Know Thy Neighbors

I've lived in Wasilla over a year, Andy longer, and we still don't know the neighbors. That's no reflection on them; relationships are a two-way street. I've consulted with other Wasilla residents and learned that "keeping to ourselves" seems to be the norm. Doesn't mean we don't see them coming and going, though. Andy even waved to Camo-man yesterday as we worked in the yard. So for this post I'd like to offer what we know about the neighbors, and what we've made up about them.Guy Across the Street: aka "Camo-Man," aka "Rock-Man," perhaps "Steve"

FACT:

• has built extensive odd rock walls around his property, maybe has Irish heritage
• seen/spotted wearing only camouflage clothing, except for the one time Amy regrettably caught him in a bathrobe by the garage door
• owns a Mustang, big truck and a four-wheeler
• has "man days" when the buddies show up to drink and fix things
• they had a "man sale" during the garage sale season of 2009
• owns a black cat that occasionally crosses the street to us
• front room light is on every Saturday night, but dark during the week

WHAT WE'VE MADE UP

• odd schedule so could be ex-military or a North Slope worker
• could have wife and children but we can't see them because they wear Camo
• only gets fresh air to drive four-wheeler, go hunting with man friends or to wash the Mustang
• Best Friend is "Denim-Man" who came over this weekend to work in the garage

Family Next Door

FACT

• Mother & Father NOT together but were still living together; she owns a hair place
• elementary-aged twin girls
• middle-school boy with bad bleached hair
• boy drives dirt bike or four-wheeler around the property in a circle
• trampoline and deck is never used
• will see the kids for a few days or not at all
• Latino ethnicity and will sometimes play festive music outside

WHAT WE'VE MADE UP

• not much, but will curse the kids when they drive the darn motorized toys around and

around

• may have had to perform community service in order to explain the terrible-looking white

-washed rocks lining the driveway, Tom Sawyer style

• Father is kicked out of house now and the kids go there, why we don't see them?
• they don't leave the house when the temperature drops below 55-degrees
• cooks tasty food at home that we want to eat

MISC. NEIGHBORS

• Yellow Dog--lives down the street and when we go on walks it wonders into the street to

join us with a wagging tail. Yellow dog is actually a blonde lab.

• Man with Pipe--lives in the subdivision just over from us. He walks two tiny dogs every

night with probably his wife. He always has a pipe. We always wave to Man With Pipe.

Perhaps we can invite them all over for the post-wedding 4th of July BBQ in 2010. Then we can

get to know them, or maybe it's just more fun to guess what's going on with Camo-Dude.

Yellow dog is especially invited to the BBQ because he's the friendliest out of everyone.

*Amy