Image: a bewhiskered otter popping up from the water to wave 'hi.' Text: Happy Neighbor Day!* *May not be a real thing. It may just be something I made up to have an excuse to get to know you.

September 9, 2019

Dear Building 29 Neighbor,

Happy Neighbor Day! (I know, but please just go with it.) We may have met briefly, or you may have seen me around. I am the little old lady who drives the silver 2005 Saturn Ion, and looks like Willie Nelson (hat, red braid, wrinkles, etc). I would like to introduce myself. I’m Tammy Talpas, and I live in Apartment 2924 (the one with a blue porch light and butterflies) with Zoey. I was hoping that this gesture toward you would be a lot fancier, but 1) she is a little old lady cat, 2) she means the world to me, and 3) she has been under the weather.

I have lived here at The Verandah for over 11 years, and I have never really gotten to know my neighbors. This is totally my fault. They don’t call me The Little Old Hermit Spinster Cat Lady of Building 29 (#TLOHSCLOB29™) for nothing.

I would like for that to change. I see that many of us (including me) leave in a hurry, and come back exhausted after work. I see that many of us (including me) have families and other commitments that keep us on our toes, and on the move. I’ve been trying to meet all of you lately by approaching you in the parking lot (EEK!), but I’m awkward and nerdy, especially when I’m not at my best (which is almost all of the time), so I haven’t been trying THAT hard.

I want to 1) try to connect with all of you who would like to connect with me, and 2) help all of you who would like to be connected to each other to do that, too.

Sometimes the tiniest disruption to our routine can throw everything into chaos. That doesn’t have to happen if there’s someone close by who is willing to step up and be (in the words of the immortal Mr. Rogers) a “helper” – to jump a car, walk a dog, pick up packages, help you schlep stuff… or loan stuff: tools, time, sweat, or expertise.

I am a willing someone. A helper.

Sometimes, your (or your loved one’s) band or team might be playing, or troupe performing, and you’d like your neighbors to come watch. Or maybe you’re planning a fantastic fireworks display in the parking lot, and you’d like an audience (and to warn pet owners to walk the dog before the show starts).

I am including my info below. If you would like to join in this effort to turn our beloved Building 29 into a real neighborhood, please let me know. If you have ideas – a potluck at the pool has been suggested – please let me know that, too. My instinct is to start with a Google Sheet, where we can share as much or as little information about ourselves as we want, and then create a text group (like the old-fashioned phone tree you see in Practical Magic). I’m not a fan of facebook, but I can help create a group there, if that’s the way y’all wanna go.

So, that’s it. Let’s get busy putting the “unity” in community! (Toldja I was a nerd) …unless you don’t want to, which is also totally, perfectly fine. Thank you, either way.

Your neighbors,