Sara, I've had neighbors come over with their dogs to chat while the cats were out, and they're always like, "Oh, he doesn't bother cats." But the cats are bothered by HIM, dumbass.

I think that's a secret win.

Oh, hey, my buckling down saved me $20 on turbotax. If I'd waited another week (Mar 25) fed filing would have cost $49.95. Just in case anyone else is procrastinating!

Yesterday the DH was walking our dogs and a kid came over walking a pit mix and the dog lunged at our big poodle so hard he snapped his leash. The DH had to break them up, and alsmot got bit. Turns out the poor kid was just walking the dog for his neighbor who was sick and was petrified. Very scary.

Sue, this guy has very iffy judgement. He's well known in the neighborhood (lives a block over) because he'll talk you to death. And tell you all about his problems because of the TBI. And his truck. And medical visits. And work he needs done on the house (hoping you'll volunteer.) I've noticed that I'm better than most of dealing with him, but this was a hell no situation, so I basically yelled at him. Normally, I don't mind talking to him, but ...yeah.

It fascinates me how people enforce boundaries. I got him to move on with a minimum of fuss the first time I met him, and that seems to have stuck. "Your dog needs to finish his walk, and I need to focus on the leaves, so I can't talk anymore. Bye! Have a nice walk!" and then ignoring him. So many others got way too sucked in and practically flee when they see him coming because they have a hard time just cutting him off. Maybe I'm just meaner...

"Your dog needs to finish his walk, and I need to focus on the leaves, so I can't talk anymore. Bye! Have a nice walk!"

I do this with the similar character in my neighborhood. He really bothers pretty much everyone, but I don't have as bad a time with him as most. I do have to confess that I have, at times, done my best to avoid him, but mostly I just keep good boundaries.

The only time I truly lost it on him was when he banged on my door at 7:30 on a Saturday morning to give me 'news' he was excited about. The banging sounded like someone was alerting my that the house was on fire, no exaggeration. I felt terrible saying 'don't ever come to my door...ever.' but that seemed to work.

I wonder if every neighborhood has one.

Kat, I'm not computing the epic fail in that scenario. I mean, there's Nutella. My today was supposed to have Nutella.

I wonder if every neighborhood has one.

Reasons like this I hide from my neighbourhood. Most of the people I recognise have gone from my building. I certainly don't know anyone at all outside my building. Hidey hide hide.

I hope my yelling tonight means we never have a repeat.

So, I just did the math, and the tax returns totally offset what I was paying in mortgage vs rent, even taking in what my renting tax return would be. That's eye-opening. And makes me feel better about my suckass financials this year. I actually saved a little. Not like what I was, with home improvement projects eating most of it, but still. I was being hard on myself lately even though I'd given myself permission for a lean 5 years (and in the red 2.) But I'm doing lean at 2. That's good.

My opposite of hiding has brought me 99% joy. Tues-today, I did stuff with/for the neighbors every day. Mostly babysitting, but also margaritas and market. And the new renters moved in this week, so I chatted with 1/2 of them. They are living in chaos at the moment.

I still find this somewhat amazing. I made a concerted effort to put myself out there when I moved here, and I'll fully admit it was hard. First group I met by psyching myself up to go out and introduce when there was a gas leak. And it was damned freaky for me, but you know what? Now I'm babysitting one's kids (and they totally adore me when they usually hate sitters) and have keys to 2 more I can call good friends and we all share cat duty. So worth it. And then the epic snowpocalypsaggeddon yields me today a plan for irish pub on Cinco de Mayo (since we did mexican on St.P) and am gonna get an original purple sink out of it!

The epic fail was in agreeing to do something then flaking. I hate when I do that. But I had no elegant way of taking my friend who was in town to this event. So I just bailed.

And then rewarded myself with a delicious breakfast.

I love that I have keys to loads of neighbors' houses. And they are all willing to help with Bartleby whenever.

As I was helping out in the Monkey's Uncle today, lots for friends and neighbors called out and waved as they passed the store, or came in to howdy. It made helping the fellows out even more fun.

One couple came in looking for maternity clothes. The wife said, "Oh, Hi Doggy Lama!" The husband came in later and did the same.

I'm ashamed to say I would not have known them from the next guy...especially since they saw briefly at an event last JULY!!

How do people do that?