Getting to know neighbours

[Mikey]

The day before yesterday I noticed one of the houses at the top of our streets guttering had come off. I saw the owner yesterday, a pleasant man in his late 80's at a guess. I mentioned his guttering had come away and that I'd ask one of our other neighbours if he could bring his extendable ladders over and pop it back on.

He told me he had his own ladders, so I offered to do it for him there and then. I got chatting to him and discovered that he used to be the chairman of the local gardening club 40 years ago and was a huge advocate of Hydropnics. He showed me the products he used to take to shows and exhibitions, and gave me a couple of very advanced tomatoes for my troubles.

It just goes to show its always worth getting to know your neighbours, you never know what secrets they may possess.

[lottie dolly]

Well done there,there is always a pleasure to be had,giving help to those who really apreciate it,no matter what age,when we moved house years ago,we had a house warming party and invited the neighbours,that way your all on to a good footing,and no complaints as to noise ext,and it worked wonders,1 side is still here,the others moved,we sill kept in touch,even vited them,GRTS,any new ones we introduce our selfes,it always works,1 lot hrumm,gone now,but the new ones still here,and we all get on like bungallows on fire,no in and outs visits,but hello,any help needed,we there for 1 another/share my lottie produce,it's best place we have lived,only down side is it's now fast becoming a main road,cut through,shops and buses all to han,so good,

[veggiechicken]

I've never not known my neighbours - and it works both ways. When I've needed help and support there's always been someone to step up, and I try to do the same in return.
Mikey, I have my own ladders......

[Jardiniere]

Mikey
When I'm in my 80's can I come and live near you?

[WendyC]

We live in a fairly average cul-de-sac and all know each other. In the nearby town is an estate - no park - where the houses must be over a million each. My son was invited to a friend's party there last week and I had to pick him up. Drove round and round looking for no33 but in the end pulled over and phoned my son to say I was outside no32 where was 33. The family didn't know! Turns out I was very close and it was just over the road. Couldn't imagine anyone popping round to borrow sultanas or donate unused cat litter that their cats had turned their noses up at, as my neighbours have done recently. The lovely houses and spacious gardens left me cold.

[Jax]

I have fantastic neighbours here, after horrendous neighbours elsewhere. One side garden veggie grower, the otherside a farmer and we all swap produce etc. In the summer I quite often find bags of veg hanging on my front door If we ever need help we know we could rely on them. Its amazing though how "people phobic" people really are. A guy knocked on the door from the village and turned out he had been working up the courage to come and say "Hi" for a while as we restore ford anglia 105e as a hobby (was a bribe to get hubby going outside!) and he wanted to get into the same but lacked the confidence to do so and wanted some advice but he was so afraid that we wouldnt be approachable people he hadnt felt able to.

[veggiechicken]

One of my neighbours has just been here - his opening remark "Are you up for it?"
I was and we did - we went into a nearby empty house which is up for auction next week but had been left unlocked. Gave me a really strange feeling, going into an unoccupied house without permission!
Then he had a go at sorting a leak in the roof while I tried to find him a coachbolt in my collection of odds and ends. I don't really know what a coachbolt is so I didn't find one! Since he probably hasn't sorted the leak either, we're quits.
Neighbours make life interesting on a rainy day!!

[francesbean]

I live ina row (we call them ranks down here) of 22 cottages (terraced). All but 2 of the neighbours really get along with each other the other 2 are quiet/antisocial. We chat and swap and have parties and rank parties, the kids help alot as over the 10 years I've been here they've grown together and new ones keep poppng up. Lots of great skills, builder has built at least 4 extensions, currently unemployed bloke is clearing waste land and going to have a go at my eucalyptus branches (for a smallish fee). I love sharing and always give away lots of produce - getting lots back in return, and put out my hens eggs in a bowl and they are always snapped up within the hour (helps with feed costs) - in return I get scraps of veg for the girls and they are always ushered back home when they escape. It helps that I'm outgoing and friendly, and always pass it forward - even the shy ones make an effort aftwrwards when you make the first move. There has been a bit of friction with the antisocial one in No. 8 (bit of an unwanted 'pass' on their side I might add) but apart from that its the most friendly place I've ever lived.

francesbean

[taff]

I've never not spoken to my neighbours, but where I'm currently living is odd. There are a bunch of flats and the amount of them means that someone is always moving out or in every month at the least. I got talked into being on the management team or whatever they're called, which means chasing things up, and getting stuff done, and tip runs when people dump stuff. The upshot is that I don't mind saying hiya to people, but I don't want to spend timewith them either. I have a garden elsewhere to look after, I work all week, I sow throws and stuff in my spare time, read a lot, socialise with my own friends and there goes my time.
If I thought that I was going to live here forever I would probably make more of an effort, but I'm not going to and I don't want to. It's not really the type of place that's condiucive to long term friendships anyway thanks to the turnover rate.

[Florence Fennel]

My area has changed so much over the years I hardly recognise it. I am firm friends with my next-door-neighbour and until she died a few years ago, I used to look after an elderly neighbour further down the terrace. I am end terrace and for the last 15 years have had a good strong fence around my garden and up until the last couple of years, pairs of German Shepherd dogs. I'm sure that's set the tone for you.
You sound a lovely neighbour Mikey, wish you lived near me.

[Mikey]

We chat and have rank parties

Had me laughing out loud this.

I like the sound of a rank party, is that like the kids of today where its good to be sic, or ridicilous? (they are not typos!!)

I have an image of slurry and wrestling.

[Mikey]

You sound a lovely neighbour Mikey, wish you lived near me.

I imagine you are that person for someone else FF.

[Hilary B]

Most of my neighbours I only know by sight, not friction just doesn't happen. I would prefer to get to know people, but it's tricky, because OH lived here for a long time while I was busy elsewhere, so he knows people, I don't, and I find it very difficult to get through that (and after 11 years I really should, but somehow it doens't happen). He's not the most sociable type anyway, chats if he meets them on the way to or from the car (and those times I'm usually doing something else) but wouldn't go beyond that, so I would have to really seek out opportunities, and so scared of FiM (I have a talent for saying things badly, or just the wrong thing, and can rarely work out what was wrong with it)...

[Mikey]

My OH is very petite, but has very large feet that often end up in her mouth.

She says that she talks so much sooner or later she will offend someone. I think its always worth your while to take the time to say a few words other than just hello.

This Christmas, my daughter and OH made cake pops a bit like these,



and took them along with a christmas card to everyone in the street. The more effort you make the more you will enjoy where you live.

[chris]

My wife tried that elf thing where you give a present by knocking on a door and leaving it on the doorstep - with a poster. The idea is if you dont have a poster up you need to return the favour and give everyone a present in the street.

She tried it - it wasn't even passed on or the poster put up.

*shrug*

We have nice neighbours, and for whatever reason I seem to get on more so with older folk. I do have friends my age, but seem to speak more to people who are older than me. My immediate neighbour is in her 70s I suspect, and we chew the cud often. Even in the rain, biting wind etc - my wife always comes looking for me

I think its nice to be "neighbourly" - well done Mikey. I'd do the same if I weren't extremely petrified of heights