Anyone got a great neighbor?

[kozmic]

My neighbor (across the road) and his wife are a bit older and retired but still quite active. She still volunteers at an elderly home. He is a "perpetual putterer" and is always tinkering with something.

I had some surgery a couple years back and he mowed my land next to his house across our road and a particularly sloped section in front of my house that is too tricky for my kids to mow on my tractor while I recuperated. He still does when it looks a little "wooly". He recently tore down my weedwacker and repaired some damage cause by the ethanal gas additive. .

Last fall he had a knee replacement. My son and I took care of his yard mowing and "vacuuming" his leaves. While he was in the hospital we had a wind serious storm. A red pine fell on his garage. We cleaned that up and fell a couple of other leaner trees that were in danger of falling towards his house.

They have "adopted" my youngest and routinely enlist him to do their "heavy lifting" and to take care of their house/cat when they go away. He won't accept any money but he gets well compensated in cookies, pies and 12ga. target reloads. I laughed when I found out last night that the wife and my son always text back and forth.

He introduced my son to a buddy of his. This guy gave my son a part time job. The three of them shoot trap and pistols all the time. They have helped to instill and reinforce a strong work ethic and conservative values in him and it shows. They are both Viet Nam vets and share stories with my boy. He loves it all.

We get together for dinner out every couple of months. Last night was one of those nights. The 5 of us (my kid usually joins us) had dinner at a little bistro complete with a talented guy on an acoustic guitar in the back ground. As usual, we had a great time. The girls talked about whatever it is that girls talk about while we men solved the world's problems. I gladly picked up the tab and he got up and gave the guitar player what I can only assume was a very healthy tip.

That sort of cooperation, friendship and socializing have gone on since we moved in over 20 years ago. They do for us and we do for them. We think alike, conduct our lives alike and are always on the same page. Nothing needs to be said or asked for, it just happens.

My other neighbors are nice and everyone gets along well. Because we live on a private road we share snow plowing and road maintenance costs and labor. But we don't have near the relationship with them as we do with the couple across the street.

Anyone else have neighbors that are "just those kinda folks"?

 

[puckforbrains]

There are few things better than a good neighbor,and few things worse than a bad one.

 

[feralmerril]

Tony across the street is a college professer. My wife theresa is laid up with a very invasive foot operation for over a week now. She will be laid up for several months. Tony organised several neighbors to bring over dinner for awhile. They also offer any other help. We have good neighbors and only a few times in my life of many moves many years ago have I had a few that werent so good. Mike next door is a computer geek and has helped the wife many times. Another mike across the street is also great, a mechanic. Old larry next door the other side was pulling some of our dandilines the other day. We are "gentiles" in mormon country and they are good people.

 

[jlrhiner]

No, but my neighbor does.

 

[lawandorder]

Faulkner here on the Forum sounds like the kinda of Neighbor folks need to have.

 

[mkk41]

Some retired neighbors are so nosy as to be a blessing and a curse. They're better than 24-7 and 360 degree cameras.

Good thing is they watch and report to me how many birds and squirrels drop by.

Bad thing is they have to tell me each and every day.

 

[feralmerril]

My friend mike the computer geek next door that I spoke of owns the most popular alarm company in our area. He has cameras that scope between us and in front of us. I am pretty lucky.

 

[kamloops67]

we have an old retired guy that lives a couple doors down from us ,great guy. he walks alot to help his ticker and is often picking up litter ,or scowling at the people who drive too fast on our street(i got one of those scowls once -worse than a speeding ticket, and i dont think i was even speeding) he raises a fertile garden in his backyard and shares with the whole neighborhood asparagus, peaches, tomatoes sometimes we just find them in a bag hanging on the doorknob .
we live in a nice quiet neighborhood (usually) and while there is an issue with "the homeless" in the city center they rarely wander as far as our place . one day a guy was standing at the corner in front of my house for a while ,i thought he was waiting for someone and paid him little mind. after an hour or so he was still there, but was sitting down on the grassy right of way. a little while later he was asleep . my wife and i were sitting on our front porch looking on as ol' george steps up to the guy and starts in with constant barrage of hey you ok ?hey you sleepin? why are you sleeping here ? dont you have a bed? where do you live? why are you here? george is italian by way of venezuela, be talks with a gravelly voice and a thick accent hes also pretty insistant. he had joanne and i in stitches, the way he handled the guy.the vagrant just sorta got up and left never seen him since .

