# I don’t want to seem ungrateful…. But. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 12, 2009, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232 "2009-05-12T23:50:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PotLuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@PotLuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PotLuck)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232/21 "2009-05-13T22:42:04Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Well, luckily, we get along. They are nice folks. And as much as I’d rather not have any neighbors, I sure don’t want to start a fued. I told them in as nice a way possible that I’ll take care of my own garbage. My neighbours haven’t spoken to me in years because I put my foot down over the grandpa’s constant forays into my backyard while I was at work. Each time I told him to stop using his gas-powered mower on my lawn and putting down weed killer he’d say “It’s okay, I don’t mind!”, ignoring my explanation that I’m “green” and genuinely enjoyed spending my weekends using my push-mower and pulling weeds by hand. When I finally put a lock on my gate to keep him out, his son angrily asked me how I could deny an old man the chance to do some good, adding that it was no wonder I didn’t have a husband to take care of these things for me. :rolleyes: Oh, well. If your neighbours are reasonable I’m sure things will work out better for you than they did for me; there’s nothing wrong with establishing boundaries in and around your own home. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232/22 "2009-05-13T23:53:40Z")
> [@PotLuck](#): > > there’s nothing wrong with establishing boundaries in and around your own home. This is so so so true. Whether something is “nice” on its face is irrelevant when it’s **unwelcome**. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232/23 "2009-05-14T03:51:56Z")
A lock on the door, no explanation. Ignore the stolen garbage, like you didn’t even notice. If anyone comments on the lock say you’d been meaning to do it forever and finally got round to it. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232/24 "2009-05-14T05:13:35Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Or you could just stop putting your chopped up dead hookers in the trash… Then where else do you put them, huh smartypants? ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232/25 "2009-05-14T05:25:24Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > Noting the forum, I’ll be nice. The assholes who live next door to me gave their 13 YO kid a DRUM SET for this past Christmas. A real live drum set. They also bought a metal building to put it in. A metal building (on the property line) that is 17 feet from my living area. He “practices” every day. AND on the weekends! I wish I had your problems. > (Sorry for the all caps, I’m really upset about this. I’ve been meaning to start a thread about it but I’m too chicken for even that) Hey, it was his big brothers who bought it for him! And you might notice, he doesn’t use it as much as he did. Now about those dandelions in your yard… ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232/26 "2009-05-14T13:27:06Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > A lock on the door, no explanation. > > Ignore the stolen garbage, like you didn’t even notice. If anyone comments on the lock say you’d been meaning to do it forever and finally got round to it. I have a combo lock on it. I just hook it through the hasp to keep the door shut. I don’t secure it or acually lock it. Don’t want to have to unlock it anytime I need in the shed. I’m quite sure this won’t be an issue again, and I have no intention of locking the shed. **potluck and tumbleddow** nailed it. It’s about unwelcome favors, and boundaries. Like I said, it they need something, they are welcome to borrow it. And I know that it works both ways. ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232/27 "2009-05-14T13:49:57Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > No I didn’t. > > I was commenting on the overreaction. It would be one thing if the guy was polite, however I don’t think I can properly convey his attitude, the man is an ass. He has yet to swipe our trash though. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232/28 "2009-05-14T23:55:05Z")
> [@Chopper9760](#): > > It would be one thing if the guy was polite, however I don’t think I can properly convey his attitude, the man is an ass. Having grown up in NJ, I’d like to express some ‘home-state’ kinship and defend your neighbor’s honor. Except that I grew up in NJ…so I’m pretty sure your assessment is accurate. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232/29 "2009-05-15T05:32:18Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Dicketry. > > Dicketry dicketry dicketry. I know what you mean. I have nothing of value to offer the thread, but I love that word! It sounds like a character name from an English novel. Sir Edward Dicketry, Fifth Earl of Dickeshire. Dicketry dicketry dicketry. It makes me smile. Thank you **Chopper9760**! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-want-to-seem-ungrateful-but/496232.md?page=1)