If you remember a couple of weeks ago I told you O discovered we are going to have new neighbours, Lisa and Kevin are moving to the village next to ours today, so I made a card and wrapped up a plant for them, I will drop it off later and say Hello. I wont stay as I know they will be so busy. Lisa wants to get into gardening, so we will both learn the art of vegetable growing together.
When I was a pupil studying for my O levels our English teacher took us through a model essay exercise. As a class we went through the process of writing a model essay, looking at good beginning, middle and ending tips. Mr Hicks, the teacher chose the subject...Neighbours. He told us it was considered to be very good to start an essay with a quote, so we did..."Good fences make good neighbours!"
A couple of weeks later it was indeed the day of our GCE English Language Exam.
Mr Hicks was on the stage next to the adjudicator, he opened the sealed envelope, covered his mouth in horror and left the hall.
We were all worried, thinking something terrible was about to happen, ie some terrible choice of subjects to write an essay about. When we opened the exam paper there was a choice of subjects to choose from.....including Your Neighbours!
Well, every pupil started with "Good Fences make Good Neighbours!"
I received a Grade 1, as indeed did quite a few of us.
Mr Hicks had to write a letter of explanation but I still laugh at it today!ood neighbour>
What do you think makes a good nighbour?
The Joseph Rowntree Trust have some suggestions here
In our village we tend to keep ourselves to ourselves but obviously we have some neighbours who we are closer to than others. We share ladders, drain rods, vegetables LOL and know where we all are should we be needed. I dont pop in for coffee with neighbours on a regular basis as I am usually busy, however on a Monday when the library van comes my neighbour Anne often comes for a cup of tea, and obviously if anybody calls I always offer a cup of tea.
I have bought myself a whole week of cooking! In my grand plan of meals I had allocated menus right until April, well yesterday I had to use some mice from the freezer. I made a quick beef risotto, one of Jon's favourites. Really easy!
1kg beef mince
1 large red onion
Mushrooms
Few cooked potatoes
Cooked long grain rice.
Fry onions in olive oil
Add Mince Cook until brown.
Add chopped mushrooms.
Add seasonings & stock cubes.
Meanwhile rinse cooked rice.
Stir in mixture.
Here you can see Jon's portion on the plate & 3 for the freezer.
This means I do not have to cook until Wednesday 18th April.
When I was looking through 31st March I came across a birthday, of Octavio Paz. He won the I looked him up and found this poem
Motion
If you are the amber mare
I am the road of blood
If you are the first snow
I am he who lights the hearth of dawn
If you are the tower of night
I am the spike burning in your mind
If you are the morning tide
I am the first bird's cry
If you are the basket of oranges
I am the knife of the sun
If you are the stone altar
I am the sacrilegious hand
If you are the sleeping land
I am the green cane
If you are the wind's leap
I am the buried fire
If you are the water's mouth
I am the mouth of moss
If you are the forest of the clouds
I am the axe that parts it
If you are the profaned city
I am the rain of consecration
If you are the yellow mountain
I am the red arms of lichen
If you are the rising sun
I am the road of blood
Very profound!
Well I don't know what is in store today!
The weather continues to be foggy so probably a quiet day at home, but I can promise you it wont be dull!
5 comments:
Althought it's a little hazy the sun is shining here in Leeds so hopefully it will make its way to you very soon!!
I hope your new neighbours settle in and enjoy their plant!
Have a great weekend {{{HUGS}}} xx
Enjoyed your essay story from school. Looks like a beautiful gift you are taking your neighbor. Folks are not so friendly over here any more. It's usually a sign of a good neighbor when they just leave you alone. Sad but true!
Wish I could send you some of our sunshine...I know you could make good use of it. Great story about your teacher........please give your new neighbours a welcome from us too. Sounds like you have a wonderful neighbourly community
Rx
The food looks delicious. I'll bet your neighbor will love having you for a neighbor!
I remember my Daddy telling a story that happened years ago. A man was moving his family into a new neighborhood. As he passed by he saw a man sitting on the porch. He asked,"Will I have good neighbors here?" The man on the porch asked, "Did you have good neighbors where you came from?"
The guy replied,"No they were all rotten,to which the man said,"Well, you won't have good ones here either then."
To have good neighbors, we must be a good neighbor........
great story as always - and thank goodnes it was a typing error -phew - mice for a meal? LOL
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