 

[feralmerril]

Back in california about 35 years ago I had a no good crook neighbor across the street. I had several difficultys with him. The last I had seen him was when he was drunk and dumb enough to try and rob a drive through credit union with a note! Maybe 15 years later a GF and I went to laughlin on a gambling trip. It was super hot and I was driveing through a crowded parking building at the nugget, got to the top and spotted a empty spot. I had a good sized PU and my view was blocked straight down as I started to pull into it. My GF yelled stop! There is a body laying there! I got out and checked things out around me with my hand in my pocket with my snub thinking he must have got rolled or whatever. I went to the body to check it out as a old guard ex cop type also walked up. Together we started to check him out. No blood, dirty with a beard. I thought I seen his stomach move just slightly so tapped him. He got up, rubbed his eyes and said I just had to lay down (in a grease spot) I drove in from palmdale. (My old town). Then I reconised him, larry my old crook neighbor! He didnt reconise me and I darn sure wasnt going to say I reconised him! I could have run him over! He probley could have woke up unhurt and probley would have tried to sue me! Palmdale was about 275 miles away. How`s that for a coincidence?

 

[timn8er]

I am blessed with some of the best neighbors you could ask for! When I was in the hospital for a long time a couple of years ago, they were aware that my Dad couldn't be there too much because he lives in Texas & my Mom's health prohibited him from being gone too long. So my neighbors took over for him. Not only did they visit me in the hospital, they brought me t-shirts to wear for my physical therapy & most importantly, Tabasco to put on the hospital food. On more than one occasion they brought me outside food & just did a lot of stuff to make my hospital stay bearable. And it didn't end there. When I was home & my Dad had returned to Texas they continued to look after me, always checking up on me. They are some of the best people in the world as far as I'm concerned!

 

[Wyatt Burp]

My nrighbor still pays a security company to sit in front of his place for three hours at a time, about four days a week, at $50 an hour to keep US from sneaking into his house to implant brain scanners in his walls. About three times a week at around 4:00 AM I wake to hear him screaming out our address and telling us to turn off "The Machine". The cops and security guys say he tells them we are shooting brain scanner waves through his walls. So, he's an OK neighbor, compared to living next to Jeffrey Dahmer, that is.

 

[kamloops67]

My nrighbor still pays a security company to sit in front of his place for three hours at a time, about four days a week, at $50 an hour to keep US from sneaking into his house to implant brain scanners in his walls. About three times a week at around 4:00 AM I wake to hear him screaming out our address and telling us to turn off "The Machine". The cops and security guys say he tells them we are shooting brain scanner waves through his walls. So, he's an OK neighbor, compared to living next to Jeffrey Dahmer, that is.

why dont you just turn off the scanners?

 

[feralmerril]

Wyatt, I need extra retirement money. How about I come and get ahold of your neighbor and contract to guard his place for $40s a hour. I will let him see me a few times, you get a old gray uniform, a fake beard or whatever it takes, and I will split with you. Your next door anyway and we both can use the $240s a week apiece! How long do you think his money might hold out? You will have to pull something ever once in awhile to keep him in the game though.

 

[Brian41]

I'm in the country and have few neighbors. Aunt Bert has the farm across the road. She's a good gal and raises money and sends goodwill packages to our troops overseas.
Scott next door rebuilds old 60's cars like SS Chevelles and Novas. He always has a beer to share when I wander over to his pole barn to check on his latest project.
My other neighbor keeps to himself but is a nice guy and we've spoken a few times.
I used to live in a sub and had the neighbors from hell there too. Having good ones now is certainly a blessing.

 

[Faulkner]

My nrighbor still pays a security company to sit in front of his place for three hours at a time, about four days a week, at $50 an hour to keep US from sneaking into his house to implant brain scanners in his walls. About three times a week at around 4:00 AM I wake to hear him screaming out our address and telling us to turn off "The Machine". The cops and security guys say he tells them we are shooting brain scanner waves through his walls. So, he's an OK neighbor, compared to living next to Jeffrey Dahmer, that is.

I've got two obsolete Dish Network dishes just hanging in my barn gathering dust that I won't throw away because I might need them for something someday. Sounds like you could use them them to set up a dual parabolic multi frequency shifting and scanning transmitter to aim at your neighbors house. I could even paint a yellow happy face on each dish.

 

[ordy]

I have two great neighbors...they mind their own business. We are all friendly and help each other out if needed. The lady across the street is a different matter. Every time a car door slams, her curtains move.

 

[Hillbilly77]

The nieghbor on one side (about 200 yards away) is an older late 60's / early 70's man that lives alone, makes very little noise and keeps to himself. He has never complained about my constant shooting, fires in the backyard fireplace, etc. so I assume we don't bother him either.

