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Doggone Neighbors

From break-ins to barking dogs...neighbors that are annoying.

Barbarella just did a column about some noisy neighbors. And, it made me think about all the neighbors I've had over the years.

Growing up in Mira Mesa, we had neighbors in one cul-de-sac that were Christians. They had a bunch of bumper stickers all over their cars about Jesus, and abortion being wrong.

They had a beautiful lawn and house. And, if you were playing baseball or football in the street...and the ball came into their yard, they would keep it. Also, he was allergic to cats. If a stray cat came onto his lawn, he'd kill it (when he did it to one lady on the street, she then spray painted his garage door).

The weirdest thing about him, was that he'd come to your door if you had a party, and ask your guests not to park in front of his house. Nobody was blocking his driveway, just in front of his house.

When I moved to Clairemont, into my first apartment, we had these neighbors that would party all night. I didn't mind that, because I usually stayed up until 3:00 a.m. But, I always wondered why the other neighbors never complained, or why the management never did anything.

I did get bothered when they saw I left my place for work, and they broke in. Luckily, someone witnessed it, and nothing got stolen. I just had to spend hours cleaning broken glass from my window, out of my bed.

When I had this condo on Carmel Mountain Road, I had to watch as kids at a bus stop for school, would come onto my lawn, making noise, and leaving their trash all around. But, the neighbors there were the best I've had.

My Mustang was broken into, though. Probably not a neighbor. Oh yeah, my condo was broken into, too. While I was there sleeping. My leather jacket and wallet with a few hundred bucks, were taken. They opened my bedroom door; I said "Is someone there?" And they left. I fell back asleep. When I woke up, I saw the chunk nicely cut out of the front window. Police said I was lucky to be alive.

A bus driver found my wallet. The money was all gone, but the checks and credit cards were still there. That was cool.

I moved back to Mira Mesa. Again, more horrible neighbors. On each side, a dog that barked. One side, a family that bought old chunky cars, and worked on them to resell. Their lawn was always scattered with car parts.

They had a huge dog that barked. On the other side, a tiny poodle, that never shut up. And, they'd live it outside when they went somewhere. I was working an overnight shift. And, sleeping during the day. I left nice notes, to no avail. Called the right people, they said I needed two other neighbor signatures, for them to be fined. That would be tough...when all the neighbors have dogs.

I live in San Marcos now. More neighbors, more dogs. But I like it now. Since I bought an old classic Jaguar, I figure if someone decides they want to steal it, their dogs are like security.

My parents have neighbors in Vista, that all have dogs that bark nonstop. It amazes me that this is allowed to go on. Or, that people really just don't care about anyone else but themselves. Another Latino family near them, has these loud parties every other Sunday. They get to hear mariachi music until 4:00 a.m.

My neighbors have parties. But when they do, I usually just crash them.

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Barbarella just did a column about some noisy neighbors. And, it made me think about all the neighbors I've had over the years.

Growing up in Mira Mesa, we had neighbors in one cul-de-sac that were Christians. They had a bunch of bumper stickers all over their cars about Jesus, and abortion being wrong.

They had a beautiful lawn and house. And, if you were playing baseball or football in the street...and the ball came into their yard, they would keep it. Also, he was allergic to cats. If a stray cat came onto his lawn, he'd kill it (when he did it to one lady on the street, she then spray painted his garage door).

The weirdest thing about him, was that he'd come to your door if you had a party, and ask your guests not to park in front of his house. Nobody was blocking his driveway, just in front of his house.

When I moved to Clairemont, into my first apartment, we had these neighbors that would party all night. I didn't mind that, because I usually stayed up until 3:00 a.m. But, I always wondered why the other neighbors never complained, or why the management never did anything.

I did get bothered when they saw I left my place for work, and they broke in. Luckily, someone witnessed it, and nothing got stolen. I just had to spend hours cleaning broken glass from my window, out of my bed.

When I had this condo on Carmel Mountain Road, I had to watch as kids at a bus stop for school, would come onto my lawn, making noise, and leaving their trash all around. But, the neighbors there were the best I've had.

My Mustang was broken into, though. Probably not a neighbor. Oh yeah, my condo was broken into, too. While I was there sleeping. My leather jacket and wallet with a few hundred bucks, were taken. They opened my bedroom door; I said "Is someone there?" And they left. I fell back asleep. When I woke up, I saw the chunk nicely cut out of the front window. Police said I was lucky to be alive.

A bus driver found my wallet. The money was all gone, but the checks and credit cards were still there. That was cool.

I moved back to Mira Mesa. Again, more horrible neighbors. On each side, a dog that barked. One side, a family that bought old chunky cars, and worked on them to resell. Their lawn was always scattered with car parts.

They had a huge dog that barked. On the other side, a tiny poodle, that never shut up. And, they'd live it outside when they went somewhere. I was working an overnight shift. And, sleeping during the day. I left nice notes, to no avail. Called the right people, they said I needed two other neighbor signatures, for them to be fined. That would be tough...when all the neighbors have dogs.

I live in San Marcos now. More neighbors, more dogs. But I like it now. Since I bought an old classic Jaguar, I figure if someone decides they want to steal it, their dogs are like security.

My parents have neighbors in Vista, that all have dogs that bark nonstop. It amazes me that this is allowed to go on. Or, that people really just don't care about anyone else but themselves. Another Latino family near them, has these loud parties every other Sunday. They get to hear mariachi music until 4:00 a.m.

My neighbors have parties. But when they do, I usually just crash them.

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