#2999 pdin 18 the neighborhood

In my neighborhood, you can't really see into the houses when you walk by. You can see the lights shining in the front room on some of the houses; others are pretty dark in front. Maybe the people are lounging the back part of the house away from the street, or down in a basement family room. At my own house, I rarely hang out in the front room. The TV room is in the back of the house or else I'm upstairs. I do leave a light on in the front room, mostly for my convenience and because I think it looks pretty.

When I got home from work tonight, I decided to walk down to the mailbox. It was just after 6PM, so it was fairly dark and a little chilly. The mailbox is about five houses up from my house, about a block and a half. As I strolled, I could smell the aromas of dinner in the air. I couldn't identify any one thing, but it smelled good. Sometimes when I walk, I can smell laundry. 

You know, I don't often see people out and about in my neighborhood. Sometimes I'll see them get in their cars in the morning when I walk the dogs, and occasionally I'll see someone out mowing their lawn in the summer. We all kind of keep to ourselves. My next door neighbors are nice, and I've talked to the woman a few times, mostly about plants. She likes to putter in the yard. 

When I walk the dogs in the morning, if I see someone out, I always say "Good morning." Sometimes they reply. I also raise a hand to wave at folks in cars. Sometimes I get a wave back.  It's not that I want to be friends and confidants with the people who live near me, but friendly is okay. I wonder if people see me and say, "Oh there's that woman with her dogs." Maybe I'm the dog lady of the neighborhood. I guess there are worse things.