Potential

Yet another thing that Katrina messed up was my daily post-work walk with John and Roxy. First we were living with the in-laws on no schedule in particular, then I was working second shift, and then the weather was just too cold.

Sunday, though, was warm and cloudy with no wind. The daily walk has resumed! John points out everything - "stop cars, daddy," he says at every stop sign. And if he doesn't know what it is? "What's that, daddy?" Roxy seems tickled to be out and stretching her legs again. She has to stop and smell every brick mailbox; they're like bulletin boards for dogs.

So we're going around the block last night, looking at the pink sunset. ["Pink!" John says.] It rained Sunday night, and it was sunny and mild yesterday. The neighborhood smelled like wet, warm earth, sawdust, and - incongruously but not unpleasantly - of fabric softener.

In short, my neighborhood smelled like potential.