It’s Been Two Weeks Since I Visited My Garden Shed, and My Neighbours Erected a Greenhouse on My Plot—Planting Cucumbers and Tomatoes Without Asking

Author Wanda MirandaReading 3 minViews 2

Its been a fortnight since I last visited my little garden retreat, and to my utter disbelief, the neighbours had erected a greenhouse on my patch, planting cucumbers and tomatoes as if it were their own.

I own a small bit of land just outside the city. I never bothered with planting anythinggardening isnt really my cup of tea. For me, its a haven to unwind, far from the citys endless hum. Ive set up a barbecue, a sturdy gazebo for shelter from the ever-present English drizzle, and Ive had half a mind to put up a fence soon.

So, there I was, planning on grilling some sausages and letting the stresses of urban life melt away. My neighbours had always seemed decent enoughkept to themselves, didnt pry. Well, except for oneMargaret, always finding an excuse to chat. She could never grasp how I survived with bare earth rather than blossom and veg. Her own garden, across the lane, was a riot of seedlings and blossomsher pride and joy.

With no fence between our plots yet, Margaret would sometimes drift onto my property as though it belonged to her. It never sat right with me. Sometimes Id pull up and find her wandering about, inspecting this and that, as if on a stately tour.

One day, I confronted her:
What brings you round, Margaret?
Oh, nothing, she said, with that blithe smile. I was just eyeing up where onions might thrive. Theres so much unused ground hereyou wouldnt mind if I planted a few things, would you?

Caught off guard, I hesitated. Not wanting to offend, I relented. One little patch, if you must.

But afterwards, regret crept in. Margaret took full advantage, bouncing about my allotment all morning, fussing over her precious seedlings, making it impossible for me to relax.

That summer, I took a holiday by the seaside. On my return, I headed straight to my garden, only to findwould you believe ita whole greenhouse, alongside new beds overflowing with cucumbers and tomatoes.

There was no doubt in my mind who the culprit was. Id had enough. That very day, I rang up my mate John; we dashed to the local DIY, picked up some fencing, and within a few hours, netted off my entire plot. No more wandering neighbours, no more unsolicited horticulture.

That weekend, Margaret appeared at the newly erected fence, calling out, Why have you put up a fence? Now I cant get to my seedlings. Dont tell me you plan on looking after them yourself?

The cheek of it! That evening, with a deep breath, I dismantled the greenhouse and tossed the lotplastic panels, frames, and allover the fence back to her side. Since then, shes never so much as nodded in my direction.

For about a year, my son had been living with Kate, yet we’d never met her parents—which seemed odd to me, so I decided to look into it I’ve always tried to raise my son to respect women above all—the women in his life: his grandmother, his mother, his wife, his daughter. In my opinion, there’s no finer quality in a man than respect for women. My husband and I made sure our son had an excellent upbringing and education, equipping him with everything he’d need for a smooth journey through life. We never wanted to help him out too much, but even so, we bought him a two-bedroom flat. Although he had a job and supported himself, he couldn’t quite afford a home of his own. We didn’t give him the flat right away—in fact, we didn’t even tell him we’d bought it. And why? Our son was living with his girlfriend, after all. For about a year, our son had been sharing his life with Kate, but we’d never met her parents, and I found that strange. Later, I discovered that Kate’s mother used to be a neighbour of one of my friends. She told me something that left me with a bad feeling. It turns out Kate’s mother threw her husband out when his income dropped—but the real drama was only just beginning… The mother then started seeing a married, but wealthy man. Kate’s grandmother, like her daughter, also had a relationship with a married man, and even forced both her daughter and granddaughter to go work on his country estate. Because of all this, my son had already had multiple run-ins with his future mother-in-law. But what unsettled me most about this story is that both the mother and grandmother were driving a wedge between Kate and her father. It’s clear the girl loves her dad, but because of these two women, her relationship with him is at risk. And to top it all off, Kate has decided to drop out of her studies. She believes a man should provide for the family. I see her point—I’ve raised my son to do just that—but heaven forbid they ever face hardship. Who’s to say what will happen if life throws them a curveball? How will she support her husband in tough times? By the way, I transferred the flat back into my name, since I know I’ve raised a gentle soul, as the saying goes. And yes, everything acquired before marriage isn’t split in a divorce—but I have a feeling Kate is clever enough to leave my ‘gentleman’ with nothing but his socks.

