Random 5 for August 7, 2022 – Weather, covid, mahjongg, neighbors, time

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This cartoon says it all. Not complaining as I like summer. Ok, maybe just a little bit.

Where’d it go? – The week got away from me. I had a moderate amount of things to be accomplished but it was a real “wam bam thank you mam” kind of week.

Booster – We got our second covid booster yesterday. Our doc had told us to hold off until later in the summer and here we are. We went at a time when we didn’t have anything on the calendar because we remember the achey fog that comes with it. Most of my fog and aches were yesterday but the beloved husband is having them today. All in all, it’s worth it. So far neither of us have contracted covid but we’ve had enough friends go through it to know how awful it can be even when it’s a mild case. (Perhaps I should go knock on wood or do any superstition to continue our good luck.)

Mahjongg – Oy! Played twice now. (Note to Lynn – it’s not like gin rummy!) There are a lot of layers of strategy to learn along with weird-pictured tiles. It would be easier if it was the same suites as other card games (hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs). Still struggling. Three-word review – it is complicated!

What would you do? – We have a new neighbor behind us. The back of their property butts up to ours. The previous owner cut down the trees that gave us both privacy (they were dead). I have done some plantings, but it will take a few years to get full privacy. New neighbors are only here weekends for now. This past week (while they weren’t there) they had wildly blinking flashing lights all over the windows in their sunroom which faces us. They were on 24 hours, but you can’t see them during the day. At night it’s lit up like a freaking blinking billboard. Very annoying. This is a very country-ish area. They are home this weekend and they turned them off. If they are on again during the coming week, I will either write them a letter directly (a nice one) or ask if this is the sort of thing where the HOA intercedes. There are three decks facing them. I don’t know if it bothers the other neighbors. I’m grateful our bed isn’t facing that way. There is no way they can use their sunroom when these lights are one. Big, blinking lights! HUGE BLINKING LIGHTS!

So how was your week?

 

68 thoughts on “Random 5 for August 7, 2022 – Weather, covid, mahjongg, neighbors, time”

  1. My first line of “attack” is to take over just-baked chocolate chip cookies, say “welcome to the neighborhood,” and then add, ‘you probably don’t know this, but when you’re gone, your lights blink blink blink. I’m sure you don’t want your electric bill to be so high!” If that doesn’t work, HOA, for sure.
    We love our neighbors most times in most places we’ve lived. But. In the most beautiful home we owned, our backyard neighbor raised dogs – labs – illegally. And allowed those dogs pace/run outside and bark morning noon and night. We tried the chocolate chip cookie idea first, and no dice. So then we recorded the barks (in that town dogs are allowed to bark 15 minutes before the dog officer gets involved). The dog officer got involved. Sadly, the neighbors couldn’t care. Then they got fined by the town. Then, they cared.

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    • The lights haven’t been on this week but if I can catch them over the weekend to introduce myself, I’ll talk about it. Sometimes they don’t know. Sometimes you have to get the big wigs involved. Thanks for the comment!

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  4. I would recommend talking with the neighbors. Sounds like they might have lights like ours (https://www.amazon.com/Deerdance-32-8feet-Assistant-Control-Million/dp/B08JPGW65T). I know ours have the ability to blink. They are smart lights and I know once we left and forgot I had set up a routine for them so they came on every night while we were gone (thankfully they were set to a light blue that didn’t blink). All that to say — the neighbors might have had a smart home mishap. Maybe tactfully ask if they plan to install curtains?

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    • Hmmmm…they look more like medium size bulbs than a straight run. They also ran 24/7 for the week. I will approach them first. I saw them (finally) late Sunday afternoon but I didn’t feel well and it was a gazillion degrees so I pushed it off until this coming weekend. They leave either Sunday night or early Monday morning. No nights this week, at least so far. I’ll still ask about them when I introduce myself. They also closed the blinds on one side that faces us which is a good idea because the sun comes in and heats up the house.

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  6. How strange to have bright blinking lights. What kind of a purpose could they possibly have for that? Do they think they scare away animals or something? Cause lights won’t do it. Good luck.

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  7. I think you were smart to wait. I’m tempted to hold off when the next booster comes around, though maybe I shouldn’t since I got the second one right away. I guess I’d go the direct route with the new neighbors rather than the HOA. It feels more diplomatic to do so. I hope they are sympathetic with you. – Marty

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  8. We have had our share of craptastic neighbors and the flashing lights while they are gone are ridiculous. We had a security system that had flashing lights but if they were set off we could turn them off remotely. Can’t understand the point of the lights. Neighbor stuff is irritating and tricky. I hate neighbor issues and can’t understand why my peace and quiet has to come to an end because a neighbor has no sense of consideration for other people. Hope you are feeling better this morning. We have not gotten our second booster yet, waiting on the fall one hoping it does a much better job on the newer variants.

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  9. I’m envisioning some kind of disco ball. What are those lights and what are they used for? I’m curious. How weird. When we moved into our home 2 years ago, we had trees and bushes planted around the perimeter, too. It will take a few years for them to really start growing in well, though. I feel your pain. Next door to us, we have a family we call “the yellers”. I suppose you have “the ?”, not sure what you would refer to the well-lit people as. I do wonder what people call us sometimes.

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  10. Gosh, usually problems with neighbors are over noise, not visuals. You might just try talking to them first. Maybe they are not aware they are annoying other people. If that doesn’t help, you can always go to the HOA later. I am pretty lucky as none of my neighbors are annoying. Sometimes you wonder why people can’t use common sense. As far as Covid, I had two shots and two boosters and tried to be careful, social distancing, wearing masks, etc. I got it anyhow. It was suppose to be a mild case, but it was pretty rough. I hate to think what a full blown case would be like. It seems as if a lot of people who are boosted are getting it now.

