Shadow Puppet Storyteller

Prettying up the place

I cannot let myself not write into the blog just because I have no photo to go in it. I suppose that I would have to have a Premium membership if I really wanted to have photos everyday. Wonder if bloggers ever think of themselves as a part of a big neighborhood? So many people joke, and many blogger agree, it's not like we are writing stuff other people see. Of course, the initial intent is that what one places in a blog is of interest to someone else, somewhere. But much like we have become with real neighborhood neighbors, we do not talk, may not know a name to go with the face, really may not even seek it out. Maybe one time or another you venture to their door to mention something amiss with a sprinkler head, or to borrow that cup of sugar...nah, no one does that anymore, huh?

I do have a neighbor in a medium sized apartment complex (OK, beside my landlady, I know 3 other people's names, but sadly that is my across the way neighbor, Rachel and her granddaughter Amanda and their closest neighbor Manny (I think his name is Manny, that's where I started to say, "sadly" as I am not sure) And I know he has two daughters, but I do not know their names. Rachel has been a carpool buddy a couple years, so we got to know each other well, and I have gone to family events. My family so rarely does "events" we only reciprocated once or twice. Rachel has been more of a benefactor always graciously letting us utilize a carpet cleaner of hers. In return we generally do a service of fixing or doing something or another to make something work without having to schedule maintenance (who, if you have dogs, as we both have) make you take off a day.

That seems like it has nothing to do with prettying up my blog entries, but the lesson from my interaction with this neighbor, is the invite and or the favor is almost always accepted on both sides, no matter what the mess you're walking into looks like. My place, much more than hers needs the benefit of more cleaning hours.Maybe this is also part of my problem of "not having more readers over" I don't think my maintenance on "the place" makes it worthy to entertain guests...well, new year, so maybe my goal should be to make it presentable to guests.

I leave a welcome mat at the door -- it's a start.