Most people have neighbors. They might be much too close for comfort, as in a noisy apartment neighbor, or they might be far away, as in the next farm over. But at some point and at some distance, we all have neighbors.
When we moved to our current neighborhood, we did so right in the middle of the current economic depression. We were the only house being built in our mostly empty neighborhood for almost our entire building process. Once we moved in, we had very little activity around us for the next year. Finally, things have started picking up. No no, that's not accurate. Things are so busy here, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get off my street, less that I'll be able to even get out of the neighborhood for all the construction trucks and equipment around. Activity is good.
No neighbors though. We're on a cul-de-sac road with a total of eleven lots on the entire road. The road ends in "Trail" which I find amusing as it isn't much of a trail. It doesn't meander or wind or go anywhere interesting. Maybe it's named for a different scale of animal life. It's a trail for the ant colonies that appear magically up and down the pavement cracks during springtime.
At any rate, trail or not, we now have neighbors. And I'm trying to adjust. Some of the adjustments have been gradual, such as realizing that during working hours there are apt to be workers doing building-type things in front of our house and to the side where our master bath is. This means that unless I want to frighten off the nice construction people, I should close the blinds when I'm taking a bath and getting dressed. Gone are the days of scampering around naked without a care because, hey, no one is even remotely close enough to see anything, even with binoculars.
During the summers I could go out on the deck and lie out in my bathing suit in the lounger chair. I could even go out on the deck not in my bathing suit and lounge around. I was protected by the house from two sides and there was nothing but trees and woods from the other two directions. Did I mention scampering around naked? Oh, oops, I'm giving you mental images, aren't I? Sorry.
Suffice it to say I wasn't worried about being seen. I could go get the mail in my sleeping clothes. I could let the dog out and go holler for her to come back in and I might only have made it to the underpants and shirt stage of getting dressed. Not to worry, no one was there.
This past Saturday, our first street neighbors moved in. They're right next door and we're very glad to have them here. I'm suddenly realizing I've taken a lot for granted having no neighbors. I can send the dog out (we have no fence) and let her wander around until she's ready to come back in. I don't need to worry about her bothering anyone. And if she barks, no to worry, she's just annoying the deer down the hill in the woods. But now, I'm more vigilant about keeping her in our yard and keeping her backing under control.
Gone are the days of streaking through the house without a care. Sad as that may be, I'm glad to trade it in for neighbors.
The Big Boy Update: Bottom on the ground. Yesterday was family Thanksgiving celebration at school. It is a formal occasion in which the children welcome family members into their classroom, share bread and butter they've made and read a story about giving thanks. It is a very sweet celebration. When I walked in, close to the end of the group of parents, I noticed all the other children sitting down quietly. I also noticed my son, standing and fidgeting in the very middle of the circle of students with the biggest grin on his face. He was pointing and smiling because his Nana and Papa had come to town just to celebrate with him. He was so happy he couldn't keep his "bottom on the ground" as I've heard them say at school. He did behave well through the rest of the event. They did a good job making the bread and butter. It tasted great.
The Tiny Girl Chronicles: Mobile modes. I knew she was messing with her mobile in the crib, because I'd try to turn it on and it would be off sometimes. I didn't realize for a while that it was always off in the same way. There are two switches and they both had to be moved more than one notch to get to the full off position. When I put her to bed last night I turned on the mobile like I always do and as I walked out I turned around to see her stand up, go up to the mobile and immediately turn both switches back off. Maybe she's growing out of the mobile.
Fitness Update: Four miles with my neighbor this morning and several more in plan with Uncle Jonathan this afternoon. The first day of P90X didn't work us too badly as we can still move today, although I hear there are more difficult workouts to follow.
Someone Once Said: When one teaches, two learn.
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