The Porch

 When my father was alive, one of his favorite pastimes was to sit on the front porch and watch the traffic go by while enjoying a beer. It was a busy street so there were lots of cars to see! People that he knew would drive by, honk and wave. People walking by would wave and sometimes join him on the porch to visit. He really enjoyed that!

When I would stop by and find him on the porch, I would join him before I would go into the house to see whomever I had originally come by to visit. It was a nice porch with a good-sized glider on it. Marie, the plant queen, had a lot of climbing plants that had climbed over the step railing and even up onto the ceiling borders. She had flowering plants in the yard, and bushes surrounding the house. There was so much foliage that unless you were looking for it: you'd barely be able to see a house. Plus it was set back from the street, which gave it a nice-sized front yard.

After my father got sick, I didn't spend much time on that porch. I was inside visiting him at his bedside. Then after he died, I sat out there with Marie a few times, but it wasn't the same.

The funny thing is: I have a large front porch on my own house. But I rarely sit out there. It faces the same street, with the same traffic as with my father. But it isn't the same. Sometimes I take the dogs out  and they sit with me. I think it's the fact that my porch faces theirs, and things are so different. The climbing plants have been cut down, the flowers that used to cover the yard are sparse now, and some bushes are also missing. Along with Daddy Clank...I miss those days, and never imagined that I would get any of that enjoyment back...

Until a random day last week. The house is for sale and the realtor had some papers for me to sign. It was a beautiful day and I met him at the house. We sat on the porch glider and went over the paperwork before I signed. We were finished in about 20 minutes. He looked around and asked about the neighbors, and the different houses, and what it was like growing up in my parents' house. Then he asked, "Do you know who lives in the big house across the street?" I laughed. "I live there." "I guess I should have known. I drive by here almost every day, and should have recognized your car." And then we sat there for almost two hours, just talking. He told me one of the funniest stories I've heard all year, and I reciprocated in kind. I found out a lot more about him, he found out a lot more about me; and it was the best time I'd had on that porch since before my father died. 

I felt a little sorry that the house was on the market out of necessity.  Sitting there that day felt so nice and brought back good memories. So right then and there we made a pact: whoever won the lottery first would buy the house! Sounded like a good plan to both of us 😊 Of course, it would have a better chance of happening if I actually played the lottery. But you just never know what God might have in store. And I'm thankful for having one more nice day on the porch. (Thanks Junior) 😉