Not everyone gets along, not everyone speaks to their neighbours and some people don’t even have neighbours.

Me? I live in a little square surrounded by neighbours. In fact I live in the same house that my Nana lived in so it is full of happy memories. I like it there and I feel at home there. In fact I feel more myself there than I have ever felt living anywhere else. I already knew of some of the people living here because they had family there or living there themselves when my Nana lived here. So it’s nice and I like these people. Obviously like anywhere you get new neighbours from time to time.

Due to the circumstances that are happening in this crazy world we are praising those who work hard – NHS staff, carers, shopkeepers, local businesses, bus drivers, delivery drivers etc etc. but this post I want to thank some of my neighbours because without them this time would have been even more hard. So here is my “clap” for them.

I won’t mention names but I’m sure if they read this they will know who I am meaning!
Although I don’t think my neighbours will even know I have a blog!!

I am so appreciative of them during this time, and the amount of thanks I owe them exceeds the limit. We have been unable to go out so one of them has literally got us whatever we have needed from the shop. They have dropped off prescriptions, offered to collect and when there was a SERIOUS need for cocoa powder she went to extreme lengths to keep looking and looking until one day the excitement filled the pair of us when on my door step was cocoa powder. We’ve sat on our front door steps chatting across the path to each other, we’ve laughed at things that probably aren’t even funny and we’ve stood outside looking into the night for weird planets only to not see them and  just laugh about it. Throughout all this we’ve kept in contact and although we may not have always seen eye to eye throughout our time living here we are truly blessed that she and her family have been around during this time and I believe that in itself speaks volumes and I am so appreciative of our new found friendship. One of her daughter’s even put on our doorstep a rainbow painted butterfly because she knew I hadn’t been well….. that just melted my heart.

There is also an elderly lady who actually lived here when my Nana was around so I have always known her. I’ve really felt for her during this time because she lives alone. Between us and our other neighbour we have kept in contact with her, phone calls, window waves and again doorstep chats! At the very beginning we all came together to add each others shopping into our slot if the other couldn’t get one. I found a photograph of her and her late husband and so we sent it to her on a postcard in the hope that it would cheer her up, she rang us as soon as it had arrived and we talked happy memories and how each other was doing.

It’s the little things in life that mean the most to me. Forget fancy expensive things – friendship and small gestures mean the world. Kindness matters and it is important especially during tough times. My other neighbours we haven’t really spoke to, not for any particular reason other than we just haven’t really. The odd smile every so often when we’ve crossed paths but that’s been it. I’m not entirely sure why but I would deffo like to make up for that now with them because they seem the most loveliest little family.  They live towards the corner so I don’t see them as much as I do others but I know they’ve been working really hard during this time making their garden look fab. They have even recycled bits of wood and such to create really cool things and one thing that caught our eye was some planters they had made. After having a chat about them asking if they could make us some and we’d pay they brought one over within hours on the same day and didn’t ask for a penny. The gesture was just far too sweet and once again we really appreciated such friendly people who we can call neighbours.

It is in these tough times that you realise the kindness of others, the generosity and the genuine side of people. I feel if this lockdown has taught me anything it is to truly appreciate and feel blessed to have people like this living nearby. Not everyone is lucky enough to have such good neighbours (I’m not saying I get on with every single one of them!!) but these few in particular have really made a positive impact on a time in our lives when things have been tough.

So for that I am truly grateful.