Neighbors

Over in one of the threads on the Roses forum we got to talking about "neighboring the old-fashioned way". I was lamenting the fact that in today's world we all seem to be so busy running about here-and-there that we really don't have time to neighbor like it was done back in "the good old days". So I thought it would be interesting to hear stories about how you "neighbor" with your face-to-face neighbors (as opposed to internet neighbors).

Here's my story: we moved into the house we presently occupy about a year ago. The neighbors on either side of us both came over and introduced themselves, which was nice. One of them has turned out to be the old-fashioned kind of neighbor. We didn't get to see much of either of them during the winter when people tend to stay inside. In the Spring when we started venturing outside once again we would wave and say "hi" and that was about it.
We have a large riding mower with a zero turning radius which we brought with us from our other place where we had 14 acres, 10 of which my husband kept mowed with this mower. That mower is really not needed on a small city lot but we had it already and so that is what DH uses to mow. One day when my DH was mowing, he noticed that this particular neighbor's yard needed mowing so he just zoomed over on his riding mower and had it mowed in about 10 minutes! (He drives that thing like a race car!) DH did this 2 or 3 weeks in succession. Finally, the neighbor's DH came over and knocked on our door. My DH stepped out on the porch to talk to him. Neighbor asked: "Do you know who has been mowing my yard?" My DH smiled and admitted that he had been doing it. Neighbor said as how he really appreciated it because he and his wife both worked( which we aleady knew) and that they found it hard to find time to mow plus their mower (push, not riding) wasn't really acting right and needed to go to the shop. However, he said that he really didn't want my DH to keep mowing it for them-- that he didn't have any way to repay him. DH said ok but that he really didn't mind and if their
teen-age son wanted to use our mower to mow their yard, just come over and ask for it anytime. The next week neighbor's son did come over and ask to use our mower. That started a friendship between us and the neighbors and their son. DH still mows their yard occasionally but mostly neighbor's son really likes mowing it himself with DH's big lawnmower. Neighbor came over just the other day and told my DH, "Now if there is anything in my garage (and believe me it is full of stuff) that you need to use, you just help yourself!" Yesterday DH did just that--he borrowed the neighbor's small lawnmower to get into some of the smaller areas of our yard that are hard to mow with the big mower. Neighbor's wife has even borrowed sugar from me to make a cake(just like they used to do in "the olden days")! Now, that is neighboring! :o) and it started with one small act of kindness by my DH. Gotta love a man like that! :o)
Come on, DG'ers, let's hear those neighboring stories!

Marsue, how very like the neighborhood I live in..small quiet town, everyone knows everyone! A trip to the post office could involve a few hours as you are always likely to meet/greet and enjoy the company of many townspeople...there was a thread earlier this year which brought much debate as to 'IF' these type of towns exist or if they were in the imagination of those posting...I'm sure there are far more of these that one would think!!!! Wether it was living in the city, or living in the small community I now live in, I treat my neighbors with respect, friendship and always willing to do a good turn..one never knows when it might be me needing the kindness returned...

The thoughts of Bernice and DH moving away, they live 3 doors up on opposite side and me in tears...they truly believe each and every move is in the hands of the Lord..guess my prayers were stronger than theirs, because they've decided to take it off the market..oh happy days for me!!! lol...

A young family across the street is having a lot of financial difficulty, DH had back injury and can hardly move..it's amazing just how many times I cook too much, don't want it to go to waste and she graciously accepts the left-overs!

Next door neighbors had a fire last year and moved into new home just built over the weekend...found some works of art and offered it to them..I'm sure each and every one of them would do same for me...isn't that what neighbors are for???

This message was edited Oct 17, 2007 10:48 AM

I guess this is why I love to live in such a small town, we were just talking about how small in another thread. Things like this are still common place around here. Shoveling one another's walks in the winter...usually whoever on the block starts up their snowblower first does the whole block. Every Christmas we make homemade breads for all the neighbors and the one guy down the street makes pizzelles. One neighbor had gone to school with my DF and brought me a pic one day of their class all dressed up for their first communion. No one else in the family had this pic so it's very special.

