Null and Void

The mean lady that lives behind us has returned. She and her husband have a condo in Florida where they have been for most of the last year. In an effort to be fair to her, she doen't have the greatest situation. She has MS and has breast cancer AND she is mean. Yes, the cards are stacked against her somewhat BUT that doesn't mean (1) she has to be mean (2) I have to bend over backwards for her.

My dad was living proof that even if you are dying, you don't have to drag everyone around you down.

We had four pups when we first moved in here. And of course the dogs barked...some. They were in all night and never let out until around 7:30 a.m. To make a very long, very ugly story shorter, here's what happened. She got a device that sent out horrible noises only dogs can hear.

Didn't bother 3, scared the beejezus out of one, Frank. So, she would turn it on whenever they barked and poor Frank would try to claw his way back into the house. I made her aware of the pain she was causing Frank. In the midst of an altercation I told her that it didn't even phase the other three, and she said and I quote, "Well, it gets your attention." 

Meaning, when I turn it on and torment your poor dog, you do what I want.

After much fighting we came to an agreement where I would do X, Y and Z to keep them from bothering her if she wouldn't turn on her little torture device. If they still bothered her, I asked that she would call and I would take care of it.

I stuck by this agreement to the letter. The Barker, Red, wore a bark collar. I brought them in EVERY flipping time I left the house. This meant we had no access to the garage which is not fun in the rain with all the kids and a 70 foot long house. When we went out of town, the dogs stayed in the garage except for when the pet sitter came to let them out and feed them.

So the neighbors stay away most of the time and I don't lock them up and I don't make Red wear a bark collar. Yet every time they show back up I have gone right back into the routine, doing just as I said I would.

They, on the other hand, never call when they come back into town to let us know the dogs are bothering them. They just turn their little torture device on. I didn't really let it get to me because their stays were always short-lived (not short enough, but short enough that I never had to go all crazy on them).

Our Sweet Dee Dee had to be put to sleep about 2 months ago, then Frank, who has cancer, and ancient Jane have moved inside. Poor Red, who's time will come inside, is outside alone the majority of the time.

It's funny to me that now she calls and asks me to bring in the dogs because her little bark device has zilch effect on Red. And she sounds FRUSTRATED.

I refuse to dwell on this. Caller ID is wonderous. I know that if I intentionally allow Red to bark (or if I, myself, bark at her as I did that one time) I will feel bad on the inside. I know this now.

I can't take her calls right now because I don't trust myself...yet, to deal with her appropriately. She can leave a message but I don't have to have the last word.

Is it okay to leave Red's bark collar off?
Is it okay for me to bring him in when it's convient for me?
Is it okay for me to call to him to quiet him when I can get there?

I think it is because I kept my end of our deal where she has not. In trying to happify my life, I think this okay.