Start fresh with sour neighbours

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/04/2016 (3803 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My boyfriend and I used to while away spring evenings jumping in and out of our hot tub and eating different courses of Mexican food. This winter some obnoxious people moved in next door. We did a little bit of winter hot-tubbing and they were right over to complain about the noise coming from over the fence. Seriously? The sounds of two people laughing and enjoying themselves in a hot tub is hardly cause for calling the cops, which they have threatened to do.

Summer is coming and I hate the feeling that we’re being watched from their second floor window and monitored for noise. We don’t have sex in the hot tub, but certainly like to kiss and fool around. I can’t afford to move anywhere, and why should I? How can I make peace with these idiots?

— Severely Annoyed, Fort Richmond

Dear Severely Annoyed: How about you start over again with this neighbour? With a plant in hand, ring the doorbell and say something like this: “I’m sorry we got off to a bad start as neighbours and I’d like to give you a gift to start your garden and invite you over for a barbecue. Bring your bathing suits in case you want to use the hot tub.” Chances are they won’t bring their bathing suits as they don’t know you that well, but they will no longer feel like the have-nots. Sometimes people just want to know they’re welcome, and you can forge a friendship, or at least a civil relationship. At the moment you’re the strangers who have nicer toys than they do.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6

Miss Lonelyhearts
Advice Columnist

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