GoodBye

We moved in to this neighborhood 8 years ago.
We settled right in.
Found some great friends in the couple across the street. Despite the differences in our age (Mike went to school with their sons). I thought we were friends.
We shared cocktails on the front porches. Split wood together. Visited with them on vacation. Shared tools. We even watched their house when they snowbird to FL. each year. We have a key and password to their house.
I thought we were good friends as far as neighbors go.

When we came home in September from vacation and we went to them to borrow their folding chairs for Mom's wake (which we have done numerous times). They were cold to me and Sharen, didn't know why, but no hugs, sorry about your mother, no sympathy, no smiles,  NOTHING. I thought it was strange, but, I was grieving and blew it off.

Then I found out the real story.
The land around their house is all owned by the Kane Co. forest preserve. They have been mowing and taking care of it ever since they moved here some 40 years ago.  No one says anything about it. Really who cares.

The village of SE built a pump station next to that land a couple years ago. Still no big deal.
When one of the employees of the village came and saw a hose attached to their pump house they contacted Kane county wondering if they were using the villages water.
Turns out the neighbors were using the villages water to water the trees.
The neighbors blame me and Sharen for "turning them in".
Now they have to move their motor home, (which they stored on the property and have now moved to the empty lot next to our house). They have to move their horse shoe pits and playground they built down there. And their storage hut is on the property also. Not sure what is happening there.
So I can understand why they are pissed.

What I don't understand is why would you think that we would hurt them and why don't you talk to us about it? One person has told them that we turned them in and that is that - after 8 years they "are done with us." (thank god most of the other neighbors believe we had nothing to do with it)
The one time I tired to talk with him - I left crying HARD, and didn't leave the house for 3 days thinking I would run into him again. He said some awful and hurtful things to me.

It took me a VERY long time but  I am resigned to the fact that we will never be friends again and I feel sorry for them - They lost some really good friends in us.

They did something wrong and got caught PERIOD! They have no one to blame but themselves.
So I mailed them back their key to their house and have washed my hands of them.

They are now gone to their home in FL. for the next 6 months.
Yay!
GoodBye!