Neighborly advice?

Question

I don't have a bagger on my lawn mower and the clippings go out into the street. I know that it doesn't look very good and eventually when I buy a new mower, I will bag it and will not have this problem any more. However, I received an anonymous letter in the mail yesterday. It was a cutout of a recent article in our local newspaper in a section where people write in and have an "expert" answer your question. The person was complaining how people shouldn't let their grass clippings blow into the yard.
I was extremely mad when I opened this letter. First it was anonymous (If you have something to tell me, tell me to my face). Second, we just had a new baby and so I spend my time with him. Third, We have lived here a year, and all but one of my neighbors has mad an effort to introduce themselves.

I have thought about going door to door and asking who sent me this and try to explain myself (new baby, time, etc..) Any suggestions on how I should handle this?????

sorry, only one of my neighbors has introduced themselves.

Answer 1

Put a big sign in your front yard that reads, "Bite me". You are fine. You obviously live in a stuffy neighborhood, where people have nothing to do other than complain about their neighbors. Please don't let it bother you; at least you are mowing the lawn and have your priorities straight!

Answer 2

If I were you, I wouldn't mow the lawn until I buy a new lawn mower! If someone sends you another clipping about it, put a sign on the street explaining the situation: you have a baby and can't afford right now to buy a new one. Because someone anonymously complained about the clippings, I won't do it until I can afford to buy a new one.

Yes, anonymous letters are ridiculous. People are too afraid of talking face to face. It's pathetic.

Answer 3

Leave it alone - he didn't send you an anonymous letter because he wants to talk and this sort of thing only escalates. You don't need a war with your neighbor.

Until you get a bagging mower you could use a corn husk broom (ask at your local hardware store) to sweep the grass out of the street. It's a cheap item and wouldn't take more than 5 minutes. That should quiet your neighbor down without confrontation.

Answer 4

Don't go around asking who sent the letter. If you're planning on living in your house for any length of time, you don't want to do it miserable because you don't get along with any of your neighbors. While I agree what that person did was cowardly and uncalled for, my advice to you is to start sweeping your grass clippings. If you have one, get a blower and blow them into the storm sewer. Really, I know what it's like to want to spend all your free time with your baby, but unless you have a one acre lot and you're on a corner, how long could it possibly take to sweep or blow your grass clippings? Besides, it is rather unsightly and if you're the only house on the block who does this, do you want to be known as the person who is bringing down the value of the neighborhood or making it look dumpy? I have a feeling if you keep on doing this, you'll have more than one neighbor writing you a letter. :(

Answer 5

Here is my two cents. Deal with it.

Clippings look crappy in the street - and no, I doubt I am a neighbor of yours as I live in Rhode Island. Take 5 or 10 minutes and sweep them or just mow in the other direction so the clippings go onot your own yard.

Anyone who cares about the way their yard and house exterior looks cares about how the rest of the neighborhood looks.

You are a bit miffed, not because someone sent you an article, but because you know you are wrong. It happens. I have been there myself.

Be a good neighbor and keep your house looking as nice as you can. I understand that you have a new child and wish you congratulations and nothing but the best to you and your wife.

And as far as the "one" person who has not made the effort to introduce themselves, take the first step and go say hello. They migh be shy or busy with their lives.

Good luck.

Answer 6

Hey don't worry about it. You are taking care of your yard and not letting it get overgrown. So what if the trimmings go out in the street? If its a big deal, let the trimmings dry a bit in the sun and then use an leaf blower or a broom and sweep it into a nice pile (I do this on my own driveway, as it peeves the Mrs. AND I do have to sleep with her). Neighbors should be more understanding and it they don't like it so much, why don't they offer to help? Spend the time where it is important, with your child. When your lying on your death bed, which will you say "I wish I have kept up with those lawn clippings." or "I wish I had more time to spend with my kids."?

Answer 7

I would be extremely angry too, but to put it into perspective, you have a wonderful new baby to fill your time, and some idiot is obsessing about their lawn. I can understand that you want to go door to door, but you have to remember only ONE person put that letter in your mail, so you'd be giving a lousy first impression to a lot of other people. "What a freak, he never comes to my door before today and now just wants to know if I left an article in his mailbox." Plus, the fact that the person did it anonymously probably means they wouldn't fess up to doing it.
Spend time with your baby, mow your lawn as usual, and don't let the bastards get you down.

Answer 8

You should be the bigger person and let it go. Don't go door to door or anything like that. I would just be sure to clean up after myself, because this does affect your neighbors. We had some people move from across the street to the house next to us, and they hate us, but not because of anything that we did, just because someone else doesn't like us and they're buddies with them. Anyway, I guess our dog went to the bathroom in their yard, I try not to let this happen, but my husband doesn't pay attention to the dog. One night I opened our slider to find a bag of dog poop sitting right outside. I was upset, too, because all they had to do was ask us to keep an eye on our dog. And there was hardly anything in the bag which shows that it only happened once or twice. I wanted so bad to say something to them, but I acted like it didn't bother me and it never happened again. Neighbors are always going to be a pain in the a$$, and we have quite a few of them. You just have to do your best and in this situation, I would clean up the clippings as best as you can . Good luck!

Answer 9

It is really easy. Change the way you mow. Mow the first 2 times around facing in, then the rest out. It spreads the clippings over the freshly mowed area without getting them in the street, and because it is only two rows it doesn't bog down your mower.

That has always been my solution to not having a bagger.

As far as the mail goes, just forget about it. You probably don't really want to know who sent that to you. What would it gain you?

Answer 10

Ignore that neighbor, do not give him the time of day. Just do whatever u need to do about the grass I mean. Some neighbor's practices are annoying but it doesn't warrant an anonymous letter. Be friendly with everybody, wave at them when they pass by...and smile.