My Perfect New Neighbour!

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Where I was brought up, everyone knew everyone. The neighbours called to each other regularly. All the kids played together and spent time in each other’s houses. We knew our next door neighbours almost as much as we knew ourselves. When we went to town, it took forever because we had to stop and chat to everyone we met. 

Of course, the downside to living in a town like this was that everyone knew everyone else’s business! Some people knew things about us that we didn’t even know ourselves! I think those people had a condition called ‘Boredom Syndrome’ or it may have been ‘Exaggeration Syndrome’. Then there’s another called ‘Nosey Cow Syndrome’.

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Times have changed in that wee town over the years. Many of its inhabitants are total strangers to each other. Of course, many are still friendly and communicative but not to the same degree as it used to be.

Where I live now, it’s quite different. It’s a much bigger town with a bigger population. I’ve made a few friends through school and work. One or two I meet for coffee now and then and go walking with. This is how I like it. At 50 years of age, I’m choosy about who I befriend. I like to suss people out before I commit to a serious friendship with them. I have many acquaintances but only a handful of very good friends.

I don’t know my close neighbours where I live now. It’s quiet and friendly and nobody seems to have a desire to invade my privacy. Call me odd if you want, but I like to be left alone. I don’t appreciate unannounced callers. I’m always busy you see.

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I hate to be disturbed when I’m writing, blogging, doing yoga, and cooking. After that, I’m chatting with Stephano and entertaining Little Miss Seven. Or asleep!

Don’t get me wrong folks. I do Like people…honestly, I do!

I often see the woman who lives a few doors away. I haven’t actually met her yet but I think she’s odd like me. Keeps herself to herself.

Both houses each side of ours are empty. One is for sale and the one to our left is soon to be occupied. I was a proper nosey neighbour yesterday. People were coming and going all day. I was trying to figure out who the new occupants will be and what they’ll be like. It was easy to spy because my desk is right beside the window – so that I get my RDA of vitamin D.

Will it be the young couple? That would be nice. Maybe they have children who will befriend my wee girl. Or they might be very noisy!! They might have a baby who will cry during the night and keep me awake! They might have loud raving parties at the weekends. Maybe they play the drums like the neighbours in our last house. Oh Gosh No!!

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Will it be the woman who went in there at 2 pm? She looked well at home, sitting in her car in the driveway. Not a care in the world chewing away, on what I think was a chocolate bar – the ones that are meant for sharing! Is she moving in? She looks a bit nosey. She might be the type that likes to sit gossiping over tea and cake – for hours. Or she might be the type that likes an occasional Friday evening glass of wine and a friendly chat with her new neighbour. Me! I wonder…..

That middle aged man who was there twice and then again this morning. I wonder does he work for the builder? Haven’t seen him before though. What kind of neighbour would he be? Might be very helpful. Looks like he knows a thing or two about life. Oh….maybe he’s good at DIY and he could do loads of little jobs for me.

Oh crikey…he might be a writer. A REAL one! He definitely looks like one. Speedy on his feet. Straight back, looking ahead like he’s on a mission. Scruffy jeans and blue shirt. Small rimmed glasses and unruly hair – Stephen King-ish. That would be brilliant. We could be buddies.

On the other hand, he kinda looks like one of Stephen King’s crazy villains. Nightmare neighbour!! He might be a peeping Tom either. Eww….no!

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Oh well, I’ll just have to accept whoever it is. We can’t really choose our neighbours, can we? I just hope it’s someone who’s friendly, quiet, my age, has one child aged six, wants to join a writing group, likes to go chéile dancing, likes to go for walks (on my terms), enjoys the occasional glass of wine and Guinness, listens to André Rieu, understands good ole Irish banter & sarcasm, and knows how to boil the kettle properly. Am I asking much?

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Meet my new neighbours here!

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46 thoughts on “My Perfect New Neighbour!”

  1. Lol! Gloria you really were distracted weren’t you!!! 😂😂
    Neighbourhoods really have changed now though… I agree.
    Hope your new neighbours tick at least a few of your boxes!!!!

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  2. I hope you get your perfect new neighbour, surely you’re not asking for too much? 🙂
    We’re quite lucky in the house where we rent, most families have been here for years.

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  6. Ha! I think we all want who we want as neighbors and nothing more, nothing less. The only thing I ask of the new people who might by the house next door to me is that they don’t get up too early to watch me puttering in the kitchen in my underwear! (I don’t do this all the time, but I do forget that with the lights on–well, it could be quite a show).
    I hope you get your perfect neighbors–or if you don’t, I hope they become perfect in time. 🙂

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  8. Bad neighbours can cause so much misery. Even good ones have their moment. Don’t get me started on footballs coming over the wall and damaging the plants. We’re very fortunate to live in a street where people come and live for years, mostly very quietly. I do hope your new neghbours are all you want them to be.

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    • Sorry Marje. I’m just getting your comment now. I also tried replying to your email comment but not happening for me right now. LOTS of tech issues at the moment. (Like we have time for that.) I think we all spend forever hoping for that perfect neighbour but I don’t really think one exists. There will always be a little flaw somewhere or other. No doubt I’m not the perfect neighbour either!! LOADS of flaws ha ha!!

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  11. We recently moved into an apartment. It’s like people watching heaven. People are always moving in and moving out. I’m thoroughly convinced one of my neighbors is a possible serial killer. And we just had someone move in below us. They seem nice, but then that throws me off too. Are they too nice? I hope you get your perfect neighbor. All these years of living in various homes I’ve never had one. LOL!

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    • At least you’ll never be bored Christine. You never know though, the nice ones below might just be close enough to perfect! Thanks Christine. (Sorry I missed your comment, along with a couple of others. I didn’t receive a notification for some reason)

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  14. Okay, I was going to write something about both of my neighbors, but made a better judgement not to do that. 😉 Hope your new neighbors are those who you can tolerate, or maybe even (gasp) like 😉 Thanks for the entertaining read, Gloria!

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  18. A writer … A real one? Do you have imposter syndrome 🤔? Well Glo you sound like me I want to be friendly … but I don’t house, as my Mother says. But people watching I love. Especially in cafe’s or outside on a bench on market day. It is surprising what I overhear or see, my notebook is always handy.

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    • A real one in the flesh! They’re hard to come by around here. 😄
      I had a writers Meetup group (don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Meetup) organised which had quite a few members, but when the time came to meet in real life, only one girl turned up. We met quite a few times, but she was only here for a few months. Then she went home to Norway. I missed her for the writing chats.
      So, yes, real life writers are all in hiding Ellen. 😅

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      • We do like to hide, watch unseen like a stalker of deer or a secret agent.🤭 I met four from a NANOWRIMO group once three were very odd and one dressed like a sleuth. Wearing a great coat to the floor, platform boots a large black felt hat and 🕶, it was December in a weatherspoons pub. I let that one slide once he said he was a trekky and spoke some alien language 🤪

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  19. We got lucky in our new neighborhood. Everyone is friendly, but not too friendly. We all get together every so often to cook out, but not too often. I have become the official go to person to accept packages since I am at home most days. I’m okay with this. I am also the official chicken babysitter when the people across the street vacation. Free eggs for the family while they are gone!

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  20. I like my alone time also – a day for me. Funny we moved to a huge cement block apartment building and thought oh know cold and lifeless. Ended up meeting people at the bus stop that lived in the building. It was a wonderful place to live as didn’t have to go outside for tea and we became a community. Various ages groups, checking in on each other. Funny how people can connect and we shouldn’t make assumptions. Thanks for the lovely memory prompt.

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