New York Neighbors

What a time we've had since January with our New York Neighbors! Our landlord, Sal, told us about a nice Italian couple who owned the house next-door; the other half of our rowhouse. We met them out in front of our house shortly after we moved in and asked them if we could come visit the following Monday at their home. Maria said, "Sure." Jack didn't seem so sure. Later that evening, Sal, called to tell us we had "crossed the line." He explained to us that NY isn't like Idaho, and that he grew up next to Jack and Maria, and had been to their house twice in his life! Slowly we have become aquainted with them. Maria always says,"Hello" and enjoys sharing tales of her three wonderful children and four grandchildren. She is a good Catholic and seems to like her life. She likes to hack at our bushes over the fence and enjoys her grill. Jack hates air-conditioning, shares a cold bottle of water with the garbage men each week as they are collecting, and sits in the garage with the door up to stay cool. Our downstairs neighbor, Zenya, was Greek and lived with a guy and they smoked pot all winter! The YSAs that visited our home on Monday nights for FHE, told us what the horrible smell was that permeated our house. We were on "a trip" pretty much for the first 6 months in Astoria. We could not have been more pleased to hear Zenya was accepted to a masters program and had to move! Our new neighbors this past month are the sweetest couple from Albania. Gentian and Aereola, are here to obtain medical help to have a baby. She speaks English well and works in a cosmetic factory and he is a plumber. Our Israli guys, Eric, Michael and David, ran a half-way house upstairs all winter and Eric had to return to Israel. They moved out and sublent the apartment to two girls for the summer. We had a miserable couple of months with 12 living upstairs in a small 2 bedroom place. They partied 24/7...finally Sal kicked them out and then discovered how they had trashed his apartment. Last Thursday our shower ceiling fell in..."the sky was literally falling" with water and plaster everywhere. Now we have two Turks, Civan and Okan, upstairs. They are here to learn English. (We will know if the brothers from Israel will return in September.) Until the plumbing is repaired we are sharing our shower with the Turks, and all are so amazed! Sal has told us that we don't have to do this. We just think of all of our good neighbors at home and think of how easy it's always been to live the golden rule. They have always been so easy to love and serve. How our neighbors have and are serving us! We thank the Kellers who are caring for our home. Mary Brown reports, "It looks like we're home!" That doesn't just happen. Thanks Nate for hours of mowing and house checks! Just yesterday Ross and Jean called to say "hello" and give us an update...all of our cherries are ripe! Can they pick them and give them to families? That's the kind of service we have taken for granted! Now we are sharing a house and getting to know our neighbors here. It has been easy to have them come in, take a quick shower and have a great day! We've learned they are nice guys and they are quiet, thoughtful and polite. We can bear a firm testimony that loving your neighbor as yourself will take you a long ways. We have decided we prefer being single home dwellers, being responsible for our own messes, water damage, etc.. Still, what an adventure we're having! We send our love and best to all our neighbors.