Post 147: Partylite & Rude Neighbors

Well, I suppose we could say yesterday evening was possibly the 2nd bad experience I've had in England. Crazy uh? Been here nearly a year and I've had 2 not so pleasant experiences.

A few weeks ago - maybe even a month ago I went to a party lite party that a friend was having. My children went with me and Ashlynn loved it so much that she thought we needed to have one of our own. So we booked a party.

That party was scheduled for last night. I had 14 guest say they were coming - only 8 arrived. The ones that said they were coming did not call and say they couldn't make it - they were simply a "no show" and the others invited did not even call and say they could not come. Do you know what R.S.V.P. stands for?

However, with our 8 guests we tried to have a good time. I cooked way too much food, bought way too much wine, and now have a major mess in the kitchen to clean up. I'm just not up for it yet today. I'm so tired - I'll explain that in a minute.

This is the first party of any sort I've attempted to host since moving to England. I thought it might be a good way to get to know some of the mom's from the kids school, a few others, and have a good time.

As we all know my husband is deployed right now, well home in the states at the minute - due to the fact that Jim is not doing well at all. They had to put Jim on a ventilator 2 nights ago. David says he looks so old and so weak. Thankfully, David made it there safely, finally got his luggage, has been able to see Jim, and is now there for his Mom. I know she needed him. I'm very thankful that they were able to get him home, and very thankful that he finally has his darn underwear! :) haha Please continue to pray for Jim.

So anyway - with that said it goes to say that I did not have him here to watch kids outside, or take Brier and Lady for a hike or anything. What to do, what to do? I figured the children could play outside and I figured if they were out there that Lady would not be barking her bloody head off. WRONG.

Before our guest arrived I had Brier take Lady out and chain her up outside. I did not want her in here jumping on people, knocking candles over, starting a fire, stealing food, or causing chaos! BUT she caused chaos anyway apparently.

Yes, she did bark - was it constant? No. It would stop here and there and then she'd bark again. If any adult went out to see her - that just made her start in again - so that wasn't good. She wasn't barking so much that it would drive you insane - least not me anyway. I was trying to be a good hostess and keep things going, everyone happy, and participate in my own little party. Yes, I was bothered by her barking - but none of my guests complained, so I figured it was just me. You know you're the owner or the Mom - so what bothers you might not be that big a deal to others. I can not count how many times my guests said, "Oh she's fine".

Sadly, I don't feel like I was at the party. I was too busy answering the door!!! First came a "nasty" little note through the mail slot. The sender did not even have the decency to knock and say, "Tonya, the dog is being really loud - could you do something?" Shoot, I don't think the sender even knows my name since the note said "Neighbors" on it.

Thankfully, I heard it come through the mail slot and grabbed it...otherwise my 9-year-old would have picked it up and read it and then I would have had a very upset little girl to deal with. Does this person not realize I already have enough on my plate?? And I was just trying to be social and get to know people? Apparently not, since the said person doesn't know my name.

Yeah - I'm a little ticked off by it - and I'm venting.

Before I had time to finish reading my little "nasty gram" someone knocked on my door - someone I do not even know and apparently lives a few houses down. My friend Amanda answered the door and the woman nearly ripped her head off! She very rudely says to her, "Do YOU live here?" and Amanda was very polite and said "No, Tonya does, but can I help you?"

About that time I came up to see who it was, a little flustered by my "nasty gram" that I'd only had enough time to briefly scan. When I get to the door the woman is every bit as rude to me as she was my guest, wanting me to shut my dog and kids up. Guess what Lady? My garden, My dog, My kids - deal with it. I didn't tell her that - but that is what I felt and still feel. I simply said, "I know I'm sorry." What more could I say? I hadn't even had time to finish reading my "nasty gram" - let alone to go get Lady and figure out what to do with her!

So, I get the door shut, and go walking out to get Lady. I get her and I put her in my scrapbook room and shut the door and pray that she doesn't tear up the door jumping on it - thankfully she only jumped once and she did not bark.

I barely made it back to my guest when yet another neighbor was standing in my back garden by the patio - coming to tell me that he's had several calls with complaints about the noise - especially my dog. I said I know I just put her in. I wanted to scream "give me a break!" I was very short with him and for that maybe I'm a tiny bit sorry - because he was by far the most pleasant complaint. The other too were simply flat out rude! Do you go to other people's home and yell at their guests? I mean come on!

So did I get to mingle with my guests? NO. Did I get to know anyone any better? NO. Did they have a good time? I have NO idea! Did they think I was rude? Probably - I wouldn't blame them! Did they stick around to chat? NO - except for Janet, Jeanie, and friend - course they all love my Lady. Thankfully. Do I want to have another party of any kind? ARE YOU CRAZY!

What I would love though - is to host one of the Squadron BBQ's in my back garden - you think my kids are loud - try grown men! 4, 7-year-old little boys got nothing on them!

I try to be nice, I try to plan something fun, I try to be social, I put myself out there and look where it landed me? Do you know how hard it is to just shake that off and pretend everything is great and that you are having a great time? NOT EASY!

The funniest part is - All 3 complainers came from houses down the road! My neighbors on either side of me - said not one word. Odd uh?

Now, here is one more thing. I have children, children are LOUD - it's a simple fact. I have a dog - dogs were made to bark - and mine does, and not often mind you! I refuse to tell my children to shut up, or stop playing so loudly - just because it's interrupting someones afternoon or evening.

I'm sorry if they never had children - that's their problem; not mine. I'm sorry if they want to have quiet relaxing evenings sipping wine - they should move to a secluded area without neighbors - like far away - otherwise they might as well get used to the fact that NOISE HAPPENS!

I think I'm a pretty nice person, I'm not generally a very loud person, I'm pretty laid back and easy going - and it takes quite a bit to get under my skin and ruffle my feathers...but yelling at my guests, sending me rude little notes that my child can read, and telling me to shut my kids up - YEAH, that gets me pretty darn fired up!

Tomorrow the kids & I are planning to go on a trip with most everyone in the village, 2 of which I hope are NOT on that coach! Poor Lady will be stuck in the house all day long, Heaven knows I don't want to put her outside and have her barking - Heaven forbid a dog should bark.

So I'm praying we have a pleasant day out - I was looking so forward to it and now I'm just not so sure. I want us to have a good time, but I'm sure everyone was talking about us last night...not a doubt in my mind about it. So here's praying and hoping it goes well tomorrow.

So that's how my partylite party went...

We did step out and watch the MORRIS MEN - some type of dancers last night after wards - which I'd planned for us to do all along. That was quite interesting. I will post pictures later.

But back to why I am so tired...

Someone left the gate to my kitchen open after we stepped out and Lady got in there and ate and entire loaf of banana bread! She woke me up with barking at 1:30 - first time she has EVER woke me up and she didn't just wake me once...poor thing was miserable, but I figure serves her right, she should know better. So I was not very pleased with her last night or this morning.

And you know while I'm thinking of it - Lady has NEVER caused any problems in the Village or complaints before. I've only chained her up twice - once for 10 minutes just to see how she would do so the kids could ride their new bikes and again last night for about 2 hours.

Anyway - here's hoping and praying that you don't have rude neighbors and can actually enjoy having a gathering at your home!

Tonya