the neighborhood comes alive

I remember when I lived in New York, as soon as the weather got warm, the streets were FILLED. If it was above 60 degrees, Union Square was filled with sunbathers in bikinis, shirtless men playing some type of ball sport (really, who cared?). Where had all of these people been all Winter?

Well, our little street has similarly come alive this week. First, The Nakeds (see previous post) are back! Wearing clothing, but out and about in the yard, driving their big van. We had thought they moved, except their van was in the same spot all winter.

We also finally have new neighbors. The house across the street, vacant all winter, is now occupied by a couple with 2 young girls. They are interesting to observe, to say the least. The kids are chubby, taking after the parents. The woman has been seen sporting a tight denim vest and bright purple shirt. She smokes and has big-ish Pittsburgh hair. She drives a really nice Acura SUV. This picture doesn't make sense to me. I figured if you can afford a 400k house, you have stopped wearing tight denim vests. But I guess not.

Our 90 year old neighbor, Guy, is back on his front porch watch. He sits there all day every day except from 10-noon when he goes to Giant Eagle. Every day. He has learned our names and uses them with a bit too much enthusiasm. "Hi Amanda and Reggie. Nice weather Amanda and Reggie. Have fun gardening Amanda and Reg" (Sometimes he substitutes Reg). Guy is our security system. He knows everything that's going on on the street. He once stopped my mom when we were out of town when she was entering our house to feed Oscar to verify she was supposed to be there!

Marianne, who deserves multiple posts devoted just to her which I promise to deliver, is back out in full glory, asking me to bring my cat onto the porch, and wondering how "Tre" (aka Reggie) is doing, asking if we will buy a dog for her to play with.

I overheard from my office window earlier this week- a man playing the flute loudly, without any apparent musicality. Asked where he got the flute, and he replied, "from a leprechaun." Of course.