New neighbours

We’ve had some new neighbours move in recently.

 

We noticed their little door in our skirting board yesterday.

 

So being the friendly types that we are, we knocked on the wee door and introduced ourselves.

This is the home of Mr and Mrs Church Mouse. They were so friendly and completely gracious about the fact that they won’t find any cheese in our house due to the fact that we are vegans.  After some discussion we found that they shared our philosophy about money--it doesn’t buy happiness and what we have we need to share with those who really don’t have enough.  Like us, they live on a budget and value experiences over “keeping up with the Joneses.” I think they’ll make lovely neighbours, don’t you?

 

Isn’t that the sweetest thing? I saw this idea somewhere on the internet about putting a tiny door on your skirting board to make it look like fairies lived there. They suggested using a doll house door and sticking it on with that double stick foam you use in crafts. I was just a-waiting for someone with a car to take me to Hobby Craft in Stevenage to buy one when we saw this wee door for sale at the gift shop of the Watts Gallery in Guildford. We went there last week to see the Eleanor Fortescue-Brickdale exhibit. I was so happy to be able to buy it from the Watts Gallery--they are a lovely, friendly museum and I want to support them in any way I can.

 

Today I had a look at the skirting boards to find the best place. I noticed that all our skirting boards are slightly the worse for wear--they all have scuff marks that won’t come off. They need to be repainted, but they are just skirting boards. I’d rather spend the money elsewhere.

 

I wiped them down and then applied the door with the double stick craft foam. I decided to add the 2 statues of mice Spiderman bought me for Christmas a few years ago in our under £5 challenge where the gift has to be second hand. How lucky that we actually have Mr and Mrs Church Mouse to go with the door!

 

Have you heard the expression as poor as a church mouse? Well, when we first moved to the UK with all our possessions in six suitcases and we lived in an unfurnished flat with an air mattress and a box  that the radio came in for a table, we called ourselves Mr and Mrs Church Mouse.  We were *that* poor, but also *that* happy. The name kind of stuck. Seven years ago we moved to a place called Church House and it seemed fitting that we were once again Mr and Mrs Church Mouse. We don’t make as much money as we used to when we lived in the US, but our standard of living is so much better here. We spend it on what matters--good food, art, entertainment such as going to the theatre, museums and lectures and helping out others when we can. Living without a car (or two!) and a big house and television and a mobile phone and the latest gadget mean we’ve got more money for what matters.

 So I think we’ll get along just find with our new neighbours.

 

Squeak!