Howdy neighbor!

Today is the annual Fête des Voisins (or European Neighbors' Day). It is a bid to get us to actually talk to our neighbors for longer than a ride together in the elevator. I think it is a fantastic idea and I would love to see it extended to the US. After all, there is (hopefully) no harm in having a chat with our closest residents and build community bridges.

This got me to thinking... how many of us actually know our neighbors? Back when we lived in Redwood City I didn't know anyone, or so I thought. The day of "The Great Flood" I found out that I worked with the gal who lived upstairs and she had lived right there near us for a year before we realized we were neighbors.

Here in Geneva I occasionally chat with an Englishman from upstairs and say a hearty "bonjour" to everyone I run into, but I really don't know anyone in the building. Since Madeleine has arrived I'm sure everyone knows us (especially after we got locked out during a rain storm and had to wait in the lobby for about 10 minutes while Maddie cried). I have started chatting more with the owner of the hair salon on the ground floor of the building. Rony, the coiffure (or hair dresser) is quite enamored with little Maddie and I see him quite often as we come and go.

When we return to California I would love to know our neighbors better. I would also love to see "Neighbors' Day" expand beyond Europe, especially to the US - I think it would make the world a better place!