[yorkietalkjilly]

Joan, what a horror story that would be any time but now, during a pandemic, where everybody could be a potential carrier, I cannot even imagine. What a strong woman you are to manage all of this and keep it together. Having workers more than even a half day in the house is extremely discomfiting and nerve-wracking to me. You've had weeks of it! Years back when my waterheater broke(of course, after 9:00 PM during July 4th weekend), our fire department came out and stopped the water to the tank, vacuumed up all the water, put out their big fans and that was a day. Later, insurance agent came, a plumber replaced the water heater and flooring was replaced in another day. Nothing like you've been through and I was a wreck! One lovely Christmas Eve, back yard drain backed up after everyone left and poor Roto-Rooter guy came out that night, putting a whole different spin on the season.

When Gabe and Lu first moved in, childless & just starting their jobs, family, etc., they were always friendly and sweet and as their family grew by 3 kids, while I was still working, every childbirth, Christmas and sometimes at Easter I would take over gifts for the kids and food, plus every free turkey we got at the grocery store for purchases over $99.00, etc., went to them or neighbor on the other side or across the street. After hip surgery when my son who stayed with me afterward had gone to work for a day, Lu ran me to the pharmacy to get Rx. refills, brought groceries over for me. I've always given Christmas presents to my closest neighbors and their small kids as long as I was working. They'd occas. give a present or bring over dinner, cookies, a cake, etc. Gabe has brought me many delicious dinners he's cooked, can do the most delicious meats, veggie dishes. Teenagers that get too loud with their bass music, etc. get a visit from me asking for lowered volume, but always with a sack of snacks in return for lowering the volume and occasionally, their parents send me back a cake or something via that very teen and those same teens wave and smile every time I see them.

When I was hospitalized unexpectedly B4 Christmas, the other next door neighbor took in my delivered packages as they arrived to keep any of the frequent passers by from taking them as this is a very busy street w/an elementary school at the end of it. It's always been a sweet neighborhood and we've been pretty interactive. Good, giving neighbors are a necessity down here.