These Are The People In My Neghbourhood

Good Evening Humble Readers...

It's a quiet night in the hobbit hole.  The wee-lings are in bed, and my Beloved has gone back to work (he always has to put in overtime the first week of the month).  I'm enjoying a peaceful evening to myself, getting to watch the "Little Couple" (am I the only one thrilled that they now have their little boy?). 

By now you all know that I'm walking a lot more than I used to.  As in, almost 100% more than I was two months ago.  I'm up to walking 6.8km every morning.  If you would have told me back in April that I would be measuring my daily walks in kilometers, I would have laughed my a$$ off at you.  Every morning, my alarm goes off at 5am, and I try to be out of the house by 5:15.  Me, in my yoga pants, New York Yankees hoodie and ball cap, with my walking poles. 

I've gotten familiar with the early morning routines of those in my neighbourhood.  We live just a few blocks from the hospital, so there are a lot of hospital staff who park down our street, and when I'm out walking many are changing shifts.  Many will smile and trade "good morning"s with me when we pass on the street. 

Here are just some of the people in my neighbourhood...

• The two burly construction workers who carpool in a rusted out Tercel.  They wave and smile at me every morning.  I do wonder how they shoe-horn themselves into that car. 
• The baker at the little grocery store across the back lane from us usually takes his smoke break when I'm on my second lap of the neighbourhood.  The amazing aroma that comes from the vicinity of that grocery store is torture for a diabetic.
• The 50-something man who walks his little shi'tzu-cross (looks identical to my mom's dog) while wearing his bathrobe.  Why doesn't he pick up his dog's poop?
• The young man at the bus stop who bathes in cologne. 
• The elderly woman out watering her flower boxes before sunrise.  A couple of weeks ago I saw her trying to chase a couple of deer out of her yard, waving a broom at them. 
• The nurse who drives a mini-van with a Ravenclaw banner hanging from her rear view mirror.
• The weary-looking mom (I'm assuming she's a mom), making her way from the Ronald McDonald House to the hospital.  I pray for her and her ill child as I walk. 
• The little old man, who drives a pretty nice pick up truck, who goes through all the big dumpsters at the apartment/condo buildings in the neighbourhood looking for bottles and cans.  He waves at me every day too. 
• And while I've never seen the owner, I find myself wondering about the person who drives the little red pick up truck with the "Danger Ranger" decal across the top of his windshield.  How much of a danger ranger can they be with their little pick up? 

Like I said, there's a lot of other people that I've come to know by sight.  We smile at each other and maybe say "good morning".  I still get some funny looks with my walking poles, but the regulars are used to me.  There seems to be a camaraderie between those of us who are up and out of the house before 6am. 

I've found I actually like the early morning.  I still don't consider myself a morning person, but it isn't torture. 

Are you a morning person?  When is your best time of day?