DEAR ABBY: My husband and I live in a semidetached home we saved for years to buy. However, we have a problem with our new neighbors. They are nice people, but they play their stereo so loudly that the boom from the bass is knocking the pictures off our walls! Asking them to stop hasn't worked. Calling the police about the noise takes too long. We don't want to move, but what else can we do? -- ORIGINAL HOME OWNER, OSHAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA
DEAR ORIGINAL: Since you describe your neighbors as "nice," invite them into your home while their stereo is playing so they can hear what you're talking about for themselves. Then ask them if they would consider moving their stereo system to a wall that is not a shared wall. If that doesn't work, consider upholstering the adjoining wall to help muffle the sound.