Once when we were remodeling (demo-ing) in our bedroom and we found a very old postcard with a $0.01 stamp on it, I thought it was so interesting that I took it down and showed it to our "guy" at the post office. We got to talking about how interesting it is...the people that lived in your own house and you don't know anything about them! The next week I got a letter in the mail from him with details about all the folks who had ever lived in our house. Talk about a history lesson! I'll never forget that mailman...he's since retired. I still have the postcard and the letter he sent.

great stories, Betty and heathrjoy! Betty, that story about taking leftovers to your young neighbors has inspired me to do more than "intend" to take a pot of flowers or cookies, etc., to the young family across the street from us that just moved into their new home. I've been "intending" to do it but you know what "they" say about good intentions! Horrors--I better get moving and turn those good intentions into real actions!

Heathrjoy, are "pizzelles" those 'cookies', sort of like a very flat pancake with lacy-looking cut-outs in them? If so, that is what my DH's cousin's wife used to make every year during the holidays. She was from Ohio. Until I met her, I had never heard of pizzelles. Also, you ought to tell your story about
that postcard to the "If Walls Could Talk" people on HGTV. They might feature it on their show! About that special family photograph, if you have a scanner, you can scan it and make duplicates of it for your family members. I have done that with several of our old family photographs.

Yepper, that's what pizzelles are. They are so yummy. I think they are an Italian cookie, but I'm not certain. I look forward to them every year.

All the info the mailman gave me on our house was just like being on that HGTV show! The thing he told me that I remember the most is that there was a man who lived here who had been gassed w/ mustard gas. He lived alone...with a pack of dogs. I think they were coon hounds. Oh, gosh. I can't imagine. I can picture them running up and down my staircase, but I just can't imagine. How many dogs does it take to make a "pack" anyway...10, 15, 20, 25? LOL!

Sorry for going OT, but that story always makes me laugh.

now that's funny...I purchased an antique dresser and it was lined with a 1894 newspaper..amazing it survived all the years..called the newspaper company and asked if they wanted it but they said they had copies in their archives...it was so yellow but not brittle, put it away in my china cabinet..know how much corsets cost and about the courthouse whose floor collapsed and killed over 60..should get it out and read it again...don't you just love sitting with the elderly (as if I wasn't elderly myself) and hear their stories about their lives..so interesting...my love is going into graveyards and reading the tombstones..remember being in New Orleans this specific trip and while others were doing Bourbon St. (had already been there several times) I roamed the graveyards...weird person that I am..now I'm rambling right???

ramble on, Betty--loved hearing about it all! Speaking of the price of corsets, my paternal grandmother lived with us for awhile during the late 1950's, when I was a teen-ager. She didn't mind if I came into her bedroom while she dressed and it was fascinating to me to watch her. First she put on her long pink cotton 'drawers' and they covered her from the waist to her knees. Then she put on her corset and laced it up. It was not a whalebone corset--much, more flexible, probably just a cotton lace-up corset, but it came up underneath her breasts and kept them pushed up. I don't suppose she ever wore a bra. Then she put on a full length, white cotton petticoat over all that and maybe another petticoat or two, depending on what time of year it was (the old-timers invented 'layering' ). I almost forgot about her cotton hose--she always wore those thick heavy kind--don't know if she ever had a pair of real nylons. There must have been something on the corset that she connected the cotton hose to in order to keep them up. Come to think of it she must have put the hose and corset on first and then the 'drawers'. Good thing Grandmother is not here to read this--she would be horrified if she could know I was giving you the nitty, gritty details of how she dressed!
Anyway, after she got all that garb on, she finally put on the dress of the day and those clunky black shoes that all grannies used to wear. Now bear in mind that I am not talking about the early 1900's; I am referring to the late 1950's! However, to Grandmother's credit, I will have to say that one time she told me that if she had been a lot younger, she might be wearing 'short-shorts', too! Merciful Heavens! LOL
P.S. I think I need to change the subject of this thread to "Neighbors and other stuff" LOL

Hi, marsue & all. Just dropped by to gossip about the neighbors LOL. I have to admit I've never lived in one of those 'small town friendly' neighborhoods. I've never had bad neighbors..just not overly friendly. Mostly just 'chat over the fence' type neighbors. And that pretty much limits it to the folks on either side.

