O.K. Tell me if I’m making a big deal out of nothing.

We live in a really great, old neighborhood a few miles from downtown Nashville. The yards are big, and most of the houses are old ranch homes (they started out that way, at least). J and I have lived in this neighborhood since we were married (17 years ago this past Sunday!). This is our third house. The first was a tiny little ranch house on almost 2 acres. The next we lived in for 13 years, all of H’s life. Renovated it a few times until we couldn’t change anything else. Then we were ready for a new house, but couldn’t find one we liked. So we found an empty lot about a mile from the old house. A contractor had actually MOVED the old house (as opposed to the tear-downs that take place around here all the time), and was going to build a spec home on the lot, so we just bought it from him. Serendipitous timing.

Almost three years later we moved in to our dream house, although it probably belongs on about 5 acres in Colorado or somewhere. Somehow we built a contemporary “mountain” home on a flat 1 1/2 acres in Nashville. We love it, but I admit, it is a little bit different from most of the neighborhood.

We moved in almost a year ago. We’ve gotten used to cars slowing down in front of our house to take a look, and to people we barely know who want to come over and take a look. All well and good.

But what is it with those people who drive into our driveway, get out, walk up to the front door and start taking pictures? Or who park in the grass in the front yard and walk across the yard, up the sidewalk to the front porch and stand there with their friends, pointing and chatting like we invited them?

This morning J came in and asked me if I was expecting someone. I said, “No.” He said, “Well, it looks like someone is visiting.” I went to the front door and there they were, just standing there, looking around. I opened the door and asked them if I could help them.

“No, thanks, we’re just looking.”

Just looking! Like it’s a department store!

“She’s building a house and we wanted to look at the details of your home.”

I felt like they were waiting for me to invite them in.

What is it with people?