I just wanted to ay WOW.  I recently signed a lease to move to Tremont.  I visited the neighborhood yard sale, so kind of see what the neighborhood was like, what the people were about, and really, just o get a better idea about where I am about to live.  And, I am IMPRESSED!!!!!!Almost every single person I passed on the streets said "hi", "how are you" "good day".  All the people who participated in the yard sale were polite, very informative, and made me feel instantly welcome in the neighborhood.  I really think I'm going to love living in this neighborhood.  I grew up in Cleveland.  I moved a lot, but spent most of my younger years near W. 25th, and Lorain.  I spent a short time in the Tremont area, and was some what skeptical about moving back.  But no more.  I honestly can say, I can't wait to move in. 

I just moved back after a 5 year stint in the diaspora. My typical Tremont cynicism has been silenced, at least for awhile. I didn't realize how much I'd missed it here. My husband and I noted its been two weeks and we haven't heard a single ghetto blaster drive by, we have not encountered one nasty mouthed thug teenager while walking our dogs and so far none of our neighbors seem to be straight out of "Guiding Light, Hillbilly-style". We've only moved across the gulley (from the West 25th & Lorain area) but the mornings are quiet and peaceful - noticeably so.

I did get approached by a panhandler last night, but she called me "Mam" when she asked for money and I returned the salute when I told her all I had was doggie poopie bags. We wished each other a good night. Nothing menacing, quite friendly.

And then there's the fact that Tremont is part of the recycling pilot programs, the foreclosure remediation grants, recipients of the city's rain barrel give-aways. In my old hood, I tried (in vain) to get trees planted on nasty land bank lots that were subjected to routine dumping. My biggest obstacles were the very people who were supposed to be making it easier. The hood's monolithic "block club" begins every meeting with the catholic crisscrossing thingy and devout prayer. Most neighbors don't attend because its a giant cat pissing scratch fest and you inevitably leave with a migraine. And then there's the fact they do nOHthing. Ever. I tried to start a smaller scale group, similar to the smaller block clubs in Tremont, and it was deemed the enemy by the councilman's fag hags that live across the street and sabotaged. I'm not sure its dysfunction...I'm not quite sure exactly what it is...

Anyway, its nice to wake up to quiet every morning and walk amongst friendly faces in the evening. I'm glad to be back.