On the other side (also 200 yards away) the neighbors are relations on my wife's side. Their house is their weekend summer home. They are there weekends from May through October, and when they are there, we all get along great. They trust us as caretakers of the place in their absence.

They also own roughly 100-ish acres that I have permission to hunt on (and I've taken several deer off their property).

It doesn't get much better than that.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I have to reply about my recently deceased former neighbor nicknamed "The Skink". He was a LURP and Medivac Huey pilot in Vietnam. He never spoke about it to me. Story is that when he re-enlisted for his fourth tour his CO sent him home saying Bob we need people who are are a little crazy, not insane, thanks and go home. He worked in my office and also lived across the street. A lot of people thought that he was difficult to get along with, but he was a great neighbor, if your tree fell, he was there with his chainsaw cutting it up. If your driveway got a large crack, he was over reworking the driveway foundation and repairing the cement. If you were out of town and your grass grew high, you would come home and know Bob had cut it. He was always good for a meal and a few drinks and discussions of everything (except Vietnam). I moved to Texas shortly after he moved to India and then he and his wife back to Florida. I had a few emails since and then recently learned that he had died of cancer - he was a dedicated smoker and a one of a kind good guy. Thanks, Skink!

 

[rburg]

I had a great neighbor for the last 8 years next door. The house was vacant. Now we've got 2 guys who I think are in love. Yuck. But so far they haven't caused me enough grief to get them tossed out. They're not there legally because the house is condemned.

2 houses down is the best neighbor I've ever had. A really good guy. He went through a string of GFs, all nice eye candy. Then he met his wife, who I approved of. For their wedding present I gave them a Randall carving set. Shows how much I like them. When he's traveling, I cut his grass and so does the guy on the other side. That's a great neighbor, too. Both always have an extra beer on hand. My brand, too!

Nothin' across the road but fishes. Its a big river. Those are good neighbors. West of me is a side street, then a cliff (going up). The rocks make good neighbors. They're flat so they don't roll. Up on top of that hill are some crazy people. They're at war with each other. 2nd house that way have called the cops over 120 times in the last couple of years. Never once have they arrested the guy right at the top of the cliff. But they got arrested once (out of 120) for their efforts. It was because the cops wouldn't come so the fat chick punched the guy. Not good neighbors, but amusing.

Down the side street we had some idiots. One year they started setting off fireworks about 7:00 AM on the 4th of July. All day. Morning, noon, afternoon, evening and night. OK, so I had a bellyfull by about 1:00 AM on the 5th. I called the non-emergency number and asked the dispatcher if they would do something about it or if they preferred that I do. She said I'm about the 10th caller who said about the same thing. A couple of days later I was talking to a local cop and asked about it. He said a couple of cars converged at the same time. They were drunk and still setting things off. They told them if they hear even one more firecracker, everyone in the house goes to jail. No questions asked. The next day I walked down the street to view the problem. Fireworks debris knee deep outside the house. They weren't "good neighbors."

I guess I'm a good neighbor. At least I've never kilt any of the folks that are so deserving of it. When it snows I get out the snow blower and go to work. Down the side road 3 full houses. Thats because the girl in that house was one of those cute little blonds. Just great. The first 2 houses benefited from her living there. Then I head down the road toward town. I clear the sidewalks all the way down to the church (but I don't do theirs). I stop at the widow woman's house. She and her husband were always real nice. He died but I like doing nice things for nice people. I make quick work of her drive, too. Then back up the road. I do the drive and sidwalks from the 3rd house (Charlie's). Then the 2nd house gets the good treatment. For a while, like back before 2005, I'd shut the thing down and drag, carry it over the place next to me. I hated that child molester. Shoulda kilt him. Even the local cops suggested it would have been a public service. He went away in 2005 - state sponsored vacation.

And on garbage day I haul in my trash can, then walk down 2 houses, then on down to the widow womans. Its what makes living in an older part of town nice. You know everyone, good or bad. The good ones get taken care of.

 

[vigil617]

I had a great couple living next door during my first marriage. Both of 'em good as gold. He hunted and fished and drank beer and lied and told great bawdy jokes and we got along great. She was gorgeous, down to earth, funny, and a great girl. They had a son about my daughter's age, and both were born while my neighbors lived next door. Lots of good, good memories of both of them.

When the ex and I split up, she got the house and the neighbors. I didn't want the ex or the house but sure would've liked to have kept the neigbors....

