Good neighbours

It seems money is tight everywhere. My neighbour in Spain hasn't worked consistently for a few years now, only managing to pull in a few jobs from time to time (he's in construction).

Some of our other neighbours who work in the fields tell us that prices at the corrida (agricultural market) can often be so low that they don't even pick the crops, leaving them for the goats to eat.

So when our older neighbour (80+) went up to see one of his relatives, he came back with bags full of veg which were distributed around the family - and to us. A bag of beautiful aubergines. Not worth their while to pick the whole crop and take it to the corrida for centimos, so they get given away to family (and friends) instead.



Our neighbours in Gib went on holiday the other week. But the day before they came back the brother visited to check on the flat and discovered the water tank was leaking. Well, actually it had emptied all 50 litres of water into the flat, so he was busy mopping out.

Partner came back from the shops and pitched in to help.

When the neighbours returned - to a rather damp flat - they immediately came over to say thanks. The father of one of them was staying at a Spanish finca, so we received yet another bag of goodies. Parsley, lots of chilli peppers, and aubergine. (It's aubergine season)



Partner offered to help them fit a new water heater when they bought one and it was all done and sorted within a couple of of days. Later that week the two men went out for a few beers, totally paid for by our neighbour. And, he also loaned us a pack of some 50 dvds to watch at our leisure.

None of this might sound much, but a nice gesture from your neighbours is always welcome. We've always been lucky with decent neighbours, polite, quiet, friendly, and willing to help out. It's worth a lot.