It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

In the wise words of Mr. Rogers--

"It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood,

A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?...

It's a neighborly day in this beauty wood,
A neighborly day for a beauty.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?...

I've always wanted to have a neighbor just like you.
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.

So, let's make the most of this beautiful day.
Since we're together we might as well say:
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?
Won't you please,
Won't you please?
Please won't you be my neighbor?"

You’d think I’d fallen off the blogging horse but we moved. That’s a legit excuse for taking a month off in my book. I guess the best way to get back into it would be to tell the story of the day (today) I met my next door neighbor and learned that she hates us.

Aren’t you so excited to hear this story?! Well let me set the scene for you a bit. We’ve now lived here for 24 days. I watch two extra kids 3 or 4 days a week. The weather is perfect and sunny so they’re all outside a lot, most of the time in our fenced back yard. Oh, and we have thin old windows which offer the neighbors on every single side of us a little peak into our daily chaotic and loud voice lifestyle.

The lady next door was out front talking to a guy working on her roof today. Last week Jack threw Cooper’s shirt over the fence into her back yard. I went out to introduce ourselves and apologize ahead of time for all the noise we brought with us to this very desirable and quiet neighborhood. I can’t transcribe the conversation in its entirety but here are a few golden lines from the woman next door:

(about the t-shirt) “Oh yeah, along with a bunch of rocks and apple cores your kids have thrown over the fence too.”

“I wrote you a long letter already but haven’t had the chance to meet you and hand deliver it. I wrote the letter so I wouldn’t come off so bluntly. But there you go!”

“I moved here because it was so quiet and you guys have totally ruined that!!! (while laughing)”

“A few of the neighbors have called me to ask if I like the preschool that moved in next door.”

She went on and on and also told me she’s an insomniac and she sleeps until ten in the morning because she goes to bed so late. I really didn’t know what to say other than, “So I should get you a sleep mask and some earplugs for Christmas then?!”

In all fairness she was laughing the whole time. She met the kids and said they were really cute and she feels buttered up already. And she came to apologize about 30 minutes later for being so rude and unwelcoming. She showed me what the different trees and bushes were out in the back. We have a fig tree, two plum bushes, grapes and a meyer lemon bush.

And also, for the record, I made it clear to her that we’re good people who take care of our things, who are raising our children right and have an outstanding record of being good neighbors. I jokingly asked if she’d like a list of references.