I had to sneak in like a thief in the night.

This cold I've got has really sidelined me. I'm behind on everything. I had to spend a couple of days in bed. I'm on my second set of antibiotics. I've never had anything take me down so quick before. But....the world doesn't care if you are sick or not.

About a month ago I saw a for sale sign go up at my neighbors house. And we share a very massive hedge. If let it go, it will try to eat my yard. And gets within four feet of my house. Every year I pretty much freak about the fire danger because the bums are always setting the creek on fire. My family has been through a fire, so I'm probably more sensitive than most. But I feel I need a defensible space. And it's my effing property. Why do they get to extend their by at least five feet every year? I knew they weren't going to cut it. No one would if they are selling a house.

Anyway. Last Saturday I saw the moving trucks pull up and I started working on this hedge. Since it's not on my property I can't get anyone to cut it for me. They are too afraid of being sued. It's a two story hedge that is at least 10 feet deep on their property. It's about 40 feet long. So I'd started on it...... and then got sick. And I was pretty bummed because fire season starts soon and it's really uncomfortable to to meet a new neighbor with - hey, could you cut that shrub back. That feels like a "next year" conversation. After they've lived in their house for more than a month or two.

On Friday Mr S. and I started talking about the chances the new neighbor would move in this weekend because I was far from done. But I just didn't have the energy. I was going to have to deal with it in an uncomfortable way.

We thought the chances were very high they would move in. But this morning came and there were no moving vans. It was like the world was giving me a high five. So Mr S. and I hustled out there and cut the whole effing thing down. It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.



Just imagine the whole thing cut. I'm too tired to take pictures of it all being done. I took this at a break when we thought we heard people at the house. We had to drive around and make sure we hadn't been busted.