Neighbors

[CaliforniaMama]

This is my #1 complaint in this town -- but not because of "bad" neighbors, they just aren't friendly.

We've been here 5 years, we've had yard sales, have hosted two block parties (annual Night Out that is nation wide, police and fire depts come by) and still have only a nodding acquaintance with the people who live closest to us. The people we know the best are 10 houses away or so.

No one welcomed us to the neighborhood and when we had the first yard sale, it was all about how we don't keep the yard as neat as the last people. Yeah, well they were retired and we have 3 young kids! It's a tad more difficult for us than it was for them.

One of our dumpier neighbors just moved out and the house finally sold. We took the iniative and introduced ourselves, but I doubt anyone else in the neighborhood will. For one thing, we seem to have too many language barriers in our neighborhood.

People seem to really congregate based on ethnicity and don't seem too willing to go outside that circle. Too bad, really, because there are so few of us with same age children. It would be nice if our kids could play together.

Not like when I was growing up and the whole neighborhood watched out for all of us kids . . .

So far, though, no problems. Fingers crossed!!

[Hoof Hearted]

We moved to Georgia about 5 years ago from the West Coast and we LOVE it! The people are friendly.

In CA when we first married, we became friendly with the landlord's brother who lived next door. The landlord and Owen were our ONLY neighbors for several miles in any direction (farmland). Owen was about 85 years old. Every summer I would help him pick watermelons. The year we moved to Washington state, I flew down to help him pick watermelons that summer. We had three days and went into the fields 4 times. I carried about 30-35 melons that averaged 35# each time for a total of approx. 140 melons totalling approx. 4500 +/- pounds! Owen liked to give them away to people he knew. He gave me 10, which I then gave to friends I had known and was visiting while there, and I took about 5 to my Mother's house for her to give away!

Our neighbors here in Georgia are very diverse, but no children. Some have professional careers, most are blue collar workers and some are retired. There is only ONE house in the neighborhood no one is friendly with, he is an older alcoholic and lets druggie people (relatives?) stay and deal from his home. There have been many 'busts' at that house, including a man who walked into our garage and stole our weedeater (prob. to pawn for drug $). Theft to arrest in under 45 minutes, it was like an episode of "Cops".

We have house keys exchanged with several of our neighbors and Hubby fixed one neighbor's burst water pipe one freezing morning a few years ago. We sometimes have the neighbors over for summmer BBQs. Everyone is relaxed and comfortable with each other.