neighbors Archives - Moving Peaces

Thursday Three

June 18, 2015Samantha Gratton

It’s been real hot out there this week. (They say it’s always good to start any piece of writing with ~~a definition from the dictionary~~, ~~a famous quote~~ some small talk about the weather.) But for real, this week has been in the high 90s around here, and I believe it even crossed over into triple digits a few times. Obviously, that means it’s the perfect time to…

1. Attend outdoor concerts. We were the lucky folks who managed to squeeze in two amazing concerts in the same week. Mumford and Sons and Brandi Carlile both played outstanding shows that made us come home feeling inspired and ready to work on music of our own.

2. Help friends move. I mean, I would have picked last week or maybe sometime in October if given the option, but glad to help regardless of the weather. I love having the opportunity to show up and support my friends, even if sadly, I won’t get to see them for awhile now. Transitions like these bring great opportunity for growth though, and I am really excited for whatever is next in their lives.

3. Replace your car. Please, just go now. That way, you can avoid the unfortunate situation that we are in. Our dear, 20-year-old Honda broke down on the highway (you guessed it, in the middle of one of those wicked hot days), so we sold it to the mechanic for a whopping $300. It’s been a bit of a rough week with one car while trying to find another one that fits our criteria (not because we’re fancy people, but because we are incredibly practical people).

On a completely serious (and unrelated) note, I want to say that today, my heart is heavy. There are a lot of terrible things in the world and the shooting in Charleston, SC, is certainly among them. I don’t have all the words to say, other than to please pray for that community and continue to love your neighbors.

May Day!

May 2, 2014July 22, 2014Samantha Gratton

Thursday Three is cancelled today in honor of May Day. Maybe I’ll come back and report on the week, maybe I won’t. Instead, tonight I made a few of these little “baskets” for the neighbors.

After ringing doorbells, running away and then later explaining the concept of May Day to these Southern folk who’d never heard such a thing, I received this in return 20 minutes later:

May Day likely has many origins and stories, but I just know it as the day you throw together a basket (or more commonly a cup) full of popcorn, candies and flowers. Drop it on the doorstop and ring the bell before you run away. Legend goes…if they catch you, they kiss you.

Happy May Day, y’all.

Neighbor, neighbor

October 15, 2013Samantha Gratton

As much as I love my faraway friends (and I really truly do), neighbors matter. They are the people you see from day to day. The ones who hear your music and make your mouth water when they fire up the grill. We were lucky enough to move to a neighborhood where some of our friends already lived, but I’ve been thrilled to also meet the people nearby and on our street.

I’m a bit biased, but I already love our neighborhood. We live a mile from downtown in an area that might have once been less than desirable to live in. It’s an intentional rental community with apartments, townhomes and houses. Senior living, income-reduced, young adults, families—they’re all here in this neighborhood. There’s a college on one end, a mix of restaurants and a hardware store within walking distance and the new restaurant across the street from us. But mostly, I’ve loved getting to know the people who care about each other and about living here. It’s great to have the opportunity to hear about their lives, see their space and have someone say hello as you go to get the mail. Living in a community is an incredible thing.

Thursday Three (times two)

October 4, 2013July 22, 2014Samantha Gratton

Alas, last week I did not post a Thursday Three. I had dinner with a friend instead, so by the time I got home the night had slipped away. To keep consistency though, let’s just make this week’s a two-for-one and call it even.

1. We spent approximately 6 hours and half a paycheck at Ikea. Passed the ultimate relationship test. We’ve been before, but never with the intention of buying much more than a shelf or two. There are certainly no photos of such a hardship, but it was really fun…at least until around the time that we hit the frames section and our stamina began to fade. I think next time we might skip the showroom just to conserve energy so we can really optimize our time in the warehouse.

2. We saw two fantastic shows within the same week. We went first to see Sigur Ros, the Icelandic band that plays Hoppipolla…the same song I walked down the aisle to. Seeing the band play it live with the pretty lights and the misty rain brought a few tears to my eyes. It was beautiful. And then it started pouring. We were both pretty soaked by the end of the night but glad we got to go. Then a mere four days later we saw the band FUN. with some friends. We didn’t know all the music but they played a good show that we could all dance and sing along to. We’re so glad to live somewhere with so many amazing bands coming through on a regular basis.

3. Our weekend trip to Charlotte also meant a visit with friends. It’s funny how it all worked out really, but the hubby’s boss beat us down to North Carolina last year and ended up taking a job in Charlotte. Now we get to call them friends and stay with them when we’re in town. I wish I had a picture of their smiling faces because we were thrilled with the chance to see them and hope to return soon (and not even hit Ikea next time). I’m going to get all gushy and say what a blessing it is (and has been) to have them in our lives.

Okay, ready for this? Thursday Three all over again. Let’s review this week’s three.

1. Yesterday we celebrated three years of marriage. Three whole years. We took the night and reminisced through year three, month by month. We’ve changed jobs, moved (across town this time), traveled the coast, made life decisions and everything that goes with it. It’s hard sometimes, but I’m glad we get to be married to each other. It was great to walk across the street to the newly opened restaurant and enjoy the night together.

2. It’s fun having friends for neighbors and neighbors as friends. We spent most of the weekend just hanging out with them, running errands, throwing frisbees and sharing meals together.

3. It’s finally October. September was not easy. It was busy and stressful and full of misunderstandings and disappointments. August wasn’t much better. But October has always been a favorite month of mine, so I am grateful that it’s here and ready to welcome the crisp air (once it comes) and pumpkin flavored everything in the stores.