I don’t know what universal good luck card we pulled in 2004 when we bought this house, and I’m not sure how come we played it so well, but I think we might have the best neighbours on the planet. We live at the very end of a cul-de-sac. Neighbours are important. All of ours (with the exception of one set on the street behind us, inaccessible because of the ravine) are marvellous.
We’ve shared many meals and bottles of wine (and the occasional night out watching a certain go-go dancer at a lesbian nightclub–I had fun explaining the approved method of tipping), met children and parents and in-laws, shared ice-slick drives to the supermarket in dire times, trundled each other’s garbage bins up the driveway, watched cats, and checked during power outtages. And yesterday, one neighbour decided Kelley and I were looking a bit peaky, that we’d been working too hard, and she brought round a huge platter of Cornish game hens and couscous (with dates, cranberries, currants, squash, possibly cherries…) plus two chunks of delicious chocolate cake.
Kelley finished an act of her screenplay; I finally wrote the assassination attempt (of Edwin of Northumbria) scene I’ve been aiming at for a week. We beamed at each other. Drank beer. Scoffed a vast amount of food. Beamed some more. Then Kelley half dozed, half mused on screenplay stuff in front of the fire while I watched over her and read most of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander–a straight romance time travel novel which I’m enjoying immensely.
That’s it. I just wanted to share.
Nicola Griffith 
I get my hackles up when people talk shit about my neighborhood– & I used to talk shit about my neighborhood. It is called “Park Slope” & is full of yuppies. Um, at this point in my life I'm kind of a yuppie…(also kind of hungover…)
I’m so glad you have those neighbors! What a fantastic way to live–it feels good knowing you’re each looking out for the other.I’ve learned since moving to Maine that it’s just as important to know and help your neighbors here. It’s very different from the world in which I grew, knowing nothing about the faces across the way. I like my current method better.Go neighbors!
Yay for awesome neighbors!! We have some of those too. It all started when Snookms decided to mow the neighbor’s lawn one summer afternoon, they had been moved in for months, and hadn’t been able to get a mower, so Snookms took the liberty of mowing the lawn for them after he mowed ours. That small gesture of kindness has went such a beautiful and very long way. We take turns mowing each other’s lawns and watering each other’s grass and bringing foods to one another…..kindness is such a beautiful and joyful thing. It feels so good to freely give and to be given to, does it not? Yay for you guys!!
Wow – I like that woman. It sounds like you do have some of the best neighbors on the planet. I’m glad you all have each other and glad to hear that you two had a good day/night.
I had such a neighbor in Kansas. Post divorce almost did me in emotionally and financially. I barely had pennies to care for my children. I worked and went to school full time She provided a shoulder for tears, laughter, “movie nights”, meals-German pancakes with steamed spiced apples- ,nourishment for my soul, and was a support to my children. She now lives in Minnesota after herself going through a way bad split up. She is remarried and has had such good fortune and blessings come her way. What goes around… :)
What a nice suprise! Food made by loving(and expert) hands is the glue of civilization. You are lucky in your neighbors and same goes.
I live in a yuppie-ville, but the people really are fabulous. And they aren’t nearly as perfect as they look on the surface, thank God! I’ve lucked out with great neighbors, one of whom is one of my very best friends.
Wow what a great story. I’m so happy for you that you have good neighbors. When you’re home you really want to be/feel safe and part of your surroundings. You scored high for those things and I’m sure more that I can’t see. Again I’m so happy for you both.
Mordicai, I used to live in the Slope on Polhemus Place. I loved the neighborhood but it was back in the late 80’s and very different. I still like the area, I just don’t think I could live in Brooklyn again
<>mordicai, rory<>, Brooklyn was the first place in this country where I spent any time–in the summer of 1988. But I don’t know which part of Brooklyn. At the time I didn’t know you could subdivide a borough…<>janine, realmcovet<>, we’re all very lucky.<>jennifer<>, yes, it felt like a little holiday. Lovely.<>linda<>, I wonder if anyone has done a survey on that. (I wonder how you’d design such a thing.)<>barbara, sly<>, hmmn, perhaps I’ll write the story of how we got this house. Some of it was luck–but a lot wasn’t.<>ssas<>, the notion of perfection makes me shudder. But isn’t it interesting how things circle around? My best friends as a child (single digit years) lived very close by. Then there was a gap. Then I went through a phase of living in the same house with friends. Then a long gap. Now I’m making friends with neighbours.
Rory– I never want to leave Brooklyn. Where are you now?
Nicola– there is a woman who drinks in my neighborhood that I thought was you! Well, I should say entertained the idea that it might be you. This was years ago, though.
Nicola,Yes it is quite amazing how many different ways you can subdivide a borough, throw in a few developers and the possibilities are endless.Mordicai,We left Brooklyn about four years ago and moved out to the beach. I am just too old for the 24 hour city life, working in the city is enough for me!
Ummm…a survey for the “what goes around…”? I know your question was likely only rhetorical,but…I do not think one could design any sort of validity scale to test it but I would PREFER ( I am not shouting… :)…just emphasizing) to believe that what one puts out to the universe comes back in kind. I live in a middle class “mixed” neighborhood. Older people downsizing and families w/children here because of the easy access to schools. I am a quiet person,have friendly neighbors, but no one that I could cross the street in my PJs and join for morning coffee. And I do miss that.
<>mordicai<>, what were the points of resemble? Did she punch people :)<>linda<>, I hope the world gradually returns to being the kind of place where we can wander across the road in pajamas–if we want.
I didn’t realize there was such a large contingent of people who either lived in Brooklyn or were born there. I lived in a section called Seagate which is in or near Coney Island. And Nicola why would you know that if you were fresh from England? The Boroughs are divided by named neighborhooks, I’ve always thought that was how all cities did it being from San Francisco which also has named neighborhoods. I think the same is true for San Diego too as I lived there in a section called Logan Heights. I was an apt. building manager and trimming the huge growths of boganvillea was one of my duties. I had a few sailors as tenants because the Navy base was not far away. I think it would be way cool if you were to write a story about how the house came about.