...also, having witnessed the horrendous behaviour of a neighbour who moved next door to my parents (who'd lived in the same house for about 40 years), and alienated himself from everyone by a variety of means (ended up in the courts, with my parents acting as witnesses for the CPS, and being strung out to dry by nasty neighbour's lawyer, and, subsequently, by the presiding magistrate...a truly awful experience), I know full well the value of having (and of course of being) a good neighbour.
I just knew there would be lots of good people out there!
I hear what you say @KT53 but I reckon it is not that you are 'fortunate' it is those poor souls with difficult neighbours who are unfortunate.
Maybe 'thankful' would be more appropriate than 'fortunate'. We were in our previous house for 5 1/2 years and hardly ever saw our neighbours there, let alone spoke to them.
When we lived in a suburban setting in York we were blessed with the nicest neighbours. Probably helped that it was a new development so everybody was a newcomer and everybody had a similar sort of professional background. A real community was quickly formed. 25 years after moving away I am still friends with our immediate neighbour.
At our last house we were one of 5 barn conversions. We got on really well with 4 of the houses and enjoyed many social events / helping one another out etc etc. We are still friends with them. Unfortunately, our immediate neighbours didn't really fit in and we couldn't get along with them. We especially couldn't cope with some of the antics of their teenage / 20-something sons. After 13 years things started to get more unpleasant so we moved.
We now live in a remote village with no facilities beyond a village hall. Despite this, it's a very active community and everyone is friendly. We have an excellent Jungle Drums village email system and no call for help is left unanswered. A neighbour on one side is a little irritating - but I wouldn't want to fall out about it - and he probably says the same about me!
Overall we've been lucky with our neighbours. I have, however, found that shared accesses, driveways, rights of way and attached properties are problems waiting to happen!
Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
We did have a nice neighbour many years ago, in fact am still friends with her. We had same age kids,shared the child care.First house I bought with my second Husband, the neighbours either side of us were at war, both telling me to watch out for the other. Both turned out to be hell for one reason or another.We have had the dogs barking night and day,kids climbing into our garden causing damage,smashing geenhouse,noisy parties, these were professional people in their 50's. When I came to our (probably) last move, I said it was detached, we are but only by about 10 feet, did it solve problems nope. One side, we are friends, go out together, I have friends further up the road, one side, you have heard it all on here, and it still goes on. If I could afford it, I would live miles from anyone. We have gritted our teeth, got on with it, there is no choice. My best friends sister lives in London, I have seen pictures of HER neighbors garden, its like Steptoes Yard, plus huge weeds.
With increasing age, my anti-social tendencies grow stronger. Given the choice, I'd increase the distance between our house and neighbours dramatically. However, finances dictate!
On this subject, I understand that I'm ok pruning any growth from neighbouring properties that crosses the 'border'. What rules govern painting a shared boundary? If the dividing fence/wall is 'theirs', can I paint my side?
Opposite are lovely but elderly with some health problems ... we keep an eye out for them as they have kept an eye out for others in the past. Downhill from us is now empty ... our neighbour passed away 18 months ago and what with Covid etc his daughters who live away just haven't got around to titivating and selling it. We're keeping our fingers crossed that when they do the replacements will be just as affable as the elderly gentleman whose place they'll be taking. Uphill from us are a lovely couple who water our plants when we're away and try fairly effectively to keep their cats on their own property ... we chat for a few minutes when we meet out the front, but don't impinge on each other's time. We try to be the sort of neighbours we'd like to live next door to.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
You'll do ... but you'll have to be a @Biglad to ask questions over the fence ... the gardens are terraced so the lawn in yours will be about 8' below the top of the fence between us ... you'll have to pop around the front and through the side gate and hammer on the studio window 🤣
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
Maybe 'thankful' would be more appropriate than 'fortunate'. We were in our previous house for 5 1/2 years and hardly ever saw our neighbours there, let alone spoke to them.
At our last house we were one of 5 barn conversions. We got on really well with 4 of the houses and enjoyed many social events / helping one another out etc etc. We are still friends with them. Unfortunately, our immediate neighbours didn't really fit in and we couldn't get along with them. We especially couldn't cope with some of the antics of their teenage / 20-something sons. After 13 years things started to get more unpleasant so we moved.
We now live in a remote village with no facilities beyond a village hall. Despite this, it's a very active community and everyone is friendly. We have an excellent Jungle Drums village email system and no call for help is left unanswered. A neighbour on one side is a little irritating - but I wouldn't want to fall out about it - and he probably says the same about me!
Overall we've been lucky with our neighbours. I have, however, found that shared accesses, driveways, rights of way and attached properties are problems waiting to happen!
On this subject, I understand that I'm ok pruning any growth from neighbouring properties that crosses the 'border'. What rules govern painting a shared boundary? If the dividing fence/wall is 'theirs', can I paint my side?
Downhill from us is now empty ... our neighbour passed away 18 months ago and what with Covid etc his daughters who live away just haven't got around to titivating and selling it. We're keeping our fingers crossed that when they do the replacements will be just as affable as the elderly gentleman whose place they'll be taking.
Uphill from us are a lovely couple who water our plants when we're away and try fairly effectively to keep their cats on their own property ... we chat for a few minutes when we meet out the front, but don't impinge on each other's time.
We try to be the sort of neighbours we'd like to live next door to.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
No pets, no kids, no parties, non-smokers, keep ourselves to ourselves - do we pass muster?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.