Of course, my DH did shift work for many years so was often trying to sleep when others were up and about. We're retired now and moved into this new development 5 years ago. There were no neighbors on either side when we built our house. Our problem is that DH is disabled and it is very difficult for us to socialize, either to go out or have people in. My health isn't good either so I can't do the 'nice' things I would like to do, like bringing a plate of cookies to a new family, or stopping by to see if I can give a hand to a new mother. We try to compensate a little by always waving to everyone when we're out in the car and rolling down the window and saying hello if we pass anyone walking their dog or whatever. I'm surprised by the number of people who won't acknowledge a simple hello by even a nod of their head. But there is at least an equal number who are friendly and warm even if they don't know who you are.

My next-door neighbors are nice people. On one side a retired couple much like us except in much better health, happily for them. On the other, a young couple with 2 small boys who spend a lot of time with the kids playing games in the yard, not just shoving them outside to fend for themselves.

Marsue, those corsetshad garters that held up stocking and/or nylons...you are right, the'd have red faces for sure..imagine talking about undies, now days, they practically wear their undies outside..lol..probably would as well if 30 years younger..

Grampapa, it sounds as thought you live in a nice neighborhood as well..am sure your neighbors enjoy the wave..Bernice and DH are often in the van, travel from driveway to driveway visiting with folks..we know when the van pulls in that it's time to take a few secs to visit with them...

I'm a very social person, guess it comes from being Recreation Co-ordinator and always being with people and always planning activities...it does make a difference I guess when I'm outside evenings and weekends playing in garden and almost hijack those passing by..sometimes it's a quick hi, other times I give them a tour of house/painting studio and/or gardens ..now, they stop on their own, think I was hmmm..probably tell everyone, watch the crazy lady at the bottom of the street...

With a variety store just next door, but hidden by pine trees..so many youth hang out so I just gab with them, joke with them, ask them what they are up to, their plans for the day or evening...that way, I never have any trouble with them hanging out after stores closes...several times I get a bunch together, buy them pop and ice-cream to help me do chores that I'm unable to do...only a few times did the teens say no they were not interested...I've the paper boy well trained, he would throw the paper, now I get a knock at the door and handed the paper..think it has anything to do with the $2.00 I give him every week for a treat???

Hey, Gram/Jan--glad you decided to drop by and 'neighbor' with us! After looking at your gardening photos on landscape.com I want to move up there and be your real-life neighbor! Beautiful gardens and I know your neighbors really must enjoy them, too.
It's raining here today so I have spent a lot of time reading through various threads. Found your thread, Betty, about "Best/Worst/what I learned today," etc. I think it was part 4 that I read through--really enjoyed it. When I read that you had hit your head on the rafters under your deck and then you went inside and put spaghetti on, I thought you had found a new cure for headache! LOL but then , duh!, I realized you meant you had put spaghetti on the stove to cook!. . . . Nope, I am not a dumb blonde--dumb, gray-haired grandma, maybe, but not blonde! LOL Anyway, Betty, I hope your headache is gone by now--if not, you surely should go to the doctor--sounds like you could have given yourself a concussion. Certainly hope not, but do keep us posted.
Betty, I have never particularly cared for teen-agers as a group--not even when I was a teen-ager! Collectively, it seems that they can be so, so, well I don't even have a word for it. However, individually, they are people just like us and can be very nice if you take the time to get to know them. Next-door-neighbor's teen-age son is 14 and really a good kid. My granddaughter is 14 and absolutely the most wonderful, beautiful, talented, intelligent teen-age girl you would ever want to meet! (Do I sound like a proud grandma?) Anyway, what I am getting at is that it is great that you are willing to converse with the teens that "hang-out" close to your place. Really all they are looking for is someone to talk to and to make them feel important or needed. Sounds like you do both--keep up the good work!

I can't fathom wearing all those clothes. Layer upon layer upon layer. Wouldn't it be so hard just to move and get up from a chair? Now, imagine all those fancy clothes, along with the fancy dresses they used to wear way, way, way back when........back when there were no paved roads and every one rode horses. Yep, mud and horsey yuck all over the place. Those were long dresses and no one had even thought of a washing machine yet. Oh, those poor women!

I just came in from weeding. While I was out my neighbor came to visit and offered for me to come to her house for coffee and a sandwich. Maybe I should have taken her up on it, I'm pretty hungry now!

