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Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Neighbourhood Watch

"Hi, you must be my new neighrbour!"

I greeted the stranger as he was locking the front door of the house next to mine. He had been the source of neighrbourhood curiosity, ok maybe not 'the neighrbourhood' but MY curiosity (that counts for a significant 10% curiosity value!) - the african american bloke who comes in every now and then at weekends to the only vacant house left on the street.

I half jokingly assured my other neighrbours that i will stake him out one weekend and get the 411 on him. The joke was taken seriously and they egged me on.

On our street we have a Romanian migrant couple, a retired Hawaiian couple, a non-pork eating Middle Eastern american (yes, i know details!) family with 2 toddler girls, a Malaysian Chinese couple with a daughter at an Ivy League, an all out caucasian midwest american couple and then there is us, the Caucasian-Asian mixed couple.

So to have an african american couple would near-complete the racial profile of americana on this street (we have no hispanic couple, alas)

So 'James' greeted me with a beaming smile and said, Yes I am.

And from our 20 minute by the road side conversation, i got the following out of him..

no there's no missus - the woman you saw me with last weekend was a lady friend who helped choose colours for the wall.
nope, not from far. I moved from a town 20miles away
yes, was renting with a friend at the old place. correct. a first time home-owner
yes, this is the best time to buy property
yes, yes i like children so this neighrbourhood is perfect. in fact, am a 5th grader school teacher and teaches basketball too
sure, but we'll have to wait till your son is a little older before i teach him basketball
no, that kind of walking he's donig now is a little too young for proper basbetball, start with just playing ball for now
nope, not into loud house parties haha
yes, its a nice day today
no, have not signed up at the local recreation centre, thanks for offering
yes, have the recycling bins and trashbins delivered today
thanks you, will take up offer if need fresh milk or bread
yes, nice to meet you too, MrsJ

and so when parting ways, i found myself inviting him to a barbeque in his honor to meet the rest of the neighrbours when the weather's better.

mr J said i should bring down my friendliness one notch. he reckons Mr James next door may be contemplating returning his keys to the agent and cancelling his mortgage application.
My neighrbours on the other hand said bravo. next time someone move into the neighrbourhood, we'll call upon you to get the 411.

So i'd better start plannig a BBQ for MrJames now.

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This is my newly redecorated front door. You can tell that i am countingthe days to the first signs of spring - perhaps 2 months too soon. While everyone else has dried up grass and potted plants and 'post christmas' decor lethargy, i on the otherhand, have opted for a little spruce up.

The wooden easter bunny for a little pastel sweetness, the spring wreath, the 'No Soliciting' doorsign and of course, my potted plant that defy weather. At $200 a pot, it is extremely costly for my little budget but if you do the math, my pot of greens will see spring summer fall and winter for the next 10 years, guaranteed.

This summer, while the neighrbours are out watering their plants, i shall be out with my feather duster to brush off any cobwebs from my potted plant.

the beauty of FAKE.

Ms J at 1:31 PM

5Readers Had Their Say...

5 Comments

at February 26, 2008 4:32 PM lita said...: you bought a USD200 plastic plant and put it outside the house?!?!
at February 27, 2008 2:00 AM Nazrah said...: eh eh..I didn't know u started blogging again.

I came by to see if u have updated...voila! there you are! looking more gorgeous than ever!

i was actually thinking abt u today and wondering how u're doing, as the anniversary of my mom's passing is approaching.

my do'a goes out to your mother as well.
at February 27, 2008 5:35 AM therose said...: err..well your Spore potted plant beats all weather hands down...even with dry twigs and absolutely no hope of surviving..yet it can still turn green after many months of TLC...amazing kan...
at February 28, 2008 12:59 PM Farina said...: so nice of u to invite the new neighbour. i wish I have neighbour like you!

usd200 for a plastic plant? i think id stick to my hidup segan mati tak mahu plants. lol!
at March 01, 2008 1:11 AM een said...: hi,
m blog hopping.nice blog & nice neighborhood too.
greeting fr perth