Finally a Fence! – Kind of…

Is the “fence farce” not a farce after all? Has it changed from an “invisible” fence to a “real” fence? As you may recall, Mr. Loud Talking Neighbor who lives behind us said he was going to put up a fence “next week.” He said that two years ago. We had paid a friend of his to help clear out the overgrown hedge we had back there, in anticipation of said fence. We waited…and waited…and waited…. We started to think we had been had. The neighbor now had a great view of my garden and we had a crappy view of their parking lot of a driveway, which usually has at least four cars in it, a wave runner, and a broken down boat. Seemed to me he had the better end of the deal.

He had the fence panels for awhile, but hadn’t gotten the posts. Then he got the posts. A few weeks ago they started to put the fence up and I went running to Brian with my arms flailing about in excitement exclaiming, “It’s a fence, it’s a fence!!!!” I was so worked up that I actually had to leave the house for the day. I knew if I stayed there I would just sit and watch them put it up, nit-picking their progress.

It’s a fence! The view as you enter the back yard with the fence in the background.

This may come as a shock (note sarcasm), but the fence is not finished. They still have about three panels to put up. And it’s been that way for a couple of weeks now. How much longer do you think it will be that way? We were chatting with him the other day and he said they ran into a snafu – a bunch of tree roots in one area. There must have been a tree right where they wanted to put one of the posts. So they have to get an axe or something to try to break through the roots.

Unfinished section of the fence.

I shouldn’t be surprised by this, but they are doing a really shoddy job of installing this fence. REALLY shoddy. I should’ve known that would happen. The posts are all uneven and the brackets and panels aren’t lined up. Also, it’s an ugly, white vinyl fence. Not something I would have chosen. But it’s not my fence and beggars can’t be choosers. And I’ve been begging, really begging, for this thing to go up. Hey, at least it’s a fence and it obscures their driveway. I guess I’ll try to grow enough things in front of the fence to try to hide its brash whiteness and shoddy installation.

Fence and the entrance to my Kitchen Garden.

I have to say, I’m not holding my breath for this fence to be finished. If I did, I would probably die from lack of oxygen. But hey, at least we have three quarters of a fence and that’s better than nothing. I’m not breaking out the champagne yet, though, until that whole fence is up. And then it’s party time! Because you better believe I’ll be celebrating the day that is finished.