An expensive fence

Saturday, 7 July 2007

This photo was taken a couple of years ago at our house in SandyBay - well, mum and dad's house technically, but you know - where I grew up.  Now you are probably thinking : gee, weird place to put a fence. Well yeah.  This fence was put there one day by our neighbour who got it into her head that boundary between her and our property actually went down the driveway (funnily enough she'd lived next door for at least 20 years before coming to this conclusion).  Anyway - like any reasonable person, she just went straight ahead and got some guys in to build a fence straight down the driveway so that no car could go up or down.  Now this driveway is quite steep - I remember many cold winter mornings of my youth  where I would be desperately trying to stay upright during my desent of the icy drive relying on nothing more than the cold metal hand rail (to which my clammy hand was stuck), and the grip of my grosby school shoes (not favoured by arctic explorers I might point out). Funnily enough I remember almost as many mornings where I would find myself ascending the icy driveway (hand over hand on the metal railing) in order to change my ripped stockings, treat my bleeding wounds and then crash through the hedge down to the roadway and rush off to school in a fruitless attempt to avoid a late pass. Oh those were the days. So anyway what I'm trying to say is that this drive is steep, and longer than your average driveway. In fact, I also remember one day when Denny and I (we were maybe around 10 or  so) picked up an old car tyre from way up in the back garden, and gave it a little push.... I remember the feeling of terror as we watched the tyre gaining speed as it bounced down past the side of the garden, skillfully negotiating the small gap between the garage and the side of the house and then positively FLEW down the driveway, down St Canice Avenue, then bounced across Sandy Bay road, which even in those days was normally pretty busy. I'm not sure where it ended up after it bounced over a fence on the other side of the road, but it was definately one of those moments which could have changed our lives forever but by pure luck (bad and good)  nothing bad happened. phew.  

Anyway - in the last few years the driveway became a bit of a local tourist attraction as people came to admire the arrogance of our neighbour -  even if it WAS her land, who the heck would put a fence right down someones access to their house and cause the aging residents to carry all the shopping up the drive,  denny and Robin had to carry the kids up every time they visited, dad had to carry up all his wood every time he started a new project, and some people like Great Granny and Grandfather just couldn't visit at all during this time.  It made me cross just to think about it but mum and dad showed great restraint (in not ripping down the fence and blowing up her house) and persued legal action in order to 1) prove the boundary was in the original, logical place and 2) get her to pull down her stupid fence.  Six months or so after the fence went up, the neighbour pulled it down but  by then the costs to both sides had been fairly hefty so there were still claims to be made and legal paths to follow.  So  FINALLY on Friday, after a lot of mediation sessions and letters between lawyers, a settlement has been reached. mum and dad are forgoing what could be a substantial damages claim in order to settle now with our neighbour agreeing to pay all costs and go halves in a new fence in the original position. We've estimated this will have set her back in total about 20k. What a fool.  And the weird thing is, it's not like there had ever been any ongoing dispute before she built the fence. Anyway. We're all glad it's over. 


