How long do you have to ignore them for the level to decrease? I admit I often forget to talk to my "Best friend" villagers because I'm doing x or y so I wonder if they stop liking me so much after awhile. Also, are there other ways to raise friendship with villagers BESIDES sending letters, giving gifts and doing requests? And does giving them a little "extra" in their requests like a perfect pear instead of regular pear, a refurbished item and so on actually do anything or is it counted as something normal?