Lovely Day

First thing this a.m., I get a call that Speech therapy is canceled. Okey-dokey. I will sleep in and be lazier than usual in getting my bod a'movin'. A little later in the morning/afternoon, our neighbor from down the street, Jo, texted me to ask what I was doing. She was looking to hang out with someone as she is a night nurse and nice 60+ degree weather on her day off requires a buddy to hang with. Since Jon had class in the afternoon, I couldn't go off alone, but she stopped by after a bit. We were all unwashed and wearing jammies still. We sat on the steps of the porch until Jon left, then made plans to go to Panini's (where there is a patio plus food) with her friend Frank.

Aleks and Jo headed back to her apartment so she could change while Bastian and I got dressed and ready, which at one point involved Bastian in the buff on my front porch holding the clothes I'd set out for him while sitting in one of my new wicker chairs (a steal - 2 chairs plus cushions and ottoman for $20!!!!). I was of course in the shower while he did this and had to run out in a towel, dripping wet and call him in, though luckily didn't have to go outside to retrieve him.

We walked up to Panini's to meet Jo, Frank, and Aleks, who was already enjoying a lemonade while soaking up the sun. Jo bought us all pizza and drinks, apparently payment for being coerced to come out with her, but it was hardly arm-twisting!On our way back home, Aleks and Bastian got piggy-back rides up to Jo's driveway, where we departed. Just as we were saying goodbye, a car started to back out of the neighbor's driveway. I yelled for him to stop as Bastian had run a bit ahead and the car would have separated us, preventing me from insuring his safety. The driver stopped and I got Bastian and walked back to where Aleks was sitting on a rock. The guy in the car asked if all was clear then said that there was a trampoline in back if we wanted and cats. We met him once last summer with his cats in his front yard. He has giant, fat cats, one of which is named Le Tigre, which is also an awesome feminist band. Jo knew him, so after he pulled out, we went to the backyard to pet Le Tigre and jump on the trampoline.
We jumped for more than an hour. We got to say hello to Jo's downstairs neighbor who has a 3 month old baby girl and to Jo's friend who came to go back out with her. Jo's roommate, Katie, also showed up and jumped with us for another half hour. Katie's boyfriend is one of our next door neighbor's, so we've known her for awhile now. The boys are always excited to see neighbors and friends and it's been a great pleasure getting to know everyone and having an immediate community right on our street.

After jumping, Katie walked with us to our house, where we ran into Chris, her boyfriend, and his roommate Brad, just back from a run. Brad sat on our porch with us for a bit while Katie and Chris went for a walk. When they came back, our neightbor who lives in the topmost floor of our house came out to go running as well and we all stood about chatting for awhile. It was a lovely, relaxed, warm spring day. The snow all melted and everyone has come out again, out from hibernation, thawing from the cold, moving stiff limbs, and exercising our social habits once more.





In the evening, it was take-out sushi for dinner and Aunt Natty came to stay for the weekend. It was a day to feel grateful for.