where do ya go to Church... time to meet the neighbors

[kappydell]

that's exactly why you need to at least try to get to know them - some are not worth the trouble, some are. Im blessed with nostly good ones, but the way we introduced ourselves to the neighborhood was to be willing to stop and chit chat while doing yard work, and then when winter came, snow-blowing a little further down the sidewalks when we did ours - folks that are at work appreciate someone pitching in to help them avoid the 'snow tickets' they get for not blowing snow. When someone's dog comes in our yard, we don't call animal control...we just round it up and play with it until the owner comes looking (usually hysterical) and offer a cup of coffee to them and invite them in to rest after their search. Little things. We don't have to compromise opsec - just be approachable, forgiving of others foibles (after all, who IS perfect?), and have a sense of humor. Now we all share in sidewalk maintenance chores (we snowblow out neighbors' for example if they are working or out of town when the snow stops), swap power equipment back and forth, and pay cash for chores that require expertise that they have - had the garbage disposal replaced, for example, by one neighbor who is a plumber; another has access to a skid loader and will come over if we need something moved for a reasonable cost; another helped with tree trimming for the cost of 4 new chainsaw blades (he asked for one, we donated the spares for goodwill and to be sure of an enthusiastic response if we needed a repeat trip). Plus ricepaddy daddy has it right - one good contact often leads to another, and then you are networking, my son.

Only one neighbor is what we would consider a little shaky trust wise, but we always are friendly to him and don't complain (or scream at) his young children. We just don't expect him to be a self-reliant or even helpful type when the chips are down. And we keep our preps hidden and our mouths shut about them with EVERYONE. It might not necessarily be the neighbor that is a threat to opsec...but it could well be his children's friends, or friends of friends, or visiting relatives who are nosy and have loose lips. My late spouse had an expression for those folks..."hungry eyes and empty heads". Just be nice and shine those types along. You don't have to go all 007 on them, it makes them even more suspicious & nosy & prone to make trouble.

[rockriver]

creman, no apol needed. my response looked too strong when i reread it...
sounds like you've done a great job finding out who and what your neighbors are!

kappy,
great, well explained. congratulations. lots of good examples.

i especially like the "my son" comment.
me, being so young. getting good advice from my elders, is great!
rr

[motesjm]

I try to stay away from the church question because I don't generally go to church, and people around here look at you like you have 3 heads if you say you don't go to church 3 times a week. I'm quite comfortable admiring God and his creation without sitting in a pew.

My ice breakers are usually about work, hunting, fishing and gardening which usually lead to guns and shooting, fieldcraft, and food production and storage. Not many many people are interested in all three areas. Some are not interested in any of them. It kinda gives you an idea of where peoples priorities are. And of course some comments about alabama or Auburn football are obligatory.

I can be and I am friends with many people that are not interested in any of those things, but our conversations are generally not about things that I find exciting or important. Not everyone that is interested in one or more of those subjects are people I trust. Some are quite to the contrary.