October 25, 2014. Canyon Lake, Texas. Listening In.

It was perfect. I was sitting on the deck all by myself, enjoying the beautiful evening and the lake, minding my own business, when my neighbor Sharon and a friend came out on their new deck. Ken was inside preparing dinner. He wisely planted a tree 18 years ago that has grown quickly and now totally occludes our deck from their home, so I was hidden from view. Now I could have gotten up and called a hello to them but I stayed quiet as a mouse and listened in on their conversation. It was just like listening into an old fashioned telephone party line, when you could hear but no one knew you were there. The two ladies were discussing interior decorating. It was a fascinating discussion. The husbands were in the house. Sharon and Tim are in the midst of a large outdoor project to add a large deck and a lower level for the hot tub. Sharon was describing the furniture that will come, also the plantings. I think the second lady is the interior designer because she made many suggestions, some of which Sharon approved and some she did not. Sharon said nothing about the unfinished mess in the yard. Soon the men come out and they all four joke about the construction. Tim laughed and proceeded to tell the story of their problem with the permits, which is why the job has not been completed. Their builder told Tim that permits would not be a problem so much construction was done, including installing the hot tub on a large lower deck. But they can not get the plan approved. Tim thinks it is funny. Sharon does not. Our neighbors are very nice people and are excellent neighbors. They take in our trash cans and keep a car in the driveway regularly. And I loved listening into their conversations tonight. Nosy Rosie, that was me tonight.