Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Do you know your neighbors? Did you grow up in an era and/or an area where you once did? Is it something you miss or value or could care less about in the past or now as a retiree?
I was born in 1944. Growing up in the 1950's in a suburb of St. Louis, yes, we knew our neighbors. There were lots of kids, but we also knew the neighbors who didn't have kids. It was nice, a nice human touch. As I think back on it, it was wonderful. That street has not changed a lot physically, but I wonder if it has changed to where each family or household is now more isolated? I would guess probably so.
I now live in a townhouse which is one of 26. I know almost everybody because I am the president of the HOA. If someone's roof is leaking, they have to call me and I have to arrange for the repair! LOL But it's not really the same; the socializing is quite limited. I don't mean people are unfriendly, as we wave and say hello. But each unit tends to be more "self-contained" as compared to what I remember from childhood and also there is more frequent turn-over.
Born the same year as ER and growing up in the fifties we knew all the neighbors. Even today I could name the people who lived in our neighborhood. Elderly couples, widows, the girl out in back who was a good friend, the girl around the corner who was my best friend, the family of all boys except for one little girl who lived on the corner--those boys were wonderful and used to organize games for all the rest of us kids all summer long.
The superintendent of schools was on the other side around the corner and my dad used to let him use part of our garden because he had a smallish yard. The kids down the street whose dad used to flood their whole back yard in winter and turn it into a neighborhood staking rink. Another friend's dad taught some of us how to swim at the community pool.
It was absolutely great. Wherever we went there was someone who knew us and knew our parents. People who would look out for us. The rest of the town was rather snooty and unfriendly, keeping up with the Joneses, much like a lot of people today, but our old established neighborhood was as comfortable as an old shoe. It makes me smile to think of it.
Yes, I miss that a lot.
I know most of the folks on my street. My next-door neighbors on both sides and the two families across the street are all friends of ours. We help each other out with yardwork and snow removal, which has been quite a chore this winter up here in eastern Washington. Typical scenario: I bought a 50 lb bag of ice melt today, and we divvied it up among the five families this afternoon. Our walkways and sidewalks are treacherous right now, and several of us are in our late sixties and early seventies.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,690 posts, read 57,994,855 times
Reputation: 46166
Rare these days... especially in the very independent PNW, but we know, share, care for our neighbors. (And we have the BEST neighbors west of WY! (home of the VERY BEST neighbors)). and No barking dogs... hurrah!
Yesterday my neighbor called me to warn me NOT to come home as weather had quickly changed in 20 minutes; Rain over 2" of ICE + 80 MPH winds. He wanted to borrow our tractor to pull 3 people out of the ditch, as his tractor was 'Snowed In' (6' Drifts). I had parked mine near the road to clear ours / and neighbor driveways.
We share firewood, garden and fruit produce, wildgame, pastures, cows, horses, Heavy equipment, difficult duties & tasks (Like thinning / safety pruning 300' tall fir trees), trash deliveries, internet / telephones (since they are often on the fritz), trips to the airport (even @ midnight to 6AM), neighbor gals went to Germany Christmas Markets together (and stayed with relatives)
Our last BIG neighborhood party was on Christmas 2010 when we awoke to 8' snow drifts (Our front door was totally buried) Neighbors all came over with good eats prepared for 'no-show' guests. One came via road grader, another by dozer and a few by snowmobile or snowshoeing. Snow is quite rare, tho happens 3 - 4x / yr.
Each of our four closest neighbors have separate / extra living qtrs, and I would expect any of them would open their homes to us if we had a fire, tornado, flood, or were infirmed.
But... this is 2016, so certainly not the 'neighbor's of yester-year (Building barns and sharing party-lines).
40 new homes that were built in the 50's. Everybody knew everybody. Had the same friends all through school. Same neighbors for years. I don't think anyone moved out before the early 80's and a few original owners, in their 90's, are still there.
I have the same thing now. Know all the neighbors. Very social but now it is also a support system.
Do you know your neighbors? Did you grow up in an era and/or an area where you once did? Is it something you miss or value or could care less about in the past or now as a retiree?
I am retired and live in a building with twelves coop apartments. I am the only retired person who lives in the building, everyone else works or uses their place for vacations. I know four of the individual/families well enough to stop and chat with, the remainder are friendly.
As a child and teenager I lived in a town where you knew almost everyone on your street, and you were chatty with your nearest neighbors and sometimes friends, and you also knew people around the corner on other streets or living on the street behind you. It was a very pleasant feeling, and a wonderful atmosphere to grow up in.
As an adult I lived most of my life on the Upper West Side of Manhattan (NYC). Though there were thousands of people I did not know on my own street and the streets around it, I did meet many people in a nearby popular neighborhood restaurant, in a couple of bars, and I met more people through the people I already knew. And I knew the shop owners. In the middle of all the thousands of people whom I did not know I, nevertheless, had a very casual and pleasant social life with lots of friends and pleasant social contact so that it was like a village within the bigger neighborhood.
I am seventy-nine and most of the people I knew my own age have died, but I have lived here long enough that my life is similar to how it was years ago on the Upper West Side. I go out and many trades people and waiters and waitresses know me by name and take time to have conversations. It is also customary to greet strangers you meet on an unbusy street, especially early in the morning...and sometimes I have brief conversations with such people. If I were younger and part of a bigger age group my life would probably be essentially what it was in NYC decades ago.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
44,551 posts, read 81,085,957 times
Reputation: 57728
Our neighborhood was built in the early 1980s, and many there are the original owners. We came in 1993, and the people next door, across the street and several others nearby were there when we came, and are still there after retirement. With many paid off and others with $300-500k equity now, we all still like it and are staying, despite having a big "empty nest."
Having neighbors that we have know for 24 years is nice, and seeing the grankids when they come to visit, after our kids grew up with theirs. We have also met and talk to the few younger people with kids that have moved in, but it's mostly just saying Hi when passing by.
We are friends with our neighbors and do a lot of fun stuff with them. The girl that lives two doors down spends the night with us when the sisters come. Our neighbor across the street may be our new pet sitter. She's watching our cat next week, but not the dogs this time. Most of them have been coming to our Halloween party for a decade now. I would miss that if we moved and lived with strangers that never talk to you. A few of them will be at my birthday party tomorrow. I live in Mayberry.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
hurrah!
