Thursday, January 13, 2011

N is for Neighbors!

It seems these days that no one really knows their neighbors.
Even though they live right next door, across the street or sometimes even closer....it is easier to just live life and let others live their lives too.

We are very lucky to live on a cul-de-sac different from the norm. We are all truly neighbors. We have cookouts to celebrate the beginning of summer, we set off fireworks together on the 4th of July, we share goodies at Halloween and give each other homemade treats at Christmas.
I realize that these things alone are more than most can say about their neighborhoods, but we are blessed to have even more.

Several years ago, my husband had surgery. We had meals for 2 weeks.
When I ran in my first 5K race, my neighbors who had been watching me run around and around the cul-de-sac surprised me at the finish line to congratulate me.
Last summer, while we were on vacation, a large tree fell in our yard. Our neighbors cut up the tree and hauled it off to the dump. We returned home to a clean yard and a photograph of our fallen tree.
Recently, we left home to run errands, shortly afterward it started to rain. We had left our dog outside and my neighbor noticed her shivering at the door. He came over to let her inside.

Several of us even have keys to each others homes. When we are away and someone needs to borrow ketchup or sugar or the pressure washer...they use their key to come in and get it. When we need to borrow our neighbors carpet cleaner or fax machine, we are allowed the same freedom.
We are happy to live in a community of friends.....neighbors that share life with us!

There have been many times that we have wondered where we might live next. Then we think about what we would be giving up...and we decide to stay right where we are. That really says it all!

Enjoy your weekend...and those around you...maybe right next door!


Today is alphabe-Thursday.
To read more posts on the letter "N", head on over to Jenny Matlock's Blog!!

 Jenny Matlock  

19 comments:

  1. Jen, how lucky for you to have such nice neighbors! I am sure they say how nice you are, too! We live out in the country and are blessed to have great neighbors. Not the same as a neighborhood, though. Have a super day, friend! hugs, Cathy

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  2. That's great that you have nice neighbours. We only have one neighbour at the corner of the block that we live in.. it's nice and cozy and both families do get along well..

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  3. Don't move!!! Neighbours like that are very hard to find. Love your post

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  4. OK, it's official. Send me your address and I am moving to your circle!

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  5. There's just something about living on a cul de sac that seems to bring people closer. We've lived on one twice, and both times the neighbors were closer than the norm. Maybe it was the basketball hoop at the end of the street.

    Or maybe all the street parties we had underneath it.

    ;)

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  6. Big time jealous over here! I have always longed to live in a close neighborhood. We live in a development...but aren't very close with any of our neighbors. Lots of different situations...older people, people with older kids, etc. People just don't seem interested. I wish my son had someone to play...I wish someone would come over and sit on the porch and have ice tea with me...I think we need to move!
    Sounds like you have the BEST neighbors ever!

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  7. My best friend lives in a neighborhood like that, and over the years we have become honorary members. We are invited to all neighborhood parties, and they are so nice to us.

    I know some of the neighbors where I live, but not as well as my BF's neighbors.

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  8. You are so lucky. Some of our neighbors actually look like they run inside when they see us emerge! so sad. I am happy you have that. I hope we have some nice ones when we move.

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  9. you truly are so lucky to have that special relationship with not just one neighbor, but a whole group of 'em!! I wouldn't ever want to leave it either!

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  10. Jen, you've posted before about your great neighbourhood and I often find myself daydreaming about that kind of neighbourhood. We have great neighbours, don't get me wrong be we are all in very different stages in life and it's a neighbourhood not a friendlihood.
    Dana

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  11. What an absolutely wonderful neighborhood! You certainly are lucky to have such a great neighborhood.

    Teresa

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  12. For some reason I am drawn to Cul de sacs, this is the third one I've lived on. We have a few good neighbors and a few that keep to themselves. Which is ok too. Nice post. Glad you are happy where you live!~Ames

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  13. sounds like a wonderful neighbourhood! lucky you!

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  14. Thanks for a wonderful and positive post. I like hearing that there is still neighborhoods likes yours around.

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  15. We have at least 130 homes in our neighborhood... lots of land/water issues here... newer development... anyway... half the neighborhood folks are bitter and nasty as a result (so sad) and well... we have managed to find a few incredible folks and made good friends... two next door... a few on either side of that... one across the street and a few down the road... I love that!! We borrow food, tools, dirt, worms... you name it from each other... it is a blessing in so many ways... We found the gems... even in a "grumpy neighborhood"... he he... Have a great weekend!

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  16. That's heartening! I love to know that there are neighbourhoods like that, still.
    We live in the country and have few neighbours, but we all help one another.

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  17. I wish I had that kind of neighborhood. I've been in this house for 13 years and I don't know a single neighbor's name. We wave at each other in passing but that's about it. When I first moved to California, I had a wonderful neighbor who was like a sister to me. I've never found anyone else to be "neighborly" like she was.

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  18. Oh, I love this nifty, neighborly post!

    We also live in a cul de sac and although we are not as close with our neighbors as you are, we definitely have some great ones!

    Thanks for this smile-invoking link!

    You are neat!

    A+

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