne, there is going to be a huge problem on this street.  One cop told us that we didn't have to move the cars because they are in the backyard.  I think My SIL told them that because of Joanne, we pulled the distributor caps to keep her from calling the cops and accusing my son of driving around the block.  

They tried to talk to Joanne, but she turned around and walked away from them.  The young policewoman, who was talking to my daughter and I, would ask questions, then didn't want to hear the answers.

I have lost count of the number of times that this police department has been called out on bogus charges.  I'm not counting the city or the fire dept.  They were totally pissed off about having their time wasted and for being lied to.  This is harassment.

My question is that I want to speak to someone like a watch captain, in person.  This has just got to stop.  I've spoken to my SIL, and we talked about how important it is not to take the bait.  I did some work in my front yard.  The whole time I was out there(several hours), she was on the phone squawking loud enough that I could hear her over a weed whacker.  She's doing this on purpose.  I was so upset over Tuesday's conversation that the little one overheard, that my daughter and SIL brought me flowers.

Who would one try and speak to about this?  This has to stop now.  I need to point out that she is using them to make our lives hell.  I'm extremely concerned that she'll call and say we're selling dope or something.  She did that many years ago, and the cops did 17k of damage with a battering ram to the next door neighbor's house.  One roach was found in an ashtray in the girl's bedroom.

I've been told to get a civil rights lawyer.  Can we make this stop without my having to go to that extreme?  Most of the cops are reasonable, and I'm hoping I get one who understands that she has to be stopped...for the good of everyone on this street.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Next Sunday is Easter, and everyone is coming for dinner and an Easter egg hunt.  We do not need trouble on a holiday.

[Kitty C.]

SPG, I think a civil rights atty. is a very good idea, because if you think about it, you civil rights ARE being violated.  I think that if you get copies of ALL the reports made by city police and fire, you'd have a book of proof.  I would recommend also going in person to the nearest LEA center, preferably where all the officers dispatched to your area report to.  There is a commander and if you lay out everything that has happened, ask him/her point blank what you can do to protect yourself and your family.  But get the atty. too.