Welcome to the Neighborhood!

          When we first moved to our current neighborhood, I wondered if had neighbors.  It was quiet.  The most people I ever saw was in the morning when children would walk to the bus stop.  I hadn’t actually met the people on either side of us – but my social Jenna introduced herself to just about everybody.  We met our across the street neighbor through her.

          Next door to him on each side were Spanish speaking neighbors – the adults anyway.  Jenna would occasionally hang with the girl who was 4-5 years older than her.  Jenna said she didn’t know Spanish that well – weird.  If that’s what they spoke in the home.  They had to have spoken Spanish to the grandma as she just didn’t know any English.

          They have since moved.  The house was vacant for a couple of months before an acquaintance of the neighbors to the east of us moved in temporarily.  I don’t believe she was living there legally.  She was an uptight bitch.  I was relieved when she was gone – I didn’t think it would last.  And I don’t see it lasting for the current group that come and go right now. 

          Up the street from us is a house that has been vacant from 1-2 years.  A couple moved in just last week.  They are from California and according to her are NEVER going back.  Both are quite impressed with the welcome they’ve received.  And I like having them at the top of the street.  I am saddened that none of the move-ins have children that Jenna can play with.

          Traci and Miles packed all of their belongings and drove here from California.  They said that everything that could go wrong with the move did.  They were supposed to arrive on Saturday but because of some mechanical problems did not arrive until Sunday.  And then they couldn’t get a hold of the landlord and had oodles of possessions which needed to be moved in somewhere.  But it was unrealistic to take it all to a motel/hotel.

          Hot water went out and it sounded as if they experienced some kind of water explosion whenever they tried to use it.  Plus the garage door won’t open and so they can’t use the space.  (There was a lot of vandalism that took place on that house during the time of vacancy) But they are both happy to be here.

          They said that when they moved in that one of their across the street neighbors (they live on a corner) came over with a six or twelve pack of sodas saying that it was too hot to be working so hard and maybe they could use the drinks.  One of their next door neighbors invited Miles over for a beer.  Our across the street neighbor gave them a pie.  They are floored.  Never have they known such hospitality.  They said they would never see that in their old neighborhood and that if someone were to come by, it would probably be something negative – they used the example of shooting.

          I had actually met Traci the day prior.  There was a fire at a restaurant nearby.  Traffic had been rerouted into our neighborhood.  Oh, my goodness.  I haven’t seen that many cars over the two and a half years that we’ve lived her.  It was crazy!

          Traci had parked in front of our house – which is a ways down from her own.  She walked to her house on foot to find Miles standing in the street directing traffic.  I think that’s great that he took that incentive.  It really was helpful.

          Traci and I visited for 30 minutes or so.  And last night Roland and I were to visit with them both.  I hope they’re with us for a while.