Tag: Neighbors
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Walking the Hood
Hello October and I’ve been waiting for you all year. You could surmise that this year, I flipped the script on how I want to live my life, even though I felt it shift last year. I was outdoors minimally this summer with just three plants in pots that required watering. Last summer showed me…
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The Watering Can
On Monday’s, a friend and I Marco Polo one another just to stay connected and current in each other’s life. She’s going through a season I traveled through 10 years ago and even though hers is unraveling differently, the end result will be the same. During one of our Marco Polo exchanges she said, “At…
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A Windy Day
He lives alone, just like her, and their houses sit side by side. She keeps an eye on him much to his chagrin, but by watching him she learns how to keep her own life in order. She asked him once, “How do you know so much about everything?”, and he replied, “I’ve just been…
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The Original Plan
By my standards it was a fail, but God didn’t stop me from trying to create the neighborhood directory. I’m learning to release all expectations of outcomes, but couldn’t help feeling a little deflated. Maybe that was the point, to actually feel some disappointment, because I don’t feel disappointed often. Regardless, it’s done and emailed…
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Park Beside Me
My daughter was in town and surprised me with a visit. She admitted to being nervous about not telling me, but really wanted it to be a surprise and it was! I’d been helping a neighbor with some printing and walking back and forth between houses trying to get the google doc to print correctly,…
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The Community Magician
I don’t recall the precise date, but it was earlier this year, maybe March when God thumped me on the head and said, “Hey Barb! Why don’t you use your technology skills in the real world, like, right outside your front door?!” I didn’t like that idea because it meant stepping out of my cozy…
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No More Flies
I was surprised to be entrusted with this, but they see me taking care of plants outdoors, so assumed I’d know how to attend to them indoors. Those are two totally different beasts, but last Winter I practiced taking care of some indoors and for the most part was successful. My neighbors went to visit…
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The Golden Jubilee
My home is telling on me. The past few Friday’s have looked similar where all of the empty cups, mugs and coffee paraphernalia congregated to the kitchen island as if to say, “We served her well today.” The empty water bottle resting in the middle of the massive wood table didn’t make it to the…
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In Awe of the Moment
You know I’m feeling better when I slip on a sarcastic saying t-shirt and go for a walk. That will be the one time you bump into a neighbor you’ve never met before and they’ll want to stop and chat, but you hold firm to no apologies for the shirt. Afterwards, I really wanted a…
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Share What You Know
It was this time last year that I was walking though Wal-Mart when I cut through the grocery department and noticed two young girls, no more than 20 years old, walking toward me. They were squinting at a list that had been torn from a small notepad. No doubt handwritten and most likely in cursive.…
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The Next Chapter
The first time I saw it was on a walk to the postal store to purchase stamps. Peering through the storefront window at the concrete floor smeared with dust, I assumed the space was being renovated. There was a massive, wood work table encompassing the middle of the room and then, over to the side,…
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Practice the Toot
I went for my morning walk. If I can get out the door by 7:00 am, the air is cool, crisp and a delight to the senses. That didn’t happen this morning, it was more like 8:30 am, but I went anyway. Stepping into my front yard, I hear a car coming down the road,…
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The Throw Away
I don’t really know how old he is. I asked him once, “When is your birthday?”, and he looked at me and said, “Now Barbara…that’s just rude!” I wasn’t asking to figure out his age. Just thought it would be kind to drop him a birthday card in his mailbox. This man is my neighbor…
