Neighborly Neighbors, That's Us

My parents are going to Great Britain- or England- not sure which in a few weeks.  My mother wrote me an email musing about the difference between England and Great Britain.  She said she was sure I had never considered the difference, but she was wrong!

The day before The Royal Wedding, our neighbor, The Brit (as we semi-affectionately and privately refer to him), hung a flag that was white with a big red X on it. I thought it was the Swedish flag, Doug said it was the English flag. Needless to say- this is us- so there was some trash talking as both of us were absolutely certain we were right (the trouble with being know it alls- is sometimes we clash over who is the most right). Unfortunately I had to concede Doug was right, the neighbor's flag was the English flag.  It hurt my heart a bit to admit I was wrong, but I got over it. 

I must confess, I am very envious of my neighbors.  Here's why.  Their weekend spring and summer mornings.  They have a pool that is beautifully and meticulously landscaped.  Saturday and Sunday mornings they sit out around their pool, with their music playing (sometimes classical, sometimes the Beatles- usually something I like), drinking their coffee, and reading their newspapers or books or whatever.  Eventually their teenaged children straggle out of the house, but until that happens they sit there appearing to enjoy each other's company in calm quietness.  My mornings are the polar opposite- I enjoy them, but every now and then I would like a calm, quiet morning sitting around a pool, eating breakfast, and reading. 

Doug and I have been envious of our neighbors yard for years.  The Brit has beautiful grass!  I don't know how he does it.  We've scrapped our grass and completely replanted not once, not twice, but three times.  Do you know what our grass looks like?  Me either.  We don't have any.  We have weeds, they look scraggly and weedy.  When The Brit first moved in and beautified the grass, we would plot against him.  We were going to sneak over in the night- and spray Round Up messages to him in his grass.  (fyi- we would NEVER really do that!  But it was fun to think up the rude messages we'd leave for him and his reaction to waking up and finding messages Round Up-ed into his grass).

Unfortunately it turns out they're not so bad for neighbors and it's not as fun to plot against them- even if it was just for fun.  Bet you're glad you're not our neighbors now.