Like a Good Neighbor

I have been thinking about neighbors a lot the past couple of days since I got a note from one. They can remain nameless, even though I seriously doubt they ever read my blog. We had a phone call from the same person last week complaining about our barking dog while I went to the store for an hour. The next day, JackJack, my brother's family dog came to stay with us for a week which has definitely livened our Brutus up a bit. But really, to write me a note saying my dogs are "affecting our quality of life" and "barking constantly for two days straight" and "we can hear them wherever we are in our house" is really a stretch of the imagination. Okay, I know Brutus has a giant larynx for such a small dog, and JackJack really baits him, but, well, maybe they are right. Maybe on Monday when I was at work and they were outside for most of the day. But definitely NOT for two days straight.

But, like I said, it got me thinking about neighbors. And how we have a really great neighbor who would be perfectly justified in complaining about our dog, but chooses not to. So, instead of the raging vent-fest of my victimization I was planning in my head a little while ago against the grouchy neighbor, this blog is going to be a tribute to my nice neighbor, the fabulous Donna Rietveld. Here are a few of the things she does that make me want to be like her:

1. She allows my dog to come over all the time. And I mean ALL THE TIME. There are some members of our ward that think Brutus lives at the Rietveld's house. I'm not kidding. They recommended a plaster guy to work in our basement, and when he got here he said, "Oh, that's where that dog is supposed to live." Brutus jumps our fence, walks around the block and sits on their front porch and waits for them. He eats all their dog Pepper's food and lays in her doggy bed (even though we romantacize that Pepper is his girlfriend, I doubt she really appreciates that). He barks at the people that come over to their house while he's there. At night, when we have forgotten to come and get him (which is usually), they bring him over to quietly and politely let him in the back door so he can actually sleep at our house. On a few extremely embarrassing occasions, he has actually slept over at their house when I thought he was really sleeping down in Jared's room and I locked the back door and went to bed. They watch him for us (you know, officially let him stay at their house all day) when we go vacation. We know he likes them better, and we really don't blame him. They treat him much better than we do.

2. She is Sarah's best friend. Yes, there's a bit of an age difference between 4 years old and slightly older than 29, but there it is. Sarah will tell you herself. She will correct you if you mistakenly imply that someone her age might actually be her best friend. Donna lets Sarah sit with her at church and brings her fruit snacks for a snack (which we don't), she lets her ride home from church with her and stay to play while I get dinner made (I'm sure she doesn't mind not being able to prepare her own dinner), hosts tea parties with real Pepsi in the goblets, and provides her with treats whenever she decides to knock on the back door. Even better, she lets her watch cartoons and play computer for as long as she wants. I think Sarah might spend as much time at the Rietveld's as Brutus does.

3. She is awesome to carpool with. This is mostly because she generously offered to drive two days a week (as did Debbie Merica) even though I only drive one day while having two children in the pool, and they each have one child riding. They offered because they know what it's like to have small children to have to pack up and get out of the house and they didn't mind. Whew! They are right. I can't thank them enough because it makes my life so much easier- except of course that one day I do have to drive-- JK. She also gives most of the neighborhood kids a ride home from school most days, especially if it is raining or snowing. If the weather is bad, I don't even consider going to pick up my kids, because I just rely on Donna to do it for me. She also takes Jared to scouts most of the time.

4. She lets my kids pick and eat all her raspberries in the summertime. They usually don't even ask, they just take go into her yard and take them.

5. She shares her awesome Dutch treats with us that she makes on holidays. Yummmm.

Okay, I really could go on and on, there are many more examples. But I'm starting to feel a little like I am the grouchy, imposing, free-loading, lazy-dog owning, poor-parenting neighbor. I think I'll go let the dogs out.