Monday, January 4, 2010

Will I still love you when I'm 64?


I have noticed that I have been noticing seemingly unhappy neighbors lately. This frustrates me because I really like living here. Considering myself a nice and easy person to get along with, I am at times offended by their non-social ways.
The nice older couple that we have lived across from since we had the house built in 2002 has not always been this way. I still consider them nice but they just seem so unhappy. I asked their next door neighbor about it recently and was reminded about their plans to retire to a piece of property they have been working on. On weekends in the summer we would see them take off and return home with large mowing equipment in tow. Obviously they are taking care of the new property as meticulously as they do the current house.

My Dad became increasingly agitated by neighbors after he retired. There was always a list of license plate numbers on a note pad next to the phone. Placing an orange cone in front of the fire hydrant was his way of reminding visitors or long time residents that there is a law against parking in front of a fire hydrant. I always remember him being a parking Nazi though. Especially around the "circle" or cul de sac. I know the police just loved responding to the calls about the people blocking the flow of traffic by parking around the circle.

My Father-in-law complains constantly about people being in his business. These are the same people he wanted the hospital to release him to after his colon surgery. "My neighbors will help me" said the man who you would otherwise think chased people away from his front door with a broom.

Speaking of brooms that also reminds me of the beating one neighbors cat took from the admittedly un-social freaks (my opinion) that live next door to her. The anti-social neighbor claimed that her cat was used to being the only cat in their yard so she beat the other cat to get it to leave. Dare me to take them some holiday cookies? I don't think so - I don't want to get broomed.

I won't even start on a neighbor that lives on the street behind me that called the police BEFORE 9:30 PM on a kids party. Jealous that you were not invited? Well guess WHY you were not invited? Cranky meanie pants.

Don't get me wrong - I have plenty of WONDERFUL neighbors. I mean really wonderful. As I said, even the one set of unhappy neighbors are still good. But it makes me wonder. . . will I be cranky when I get older?

I don't really get upset about noise. I have only come out of my house one time for a noise complaint. To my defense it was early in the morning (before 9 is early to me, LOL. I don't remember what time it was at that time) and the routine of the dog had changed. But to my offense, it was retarded and random of me to complain that day. That stuff usually does not bother me! Sorry Christie and Dave!

I have made an observation during all of this. When my girls go to college, if we have not already moved for some other reason, I will be moving at that time. I don't want neighbors then. I want to be out somewhere on at least 2 acres. If I can see one or two houses, that is great. I do not wish to be tempted to be the cranky retired lady with nothing better to do than drive around a 300 household neighborhood and tattle on HOA violations. I want my life to be consumed with drinking coffee on my porch and talking to my wild-life friends like I am Snow White.

Here is the house I will buy in 15 years: CLICK ON ME
There is a picture of it at the top.


I am sure I will still see you all at Wal-mart.
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