Kristy (my sister) requested some photos of our neighborhood. Since I walk the dog everyday, that was an easy wish to grant. A few weeks back I started listening to the Daily Audio Bible when I walk the dog. As much as I intend to, I don’t take the time to read the Bible every day, even though I wish I did (not disciplined, remember?)
Since I love to multi-task so there’s no “wasted” time (leaving me plenty of time to waste watching TV while I knit and eat chocolate) I decided that I could listen to the Bible while I walk the dog. He’d get exercise, I’d get exercise, I’d be motivated to keep walking as long as I had something to listen to that occupied my mind, and I’d be working time in God’s word into my daily routine. Win. Win. Win. Win. Win-Win.
What I didn’t anticipate is that Genesis and Matthew are filled with references to ISRAEL and the God of the JEWS and since I walk around with the Bible playing through my speaker, I’m often flinching and trying to jam my fingers into the speaker holes to muffle the “offensive words.” Invariably it sounds like this, “[soft, soothing voice] I am the Lord God of [super loud] ISRAEL.” And always when I’m walking past a group of Muslims on their way to the mosque. Oops.
That thing that looks like a covered wagon is where the blimp hangs out. It looks like it’s out flying right now, since it’s not in the “barn.”
We live in a mostly residential neighborhood that is surrounded by major streets on 4 sides. I try to walk in the middle rather than on the perimeter because the traffic noise gets so loud that I can’t hear what Brian (DAB narrator) is saying and I have to hold my phone with the speaker holes right to my ear so it looks like I have one of those old fashioned ear horn things. (Josh told me that’s what it looks like. That’s a cute look, right?)
Since Micah pulls when he walks with a collar, I walk him on a harness with the leash clipped to the front. It keeps him from yanking on my arm since if he does take off after one of the many cats in our neighborhood, when he hits the end of the leash it turns him around to face me.
Dirt lots, huge villas, and cruddy apartments all in the same neighborhood.
There is tons of construction going on right now. Tis the season I guess. (The season of bearable temperatures where workers won’t end up with heat stroke.) They start hammering at 6am every day but Friday.
The hammering doesn’t bother me since the Call to Prayer from the super loud mosque near us goes off even earlier than that (before sunrise). You learn to sleep through it all. The tall towers are where the loudspeakers are contained so the sound of the prayer is sure to travel far and wide.
Do I see a cat?
Almost an accident — 3 cars, no stop signs, no rules
Heading back toward home. By now I’ve finished the Bible passages (He reads from Old Testament, New Testament, a Psalm and a few verses from Proverbs every day and finishes the entire Bible in one year) and have moved on to a podcast (Dave Ramsey or Wait Wait! Don’t Tell Me! usually) or an audiobook.
No matter how many times we do this walking thing, the dog can not figure out that cars are not his friend. He has no concept of staying out of the street and if a car drives straight at him he’ll just keep trotting along like it’s made of marshmallows and poses no danger to him at all. I’m constantly easing him toward the shoulder of the road.
almost home
This used to be our dirt lot where the boys would come walk the dog. Now it looks like they are turning it into two villas.
Home!
To this charming princess (who was mad that I gave her dry Cheerios and kept screaming “I want dry cereal!” Okaaay . . .