Judgment, I want to be like Mike

[digitS']

The recent conversation about making changes in ourselves turned to thoughts on making judgments.

I drink gatorade and have some lingering basketball injuries. But, that's not the Mike I'm talking about. I've got a neighbor I'll call Mike and that name is not far off. One of these days, I'll relate a little about Pat, too .

Mike is younger than I am. His wife retired a couple of years ago but Mike continues to work part-time. He leaves for work at 4:20 on those days and may come home at noon or most anytime thereafter. Leaving the house is as consistent as clockwork.

I'm not always up at 4:20 but any day that Mike might go to work, I'm up. Lights are on. These days, I'm often out in the yard -- sometimes, in the pickup .

Don't we all make judgments about people and try to live up to standards that we set for ourselves?

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

I was gone for that thread so I went back and found it. It was an interesting read .

You're right, we all make judgements, ( and I don't mean that in a pejorative sense ). I think the standards we set for ourselves are dictated by how we spend our time and the company we keep, and that includes movies, and books, and websites these days as well as actual people that we associate with.

It's true that bad company corrupts good morals.

What is it about Mike that you want to be like Steve? You're already an early riser and a hard worker...

 

[digitS']

Well, one of the reasons I'm an earlier riser is because of Mike .

Mike is also the neighborhood busybody . Anything that is going on ~ firetruck, argument in the front yard, somebody lifts the hood of a car ~ Mike's over there talking to them about it!

See, that's how he is different from Pat - who used to live across the road from Mike. Pat wouldn't give you the time of day if you both worked in a clock factory. Both Pat and Mike had much the same work habits. However, after their first meeting I noticed that each went his separate way. I want to be like Mike.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

I have a friend that I look up to tremendously. She is calm and energetic, kind and positive, and extremely ORGANIZED!

I would like to be like Raynell!

 

[Carol Dee]

When we moved to Long Grove, the elderly lady that lived behind use would be out in her garden at sunrise, was still on a bowling league and card club plus played organ in church EVERY Sunday. I wanted to grow up to be Ellie. I could not keep up with her then and certainly can't keep up with my memory of her 30 years later. Ellie is terribly missed.

 

[digitS']

I couldn't keep up with Dad when he was 80! Talk about embarrassing . . .

Doggoneit! I was just out moving a sprinkler around and Mike was out in his front yard. No, he obviously didn't go to work today! I looked at the clock at 4:14 and realized that I had exactly 6 minutes to get changed out of my pajamas and get out in the yard this morning! I didn't have time to check the time but the fact that his pickup was still sitting in front of the house just made me think that I was late & Mike must have taken his motorcycle to work. It isn't a big Harley or anything but he often rides it to work in good weather.

No. He must have slept in and there I was racing thru around the yard all for Knott! (Mrs. Knott lives across the road and just moved in a couple months ago. She's got Pat's old house now. I can't figure her out. No regular hours. Leaves somedays at 3:30am for who knows where and often spends a week or 2 gone. The first thing that lady did was put a storage shed in her backyard. I could see that she had her son over to help but was out there working on it with or without him. Next door neighbor told me it was her son . . .)

Well, I've nearly run out of time moving the sprinklers around. I've got to do that in a distant garden this morning and try to kill some weeds with the rototiller at the same time. Do we all know how to say "Steve is just gonna transplant the weeds doing it that way" . . ? Maybe, 90+ will be my weed-killing friend later this afternoon.

Just time to finish this peanut butter and banana sandwich and get outta here! I'd better check the other TEG posts!

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

So....I believe I detect a slight competitive nature showing in our Steve......hmmmm?

 

[digitS']

It will have to be by Mike and my rules, tho'. And, I'm only good with the outside shots these days.

The guy with both the new and the classic sports cars he spends 90% of his time fiddling with, and who has apparently turned over 90% of his business to his "help," that kid is on a different playing field entirely!

And, the guy down at the intersection who carries home a half rack of beer every night and who you never see sober any other time, he never makes it onto any playing field that I know of.

Steve

 

[so lucky]

Do you wonder who is the happiest of all your neighborhood, Steve? Who is enjoying life the most?

 

[digitS']

You know, it would be really hard for me to say, So Lucky. Despite that, I have written paragraphs!! Now, I need to edit out about 99% of it .

You understand that I spend a lot of time for 6 months out of the year in 2 other neighborhoods. Those gardens provide me with somewhat of a relationship with a lot of neighbors! Some I like and some . . .

I don't know my neighbors well because I can't hear them very well. The neighbor I have come to know the best is the deaf lady next door. Yep, they should put up a sign on the road!

My deaf neighbor's hearing went all at once when she was a teenager, she has told me. She reads lips well but often asks for things to be repeated. She has grandchildren who she babysits for almost every day. It is fun seeing them show up.

Mike has a very clipped way of speaking. He was here even before I arrived but we kind of knew that I couldn't figure out most of what he was saying, early on. We have a smile & wave relationship and he is good at that! He isn't one to ignore people.

Steve