I'm still here...

So, life in Chicago. Yes, I'm still here. It hasn't been the happiest of times.

This is NOT the city for me.

Now, there are many reasons for this, reasons that I don't want to get into. But the fact remains. NOT the city for me.

I miss New York of my youth. I miss the canal in Paris. I miss the ocean. I miss artists, weirdos, quirky ones, multiracial streets, music blaring, street vendors... etc. etc. etc. Who woulda thunk it wouldn't be here?

Sigh.

But i love Mike, so here I sit.

On to better things... Finally, the weather has improved. We had a gloriously sunny, blue-sky weekend. Wow, it does wonders for the psyche.

Yesterday, we took full advantage of the lovely outdoor space we have (a deck, a patio, and a shared yard, with lotsa grass). Sat on the deck in the morning, in the sun, with the guy, breakfast, squirrels, birds. Nice.

Then we moved to the lawn, our two lawn chairs in the afternoon sun. Our fabulous neighbors, an extended family originally from Mexico, suddenly made an appearance in their (very nice) yard. There's a great-grandma, the patriarch and his wife, their son and daughter, and their daughter's daughter. Oh, and a little dog.

Patriarch, great-grandma, little girl all come out in the yard with tons of plants and potting soil and he starts digging things up and dumping and recycling dirt and the ladies are potting plants in lotsa pots all over the garden, and it's all very quick and efficient.

Mike and I are lying in the sun in our lawnchairs, watching in awe, listening to our vinyl. It was country day yesterday: Nashville Skyline (an amazing Bob Dylan album, if you didn't know), then Johnny Cash, then Patsy Cline. Ahhhhhh.

Patriarch is whistling and singing along. We chat a bit. Suddenly, their garden is transformed: flowers, seed plants, herbs, vegetables, it's gorgeous. He mows the lawn, turns on the sprinkler, and they all go inside.

Wow.

That's how you do a garden. I feel (slightly) inspired.