Timmm-berrrr!

My neighbor is to blame.

My power bill is going up this summer. My neighbor had 3 40’-pines taken down in her front yard. The ones that shaded the bedroom side of my house from around 4:00 on during the height of summer.

One morning, I heard the chainsaw roaring and went over to see what was what.

“You limbing them up?” I had recommended this action several times, even taking off a few lower limbs on the pines and a bunch off the white oak growing between the two tallest pines for her.

“Taking them down.”

“Well,” I laughed, “there goes our power bill.” The pines kept the sun off the front of her house from about 2 until 6 or so during the hottest months.

“I hate pines.”

“Hugo?”

“No. Scared of them. Back in Alabama a pine limb fell on a friend and nearly killed her.”

“She’s okay now?”

“Yes, she’s fine.”

Of course, my neighbor didn’t plant those trees. She didn’t build the house. She didn’t set the property lines.

But my neighbor is why my cooling costs are going to go up.

Of course, I didn’t build my house. I didn’t set the property lines either. Bought the house as a rental property a decade ago, and when I moved in here myself 4 years ago, the first summer’s shade pattern was an unexpected gift.

My bill is going up, but I’m not the one who took down the trees. My neighbor did that.

I’m sorry to see those trees go even more than because of the shade issue. Three big beautiful pines.

My neighbor manages a convenience store, takes good care of her place, has a daughter that stays with her on weekends, is friendly with my dog, and gets along well with folks living on our street.

Dang power bill, though.

She’s a good person, a good neighbor. Came over and checked on me when she hadn’t seen me for a few days—I was out of town.

Still, gonna cost me.

Good neighbor, though. Absolutely. Am I going to mention the trees and shade again? Absolutely not.

Like a good neighbor.