Thursday, 20 January 2022

Does everyone have good neighbours?

I mention my neighbours a lot. The ones to the right we only met in January 2020 when I moved back to the UK, I've borrowed their lawn mower, had my sofa stored in their garage for several months and they looked after the cat for 3 months and had the dog for a few nights. My other neighbour lives 2 doors down on the left and we've known each other since 2002, her and her husband came out to Dubai in March 2020 with me, just before lockdown hit. She's kept an eye on the house, walked the dog, shopped for me when I didn't have a car and within the rules has been my main person of contact with for social distanced garden visits with wine and chips on a Friday night.

When I mention my neighbours (or should that be friends) people quite often respond with 'I wish we had good neighbours' I just assumed everyone did.

In my first house when my kids were young, we relied on the neighbours for everything. From baby sitting to food shops, to lifts, to being looked after when we were ill to nights out in the local pub and I'm still in touch with them today, watching their families grow and spending time together.

But it's always been a two way thing, not all one sided and I think good neighbours are definitely a two way thing. We've shared the good and the bad from births, deaths, marriages to lending each other dining room chairs on Christmas morning. Helping with parties, loans of washing machines, lifts to work when the car has been off the road, childminding and just providing a listening ear over a cup of tea or a bottle of wine.

I'm actually visiting a former neighbour next week while she's at work and the kids are in school to watch a movie she recorded for me over Christmas on Sky TV.

Do you have good neighbours?

10 comments:

  1. It sounds like you have the best neighbours. You are so lucky. We get on with one side but the other side is a pain in the backside. The only way I can describe her is Hyacinth Bucket of the TV show Keeping up Appearances. Her husband even says she is rude and is always looking for an argument. lol x

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  2. We absolutely love our neighbours. We organise street parties together for others on our street and try to encourage a real sense of community spirit where we live. #PoCoLo

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  3. In the past I have had wonderful neighbours usually with kids etc. in common and life was easily shared, supportive, fun and social. Now I have just 4 close neighbours in a cul-de-sac - one couple will say good morning; the other 3 are very pleasant and occasionally stop to chat but I can't say we're friends. Which is sad as I've invited them for Christmas drinks, once to my husbands birthday BBQ and just once we shared a meal at the local pub. But in 10 years that's a sad situation I think. Is it a sign of the times or am I just unlucky.

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    1. I think you could be unlucky, when I've spoken to friends most seem to ahve at least one good neighbour

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  4. It's hard to get acquainted with neighbors in my rural setting, but the ones I have met are great!

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    1. It does help when you see them more often on a daily basis

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  5. I am lucky that I have good neibours and who I can trust as well with like my post if I need to leave it with them x #pocolo

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