Am I a smuck .... ? - Page 3

ROYC75 · 07-19-2005, 07:34 AM

OK, for 4 + years, I have been mowing my neighbors yard. She is 85 yrs old, no kids and has a niece that will visit her from time to time. Her house is run down, it appears that no maintence has been done for 30 years to the place and the health department checks up on her each month. She lives on social security, she has no A/C but you never hear her complain. 2 years ago I bought her 4 fans for her house when it was so damn hot during the summer.

During this 4+ year period, I have never charged her a dime, not a penny for any yard work or light repairs to her place. Then last year she starts giving III $10.00 each time we do the yard. I do the tractor work and III does the small amount of push mowing and weed eating. I tell III that since I supply the mowers, weedeater and gas, he can forfeit the cash to me to buy the gas each week. I do our yard and her's the same day, just to keep the yards looking good and because she has nobody to do it for a reasonable price. Her yard would cost her about $ 40.00 to have it mowed. I also mow my MIL's yard ( for 3 years ) , don't charge a dime for it either, out of respect.

This old lady next to us has nobody, she calls us daily, sometimes 2, 3, 4 times per day. She calls just to say , " It's nice to see your truck parked out front " .... or calls and says, " you don't mind me calling do ya, ya know I really love ya ". She is a lonely old lady that needs some attention and this is her way of getting it.

During the 4th of July weekend, we shot off our fireworks for the g/k's. The policy here in town is it's OK to shoot till 10:00 pm unless a neighbor calls in to complain....... She did , she won't admit it, the cops came and told us we had to stop. I have been pissed off with her since. Sometimes our driveway is blocked with cars, I'll drive my pickup between her house and ours, ( 1/2 is her property ) she tells the g/k's that she is going to call the cops on me. But yet she lets me and the kids drive the golf cart around the yard.

The deal is this, I think I'm getting fead up with this old lady. For 4+ fuggin years I have done her a favor and she acts like this ? I'm thinking about charging her for her damn yard now........ Am I wrong here ?

Or do I continue to do it free and live with her back stabbing ways.

cadmonkey · 07-19-2005, 09:35 AM

"The Jews, they taught me a good word. That word is schmuck. I was a schmuck."

07-19-2005, 09:36 AM

Yeah, you're a schmuck. I get burnt every time I try to do something substantially nice for somebody. Now I limit my acts of kindness to an hour or less of my time. That way, when I'm burnt on the deal I don't walk funny for months afterwards.

07-19-2005, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

That's not because he was senile. It's because you never did anything good. You were all such a disappointment to him.

I'll consider the source with this one. Up to a point when I was young I didn't respect dad because he was almost the age that most grandparents were among my peers. He was much older than mom. He expressed his pride several times after that, but that isn't anyone's business but mine.

ROYC75 · 07-19-2005, 09:49 AM

There is no fence between us, the kids use her side of the back yard like it's ours, always have.

Really thou, I'll still do it, it's just me. Besides it makes the property looks better since her house is run down.

But she can probally forget me clearing out that fence row along the other neighbors property now.

Oh the oder of that house when she opens the door, I kid you not, it's horrid. But yet the health department can't get in. They brought the police one day and she turned them away.

Honestly, she really needs nursing home care, but she refuses it .......

I'm stuck with it for awhile..........

munkey · 07-19-2005, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PastorMikH

I had a guy in our last church that was building a house - not contracting it out, he was doing the building himself and it was a rather nice house that he ended up selling fo over 150k. Well, I spent a lot of time over there helping him. I enjoyed the work, learned a fair bit about new construction and so on. I didn't ask for one dime and he never gave me cash for the work. I helped him for the better part of 6 months on the house - spending almost all of my free time and also time that I should have spent working my job. When I started getting busier and wasn't able to help them, he and his family started getting upset with me. Later he became a board member and when he was in a place to return the favors, he instead was extremely hard to work with.

Just one more example of why I'm not into organized religion...

What a hypocrite...

07-19-2005, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by munkey

Just one more example of why I'm not into organized religion...

What a hypocrite...

No kidding. He directly profitted from Mike's generosity, he should have given Mike a nice slice of the proceeds. I darn sure hope he tithed on it - at a minimum.

munkey · 07-19-2005, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia

No kidding. He directly profitted from Mike's generosity, he should have given Mike a nice slice of the proceeds. I darn sure hope he tithed on it - at a minimum.

I'm not sure if being a "church member" would have stopped me from showing up at the closing table with an invoice for my time...

**Dartgod** · 07-19-2005, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electric

I'll consider the source with this one. Up to a point when I was young I didn't respect dad because he was almost the age that most grandparents were among my peers. He was much older than mom. He expressed his pride several times after that, but that isn't anyone's business but mine.

I knew you'd fail to see the humor in my post.

Oh well, at least it wasn't lost on Saul.

07-19-2005, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

I knew you'd fail to see the humor in my post.

Oh well, at least it wasn't lost on Saul.

I thought it was funny, but I don't dare admit to that on the open forum. Please don't disclose this to anyone.

ROYC75 · 07-19-2005, 10:02 AM

Yep, that was bad, being young enough to understand it and still take advantage of it.

My situtation is different since she is so old .

Keeping the place cleaned up helps our home to look better. The day she is gone, that place needs to be bulldozed down, my property value will probally go up ....... more taxes.

**Dartgod** · 07-19-2005, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

I knew you'd fail to see the humor in my post.

Oh well, at least it wasn't lost on Saul.

Or Hemied. He laughed too.

07-19-2005, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROYC75

The day she is gone, that place needs to be bulldozed down, my property value will probally go up ....... more taxes.

