Over he last week there has been a lot on the television about how life has changed over the past forty years a lot of people no longer know who their next door neighbours are let chat to hem on a regular basis.
Is it really surprising though? In the sixties and seventies most mothers did not return to work. Most families owned one car (if they were lucky). So people walked, cycled or caught the bus and guess what whether it was winter or summer you would see the same old faces and stop to chat.
Because there were not so many cars on the road parents were less worried about their kids playing out. And although there were some horrendous cases of child abductions with only a couple of TV channels that mainly broadcast in the evening we were not exposed to the “news” any where near as much.
Today our houses are locked up all day and in the winter even in the friendliest of neighbourhoods it is unlikely if you are working full time, you will see anyone to talk to through the winter months.
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When summer puts in appearance people, come out of hibernation, they maybe outside doing the gardening or taking a walk down to the shops rather than jumping in the car. So if you are after getting to know your neighbours, a
little more loitering in your front garden, under the pretence of doing a little gardening is definitely one to try.
The downside is that you may have to forfeit a neat and tidy lawn for a chat with your new found friends “the neighbours”. But I think it is worth it. It is often neighbours who are the first port of call in an emergency – and although we may have nothing in common with them apart from where we live …..That in itself if a huge part of our lives.