The Fab Five

I lost 5 pounds. Im not quite sure how it happened though. Probably a perfect mix of stress and anxiety but one sweet day, when my feet hit my leopard print scale, that little needle became my friend. I am now 4-5 pounds lighter. (depending on what time of day it is.) Either way, it motivated me to get moving again. My days are pretty packed, so evening walks are what fits. Its not much compared to most of my Facebook friends. Zumba, running and spin class seem to be the new "it" exercise. Quite frankly, I still think my daily activities add up to at least 2 daily zumba classes, but thats not the point. Walking the neighborhood with my Sweet P added more activity than pre-scale encounter...so off we go. Almost daily.

I love it and so does Penelope. She has never been a good sleeper. Case-in-point- last night... every hour we were tortured graced with her voice. I want to chalk it up to teething but who knows. Anyway, Our evening walks seem to calm her. I won't let the other kids come with me. By then I'm hanging dearly to my last shred of sanity in need of quiet time. Time for me to just think and listen to the wheels hit the crack in the sidewalk. Penelope just sits in her pink stroller and rests her head on the side. Not a peep emerges from her lips... but I know her eyes are taking it all in.

I love my view the best. Two tiny baby feet sticking out. I stare at them almost the whole time. Just in love with each and every tiny toe. Her left big toe is always flexed up. I just want to nibble away at them. Aren't they just deliciously edible!!!

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One block over from me is this house. Sometimes I think I go for walks just to see it. I don't know the woman that lives there, but I know she has a passion for flowers that runs deep. Every time I go by, I discover something new she planted. Secret walkways, bushes and lattice emerge from every nook and cranny. From what I can tell (from over the fence) her backyard is even more magical.

Rumor has it, she hates kids and threatens to call the police every time a child throws one of the balls over her fence. She is an older woman who has a passion for tanning and cigarettes... and flowers. My old, selfish, horrible,  sinful, human nature just wants to buy an endless supply of balls in all shape and color and just send them over to her side once an hour...

but I won't. I think thats why God made sure we didn't back up to her house. Remember the bible verse that says God won't tempt you with more than you can handle??? Yeah, thats me. He knows I would crumble like tin foil under the pressure.

So I just walk by and gaze at her house in awe. I did it today and she was out front watering her flowers and sucking on her cancer stick. Wait?? Was that wrong of me to say? Sigh, that darn foot in mouth disease flared up again. CIGARETTE. I mean Cigarette... So, I smiled to her and said in my "I really am a nice lady" voice... your yard is beautiful. I love looking at it. She half smiled and mumbled some smoke filled sentence I could not understand. That stick was hanging out of her mouth again. But for a second I thought we could be besties!! You know, exchange flower bulbs, work on our tans together while my children played in her yard.... oh wait... maybe not. 

Oh well.

Maybe one day we can at least be neighborly...

then I can walk thru her secret gardens. Until then, I continue my daily walk and wonder when she will go out of town. Then maybe I can peek over my neighbors fence and really stalk admire her little piece of heaven.