The best neighbors in the world

I haven't waxed nostalgic about our terrific neighbors much. But, I should. I am reminded often at how fortunate we are to have good friends just next door.

Let me explain.

I met Kathleen and her daughter Mary when the girls were just babies, about 1 year old. I had joined Co-op preschool at South Seattle Community College and we hit it off. I didn't last with Co-op for very long, something about me just isn't really very cooperative, I guess. But, Kathleen would come over to my house in W. Seattle every week and we would have a big long play date with the kids. Soon she was pregnant with #2.

I remember the first time I met her husband Casey. He was almost as ornery as my husband Jake and got along famously with very little preliminaries. He left that night with, "I showed up thinking I wouldn't like you people but I was wrong. I do." Now that is honesty.

Time goes on. #2 kid was another girl, Clare. We moved to Vashon and even though it is only a 10 minute ferry ride from W. Seattle, not many friends made the trek. But, they did. They would come out with the kids for a weekend night and hang out. We would have BBQs and laugh and drink a bit too much and talk about them selling their house and moving to Vashon.

Well, they weren't blowing smoke, they did just that. But, wait it gets weirder. At the time, real estate was HOT and they sold their house in 3 days for full price. They frantically looked at everything available on Vashon in their price range, something like 5 houses. I listened to the horror stories of the sliding hillside above the house or the sheer cliff at the edge of the lawn and I opened my mouth with those fateful words.

"You know, our neighbor is selling her house FSBO (for sale by owner). I think she is asking $240K" Well, of course, they checked it out and it was "just right".

It has been interesting. The kids have easy access pals. Which at times can create some little kid drama but most of the times it is just wonderful. I take all the kids to movies and Casey just dropped Molly off from taking them all swimming tonight. Shea is the lone boy of the batch and has a special place in Casey's heart. Summer days are filled with kids running back and forth between the yards and scamming Popsicles off each household. As it should be.

There have been times when I have taken it for granted and have not appreciated it as I should. But, this is a rare and special thing; friends and neighbors. We love you L family and we always will.