Good Neighbors

This past weekend, my neighbors hosted a gathering to say farewell to me. What a great time we had!

We all gathered at Michael and Tabitha's house, two doors down from me. We enjoyed wonderful food, fabulous margaritas, and nice chilled brewskies while we kicked back on their huge front porch. (Sadly, Cole (Howard's bud) didn't make it; he was home with a stomach bug.)

Ray from two doors down one way, Michelle and Morgan, Chris and Christina and Jackson, and Sheila from across the street all came, and all brought some goody or another, and Michael handled the main courses---zesty quesadillas and some wonderful pork tenderloin. Tabitha made sure my margarita glass never was empty!

We laughed and talked and enjoyed visiting well into the night. I felt truly honored that they held a party for me, and truly sad to leave such wonderful neighbors.

As I sit writing this, having driven around Jax neighborhoods all afternoon, I wonder who my new neighbors will be. And as I reflect on some of the areas I considered for a rental house, I keep in mind that I got extremely lucky in Memphis to have found a rental in the midst of a lot of owners---people who really cared about our area. That might not happen again---immediately. I remind myself that my plan is to rent for only 8 to 18 months. After that, then I'll look for that place where I'll set those neighborly relationships to be a little more permanent.