Every Morning

I have been showering at night for the past few months because I like to wake up in the morning and slowly become conscious, rather than forcing the life out of myself under some water. My routine before actually getting ready has become Dog Out, Feed Dog, Make Coffee, Check Email, Blog Sometimes. Because my computer sits by a street-facing window, I have noticed some neighbors' routines as well.

• Howard goes for a walk between 6 and 6:04. He uses an old set of radio headphones, and I imagine him listening to a jitterbug station, if there is such a thing around here.
• Brunette lady walks her dogs. She has the black lab on a leash, and an old golden lab limps dutifully behind them, off leash. This makes me sad, because it makes me think about looking out the window some day and only seeing the lady with the black lab.
• The kid across the street warms up his car, even when it's not cold out. It is obnoxiously pimped out and loud and everyday I count down to 6:16, when he drives away and my windows stop rattling.

I wonder if there is another neighbor who notices me? 7:10: Girl throws heavy tote bag and self into car, drives off to hateful district, counts down days to summer vacation: 15.

*****

So the pool is finally filled. The filter is not running, all the cracks have been sealed, and yet we still lost about an inch of water between last night and this morning. What the eff is going on with this thing???