DocAndersen
We often had events around the holidays with our neighbors (next door). We loved hanging out with them; Their big event was an annual Halloween party. We usually hosted a couple of swim parties a year. A few times we also got together a couple of times between Christmas and New Years. Such an event is what I captured with the photos shared today. Our neighbors were about the same age as we were, but their kids were older than ours. Their oldest was engaged at the time of this event. It wasn’t a marriage that was to last, they were divorced in three years, but at that time they were happily engaged and preparing for a life together.
The reality of marriage is that it is work. That evening we played a couple of games with the adults, the kids all went upstairs to play video games. Back then we only had two game areas in the house. Funny how that has changed. Now there are seven distinct game areas depending on the game system you are interested in playing. Then we only had two, the twins room and the living room, So with the adults using the living room for conversation and the game of Mafia we were playing, the kids went upstairs. We would later add more capabilities in the basement, including a computer gaming system and later a Xbox, but at that time we had not done that yet.
It, hanging out with our neighbors, was one of the things we enjoyed. It was nice to have really good neighbors. Some of the people in the neighborhood were not as nice, nor did they believe in managing their children. But the people on our cul-du-sac looked out for each other and made sure everyone in our section of the neighborhood was ok. That is what neighbors do. Over the years lots changed in our little Cul-Du-Sac. First, the neighbors in these pictures moved. That was hard for us, while the twins got a new friend when a young man around their age moved in, we, my wife and I, lost easy access to our good friends. Then the wife of the neighbor on the other side died, and finally, we moved away.
I guess sometimes recollection can be sad!
As we always say, change always happens, so does our neighbors, as well as ourselves. But having and building a good relationship with a neighbor is always important.
It is, they were great neighbors. We are still connected via email, although they are still in Indiana so we don’t see them anymore.
I have no doubt that you are a very easy person to build a friendship, Doc.
Good neighbors are the best. Hard to get sometimes.
We’ve had horrible neighbors as well over the years. We have great ones again in Maryland now, but not when we first moved to the other house we were in.