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  12. I don’t play mahjong, but a few months ago an acquaintance gave me a large, fancy mahjong set in a carved wooden chest. The tiles are ivory and in Chinese. The chest was given to her deceased mother by an old boyfriend. She said she thought I might know someone who would want it–I suppose because my husband was Chinese. I should have refused, and now I have no idea what to do with it. Ugh!

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  13. I should have waited for the second Covid booster, but I figured by Fall, they would have a new Covid shot for newer variants and I’d get it with the flu shot. I’ve not heard any progress on new Covid shots though – so much for me assuming. I got side effects for the second vaccine and the second booster, flu-like symptoms and chills. But the first time for both was okay – weird. But it didn’t last more than about 12 hours, just feeling kind of punk and like you said, better to get the shot. A friend of mine died in March from Covid. He had a stroke, was in a rehab facility and got Covid and died. He would have turned 74 Friday. Your neighbors sounds like mine … I have the rudest neighbors on the corner and behind me. Parties that go into the wee hours of the morning and the one on the corner ties his doberman up in a corner of his double lot and the dog barks incessantly. I’d contact the HOA if it persists. You spent all the money on a beautiful deck, furniture, etc. and how can you enjoy it with the blinking lights. People!!

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  14. I’m glad you’re double boosted and have the reassurance that you’ve done what you can! I sure hope we don’t see a big surge again this Fall. And I’d be very annoyed at the light pollution. I’m pretty sure you’re going to find the HOA has something to say about it. But it’s also likely the homeowners have just not considered how invasive the blinking lights would be, and hopefully they’ll be cooperative. I wonder if the lights are part of an alarm system. I’m sure there will be a solution!

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    • I finally got to see them today but I wasn’t feeling well enough to discuss. They will be leaving soon so I’m hoping last week was a one off. If they flash all week again, I’ll talk to our HOA person and try to catch them next weekend.

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  19. Annoying about the lights. It could be some kind of deterrent maybe.
    Our back light kept going on in the week, which turned out to be bats. All rectified now and we have a new light which has been placed lower down on the wall with less sensitivity. Luckily there are no windows facing us in the property at the bottom of the garden, so that’s a blessing!

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  20. I’m boosted until they come up with a fall version, and then I’ll get back in line. I’m sure neighbors have been the basis for several books, and I have several current and past short stories. I can’t imagine flashing lights like that. I actually sat here trying to think of a reason but couldn’t come up with one. Even the annoying flood lights mentioned at least have a purpose of keeping a potential robber away. The letter would probably be a start unless it is some type of cultural issue. I also think I might be looking as fast growing arborvitaes.

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  22. I would speak up about the lights ~> “Hey, we noticed some weird blinking lights on while you were gone . . . they were pretty bright. What are they for? Do you need us to call the police when they are on? Does it mean you’ve had a break in?”

    Good Luck!

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    • The hard part is getting a face to face. Most likely it would be a note. I have not seen them here although I know they spend weekends here and I walk in front of their house every day. Even their next door neighbor hasn’t seen them. I think they come in on a drone. I’d love to know what they are thinking. Deer? Won’t work as our deer are smart.

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  23. What do you suppose the blinking lights are from/for? I know I’m not up on techie stuff so is it some kind of security thing? That would annoy the heck out of me for sure. My 84 year old sister has Covid – she has no idea where she may have gotten the bug because she lives on top of a mountain in a very small community. She walks her dog every day but rarely sees people. I only see her about every 3-4 months because it’s a long drive but we talk on the phone all the time. She’s fully boosted and says she only had one day she felt bad from it – otherwise she feels fine. She’s got a lot of health conditions so I’m thinking she’s been super lucky!

    Hugs, Pam

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    • Your sister has been lucky. My bro and SIL had it this summer but they knew where they got it. As for the blinking lights I have no idea. They are not here so what’s the point. Stretching it a bit, I was wondering if someone told them it would scare off the deer (it won’t). There is a right of way along the side of their property that runs along mine to the street and they are still using it. If it isn’t deer, I have no idea. It’s not like Christmas twinkly lights. It is “loud” flashing. lights all over the windows.

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  24. UGH, I hate bright lights in my windows. My cop neighbor put up floodlights all around his house. He leaves them on for days at a time, along with the giant, light-up American flag in his backyard. We had to get blackout curtains and can never leave windows open at night. Not a fan of light pollution at all. But at least they don’t blink!

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    • Sometimes I don’t understand how people think. It’s okay to do what you want but it should be done so no one else is annoyed. The sale was cash so I’m assuming (never met them) they are middle-aged (they have a daughter with a Porsche so obviously she works or married well). I haven’t met them but a neighbor said they have a thick accent and come from Brooklyn (no, not a Brooklyn accent except maybe on top of their cultural accent).

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  25. Hope Covid keeps staying away from you and your husband! We have all been fortunate too. My son’s friend got it and he had been with him several fimes times the week before. We were all holding our breath.
    Oh dear on the blinking lights! Thats why we don’t live in the city! Good Luck with the letter! I would probably be biting my tongue as I wrote. My husband would probably be knocking on their door. LOL!

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    • I want to be nice about it. We aren’t (typically) complaining neighbors. If there is anything I regret about this house it’s the proximity to an interstate (we get traffic noise) and are one of only three homes that back up to a neighbor. All the rest (there are about 30 homes here) back up to a treeline with no houses on the other side.

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        • We’ve had a mix in our old neighborhood. Not that the neighbors were bad but one year the next door couple let their weeds around the house grow to 6′ tall. Their house is one of the most $$ on the street so if you can afford the house you can afford to hire someone. Mostly we’ve been lucky in that we didn’t back up to any neighbors. Just the side ones and there was a lot of property between us.

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