LOVE THY NEIGHBOR'S TRASH

Let it be known that May 6, 2011, will forever be known as a day of celebration on our block because the young gal who lives across the street finally moved all her crap that's been rotting on the curb for the past two months into the back of her truck. Progress, at last!

This dump site has been a sore spot for the rest of us in the 'hood (along with her barking dogs and a boundary battle). There were a lot more boxes in the pile at one time, but they blew down the street into someone else's yard one windy day. We kept hoping the rest of the clutter would somehow magically disappear...perhaps a visit from the Garbage Fairy at night, but every morning when we went out on the front porch we were greeted with the same ol' mess across the street.

When I returned from my walk last evening and saw that the trash had been moved, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. "Tell me I'm not just hallucinating," I told Big Bore. "Is it really gone?" Had I been home to witness the removal, I swear I would have stood on my front porch and applauded. Maybe even thrown in a cartwheel, if I knew how to do one.

Now, mind you, the broken toilet is still in the yard, and old mattresses bulge from the open storage area next to the house, but at least they are not at the curb, so I will take whatever small victories I can get. Sadly, Big Bore and our neighbor The Farmer will be lowering their cannons and dropping their plans to blow up the mess if it had still been there by the 4th of July. Of course, there's plenty of time for a new pile to start growing, so you just never know. They may want to hold on to that explosive idea just a bit longer.