Among Friends

[Zhills]

@rms1954   Do you live near me?  No snow, but NO HELP with anything...even when you ask!!!!!!!

[KathyM23]

My DH shovels the front walks and snowblows the driveways at our house and our two neighbors houses.  He is 82.  He also cleans their gutters of leaves.

By the same token, he has friends who have come and done the same for us and taken care of our lawn and watering when DH was recovering from surgery.

[phoenixbrd]

If I'm able (husband also), we don't mind helping a fellow citizen.  As far as others helping me, I just don't think about it.  I am very grateful when unexpected kindness is offered.

[Carmie]

My neighborhood is not like that.  The people with snow blowers will help those without.

Last winter my husband cleared out a neighbor's drive way and walk a couple of streets over more than a few times.  This man had been pretty sick for quite a while.

He was unaware that the man had passed weeks before.

This morning, the snow blower couldn't be used.  We got a ton of rain after  snowed and had ice and slush....you had to use a shovel.

[hckynutjohn]

@rms1954 

Raised by a generation that instilled different values. I had only 1 parent and she taught me, at an early age, the right way to live life. That was in that present time,  and in the future.

Why this surprises anyone I have no idea. It started several decades ago and somehow it caught on to be the right way of life. Can't speak for these younger generations, but I learned by "being shown by example". Not the "do as I say not as I do method".

For anyone that has lived a bunch of decades, if certain people didn't see it? Their world of adulthood was a whole lot different than mine.

hckynut 🏒

[haddon9]

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@rms1954 wrote:

When neighbors gave a helping hand to those that need it????  I was out shoveling the driveway (or trying) three times today.  Guy across the street was snow blowing his driveway, guy next door same thing.  I can remember when people would offer their help to those older people struggling.  My father would have told my brother to go do it for a neighbor.  No more.  It's everyone for themselves.  

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@rms1954 Last year my next door neighbor sent over her three boys to shovel our driveway.  I paid them once but she wouldn't let me pay again.  (I gave them an end of season gift card to a local pizza place). 

Her DH purchased a snow blower at the end of the season last year so this year they offered to do the driveway when we get our first significant snowfall.

When my DH got very sick about ten years ago, we had gone to so many doctors and we were afraid of potential medical costs.  As a result DH could not do yard work and we didn't want to spend the money on paying for a service.

One Sunday in August I went out to start some weeding and my neighbors next door, across the street & two doors down all came over to help with trimming trees, the lawn and edging.  I was so grateful and surprised....so yes there are still good and helpful neighbors. 

[Pook]

 These are different times when lives are so hectic most can barely take care of their own.  SO used to do the walkways of a few neighbors if he had time.   It never occurs to us to think neighbors should help us since they are snowblowing their own properties!  I know many do things like that when a neighbor has someone hospitalized or a death in  the family, etc.  We hire a service to do lawn and snow but I usually shovel some before they get to us.  Many that complain that no neighbors offer to help can easily afford to hire a service.  

[judianne]

My husband takes his bobcat and cleans the neighbors driveway and also the fire hydrants in the area !  We had over 18 inches this year so far .

[CalminHeart]

I'm close to 68 and still do my own plowing. I've noticed that it getting a little more difficult. I noticed that when mowing this past summer too. Getting old isn't for sissies.

We received 14" snow this weekend. It was heavy, wet snow. I thought I'd die shoveling the back deck and front steps. My neighbor's son had a friend coming to plow her out and offered to do my driveway and sidewalk. I was so thankful!  I am going to have to find a plowing service next year.

I have a man from the local Catholic Worker House who helps with lawn work. He's done it for my neighbor for 15 years so I know him. I thoroughly enjoy mowing but it's great to have some help.

[AngelPuppy1]

I know!  When DH and I were able, we used to shovel for other people and ones we didn't even know --- just to be helpful!  We saw on the news where there was a highschool football that the coach had organized volunteers of them to go to houses and ask if they were unable to do their shoveling that they would do it for them at no cost.  How wonderful!  Why can't more things like this happen?  DH and I struggle to do ours, but so far, we can manage if we do so slowly in increments.  It's hard!  And people wonder why you don't like winter and snow!  It's a burden when you get older and not healthy.