Thought for today:
"Any area worth its salt will have an active 'Neighbourhood Watch' in progress to fend off the burglar or other house pests.
Mine comes in the form of my neighbour David who lives half a dozen doors down from me and Sheila. I have known David and his wife Miriam for a few years and we frequently exchange evening foursomes playing rummy after a good meal at one of our homes.
For the purpose of clarification, me and Sheila own and live in three of the through-terrace houses (converted into one larger property) in a block of five with neighbours at either side.
Last year, me and Sheila spent a week in Poland at my son William's wedding. Being a good and ever vigilant neighbour, David naturally kept an eye on our house during our absence. When David was walking past our house one morning, he noticed the door open and some strange chap sat down inside with a pot of tea at the side of him and reading the morning newspaper as bold as brass.
'That's the limit!' David instantly thought protectively and poking his head inside the open door he confronted the surprised chap who swallowed his chocolate digestive in utter fright. 'What the blazes are you doing here,' David challenged the intruder, adding, 'This is Bill and Sheila's house! Why are you in it? Thought you wouldn't be seen, did you?'
Our next-door neighbour Mark, a very quiet man, softly replied, 'No it isn't mate. I live here and have done for years!
After confronting the man a number of times without him budging from his chair or his assertion that it was indeed his house he was drinking his morning brew in, my good friend and more distant neighbour started to accept that he had in fact made a little mistake.
Watch out 'Neighbourhood Watches' and while remaining ever vigilant, hold your horses and don't jump your fences unless you're sure you can clear them in advance." William Forde: October 3rd, 2014.
"Any area worth its salt will have an active 'Neighbourhood Watch' in progress to fend off the burglar or other house pests.
Mine comes in the form of my neighbour David who lives half a dozen doors down from me and Sheila. I have known David and his wife Miriam for a few years and we frequently exchange evening foursomes playing rummy after a good meal at one of our homes.
For the purpose of clarification, me and Sheila own and live in three of the through-terrace houses (converted into one larger property) in a block of five with neighbours at either side.
Last year, me and Sheila spent a week in Poland at my son William's wedding. Being a good and ever vigilant neighbour, David naturally kept an eye on our house during our absence. When David was walking past our house one morning, he noticed the door open and some strange chap sat down inside with a pot of tea at the side of him and reading the morning newspaper as bold as brass.
'That's the limit!' David instantly thought protectively and poking his head inside the open door he confronted the surprised chap who swallowed his chocolate digestive in utter fright. 'What the blazes are you doing here,' David challenged the intruder, adding, 'This is Bill and Sheila's house! Why are you in it? Thought you wouldn't be seen, did you?'
Our next-door neighbour Mark, a very quiet man, softly replied, 'No it isn't mate. I live here and have done for years!
After confronting the man a number of times without him budging from his chair or his assertion that it was indeed his house he was drinking his morning brew in, my good friend and more distant neighbour started to accept that he had in fact made a little mistake.
Watch out 'Neighbourhood Watches' and while remaining ever vigilant, hold your horses and don't jump your fences unless you're sure you can clear them in advance." William Forde: October 3rd, 2014.
