Neighbors

[Janice]

Do you like your next door neighbors? Do you bbq and spend time with them?

I only have one next door neighbor and they moved out a couple years ago. The house is still empty. So, I have no neighbors. Big wall on the side and back of the house, so there is no contact there.

[george_r_1961]

I have one neighbor I talk to on a daily basis. Watched fireworks with him over the weekend. Another one of my co workers lives on my street but I rarely see her outside of work as she is busy with her 2 kids. Unlike many trailer parks here this one has no community activities at all so socializing is kinda a hit and miss thing.

[Skywatch_NC]

Have some next door neighbors here in the townhouse community who spend part of their time down here and other times at their other house in Syracuse, NY. They and other neighbors on the block are all very nice.

The couple who live part time in Syracuse and down here...I'm collecting their mail for them during this month while they're on a trip to India.

[CajunMama]

We used to have a wonderful neighborhood. We're a one street cul-de-sac neighborhood. The entire street would get together and do things...bbq's, crawfish boils, margaritas, etc. Time went on and the divorces started happening. The couple would have to sell their home. The oilfield shut down and some had to move out of town to find work. New people have come and gone and the commadarie we had before was just not there. I couldn't tell you who some of my neighbors are now.

I still have the artist next door. He went thru a divorce but kept the house. He still sits on the back porch smoking his pot!

The other side...first couple divorced and sold the house. Now the second couple has split up and i hope they move. They're quite odd. And their 5 dogs in their small backyard drive me nuts with their barking. I can't walk out into my backyard without them starting up.

[alicia-w]

i like my neighbors just fine but i dont socialize with them. heck, i dont socialize with ANYBODY!

[O Town]

My nieghbor on the one side of me is great, don't get together with her or nothing but we chit chat and she is a nice person. Now the neighbors on the other side of me, a whole different ball of wax. Every since he and his wife split a year ago or so, his visits home have become far and few between. It was once a day he would stop by before going to the new girlfriends house, and then once a week, it is now up to once a month! And mind you he has 2 cats up in that house. He actually came home today to mow his front yard which was about waist high, and I think the only reason he did it was the note left on his door by the city that has been there for a week and half. He just now saw it. The backyard is a disgrace, I won't even go there but it is bad!!! Hes one big butt wipe! I can't stand him I wish he would at least sell the house before it just falls to the ground from neglect. And those poor kitties, you know that house smells to high heaven.

[coriolis]

Our neighbor on the one side is a Dollar Store. We're their best customers and all the clerks there know everyone in our family. One time I went there and forgot a bag of stuff and they sent it home with one of my kids when he went there 15 minutes later.

We don't know the neighbors on the other side. They keep to themselves.

Our neighbor across the street is the borough building. We know all the police, but that's another story.

[Yarrah]

I hardly know my neighbours since they're working a lot. But I'm not the only one. It seems it's some sort of national tradition to not know your neighbours. Pretty strange: you live in one of the most densely populated countries in the world, but hardly anyone has a lot of contact with their neighbours.

[Kim_in_MN]

My neighbors to the south are great - I used to play softball on the same team as the woman, and when I moved back to my hometown I unknowingly bought the house next to her. We keep an eye on each other's houses if we are out of town, she mows my lawn if I don't get around to it fast enough to suit her , and we occasionally go out on the town together. The neighbor to my north is probably not someone I would have met under other circumstances (my daughter was terrified of her at first (daughter was about 3 at the time) because of her many, many tatoos and piercings, but I have gotten to know her and she is very nice and funny.

Across the street is another matter - there are two empty houses and some people just moved into a third house; they don't impress me at all! Heard the woman swearing at her 3 year old the other day because he took a toy out of the garage. First of all, WATCH HIM!, and secondly, don't SWEAR at him!

Kim

[beachbum_al]

I like my neighbors but we or them are never home at the same time.

[angelwing]

My hubby wears earplugs 24/7 because of the dingbats upstairs, waiting for them to be evicted, have sent enough complaints, hoping this time it works...if I could move I'd be out of that place in a heartbeat.

As for the rest of the building, no problems, I don't socalize with anyone and like it that way!

[Miss Mary]

You can become too close to neighbors. Example, we were the second family to move onto our street, 27 homes to be built (1989 to mid 1990s). We've watched many come and go, one home has changed owners 6 or 7 times by now. Anyway, I would make a plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies, write a nice note to newcomers, with our phone number if they have any questions (about the area, Cincinnati, etc.). Most people would never call but were gracious and excited about our street. Back then, we had many impromptu get togethers in driveways while the youngest kids then played nearby. Lots of fun, Easter Egg Hunt, Holiday Progressive Dinner Party, Block Parties, Ladies Nights Out, etc.

That said, I was not prepared for the next door neighbors' wife to move in. 10 years ago. She was so extremely needy, I was shocked and ill prepared for the year after they arrived. Many, many phone calls, complaining and whining about what our surburb was lacking (restaurants, shopping, etc.). So many, I lost count. I used to literally RUN to my mailbox, if she saw me outside, I was delayed by easily, an hour. Dinner was often very late in the first few months they moved in. This lady had nothing to do, she had a cleaning lady, a husband who did all household chores besides cleaning, the dishes (all she had to do was cook she told me), etc. Meanwhile I can barely get my hubby to put his dirty dishes on the counter!

Long story short, I had to distance myself. I would drive past their house, never looking at it, I still do this, if she sees you, you are stuck for at least 30 minutes, your car idling the entire time.

I have invented so many excuses - I have the "I have an appt., dinner on the stove, phone call I'm waiting for, a cold coming on...." down pat by now - all lies, yes. I'm ashamed to admit.

One neighbor who had to listen to me whine about losing my privacy when the needy wife moved in, would howl and finally suggested - Mary, you've got to learn how to "walk and talk". She actually showed me how to never stop, just keep moving. I've had my hand on that door knob so many times, oh I've gotta go now....chat another time!

That's my best example of how you can be too nice. She even told me once how she wanted to find a new best friend, someone she could exchange house keys with and come in any time she wanted. OMG!

Mary

[Meso]

My old neighbour turned out to be an incestuous rapist who killed himself on the way to jail :S Scary part was I was friends with his son...But now, there are just very rich people living there :/

[Pburgh]

I really like my neighbors. I work a lot so I don't see them that much. The couple next door are terrific!!! We get together every so often for drinks. They are newlyweds and soooo very sweet. I have a bachelor on the other side and a really nice couple across the street.

[JenBayles]

We have terrific neighbors here on the circle and do all kinds of stuff together - mostly cooking. If anyone has a problem, everyone else does their level best to help out.

The worst incident was a bad flood about 3 years ago. We all took a day off work to help those flooded get the sheetrock cut out, carpets removed, and salvaged what furnishings we could.

Fallen trees or limbs? We don't wait for the county to deal with it - out come the chainsaws and we take care of it ourselves. Someone needs a fence built? A new deck? The owners buy the materials and everyone else chips in on labor and feeding the crew. Yes, I really do love our neighbors.

[Pburgh]

Jen, what a blessing you have in your friends and neighbors. Any houses for sale?