THE DAY
A little out of sorts, though only part of that is due to the writing (which didn’t go too badly today).
It’s that someone else decided to wander onto my deck.
Not the Chabadniks, this time. It was just luck, I think, that I happened to see this woman. (That, and she’d hit her car alarm; she’d parked the next house over.) Anyway, I’m in the kitchen about to swat down some ladybugs (they come out in droves when the sun hits back there) and there’s this woman wandering onto the deck with her cup of coffee and a letter or something. She looks toward the house, probably to check if anyone’s watching, then settles down with her cuppa and that letter. I give her a couple minutes then come out, ask if I can help her.
She gives me this surprised look and says, in this heavy German accent, that, oh, she’s been coming out here all the time for coffee and to admire the view–and, oh, is this my property?
Gee. There’s the deck in a backyard. There’s the house. There’s a bird feeder, a bird bath, a grill. I mean, get real.
Anyway, I told her that, yeah, but to be careful on the deck because it’s not that stable, and then I go back in. I don’t run her off; maybe I should have. I’m tempted to think that this was just a line because I haven’t seen her in the four months I’ve been here. OTOH, she may come wandering here when I’m not around.
So she stayed, finished her coffee, read her letter. And then she left.
I’m like…where’s a dog? Maybe I need a fence. You know, one of those good neighbor things. (Frost was a real curmudgeon, but I think he was on to something.) I’ve never, ever experienced anything like this, and certainly not two days in a row. Like, what the hell?
WRITING OUT LOUD
GHOST IN THE MACHINE
Day 1: 4326 Day 11: 2500 Day 21: 1800 Day 31: 745
Day 2: 2085 Day 12: 500 Day 22: 0 Day 32: 0
Day 3: 3011 Day 13: 1000 Day 23: 2700 Day 33: 4000
Day 4: 2652. Day 14: 3700 Day 24: 3500 Day 34: 2800
Day 5: 3210 Day 15: 5630 Day 25: 1500 Day 35: 4500
Day 6: 3450 Day 16: 1060 Day 26: 0 Day 36: 4800
Day 7: 0 Day 17: 130 Day 27: 0 Day 37: 0
Day 8: 2756 Day 18: 0 Day 28: 380 Day 38: 450
Day 9: 4580 Day 19: 3000 Day 29: 390 Day 39: 1000
Day 10: 2670 Day 20: 2600 Day 30: 380 Day 40: 2500
Blog Post: 500
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What I’m Watching:
In a few minutes, the NCAAF National Championship. Earlier, saw another episode of The Affair. Not bad. Certainly a relief after Making a Murderer. (My personal trainer saw the series and wondered how I could keep my sanity in Wisconsin with that accent. He said, “But you don’t have one.” And I said, “Oh, no, gosh, no.”)
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What I’m Reading:
Pet Sematary. Uhm…okay. I can tell that this is early King; whether I can get past the mannered writing…we’ll see.
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What I’m Listening to:
Didn’t listen to anything today. Too busy thinking about the problem I MUST solve in the manuscript as I was driving. I like the quiet in the car. Do some of my best thinking there and in the gym.
The fact that that lady has been doing that for FOUR MONTHS is super creepy! Like you said, it’s obvious someone lives there, and she finds it OK to go onto another property (whether someone lives there or not) and have her morning coffee and read is normal? Yikes! I’d keep a watch out for her and do be careful, Ilsa. Do you have any dogs? They’re great for letting you know when someone unwanted comes around, even if they’re just enjoying your home’s deck for a coffee drink. (Again…YIKES!!)
Yeah, tell me about it. Does make me wonder what goes on when I’m NOT around, you know?
I very much want a dog, and on general principle. The husband won’t hear of it. He’s not really thrilled with the cats. Just not a pet-person, which I didn’t know when I married him. Would that have been a deal-breaker? I guess not…but, on the other hand, I know people who call off weddings for less 😉
Seriously–desperately want a dog anyway. I just don’t know how to get around this with the husband. :
I do hope he’ll agree to a dog sometime. Perhaps a visit to a local animal shelter would change his mind? I mean, how could you walk into one and not leave with a furry loved one? (I never can: I just brought home a family of finches last week! HAHA!) Some breeds are just better with being great watchers and just being great companions (but without the fussiness of some other breeds.) I’ve always had Australian Cattle dogs (often called Blue Heelers.) I honestly can’t tell you of a more solid, loyal breed than a Blue Heeler. They’re so incredibly smart, love to learn and work, and are fabulous for letting you know when someone comes around (especially unwanted neighbors who welcome themselves to your deck.) And if you adopt a young one, they’re easy to train for indoor life as well as the outdoor life they love and need. I know other breeds are great for what you need/want as well, I just have a life-time of experience with Blue Heelers and can’t imagine my life without one (or two, as has been the case for the majority of my life 😉 ) Good luck, Ilsa!!
Thanks, Lori. I wish, but he’s very good at resisting. Personally, I like shepherds, but any large, smart dog will do.