 

[lonejacklarry]

My favorite neighbors live up the road--400 yards or better (that makes good neighbors). Anyhow both are Air Force pilots, ride dirt bikes, and drink tequila. And she's prettier than he is!

 

[jgh4445]

Yep, Ol' Rex. Rex was 89 when he passed 2 weeks ago. Lived across the street. We moved in to this house in 1965. I was 14 then. He was retired. He took up a lot of time with me and I just grew up with Ol' Rex always there. He helped with everything and was a walking encyclopedia. Always had a stub of a cigar in his mouth I never saw one lit. He just chewed them away. Prince of a guy. Grew a garden and kept the neighborhood supplied with corn, potatoes, greens, tomatoes and the like. I was on the road when he passed. I didn't find out until I got home two days after the funeral. He is missed.

 

[gregintenn]

The only neighbor I can see from here is a bit younger than I am. He's a very nice guy, and minds his own business, but will gladly lend a hand if asked. I try very hard to do the same.
His wife gives him trouble, but doesn't bother us, so I try and stay out of it.
His daughter is a sweet and friendly girl.
All and all I couldn't name anyone I'd trade neighbors with.

 

[yaktamer]

Neighbors on either side of us currently reside out of state, show up every couple of months to check on their houses and leave. They're perfect.

 

[anglaispierre]

I have a near neighbor who is 81 years old. He keeps his sheep on my land and comes round to check them. Then he makes me go out to one of the local bars and drink beer. I hate going out drinking, but feel obliged to accompany such an elderly gent. He drives like a hooligan and asks me if I am scared. I tell him my eyes are closed.

With friends like that who needs enemas?

 

[rockyrider]

Good fences make GQQD neighbors. A guy in Rhode Island decides to leave his wife and move in with his new girl friend, NEXT DOOR! The scorned ex-wife buys a Parrot at the local shop and teaches the Parrot to Yell, Fu**ing Wh**e, Fu**ing, Wh**e, day and night. this goes on for a year, true story, finally the ex-wife is dragged into court. The judge finally decides she is in violation of the noise ordinance law and is required to abandon the Parrot.

 

[jaykellogg]

I have several. Last year I had a Baptist Minister. He sold me a 1920 Luger for $600. I sold several of his guns. He invited me to his wedding.

Across the street lives Robert. I am pretty well set for tools, but Robert is in the top ½%. He lent me a concrete saw when I fixed the front porch, house jacks to jack up my house. Porch jacks to jack up the porch roof. About a month ago i asked him to take out a tree, about a 25 foot holly. He pushed it over with his backhoe and picked it up. He lent me a 2 axle trailer and i hauled it to the stump dump. He wanted $25 to cover the cost of fuel and I paid $25 at the stump dump.

In fact, I have had financial dealings with three of my neighbors (not counting the one I rent to.)

It seems to me that to be a neighbor you need to be neighborly. I have mowed my neighbor's lawn (without being asked), helped him build a garage, Blown snow off his driveway, lent tools etc.

 

[RonJ]

I have a neighbor named Josh. He's a young guy, around 35 or so. Several times he has mowed my grass or shoveled my walk without being asked. Helped me jump start my car and carry in some heavy furniture. I do like the guy but he plays his dang stereo too loud.

 

[wanderlust]

I life in a fairly anonymous place. My apartment building is sort of sketchy -- the guy across the hall is a total tweaker and has confronted me in the foyer of my building numerous times and made me highly uncomfortable. Needless to say, I sleep better at night knowing that I'm only a foot away from a gun.

There was a blizzard here this past winter, though, and two neighbors in particular were quite lovely. One was across the street and let me borrow his shovel to get my buried car out.

The other neighbor lives in the apartment above me and saw me shoveling. He came out of his place, approached me, and said that it was painful for him to watch a little blonde lady struggle to shovel a pretty damned big car out of a snow drift. He pretty much took neighbor #1's shovel from my hand and proceeded to shovel my entire vehicle out and then brush all of the snow off. He also refused my help numerous times. It was really nice. I guess chivalry isn't dead.

It almost makes up for the tweaker across the hall.

 

[BruceB]

My neighbor is a 99 year old lady, and she drives me crazy.

We moved in here last year, tried to make friends with her, things like offering to carry groceries into the house, take the trash cans out to the street on pickup day, things like that. She's so danged independent, she won't take help for anything! Still drives her car to the store, and to get her hair done weekly, works in her flower garden.

Rumor has it she grew up on an island in Alaska, and any young lady growing up in Alaska in the teens has to be pretty self-sufficient. I just wish she would loosen up, I'll bet she has stories to tell!