You know it's been a successful cul-de-sac block party when you wake up and find a half-full jar of moonshine and a random, but very pretty, serving bowl on your kitchen counter. The bowl wasn't quite as mysterious as the moonshine. I think we all ended up with random serving bowls, utensils, etc. finding their way into our homes last night. Apparently, a good majority of our kitchenware ended up at the neighbor's house three doors down.
How and why moonshine ended up on my kitchen counter is a complete mystery. Although, I know for a fact that I did not partake; I stuck to wine all night. In fact, I don't remember anyone drinking said moonshine or even discussing it.
To be clear, it was not a wild night of debauchery; although, I must admit, that the random, and unexplained, appearance of moonshine seems to refute that fact.
The same neighbor that ended up with our kitchenware started this "tradition" (it's not yet a tradition, but seeing as this was our third such get together in the past year, it's well on it's way to becoming one.) and it is nice to get to know the people behind those front doors.
For the most part, on this street people keep to themselves. So much so, that I never even laid eyes on the lady next door for YEARS. In fact, I didn't even know she existed until the first time we had one of these parties. I only knew that her husband lived there because I would see him mowing the grass.
So, last night my friend from two doors asked me what the "invisible" lady's name was - I said, "I'm not quite sure but I think it's Jennifer...but I'm bad at remembering names of people I rarely see." My very extroverted friend called out, "Hi Jennifer!"
Friends...her name is NOT Jennifer. It's something else that does not even remotely sound like Jennifer. My friend turned to me and said, "You ARE really bad at this." Hey, I warned her; she's the one that decided to jump in with both feet. Now let's see if I can remember this lady's name the next time I see her...
The owner of the moonshine has just been revealed via a group text...although, we still don't know how it ended up here. I believe that will be an eternal mystery.
I laughed SO hard about your Jennifer story because I can relate.
ReplyDeleteI am ashamed to admit I am much better at remember dog names than their owner's names. For at least a year after someone moved into our neighbourhood I would say hello to a woman by greeting her dog (Maisie). I could not remember the owner's name for the life of me, and finally asked someone what her name was because I was so embarrassed to cross paths most days and not know her name (but be on a first-name basis with HER DOG).
There is another person in our neighbourhood; I know her husband's name...and, of course, their dog's name...but I cannot remember if her name is Suzanne or Suzanna or Mary-Anna (I had to ask someone else because I had no idea, but then couldn't remember what they told me). In FIVE years I have never had the courage to call her by name, but also feel too embarrassed to ask her name.
Our neighbour - is is Sophia or Sophie? I CANNOT remember. I just blur the last syllable when I say her name.
*Sigh*
I think block parties are great, if you can stand most of your neighbors. A block party for my block would be a horror.
ReplyDeleteI wish I liked my neighbors as much as you like yours. Maybe next year, we all come to your block party? 🤣
ReplyDeleteI love this! The mystery of the moonshine! Your block party sounds so fun. We used to have one yearly in my neighborhood and it was such a great way to get to know our neighbors, many of whom keep to themselves. I think people were really curious about my husband, because if anyone is out and about, it's me and my daughter. So they loved to see that he really existed!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a PARTY! Moonshine in your kitchen!
ReplyDeleteI wish we had a block party, but our street is a very long straightaway and it's just never happened. That said, I know most of my neighbours - we have been here 23 years, so I've gotten to really know people.
Now that sounds like a great party! And if the woman was our age, you had a pretty good chance that her name actually was Jennifer! (Or Lisa or Kim) Those were the most popular names in the US in the late 60s early 70s!
ReplyDeleteI'm so bad with names, it's embarrassing! Glad to know I'm not the only one.
ReplyDeleteI currently have at least two jars of moonshine in our FL fridge and more than that in the GA fridge; neither of us drink moonshine, but people often gift it to us.
Hopefully you'll have more fun in the near future with Not Jennifer.
Ok so what does moonshine taste like and is it still illegal? Useless with names... Also back to the moonshine could I get some😂
ReplyDeleteWhenever I see the word shenanigan in a blog title, I know I am going to have a good read.
ReplyDeleteWow, that sounds like a great party -- we never have moonshine at our block parties! I am definitely the quiet neighbor; I know all of my neighbor's names and we say hi in passing (or maybe a little bit of small talk) but I am definitely not great friends with any of them. However, I did see my neighbor across the way go out for a run the other day so I texted her to see if she wanted company next time and she said yes. So I am trying, but it is not really my way normally. In fact, probably why we are not great friends in some instances is that when I first moved in, I had trouble with the neighbor right next to me parking in front of my driveway. Imagine one of my first orders of business when I was new being a conversation about moving their car (over and over) or their friend's cars. So it has now been a long road to become more friendly with that set of neighbors.
ReplyDeleteI forget names, too. I get that. And I can't blame it on aging, I've always been that way. Your block party sounds like fun. I've never lived anywhere where we've had one, but I have had moonshine. It's too intense for me, but to find some in your kitchen, that sounds like the start of a good mystery.
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