Good Neighbors

Saturday afternoon I was attempting to turn leaves into mulch with the lawn mower when my next door neighbor and his son came walking down the drive with a ladder. John said, "Hi Joyce, we've come to clean your gutters." He and his son walked past me and set to work. Before they were finished, John's son-in-law was also in on the act. They cleaned out the gutters and even took a leaf blower up to the roof and removed fallen leaves that would have surely reclogged the gutters later. The cottage is small and the roof isn't steep, so it only took them a short while.

It wasn't a big job for three men in good health. I cannot express my thanks to them enough. It would have been a big and scary job for me. I doubt very much I would have even attempted it; a) I am afraid of heights, b) Jim wouldn't have let me, and c) my children would have been furious at me if they found out I got up there, especially my oldest son (he has forbidden me to get on the roof).

Over the years I have been blessed with good neighbors. Nine years ago, another neighbor, upon learning Jim had had major back surgery, started mowing our lawn whenever he mowed his own. He would take no payment. He passed away suddenly from a heart attack one winter. The next spring I was shocked to hear his mower in my back yard. I looked and saw his son, mowing our yard. When I asked why, he told me his mom had told him his dad would have wanted him to do it. He has since gone off on his own, and I cut the portion of their yard adjacent to mine when I mow. It just feels right.

When Jim had 3 amputations within as many months last year, these wonderful neighbors were here to help out by checking on him while I was at work. They brought him meals, walked our dog, and kept me informed on his condition on days I had to work but was worried about leaving him. Two families came and made sure he was ok and had candles and flashlights when there was a power outage during my absence.

They did all these things without my ever asking. They just came and helped. I love Shady Hollow; but part of that love is for the wonderful people who live next to me. We are indeed blessed by the Gods to be here, in this place, surrounded by these people.