Grampapa, you reminded me of something that happened to us on vacation one time. We were staying at a ritzy place in a beach town...all gated communities around the area. One evening we went for a walk down the beach, it was so beautiful. There was another couple coming towards us and they had a dog with them. A big, beautiful black lab. If you're not into dogs, Labs are known for being huge puppies all of their lives. I love all dogs, so I walked over to the dog and talked to him and tried to pet him. The dog completely ignored me. I mean, it looked at me, but then looked away and just kept walking. About 10 feet behind the dog were the owners. When we got up near them both DH and I smiled and said hello......we got the same response as with the dog. They both just looked at us, then looked away and just kept walking. I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing and told DH that they always say an owner and their dog are just alike!!!!

Heathrjoy, that's so funny about the people you passed when out for a walk! They just don't know what they are missing!

You mentioned women in their long dresses having to walk through the mud and horsey yuck and all that. I think that is when some bright person thought of building the first sidewalk but they were made of wooden boards back then--thus the term "Boardwalk". at least that is my take on it.

I love my neighborhood every one knows every one when I walk the dog it could take hours we built a large deck last summer 12x24 and put a roof on it this summer it has turned out to be the evening gathering place this summer we have lived here for 21 years and my best friend lives next door I could tell dozens of stories its a wonderful place to live and raise kids
Gloria

Gloria, please do tell us your stories!

I 2nd that! :-)

lets say we have had partys that led to us now having a noise law and LOL
Gloria

So you and your best friend were responsible for the anti-noise law in your town? How funny!

yup and we were not even being that loud every one in the neighbor hood was here except one couple and she was afraid of ALL THE BIKERS so she called the cops and told them there was a biker gang here and she was afraid my brother is a state trooper (he was in Caro at the time) and they put them on alert so he thought it was funny cuz he knew it was at my house and he was supposed to be here but couldent becuse he was on alert my dad who lives 3 miles from here was listening to the police monitor and knew the address so he thought it was funny also there were cops on the lake and every where it was funny they couldent do any thing cuz we werent doing any thing wrong!!!!!!!!!!!need less to say she dose not live here any more LOL rotfl
Gloria

Biker gang, huh! Well , we'll have to put out an "APB" for you and your best friend! ROTFL, too!

were a lot older now so not hard to find look on the porch but we still do have a lot of fun
Gloria

I've lived in dozens of locations in several countries, and I've had vastly different experiences with neighbors. I was born and raised in Asia, where insurmountable ethnic and cultural differences almost always isolated my blond and blue-eyed family from our neighbors in Seoul and Tokyo.

I later lived in several different parts of San Francisco, New York City, London, and Paris, and in all of those cities I found that my circle of friends always consisted of fellow students and co-workers instead of neighbors. Sometimes I never even met the people next door after living in the same neighborhood for years.

About 30 years ago, my son and I moved from San Francisco to Oakland. It was an amazing experience. All of the neighbors came outside when we arrived, not only to meet us, but also to help the movers carry our furniture into the house. One of the neighbors ordered pizza, and all of us, including the movers, had dinner together after the heavy work had been done. It was as if they'd been waiting for us all their lives. I never had that happen before or since.

During the years I lived there, we had block parties and block garage sales every year, and no one ever drove to a store without finding out whether any of the other neighbors needed anything. We shared plants to such an extent that we all ended up with the same garden.

I mistakenly assumed the closer relationships with neighbors had developed because Oakland was less urban. When I moved to Sebastopol, I expected the same instant friendships with my neighbors, but I was wrong. I think people in small towns and rural areas in America have an innate suspicion of newcomers, and it takes a lot of time and effort to win their trust. Now that I've lived here for more than 20 years, I do know all of my neighbors and we're all friends, but I'd have to say that the people in North Oakland and Piedmont are the best neighbors I've ever had.

Wow, Zuzu, that's an amazing story about your neighbors in Oakland! There probably aren't very many neighborhoods around like that--anywhere!

