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    "I used to fear this life, this suburban mortgage and white fence and a baby on my hip. I want more, I used to think. I wanted Spain and novels and wild loves and adventures.

    I met your dad and instantly wanted you."

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« Will You Settle For Me Begging For Stuff? | Main | On What I Believe In »

Friday, November 09, 2007

Fooling The Neighbors

Our next-door neighbors moved out today. A lovely middle-aged couple who would always wave and hold our packages when we were out of town. Also, the wife acted genuinely interested when I forced her to look at our wedding album. We'll miss them.

This morning, as I was leaving for work, the husband stopped me in our joined driveway to say goodbye and to see if we wanted a few things that weren't going to fit in their U-Haul, a porch swing and an old fireplace set. I said yes to both because Mike and I were very poor once and during that time we learned that the answer to anything free is yes. Can I treat you to dinner? Yes! Would you like this old dresser? Absolutely! What about this stuffed owl that may or may not be covered in asbestos from our attic? Sure! We'll hawk that on eBay!

They also mentioned, as they were wishing Mike and me luck in the future, that we were the quietest neighbors they had ever been so fortunate to live next to. I thanked them politely and swallowed the urge to LAUGH DIRECTLY IN THEIR FACES. As I waved goodbye and drove off to work, I thought about what had happened just the night before and wondered how Mike and I got so sneaky, fooling everyone into thinking we're normal and quiet and responsible when really our life centers on who can yell loudly enough to make the dog pace.

Scenes from a duplex, circa last night:

Mike: BABY!

Jennie: YEAH?

Mike: COME IN HERE PLEASE!

Jennie: ARE YOU GOING TO YELL AT ME ABOUT MY SHOE PURCHASES?

Mike: YES.

Jennie: I THINK I'LL STAY IN HERE THEN. THANKS THOUGH.

Mike: JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, $47 IS NOT "A FEW DOLLARS."

Jennie: NOTED!

Posted at 07:08 PM in All About Me, Mike, Molly |

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Comments

Emily Pie

(first off, no cracks about me internet-ing at 10:30pm on a friday night...)

so sad to see good neighbors leave. you never know what you'll get next! I still can't believe you were able to get away (at least for a little while) with "a few dollars" as a response to how much you spent! my husband knows me well and would then respond with, "exactly how many is a few?"

Posted by: Emily Pie | Saturday, November 10, 2007 at 01:29 AM

Kelly

Oohhh... I hate it when neighbours move out - you never know who you're going to get in there next.
A couple of months ago our elderly neighbour passed away, and his rented house stood empty until only a couple of weeks ago. We've had a lovely young couple with a 1 year old buy the house and move in. They rushed out to introduce themselves to us the day after they moved in.

Good on you for fooling them, though!

As for the shoe saga... my other half started complaining about all my online scrapbooking purchases - conveniently forgetting about his $800 pool table that is sitting at his mum's house in its box, because we have nowhere to put it! He hasn't ridiculed my purchases since! If you have something you can hold over Mike's head, well, do it!

Posted by: Kelly | Saturday, November 10, 2007 at 06:27 AM

Angella

You guys are too cute. Really.

Posted by: Angella | Saturday, November 10, 2007 at 11:32 AM

Natalie

You can always tell him that you went to DSW and didn't buy a thing! Small victories!

Posted by: Natalie | Saturday, November 10, 2007 at 02:44 PM

Sabrina

You so remind me of me and Tony. I love it!

And I tagged you for a meme on my blog please please?

Posted by: Sabrina | Saturday, November 10, 2007 at 04:19 PM

Katie

Ha ha!! That's one of the tricks I pull too. You can get away with "just a few dollars" until he checks the statement :)

Posted by: Katie | Saturday, November 10, 2007 at 05:54 PM

Lisa

Hilarious exchange! I'm sorry about your neighbors moving out though. They sounded like a sweet couple to have around.

Posted by: Lisa | Saturday, November 10, 2007 at 06:33 PM

Kristabella

So what qualifies for a few dollars then?

And does he know the internet made you do it? And the NaShoeMo or whatever?

Posted by: Kristabella | Saturday, November 10, 2007 at 10:13 PM

kerrianne

Awh. I miss neighbors who are friends, too.

Posted by: kerrianne | Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 12:28 AM

alyndabear

Ha, you guys seem like awesome neighbours.. and Jase & Mike sound very alike when it comes to shoe purchases...

