Earth Day

Greetings,

Earth Day was last week... April 22, and I had a catchy little blog to post, but then I received a package in the mail.  And my mood changed.

The package was from the previous owners... there is a long story there so I will try to be brief: 

The previous owners... the ladies with a child .. split up and parted ways.  We bought their home.  Unbeknownst to us... one lady stayed here in Norfolk... just a few houses down.... on the same street.

I know this because::::

The day we signed (less than 48 hours in the US) we stopped by the house, looked around and went back to the hotel for some sleep.

Later that night... we get a call from the realtor that the previous owner had topped by to give us the extra keys.

While she was there she noticed we had packaged delivered and were sitting outside on the porch.  So she put them inside the house.  She placed them INSIDE  O U R (the Hansen's) locked house.   No big deal.. maybe she was just being nice...?

What ever?

The next morning, while we were at the house she stops by to give us the extra keys.  We have a pleasant conversation about the neighborhood.  She tells us where she lives... which is just down the street.

Later that week, she stops by again.... to ask if she can have a planter from the backyard. 

Whatever, I am going to toss it out anyway.

A few days later... she stops by again to see if she can have the rain catcher.

Okay, I feel a little weird because by now... we are ripping OUR / her previous house to bits.  I feel a little weird destroying all her "hard" yet unprofessional work. 

Within the next few days... we are painting the office and through the window we see the previous owner sitting on our neighbor's porch staring inside the house. 

WEIRD!

(The next day we bought blinds.)

So fast forward a bit... anytime we meet our neighbors (the previous owners neighbors and good friend) they tell us how cute and loving our house is.  Hah, obviuosly they have not seen it lately! 

I have ripped it to shreds!

So every time a contractor comes over or I chainsaw down the laddis or rip out ceilings and leave the bags out front for trash day... I feel a little like I am being judged for destroying the previous owners house.

Fast forward to Earth Day.

Last week... Since the weather has been nice... I have been "pruning" the yard.  There is junk every where.  Plants and bushes and trees.... way too busy for my taste. 

My taste is a nice manicured lawn (that someone else tends to) but clean and neat. 

This tree is leaning on the neighbor's fence... I do not want to purchase a new fence when my leaning tree finally keels over.

Not a jungle of greenery that will never stay alive or look nice.

So I wacked it down.  I pruned that mess til about half its previous size. 

They had rocked and stone paths that led to no where... just a disorganized mess (at least in my mind)...

That's the way I wanted it... GONE.


So on earth Day....

this package arrives... (not form the previous owner down the street, but from the other lady who moved away...

Over 50 plant and flower placards....

and  a "nice" little note saying:

Seriously?

It could have been a nice gesture, but it comes the week after I mow down their lawn.

Maybe if... all the other stuff had not happened I might not have been as perturbed, but enough already.  You sold the house. 

My first thought was to mail her back the placards with all the dead plants I had dug up... but that would be just plain mean.  And I have to remember I am a Chaplains wife.


Am I in the wrong here?  Should I be grateful for the care and concern from the previous owner?


Blessings,