The fun with neighbors

I'm listening to my neighbors talk as I type this post. Every single window and door in our apartment is shut tight-- and this is good quality dual pane stuff! Yet it's still not enough to block out the sounds of my neighbors prattling from across the street! If my windows were open, and if they were speaking English, I'm sure I'd catch every word of it.

Nearly 4 years ago we moved into a 1-bedroom apartment in UCSB's family student housing, and had all sorts of fun dealing with noisy upstairs neighbors there. You can read more about it here:

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=28049135&blogId=102838529

(warning: don't read the comments section if you're at all squeamish or prudish :-P)

And now, with our new apartment facing some other buildings across the small lane that winds through our complex, we're greeted with the sights and sounds of one particular family-- partying till late at night. When we first moved in here, we were greeted to the sounds of loud music in the afternoon. We peeked out the window and noted what appeared to be a party on the neighbor's patio, so we figured, no big deal. Parties don't happen every day, and it IS still daytime.

Cue to last night. A Sunday night. A night before a Monday, otherwise known as a weekday, when most people wake up early to go to work and/or school. Regardless of what day of the week, it got really ridiculous when the sounds of their loud booming voices carried on till almost midnight. Fortunately I was still up late last night (especially since I had laundry to wait for), and fortunately my son can sleep through just about anything, so he wasn't disturbed when I had to open the bedroom window for some fresh air.

Tonight they are at it again. What I don't understand is why their immediate neighbors, i.e. the people who actually live in the same building as these people, and share walls with them, haven't complained.

I know this is not the first time I've seen a bunch of folks sitting out on their patio, talking. We always passed by their patio on the way to our old apartment, and so I know this isn't the first time they've carried on raucous conversations outside, disturbing the peace. So why hasn't anyone else put a stop to it yet? My best conjecture is that since it looked like a clown car had vomited its contents into the patio and apartment, all those people must live in the same building, and all converge onto that one on the ground floor every time they want to get together. Because I know I'd be complaining first to the noisy neighbors, then to management, and finally to the police if I lived that close to them and had to be subject to such noise. We're all the way across the street and it's already bad enough. There are quiet hours for a reason, people, and even though it doesn't start until 10pm, have a little courtesy!! Is that too much to ask for these days?

Apparently it is, for some...