“I brought you a gift basket,” she says, holding out a brown basket while smiling like it’s the best thing she’s done.

“I do it for every new person here,” she adds, probably reading the confusion on my face.

And here I am, thinking I’m special, I joke with myself, trying to maintain a straight face so she doesn’t confuse my natural resting face with me being annoyed at her.

“Thanks,” I tell her, accepting the basket.  “That’s very thoughtful.”

She smiles, pleased with herself.

“Welcome to the neighbourhood, neighbour,” she says before turning her back to me and leaving.

She walks across the road and in the direction of her house.  I close my door before she can see me still standing at my opened door.  And I don’t want her to think I’m creepy.

I place the gift basket on the floor in the dining room, where the dining room table I haven’t ordered yet will go, and continue unpacking the boxes in my bedroom upstairs.