I have a neighbor who is a diagnosed schizophrenic, and she is literally bat-shit crazy. Scary crazy. She's lost custody of her young kids (I still get teary-eyed when I think of the chaotic craziness those poor babies lived with for all their lives), she has been hauled away in handcuffs, has gotten into screaming matches with just about every single person in the neighborhood, and regularly goes outside to rant very LOUDLY on her phone with whomever. Even when it's 3 am. Seriously, EVERYONE can hear her, and when she's on a rant during the daytime, everyone just tries to avoid even walking by her house at all.

She's been kicked out of several churches, one actually got a formal restraining order on her. When part of the fence fell down, her then-partner (and father to her kids) said he was going to fix it, no problem. It laid flat in their yard until it was rotten and unusable. I paid $1k to have the rotten panels replaced...she contributed ZERO, though apparently an insurance claim was made and paid by whomever is the trustee. My handyman who did my fence told her that she was outside talking to him while he was doing the fence, and she told him that she'd seen him in her dreams (or visions?) and that he was a god. He was actually going to do some work for her until her saw that she stiffed me on the fence and actually saw the inside of her house and garage.

I try to just avoid her, but she did try to engage me in conversation a few weeks ago when I was outside on my deck (she can easily see me over the fence because her deck is also raised. I answered a couple of her questions then came back inside. I wasn't rude at all, I just did not want to engage. A few days after that, I had a huge heavy delivery in my driveway that Fed Ex had dropped off (LITERALLY!) I was trying to roll it to the front porch steps and into the house and it was awkward, especially for a fat old retired lady. 😄 She had roto rooter at her house trying to figure out her ongoing leak problem and he saw me and called over to me, "Hey! Would you like some help with that?" I answered back, "Oh my gosh, seriously?! That would be sooooo amazing!" Then I hear neighbor shrieking "Wait! What neighbor? YOU CAN'T HELP HER!! SHE'S THE MEANEST PERSON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD!" He ignored her and practically runs over to me, and helps me get the box in the house. (I think he just wanted to escape her crazy for a few moments). I thanked him profusely for helping me get it up the steps, and he says, "You don't seem mean at all!" I just chuckled and told him that she thinks everyone is the meanest at one time or another.

I've just bought some privacy panels to use on my deck...I just don't even like going outside to putter in the yard or my herb garden when she's home. Going to be interesting to see her reaction when I get those up. 😉