I get a little warm in my heart when I think of winter / I put my hand in my father's glove / I run off where the drifts get deeper

This neighborhood is a wonderful place in which to live, and our house really feels like home now.

Last weekend, we finally hung up all of our artwork around the house. This makes everything so much warmer. We also installed a new light fixture in the kitchen and did some other random tasks that make the house more "ours." This prepared us to host our first party, a holiday potluck, which went exceptionally well.

I wish I had pictures of Melissa and I prepping our turkey, Kirby, for the feast. But, two and a half bottles of wine makes us far too silly and forgetful to remember things like photographic evidence of our awesomeness. Anyhow, we brined Kirby on Friday night, as well as made and iced a bunch of sugar cookies, and also spent plenty of time being silly. Saturday morning, we stuffed Kirby in the oven and waited.

Folks came over later in the afternoon, sharing tasty dishes such as Frances' ricotta torte, Dean's amazing jambalaya, and Brett's pumpkin-chocolate cheesecake. Many hours, and some nearly innumerate amount of calories later, and we called it a successful party.

Overnight, a few inches of snow fell, meaning we had to shovel the way out of the driveway (which took a trip to Home Depot in order to buy shovels). I made a snow angel to celebrate the first real snow of the year.

And then we met our neighbor, Dale. He's the real reason for this post (since I don't have silly pictures from our party).

We saw him from a distance -- brown jacket, his face entirely masked by cold-weather gear, and a shining bright red snow-blower. He began across the street and a few driveways down and slowly made his way closer and closer to us. As I shoveled, I wondered who this masked stranger was. Would he come rescue us from the peril of the cold? And, like a knight with shiny snowblower, he did. He came to introduce himself as we were maybe half-finished with the driveway and explained that he and one of the other neighbors just always took care of it.

Chivalry may be close to dead in my own generation, but, in his, it's alive and well, and it shows in the brotherhood of this neighborhood. Whether it's a couple of old guys taking the time to plow their neighbors out of their driveways, or the way people take the time to stop and talk to each other when they see a neighbor out doing yardwork, this neighborhood is filled with hearts of gold, willingness to lend a hand, and a real neighborly feeling.

Juggles and I really do love it here. Though this may not be our home forever, it's certainly a place we'll always design our ideals for our future around, and a place where we'll build and learn together.