hello neighbo(u)r

-A bizarre experience in the bathroom at St. George's Market. A lady walked in and said "Oh no, there's a line" which immediately told me she wasn't from here (they say "queue"). I said, "Are you American?" and two people answered me. It turns out the lady in front of her was too. We talked a bit about what we're doing here (holiday, a brave move after the kids were out of the house, church work) and where we were from and another lady came out of a stall and said "Texas? I'm from Lousiana!" So, we ended up with 4 Americans in the bathroom (which sounds like the beginning of a bad joke). It was really fun.

-Buying gorgeous bright pink dahlias to put in our newly-weeded garden and delicate little local potatoes to have for dinner. I roasted them (the potatoes, not the flowers) with garlic, evoo and parmesan and then tossed them with fresh basil and smoked salmon. Delicious!

-Going out of my door at the exact moment that the little old lady across the way was going out of hers. I went over to say hello and actually get to know her a bit. I learned about her shopping routine, her sore knee, her family and her desire for a peaceful 12th (the 12th of July is a big Loyalist celebration, and can bring with its parades a bit of trouble and backlash from the Republican community, though it hasn't in this area for several years). People here really are so friendly when you talk to them.