We got a bunch of snow on Sunday and paid someone to clear the sidewalks, but as expected, there was a lot more snow overnight. This morning I noticed that someone had done another pass on the public sidewalk in front of our house -- nice! I suspected our next-door neighbor, who's done that for us before (and I return the favor if I get outside first, though he usually beats me), but he said it wasn't him this time. He did, however, start shoveling my front steps at about the time I went out to clear a path from our door to the public sidewalk, which is how I found out he didn't know who did the sidewalk in front of both our houses. Later, when Dani and I were shoveling the back sidewalk and mini-driveway, he showed up again to help. After he helped us he proceeded up the block.

A bit over a year ago, we had a furnace emergency on a very cold day -- contractors had nicked the gas line, so service was cut off and couldn't be turned on until someone from the utility could inspect the repair, which in the end happened at 2AM. The neighbor three doors up noticed the activity going well into the evening, came by to ask if we needed any help, and upon learning that it was a furnace problem, immediately offered space heaters and said to call at any hour if we were too cold that night. I was touched that someone who I've only had occasional sidewalk conversations with both noticed the possible problem and offered help unprompted.

I'm very glad to live in a place where neighbors look out for each other.