November was the cruellest month

Sorry TS Eliot - maybe April is the right answer most years, but this year it's November hands down. And to press its suit, the last day of November dealt another cruel blow.

It all started last week.....

See that round cement thing by the fance, the cylinder that sits about 90% on our property?

When asked where our sump was, that's what we pointed to. However, we were told by our contractors that after they checked it out, no it is not our sump. It is our neighbour's sump.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"But how come it's mostly on our property?"

"Don't know. Maybe the property line wasn't known when it was put in."

"The next door house was built in 1994 and the fence was put in immediately afterwards - wouldn't it have been sorted out then?"

"Don't know. All we know is it's not your sumnp."

"We always thought it was our sump. You're absolutely sure?"

"Yes, sorry, but it looks like we will have to add putting in a new sump to the drain job. "

"And what does that mean besides more $?"

"We will have to take apart your fence, move all plants that are in the way and dig a 7 foot deep trench between the house and the city line to join it all up."

Sigh....

Stage directions - days of rain follow. Homeowner brings out cookies she made one day after feeling sorry for men digging in mud. Plants moved, not without some damage. Garden a mess.

Flash forward to November 30, in the afternoon, rain has subsided.

Homeowner hears a knock.

"Yes?"

"Umm, you know that sump?"

"You mean the one that's not ours or the new one that's sitting on the boulevard along with a pile of soil waiting to go in once you've finished exacvating?"

"The first one."

"Yes? What about it?"

"Well, it turns out it is your sump after all."

(Dramatic pause)

"You mean that our garden is destroyed, plants were moved and damaged, men sweated and froze working in mud for days, and it was all for nothing?"

(Exit contractor, pursued by a bear.)

That last line is only wishful thinking. Unfortunately.