Paging Emily Post

The question of the day is: "What is the appropriate length of time to wait before banging on your neighbor's door asking for your cookie tin / Crate & Barrell dish towel back?"

I suppose I should start at the beginning.

We've lived in this neighborhood for approximately 8 months, and in this whole time, I've made no effort to get to know our neighbors. I know, I know -- not very June Cleaver-y of me... but seeing as no effort has been made on either side, I'm not going to cry about it.

Well about three weeks ago, I was driving to our house when I noticed my neighbor two doors down sitting outside with a small baby in her arms. In my head, I thought... "You should trick her into being your friend with baked goods and promises of tea parties!" (The rumors are true... I am in fact an eight year old girl.) So, the natural progression of this idea led to me furiously baking half a dozen giant banana muffins with streusel topping, wrapping them in a (clean!) dishtowel to keep them warm, and putting them in my only cookie tin for transportational purposes.

I grabbed Marcus, the muffins, and walked down to her house. I knocked on the door, waited for a bit, and was about to leave when the door cracked open and a girl about my age (maybe younger) peeked her head out. In an fit of nerve induced adrenaline, I practically shouted "HI I'M YOUR NEIGHBOR I KNOW I'VE LIVED HERE FOREVER HAHA BUT I SAW YOU OUTSIDE WITH YOUR BABY AND THOUGHT I'D SAY HELLO HAHA AND ALSO I BAKED YOU THESE HOMEMADE BANANA MUFFINS!!!111!1!"

I might have come off a wee bit strong.

Long story short, I was not invited in, I was given a quick "Thank you..." (dot dot dot included, silently, in her voice) and then the door was shut.

I was a little miffed. Granted, I'm sure I came off as terribly awkward and perhaps a mite scary, but that was it? Nothing? I tried to think of what I would have done in the same situation, and I'm sure I would have at least offered to have the person come in and sit down for a bit. I'd like to think I'd put the kettle on and prepare ourselves a pot of tea with which to wash down the delicious muffins that were handmade for the sole purpose of my enjoyment. Or am I missing something?

So that's the story of how my neighbor ended up with my sole cookie tin and my nice red dish towel. I had told her to "Stop by and say hello anytime!!!" but that day has yet to come. I wouldn't care so much if I didn't have such irrational personal attachments to inanimate objects, especially when it comes to kitchen accoutrements. So to you, dear readers, I posit this conundrum: Should I wait a little longer? Or should I go over there and boldly declare: I WANT MY TIN AND DISH TOWEL RETURNED HENCEFORTH HAHA!

?