Call the Cops!

We've lived in this house for a little over 5 years.  I clearly remember the day we moved in, a Friday.  I had, by then, started working for the realty company we'd used to list our previous home and through whom we'd purchased the new home.  I was only part time and was supposed to have that day off to move but because of some meeting they needed me to come in for a few hours and cover the phones.  Let me just say we were not the most organized movers.  We were throwing last minute things into boxes and tossing them into the cars as the new owners were pulling up.  I went to the closing on the new house in my pajama top because I couldn't find any other clothes.  Never again will we move like that!  I remember that by the time I made it back from work Chase had already moved most of the heavy stuff in, partially with the help of our new neighbor.  I was pleased that this neighborhood already seemed so friendly, a marked contrast from the old one.

It turned out that the new neighbor was really not a resident but the fiance of the homeowner.  It was one of those situations where he practically lived there already.  In a short span of time we became pretty friendly with them.  We went to dinner, had them over to hang out, went camping, etc.  They helped us with things and vice versa.  Unfortunately, things slowly went south, as these things sometimes do.  It became clear that we were better as friendly neighbors rather than friends and neighbors.  For the last couple of years I have rarely spoken to them, though I say hello when I see them outside.  My husband and the male portion of the couple (who is now the husband; they got married in our living room) have remained friendlier.  In the last couple of weeks even that has come to an end.

Once upon a time, when we were still hanging out, they bought a drum set and placed it in our basement.  They didn't play it often, but when they did it was with us.  Then Chase joined a band and they began to practice weekly in our basement.  The neighbors said it was fine for the band to use their drums.   About a year and a half ago Chase switched bands.  The new band uses our house for practice as well.  The neighbors decided it was time to try to get rid of their drums so they tried to sell them to the drummer.  When he turned them down they decided to take them back to their house.  It was no skin off the drummer's nose as he had a couple of practice sets already.  Well, after that, they began to complain about the noise when the band practiced.  First it was Chase's guitar, then it was the vocals, then the drums, then the bass...You get the picture.

Band practice stopped for awhile after I had Connor and again at the end of the year as the bass player was switching bands.  Now they've got a new bass player and the weekly practices have picked back up.  They practice at 6:30 for about an hour and a half to two hours.  I can assure you it's not terribly loud.  The kids and I are able to eat, play, read books, talk on the phone, or watch tv during practice.  The neighbor started leaving messages complaining about the noise about a month ago, and Chase sent him an email asking what we could do to make this better because there had to be a solution that would please everyone.  In response, the neighbor has called the cops the last two practices.

The cops have been nice, the same guy came tonight when he heard the call.  Unfortunately he didn't have the decibel measuring thingamabob with him so he couldn't tell us if we were within the legal limit. He is going to come back during next weeks practice to measure the noise.  I guess that will give us a better idea of what our options are.  To say we are frustrated would be a gross understatement.  We are trying very hard to be the bigger person in this situation but it's difficult when faced with such pettiness.

There is so much more I could say, but it would serve no real purpose.  We feel, rather strongly, that this is their way of getting back at us for anything and everything we've done to (unintentionally) anger them.  They also are the type of people who want to bring others down to their level of unhappiness.  Chase is extremely angry.  We have been quite accommodating in the past in regards to the noise they generated (motorcycles idling outside our bedroom window at 8 on the weekends).  Why can they not do the same?  Ugh.

I know that there is much bigger stuff going on out there, that in the whole scheme of things this is minor.  Sometimes it feels good to rant a bit, though, just to have it said so you can let it go.  I'm trying to let this go so that I can focus my energy on things that actually matter.  Wish me luck!