Hi neighbor!

We got to hang with the people in our neighborhood Monday night at a block party more than five years in the making.

In the time since our last block party, families got bigger, new faces moved in, little peanuts grew up, couples married, babies came and my husband Vince and I officially became, well, old. In fact, we’ve been residents of this lovely neighborhood longer than everyone now, except our elegant friend Jan, who has lived in her house since 1959.

So, we were probably more tickled than anyone to see our street full of ballerinas, super heroes, new neighbors and old friends.

We bought our house from my parents, so my mom came and enjoyed meeting new people and catching up with a few old friends. Our friends Carol and Kim came from just down the block. Carol and I grew up together. We used to catch bees in the park and play softball in the baseball field across the street.

Sharon and her family were some of the first to arrive, even though it was her birthday, and Garrett and Erin came too, even though it was their anniversary. It’s fun to celebrate milestones with people because, just like Ferris Bueller says, life moves pretty fast and if you don’t look around every once in a while, you could miss it.

The Appleton Fire Department sent an engine and several members of the Appleton Police Department, including Police Chief Polly Olson, took their dinner break with us. It was cool to see real life heroes mingle with all the kids who look up to them.

It’s a privilege to live in the Erb Park neighborhood, with its big, old trees laid back atttitude and all the amenities that active park offers. We’re just a Bird scooter ride away from downtown, and we can walk to at least three parks right from our front doors.

Houses move quickly here, often without hitting the market at all.

Like any good hood, though, the real draw here is the neighbors and we’re always grateful to hang with ours.

We bought our house from my mom, Peggy, in the red sweatshirt. That’s Jan in the teal. She’s the only neighbor on our street who has lived here longer than Vince and I. She bought her house in 1959.