Neighbors

So we recently moved. We now live in a neighborhood. We were a little nervous about living in a neighborhood.

On our second day we were driving out of the driveway when three ladies walked up and wanted to meet us. They brought us goodies and a map. A map that had all the houses around us with the neighbors names and their phone numbers. Precious.

Two days after that we got another package on the porch, goodies and a homemade card with a welcoming message from another neighbor and their phone number as well.

We think we're gonna like this neighborhood thing.

Then two days ago, a neighbor got a little overly friendly by taking up camp on our front porch. This is getting a little ridiculous.



Would you like another picture? Here you go.



There is something seriously wrong with this. If I wasn't so dog-gone tired, I'd demand that we move.

But at least he decorated for Christmas.

One Last Time

As we locked the door today one last time, I had the boys sit on the steps so I could take one last picture of them on these steps. These precious steps.

On the Third Day of Birthday He Got a Little Smackdown

Since I can't think of anything clever to write on this third day of Sweetie's birthday I'll share with you one of Sweetie's very loving birthday greetings. Our small group at church is all about the love. This is from Julie, for those that know her, yes it was after 10pm.

so the johnson's totally forgot you were all in your newly aquired olderness today and did not say how we are thankful to have such elderly wisdom among our little group, nor how ashamed we are for not buying you one of those canes with a bicycle horn and rear view mirror, and we forgot to buy you some depends and centrum silver vitamins too. sorry you would have felt so loved:) well, we love you oldlie but goldie and if you break any hips we will come visit you:)
here's an old joke in honor of your great age, we truly are amazed you've even made it this far! :)
with timeless love,
the johnson's

‘Sixty is the worst age to be,’ said the 60-year-old man. ‘You always
feel like you have to pee and most of the time you stand there and nothing comes out.’
‘Ah, that’s nothin,’ said the 70-year-old. ‘When you’re seventy, you don’t have a bowel movement any more. You take laxatives, eat bran, sit on the toilet all day and nothin’ comes out!’
‘Actually,’ said the 80-year -old, ‘Eighty is the worst age of all.’
‘Do you have trouble peeing, too?’ asked the 60-year old.
‘No, I pee every morning at 6:00. I pee like a racehorse on a flat rock; no problem at all.’
‘So, do you have a problem with your bowel movement?’
‘No, I have one every morning at 6:30.’
Exasperated, the 60-year-old said, ‘You pee every morning at 6:00 and crap every morning at 6:30. So what’s so bad about being 80?’
‘I don’t wake up until 7:00.’

Classic. Julie you are like a bright shining star that makes us all happy.

To Sushi or Not to Sushi

NOT to Sushi.

It's day two of Sweetie's birthday. I took him to dinner and he chose Sushi. I should not have let him choose.

He's been a couple of times and has told me how good it is and that he just KNOWS I'll love it.

We go. First, he can't remember what he and Jason normally order. Great. So then we try to choose on our own. Mistake. Everything seems to have eel in it. I don't think I like eel. I don't think God intended us to eat eel.

I have to give them credit though, the stuff is beautiful. I wanted to like it. I really did. But the near hurling that followed putting it in my mouth was just too much.

At one point I'm trying to dissect it and eat SOMETHING that I recognize, then I can't pick the dang thing up with my stupid chopstick. This is one of THOSE places that doesn't even give you a fork and then the three ladies were just standing to the side as if mocking me and my lame attempt at chop-sticking.

When I finally stab the thing and plop it into my mouth - I then feign my delight, and fought the urge to spew....I vowed I would never, NEVER eat such morsels again.

I basically ate my edemame, ginger salad and then Sweetie took me to the Dunkin' Donuts for dessert. Ahhhh, a balanced meal.

Sweetie the Birthday Boy

This is Sweetie.

Today is his birthday.

He got breakfast in bed with his laptop and his coffee.

We went to church and worshipped.

We came home where he perched himself on the couch all afternoon watching the football game. He ate tacos and drank soda and had his brownie sundae and had snacks and got to burp and scratch without me rolling my eyes.

Then we went to church again.

Then we came home again, where the cat curled up in his lap and fell asleep.

He declared it a perfectly great, very good, fantastic day.

Good Morning

I will miss this yard.

Yesterday as I was climbing the driveway to go on my walk, the leaves were falling off the trees and onto my head. How sweet is that?



The outside smells like camping. You know that great morning air, that is so fragrant of trees and dirt and grass and nature? I love that smell. And my house has that in abundance. You can't bottle that smell. Sorry, Yankee Candle, you just don't got it.



I finally went on a walk yesterday morning. I don't even wanna look at my calendar and calculate how long it's been since I'd walked my street. I got all teary-eyed. I have five more days to walk this sweet street.





I love the neighborhood dog that just stands up and greets, she's too old to do much else. I love the donkey's braying in the morning.



I love the old guy that is constantly workin' in his yard.



I love the stupid guinea birds that saunter across the road just as you're trying to drive by. I love the little old ladies that walk EVERY morning. They put me to shame.





I love seeing the flowers on the graves at the church cemetary. I love that all the cars that pass wave at me. I love that the lady is STILL trying to walk and train her big dog and still won't say anything to me but a very meak 'hi'.



I love walking by the Albrights and seeing their sweet homestead and chickens and horsey, and knowing that I could totally walk in there and get myself a glass of water or steal a cup of coffee if I wanted to. I haven't done that as much as I should have. I will regret that.





I will miss how the road bends and curves and the different sunlight and shade that comes along the way.



And I will miss how sweet my house looks as I turn to come home, the smell of the trees overhead as I walk down the driveway. And those leaves falling on my head.

My Sickies

Thing One gave his illness to Thing Two


I'm thinkin' Dave is the picture of good health. yes?


He's just happy he now has a buddy in his misery.