Meeting the Neighbors

It's amazing what leaving the house can do for your mind, body, and sense of belonging.

Yesterday we went for a walk. Not a 5 minute jaunt to the park but a real honest walkin'-the-dog, walk. It started to rain the moment we set out but we went anyway because it was cool, smelled like wet leaves, and felt good. All of us got a little bit soaked but none of us cared. We met lots of new people and all of them were friendly, chatty, and a little bit eccentric. My cup of social tea. We met a middle aged lady with blue highlights. She had a fluffy dog with the presence of an over protective older sister. Sadie was impressed, however, and danced around her in a jitterbug.

We saw a nice older gentleman walking quickly. Fist in one hand, umbrella in the other. I've seem him walking every single day since we moved in and my curiosity has been getting the best of me. Is he single? Widowed? Getting a walk in after a Physics lecture at the local college? I have to know. As we crossed paths, he wore his usual flat expression and seemed like he was all business. Something in me told me otherwise so I smiled hard in his direction. To my sincere surprise and joy he smiled even wider back at us! He even paused a moment to take the five of us in. We all uttered clumsy hellos and kept going our separate ways. What a handsome fellow he was with that captivating grin. I can't wait to see him again.

We met a nice older couple who were holding hands as they walked. They stopped us to ask about Sadie. They thought she was "such a nice dog" and of course we think they're right on. She's the greatest with people she knows and people she soon will know; a lifetime of new- friend's inquiries. She's our very own personal Liz Taylor.

Then we met a mom whom I just may have to try to meet again. She had a toddler on her shoulders, reckless curly blond hair, and some ink as I recall. She looked down when she spoke to us but at the backs of our eyes when she listened. I am trying not to get my hopes up because she probably has plenty of friends but hopefully we'll run into each other again and we can let our children run around our backyards while chatting about things that matter and things that don't.

Oh, and funky gardens abound here. Serious eye candy pour moi.

All in all, it was a great walk and I'm so glad the rain came when it did.