That's it neighbours... I'VE CALLED THE POLICE

The first day of half-term, July 16th. 2pm.

I have had enough.
I have snapped, albeit politely.

I was hanging the washing out. The new public enemy album playing (no language) - Kids in the front room watching mine-craft video's on YouTube (so obviously my music wasn't too loud for their TV viewing).

It's the first day of half-term and I pop into the garden to hang the washing out. Mary starts from behind the fence.
"Bill, this music is horrible to hear"

I reacted. I shouldn't, I've made a moral choice to just ignore them, but they're pushing all the right buttons. I've had such a stressful time of late, and they have really not helped with their constant insidious barbs from behind their fence.

"Mary, get a life and leave us alone".

The floodgate of abuse from  her, and unusually, Bill, began.
Of the insults I received that I can remember:

• This place used to be lovely until you moved here.....
• (inaudible)...you were in the graveyard  ((I wish, I think she said))
• You're scum
• You should move to Chuckery with all the scum
• You should turn your hearing aid up so the music can go down
• The problem with you is you have too much time on your hands, you should get a job (I pointed out, I do)
• You're everything that's wrong with this country (I replied, "Clearly Mary, three kids, all grade a's and perfectly behaved, two teetotal adults one in full time work, one who writes and works for charity)
• You're an ARSEHOLE (Bill shouted) to which I replied the following (paraphrasing)

"I'm not, we're not the problem, it's you. You are the stereotype of the daily mail reading battle axes, you need to get your own life and stop making the lives of those around you so miserable. We are a normal family and you will not put us off having normal garden parties, normal barbecues and parties*
Unlike you two, I keep myself to myself and leave you alone and don't pick fights, but you refuse to do so. I'm going to see if I can get a restraining order on you, I do things properly and when I've had issues I haven't gone stirring about it, I've written every incident down and publicly published it, and I've talked with people in the community (Local PC Support Officer), and I've talked to my landlord and had him come round and check out the noise of our music."

Not once did I swear, or issue any threats. I am above that. I am above them. I don't care what they say to other neighbours, everybody understands what they're like, we even had a quiet patch when they started picking on the house the other side of them. What I'm concerned about is them retaliating physically (remember it all built up to their daughter attacking Lisa in front of our children), and the fact that I feel like I'm having a heart attack every time I'm in my own garden, for their constant belittling is a massive contributory fact to my anxiety. It's not doing my  health well, it's making me over cautious at letting my children play in the garden.

Just last week they sprayed their water hose on our washing. I told them not to, they ignored us that time thankfully, hopefully a mistake, but with their constant picking on us it makes us wonder if it was a mistake. We should not be thinking this way.

So.
I called the police. I've had enough. I'm fed up of being stressed about them. I fear things are about to get worse again though. I told the police everything that's written above. I have this blog with all their digs listed. I have video's of them having a pop at the other neighbours too. 

I don't want them locked up, or harassed, or anything. I just want them to leave us alone. Do what we do. Turn away. Don't look, don't talk, don't react.

I'm beginning to think the only way that will happen is if we get some form of restraining order on them.

 *We've only ever had ONE grown-up party in 5 years for fear of them.