topic Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up....................... in Community Chat

Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 17:32:43 GMT

that you remember fondly. When I was in grade school an older couple lived 4 houses up on the opposite side of the street.

Their names were George & Martha, I'm not kidding. They had a beautiful stone house and grew the most georgeous roses in the front yard. Both were white haired and just the nicest people.

We would walk there to look at the roses and if they were on the porch we would sit and visit with them. I was probably in the 8 to 10/11 age range.

They are long gone but I think of them sometimes and like to drive past the house when I visit my sister.

Anyone memorable to you?

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

Lali1 — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 17:35:22 GMT

@CrazyKittyLvr2 wrote:
that you remember fondly. When I was in grade school an older couple lived 4 houses up on the opposite side of the street.

Their names were George & Martha, I'm not kidding. They had a beautiful stone house and grew the most georgeous roses in the front yard. Both were white haired and just the nicest people.

We would walk there to look at the roses and if they were on the porch we would sit and visit with them. I was probably in the 8 to 10/11 age range.

They are long gone but I think of them sometimes and like to drive past the house when I visit my sister.

Anyone memorable to you?

Yes my next door neighbors. They were also a little older couple. Of course when you're a kid older than your parents is really old. They were so good to me and their daughter even named her own daughter after me. I remember snapping green beans at their house and just spending time with them.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

on the bay — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 17:40:23 GMT

So many wonderful neighbors when our kids were growing up.

And ones that are so good now too

Everywhere there were mostly such good memories, though there was the not so good neighbors too but less of those.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

ALRATIBA — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 17:40:50 GMT

Queens, New York ... 1940s/1950s

The one we called "The Witch"! Always complained about the kids playing in the street.

She lived across the street and over one house.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

millieshops — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 17:45:50 GMT

several — One of my favorites had a player piano she encouraged me to stop in and use. We had a piano, but hers was a whole different fascination.

Right next door to her lived a couple whose children were adults already, but they “adopted” a carload of us every year during Little League baseball’s World Series which was still in its original park along the river about 12 miles from home. They always sat on the bleachers- sometimes we did, too, but lots of times we squatted on the dikes that formed one wall of the field.

Thanks for the thread @CrazyKittyLvr2 Fun memories

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

ScrapHappy — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 17:46:43 GMT

Definitely! I grew up on the best street with the greatest neighbors. Lots of kids from all ages to play with. Neighbors would visit on the street just to talk at nights...especially when the power went out. Always a helping hand with snow removal. Back then neighbors would knock on each others door for some sugar because they ran out. When I moved 3000 miles away, one of my neighbors daughters (about 10 years older than me) was visiting their brother who lived in the same state as me (though 7 hours south). She was making a long road trip. When she got to my area, she looked us up in the phone book. There was a message on my machine, said she was looking for me and with my married name now. My Mom was visiting me at the time so we got in the car and went to see her at her hotel, with my then baby daughter. It's been 21 years since I moved off my street and my parents retired. My Mom keeps in touch with most of them. Some have passed. I can still remember my neighbors names...their kids, their grandkids and even who they married. I think of them often, miss them greatly.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

jellyBEAN — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 17:47:32 GMT

Our immediate neighbors next door were an older couple. Mr. Marx grew a lot of nice things in his yard - both red n black raspberries, red currants, strawberries, and he had a grape vine. Always snacked on these little fruits as a kid when we played outside - and he never said anything (cause he must have seen us at some point picking some berries off the plants).

Also in their basement, he collected rocks that he kept under a special light which highlighted all sorts of colors in the rocks - blues, purples and greens. I only remember being down there once or twice, but it was really interesting - they were kept in glass aquariums each with its own light shining down on the pretty layers of color in the rocks.

Cool stuff!!

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 17:55:19 GMT

@millieshops Do you mean the Little League World Series held in a town in central PA?

I know where the stadium is now, although I've never gone to the games, I've driven past it. I don't remember the prior location.

I made the mistake of going through the town during series week forgetting about it. What a zoo it was traffic wise. I did get to see the blimp flying over.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

happycat — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:03:57 GMT

Oh, yes. We had an older widowed lady who lived across the road. She and I would take walks in the summer, it was a dirt road we lived on, with little traffic. She also had a big yard, with huge mimosa trees. She had some grandkids that lived close and we loved to climb those huge mimosa trees, lol. Its a wonder we didn't break our necks, I can still remember that sweet smell.

What an awesome thread, @CrazyKittyLvr2.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

Foxxee — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 19:18:33 GMT

Yes, across the street. I babysat their 4 children for about 7 years just about every Friday and/or Saturday evening, occasionally for the weekend, and more often during the Christmas season.

