Fences…
There’s been a lot written about fences over the years. Robert Frost wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors.” The weathered grey fence between the two houses, a big red Landwehr house and a big brown Haig house, could tell a story in itself.

Margo and Jerry broke the ice with their new neighbors, Carolyn and Jim over a tall pitcher of martinis on a hot September afternoon. But before the fence even appeared, there was an expanse of mud broken by tall weeds, and there were small potholes that turned into mini lakes after a spring rain. Two mothers made friends over that expanse of ‘back yard’, when Carolyn saved Margo’s baby John from a mucky experience as she called out a warning from her brand new back porch!

The wooden fence was carefully built one foot inside the Landwehr lot line. Hans will come occasionally, look for Fig Newtons in our cookie jar, and remind us that he ‘owns’ that one foot! Nevertheless, the gate is always unlocked to us, and friendship has poured out from the beautiful Landwehr gardens to the welcoming backyard field of the Haig house.

At one time, Jim looked in wonder as Margo attempted gardening. “No,” he said, “You don’t
RE-PLANT the radishes to thin them!” and shaking his head, suggested that the Haigs leave the gardening to the Landwehrs!

Margo and Carolyn were among the first members of the Clovernook Bridge Club. (Carolyn has the rather unique rules and will produce them if you ask!) In addition, we have some great recipes that we share. Missing ingredients borrowed at the last minute often passed over the back fence.

Jim and Jerry worked together in the Clovernook Association as we settled into our new neighborhood. And then, softballs and baseballs flew over the fence. Jim coached Softball and Jerry coached Little League.

A gathering of animals ran back and forth between the houses, and Carolyn’s beloved cats tried to stay out of the way! A big litter of puppies in the Landwehr kitchen brought all Haigs to visit. John was just tall enough, along with Karl, to brush big Thor aside and play with the roly-poly puppies. We both had our share of hamsters and guinea pigs and birds, and a duck was even added to the menagerie at one time!

Timing, officiating, working the scoreboard, managing the swim kitchen…our lives were chlorinated together! Swimming became such a big part of all of our lives that Tom Haig suggested to Hans Landwehr that we build a two lane swimming pool with a diving well diagonally across the Haig yard to the Landwehrs…so that we could have Hans swimming laps and Tom diving at the same time!

Many a fiery ‘tree stumpings’ were held at the juncture of the yards, right inside the fence. We
co-hosted lots of late night parties there. And oh, the swim parties…and the band parties…we did have fun! Today, you’ll more likely find the four of us meeting for pizza at Calderone’s to share news and memories of music, graduations, weddings, some sorrows and losses, lots of pride in our children’s accomplishments and best of all, a life long friendship.

And as always, the fence makes good neighbors.

Thanks for the memories, Carolyn and Jim…Grow old with us – the best is yet to come!