Or.... you could have the place bulldozed on the day that she dies. You should check out Euthanasia Excavation. Check your yellow pages.

**Iowanian** · 07-19-2005, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by munkey

I'm not sure if being a "church member" would have stopped me from showing up at the closing table with an invoice for my time...

I've helped people before, and sometimes for things that would make them money...but as a rule, I'll help you, if its for you.....if its to make you a bunch of loot....

I bought an old PoS house 5 years ago, and remodeled it. I didn't know how to do alot of things, and leaned on a friend I'd made in town who was a carpenter. I hired him for the Bigger projects I had him do(help with) but he did put in some time helping me do things(loaning equip) like mudding, texturing etc.

I moved into another house, and when that one sells(if it ever does)....since I'm going to make a pretty decent profit(equity and improvement) I have the full intention of putting 5 benjamins in his hand for the Help...BECAUSE I'm making some money from his "help"...I suppose I paid him 2-3K along the way, and Hired the roof because thats more than I"d ask a friend to do. He may not want to accept it, but He's going to, because it will be the RIGHT thing to do.

**Mr. Kotter** · 07-19-2005, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dartgod

She's probably just senile. I'd confront her (tactfully, of course) and if she's not willing to admit to/apologize for what she did, I'd tell the old bag to find someone else to mow her damn yard.

That would be my thought as well.

Goapics1 · 07-19-2005, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Honestly, she really needs nursing home care, but she refuses it .......

I'm stuck with it for awhile..........

Maybe she is just attracted to you and wants to get your attention by calling the cops. She may like seeing your butt crack as well when you bend over when cutting the grass. It may turn her on.

Also, since she started giving you $10, she may expect more than just mowing the lawn. This is pure specuation and my $.02, but what would Scanlon do Roy?

07-19-2005, 07:34 AM
ROYC75 Time For Your Wake Up Call !!! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Barn Yard Casino cash: $5609400	Am I a smuck .... ? OK, for 4 + years, I have been mowing my neighbors yard. She is 85 yrs old, no kids and has a niece that will visit her from time to time. Her house is run down, it appears that no maintence has been done for 30 years to the place and the health department checks up on her each month. She lives on social security, she has no A/C but you never hear her complain. 2 years ago I bought her 4 fans for her house when it was so damn hot during the summer. During this 4+ year period, I have never charged her a dime, not a penny for any yard work or light repairs to her place. Then last year she starts giving III $10.00 each time we do the yard. I do the tractor work and III does the small amount of push mowing and weed eating. I tell III that since I supply the mowers, weedeater and gas, he can forfeit the cash to me to buy the gas each week. I do our yard and her's the same day, just to keep the yards looking good and because she has nobody to do it for a reasonable price. Her yard would cost her about $ 40.00 to have it mowed. I also mow my MIL's yard ( for 3 years ) , don't charge a dime for it either, out of respect. This old lady next to us has nobody, she calls us daily, sometimes 2, 3, 4 times per day. She calls just to say , " It's nice to see your truck parked out front " .... or calls and says, " you don't mind me calling do ya, ya know I really love ya ". She is a lonely old lady that needs some attention and this is her way of getting it. During the 4th of July weekend, we shot off our fireworks for the g/k's. The policy here in town is it's OK to shoot till 10:00 pm unless a neighbor calls in to complain....... She did , she won't admit it, the cops came and told us we had to stop. I have been pissed off with her since. Sometimes our driveway is blocked with cars, I'll drive my pickup between her house and ours, ( 1/2 is her property ) she tells the g/k's that she is going to call the cops on me. But yet she lets me and the kids drive the golf cart around the yard. The deal is this, I think I'm getting fead up with this old lady. For 4+ fuggin years I have done her a favor and she acts like this ? I'm thinking about charging her for her damn yard now........ Am I wrong here ? Or do I continue to do it free and live with her back stabbing ways.
Posts: 36,999

07-19-2005, 09:35 AM	#31
cadmonkey Please no Vick!!!!!! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boston, Ma Casino cash: $10004900	"The Jews, they taught me a good word. That word is schmuck. I was a schmuck." __________________
Posts: 13,115

07-19-2005, 09:36 AM	#32
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	Yeah, you're a schmuck. I get burnt every time I try to do something substantially nice for somebody. Now I limit my acts of kindness to an hour or less of my time. That way, when I'm burnt on the deal I don't walk funny for months afterwards. Last edited by Phobia; 07-19-2005 at 09:43 AM..
Posts: n/a

07-19-2005, 09:49 AM	#34
ROYC75 Time For Your Wake Up Call !!! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Barn Yard Casino cash: $5609400	There is no fence between us, the kids use her side of the back yard like it's ours, always have. Really thou, I'll still do it, it's just me. Besides it makes the property looks better since her house is run down. But she can probally forget me clearing out that fence row along the other neighbors property now. Oh the oder of that house when she opens the door, I kid you not, it's horrid. But yet the health department can't get in. They brought the police one day and she turned them away. Honestly, she really needs nursing home care, but she refuses it ....... I'm stuck with it for awhile.......... __________________ Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it. John Lennon
Posts: 36,999

07-19-2005, 10:02 AM	#40
ROYC75 Time For Your Wake Up Call !!! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Barn Yard Casino cash: $5609400	Yep, that was bad, being young enough to understand it and still take advantage of it. My situtation is different since she is so old . Keeping the place cleaned up helps our home to look better. The day she is gone, that place needs to be bulldozed down, my property value will probally go up ....... more taxes. __________________ Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it. John Lennon
Posts: 36,999