23:38 - 02.10.05
Eclipse
When I was shopping yesterday, the Hallowe'en theme was really obvious. Full size ghoulish creatures everywhere - in plastic of course. Several parents had brought their children and were immersed in the pleasure of picking out their own special pumpkin for carving. Jack o'lanterns. Hmmmm. Decided I would rake up the leaves from my various trees and bushes to create my own decorations for my home. For years I've used the Hallowe'en themed, stenciled orange leaf bags to do that. When my guys were younger, it guaranteed that the leaves were raked with minimal fuss too. Today the sun was warm and the breezes were gentle, so I went out barefoot to carry out this yearly ritual (long blue skirt and purple jacket too of course, I'm not crazy you know). Had to stop at one point to run fetch more stencils from the drug store. It started to rain as I was walking home. Decided to just keep on raking. Good thing since it just seemed to be one of those summer squalls that passes so quickly.
Felt good to have my feet buried in grass and dirt. I started on the side away from the verbally abusive neighbour hoping he wouldn't notice too early on. Takes about two hours to get the front yard done you see. Instead I looked up to see the male neighbour from the other half of my duplex standing on his sidewalk holding a broom. He wasn't doing much other than standing and staring at me. Didn't say a word and I just didn't acknowledge his presence. Every so often I would hear the broom swish over the pavement, but it was a languid sound. As though a curling sweep had dozed off, but was still pretending to play. When I was about 2/3 of the way through, it appeared the other neighbour had realized I was out on my own outside and the verbal harrassment began immediately. "Look at her - doesn't know what she's doing" Sure raking leaves is sooooo difficult, ditto for filling up a leaf bag with the results of the raking. Blah blah blah and on and on to unseen friends who seemed to be trying to change the subject or find something positive in what I was doing.
At one point the landlord for the other side of the duplex as well as for the bad neighbours' duplex came speeding up in his hot little red sports car. He was followed by a companion in sun yellow mini car. The neighbours one duplex over on the East side came out and a dispute began about parking spaces. Given the number of people stuffed in to the rental units it is becoming a big issue. The neighbour on the other half of my duplex drives a truck - he has two which he parks in front of the neighbour's home across the street. They're very tight for parking space too and it is making them crazy that they have no place for their vehicles. That neighbour doesn't park in front of my home because my tree has branches that extend into the air space about 7 feet above the ground. At least they didn't, until that neighbour tore them off the tree so he could park there. Still prefers the other neighbours space though from the yelling I could hear about it. I got what I needed to do done - six very large pumpkin shaped bags lining an emerald green lawn - then went inside.
Inside I made a few phone calls that hopefully weave the election work in with some volunteer work I've been working around the periphery about. Youth organization that wants to do outreach. Seniors support centre that needs to recruit young people to replace their volunteers who are becoming frail with age. I talked with both of the women I admire for their dedication to their agencies and then start with the research and emails. Hopefully something good will come of it.
Anyway I need to go to work tomorrow yet I can barely keep my eyes open now. Guess the fresh air did me in. Talk to you tomorrow dear diary.
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