The New Hood

Day One:

We didn't see any neighbors out and about at all today, but I'm really excited to meet them.  I mean, we're in a real neighborhood.  There will probably be block parties and kids getting their ball stuck in our backyard and everything!

Day Three:

No one has come to welcome us into the neighborhood yet.  It kind of fractures my image of the American suburbs, but I guess I could be jumping the gun.  Maybe they’re waiting for the wall of cardboard boxes to subside from the windows—a sign that we are less hectic with unpacking.  Considerate of them, really.

Day Five:

Maybe this house is haunted, and no one dares to brave the property to warn the unsuspecting newcomers.  I haven't seen anyone anywhere near our street.

But maybe so many people have come and gone from this property {it’s been a rental for a long time, I think} that it’s not worth developing a relationship when they’re likely to disappear in a relatively short matter of itme. 

Meh...I'd rather this house not be haunted, thanks.

Day Seven:

I spotted a neighbor for the first time.  He was in his front yard on a ladder taking down the icicle Christmas lights from his rooftop.  I was kind of relieved to see him out there.  For a little while I thought we’d moved into Stepherd or something… perfectly quiet, no faces in the windows or kids in the driveways. 

He was proof that we weren’t the only living souls around.  I was relieved for another reason, too.  His Christmas decorations were awesome {giant inflatable Santas and such} but tiny high-pitched Christmas tunes played continuously from somewhere in their yard.  I, um, probably won't miss that too much.  Every time I went outside I had to resist the urge to barrel through his yard, locate the source of the music, and rip the thing apart.

Luckily, I have great self-control.  Not sure that would be a good way to make friends.  And oh, I’m stoked to make some friends here.

So I tried to make eye contact with Mr. Christmasmusicman when he climbed down from his roof.  I was sitting at our table eating breakfast and we don’t have any blinds on our windows so… well, I was pretty hard to miss.  The houses are so close together he was practically standing at our front door. 

I thought maybe he’d wave?  Smile?  Nod?  Grimace?  Come on, something!  Did you miss the trailer  stuffed with furniture and boxes?  You have new neighbors!  Acknowledge us! 

But he avoided me and my creepy attempt to catch his eye.  An hour later I walked into the kitchen and noticed his son out there pulling anchored decorations out of the ground.  So they have a teenager.  That’s cool.  He wasn’t any more eager than his father to bring over some baked goods or anything, but if I keep this up I think I’ll get to know them pretty well.  I’ll just keep slinking around and staring out our windows.  Totally normal.

Day Nine:

I got up early and went for a run.  It’s still night dark at six a.m., but it’s not so cold that you can see your breath fog out in front of you.  Love Arizona. 

Once I was outside I wished I had some headphones.  The stillness of the neighborhood is really eerie.  You’d think you’d at least see shadows in the windows or something, people moving around inside.

In those thirty minutes a few cars pulled out of garages, which made me feel a little better, but I still didn’t see any actual people.  Where is everyone?!

Next time I’m going to see if Roy will go out with me. 

Day Eleven:

On tonight’s late run I saw a lanky shadow slip out onto the sidewalk.  It scared me so bad I almost tripped!  I’ve never seen anything bigger than a cat moving on these streets!

It was a neighbor walking out to his car.  Just a faceless silhouette in the dark, but at least it was a live neighbor.

Day Thirteen:

Our doorbell rang!  We had our first neighbor come and visit, a friend of the Buckmasters who happens to live a street away.  He assured us that there are nice people living all around us.

Hmmm... I'll be the judge of that.

Day Sixteen:

An adorable seven-year-old girl scout showed up on our doorstep in uniform with a wagon full of cookies.  Sure, she was after our money, but at least she included us in the neighborhood.  Ah, those mint cookies really made me feel like part of the community.  

Day Nineteen:

-I'm on a soccer team with a bunch of adults in the community!  

-Roy and I hung out with my cousin and her family that lives just a few street away!  

-I have a workout buddy at the gym who is an exercise science grad!  

-I met the other girls that I'm running the Ragnar relay race with and they all live within running distance!  

-It's getting warmer and kids are riding bikes on our street!

When Roy was outside pulling weeds (we got a warning!  oops!) two different neighbors stopped by to welcome him to the hood.  So sure we didn't get any cookies we didn't pay for, but I'm thinking I'll like this neighborhood.  I think we just scared everyone into hiding at our abrupt entrance with 30 people helping us move.  Slowly, the neighborhood is coming back to life.  I'm stoked to be a part of it!