I was reminded by facebook on April 20th that it had been 14 years since we bought our house in Everett. Fourteen years ago! It seems like yesterday in some ways and a lifetime ago as well. I remember the day we went through it - on a whim really because our realtor told us there was an accepted offer on it but we were welcome to see it anyway. After viewing the house, we both looked at each other and knew it would be ours. God would have to do a huge miracle for us though.

The very next day the realtor called us to say that the previous offer had been taken off the table and the home owners were accepting new offers - give it your best shot she said! We put in a fair price and waited! And waited for five very long days! We finally got the call. It was ours.

Little did I know at that time that God prepared that house and that neighbourhood to love and support me through the greatest grief period of my life.

There’s an old Sesame Street song that goes……who are the people in your neighbourhood? In your neighbourhood? In your neighbourhood……Oh, who are the people in your neighbourhood? They’re the people that you meet each day.

When Randy and I first moved to Everett in June of 2010, it wasn’t too long before we got to know the people in our neighbourhood. Our boys were grown and flown, so I had to be intentional on getting to know people. We didn’t have young children to meet other young children who would then introduce us to their parents. The answer proved to be in the form of a 90 pound, 4 legged, blond haired - golden retriever - our beautiful Maggie girl. As soon as school rolled around in September, Randy and I became intentional about walking Maggie at the time the kids would meet at the corner to get on the school bus. 8:15 am. One bus would head into Alliston and the other bus would head to the Tosorontio school. It would be at the bus stop that we began to know the people in our neighbourhood.

I have such great Bus Stop memories…..Randy and all the kids playing any games involving a tennis ball….Randy teaching the kids how to throw a perfect football spiral….Randy asking the kids what mischief the elf on the shelf got into the night before…..Randy asking the kids what was in their lunch that day…Randy getting a little tongue unstuck from the stop sign pole in the middle of January……wiping noses and tears…..sharing laughter and fun……talking about the Leaf’s wins and lamenting over their losses……even after the summer of 2014 I went to the Bus Stop to hang out with the kids and their moms and dads and dogs.

The first year we moved to Everett we hosted the annual Labour Day picnic in our backyard. The families came around 4 pm and we bbq’d all kinds of yummy meats and the neighbours would share salads and desserts. We would organize games, give out treats and offer a prayer of thanksgiving for protection for the children as they began the school year. Everyone went home at 7 pm.

The Christmas holiday road hockey game was held each December. The road would be somewhat blocked off - the game played on the snow covered pavement - hot chocolate and goodies were served - Christmas lights shone bright to bring extra light. Everyone played like it was game 7 of the Stanley cup playoffs.

Four days before Randy passed away on June 28, 2014, we had our first and only annual pig roast. We held it in a neighbour’s yard and what a day it was. A friend from our church, Klaus, and Randy, set up the spit at 6 am and that piggy roasted all day. What fun for the preschoolers in the neighbourhood. They stood and watched with amazement. It poured rain most of the afternoon but we prayed for that rain to stop. Stop it did! At 4:30! The neighbours came - about 100 strong. Randy prayed and thanked God for the food and for our “Hood!” We ate together. Shared life. Everett Strong.

So who are the people in the Everett neighbourhood? Well - there is Krista. She’s a wife and mom of now - three big kids and has a soft and generous heart. She’s always cooking something yummy and sharing it with everyone. She was one of the first people to text me on when she heard that Randy had collapsed. At that time she bought groceries, made food, dropped in with a word of love and comfort and several years later, it was Krista - who - (via her parents) introduced me to Harv. Everytime she comes to Kincardine to visit her folks, Krista comes over for a coffee and chat.

My next door neighbours in 2014 were Kim and Steve. They were a special couple to me. They opened their home to host family who came for the funeral. They cut my grass. They brought food. They hugged me over the back yard fence when the tears flowed freely. They couldn’t do enough.

And Angie - our local day care lady. Randy made a window through our wooden fence between our yards so we could visit over coffee and pass kids back and forth. Ang has a soft heart and is a great mom. Each morning we would walk around the block together - after the school bus would leave - together with the other moms and preschoolers and dogs and solve the problems of the world.

I love these women to this day.

I must mention one more! The last week of June, 2014, a new family moved in across the street - the Fracassi family. A young family with four young children. With the windows open in the summer time, I would hear the piano being played and the beautiful voice of ten year old Sophia. Fast forward ten years. Last Friday night I drove over to Alliston to hear 20 year old Sophia put on a concert at the Gibson Centre. Sophia has launched her singing career and what a voice. She’s going to go places. (Google her - Sophia Fracassi)

There were several neighbours from Everett at the concert and we reminisced about the years we lived there. They said how much they missed us in the neighbourhood - that the light had gone out - so so speak.

So there you have it. Our neighbourhood. When we were looking to move to the Alliston area, and found ourselves in Everett, we knew God had moved miraculously for us. Not for a moment - from that day in 2010 to this day in 2024 - do I doubt that we were led there for the very reason that one day, the people I intentionally became friends with and wanted to be a blessing to - would become the greatest blessings in my life.

They still are.

Do you know the people in your neighbourhood?