Dear Sidney,

Hi. My name is Mary Jane. I live in Crestline which I consider paradise after living in Mexico, which was hell for me and my small daughter who is in second grade this year.

Believe me living down there as an American was not my choice but my husband’s, who has family down there. After the cartel killed my husband, I came back to America and found a sweet little cabin here in Crestline that I could afford.

Now I say Crestline is paradise but after the last few weeks in this historic blizzard, I do have a problem with my neighbor. He is a mean old man who seems to hate children.

After the storm my daughter was out playing in the snow and this mean old man started shoveling snow and throwing it on my wooden steps that lead down to my cabin. He also yelled at my kid saying she was making too much noise and he told her was going to call the cops on her! She came in crying and telling me she does not want to go to jail.

I mean, come on man, really? I just don’t know what I can do about this guy. What do you suggest?? This guy is ruining my paradise.

Keep up the good work and, as always, I am looking forward to your column every week!

Love,

Mary Jane

Dear Mary Jane,

Thank you for being a fan of my column. You have incredible taste in literature.

With regard to the mean old snow-throwing neighbor, I’m sure you understand that the older one gets, the less patience one may exercise in times of stress. Certainly, 90+ inches of accumulated snow and hail – which came down hard, heavy and fast – might be considered one of those times. Here at the Sidney cabin, the car was buried and trapped for three weeks. Needless to say, I did some not-so-nice snow throwing myself. There was really no place to put it!

Let’s follow the Silence is Golden rule this time, shall we? The snow is melting. When the daffodils begin to pop up, I’m sure your neighbor’s heart will melt too. Expect an apology from the grumpy geezer very soon.

Sidney

Send your questions for Sidney to [email protected] or by snail mail to Dear Sidney, The Alpine Mountaineer, P.O. Box 4572, Crestline, CA 92325.

This advice is intended for entertainment purposes only. No animals were harmed in the writing of this column.