The ice cream truck.

We could hear the bells of the ice cream truck from the back deck. Matt promised the boys that if the ice cream truck came down our street we would get some ice cream. The anticipation and excitement was almost too overwhelming for young Zach and Thomas. Every time the bell would ring it sounded like it was getting closer. 'Quick! Quick! Its coming!' The boys ran as fast as they could to the front gate.




We totally misjudged the sound of the bells and we found ourselves waiting on the street for about 10mins. This gave us an opportunity to meet our neighbours across the road. Peter and Lisa are due to have their first child in about 3 weeks (and so far we haven't managed to put them off with our 3 noisy boys... despite it being a little late for that now anyway!) After the introductions our conversation quickly turned to the nieghbours on our right hand side. Some of you have had the pleasure of hearing about our neighbours next door as it has been a topic of conversation since we moved in... the neighbours across the road have named them 'Mona'! 'Mona' is a regular visitor to our street and one that is hard to miss. She arrives in a little white car and leaves before dawn. Although some have questioned her profession it is believed that she is just the girlfriend of the young boy (around 20 or so) who lives next door. Unfortunately for us, it seems that 'Mona' has only been around for as long as we have!

We were introduced to 'Mona' 4 nights after we moved in. Matt and I were outside putting the trampoline together when we heard the not-so-quiet 'moaning' from next door. Its seems that this could be the first time the entire street also heard 'Mona'! It would have been ok if this was the only incident, however, 'Mona' seems to 'come' on a regular basis (sometimes we don't know if she is coming or going!!)

I know its not the right thing to do to gossip about your neighbours, however, it does spark a lot of conversation when you hear 'Mona' while you are entertaining guests over a meal (you can still hear it over the music playing). And... I suppose it would be ok if the 'moaning of Mona' was just that... 'moaning'. However, as some friends described it, 'she sounds like she's having a baby' or possibly being murdered - we can't decide which!

There have been a number of ways in which we discussed how we would handle this situation: Firstly, I drafted a letter. As it turns out, Lisa also drafted a letter. She was nearly about to sneak across the road in her PJ's to post it but luckily her husband stopped her before the owners drove up their driveway! We decided not to post the letter as we are still waiting payment of the fence!
Secondly, Matt was going to talk to the father of the young boy... and we haven't done that yet either because we are still waiting for the payment of the fence!
Thirdly, we thought about ringing 000 stating that a murder was taking place next door...
Finally, a spontaneous reaction to hearing 'Mona' whilst entertaining guests (it was twice within half an hour!) when Matt decided to go to the window and yell 'YOU GUYS NEED TO SHUT YOUR WINDOWS OR KEEP IT DOWN - WE'RE A BIT OVER IT!'.

So, after discovering we weren't alone in the 'Mona' situation the ice cream truck finally arrived. The boys were waving with excitement as it approached... and then drove straight past us and kept driving! Thomas' bottom lip fell as he tried with all his might not to cry and Zach, seeing the reaction from Thomas just let it all out and burst into tears. Matt ended up having to chase the ice cream truck down the street!

In the end the boys got their ice cream and we were relieved that we weren't the only ones subject to the noises of 'Mona'! (Although we never discussed whether they could hear the obscenities as well? No doubt they can as they are by far 'the noisiest house on the street' according to Peter and Lisa).