Tuesday, November 20, 2007

And like a good neighbor....

*
I wonder if folks have good relationships with their neighbors nowadays. Do people still have block parties and potlucks with those that share their streets? I know that we don't. In fact, we've recently sued our neighbor over a property line dispute. But that aside, we've never had a relationship with people near our home. No "can I borrow a cup of sugar" or "may I use your lawn mower" kinda thing. It's too bad, really. I'm sure we aren't the only family that doesn't talk to their neighbors. I wonder when the concept of Neighborliness went out the window for some of us? I don't go out of my way to ignore them, well some of them I do, but we've never had words. There was no welcome basket when we moved in four years ago, and I've never done one for the people that moved in several months ago. I suppose it's time to change that. It would be nice to have people close by to call on if something happens or just to share a cuppa with some afternoon. Maybe it isn't too late to make up that basket and take the plunge.

On a funny related note, I did run into one of the neighbors near the mailboxes and we briefly talked about the lawsuit. When I explained the situation to her, she responded with "Oh, I guess you aren't the devil worshippers we thought you were." Nice, huh?
*The Kravitz's from Bewitched

8 comments:

Doralong said...

Sometimes all it takes is one person to get the ball rolling. Holiday open house perhaps?? And having neighbors you can borrow a cup of sugar (or bourbon) from, or trade a kid pick up with is a fine thing indeed.. and can sometimes be a genuine life saver.

Lorraine said...

We are super blessed in that regard. We know just about everyone within a 2 block radius. We watch each other's kids, loan sugar and lemons and lawnmowers, pick up each other's mail when out of town...it's awesome. I have the keys to 2 other houses. "Just in case". And of course, besides all the neighbors there is The Neighbor.

Sometimes I fantasize about having a bigger house but it would mean moving away from this block and I could never do that!

laura said...

Hi,
Yes I think having a good relation with your neighbors is very important and you are right now a days people are not so much interested in their neighbors.I think you have to make the first step!
Nice blog!

Sling said...

I like my neighbors.We don't necessarily socialize,but we know each other's names.Mostly,we are connected through our pets.Gizzy goes there,Blaze drops in here,Morgan ends up just about everywhere sooner or later.
One thing I really like is that O-Town takes every opportunity to have community celebrations.
I mean,..where else does the whole town gather together to celabrate "Perry Mason" days,or the Salmon Festival?

Jimmie Earl said...

Sorry to say I don't neighbor. The neighbors catty-corner from me were in my house when my wife died two months ago for the first time. They brought me the best veggie soup I have ever eaten. We have lived here for 15 years in June. They were here before that. The neighbors across the street have lived there for over a year, and I have talked to them once. I had to call the city comissioner on the guy next door to me because he had a junked big old moving van (u-haul box type) parked right up against the property line outside my bedroom window for over two years. The sun never got in that window. I couldn't see out, so I finally caved and called. The house on the other side is empty. I don't know the rest of my block. It is mostly older homes made into apartments, so it's pretty transient. It's a nice older section of town. Pretty trees and wide streets. Just not very neighborly. I should try harder, I guess.

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving, devil worshiper haha

Greyhound Girl said...

It's hard to be neighborly these days. I've been lucky tho. I almost always try to get to know my neighbors (except the time I lived in Armpit, IN in a crappy apartment building!). And udually it's a good experience!

more cowbell said...

I've noticed this so much. Overseas we knew our neighbors, whether in military housing or out on the economy. Here, I've met the neighbor next door, we've had a few over the fence conversations, but never met his wife. I've met the old guy across the street once. The people behind us are pretty much a nightmare, and the guy is kind of creepy. I don't really know any of my neighbors.

I think it's the whole suburbs thing. I wish I lived in a "real neighborhood", you know, where there are actually coffee shops, bookstores, restaurants, mom & pop stores and barbershops etc. actually supported by folks who live there. It seems that when people see each other in, and have a stake in, these common places, it's more like a community. My neighborhood, a suburb, is pretty much just a bunch of houses where people live, but don't do anything else. People leave in cars to do anything they need to do. Cars and commutes figure in as well. People don't usually work where they live any more. I do see folks out walking their dogs, or occasionally jogging.

It makes me sad. People seem more insular these days for some reason.