So, as you can imagine one of the biggest changes for us at "the new house" is the loss of our dear neighbors. We always knew it would be a big adjustment, as the fact that we met/got along with so many very close neighbors immediately next to us, was a fluke and not typical of most streets. With the weather being so nice out, these days the adjustment is particularly hard, as most days like we've had lately we would be outside enjoying the evening with our neighbors.
Our new neighborhood has a few young people, but not kids as young as our's and while they are out playing some, we mostly can hear them but not see them. We live at the very beginning of the neighborhood so any "playing" that is occuring back in the other parts of the neighborhood we are not privy to.
Most of our neighbors are older, retired professors, and apparently from the music department. In the house across the street, lives an older retiree with his wife who has Alzheimer's. Every morning, as their home health aides arrive, Mr. comes out in his robe singing like an Italian gondoleer (?) man. Very beautiful. Very sweet. But, we've never met them. And they are likely in there 80's.
I have met the neighborhood "nosey nose" as she walks in the afternoons and sometimes stops in if we happen to be in the front yard (which is about never). She has filled me in about the history of our house, our neighbors and the whys/hows of people who have lived in this neighborhood over the past 40 years. She has lived here since the neighborhood began so really can go on and on.
I've seen the people directly next door out several times, while the kids and I have been outside playing, but they never say anything to me. Ever. D met her briefly and she said to him no less than twice, "we are all friendly here, but we keep to ourselves." Then, he met the husband later and he said, "we are all friendly here, but we keep to ourselves." Okay people! We get the not-so-subtle hint. We won't be sharing bundt cake and coffee in the mornings while the kids frolic in the back yard. Sheesh.
On the other side of us, is another retired couple. They have instrumental music coming from their open windows at times, which is pleasant to hear. They have a son in college who was home a few weekends ago, who for some reason kept walking through our backyard for unknown reason. Never met them either.
This is getting long isn't it? The other day, D was putting the kids in the car and another couple was walking by. Yep, older, retired. D (being way more social than typical) said hello and walked down to chat briefly. I, bound and determined to actually MEET a neighbor, ran out the door carrying J to meet them. I said hello and introduced myself and J and the woman, no kidding- said, "How much did you pay for this house?" Yeah, my jaw hit the ground too. Uh....what? She then went on about how her son was living on the east coast and was looking to buy a house here. Well. People, we all know that real estate on the east coast is at least double what it is here, so I am sure he will be pleasantly surprised by the houses here. (Even though our market sucks and I think we pay wayyyyy too much for houses here) Regardless, who asks such a question? Of a person you don't even know????? OMG
So, here are pics of our most recent neighbor. He has taken up shack in the vent at the top of our garage and creeeeeeps me out. Can you see him? Think: BAT. I have nightmares about him. But honestly, he is the friendliest one I've seen thus far. He keeps to himself too- but I don't mind.
5 comments:
Sorry about the neighbor situation (especially the BAT). I think it's pretty common these days for people to be more private or something. Our neighborhood is very similar. We do the friendly neighbor wave when we see each other but there are only a couple of families that actually visit with each other. We are not one of them for some reason. The family on one side of us had young kids but we rarely see them and I get the feeling the husband doesn't like us. Who knows why. Similar to your experience when we first moved in over the winter he said something like "Well, it's a nice day today but you probably won't see us again until the spring if we run into each other outside. That's just the kind of people we are." I find it strange that people feel the need to put up that barrier during their first meeting. Very strange that it also happened to you!
Both neighborhoods we have lived in here have been mostly this way. You guys definitely got lucky at the 1st house! I even tried in our neighborhood when we first moved. There is lady down the street with a son Matthew's age (and she is pregnant and due likely around the same time as me right now!) Last year I would take Matthew out for walks and loiter around their driveway hoping we would chat. We did once and she was nice enough but I had to initiate it and she never spoke to me again. The rest of our neighborhood has mostly older kids or older couples without kids (grown, etc...) We say hi to people and the neighbors next door on both sides are nice enough but do not seem to want to be overtly sociable. Then again it could be me - have I mentioned my hermit crab tendencies???
The first neighborhood was the same. People did not really talk and we did the neighborly wave. We got the sense right off the bat that the couple next to us did not like us AT ALL. Kevin & I chatted with the gay guys and the single guy next door and some times Kevin would gossip with the lady across the street & the guy who was a contractor who lived next door to her - both of whom just packed up their houses one day within months of one another and allowed the houses to be foreclosed...
That is crazy that woman asked about the cost of your house - I was laughing thinking of the responses "so how much did you pay for your house?!"
M- I am becoming the master of the "neighborly wave". I think even Kate has it down! ;)
C- I should have told the lady something crazy like "Oh, 50,000 We got a great deal."
Heh... The look on her face alone would have priceless. Not mention Dan's ;)
What about to the nosy lady?? "SO who has had the best kegger in this 'hood yo?! We LOVE to party. We just put the kids on the porch to sleep and PARTY!
Oh it is endless the fun you could have!
I am peeing laughing at your responses. 'best kegger in the 'hood yo?' That is some funny sh#$%T. Similarly, Nathan and I have had the same experiences in all four of our neighborhoods. I am hoping that our 5th (and final) :) will be different. So far, everyone here seems friendly. I think it's because we are all transplants. BTW, love the bat. I lived in a room in my sorority called "bat room" because they liked to come in through our vents. Fun times.
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