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Another Reason I Like Texas

Last night was National Night Out Block Parties all over the country I suppose.  National should mean all over the nation, right?  This time last year we were renting out at the lake and I heard about the block parties but if there was a meeting in our neighborhood, I didn’t know about it.

Here in this part of Texas, things are quite different from many places in the country.  Houses are far apart, sometimes miles between driveways.  Most houses, including ours, sit so far back off the road that you never see them.  The lady who lives across the street is the sweetest lady.   We met at our mailboxes one day, exchanged cell phone numbers and since then, we meet out there at least once a week and I give her eggs and she brings me things she’s baked. I can’t see her house from the road so I had no idea how far back it was or anything.  They hosted the get together last night.  There were 20 – 30 people there and only 4 of them had I ever met before.

I made pumpkin gingerbread to bring.  Big ones to take and a small one for us!  🙂

We all brought a finger food, had a sheriff’s deputy come out and talk to us about crime in our area.  That was a short talk!  🙂  Mostly people talked about incidents through the years where they kinda took matters in their own hands — Texas justice!  I know most criminals aren’t rocket scientists but it would take a really dumb criminal to come through a locked gate, wander down a long, dark driveway and try to enter a home but . . crazier things have happened.

The people here are truly the nicest people I’ve ever met.  I hate to say it but people here are even nicer than they are in southwest Louisiana.  We met an old guy who was a bull rider in his younger days and there was a story about that . . why he walks the way he does today.  They have goats and they insisted we come by and visit them some day.  We will!

There was an elderly Hispanic couple there.  I asked her if she would teach me to cook Mexican and she was so happy that I asked her.  I know where she lives and she asked me to come by any time!  I think she will be real happy to share her cooking knowledge with me. Her grandson was there and he graduated from college the same time Chad did and he’s just recently gotten a job too.

There was a school teacher and her husband who live a mile or so south of us and they have a high fence ranch and raise all kinds of exotics.  They invited us down to see their setup.  We tried our best to give them two Dominique roosters . . all to no avail.

The lady who lived in our house before we bought it was there.  She and her husband had lived here and he passed away a couple of years.  I was telling her that I still get scared when Vince is out of town and she offered to come spend the night with me any time I’m scared.  I told her she could come see me any time but I have to be a big girl and not be so scared every time it gets dark.

We got in the car to leave and Vince said “That was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”  For the most part, every single person there was warm and friendly and genuine.  Every one of them was someone I wouldn’t hesitate to call if I needed something and I’m betting any one of them would be here in a heartbeat to render whatever help I requested.

This truly is an amazing place to live and I’m so happy to be here . . so hopeful that this is where we’ll stay forever.  Life is good!

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Wow! What a great night you had. It is nice to know that you have your space but also that you have neighbors and they are good people. I’m so envious of that. No one talks on my street and if it was National Night Out it sure wasn’t talked about here! Although there was something at our police station about a month ago. Not quite the same as a “hood” party.

    You landed in a pretty good place, Judy. Enjoy it all and I know you do! 🙂

  3. Yes Texas is the best place to live for sure. That is why you will see bumper stickers that say ” I wasn’t born a Texan but I got here as quick as I could!”. There is some place in Texas for everyone. It has more things to offer than any other state. Yes we are friednly and a caring bunch. Glad you came to stay. Hope Chad and his family get her soon too.

  4. so very glad that you got a chance to meet your neighbors and that they’re so nice!

  5. Folks in the country sometimes have to work together to get things done. I don’t know all of my neighbors but we always help each other when we can. The winters come and we always have a few days of ice and people getting stuck of the road. We all work together when this happens for sure. Someone I don’t know took all the kids home at the bus stop when school was cancelled one morning. We took someones kids to school once when he missed the bus.More then once my husband has been brought home by someone he didn’t know when his truck was stuck in a ditch. We keep tow straps in the truck and a chain saw to help clear the roads when neeed all winter long. I should host a gathering this winter so we can meet each other it might be fun!

  6. HOW NICE! I can’t say the smae for my neighbors, I’ve lived her 14 yrs and there are a few people on my street that i know to wave at, but have not met.

    • Carolyn:
      You make the time to meet them! Some are pretty private, some are just unsure. My daughter & her husband (who loves to cook, especially BBQ)…put on a bbq dinner…they knock on the neighbor’s doors…tell them the plans, and invite them to come and bring a dish…meat will be provided…a meet & greet. They have done this every place they have lived. They now live in Lincoln, CA and are moving into a new (to them) home…you can bet they will have a meet and greet as soon as they get settled in, and if they see looky loos watching them move…they will stop and introduce themselves. Cori’s hubby works for the Airforce…and they will have many helpers to move (having a couple pretty daughters helps motivate, lol). They invite soldiers to their home for holidays, when the soldiers can’t get home (or don’t have a home). We taught them well. All three of our children do this….so go meet the neighbors!

  7. We have the nicest neighbors here in TX! Very friendly & so helpful. LOL…we are going to disc up the one acre whe had the geese and ducks on…had to move the critters to a different area…neighbor calls, “Where’s my guard geese? You didn’t get rid of them did you?” LOL, nah…they will be back when the fence is adjusted. Seems that they keep the skunks at bay. This same neighbor feeds our critters when we are on vacation, helps hubby with things that take more than one man..etc. It’s a totally different life than we had growing up. We love it!

  8. Sounds like a great time!! How long did it take for the bread to be devoured? I swear every time you talk cooking my kids think they should move in with you!!

  9. I just took 2 loaves of your bread out of the oven….and cut the end off to eat. Deeeeeeeeelicious! Thanks for the recipe.

  10. Our National Night Out here in Minnesota is the first Tuesday in August, but I suppose it would be way to hot for folks to have a block party that time of year in Texas. This year we hosted an ice cream social on our lawn. Glad you had the chance to meet more of your neighbors. They sound like a great bunch!

  11. I think I told you when you wrote about moving to Brownwood that you would meet some of the nicest people on earth. So glad you enjoyed your outing.

  12. Ooooohhhh … if you go for tamale lessons may I go with you? I’d love to know how to make them authentically, and it seems like it’d be a lot of fun to make them with a group of women all working together, which I believe is the traditional way to do it … thank you for sharing your fun with us!

  15. I LOVE this! I wish our neighborhood was like this. I don’t think people in Vancouver, WA, know much about being “neighborly.” Dang it!

    So good to finally catch up on your posts again, Judy!

    🙂

    Brandy M.
    Vancouver, WA

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