My Crazy Next Door Neighbor (And I don't care if she reads this I am so mad!)

Remember the other morning when I said our next door neighbor was measuring in front of our house? The reason is because we applied for a tree in the tree lawn (the city puts it in and we pay $35.00. Pretty good deal.). Well, we didn't expect to get approved as the measurement requirement is 40 feet, and with the tree in her tree lawn we wouldn't have made that requirement. BUT on East Drive there were trees put in that are clearly less than 40 feet apart, so we thought we'd give it a try and if we got denied, not big deal.
The day the guy came out from the city to measure happened to be on a Monday, and PJ was off work and went outside to talk to him. He told PJ that we failed the 40 foot requirement and he was going to deny our tree. We thought okay, just as well, perhaps we'll put one in the front yard instead. But later on in the week the city forester (I just recently found out that such a person exists!) came and looked at our neighbors tree and saw it was clearly dying. He painted a big orange circle on it and approved our request (both things we found out yesterday of all days!)
Across the street this morning I was discussing recent events with some other neighbors and our next door neighbor, I'll call her Madame X, came across the street. We spoke of the crime, then the subject turned to the tree. Here's how the conversation went:
Madame X (M.X.) Did you see that the city is going to cut down my tree?
Me: Yes, I saw the orange circle on it yesterday.
M.X. I was told they were going to cut it down because you want a new tree.
Me: That is completely ridiculous. Who told you that?
M.X. (exasperated) I'm not going to tell you who told me!
Me: We were told we weren't getting a tree because it's too close to yours.
M.X. Well, I was told that since you want one they are taking mine down.
Me (chuckling ever so slightly at the inaneness of this) That is very strange. We just got the approval yesterday. We were told that after our initial denial, the city forester came and determined that your tree is dying so they are taking it down and giving one to us.
M.X. Well, I'm having my landscaper come and look at it and my forester too. To see if there's anything to be done to save it.
Me: Well, I think you should. It's silly to cut down a perfectly good tree.
M.X. My landscaper thinks that it's dying but it might be saved it we trimmed it.
Me: Why don't you have him trim it then?
M.X. Why should I pay for it?
Me: (thinking, hmmmm, really? Is she listening to the same conversation I am?)
M.X. They said it's got some ash disease going around. I haven't heard of such a thing.
Me: Really? (Thinking, OMG HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE PLAGUE OF THE EMERALD ASH BORER THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE BEFORE WE CAME TO INDIANA FOR CRYING OUT LOUD??????)
Me: So the landscaper thinks it's dying but you could save it?
M.X.: Yes. But since you want a tree they're just going to cut it down.
Me: Madame X, that is completely ridiculous. Really, why would we want to cut down a perfectly good tree just to have one planted 10 feet away that will take several years to grow mature? That is irresponsible and wasteful, and we are certainly not like that at all.
M.X.: Well, you can't fight city hall. I just wish I had known that you could apply for a tree in the tree lawn. Maybe I could have applied and had my tree replaced. (So she acknowledges the tree is dying and her real problem is that she didn't know she could have applied to replace it and we are getting a tree instead?????) Anyway, I am going to email Mayor Henry and let him know what I think about this.
Me: (thinking haha he has bigger fish to fry and doesn't seem to fired up to fry that even) I think you should. We would not like to see a perfectly good tree taken out. If you can get them to decide it isn't dying, then it should stay.
M.X.: (clearly thinking grrrrrrrrr) I will.
Me: Exit stage left. This conversation was not only exasperating but exhausting. She is not listening to what she is saying, nor does she comprehend the ridiculousness of the idea of someone wanting to get a tree in their tree lawn that they have to water and take care of at the expense of a tree that is thriving and doing fine. I have tried to like this person but at nearly every interaction that lasts past the two minute mark she is so completely abrasive, I get pretty fired up and have to walk away. I was proud of myself to be so emboldened to speak my mind to her though. Maybe chasing bad guys is good for my character!