Is there such a thing as "karma cramps"?

If so, that's what struck me down yesterday.
Shortly after I realized our error with our neighbour's fence, my tummy started imploding. I was never actually sick (no vomitting, diarrhea or constipation), but, man oh man, was I in pain! Even the movement of my diaphragm as I inhaled and exhaled was painful. I was this close to calling Steve home to take me to Emerg - I thought for sure I had a blockage or twisted colon or something.

All my soap-opera fantasies were in full swing: I pictured myself laying on pristine white sheets, hair (clean and gently curled on hot rollers) strewn wildly (but in an esthetically pleasing way) in a halo about my head; my beloved struggling to hold back tears as he feared losing me to this mysterious, incurable illness. A single tear escaped down his bronzed cheek. The monitors beeped steadily. 

And then, suddenly (well, in the space of about 10 minutes), it stopped. Just like that, leaving me in no pain - NO PAIN AT ALL, but just exhausted.

Not that I'm complaining, but this is actually the second time this has happened to me - though the pain this time was worse and lasted longer than the other time. But afterwards, I was reminded of that Monty Python scene where the old man declares he's feeling much better. Here's the clip (skip to the 1 minute mark):


All that to say I'm feeling fine today, thank you, and I think I might go for a walk.

Thank you for all of your suggestions regarding our neighbours and the fence catastrophe. Just a couple of comments:

• It's not that they dislike the style of fence we chose - they have no problem with it. The issue is that it was their fence. They had it for more than 25 years and they were quite happy with it. It's sort of like someone throwing out your favourite sweater just because it has holes and stains and it sags like a 90-year-old's bosom.
• We definitely always planned to plant lots of greenery along the back - some lilacs and such. So, eventually, the private, leafy view will be restored. (I don't think we'll plant a tree there, as it is under the power lines and would have to be clipped away from the wires, which just looks off-kilter.)
• I think there is a little passive-aggression in their rejection of planting something on their side of the fence: "No, I will not allow you to mollify me. I'm going to hold my breath and let you feel miserable." Fine. Whatever. I can't force them to take any compensation, but at least I demonstrated willingness to do so.
• We will definitely invite them to whatever party we host next. Sounds like fun. Yeah.

Today, all is quiet at the Sibbald household. Yesterday, there were lots of big machines and sweaty men all over the place. (Maybe I'm in the wrong business?) They left us with this:

Yeah! It is starting to look like a pool!

And they started work on this:

Weeping tile (in a coil)

Because there is such a slope to our lot, we are putting weeping tile all the way around the pool, and tying it into the drainage around the house. This should prevent water building up under the pool liner and causing the liner to displace or tear.