happiness

One of my current neighbors and I, met an old neighbor for lunch, over the holidays. The one neighbor who had moved away some years ago was in town, so we met up. We have all been friends for so many years.

I often think of when I moved into my condo building so many years ago and how I miss those days. Today I barely speak to some of the current neighbors, I just don’t like them and we’ve fallen out.

The sad part is that I don’t speak to them, but I don’t think they realize it. I don’t make it obvious, I just avoid them. As I get older, I’ve decided to get rid of people who are toxic to me. Unfortunately, there are many.

In the old days, we had neighbors who were jerks, but for some reason, since it was in the past, it seems great and I miss those days.

It’s almost like a tv show. We had our original cast of characters and then over the years, people left and new people came in and it’s different.

I saw a documentary on Cheers the other day, the tv show. And they were saying that when Shelley Long left, they thought it would go downhill, but arguably, it got better with Kirstie Alley as Rebecca Howe.

And when Coach died, they thought the same – that it was the end of the show, but Woody Harrelson as Woody, did a wonderful job to take over. Interestingly enough, the character Woody was named before there was an actor to play the part, so Woody Harrelson ironically just happened to end up with the part, and he was perfect for it.

With my neighbors, I don’t think it’s gotten better with new people moving in over the years. I miss the old ~~cast members~~ neighbors.

There was a time we used the elevator as a dumb waiter. People would bake and put things in the elevator for us to share. And at Christmas, it was non-stop up and down with gifts – we all would exchange gifts via the elevator, which now that I think about it, might have been nicer at a building Christmas party instead of the dumbwaiter way, but that’s how we did it.

We used to have so many condo meetings at that time, that maybe we felt we didn’t need a party, every few weeks the meetings were light and fun and sort of like a party. Now we barely have meetings. It’s a different building and world.

Back then, one neighbor used to own citrus groves and he would give each neighbor a case of grapefruits for Christmas. They were so fresh and delicious. I asked him how they were so juicy. He said that at the supermarket, by the time we got them, they literally were touched by 20 hands, but the ones he gave us were just touched by the guy at the orchard who pulled the grapefruits off the trees and put them in the cartons. One hand touched them!

But that’s a thing of the past, and so is he. He passed away a couple of years ago and we all miss his old grumpy self.

Here’s to 2026, hopefully we’ll have a bit of the old days this year.

Till next time . . .