Our neighborhood is an addition to an older neighborhood and mainly consist of custom built homes. Nice neighborhood...but Eric and I are probably the youngest people in this neighborhood by, um 20 years or so? I should have known that things weren't right when we stopped by our house one night(when it was being built) to check out the process and our neighbors from down the street(who we hadn't even officially met yet) were in our driveway...and more than likely had been in our house. Does that freak anyone else out? Well, it freaked me out. I want to say they even ended up using our tile guy. Weird, in my book. I mean, I'm glad you liked our tile...but I would have rather you noticed that from being invited into our home to look! Some other things have happened that make me cringe...maybe cringe is a harsh word, we'll say irritated.
1. Our next door neighbor chose especially loud colors for her exterior paint. I'm talking like a sea foam green, trimmed with a dark taupe color. You know its bad when even she apologized for the "loud" color...her words! Topped off with 3 dogs and a cat(who, by the way likes to chill on our front porch) and the space between our fences is big enough to fit a lawn mower through. Which, hasn't been as bad as I thought. Our dogs only bark a little every time they go outside...I was envisioning constant barking. But really...I can just see it now when we try to resell what people will think. I already know what the other neighbors think!
2. On Halloween last year(Mind you I was pregnant), Eric and I were hanging out watching a movie and all of a sudden our door bell rings. Was our porch light on? NO!!! Is it pitch black outside? YES!!! Why is this man at our door with his kid when our porch light isn't even on???? I thought that was the rule? Oh, and to add to the excitement you know the dogs went crazy. And um we have no candy because OUR PORCH LIGHT WASN'T ON, so that means we aren't taking trick-or-treaters! Hello? Did I miss the memo?
3. While I was at home before Noah was born and even after he was born...my door bell would randomly ring. OK, anyone who has dogs knows what a pain it is when that happens. Crazing barking(we have wood floors so imagine the echo effect), babies sleeping...not a good combo. And this lady doesn't answer the door. If I'm not expecting you, good luck if you think you're coming inside my house.
4. People do not reciprocate a simple hand wave when I pass them. Damn it I thought we lived in the south. You know...southern etiquette. If I wave at you, simply being nice...I expect a wave back. Nope, not in the neighborhood. They just keep on driving and act as if they never saw you. Needless to say Eric and I have stopped being the first to wave, we return the gesture if people wave to us.
5. Our neighbors probably think I'm a hermit, because well I'm never outside. Besides the fact that is 900 degrees outside, I don't like the fact that when I go outside in our back yard...if our neighbor is in her kitchen or anywhere in the back of her house for that matter she can see everything we are doing. Not that she is by any means...I just don't like the fact that she could. Got me? Bottom line is, us humans are nosey.
This list could go on and on. And I know this post sounds very bitchy, but I just realized that despite the fact that I always saw myself living in a neighborhood where my kid(s) can grow up, I'd much rather have land out in the woods somewhere. Now, for those of you who really know me, I'd probably never sleep a wink because I'm scared to stay at home alone now and I live in a stinking neighborhood. Maybe if we lived in a neighborhood with younger neighbors I'd be more satisfied...and with neighbors that weren't so dang close to us. I honestly don't know how people live in those neighborhoods where you can literally spit in your neighbors window. I'm a people person...so what is wrong with me?
For the record though, we do have some very lovely neighbors...but the odd ones definitely out weigh the good ones. So...our next house will either be in the woods or in a neighborhood, but with lots of land and younger couples :)
Happy Thursday to you all. Hope you're having a great week! Here's a picture of my handsome little devil, which is the only reason most of you read my blog, I know.
Leah - don't give up on neighborhood living. We live in a neighborhood (where you can spit and hit the neighbors house), but I L.O.V.E. it. However, our neighborhood very active and filled with young couples - some are starting to have kids now. We have Front Porch Fridays (basically an excuse to get together with your neighbors to booze...and socialize) during the summer which is a blast.
ReplyDeleteCome back to Huntersville and be our neighbors! :o)
I haven't give up on it quite yet. But you're right...the age of the neighborhood makes it! I love your neighborhood...it sort of reminds me of Rainbow Row in Charleston :) I'd LOVE to be your neighbor...but it won't be in Huntersville...haha
ReplyDeleteI'll go ahead & tell ya I'm NOT a neighborhood person at all. Not even if they were all our age with kids!
ReplyDeleteI have some friends that live in neighborhoods like that & they get stuck with the neighbor's kids ALL the time... who traipse in & outta their houses like it's their 2nd home or something?! THAT I could not handle...
I'm a people person too & I love entertaining folks at my home... but I also LOVE for my home to be my little sanctuary away from the rest of the world! ;-)
Haha...we bought this house because of the neighborhood...it was established, a wooded lot, there were neighborhood schools, and it was close to church. 21 years later I still only know a handful of my neighbors BUT other than the yardwork becoming a bit more than I would like and you being too far away, I am still very happy.I loved it when ya'll were young and had neighborhood friends to play with. I didn't have to get in a car to drive you to play with a friend. You just got on your bike and went (always telling me where you were going). I don't recall anyone coming in and out like they owned it...hehe...but you didn't play in the house, you played OUTSIDE! We had a backyard and woods to be explored. The only time I felt we had all the neighborhood was when you had the trampoline! Then I felt responsible and had to watch every minute to insure no one broke their neck! It pleases me to know you have fond memories of the neighborhood you grew up in and that we did the right all those years ago when we purchased it.
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