Troubles in paradise!

Yep you read it right. We are having a strange problem with our neighbor. So we live out in the country and we all live on acrage so none of us are simply a stone's throw away.

About two weeks ago one of our neighbors dogs starts hanging out at our house. We aren't home all the time but when were, we walked their dog home. One day my son said he returned the dog and to their kids and the kids started kicking it. I'm disgusted.

So the dog starts sleeping on our porch. Everytime we take him home, he runs right back over. (It's really no wonder why.) The neighbors knew this was happening and just laughed it off. They make no attempt to stop this or effort to come and get him. (We are a pet friendly house and at this point it wasn't a real big issue to us.) Nearly a week of this goes by before they come retrieve their dog. One morning the lady neighbor shows up and gets her dog off our porch and speaks with my dear hubby about it. He let her know that he was basically here on the porch everyday this week when we get home from work. She apologized and left with him promising it won't happen anymore. My hubby told her it wasn't a big deal.

The dogs back the next day. So since this had gone on for so long and the dog was filthy, the day I bathed and groomed my dogs, I groomed him too because he had clearly been neglected. A few days later the man neighbor comes to get him. It was a beautiful day and I had the door open to let in some fresh air. One of my dogs was running in and out the side door playing with the kids but when their dog saw him, he ran into my house and hid. So the man knocks on my door and wants his dog back and I explained that he had just run in the other open door and give him their dog back. He makes a comment that he's not happy to see his dog on our porch all the time. We make some friendly conversation and he leaves. A day or so later their dog is back on my porch again. This time its nearly two days before they come and get him. The man comes finally and retirives the dog off the porch and doesn't speak with me at all. Fine and dandy.

So I get home yesterday and I get a phone call from him. Quite frankly I'm really irritated about this situation now. And even sleeping on it didn't help! Bottom line, he is angry that his dog is sleeping on my porch. And says it in a way as though I'm hording his dog. HIS DOG IS SLEEPING ON MY OPEN FRONT PORCH. It's not like I have him tied up there. Its not like its my dog or my responcibility. I take care of my dogs and have a fenced area for them to play. I know where MY dogs are at all times. Anyway, I digress.

So I understand he was frustrated and that he was just venting. But this wasn't a convo he needed to have with me! Then he asks if I can't just help them out a little. Now what exactly would they like me to do? I've tried returning their dog numerous times in the beginning and I pointed that out to him. He comes and eats the food I set out on the porch for our cat and I told him that. I don't know why he's sleeping on my porch but he seems to be a nice dog. He points out that the dog seems very anti social and they don't know why he's taken to our family but they aren't giving him to us. Again I point out I'm not sure what he'd like me to do more than I've already have. So then he gives me this story about how he and his wife have had several dogs and this one they've had the longest (a year) and that they really want to keep this dog for a long time, unlike the others they've had. I'm sorry that really ruffled my feathers. That story seemed as though this was a hurt pride issue rather than for concern of their dog. I kept the conversation polite though and offered to call him the next time his dog was on my porch. He thanked me but said that if the dog wasn't there they knew where to find him. He tells me he's going to spend more time with him since that's clearly what the dog needs and then in the next breath he says he's going to start keeping him chained up until he's broken this habit. Then we ended the call.

So they don't take care of him. They don't groom him or have a place for him to when its cold and wet out and his a small dog. They spend little time with him. The kids mistreat him. They have a bigger dog that picks on him or so the man said. Why would this little dog want to stay?

And the clencher... why am I so bothered by this? About four hours after this phone call about them reclaiming their dog and chaining him up and spending more time with him etc. They come over and ask me for their dog. I don't have their dog. Where is their dog? They don't know and they thought I had him and was hiding him. I've never given them reason to think I've let him in my house or reason to think I'm trying to steal their dog. I have five of my own for Pete's sake. I need another dog like I need another hole in my head. But I do love animals and it pains me to see their poor neglected dog being mistreated. This entire situation makes me sad. :(

So sorry to unload here but now I feel a little better.

On to more happy things! I'm on spring break. Yay! I actually have the house to myself today and some paperwork for work I need to finish up and then a wonderful week off. I can't believe its here. *deep joyous sigh*

And I've been a little scrappy this week. I worked all with older pics and its so much fun! As always, credits are in my galleries if you're interested. :D

This past weekend we went to Portland and had the kids fit for the bowling balls. Yep they got their own. And on the way home we stopped at the Mall. We bought dd a couple of pair of shorts since the nice weather is upon us and then went into Old Navy and bought everyone flip flops. They are awesome for us to where when we go out boating. :)

While at the mall we saw a GLOW IN THE DARK MINI GOLFING place so we of course gave in a whirl. It was a lot of fun and I took loads of pics in which I'll be scrapping soon. It was great family fun!

So I really need to get on with the paperwork here. Thanks for stopping in to visit. I'll be better this week about posting since I'll be off. I hope you all have a terrific weekend!