We lived in several communities in the first few years of our marriage; most of them quite small. When you move to a small town, especially a small town where you have no family connections, you feel a bit like a fish in a bowl. You feel like everyone is watching you - because they are -curious about who you are and why you're entering THEIR community.
Not Elsie or Jock, the owners of the lot across the street: Elsie was the first person to come over.they welcomed us; they made us feel welcome and treated us like family. The feeling was mutual. To us - a young couple with three small children - they were surrogates for our parents who were far away.
Our children grew up in this house in Eyebrow and in many ways so did my wife and I. Many times, over those years we had the pleasure of looking across the street and admiring the beauty across from us. Almost as often we wondered what they thought of the view from their front window - and were quite sure that, though they never once complained - we had the best of it.
Our house had sat vacant and untended for several years before we purchased it. Both the house and the yard needed work. We did what we could, but with three small children, a dog and full time jobs, we couldn't quite keep the dandelions and dog created bare patches of our lawn under control.
The beautiful yard across the street still looks better than ours, but this year, for the first time that I can remember, the bare patches are filled and green; and the dandelion's are gone. Sadly, so are Jock and Elsie. Jock passed away several years ago and Elsie lost her battle with Cancer in March this year. I'd like to think that they're still looking at the view from their window - and maybe even that they've used some influence to help with the dandelions.
Jock and Elsie, you are missed!
What a beautiful neighborhood! Takes a lot of rain to keep all that green! It looks like you live in a park...
ReplyDeleteLOL. Thanks, the lush green is one benefit of all the rain we've had... but don't get me started on that rant again!
ReplyDeleteOh you made me cry!!! Good neighbours are a treasure that goes unnoticed until they're gone.....
ReplyDeleteThank you so much - I did a lot of growing up in that neighbourhood too. Even as recently as a few months ago...... We miss Mom and Dad everyday - but knowing that they are remembered makes a big difference in our lives
ReplyDeleteAs long as the yard is there, I know Mom and Dad will be looking after everyone and everything around it. It is amazing to hear of how Mom and Dad seemed to touch everyone they came in contact with and that they left a lasting impression. I believe that they only did for people what was done for them when we moved around the way that we did. Thanks for the blog the thoughts and I sincerely hope that whomever takes over the property keeps it perhaps not as it was but at least as prideful as Mom and Dad did.
ReplyDeleteFraser
Sometimes it is so very sad to say , we dont really know what we had till it's gone. That is how I felt the other day as I really looked for the first time at the beautiful perenial garden that had been Mom's pride and joy.Her presence lingers there in the beauty of the flowers.Thanks for your appreciation of the beautiful yard. Special thanks for the time you spent with Jock & Elsie. Relationship is one of life's greatest treasures!
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