We've been living in our current house for just over a year now. I alternately complain about the apparent un-neighborliness of our neighbors, who haven't made the effort to meet us, and express guilt at not having made the effort myself. I have met the next-door neighbors but could not tell you their names nor pick them out of a lineup of college girls.

July 4 I was off work and C wasn't, so I walked down the block with my dog, hoping to perhaps run into someone new. And it worked!

First was a woman about my age who was gardening. The fact that she has a very pretty English-style garden gave me an opportunity to compliment her, and we were soon talking. She has two small children, her husband is a landscape architect, and she seems nice enough. Later in the day I went back by her house with an Internet-gathered info sheet about a flower that both she and I have but couldn't name. I then discovered that she has a china cabinet full of collectable dolls. I've spent a few minutes trying to imagine myself becoming friends with the kind of person who buys and displays collectable dolls, and so far, snake eyes.

Next I met some neighbors about my parents' age who live diagonally across the intersection from us. Amazingly, they are liberal Democrats, and they were equally astounded to discover some younger people in the neighborhood (us) who were also liberal Democrats. Isn't life interesting? So I think we'll be hanging out with them some. I feel happier now that I know a few neighbors. I want to meet more.