Surprise at the Back Door

Each night, when I come home, I drive into my long driveway, and I enter my back door. I follow a regular routine of taking off my shoes (in winter), placing my shoes on a rug, setting down my bag and books, hanging up my coat, feeding the cats, etc. And sooner or later, I walk to my front door, open it, and reach out to my mailbox to retrieve my mail - all without stepping outside because I am not wearing shoes and don't want my socks to get wet in the ice and snow.

This has gotten me in trouble more than once.

Last night, I was happy that I noticed - just as I was pulling in the driveway - that a box was sitting on my front porch. It was a book for which I had been waiting a couple weeks. Treasury of Vintage Homekeeping Skills by Mrs. Martha Greene. So, after retrieving the book when I retrieved the mail, I was happy with myself for not leaving it out there for days.

Little did I know... there was a small note attached to the outside of my front door instructing me to go next door to my neighbors' house to pick up a package that had been left for me. (But, oblivious, I went on with puttering around the house, doing dishes, folding laundry, and reading my new book.)

Hours later, I heard my back windows shake. Since I have old wooden windows (on pulleys), the window panes often rattle when there's a lot of wind. After the first time, I really didn't give it a second thought. I heard it again. "Wow! It must be much more windy than I thought!" Then, again. DUH! Someone's pounding on my back door. (My back doorbell battery needs to be replaced.) But, there are no cars around. I was expecting no company. Who could it be?

I opened the door (after trying to get a peek from behind my shade) to my neighbor, Mike. (He's the one with the beautiful, meticulously-kept yard... who isn't so thrilled about my Sweet Gum tree or the hundreds of leaves it sheds just to blow into his yard.) He informed me of the note on my front door...and the fact that this "package" had been left with his wife early in the day.

I was so shocked to receive the kind gift of a gorgeous bouquet of white flowers in a dark blue vase. I love it! It was sent by the Zimmerman family - as a thank you for allowing them to stay with me during the power outage. As I tried to stress over and over, it was probably more of a pleasure for me than they can imagine. I loved their company over the weekend and miss having them with me. Thank you so much for the beautiful posies! I love them, and they look wonderful in my dining room! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!