Neighborliness (Mountain: sale, home, contractor)

[escapetacoma]

I'll admit that we weren't expecting the snow last night to be quite so nasty to deal with today but the rain on top of it made it far too much like the few larger snows that we had in Tacoma. The big difference was in the neighbors.

In Tacoma you're on your own - shovel your walk, clear your drive and hope like hell that the city has a clue at the moment (not likely) so the roads won't be sheet ice.

Here? People were out helping other their neighbors who weren't having an easy time with the heavy snow. One of our neighbors is quite a bit older than us so I was heading over there when the guy on the other side came by with a Bobcat to help clear his driveway and sidewalks

A little later, while I was in getting some breakfast, I saw someone out with a slightly larger front loader helping people clear their drives. Later as I was starting to clear one of our driveways one of those front loaders materialized and in 10 minutes the drive was clear! As I was finishing the walkway I heard him start on the other driveway. This time I managed to flag the driver down to find out the story. It turns out he's a contractor who has the little loader for doing landscape work and who tries, after larger snows, to get out with it and help the neighbors. The interesting thing was to find out that he wasn't the one who was working on the other neighbors' drives - that was someone else who has one of these for use in his business!

We're impressed! People have been friendly ever since we moved in but there were a lot of people going all over today helping people that they'd never even met.

[Wi_Girl]

Yeah I really miss that about WI. When we had alot of snow, we had a neighbor who had a snowblower and would always do our driveway free of charge! That was always so much appreciated. Here, we didnt even know half of our neighbors until a hurricane went through! And then you had to deal with stupid people trying driving like mad because there was no electricty and all the lights were out. We still dont even know all of our neighbors and we've lived here 3 years. They are friendly when you but that's about it.

[dreamhunter65]

I had guy few years ago when I was out shoveling and he stopped in with plow and did end of driveway where snow plow pushed it all in. Told him thank you and tried paying him for his gas and time and all he said is do someone else a favor..

Well after that I got a small snowblower at a yard sale and I mean small so not do alot with it but always try making sure neighbors mailbox is open, end of driveways clean and such.

Today snowblower not start so went did neighbors drive,steps and sidewalk as they just got new baby month ago so did around car as other neighbor did most of the driveway. I also have mown thier lawn in summer also. I really do not see them much as a very young couple but they will ask to borrow things such as jumper cables, pail when had small fire needing doused, I even had old doghouse I made that not use and gave to them.

The kids love it as they let them utilize their lawn to play ball on and sled also.

Neighbors like these I can deal with and most in this area help each other with pretty much only 1 bad apple on block.

When lived in country a friend used to plow my driveways which been 75-100 dollar bill each time as plowed wide and long drives and did for free. We always made sure when he came around supper time have a plate ready as he plowed up to 36 hours at a time so easy meal to eat on run was appreciated and cookies he got from us and my mom he did her drive free also.
1 year tried paying for gas snuck $50 dollar bill in truck with TY note he returned it so went bought 2 cartons of his brand of smokes and a case of Mountain dew instead and he knew I not smoke them or drink dew so he had to keep it.


He is of my generation X and we were raised alike with the 1 hand washes the other, and a good deed never goes unpaid and such..
We always helped a neighbor old or young if needed a hand without expecting payment as some kids nowadays do.
Trying to teach my kids right and they help out their older neighbors by shoveling and raking and such and these are 9 and 11 year old boys.

I remember labor day 2002 (tornado hit my small town) that was a week realized how many people are willing to help someone in need. We had people that were from Florida back in area visiting parents and friends seen them helping out, seen people from all over wisconsin and Illinois,Minnesota and such come to help 1 way or another. This town will always remember the help that we all received and if needed will return favor best we can.

[ekg56]

We were out of town when the snow hit. We had to go down to the Dells for my husband's Christmas party. Came home Sunday afternoon and our driveway was all cleared out and the sidewalk to the door was shoveled. Not sure which of our neighbors did it but we appreciated it.

[dreamhunter65]

These are the stories the people that say Wisconsin people are unfriendly should see.