Before my two youngest children made their appearance on this earth, my 1st DH (now EH) and I lived in a great neighborhood in Little Rock, AR. (This was in the sixties). I had two children then, the oldest was a boy and the youngest, a girl. There were like 5 jillion little boys in that neighborhood (or so it seemed) and they were all the same age (4 or 5 years old). On pretty days, these little guys would pour outside and just go from house to house playing. I used to keep a big thermos with kool-aid in it on the picnic table outside. I had styro cups with each little guy's name marked on it out there, too. They just helped themselves when they were thirsty and it kept them from having to come inside. Each mother kept an eye on the kids when they were playing in her yard and none of us worried about them because we knew they were being watched where ever they decided to go. When my daughter got old enough to join them, she was the only girl in the group, until finally two families with girls her age moved into the neighborhood!

Wow, those are great stories. I agree with Zuzu about earning the trust of those in a small town...it seems to be one of the downfalls of small towns. Ours is like that. My DH is "originally" from CA. He moved here when he was 14 yrs old. He's 46 now, but still "originally" from CA if you ask some folks. If 32 yrs isn't enough to be from our town I don't know what is!

All I can figure is it must be the idea that in a small town everyone knows your family and their history. Someone new represents a threat to them because they know nothing about them. I'm really guessing here, I've never figured this out, but would love to! My neighbors sit for hours doing the, "Betty married Tom, and before she was married she was a Smith. Now her Mother was a Jones. Her sisters were Mary, JoAnn and Sue. She had one brother, Sam. He married Beth, who was a Johnson. Bob & Alma Johnson's daughter. Bob's brother was the Mayor in 1958, his name was Joe and he was married to Elsie. They had 10 kids...." I'm not exaggerating. They ask me if I know who they are talking about and I just say, "Sure." but I really have no clue and don't really care. Sometimes I can't remember how many sisters and brother are in my own family!

LOL at Heather! My DH is like that. If he is introduced to someone new, he'll repeat their last name, and then ask if they're related to so-and-so. They don't even have to be from the same location. He'll say, "Got any relatives up around the Vidalia, Minnesota area?" (I don't even know if that's a real town.)

Honestly, I think it's amazing that they can do that. I don't know how they keep track of it all. I think they secretly have lists hidden in their homes!

You should hear my MIL, heathrjoy! She can remember who married who, how long they were married and what day, month and year they were married and what day, month and year they died! If you want to know if it snowed on Feb 3, 1952, just ask her--she will know! and I am not kidding!

I know what you mean about small towns sometimes being clannish, Zuzu. The oldtimers expect you to know all the names of the people they are talking about.
When I first moved to Cabot in 1972 (the first time I moved here), if you wanted to know how to get somewhere and you asked directions of one of the old-timers, they would say something like: "You go down this way a couple of blocks and turn right at the old Baldwin house, then you go about 5 blocks till you come to the Porterfield's place and turn right and it is the fifth house on the left." Of course, I never had any idea where the Baldwin house was or the Porterfield place, etc., etc. so I was just plain out of luck! LOL

Okay, all you neighbors. We need to hear some of your stories!
Here's my latest. I was reading the local weekly newspaper and saw a picture of neighbor's 14 yr. old son dancing with a young lady his age. There was an article about the Lonoke County Junior Cotillion and it seems neighbor's son belonged to that group. The article said that over a period of weeks the young people are not only taught to dance (real dances like waltz, swing, fox trot, etc.) but they are also taught etiquette including how to introduce people and which fork to use, etc. At their 'graduation' dance, the girls were dressed in evening gowns and the boys in suits or tuxes. They had a sit-down dinner where the young people could practice their newly-learned skills and afterwards they had a dance. They were judged on their dancing skills and there was a winning couple for each type of dance they had learned. I was so pleased to know that there are still adults out there who think it is important to teach our young people about manners. That seems to be a "skill" that has disappeared in this day and age. I saved a copy of the article to give to neighbor.

What fun reading this thread! I have lived in several states. When dh was in school and doing his internships we lived in apts. and I rarely met the neighbors other than to say hello them in the hall. But when we moved to SD our neighbor was from CA and she missed the sun and as much as I did. We found jobs at the same place (Gurney Seed! we were data entry clerks) and have remained friends to this day. We email and I go out to CA about once a year.

Once when we moved to Levelland Texas the neighbor brought a pie over to us as the moving van was pulling away. It was still warm! That was my best welcome.

