Pick up your...

As a friend and I were heading out for a walk today, with our kids and my dogs, I was reprimanded by a neighbor who was driving by, "You need to pick that UP!" referring to the poo that Jake JUST left in MY yard. I replied, "I will. It's in my yard." She says, "you still need to pick it up!!" I say, (Oh forget it--I yelled! She was IN HER CAR and 150 yards away and clearly confrontational.) " I Will!! It is in MY YARD. It's. MY. YARD. I will get it when I get back!" She then attempts to drive off as I attempt to go speak to her (clearly she needs to have some dialogue with me about something.) She then yells at me while almost hitting our gate with her car (we live in a gated community. which I don't think I will ever choose again.) " people are complaining!" (About my dogs pooping in my own yard!?!What in the HELL?) "and they need to be on a LEASH." (Jake was off lead. He is old. He doesn't care about anyone else. Plus, IF there were other people (she was in her car) or dogs present he WOULD have been on lead.) I smiled while walking to her car, "Have a GREAT day!!!" The gate opened and she drove away.

Here is Jake. The troublemaker. How dare he go potty in the yard. What was he thinking?!? Yes, He is in the kids' sandbox. He hangs out there. It's more comfortable than the deck.

I was shaking mad. Wilson told me I had a mean face. (He has a way to put things in perspective.) I was angry. Clearly I need to keep working on my mantra...


**Background information that could have been the root of my neighbors temperament:
Someone- NOT ME- has been walking their dogs and throwing the poo AND the non-recyclable/ non-degradable bags out in the woods off of the trail. It is DISGUSTING and utterly disappointing! Clearly she must be assuming that it is me. I would love to talk with her like an adult because clearly we have the same concerns for our earth and community. But my dogs shitting in my yard is not the problem...

And all this just after I post about making choices... Good grief.