Sunday, but not a lazy one

After swimming laps (while the lamb shanks roasted) and coming home to water the garden I got to meet another neighbor....a sweet 78 lady who's been watching me garden for quite some time, completely unknown to me. She told me how she watches me work in the garden and direct Federico with some the digging projects, and that she wanted to talk to me, since I was the one who was the "mastermind," my word choice, not hers. I told her that was either a good quality or a fault, depending on who you ask. She kept telling me I had quite a green thumb and wanting to know all the things I'm growing. Since it seems like every square inch has something growing on it, I gave her the rundown, and she was clearly impressed and enjoying the tour, which I think she's been wanting for a long time from the sound of it. I liked her a lot....she was funny, kind, and warm.

Having a garden is the ticket to getting to know neighbors. There is a dear older gentleman with a yard of fruit trees, Carl, who gifted me peonies. I know these neighbors thanks to the garden, which seems to draw us out of ourselves, introducing ourselves, chatting and laughing and sharing.

My sis and brother-outlaw came over for dinner, which was outstanding, if I do say so myself. Keeping the lamb in the oven for 3 hours made it melt off the bone (2 hours isn't as good). Some roasted potatoes, fresh sauted greens from the garden, and some local wine, that was a birthday gift from last year rounded out our menu. We watched a great movie, Defiance, which I highly recommend. Hopeful Holocaust movie about working-class Jewish resistance fighters. True story. Who knew?