My small town is friendly. But I find that since it gets lots of military in and out at the air base and lots of tourists, people seem to be a bit more reserved until they find out you are staying! The homes in our development are on one acre lots and most of the women work.It is hard to even meet anyone. I work at home and of course love to garden. I made good friends with one lady who moved in across the street. We enjoyed one anothers gardens for about 3 years before her dh passed away and she went into a nursing home in another state. I really miss her!

Another neighbor just lives here for the winter. She has a home in the mts. about an hour away for the summer. She makes posole on Christmas Eve and always invites us. We go to church, drive through the luminarias in La Luz and Tularosa(NM tradition), then stop in at her house for a bowl of posole and some eggnog.

Welcome, cactus! glad you "dropped by" to "neighbor" with us. We have a lot of military families here in Cabot, too. Jacksonville AFB is just down the freeway about 8 miles. But they buy homes in the various subdivisions around here and "make themselves at home" for however long they are here.
It is hard to make friends when most of the people in your neighborhood work outside the home. Around here, DH and I are are among the few retired folk in our neighborhood. That's why I like the DG 'neighborhood' so much. It gives me a chance to 'neighbor' with people I may never even meet, such as yourself, but we still find that we have a lot in common.
BTW, what is posole? I'm assuming is is a Mexican dish of some sort--maybe soup? I do know what luminarias are. I imagine driving through them is quite a pretty sight!

Well, my, oh my. We went to my niece's wedding yesterday and I realized just how many folks in this small town I don't know! I didn't know anyone there...unless they were my neighbor. I'm not kidding. Funny thing is, it really didn't bother me that much, lol. I have no problem walking up to a "stranger" and having a conversation with them, so maybe that's why it didn't bother me. DH, on the other hand, knew nearly everyone there and could tell me who everyone was and where they lived...as long as he could remember their name. If my neighbors move I think I'm going to be in trouble!! LOL

heathrjoy, if you have no problem with strangers, you will do fine if all the neighbors move! We have moved so many times that being in our home now for 8 years is twice as long as we have stayed anyplace. I hate moving and the first months before you makes friends, but it has taught me that I can do it again if need be.

marsue, posole' is a soup made with green chilies, meat and posole' (which is a kind of Mexican hominy) many times we also make tamales for the holiday too. The small towns I referred to line the streets with luminarias (the "nar" is pronounced to rhyme with car) to light the way for the Christ Child. They end at the local church. All other lights are turned off and the police stop traffic and make you drive very slowly with parking lights on. It is magical!

I hate moving, too, cactus. We were in our last home for 10 years and what an accumulation of "stuff" we had. I still have "stuff" in my garage from moving to our current home last year. I need to have a garage sale and get rid of it! Our subdivision had a giant garage sale the first week-end in October but I didn't take part in it. I figured with everybody else in the neigborhood selling their "stuff", that there would be too much competition so I'm going to have one the first week-end in November, instead. At least those are my plans for now.

Cactus, I don't do "hot" (meaning spicy) when it comes to food. Is posole spicy with those green chilis in it or are the green chilis mild?

It's raining here today. Since I don't have an excuse to go outside, I suppose I'll have to clean house--what a bummer!
PS: Neighbors were out of town over the weekend so DH mowed their yard again. With his big mower it takes him all of 30 minutes to mow both our yard and neighbor's! LOL

Getting everything cleaned out and starting all fresh and neat is the only good thing about moving. But I just clean out things a bit at a time now. It is cold here today45' now and Monday is my day to do my heavy cleaning so I am with you there! My part time job is bookkeeping here on the computer so I have a stack of paperwork to go through this afternoon.

As for spicy, you can make it hot or mild. My neighbor makes it just the way I like it, which I think is mild but dh won't eat it because he thinks it is too hot.

Strangers are just friends I haven't met yet!!!

Morning all..sun shinning in my neighborhood...record breaking temps. today!!

I began reading this thread---hoping the title wasn't to rant about rude neighbors---and found great enjoyment in the fact that it is about what my DH calls "Norman Rockwell neighbors." We don't have the friendliest neighbors here in Houston in our neighborhood---just a wave. We just moved in and last neighborhood we made all the rounds to introduce as new ones moved into the new homes after us. Here we were the only new guys and we had hoped people would be forthcoming but alas...no, just a wave here and there.

