Love thy Neighbour

Day 25 Friday 3rd September 2010

We can now see through them!

Today was unbelievably hot. We did a bit of painting and cleaned more windows. About lunch time we decided to knock off for a while and have a good lunch. We went to a Korean barbeque place which had an all you can eat deal. It was so good we were unable to do anything other than drive home for a nap in air conditioned bliss. We returned to the house in the afternoon to continue our tasks. Shizuka was outside when the neighbours wife came out and started whining about something. This is the first time she has initiated contact with us. Leaning out the window I was able to catch the jist of what she was saying. She was bleating that the rubbish guy had left some wood chips on the road from the furniture demolition job.  She also is annoyed that we have not come and informed her of what we are doing and generally not sought her approval to work on our own house. Shizuka pointed out that she had tried to introduce herself to the husband but that he had been rude to her.  Annoying wife then started moaning how the last people who lived there were bad people. Shizuka pointed out that we are not them and anyway what had they done that was so bad? This didn’t make any difference as she continued bleating and refused to say what the problem had been.  By now I’m quite sick of hearing her annoying voice so I went outside and told her we were too busy to waste any time on her and to go away.  Speaking English to each other seemed to annoy her even more as her limited intelligence doesn’t stretch to knowing any English. I doubt she will talk to us again as I left her in no doubt that I’m not interested in her complaining.  In my country neighbourly disputes can be a lot nastier than a few sharp words and ignoring each other from then on, so I’m not fazed at all by her behaviour.  Shizuka  is not happy at all however. It’s a shame because everyone else here has been really nice. Anyway I got on with the wallpapering and it all looks great.