Making Friends

Ever since we arrived on Stuart Avenue, we've been so pleased at how friendly our new neighbors are. We've met almost everyone on our street, and many of them have taken quite a liking to Caroline (how could they not??!). Since we spend so much time out on our front porch, our house has also become a little bit of a neighborhood gathering spot. Two of the most frequent visitors to our porch are the two brothers who live across the street from us. Alexander and Patrick are 5 and 9, and are both exceptionally friendly and outgoing. Sometimes, a little too outgoing.

Not a day goes by when the boys don't come running across the street to visit and play with Caroline. Now I'm not complaining, since Caroline really likes the boys and they are really good playmates for her, but sometimes I'm a little taken back by the ease at which they make themselves at home...in my home.

The other day, Patrick arrived on our porch and waited approximately 3 minutes before announcing he was hungry. So, what could I do but offer our little neighbor a snack? Would goldfish and string cheese be sufficient? Only if accompanied by apple juice, apparently. The next day, I came out of the house to find both boys climbing in the crepe myrtle in our front yard. Don't worry, they assured me, we do this all the time.

Today, Caroline and I were in the house, getting ready for a play date when the doorbell rang. Thinking it was our friends arriving early, I ran to the door and opened it to find Alexander and Patrick on my doorstep. "Is Caroline available to play?" Alexander asked. When I replied that she was indeed "available", Alexander then asked, "Should we play inside or outside?" Well, it was 105 degrees here today so I was not about to sit outside while they played with Caroline.

So, into the house we all went. The boys immediately took off their shoes and set off on a self-guided tour of our home. They described in great detail how our furniture layout was different than the previous owners, offered (unsolicited) advice on how to fill the few vacant spaces and complimented our choice in room layout and interior design ("I really like how you've set up Caroline's room...it feels so big!"). The boys then settled in to peruse Caroline's toys, but not before they requested that I turn on the TV to their favorite channel ("PBS Kids, please!").

Soon after, our (scheduled) friends arrived and I gently encouraged the boys to return to their own home. I thought that would be the last I was to see of them today, but I was wrong. At approximately 8:30 this evening, I was lying on the couch watching TV when a little face appeared in our front window (which is STILL missing any type of window treatment, so when the sun goes down it's like living in a fish bowl). Patrick had apparently decided to make one last visit before the day was over.
Since I'm trying to be a good neighbor, I got off the couch and went out to the front porch to chat with Patrick until his parents noticed that he was gone and came over to collect him. Just before heading home, he turned around and said, "Have a good night! See ya tomorrow!"

Well, I have no doubts about that...

Here is a picture of Caroline with Clarke, who came over today along with his mom, Kim and his sister Madeline. They are friends from Darden who are temporarily living in Richmond until they settle on a permanent location. It was great to see some familiar faces!