It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Neighborhoods are funny things. They are where you live but they also have a life of their own. Neighborhoods have schedules to keep and an appearances to make. But the neighbors themselves also leave an impression on us. My next door neighbor to the right runs a day care. Since my kids were never in day care they believed she had 20 kids. They wanted me to go next door and get them another brother because " Miss Kelly has extra." When my oldest started school he saw kids going to a "special" area of school to play after school got out. He was mad at me for not letting him stay and play with the other kids. I tried to again explain daycare to him but he was convinced I was just being mean.

My next door neighbor on the right is a divorced man. He was divorced before we moved in 13 years ago and long before my oldest was born.  My sons often tell me they want to be like Mr. Tom cause he doesn't have anyone to tell him what to do and he has a cool car. When I ask if they ever want to be married and have kids they tell me no.  I am not sure if that is a result of Mr. Tom's cool car or the age...either way Mr Tom is the "cool" guy cause he gets to do whatever he wants according to the kids.

Two doors down is a little boy my youngest son's age. He goes to daycare in the summer when he is not with his father so my youngest is forever asking when his friend will be home so they can play. Problem is he gets home at dinner time and during the school year that leaves little time to play. The only other little boy in the neighbor hood is 5 a whole 4 years younger then my youngest. That little boy LOVES my boys but of course they think he is a pest. I try to remind them that they were pests once too but to no avail. This little boys mom, Miss Melanie, loves them and they love her. How she can continue to love my boys when they are forever trying to ditch her kid I will never understand. She is a better woman than me.

Across from Miss Melanie live Mr Gary and Miss Claire. They think my girlfriend Gary is their friend and often go over and play with his dog or ask to feed the tortoise. They refer to him as Mr. Gary. Mr Gary has all kinds of neat tools and cool stuff to tell me about when they wander home. Mr Gary raised two boys who are now in their late 20's. He understands their curiosity but doesn't always have the patience for them. He is a much better girlfriend. He shops with me and we do lunch while our respective spouses are at work.  I try to keep the boys from bugging him too much.   He is a retired crime scene investigator and I am afraid of the things he could teach them. I have seen some of the pictures he took in the course of his life and they are pretty creepy. He has one of the scariest houses on the block come Halloween.

But all in all we have a great neighborhood and I think that it has been a good place to raise my kids. When we did the Mentos in the 7up experiment, the boys knocked on doors and all of these wonderful people came out to watch my kids create an explosion.  My neighbors continue to answer the door even when my kids are selling something for school and never make a mean comment when they catch me in my pj's at 11am. This is a GREAT neighborhood.