But we went to pick up something we were buying off Craigslist to another neighborhood in Houston, much more upscale than our average neighborhood---and we got to see firsthand those Norman Rockwell neighbors. People would be pulling up from work and instead of rushing in the house they'd walk across the grass to the neighbor who was out to strike up conversation. The little kids were playing politely in their yards with their little bikes or toys, no kids yelling or fighting, etc. It was perfect!

Some would say "bloom where you are planted" and yet having lived in many places you can just sense that some areas have this quality of welcoming that you didn't have in your last place. I don't know what that is.

Betty---you love touring graveyards?! ME TOO! I am 28 years old and have always loved that. I used to have a graveyard back up to a duplex I rented and I'd take my lil' chihuahua over there for walks. We both loved it. I find them serene and not scary at all. Call me weird but I "talk" to the people. I dream about what they must have been like, where they lived, what they died of, figure out how old they were, etc.

Marsue, that was a beautiful opening post about how goodness really does spread.

Welcome, Tir_Na_Nog! Glad to have you as a 'neighbor'! Thanks for the compliment about the opening post.

"Bloom where you are planted" is always a good philosophy--unfortunately, one is not always received as nicely in some neighborhoods as one might be in other areas, no matter how hard you try to "bloom". :o(

I, too, like to lwalk through old cemeteries. Invariably you will notice that , unfortunately, a lot of babies died after just a few weeks or months back in the 1800's and early 1900's, too. My paternal grandmother and her mother and many other family members are buried in an old cemetery in England, AR. DH and I made the trip down there about 10 years ago and just walked around and found the graves of many, many of my relatives. It brought back many memories for me of Sunday afternoons at grandmother's house with all the cousins running around and always LOTS of food!
cactus, I suppose "spicy" is all in one's own tastebuds. For me mild means virtually no "heat" but my oldest grandson has a tongue of iron--he loves that spicy stuff--the hotter the better! LOL
I just cleaned half of my house today--I'll do the other half tomorrow--I'm getting lazy in my "golden years"! LOL

edited to say to Betty that I like your philosophy: "Strangers are just friends I haven't met yet!" You go, girl!

This message was edited Oct 22, 2007 11:16 AM

HAHA--HALF your house! Wow---I envy you. I'm young at 28 and I can't clean...no time with baby...luckily we aren't to messy.

Would love to have friendly neighbors after becoming SAHM, now I just get happy to see the mailman. LOL.

I don't like hot either. I ask for "1" in Thai restaurants, which is right next to no spice. You already cleaned half your house? Geez! I have to do mine in sections. My muscles are wearing out and my house is 2800 square feet so I can't even do half in a day. DH wants me to get a maid and I just don't want to do that. I say a maid once wipe a bookcase and then use the same cleaning rag to wipe the kitchen stuff. It grossed me out! I need to know that my kitchen counters are really clean, not just look clean.

I have always loved "bloom where you are planted" it kept me going when I lived in some really dreadful and not so friendly places. It is true that you can be happy if you make up your mind to be. But it is sure easier when it is where you love.

It is hard with kids, my advice is to enjoy them. They grow up way to quickly and won't remember how clean the house was but won't forget a Mom who was there.

good advice, cactus. When my youngest was a baby (youngest of 4) I just told myself he needed my attention more than the furniture needed dusting.
Tir: So many young mothers have to work outside the home these days.--You are fortunate to be able to stay at home. Don't ever forget that
"The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." What you are doing is much more important than bringing in an extra income, even if you have to make some sacrifices along the way.

cactus: DH helped me while I was vacuuming--he moved the furniture so I could get into the corners, etc. I just dusted and vacuumed the living room, dining room and eat-in kitchen today. No scrubbing of counters or anything yet. I'm with you about not wanting to have someone else clean my house because I have never found anyone who can do it the way I like it to be done. Most of the people I have hired in the past have just "gone through the middle". Our current home is 2000 sq. ft, which is more than enough for DH and me--former home was 3400 which was TOO big for just the two of us.
Smaller is better when you get to be our age--at least as far as houses are concerned! LOL

This message was edited Oct 22, 2007 12:52 PM