2007 Summary
are we there yet Wednesday, 19 December 2007
excuses.. Sunday, 16 December 2007
sparkly shiney things Sunday, 16 December 2007
Self Portrait Tuesday, 11 December 2007
simple pleasures Sunday, 9 December 2007
indulge me... Thursday, 6 December 2007
Christmas Craft Wednesday, 5 December 2007
itchy Wednesday, 5 December 2007
sometimes less is much much more Saturday, 1 December 2007
If a job's worth doing.. Saturday, 1 December 2007
cheap at twice the price Saturday, 1 December 2007
You couldn't buy it. Monday, 26 November 2007
Yay Thursday, 22 November 2007
Getting out of the Big Smoke Wednesday, 21 November 2007
Sweat Shop Labour Wednesday, 21 November 2007
Show 2007 Saturday, 17 November 2007
Brmmm Brmmm Thursday, 15 November 2007
It's always the ones closest to you.. Thursday, 15 November 2007
Finding Nemo - Losing Sanity Tuesday, 13 November 2007
Everything you need to know you learnt at school sports day Monday, 12 November 2007
Beautiful Brides and Lovely Weddings Sunday, 11 November 2007
Happy Campers Sunday, 4 November 2007
Endless weekend Sunday, 28 October 2007
Laundry Art Monday, 22 October 2007
5 Good Things Thursday, 18 October 2007
Ahead of the game Tuesday, 9 October 2007
What a treat Monday, 1 October 2007
Sun and Rain Sunday, 30 September 2007
Two good things Friday, 28 September 2007
Our Short (order) Chef Sunday, 23 September 2007
5 short years Sunday, 23 September 2007
Procrastinative Baking Sunday, 23 September 2007
Oh my god we live on an island! Wednesday, 19 September 2007
it's all in the planning Wednesday, 12 September 2007
Tulips Saturday, 8 September 2007
Not a water baby Tuesday, 4 September 2007
Stylemaster. Tuesday, 4 September 2007
Choo-Choo Monday, 3 September 2007
End of the Weekend Sunday, 2 September 2007
Advice to new parents - GET IN EARLY!! Sunday, 2 September 2007
Jett is TWO Saturday, 1 September 2007
Friday Night Pizza Saturday, 1 September 2007
The green room Monday, 27 August 2007
End of my season Sunday, 26 August 2007
Other news. Tuesday, 21 August 2007
She's a genius Tuesday, 21 August 2007
book time Saturday, 18 August 2007
aaaah - that feels better... Friday, 17 August 2007
look at meee, look at meee Friday, 17 August 2007
Spring! Tuesday, 14 August 2007
Zzzzzzz Tuesday, 14 August 2007
art schmart Saturday, 4 August 2007
Garden Projects Saturday, 4 August 2007
send batteries! Saturday, 4 August 2007
woe is me Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Handy Home Hints Thursday, 26 July 2007
Drs McComb & McComb - MD, BSc, PGR Monday, 23 July 2007
Current Cakes Thursday, 19 July 2007
How Ironic Thursday, 19 July 2007
Happy Birthday to Me Sunday, 15 July 2007
Supermarket Surrealism Monday, 9 July 2007
Not really a makeover... Sunday, 8 July 2007
An expensive fence Saturday, 7 July 2007
Unpackers and reorganisers having a break Friday, 6 July 2007
Frosty mornings Friday, 6 July 2007
Cake Withdrawals Friday, 6 July 2007
Back in business! Friday, 6 July 2007
Someone hand me my walking stick.. Friday, 29 June 2007
Black-out Monday, 25 June 2007
Procrastination Wednesday, 13 June 2007
su-do-ku anyone? Friday, 8 June 2007
Cake Makeover Saturday, 2 June 2007
Deja Vu Saturday, 2 June 2007
What's for dinner? Tuesday, 29 May 2007
Not suffering enough Tuesday, 29 May 2007
5 cool things about our new house Saturday, 26 May 2007
Dr Zali Zoo Saturday, 26 May 2007
Gone to rack and ruin Thursday, 24 May 2007
One last thing.. Sunday, 20 May 2007
Product Research Sunday, 20 May 2007
My Weekend Sunday, 20 May 2007
Big Week Friday, 18 May 2007
Spot Update Monday, 14 May 2007
ok ok .. Sunday, 13 May 2007
Payback time Saturday, 12 May 2007
Getting an early start to the day.. Friday, 11 May 2007
Cake Stuff Saturday, 5 May 2007
subject to finance Saturday, 5 May 2007
Jett's Zoo Trip Wednesday, 2 May 2007
back! Monday, 30 April 2007
hello from sydeny Wednesday, 25 April 2007
late late late.. Sunday, 22 April 2007
Rolling Along Thursday, 19 April 2007
why oh why oh why Monday, 16 April 2007
Almost live action Saturday, 14 April 2007
Windmill Spotto Friday, 13 April 2007
Breathing Space! Friday, 13 April 2007
maybe not such a good idea afterall. Friday, 6 April 2007
craft moments! Saturday, 31 March 2007
Making it obvious Saturday, 31 March 2007
Yellow Cake mark II Wednesday, 28 March 2007
Still here! Wednesday, 28 March 2007
Three weddings and a cupcake.. Saturday, 24 March 2007
they must be useful for something right? Thursday, 22 March 2007
not the plan Tuesday, 20 March 2007
over this week's finish line Friday, 16 March 2007
whooosh Friday, 16 March 2007
Cracker Weekend Monday, 12 March 2007
smooth sailing Saturday, 10 March 2007
rent relief Friday, 9 March 2007
crossing my fingers.. Thursday, 8 March 2007
Cake anyone? anyone?... Tuesday, 6 March 2007
hmm.. Tuesday, 6 March 2007
rainy weekend Sunday, 4 March 2007
ye olde style cake Friday, 2 March 2007
Jett's rain dance.. Friday, 2 March 2007
Other News Tuesday, 27 February 2007
back in town.. Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Couldn't go on holidays.. Thursday, 22 February 2007
Stuck with the evidence.. Thursday, 22 February 2007
Weekly dose of cakes Thursday, 22 February 2007
babies, not just for Christmas.. Thursday, 22 February 2007
Sinking not Swimming Thursday, 22 February 2007
I got flowers! Friday, 16 February 2007
couplacakes Thursday, 15 February 2007
Hanging around Wednesday, 14 February 2007
A near fainting experience Tuesday, 13 February 2007
We've been camping! Monday, 12 February 2007
Craft Thursday, 8 February 2007
Appliance Update Thursday, 8 February 2007
Playing the blues Sunday, 4 February 2007
28 Days Thursday, 1 February 2007
Supermarket News Thursday, 1 February 2007
school uniform Tuesday, 30 January 2007
missing items.. Monday, 29 January 2007
Quiz Time. Sunday, 28 January 2007
Ranelagh Sunday, 28 January 2007
Cruising.. Saturday, 27 January 2007
Giddyup! Saturday, 27 January 2007
ok ok maybe I was a bit harsh.. Saturday, 27 January 2007
I hope ugly IS the new beautiful Saturday, 27 January 2007
The Riff-Raff Thursday, 25 January 2007
Check this out! Saturday, 20 January 2007
Not the perfect cake day Saturday, 20 January 2007
The Soiree Wednesday, 17 January 2007
Saying Goodbye.. Wednesday, 17 January 2007
can't chat... busy Wednesday, 17 January 2007
Getting there.. Friday, 12 January 2007
Party Girl Friday, 12 January 2007
Cruising.. Tuesday, 9 January 2007
WorkCover Monday, 8 January 2007
Rainy Day Fun Saturday, 6 January 2007
want more time.. Friday, 5 January 2007
dogs are less stress Thursday, 4 January 2007
1 year anniversary - let's have some cake! Thursday, 4 January 2007
More Zali and Tiia photos Thursday, 4 January 2007
Best Buddies Wednesday, 3 January 2007