Need more British neighbors!

[Sunshine]

Yesterday my wife and I went for a walk by the shore, we ran into a wonderful couple who live in the home directly behind our home, our back gardens are separated by a fence and shey have a string of very warm and dim lights hanging on her pergola. These lights are never an issue for my sessions as they are very dim and barely reflect a glow off her home, aside from that, I cannot see them when sitting at my scope. We spoke for a moment and  she expressed curiosity about my being out with my scope once in a while (she can clearly see me from her windows) mentioning she has always wondered about the night sky, she said growing up in England near London she could never see many stars. Without a moment’s pause I said she is more than welcome to have a look through my scope if she notices I’m out there, she will definitely do that, she said. What really caught me bu surprise was her next sentence which I will write, verbatim…”are my string lights an issue when you’re out there? if so I will gladly turn them off while you’re outside, take my number and text lights off please and they’ll come off immediately” 

Oh my! before I could tell her that the lights really aren’t an issue she offered and later insisted I let her know when I intend on being outside so she can switch off her lights, all said in the most lovely British accent. Oh my gosh! what a wonderful and considerate offer! a few moments later we continued on our walks, what a wonderful person, she had light pollution in mind and she admittedly never really looked through a telescope, amazing! 

Edited February 10 by Sunshine

[callisto]

Yeah, we are quite decent folk us British 😉

[JeremyS]

3 hours ago, Sunshine said:

 (she can clearly see me from her windows)

Been wearing your Speedos again?

[Marvin Jenkins]

I would insist on the lighting if I were you.

[Sunshine]

2 hours ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

I would insist on the lighting if I were you.

Don’t need to insist, they volunteered to turn them off, very nice of them.

[saac]

Having decent neighbours is one of those blessings that is easily taken for granted. You are lucky for sure. 

Jim 

[Nakedgun]

~

Neighbors can enhance, or ruin, ones outlook on homelife, unfortunately.

 

 

 

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[Mr Spock]

You can have my neighbours.

One one side I have a noisy door banger - I can't physically close my own doors that loud!

The other side we have a yapping dog outside at all hours. They also have a searchlight, er, I mean security light, on all night. Thankfully that house is lower than mine so it's below the fence line. I don't know what the neighbours opposite think of it though as it illuminates their bedrooms all night 

[Elp]

A house nearby has not one, but two insecurity lights mounted close to their upstairs windows so we can all bathe in the nightly glow of led lighting. Luckily its not left on all night but I'm sure I can activate them when I'm out even though the house in the next street (two other gardens separation distance).

[Piero]

I have lived in a countless number of places...

In my experience, you get what you get in terms of neighbours, independently of whether they are British or not..

I think you are lucky to have a nice and civilised neighbour who is respectful of your hobby.

[Jeff-Colorado]

You have a wonderful neighbor and I hope she enjoys a view of the night sky through your telescope.

During a recent partial solar eclipse here some of my neighbors were out of their houses with pinholes in sheets of paper. I passed around my 12x70 binocs with solar filters so they could see it better -- they loved seeing it and it was a nice way to meet a new couple a few doors down.

Astronomy can be a good icebreaker.

[GasGiant]

In my opinion.

Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours. With a little understanding, you can find the perfect blend. 

Neighbours should be there for one and other. That's when neighbours become good friends. 

[PeterCPC]

Our neighbour is moving and I am dreading to see how the new ones behave.

[mikeDnight]

My neighbours are really nice, so I've no complaints, but they are frightfully British! 😊 In truth, that's probably more to do with up-bringing and generation than nationality. There are still many lovely people all over the world.

 

[Sunshine]

Ooh! let me rephrase, I did not mean to say that only British neighbors are pleasant and caring, just my attempt at humor, my apologies if it came across wrong, intended as tongue and cheek humor.

Edited February 11 by Sunshine

[Chaz2b]

I have new neighbours, a young couple with two baby girls and a dog, the girls do not stop crying, which isn't good for them, and the dog barks at the slightest provocation. We live in flats and I've already mentioned to them that these flats aren't very sound proof, plus...she keeps her kitchen light on allllll night, which over looks where I set up. I can't sleep I can't enjoy my hobby.

Chaz

[Vallantho]

On  one side I’ve got wonderful neighbours. They’re older, love peace and quiet. The woman is a retired nurse. I have my mother with advanced dementia here and she’s always on hand to offer help, advice and support whenever we need it.  The husband helps me with my garden, takes an interest in my various hobbies and we regularly chat about whatever projects we’re working on.

