7 Reasons My Neighbours Think I’m Strange

~ occupation:(m)other

You know how you say flippantly ‘ha the neighbours will think I’m strange’. Well since becoming a parent I seem to be saying that A LOT. My neighbours are a ridiculously lovely bunch and terribly polite but a few little, ahem, observations from them have brought me to the conclusion that my flippant utterances might have some basis in reality.

So I’ve been considering what possible reasons there could be for this and I think I’ve nailed it:

1. Buildering
My son is a big fan of builders – the one we had downstairs for a few weeks, Bob, the people up the scaffolding down the road, anyone in a hard hat really. And so we do lots of buildering. I say we do lots of buildering, what I mean is I do lots of buildering.

My son is more into project management at the moment and so I receive instructions as to which door or window to fix and the tools I should use. All of which I undertake with great enthusiasm, resplendent in a too small high-vis jacket and a yellow plastic hard hat. It’s so nice to be buildering at the window – good to know I’ll definitely be seen (and safe) when a neighbour passes with a cheery hello and a double take.

 

2. Happyland Leap of Faith
Poor old Happyland people spend their lives in a box coming out just to sit in poorly designed cars and on chairs that are too small for them. We have a lovely view from our lounge and it’s only fair to share, so I lined them up one day on the railings of our first floor balcony.

It’s just that not only did I forget about them for the entire day, they were quite high and it sort of looked a little bit like a desperate escape attempt.

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3. Sing it Loud
We sing all day long. I imagine most parents of young children spend a good proportion of their day singing. Newborn evenings had my husband and I belting out ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina!’ until the poor child stopped crying in bewilderment.

Nothing inherently strange in that, I hear you say. Well quite, until the two year old requests we do his nursery rhymes in the style of Howard Keel. YES, my husband can do a cracking Howard Keel impression…it’s Howard Keel as Adam from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers actually. And it is LOUD.

 

4. Let the Rain In
I don’t mind the rain and think you can have a huge amount of fun in it, and so we do. Again not too odd. But sometimes (if I haven’t got dressed yet) I don’t want to go outside and so we let the rain in. Balcony doors wide open, towels on the floor (heaviness and angle of rain determines how many we need), and a (thirty) two year old squealing with delight.

image

 

5. Indoor soft play allergy
On the theme of weather I’m really keen we get our daily dose of fresh air, even if that freshness might be a little on the chill side.

Picture December…the communal Christmas Tree was in full twinkly glory on the shared front lawn and the neighbours were tucked up warm in their houses. My 16 month old son and I were…in our cardboard boat box navigating round the tree. It was less Stevenson’s Treasure Island and more Shackleton in the Antarctic but it was a hilarious afternoon and cardboard is very insulating.

 

6. Hulahoop loopy
I became a little, um, obsessed with the idea that I couldn’t hulahoop this summer. I took my son to a festival and he adored the fabulous hulahooping lady and so I decided that I MUST learn.

I bought myself a hulahoop and I bought my son a mini one to match. We took to the communal garden and I tried…I tried and tried and tried. I tried to the point where I started to get a bit hysterical and light headed. Kindly neighbours weeks later commented on my dedication. Thank you.

Other, more practical, neighbours sent their 9 year old daughters round. They taught me in about ten minutes with much seriousness and I CAN NOW HULAHOOP! Yes I did just shout that.

 

7. Birthday Baubles
We have a Christmas Tree outside the front door. This in itself was commented on. But wait, why waste the decorating potential of a Christmas Tree for eleven months when it could have its moment in the sun for Birthdays too? A Christmas Tree is not just for Christmas.

image

 

Who knows what the exact thing is that makes my neighbours think we’re, let’s say, ‘quirky’. There’s a common theme, however, and that is a small blond boy who definitely brings out the child in me.

So what do you do (with or without children) that makes you utter the words: ‘the neighbours will think I’m strange’…go on, do share!

 

I’ve decided to go with the blogging flow and enter into the BiBs and MAD blog awards. It’s a lovely opportunity for people to show pride in their own blogs and admiration for others they like. You can read my arguments for and against nominating my blog here.

57 thoughts on “7 Reasons My Neighbours Think I’m Strange”

  2. My neighbors think I am crazy because I run around the block past their houses sometimes once, twice, or three plus times in a day. My husband plays guitar on the deck while I sing. We shovel our long driveway for fun when it snows. Now that my kids are older, they actually care what the neighbors think so they aren’t quite as crazy. That’s just to name a few….

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  4. There’s a lot to be said for being quirky and fun, there’s enough dull in life already.
    It’s when the neighbours start avoiding you I think you’ll need to start worrying. 😉

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  5. Well these all sound awesome to me! Except letting in the rain – I cannot get on board with that! If I was your neighbour, it would not make me think you were odd, though. I’d be perfectly happy as long as you didn’t come over & let the rain in my house! Obviously, I absolutely consider the year round Christmas tree, and boating round the communal Christmas tree to be totally normal activities.

    As for the buildering..I expect your neighbours just think, ‘She’s been buildering that one window for 5 months now – she must work for Taylor Wimpey!’