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— Needless to Say, This Is All My Fault! — My Boyfriend’s Sister Sobs, “I Couldn’t Have Imagined Something Like This Would Happen!” Now I Don’t Know What to Do, or How I’ll Manage Without Completely Losing Face My Boyfriend’s Sister Got Married a Few Years Ago. After the Wedding, It Was Decided the Newlyweds Would Live with Her Husband’s Mother. His Parents Have a Spacious Three-Bedroom Flat and Only One Son. “You Can Have Two Rooms, I’ll Keep One!” Promised the Mother-in-Law. “We’re All Decent People—I’m Sure We’ll Get Along Just Fine.” “We Can Always Find Our Own Place Later!” Her Husband Said, “But I Don’t See Any Harm in Trying to Live with My Mum. If It Doesn’t Work, We Can Always Move Out…” That’s Exactly What Happened. As It Turned Out, Living Together Wasn’t So Easy. Both Daughter-in-Law and Mother-in-Law Tried, but Things Got Worse Each Day. Tensions Boiled Over Now and Then, and the Arguments Grew More Frequent. “You Said If It Didn’t Work, We’d Move Out!” His Wife Cried to Him. “Well, Haven’t We Managed So Far?” His Mum Responded Dismissively. “These Are Just Trivialities—Hardly Reason to Pack Your Bags.” Exactly a Year After the Wedding, She Became Pregnant and Delivered a Healthy Baby Boy. The Baby’s Birth Coincided with Her Mother-in-Law Taking Early Retirement and Struggling to Find a New Job—No One Wants to Hire an Older Woman. So Daughter-in-Law and Mother-in-Law Stared at Each Other All Day, with Nowhere Else to Go. The Home Atmosphere Soured Quickly. The Husband Just Shrugged and Listened to the Complaints—He Was the Only Breadwinner. “We Can’t Move Out Yet—My Mum Can’t Support Herself. I Can’t Leave Her, and I Can’t Afford Both Rent and Helping Mum. Once She Finds Something, We’ll Move!” But His Wife’s Patience Was Exhausted. She Packed for Herself and the Baby and Moved Back to Her Own Mum’s. Before Leaving, She Told Her Husband She’d Never Set Foot in His Mother’s House Again. If He Cared About His Family, He’d Figure Something Out. She Expected That, Because He Loved His Family, He’d Try Straight Away to Win Her Back. But She Was Very Much Mistaken. It’s Been Over Three Months Since She Moved Out, and He Hasn’t Even Tried to Bring Her Back. Instead, He’s Living Comfortably with His Mum, Video Calling Wife and Child After Work, and Visiting on the Weekends at His Mother-in-Law’s. He’s Enjoying the Care of Two Women at Once, and—other than the occasional weekend—doesn’t even have to look after his son. His Life’s a Win! And the Mother-in-Law, frankly, hasn’t lost a thing! Meanwhile, the Young Woman Feels Miserable. She Loves Her Husband, Even Knowing He’s Doing Wrong. “What Did You Expect When You Left?” The Husband Shrugs, “You Can Come Back Whenever You Want.” It’s Obvious the Wife Has No Intention—or Ability—to Move into a Flat Alone, Especially as a New Mum on Maternity Leave. Is This Really the End of Their Family? What Do You Think—Does She Have Even the Slightest Chance of Returning to Her Mother-in-Law’s Home Without Completely Losing Face?

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📌 Useful Social Services & Contacts in the U.S.

Stay informed and get help when you need it. Below are key national services with direct contacts that may support you or your loved ones:
🏥 Health & Mental Support

SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

What they do: Free and confidential help with substance use and mental health disorders.

Hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) – 24/7, anonymous support

Website: samhsa.gov

🧒 Support for Children & Families

WIC – Women, Infants, and Children Program

What they do: Nutritional and healthcare support for pregnant women, new mothers, and young children.

Federal Info Line: 1-800-522-5006

Find local WIC office: fns.usda.gov/wic

It’s Been Two Weeks Since I Visited My Garden Shed, and My Neighbours Erected a Greenhouse on My Plot—Planting Cucumbers and Tomatoes Without Asking