The other side…not so much. Constantly barking dogs. A hot tub that plays ridiculously loud music and four teenage daughters with no concept of reasonable volume. The dad is bully who likes to think he’s the big man around town and can tell everyone in the street what to do. The only big thing about him is his waistline. He actually tried to tell me not to go in my garden at night because it makes his dogs bark and woke him up. When he was building an extension he dumped all the dirt from the foundations on my driveway without permission. 

I could go on.  But just thinking about him makes me angry. So there’s British neighbours and then there’s British neighbours.  Be aware of the difference.

Edited February 12 by Vallantho

[Mr Spock]

6:30... 6:30am that damn dog was outside barking this morning. If I was less harmless I'd wring its neck 😡

[Sunshine]

4 hours ago, Chaz2b said:

I have new neighbours, a young couple with two baby girls and a dog, the girls do not stop crying, which isn't good for them, and the dog barks at the slightest provocation. We live in flats and I've already mentioned to them that these flats aren't very sound proof, plus...she keeps her kitchen light on allllll night, which over looks where I set up. I can't sleep I can't enjoy my hobby.

Chaz

Oh I do wish I lived on the other sides of your horrible neighbors!, my wife will be the first to say how I do love a good all out war with inconsiderate neighbors. Not so much that I am a troublemaker about crying babies and things which cannot be helped but plain old bullies and inconsiderate people, I revere the tables doubly till they move! In my previous home when I first moved in there was a house across the street which somehow was used as a party house for drunken teens puking on lawns and causing all sorts of ruckus at all hours. My wife dreaded my response, long story short, the house was for sale two months later, the’d had enough of me out there chasing them around, stick in hand. 😂

2 hours ago, Vallantho said:

On  one side I’ve got wonderful neighbours. They’re older, love peace and quiet. The woman is a retired nurse. I have my mother with advanced dementia here and she’s always on hand to offer help, advice and support whenever we need it.  The husband helps me with my garden, takes an interest in my various hobbies and we regularly chat about whatever projects we’re working on.

The other side…not so much. Constantly barking dogs. A hot tub that plays ridiculously loud music and four teenage daughters with no concept of reasonable volume. The dad is bully who likes to think he’s the big man around town and can tell everyone in the street what to do. The only big thing about him is his waistline. He actually tried to tell me not to go in my garden at night because it makes his dogs bark and woke him up. When he was building an extension he dumped all the dirt from the foundations on my driveway without permission. 

I could go on.  But just thinking about him makes me angry. So there’s British neighbours and then there’s British neighbours.  Be aware of the difference.

Edited February 12 by Sunshine

[Andy ES]

On 11/02/2024 at 07:59, PeterCPC said:

Our neighbour is moving and I am dreading to see how the new ones behave.

Never know could be a family of astronomers…

and you could also win the lottery. 😂

(my neighbours are very nice, but they do like the fairy lights a bit, but not really a problem if move like a stealthy cat and don’t trip their garden light)

[Mr Spock]

My garden is in darkness, but if I were the neighbours opposite I'd have something to say about this.

 

[Gonariu]

I feel comfortable in my neighborhood, then here in the village where I live we have around 1800 inhabitants and we are all relatives. It must be said that a bit of sensitivity towards others is also needed; 20 years ago I got a dog, Lupine, who the first year I let sleep outside and at night sometimes he didn't let the neighbors sleep, so the second year I let him sleep inside, me in my bed and him on the sofa. Some nights he would bark and make me jump on the bed (behind my house it's all countryside and at night you can hear a whole series of noises due to the movement of nocturnal animals). As for the astronomical aspect, when I was a boy and I came here for the holidays in August (I lived in Cagliari at the time), the alley where my house is was without street lighting which they later put in; in my case it wasn't the fault of electrical waste neighbors.

[Naughty Neal]

I feel quite fortunate none of my neighbours have of yet have blinding night gardens at night, some do have night lights but they are usually only on if they are out for a while otherwise they are turned off.  I have neighbours left and right, no other neighbours as my 150' garden backs on to the V2B rail line so the views are just trees and the odd light from an express as is passes thru or stops at the  signals.  After 22.00 hrs  99% of  any rear internal house lights are off and all are tucked up in bed or likely watching tv so makes any of my viewing quite pleasant.

Edited February 13 by Naughty Neal

[Sunshine]

14 hours ago, Mr Spock said:

My garden is in darkness, but if I were the neighbours opposite I'd have something to say about this.

 

That is ridiculous! do they host football matches in their gardens at night? totally unnecessary.

[Naughty Neal]

5 minutes ago, Sunshine said:

That is ridiculous! do they host football matches in their gardens at night? totally unnecessary.

Yep 100% agree , inconsiderate neighbours.