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    1. True…but they might really like it, maybe they just haven’t tried it before (by ‘they’ I mean ‘you’ Silly One…go one let the rain in!). I always have a little whisper of happy when I see the Christmas Tree. I just hope it doesn’t die in the warm this christmas or infest the house with insects….

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  7. Singing out loud is good, as is dancing at every chance (in the streets, in shops etc) and the birthday/xmas tree is a genius idea. #Thelist

    P.s I dont even have small kids any more, I have just nevwr grown up!

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  9. I’ve let the rain in a few times! LOL! I’m surrounded by college students in my apartment complex so if they think I’m strange, I haven’t paid much attention to them but hey, we are all a little strange aren’t we? Great post! Visiting from #momsterlink

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    1. Haha! I always worry about the noise more than the strange actually! Most of my neighbours have grown up children so there’s a certain fond nostalgia from them that I fear we are doing our best to test. Thank you for stopping by x

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  11. I love the Happy Land escapees! Ours used to turn up in the weirdest places too. I’m pretty sure our neighbours think we’re strange too, but all the best people are! #momsterslink

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    1. Ahhh how amazing that you have one to match your daughter, I love it! I answered the door to the postman one day with a dressing gown on (fine) but I’d stuck ball-pit balls all down the front so that my toddler would laugh when I undid the tie and all the balls came out. I don’t think the postman noticed…well I don’t think so anyway! These poor posties!

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  16. hahahha! All parents are strange to non-parents so don’t you worry 😛 I wish I could do number 4 but i live too high up in an apartment building for it to be safe >.<
    #momsterlink

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    1. Ahh, so true! That’s a shame about the rain…hmmm and probably best not to do it in the foyer! Thanks for commenting and sorry for delay in replying. I’m on holiday being strange but just popping back into blogosphere for this week’s momsterlink!

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  17. Our neighbors find our oddness not due from my toddlers but more so my husband who one time while a bit…shall we say intoxicated…decided to wonder around in the front yard in his birthday suit 😜😳 luckily it was late and I don’t think anyone was awake but who really knows…or cares…if I saw one of my neighbors drunk and naked in their front yard I’d think to myself “they must be fun” and close the blinds. Thanks for sharing with #momsterslink.

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  19. Pingback: MAD for a BiB |

  21. Ha ha we sing too! Love the “Christmas tree is not just for Christmas” it looks lovely. We get the picnic blanket out every month and sit in the lounge floor (in the winter!) and eat picniccy stuff! We all have different quirks don’t we?! X

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    1. We certainly do. I love the idea of monthly indoor picnics…I may be stealing that one. For winter we have a forest ‘cafe’ which is any fallen tree we can find in the new forest. I invite my son to take a seat then pretend I’m the waiter delivering the menu and food. It’s cold, I like your idea of being warmer! Thank you for commenting x

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  23. You sound perfectly normal to me and like a brilliant mum. We do opera singing and regularly play monster mummy which involves lots of load noises and running around all perfectly normal. “The most sophisticated people I know – inside they are all children. ”
    ― Jim Henson TY for linking up with #FamilyFun 🌸

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  24. Well not only do my neighbours think I’m strange but I reckon they hate me. Why? Noise pollution from one small, lunatic of a terrier. I love your idea of throwing the windows open come rain or shine (literally!). Fab post.

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    1. Ahh yes, terriers can make a special sort of noise can’t they!? I’m never completely sure what my neighbours can actually hear through the walls – I’m optimistic, so maybe yours don’t even know you have a dog!?

      I love the rain! But my son has developed an aversion to going out in it now, I think he’s rebellions already. Thank you for commenting

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  25. Love this – the photo of the Happyland people on the balcony made me chuckle. Letting the rain in sounds like fun as does sailing around a communal Christmas tree in a cardboard box boat. I’m guilty of singing all the time too – the only problem is those rare occasions when I’m in a shop on my own and find myself singing some CBeebies theme tune aloud! #FamilyFun

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    1. Oh yes, that! Haha, why do they make the music so catchy (or repetitive anyway!). Thank you so much for featuring this post as one of your Friday Fabulous Five, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. We’re all a little strange aren’t we!? Lucy x

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  26. I adore this. You are definitely a cool mum. The picture of the happy people made me laugh! I do worry that my neighbours hear my constant singing or me and the baby playing peekaboo and giggling – at 11pm! Oh well. #FamilyFun

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    1. I always wonder what my neighbours can hear through the walls…sometimes my son will scream, I mean really scream and he’s just having fun but it makes me wonder what they think I’m doing! Ahh 11pm peekaboo…the nighttime partying of parents! Thank you for your lovely comment x

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  27. I love that the neighbors sent their daughters over to teach you to hula hoop! It is not easy & I am so impressed that you can do it now! You sound like a really fun mom!! #FamilyFun x

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    1. They were hula hooping gurus…I reckon they could teach anyone to hula hoop! Saying that I’ve probably forgotten now and will have to go through the whole rigmarole again this summer. Thank you for commenting x

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