An entire year...

I'm on spring break, and it's raining.

I've been following other people's blogs for a little while now and have come to the realization that I've been slacking on my own.

Which has led to me logging on, only to realize it's been ONE YEAR since my last post. Almost to the day. Terrible.

A lot has gone down on Roland Heights over the last year. That's for sure. Jane finally had surgery on her back which hopefully means less griping about the daily day to day aches and pains. Shirley - well, she's still the God damn same (If you know Shirl, you'll know this is completely appropriate) and this past weekend, we added a new addition to the street. Little Liam. Robert and Kelly had their first baby.

I promise to be a better blogger, as there are always stories coming from every direction on this block. Heck, I might even add photos so people can identify. However, gossip caught on film could lead to trouble!

Wisdom

Shared by Shirley:

Never mistake knowledge for wisdom.
One helps you make a living;
the other helps you make a life.

Linens

Shirley bought new place mats today.

She found nice ones that are even reversible.

Easy to wipe them down if you spill something on them, but not plastic.

Where she bought them was the most important part...

because...

"Everywhere else only carries linens and shit."

The Danish

This morning Jane's daughter-in-law took her grocery shopping. While she was sitting in the car, Jane happened to walk past the bakery and see delicious danishes, "soooooo big and good looking" she had to buy two.

After she was finished, on the way to the car she told her daughter-in-law she didn't need any help with the bags... the danishes were a SECRET.

She gets home and promptly refuses help AGAIN with the bags, sits one bag on the ledge and takes in the rest.

Later that afternoon, her son calls to ask how shopping went. He specifically asked what she got. She told him everything.... except the danishes... When she was finished, he said "Mom, was that really all you bought!??!" She thought for a minute and said "yup, that's all!"

BUSTED. He knew....

and guess who now has a danish for dessert tonight?

Miracle Ointment

For the last few weeks, I've listened to many of Jane's latest aches and pains.

They range from all over, from neck - to back - to knee - to high blood sugar... you name it.

I think I've heard, going on three times, about this gel her dr. gave her to alleviate pain in the area near her knee (which has been replaced).

Today, we decided to nickname it - "Miracle Ointment" Apparently this ointment is so great, she's probably going to use a months supply in two weeks. Or less.

I then commented, "they should just put it in a pump, you wouldn't even have to unscrew the lid!"

Guess what?

Now she has a pump.

The scene.

This
Is
Hampden.



Well, actually it's 36th Street, which is what most people know when you first say you live in Hampden.

This is my street:


I live in a rowhouse that was built in 1928. Thanks to the never ending knowledge of my next door neighbor Jane, I know for a fact I am the 4th owner of this house.

Jane has lived next door for almost 30 years. She is about 70 years old.

Next door to Jane is Shirley. Shirley has lived in the neighborhood for 30 years, but moved to our street in 1987. When her husband left her for another woman. This causes Shirley to be rather "rough around the edges".

When the "Snowpocolypse" hit Baltimore on February 5th, 2010, neighbors were forced to get to know each other and spend quality time having many "stoop conversations".

Even though life has returned back to normal, and spring is in the air, our time spent during the snow storm has carried on. Often resulting in afternoon conversations on warm days when I get home from work.

This is a blog dedicated to random conversations.
Enjoy.