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The curb between the sidewalk and street is called the gutter where I live... in the fall, it is common for leaves to accumulate for for a couple of weeks...
I like Costco brooms... well made and reasonably priced.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 10-24-2013 at 11:00 AM..
We bought our house 2 1/2 years ago and have had limited contact with our neighbors. Our neighborhood is primarily Hispanic my wife and I both appear to be white even though I and pretty mixed (Hawaiian, Cherokee, Spanish, Chinese and the rest European). I say hello to the white lady and her kid that live next door and have returned the kids balls that were in my backyard several times. The only other people I have even talked to were the house 2 doors down because they blocked our driveway with their car and I told them to move it.
We bought our house 2 1/2 years ago and have had limited contact with our neighbors. Our neighborhood is primarily Hispanic my wife and I both appear to be white even though I and pretty mixed (Hawaiian, Cherokee, Spanish, Chinese and the rest European). I say hello to the white lady and her kid that live next door and have returned the kids balls that were in my backyard several times. The only other people I have even talked to were the house 2 doors down because they blocked our driveway with their car and I told them to move it.
This is more of what I have seen in KS especially in our current location. I was actually surprised that neighbors still existed that were friendly. I grew up in MI and every time I meet someone from there, they are friendly. SO many people are suspicious these days and while I understand being reserved, there comes a point............ Glad there are still friendly people out there and no, making gestures to these people just make them more suspicious.
I am forever baffled with the concept of 'play dates'. My daughter never had play dates, especially with a local neighbor.
Is the world really so dangerous? It doesn't appear so around my neighborhood as kids ride bikes, skateboard, walk around and everything else. Kids of all race, sex and ages. Maybe the suburbs of DC are pretty good.
My children played freely in the neighborhood. The play dates were for school friends who lived on the other side of the township. We didn't call it play dates. We called it inviting friends over. When I was growing up, all of the kids at my elementary school lived within walking distance. Now they are from various parts of a large township. They make friends at school and want to spend time with them. It's no different than my suddenly having friends from many areas once I left elementary school. By the time I was in 7th or 8th grade, I rarely spent time with the kids in the neighborhood. They were situational friends. Once I connected with real friends, I wanted to spend time with them instead, and I'm our parents obliged by giving me rides to friends' houses. I'm a 70s kid.
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Originally Posted by AnywhereElse
...and no, making gestures to these people just make them more suspicious.
My girlfriend grew up in southern California. She married someone in the military and spent the next 20 years moving all over the world. She was very suspicious of neighbors who waved and said hello. Apparently people didn't do that in southern California. She said people minded their own businesses, and she felt more comfortable feeling invisible. Strange. I couldn't imagine living that way. I like living in a city where people are friendly and it's common to not just wave to neighbors but to be friends with them.
Our neighborhood (of the waving to everyone) is a pretty keeps-to-itself neighborhood.
The waving is nice, because its a formal recognition "I know you, I know you live here" but its not too intrusive.
We know our immediate neighbors (across the street, next door), and talk occasionally with them (usually during yard work in the summer). Otherwise we know some of the dog-walkers and joggers (I'm out gardening a lot in the summer so people see me when I'm out front) and fellow gardeners.
Having an open house is a nice idea if you're very outgoing. Otherwise - I think just smiling and being friendly towards people and being seen (walking, jogging, trimming your shrubs, pulling flowers, putting up yard decorations, etc..) will give you a very good start in the neighborhood.
I agree and disagree. It's not stupid!! Wave. Smile and wave. Do you have a dog? Do you want a dog? Walking a dog around the neighborhood is a great way to meet people. You'll find they tend to walk around the same times everyday and all the dog owners know each other. If you don't want a dog, you could try walking or jogging around the same time the dog walkers are out. And then smile and wave and say "hello."
Bingo!!! Dogs and kids are both great ice-breakers. If you have both, you're golden, but one or the other will do.
If you walk your dog, however, be sure to take along "poopie bags" for the inevitable deposits Pup will make.
This is really stupid - but we WAVE at everyone in our neighborhood. And we don't even like a number of the people in our neighborhood (well - okay the one we REALLY don't like, we don't wave at him -- the rest we are sort of neutral on).
It's not stupid. In my city, and indeed throughout the area, waving is just what people do -- unless they're tearing along a country road and see their grandpa's best buddy mowing lawn on his rider, and then they just toot their horns. Some people toot their horns if they see recognize the cars in the driveway of somebody they know! It's what you get when you live in Hillbilly Heaven!
With the holidays coming up, you could have a "come and go" open house. With only 10 families to invite, it would certainly be a manageable number. Just having your name on the invitation will be good. I admit I don't know the names of several of my neighbors but I do wave to all of them.
I agree with others that dogs and kids are great ways to meet your neighbors. And yard work.
In the event you received the particular curry and cupcakes on a package which should be came back, set a thing inside when you give back the item, ideally a thing through your culture, just make sure it isn't also exotic. That you can do that even if it had been offered in a very non-returnable package. In case the item explains very well, you can have a Oriental crafted get together as most people are happy to attempt exotic dinners.
When we retired and moved to the country we also got a puppy. I met every person within our 3 mile block while walking her. I spent time talking to neighbors and getting to know them. Joined the volunteer fireman and met others. Now five years later the neighbors all pitch in to help each other when trees need to come down, cement laid, fencing installed, etc. We are gone for a couple of months in the winter and they take care of checking on the house and cleaning the snow off the 400' driveway. If you make an effort and show interest in friendship it should work out.
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