Deb Space

Last night I needed to drop off a package, but couldn’t find a mailbox (and didn’t feel like going blocks out of my way to the post office).

I’ve tried to find out if the post office has a map of where their little blue drop boxes are and I can’t seem to find one. I did, however, find this site. Mobile users can use this site. This site has a message board where you can post the disappearance of a mailbox.

I ended up bringing the package with me to my local post office, which was on my way home. Next time it will be easier.

So I’m trying to set up the utilities at the new place. I go through the application and hit “Submit.” A page come up and says that the site is experiencing “technical difficulties.” I decide that maybe I should inform the webmaster and go to e-mail a note. Alas, I get another message saying that the site is experiencing “technical difficulties.” Grumble, grumble.

We live near a park with a dog run so at least twice a day Boo! gets to go visit with the neighborhood dogs. Well, Boo! goes to visit the other dog owners. The other dogs are incidental. After taking care of business, Boo! makes a point of going up to each and every biped in the run. He smiles, wags his tail, gets his ear scratchies and revels in his “Aren’t you cute!” compliments. After doing that a few times, he’ll think about playing with the other dogs.

And there are all sorts of characters. One of my favorites is a hound. I don’t his name, but he’s aware of every girl dog not in the run as well as all the squirrels. He’ll go running to the edge of the fence and begin a baleful call: “I’m here! Look at me! I looooove you!” Audrey, who’s a tall, elegant, tawny-colored, short hair dog (not sure of her breed), is not full grown and thinks she much smaller that she is. She’s always playing with the smaller dogs and trying to squeeze under the bench. Last night she ran between my legs in pursuit of a wily puppy. I’m surprised I didn’t fall over (All the years of dance have left me with good balance!).

There are all the little “B” dogs: Beau, Butters (yes, via South Park), Blackjack, Bandit (not little, but aptly named; he tried stealing my knitting) and I know I’m forgetting some. Oh, and Bella. She’s the sweetest Doberman I’ve ever met. I was thinking that Boo! might have a crush on her, but we haven’t seen her often enough to confirm it. Personally, I still think Boo! is still in love with Stella.

There’s a Rhodesian Ridgeback that regularly jumps the fence. Little Ziggy plays as hard as the big dogs. Toby has the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. There’s a troupe of fierce little Mini Pins, any one of them can outbark Boo! Stewie is a Mini Pin that thinks he’s a greyhound. Leika is the one dog that regularly outruns Boo! for a ball. Scott and I think Sawyer, a large lab, is really a cat. He plays with the ball like a cat does. There’s even a Marley (obviously not the original), who everyone agrees, drools the most of any dog in the neighborhood. I’ve stopped wearing nice clothes to the park.

So everyday is an adventure even if Boo! is just there for the people.

I live in a “W” shaped building so when I look out my living room window I see a row of other windows. (If I go the far side of the window I do get a peak of the Hudson River. That will change soon.) I didn’t think much of it until one of my neighbors came out on his balcony without his pants on. His fully clothed girlfriend/wife joined him. They turned toward the river and admired the view for a moment before disappearing into the darkness. After that, I’ve started to notice more neighbors. During the day they are like carp rising from the depths of the shadows. Most of the time they are on the phone, which has made me very self conscious about talking on the phone by the window. I’ve taken to going to the bedroom and peeking out at the river through the shades. At night I catch the bright blue rectangles of television and wonder what my neighbors are watch. If it’s football, then it’s pretty easy to pick out the Giants and Jets fans. Otherwise, they are distance little mysteries I’ll never solve. Not that it matters. Except there’s a beagle out on the balcony and a couple of guys who look like they are installing a shade over a window. And why is there Astroturf on that balcony?