Property Rights

My neighbor has complained about my big shade tree. He is worried that a leaf or a twig will fall on his cheap plastic carport roof. The manager has written me up with a notice to trim it back to the property line. I have until the 23rd to comply. Thankfully I have sons who own tools and equipment and ladders and pick-up trucks. They will be out Saturday and we will make the cuts. It angers me beyond measure that old man Frank can create such disruption in my life. I love my tree and I love that it shades the living room and I love that it blocks out the view of the neighbors. But the law is on his side. If I don’t cut it back, Frank can have it done and send me the bill. Such are property rights in Oregon. There is no law about waking me up at 5:30 a.m.

Petty people who get upset about insignificant things are an irritating part of life. I have had some nasty neighbors in the past. One who stabbed my dog because she jumped on the fence, one who poisoned all my plants because she didn’t like native plants, one who parked in my parking space every night because I wasn’t using it, one who left country music blasting on his radio all day while he was at work because it never occurred to him that he wasn’t the center of the universe. No end to the examples!