Neighborly Chit Chat

Construction has started in full force at my house.  

See.  You know it's official when the port-a-potty arrives.  It really isn't construction so much right now as it is demolition.   While we've been whiling away our summer in the mauve rental house, the crew has completely torn apart the inside of the house.  

My lovely kitchen before: 

And here it is in it's current state:

Much to my disappointment I did not get to take a sledge hammer to that kitchen myself.  It's been fun to watch all the walls come down and the asbestos floor get hauled away.   It feels great to have project dream house underway at last.  Our contractor says we'll be back in by February, but I'll be happy if we make it back by next May.   Maybe you'll all be laughing at me next July when we are still living in the mauve rental house.

Things at the rental are a bit different than at our house.  Over at project dream house our big backyard was pretty private and the kids played back there a lot.  We had a long driveway the kids could safely ride their bikes on, jump rope or color with chalk.  We were friendly with our neighbors, but we didn't run into them very often.  We certainly didn't see them every time we stepped out the front door.  

Over at chez mauve, we are at the end of a very quiet, out of the way cul-de-sac.   It's great in that I can put out Safety Sam at the entrance and let the kids ride their bikes around without worrying too much.*  There are a few other families with young children and we often run into other bike riders in the afternoon and a rousing game of hide-and-seek or some bike races ensue.   The other parents are nice and friendly and we end up chit chatting while the kids play.

Sounds lovely, no?  Well all this neighborly chit chat is starting to be a little much for me.  I like to sit outside and read a magazine or get dinner started while the kids are riding around.  And now I feel obligated to stand outside and chit chat rather than bring my lap top outside and catch up on my e-mails.  I don't want to be rude, but I've got stuff to do.   It throws off my whole late afternoon schedule. 

So as soon as I figure out a way to gracefully bow out of the neighborhood gossip sessions, my e-mails won't get answered right away, the laundry may not get folded and I just know there are several pre BlogHer posts that I am missing out on.  

Gotta love the suburbs.

*Just want to make it clear that I don't leave them out front riding bikes unsupervised.  I may run inside to use the restroom, put something in the oven or whatever.  But I always have them in my line of sight.  They are also well aware of the boundaries and rules when they are out there playing.