Good Neighbor Day | Pad Patter 9.28.23

[umyesh]

I grew up (mostly 1961-1971) on a 7 house cul-de-sac ... I knew all of the parents and kids on our street. As kids we did a lot together ... playing backyard baseball/football, tag, "war" in the woods, caroling at Christmas and our annual 4th of July parade. I also knew nearly all of the kids on the next street and their parents.

I've been living in my parents first home (where I lived from 3 to 8 as a kid) for the last 34 years. There are 1,600 houses in the neighborhood. I know most of the people on my street, but don't interact with most of them very often. Quite a few of the folks that lived here when I moved in were original owners (1950s) and have since passed away.

The original homes were small "starter" (-1,000 s.f.) homes for GIs out in what then was the "country" ... now we're in the middle of bustling Northern Virginia. The original homes are gradually being torn down and replaced with 5,000+ s.f. homes. The original house to my right was torn down after the Thomases died and a towering "McMansion" was built ... 7,352 s.f. (doesn't include basement or two car garage square footage), 6 bedrooms, 6 baths.

The family that moved in there 2 years ago has two small girls and they are VERY standoffish. I do know their names, but at best the wife and I wave as one or the other of us happen to drive by when the other is out front.

My neighbor to my left is a single middle aged man ... again I know his name and have chatted with him once or twice, but usually it's just a wave when we are both outside.

I do chat with people when out walking although I don't know their names or necessarily where they live. My kids and GK know a lot more of the kids b/c they went to school with them.

And Rene ... I too tend to refer to the houses around me as "so and so's house" no matter who's now living in it.

I loved playing backyard football growing up! Some of my favorite childhood memories.

My neighbor to my left is also a single middle aged man. He's the main one I feel bad I don't know because we've lived next to each other for seven years now...

 

[umyesh]

There is one house in the neighborhood that even newer residents know which one you are talking about when you call it by the original owner's name... The Armstrong house.

It is the house Neil Armstrong's parents lived in when he walked on the moon in 1969. His parents sold it when they moved to a retirement community home back in the 80's. There have been 3 different owners since but everyone still knows "The Armstrong house"!

Dad always said he should have charged $5 every time someone stopped and asked for directions to the house back then when he was working in the yard. (My street is the easiest way to get there). He said he would have been rich! I can see the north side of the house from my computer room and my cousin lives next door to it.

That's cool you live by the Armstrong house! Your Dad definitely should've charged $5 to give directions.

 

[umyesh]

We live in a rural town in the mountains. We know the neighbors in our neighborhood - probably a dozen or so. My husband actually knows all of their names (I'm not so good at remembering names). There were a few neighborhood get-togethers when we first moved here, so we sort of got to know everyone. You could tell all of the other neighbors had lived here for a long time and knew each other. There's only one family with young children and our kids play together whenever they both happen to be outside at the same time. My kids play outside a lot and so do the neighbor kids (our neighbors are homeschoolers too!).

And because we live in a small town it feels like everyone knows everyone. Which can be good but also a little awkward. LOL. Every time you go somewhere you'll see people you know. And even if you don't know them - they know you somehow. Haha!

I'm always afraid of that small town awkwardness haha everyone knowing all your business...

 

[umyesh]

I know all the neighbors in our 4 unit appartment building. And I know our neighbors next door on both sides... our one neighbor is a real jerk face... *L* but most our neighbors are real nice.
Every holiday season I bake cookies for them and put them in their mail boxes with sweet notes
we also shovel or snow blow their driveways in the winter

It sounds like you are a great neighbor Kari! Sometimes I shovel snow for neighbors but I should bake treats for them more often.

 

[umyesh]

We get on really well with the neighbours on the one side and much less well with the other ones.
Long story short - he cut my trees years ago and I called the police.
The sweet ones are really great, and we will often borrow eggs or baking tins from each other.

Oh no! I'm sorry they cut your trees!

When I was little my friend picked his neighbor's fruit and his neighbor called the cops on him. I haven't touched a neighbor's tree since!

 

[umyesh]

at our old house, everyone knew everyone else. Most people lived outdoors really, and there was lots of mixing.
Here people tend to keep to themselves. No-one invites you in, neither do they accept invitations to come to our house. Only get to talk if my walk coincides with them washing the car or walking the dog etc.
We joined the local church, and they have a lot of community activities, so I join in with those as a volunteer.

I know most of our neighbors through our local church too. It is nice to have a sense of community that way.

 

[umyesh]

I live on an 11 house cul-de-sac and know most of the people on our street. When we moved in 24 years ago, we all got to know each other and for about 10 years, we had regular get-togethers and holiday parties in the cul-de-sac or at each others' houses. Then a bunch of those neighbors moved out and new ones moved in. I know most of them but not as well as my former neighbors. My one neighbor often invites folks over for drinks and I like her a lot but my other neighbor has pretty much alienated all of the people who are directly near his house by just generally being unpleasant and abrasive.

I'm glad you at least have one neighbor you like a lot. My parents live near a cul-de-sac and they still host a trunk or treat every Halloween which is fun.

 

[Karen]

It's always good to be a good neighbor to whoever is in your pond!

 

[3BluEyedBabies]

another kiss for bart