East End Love

Always a fan of adding new routines and rituals to my life, I've implemented a nightly walk around my neighbourhood.  I really love my neighbourhood and sometimes I forget why.  Sure, it has its grit, but it's just enough to make you appreciate the lovelier blocks.  The east end is fully of tall, mature trees, stately homes - each one different from the last, stunning inlaid lead glass windows and doors and some of the most beautiful gardens and facades, which might surprise you.

(Since I was trying not to look like a weird creeper, these pictures don't even begin to do them justice.)

Tonight, I ventured out and took a tour of some of the lesser travelled blocks around mine.  I said hello to 4 people and got 3 in return - not too shabby.  I noticed a lot of trash on the main street and plan to go do some neighbourly trash collecting tomorrow.   Really!  I will. 

As it began to get dark, I got to do one of my favourite things: look in on people's homes.  I've loved doing this since high school and I'm really only interested in the decor and set-up.  I'm not spying on the people - they're rarely doing anything interesting.  But that window of time when it's dark but curtains have not yet been drawn is one of my favourite times of day.  I'm pretty sure I saw a hoarder.  I'll keep an eye on that one.

Walking around I remembered events or experiences that have happened around these streets.  There is the well-manicured lawn with the automatic sprinklers that provided heat relief on a 3am walk home from a friend's party.  There is the corner where I asked the weird cabbie who kept wanting to hold my hand to let me off, lest he find out where I actually live.  There's the mailbox that I'm always reluctant to put my mail in because it's often tipped over and (presumably) filled with soda pop.  There is the spot where I saw the cat with the chip bag on its head. Still hilarious. And then there's my house, my porch, my driveway, my back deck - the scene for so many amazing and wish-I-could-forget moments, although only a few of the latter.  I love living here.  So many friends nearby and so much "you have to look for it, but it's there" beauty in between.

My neighbourhood is beautiful and I enjoy these summer strolls.  East end forevah!  Or at least until I become a diplomat's wife and he makes us move to Ottawa.