Everybody needs good neighbours.

This is a post that’s been on my mind for a long time, so what better time to share than on the 10th of the month. So I give you

10 reasons we have the best neighbours in town.

1. They help with the kids. From occasional babysitting, to putting on a movie for them so Hubs and I can enjoy dinner and wine and catching up, to so much in between. Oh, and they also actually like our kids which is always a bonus! But I mean, why wouldn’t they!? They’re awesome!

2. They come to our BBQs. No matter how late notice we give, if they are free, they are there.

3. They opened their house to my parents. We have a couple who live across the road and a few houses down who are my parents age, and when I asked if my parents could stay at their house while visiting us (our house is tiny) they were more than happy to take them in. And of course they all got on beautifully.

4. They opened their house to us. All five of us. When we needed to be out of our house for two weeks at the start of this renovating business, these same neighbours welcomed us with open arms, and have since told us how much they miss having us around. They loved having the kids running around (they have grandchildren around the same ages who live in the US) and the kids loved having sleepovers at their house.

5. We regularly have “combined dinners” with our across the road neighbours. Usually on a Tuesday or Wednesday, and most Friday nights, we will be at either their house or ours, enjoying a combined feast. Last night it was spag bol. And I didn’t have to cook 🙂

6. I know they will say no if they can’t help. Do you know what’s even better than people always saying yes to favours? People who will say no if they can’t help out. I will always remember, in the early days of our friendship with TomBec & Ben, I asked Bec if she could mind Darby for me for an hour and she said “I can’t this time but please ask me again next time.” That always gave me confidence to ask again, knowing that if they said yes, they meant yes. I’m finding that friends who can say no to me are more and more valuable as the years go by.

7. We share stuff. Whether it’s eggs, wine, tools or car spaces. And once this deck is complete, we shall be sharing that as well. A lot. And we certainly benefit from their fresh produce, including herbs, cherry tomatoes, spring onions and bananas, to name a few.

8. They are all just damn good company. Even after seeing them daily for the last nearly-two years, we are always keen for the next gathering. It’s easy and nice and it’s wonderful to live in such a great community.

9. They look out for our house. Even when the resident busy-body drives me crazy with his nosiness, I appreciate that people are looking out for us and our house. That is good to know, especially this year when we’ve gone away a fair bit.

10. They put our bins out when we go away. Enough said.