The three R's I refer to above are three downstairs neighbors I had during my 13 years in Hove. I loved living there, and had the first and second floor maisonette with a balcony and front garden. My first R downstairs was Ruth, a very smart and accomplished young woman, who was working in London when I moved in, and was therefore not home much in the week. We got off to a very good start because the woman who had my flat before was apparently rather noisy, and I was quite the opposite. I didn't go to the pub every evening and then bring back a group of friends after closing time! Poor Ruth, who had to get up early to catch her commuter train to London, had often been woken by loud partying immediately above her head (in what was my Dining Room) and was simply exhausted. Her relief when I arrived was very clear. She welcomed me on moving day with a lovely bottle of champagne. Over the next five years we became firm friends: Ruth decided to work locally, then met someone and fell in love; I was a guest at their gorgeous wedding, and they then proceeded to have two lovely children (a boy and a girl), Ruth set up her own business which was very successful, and they eventually moved away, ending up in the Cotswolds. We are still firm friends and exchange cards and presents on Birthdays and at Christmas.
R number two followed Ruth into the Downstairs flat: this was Roz, who was then a single, smart businesswoman, living on her own but with a large extended family and loads of good friends. We became good friends too, and very soon considered ourselves to be family. Roz really wanted to have a child but there was no obvious choice of a father, so after much thought and questioning she opted for a donor father, and did masses of research before deciding on the father she wanted for her child. I remember we had long conversations on the pros and cons, and it took her a while to decide - quite properly. Eventually though, she was pregnant and Bean was born: a delightful boy whose proper name was Gabriel, but who has always been called either Bean or Beanie by those who know him. In all we had 5 great and very eventful years when Rozzy was downstairs. Then she decided to buy an old house in the country near Lewes, and off she went with Beanie, selling her downstairs flat to my third R. And just like with Ruth, we remain great friends.
Rachel was next, married to John. They were childless when they moved in downstairs, but they were very soon pregnant and Finn was born. I did begin to wonder if I was the Fertility Fairy, waving my magic wand and helping to bring some lovely babies into the world? Whether or not, it was a rather wonderful thing that all three R's had their children downstairs while I lived upstairs. Sadly, I moved away after 3 years with Rachel, but we have kept in touch too, so I feel my life has certainly been richer for having such lovely downstairs neighbours and friends.
Thirteen years of serendipity - how lucky I was.