Posted by: alyndabear | Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 05:09 AM

Jess

I wonder if we'll ever grow out of that "Score! Free stuff!" mentality. I kind of hope not.

Posted by: Jess | Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 05:44 AM

Kristie

$47 is cheap! He should know better. Ha!

Posted by: Kristie | Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 10:05 PM

Nicole

You two are hilarious. $47 isn't a lot on shoes! Tell him to consider himself lucky! Ha ha!

Posted by: Nicole | Monday, November 12, 2007 at 03:57 PM

katie

our next door neighbors are both elderly and i pray, pray they don't sleep with their hearing aids in.

So how's the free loot?

Posted by: katie | Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 03:31 PM

Michelle

$47? TOTALLY reasonable for shoes. you can tell the hubby i said so ;)

Posted by: Michelle | Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 07:21 PM

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My Very Grand 2012 To-Do List

  • 1. Create a business plan for the 5K I'd like to organize.
    2. Finally buy those investment jeans.
    3. Get brave with a new hair color.
    4. Read all my book club selections.
    5. Make Kyle's baby blanket and book of letters.
    6. Take at least one yoga class a month.
    7. Make a neighborhood friend.
    8. Organize the upstairs work space.
    9. Go to the Fort Worth Modern Art Museum and eat lunch at Cafe Modern.
    10. Write and submit a piece on parenting.
    11. PR in every distance (5K, 10K, half-marathon).
    12. Get a third tattoo.
    13. Throw a baby shower.
    14. Take a trip with Mike, to celebrate our fifth anniversary.
    15. See a therapist.
    16. Update my SS card and passport.
    17. Make a general doctor's appointment.
    18. Go horseback riding.
    19. Decide what to do with my race bibs.
    20. Make these envelopes for thank you cards.
    21. Create and fill up a magical thinking jar.
    22. Paint some mason jars for our kitchen.
    23. Do something with the space above our couch.
    24. Create a nostalgia wall on the wall by our stairs.
    25. Sneak in cans of champagne to a chick flick with friends.
    26. Replace our kitchen counters.
    27. Have a garage sale and donate half the money to our local food bank.
    28. Create an address wreath for our front door.
    29. Paint our front door.
    30. Run at least 250 miles throughout the year.
    31. Find a charity that speaks to me, that I can become a voice for.
    32. Say something out loud every day.
    33. Go back to College Station.
    34. Pose for a boudoir session.
    35. Wear pretty new under things on New Year's Day.
    36. Enjoy Boston cream pie cupcakes.
    37. Host a more organized run at this year's Blathering.
    38. Take a family trip, even if it's just a weekend drive somewhere nearby.
    39. Hold Natalie's baby boy in the hospital.
    40. Create an Activities Advent Calendar for an early month in 2012.
    41. Create my Christmas Plan by November 1st.
    42. Create a media kit for my Lush sites.
    43. Replace our stockings for 2012.
    44. Buy a tree skirt.
    45. Go to kickboxing, at least five times.
    46. Sell 50 shirts through Cherry Jean.
    47. Finish the 6-week boot camp class I've already paid for.
    48. No phone or computer between 6 pm - Kyle's bedtime.
    49. Start marathon prep.
    50. Host a champagne-inspired dinner (champagne risotto, champagne cocktails, etc.)
    51. Do something with our front porch.
    52. Take Kyle on a night out of town, just us two.
    53. Eat at Salsa Fuego, in Fort Worth.
    54. Throw Mike a very rad 35th birthday party.
    55. Re-read To Kill a Mockingbird.
    56. Post on She Likes Purple at least 3x a week.
    57. Play poker.
    58. Volunteer at a race.
    59. Karaoke, at least once!
    60. Regularly work out the month of December.
    61. Write a fictional story (here, on paper, submitted, somehow).
    62. Hit send on a hard email.
    63. Host an outdoor movie night in our yard.
    64. Wear a swimsuit.
    65. Put a new pin in our wall map.
    66. Buy a great pair of impractical heels.
    67. See Beauty & the Beast in a theater, again.
    68. See the Nutcracker, Christmas season 2012.
    69. Run 15 miles, at some point.
    70. Get a new blender and food processor.
    71. Go to the ballet.
    72. Take professional family photos.
    73. Write a letter to Mike once a month.
    74. Do 10 real push-ups and one pull-up.
    75. Run 3 miles for my 30th birthday.
    76. Create an awesome headboard.