My life... as good as it gets

On any given Friday, Saturday or Sunday after Katie is in bed, you will most likely find me with either a good book in hand (currently "The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis), typing away on this here blog, catching some mediocre show on the television or simply trying to pass the time researching new recipe ideas on the computer (whose ingredients are inevitably too expensive and are therefore substituted with some generic brand of some cheese that was the same color as what the recipe called for, altogether likely resulting in what we call a "casserole") while Kyle works hard running a restaurant in West Seattle for the evening - The Flying Lion Cafe.

He takes Wednesdays as his day off and we enjoy a relaxed morning around the house sipping coffee and laughing at Katie while keeping our ears peeled to what KING5 News is reporting on the television. We regularly take the afternoon running errands as a family, indulging in some McD's burger and fries, then retreating back to the house for a much needed family nap-time.

In addition to all this goodness, we know our neighbors. Not because we're trying to "one-up" the now average American who doesn't know their neighbors, but simply because that's what we know! That's what we were raised in! We've got Jim and Anita to our right, across from them is Ray and Inge, directly across from us is Rick and Melissa, next to them is Sherry and Ed, and to our left is Mike and Tony... all with quite unique lives of their own. When I say unique, I really mean it. Some with interesting social tendencies that we will never quite comprehend and others with very sick spouses and incredibly selfless lifestyles as they care for the one they're committed to. Jim hates our dogs and may kill them one of these days - Kyle and I have accepted the inevitable. We walk to our mailbox everyday and 50% of the time a neighbor is walking there too - yes, the old kind of mailboxes withOUT a key and unique from the other five boxes to the right and left of it. We chat and catch up on what's happening in our lives. By no means are we best friends, yet their telephone numbers are in my cell phone in case something quirky happens in the neighborhood! Remember those days? The cranky old guy who worshiped his kelly-green lawn, the lady who had 1/2 cup of sugar because there's no reason you should stop baking cookies and run to the store, and last of all, the friend who had the underground pool so that's where you spent your summer days? Do YOU know your neighbors? Let's get back to that life. So pleasant, so fulfilling. So NOT ignorant, so intentional.

Just another great reason to wipe one day a week off your "have to be productive" list - the people around you just might need a minute of your time.