The Crazy Old Neighborhood Wanderer

I have been wondering if I'm turning into one of those crazy old ladies who wanders the neighborhood and knows out what car belongs with which house, where the loudest dogs are, who has the worst lawn, and which house wins the award for most cars parked around it and on the lawn. I think I am becoming that lady.

Seriously. I am starting to name the dogs in my neighborhood. Barky. Puggie. Serial Killer I and Serial Killer II. Horse. Yappy. Snuffly.

As for cars? A few nights ago, a lady was parked next to me at Walmart. I recognized her car. I knew where she lived....well, I was 99% sure. Sure enough, after she pulled all kinds of stunts cutting in front of me in the parking lot, zooming around me, going 15 over the speed limit....she pulled into her driveway just around the corner from mine as I drove past at a normal rate of speed. I smiled. The moral? Road rage (or whatever she was doing) isn't anonymous in a small town. The other moral? You never know when the crazy old lady in your neighborhood will ID you at your local Walmart.

Lawns? Don't get me started. It is dry as a bone here. Crispy dry. Three big wildfires already this season. It is a mountainous desert, but it is looking particularly desert-like this year. We might have a 50-way tie this year for worst lawn. I really do think that pulling 18-inch high weeds sometimes helps the overall appearance no matter how little rain and snow we've had....I also think maybe, just maybe NOT parking your cars on your lawn preserves the lawn somewhat as well....

Life in a neighborhood without an HOA brings things like nasty lawns, huge RV's parked on the lawn, 9+ cars at the same house, salmon-pink houses.....but really....how boring would it be to take my walks in a neighborhood where every house is painted a restful shade of taupe, every lawn is identical, and Serial Killer I and II are not threatening my physical safety mostly every day??