It is that time of year again when son Jamie disappears from the house with a lawn chair in hand to sit outside in the driveway to greet passersby…and just relax and observe traffic.
I will be joining him a lot a little later on in a few weeks, but I have only done it once so far this year. It is a fun activity for both of us.
My specialty is looking at and checking out the clouds as the day goes on most generally. Your imagination gets a workout when doing that.
We opted, however, not to take part in the recent Solar Eclipse event, but we heard it was amazing by most people.
Lots of times, we get visits from our neighbors, family and friends and we catch up on each others’ lives when sitting outdoors.
It’s not uncommon as spring and summer arrive that there are more golf carts passing by in recent years.
We have even gotten visits from people who arrived on their scooters, bicycles and motorcycles, not to mention those on foot. Believe it or not, we’re not on a major street in town but get our fair share of traffic.
That’s fine. We enjoy seeing everyone and catching up on what is going on in their lives.
Jamie, of course, is the people-person and likes talking to the people he sees outside. And, he added that it gives him comfort that summer is around the corner.
He could sit out there for hours sometimes, coming in only to catch up on a TV show, use the bathroom or grab a bite of something to eat.
When we first moved here, we would set up a card table and play cards out there. At one point in time, I had a small grill and fixed food out there, but that will probably not happen again.
One time, we saw a runaway cow go past our home with people trying to chase it down. One person finally did get it cornered. I guess it escaped from a truck passing through town.
I even did an interview one time out in the driveway for a newspaper article on which I was working.
You gotta do what you gotta do sometimes.
When we first moved in, the neighbors across the street had three sons, one of whom entertained us with his skills on his skateboard many times. He was good at it.
I’m just glad he didn’t ask us to participate.
The neighbors are still there, but the boys are grown and living on their own.
We have also viewed other neighborhood children down the street who also have had fun with their “toys” over the years. And, sometimes, the track team members pass by here on their runs.
At one time, I practically knew where everybody in town lived; I can’t say that now. But, that happens in growing communities, I assume.
Occasionally, we see strange faces, strange only because we have never met them. But, I am sure one of these days we will get to know them.
Whenever the Queen of Hearts took over the town a few years back, our street was really busy since we were not far from where she was showing, or not showing, up. It made for some excitement in town on Thursday nights for weeks and months.
I remember one night when the town lost power. Jamie and I sat outside waiting for the electricity to come back on. Some people even gathered outside with us.
But usually, we stay inside to play it safe, especially when we don’t know what is happening. I am thinking that that night it was so hot, and it felt good to sit outside instead of inside a dark, hot home.
Yes, we read out there, or just sit there and converse with one another.
I can’t wait for the coming months to bring new life into our area of town.
We don’t always have enough seating but we make do with what we have.
If we are not outside, you can bet the Cincinnati Reds are playing on the TV set inside. Go Reds!
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Jamie and I extend our condolences to the families and friends of LaRose “Rosie” Royer, John M. Campbell, Susan “Susie” Weisenbarger, Lynn Shiverdecker Fetters, Chloe Grilliot and Donald Muhlenkamp.
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Please pray for these people: DeWayne Yohey, Katrina Hoening, Kent Snyder, (Cousin) Carol Byrd, Don Dietrich, Kinley Bernard, Kathy Burke, Gladys Neff, Kara Didier, Dave and Ginny Reese (of Hopewell, Pa.), Carl Francis, Craig “Cheese” Thompson, Katie West, Bridget Brown, Don DeBord, Otis Stewart, Chris Clark, Kyle Kaiser, Tina Ruble Ullery, Cindy Lovejoy, Janet Kammer, Slug Midlam, Bob Peters, Phyllis Brumbaugh, Sonny Custer, Judy Collins, Linda Gasper, Carol Hemmerich, Stephanie Klingshirn, Alice Knick, Brenda Schlechty, Betty Burnfield, Dan Lockhart, Roberta Hall, Pam Norman-Penticuff, Kelly Kelch, Mike Mayse, Larry Linder, Steve Waymire, Jamie Knick, Nikole Baldridge, Chester Bryant, Lester Beisner, Delores Beisner, Kermit Foureman, Chuck “C.W.” Cruze, Mark Lovejoy.
Also, Judy York, Donald Booker, Dennis Leeper, Connie Stachler, Randy Heck, Ronnie Norton, Jeremy “Jerm” Burke, Gary Eichler, David Pretzman, Clinton Randall, Ralph Byrd, Doug Winger, Sonja and Dan Coppess, Bruce Kaiser, Amanda Mote, Paul Gigandet, Doug Whittington, Tracy Pratt, John Rimmer, Joan Keen, Larry P. Fitzwater, Jim Thomas, Neal Gray, Judie Hathaway, Randy Garrison, Kathy Gragorace, Becky Everhart, Donna Bixler, Cathy Melling, Scott Clark, and all others who are suffering from other life-altering illnesses.
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Happy birthday:
April 18 to Katrina Widener, Delbert Fourman and Brian Harrod.
April 19 to Connie Keller, Dan Whittington, Renee Kaiser Whittington and Denise Lee.
April 20 to Taylor Meadows, Monica Saintignon, Patty Niese-Snyder and Mike Kerrigan.
April 21 to Maggie Jenkins, Megan Ward, Paige Heck and Sue Grile.
April 22 to Scott Gibboney, Marvin Peters, Scott Rudnick, Don DeMange, Greg Amspaugh, Dixie Gray, Eric Burns, Andrea Baker and Shelly Acker.
April 23 to Kim Fourman Freeman, Bill Burk, Kevin Collins, Dave Bullard, Ryan Benge, Donna Howdieshell, Ronnie Mayo, Bill Mertz and Candice Kendall.
April 24 to Ron Greeson, Jeff Peters, Starr Schmitmeyer, Carol Good, Shari Wappelhorst, Angie Jones, Cheryl Emmons, Donna Konicki and Rick Bubeck.
Happy anniversary to Ron and Cindy Cox on April 19; Ron and Laura Turner on April 21; and Jason and Kori Weiss on April 24.
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Think about it: “Do not look back on happiness, or dream of it in the future. You are only sure of today; do not let yourself be cheated out of it.” — Henry Ward Beecher.
