When I was young, I don’t think I ever had to borrow the sugar, but we definitely asked for help from our neighbours frequently. The carpool for school, the street babysitting, and optimistic folks suggesting their car was next to be washed on those dry summer afternoons.

Being neighbourly reached a new level in 2020 with street check-ins, the Anzac Commemoration in our street, social media offers & teddy bears in windows. The grounding tapped into our sense of nostalgia, which is exactly why granny cooks meals works. I wanted meals that folks heated up in their own time. Dishes that need at least 30 minutes in the oven. That 30 minutes was then the changover from the dinner table work & schooling zone, to the family zone with setting the table again, and being able to anticipate with the delicious aroma drifting over the ipad.

Yia Yia next door is probably the most well known neighbourly connection we know about. What I find surprising is that this is amazing for some folks. The folks I see most days, or even don’t see, but I know their movements, is my neighbours. I know who to ask for help, and I know how to find solutions for those who need help.

Celebrating this year will still be low key, these days the herbs might be the present day cup of sugar.
If you see me with a pile of rosemary, I’ve just come from Candy’s garden, she has the Tuscan blue flower curly wirly type I love.

My Valentine’s will include my neighbours, my street family.
Lots of love, Bernadette