Their children were so well behaved and polite. Above all, they listened. A joy to be around.

She was movie star beautiful, had the best figure, dressed beautifully, wore gorgeous gowns when they went out.

They were so nice to me, paid me well, and gave me the nicest Christmas presents. I still think about them at times.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:15:25 GMT

@ALRATIBA We only had one that was a pill. Their house was built when I was 11/12 yrs. old.

A couple with one daughter. Since they saw their kid as perfect the Dad watched the rest of us,especially as teenagers. I guess he was trying to catch us misbehaving.

The kicker is, while he was playing Gladys Kravitz with us, his perfect child got pregnant and had a son when she was a senior in HS.

Guess he should have watched his own house.

All the rest of the neighbors were nice.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

Biftu — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:17:45 GMT

To this day I remember our neighbors Helen and Joe. Whenever I would get bored at home I would ask my mother if I could go and watch TV with Helen and Joe. They were an older couple and not having any living grandparents I think I thought of them as just that. They had no children of their own and kind of "adopted" me. Smiles would light up their faces whoever I was around. I still have pictues of me as a little girl watching TV with them.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

sunshine45 — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:23:17 GMT

yes, and my mom still lives in the same home and about half of the neighbors are still there and we still see them. the turnover in the neighborhood only usually happens when a person dies OR is forced to move into an assisted living facility.

how much fun we had playing in everyones yards (even when they were away), running in the street, playing board games in everyones homes, and having neighbors you could count on to be there if you needed anything.....or even if you didnt need anything.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

Nightowlz — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 20:23:20 GMT

Dad was military so we always lived on base. This is the first place I ever lived not on base.

We knew all our neighbors.

When we lived on Harmon AFB when I was in kindergarten in Newfoundland I would go next door to ask for cookies. LOL!!! The boy that lived there ended up in the town I live in now. I knew his wife so we figured all that out.

I miss all my friends from Randolph AFB.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

LindaSal — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:31:42 GMT

When I was middle school aged we lived in a great neighborhood. There was a nice woman and her son that lived next door to us. She was a single mom (which was unusual back then) and she was the sweetest person. She worked full time so over the years her son spent lots of time with us and became part of our family. He was the same age as my younger sister so they were always together. I remember when he got married, he mentioned us at his wedding as his "other" family. We all cried.

Nice memories, everyone was fun on that street......except for one nosey neighbor who gossiped about everyone. But I guess there is always one in the crowd. LOL

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

Twins Mom — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:43:43 GMT

Oh yes, such great memories! Several sets of wonderful neighbors. One neighbor was a great seamstress and my mom sewed as well. One Christmas I received a doll bed with beautiful bedding and lovely doll dresses, sewn by both mom and neighbor. I still have them 60 years later.

Neighborhood games with kids were common as was borrowing a bit of this or that.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

JYWilliams — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:44:07 GMT

Yes, This lady name ILene. She lived across the street. Her husband was a food delivery driver so she was at home during the day alone. I would go over and sit in her swing with her and we would just talk. Or we would tend to her garden and snap green beans. It was fun and we enjoyed each other company. I always enjoyed spending time with older people. Listening to their stories and all.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

CANDLEQUEEN — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:45:12 GMT

Yes, our next door neighbors! We are still very close to them to this day! I was 6 when they moved in and my sister was 3, and she is best friends with one of the girls to this day! we lived in one of those great neighborhoods where all the kids played together and the parents all spoke and talked out in the yard.....

I only wish neighborhoods were more like that now......If kids got into a spat, the parents didn't get involved, the kids worked it out themselves. we all played kick the can, and ding dong ditch, and hopscotch and roller skating-so much fun! I have such fond memories of my childhood!

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

deepwaterdotter — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:48:02 GMT

Well, the boy across the street gave me my first kiss, so yeah, he is memorable.

Re: Were There Neighbors Growing Up.......................

CrazyKittyLvr2 — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 18:57:27 GMT

My parents were friends with the couple across the street. They had a son & a daughter.

For years every election day Mom and Dad went with Carl and Betty to vote and then to breakfast. Never missed one.

Betty had died and the 3 carried the tradition on. The 1st election after Dad died Mom called in a tizzy because Carl asked about going to vote and breakfast.

My response was,"oh for Pete's sake, you 2 went to grade school together (they were in their 70s) it is just voting and breakfast, he doesn't want to take you to the No Tell Motel, just go." She did.