neighborly help

No school here
Lots of snow
Just in from shoveling
Was gonna just do front porch and steps
Then a path to sidewalk
Then sidewalk
Then half the drive
Threw Blue inside for nonstop woofing
Kept shoveling
Boys zzzz’ing
Boys who were wild, knowing it was gonna be a snow day, and didn’t go to bed until sometime after 10pm
Was about ready to say, “Enough”
Then I saw Snowblowerman
My hero today 🙂
Not that I wasn’t gonna take my oldest son up on his offer to help me shovel today
I was
But the neighbor who was snowblowing his sidewalk kept coming my way
I’d done my part of the sidewalk and a little more already
It was that driveway
He offered, said it’d just take a sec, commented, “That’s some drift.”
It really was
I accepted and said, “Thank you.”
He really was done lickety split
I stayed outside while he worked
Kept my shovel moving
Just a few back and forth passes, stopping to adjust where the snow was blowing, then done, “Voila”
I said, “Thank you” again
And added, “That was amazing.”
I’m not even sure which house he lives in, just the direction he walked from, blowing snow as he arrived and as he left
Done now
So thankful that it is
Kindness
Neighbors helping neighbors
I love my neighborhood
Where Blue dog and I manage to have all sorts of Adventures before 7:00am

February 5, 2014

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fairy tale light
as the sun rose
this morning
over the sidewalk
woman shoveling
dog chewing
on thorny stalks
the Peace rose
now dormant
long ago planted
by the front door
serene woman
wild and crazy dog
they snow play
after the work
she throws the ball
for him to chase
children sleeping in
it is Saturday
thankful for home
for Heaven above
the woman and dog
were there
under the sky
as the crescent moon
tucked into bed
and the sun rose
washing the earth
in fairy tale light

January 25, 2014

morning wrangling

Laughter is meant to be shared and there was LOTS OF IT here last night. Blue and I are the only ones awake now. Those wild at bedtime because of the full moon outside boys are groaning and rolling back over to zzzz a l’il more. That’s why I said, “Bedtime” before 9:00p. It takes awhile to settle down. Oh, it was a new level of zany in a week filled with LOTS of zany. It’s rather marvelous, really after a lot of really hard.

December 18, 2013

it must be Monday

Blue and I are the only ones awake here
Those Wild Boys are going to sleep in
I’m sure of it
Garbage and recycle are on the curb
Summer rain started lightly falling when we were three houses away from home after walking through the park
Coffee and breakfast next
Good morning
6:19 a.m.

July 8, 2013

powers of deduction

Our doorbell rings.
(sitting on couch) My youngest son says, “Who is it?”
(standing behind couch) I reply, “I don’t know. I don’t have x-ray vision.”
I could of guessed right though. I walked down the not too long hallway to answer the front door. It’s a neighbor boy, the 6th grade one, wondering if my boys can play. Yes. Yes, they can. Come on in and join the fun. Just leave your shoes on. Go quickly. I have ahold of Blue. Next thing I knew they were switching houses, from ours to his. My house is quiet, for just a little bit. For this I am admittedly thankful. Saturday just keeps getting better. ~ Janean

P.S. I spoke too soon. Let the wild woofing commence. Blue’s at his backyard facing window, and this is how he says, “SQUIRREL!!!!” *sigh* Quiet was nice while it lasted. All 2.3 seconds of it.

October 13, 2012

I ran barefoot
through the backyard
this morning
the grass still damp
from dew
right on through the neighbor’s too
I am not a runner
twas quite the sight to see
my arms waving in the air
and that big dog Blue following me
I had to get his attention
and distract him
from the scent of squirrel
he slipped his collar
ran off leash
faster than we knew
my wild pup tasted freedom
(and rather liked the flavor)
I bounded back to our yard
winded and wheezing
eyes on that running dog
when they saw my husband
standing straight and tall
I’d left the sliding door open
pup and I were nowhere to be found
then he sees us round the corner
sure
the dog goes to him when called
he holds the pup
I reattach his collar
add his blue leash too
back inside we file
one, two, three
man, dog and me

August 15, 2012

it was a Zebra Socks kind of day here
kind of wild at times, though not exotic
I was thankful for their warmth
in the melting snow drizzle
their whimsy made me grin
as I moved about the house
in my zebra stockinged feet
and remembered
the zebra skin
yes, from A Real Zebra
that hung on the wall
next to my bed
during my teen years
brought home from Africa
during my aunt’s Peace Corps years
all that, from a pair of socks
fashioned from black and white fibers
I’m sleepin’ in them too
it’s time for Zebra Dreams
goodnight