What is your idea of a "good neighbor"?
Someone who waves over the back fence?
A neighborhood watch hawk?
A stranger you know by sight only?
A friendly person bearing home baked gifts and a smile to welcome you when you move into the new place?
A party couple hosting loud parties each weekend with the whole neighborhood invited?
People who have gardeners arriving at the crack of dawn to mow, eat the weeds, blow away any leaves, trim hedges with gas clippers?
A person friendly enough to knock on your door just about every week to ask to borrow something?
A person who knocks on the door to see if you are all right when they don't see you for a few days?
More importantly, What kind of neighbor are you?
31 comments:
This is cute and wise. We know our neighbours and feel a little bond with them but we don't do much with each other other than a nod and a smile when we see them.
We were close with our neighbors when everyone moved here over 30 years ago. Since then, most have moved away and I've never gotten close to the ones who have moved in since.
The houses next to mine have owners but rarely occupied. The house in front of me is bigger than mine and no houses behind.
Nice, quiet neighbourhood.
Everybody tends to stick to their own business.
Suits me well.
I've mentioned some of my neighbors in quite a few of my posts over the years. Many of those who live on the same street as I do I have known all my life! My closest friend grew up 2 doors from me and today, she lives 2 doors from me but on the other side of the street. Her older sister -also a very close friend of mine -lives about 6 houses up the street from me. And, there are a few people who have moved in here over the past 10-20 years who I may know their names but not all that much else. A few I don't know at all! Growing up here, I knew EVERYONE who lived on this street and, as I used to tell my kids, I almost knew what boat most of their ancestors came over on too! (Meaning I knew their roots.) Some of them are watchers who know most everything going on around us, a few are borrowers, most are lenders though. The majority of us on this street belong to the same church though and sometimes, the only time I see some of my neighbors is Sunday morning in church as work or other things in our lives often keep us from communicating a lot. But I wouldn't trade my place here for anything nor my neighbors either.
I know a a few of our neighbors really well, but most of the others just well enough to say hi in passing. We have talked about having a block party so everyone gets to know each other better but it hasn't happened yet.
I sometimes wonder what it is like living next to us...
I lost my favorite next-door apartment dweller in December and nobody has moved in yet. We were welcomed here by one nice lady when we moved in, she brought a cake. I have continued to exchange gifts with her over the four years we've been here. And there are a few others, but I don't really interact regularly with any of my neighbors. Just a hello and a greeting now and then, and I think it's perfect that way.
oceangirl, glad you know your neighbors and are comfortable with your relationship with them. Years ago when my children were young we were friends with the neighbors and the whole neighborhood was close, we did so much together as a group. Maybe it is different when there are children.
Ms.A, wow, 30 years. Have there been lots of people moving and then moving out during that time?
Shadowthorne, when you say the houses have owners but rarely occupied, are the houses second homes for the owners? Or are they rentals that rarely have tenants?
Jeni, it always blows me away to hear you have neighbors you have known all your life. You have solid roots. I so like to hear you say you wouldn't trade your place there for anything.
Hi Jeanie, a block party sounds like a good way to get to know all the neighbors. Maybe in the summer. We used to have a block party with neighbors years ago in another state for July 4th.
Rock Chef, when you wonder that what do you think? Do your neighbors like you? Do your neighbors know you? In the past two months I have made a point to get out and meet and know my neighbors and to make sure they know I live alone so if they see my body face down in snow please come get me.
DJan, hopefully a really great neighbor will move in the empty apartment and you can be the nice lady bringing them a cake.
There are only a few neighbors that I really know very well. We usually get together and have a big block party for the 4th of July, but the rest of the year, we're all doing our own things. It's a bit sad to think about that. This post reminded me that I should be more "neighborly" all year round.
I have the best neighbours ever. We have been doing nearly-annual street parties for the past 18 years. We get together often for impromptu pot luck barbeques in the summer. Also in summer, one front deck or another almost always has a small crowd sharing drinks on a weekend afternoon or evening.. it's usually mine. Off-hand I could think of folks from 11 households I could contact without hesitation if I needed to give them the keys to my house to feed my animals or some such thing. Several folks have come and gone over the years. I think many have moved with my house keys and I might still have some of theirs. One of my neighbours once described our street as a bunch of friends who just happen to be neighbours.
Years ago back in Chicago I was a great neighbor. Knew everyone and even hung out together. Since movie to California 22 years ago we have barely known our neighbors. I have given the houses around me treats at Christmas, usually some home baked goodies. We all wave and say hello.
They all sound pretty ok except for the loud party one. Not so much a fan of noise after dark.
I used to be a better neighbor than I am now. Here I just do my own thing and wave to the neighbors when I see them, but I don't go out of my way to chat or get together. Part of it is because I really don't want to be here so I don't want to invest myself in the area.
Abby, I like how friendly you are. You would be a great neighbor.
Hi Hilary, I remember some pics of some of your neighborhood parties. It seems like such a nice place to live. I smiled when I read what your neighbor said about your neighborhood; "a bunch of friends who just happen to be neighbors." Awesome.
Debby, there seems to be a different atmosphere in California, people can care but they don't get very close. Not all of the California residents are stand offish, but I know what you mean about barely knowing your neighbors. Now that I am the mid west, I am melting into the "howdy neighbor" mode. I like it tremendously.
Liz, do you think you will move out of Carolina? You should come to Nebraska!
The house on the right is only occupied on weekends, so I think it is their second home. The house on the left... Well, I've been living here for two years and I only seen the owner twice. We have a few rental bungalows, filled with students from a nearby university here.
Great post & comments. I will NEVER have another neighbor like Joan, who moved to Pasadena in June 2010. We met for dinner in Santa Monica last week & it was SO GOOD to see her! I am going to post about that evening soon.
I think my neighbours have mixed views. We get on great with some, while there is another who I have only spoken to once - to tell him to turn down the hi-fi system in his car! (Sitting in my house, the bass was so loud it was thumping me in the chest...)
great question ...you know i miss having neighbors that are friendly...get together occassionally...look out for each other...when we first moved here we tried but our neighbor on the right wants nothing to do with no one...
How cool that you got to visit with Joan when you were on your mini vacation. I look forward to hearing more about her.
Brian, it sounds like you have a darn busy life, not much time for visiting the neighbors. But I do agree with the looking out for each other aspect of neighboring. I like all my neighbors around me. We aren't hanging out together but we speak occasionally. Probably this summer I will be down watching the games a few blocks from me and will get to know even more neighbors.
My idea of a good neighbor is one who isn't home. lol
Otin, you crack me up. Wait till you get to be my age and don't work and maybe then you will like to see a neighbor around a little. Do you have your neighbor's phone numbers in case you need them? What are you doing these days?
We do know some of our neighbors by name. I made a point a few years back to give each one a gift at Christmas. We are really only "wave" neighbors. I find people stay in their houses a lot.
I certainly do! I think we all use the same guy to mow our lawns and he is very early.
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