I have an 80-something-year-old neighbour. She lives across the street. I’m pretty sure she’s seen me walk around my house naked. I tend to do that…. Too lazy to shut blinds. I’ve had a baby, for heaven’s sake, I’d walk down the STREET naked (or, at least in my nightie…). Besides, this isn’t even my bawd right now. It’s a GINORMOUS version of my bawd.
A-ny-way….
So, yeah, old lady neighbour…. Let’s call just call her K. Now, I don’t want to sound like a horrible person. Because really I’m not. I’m actually very nice. But, I just CANNOT STAND the fact that I’m getting phone calls from K every single day since I turned 35 weeks preggers.
The first phone call occurred earlier this month, actually. It was a couple weeks after the monkey’s birthday, and K called to wish her happy birthday, berating herself for forgetting the day. How does she know the monkey’s birthday, even? Friends, I BARELY KNOW THIS WOMAN! How did she get my phone number? “From the book,” she explained after I asked her. That would be the phone book.
Blah blah blah. So, the other day, at 9:30pm, K called me to ask me a question about a mysterious – are you ready for the excitement? – blue recycling box on her lawn. And, yes, we had a full conversation about this blue recycling box. I finally got out of it (when she attempted to offer me other neighbours’ phone numbers so I could inquire about said recycling box…ahem) by saying I needed to rest. Good ol’ reliable pregnancy excuse.
The next day, she calls at 11:30am, and leaves this on my answering machine: “you know, Haley, if you should fall ill or are too tired from your pregnancy, you know you can leave Monkey with me.” She clearly does NOT know what she’s offering.
And, it goes on. She calls again today. “I’m sorry K,” I say, “we’re just napping.” “Oh,” she says, “I meant what I said on your machine yesterday about taking care of Monkey for you. I saw you walking with your family today and you looked so tired…. My husband thinks I’m crazy for offering to babysit the monkey — ’she doesn’t even know you, K!’ he said….” Blah blah. Crazy? Nahhh….
For the record, I think K’s sweet and adorable. But, honestly? At 35 weeks pregnant, I’m not looking for new friends. And, I’m certainly NEVER leaving my monkey with my 80-something-year-old neighbour — for BOTH their sakes.
Anyway. I had to share this. Because it’s so weird — why start calling me NOW!
…ALTHOUGH…if she offered me birthday cake or a glass of milk, I’d DASH RIGHT OVER THERE!

Got milk? I WANT IT. NOW!
Oh, dang. I just tried to take a pic of me with the “Got Milk” mustache…. And, apparently, it doesn’t work with nonfat milk. Oh well…. I love milk right now. Indeed, I may be IN love with it right now…. CRAAAVE.

LOOK AT MY HAND!

SO SWOLLEN! These are NOT my hands. I usually have teeny hands and teeny wrists. I can hardly bend my elbows, they’re so swollen. My feet are, like, worse. But, YOU COULDN’T PAY ME to post a picture of my uggers feet!

Instead of napping today, the monkey and I painted outside…. Yes, check my cheaty little ARTISTE! The balance, the colour, the lines…. AHH, MAIS OUI, QUEL PERFECTION!


This was the messiest activity EVAH. I’m so happy we opted to do it outside….

A big bee feasted on a half-eaten grape between my feet today. I wanted to pet it.

Want gossip? Check it — at CHEATY’S CELEBRITY GOSSIP!









Nicholas said on August 27th, 2007 at 1:09 am
What are you doing, posting stuff on the net after midnight, in your condition? Your neighbour is probably a lonely old woman, but I don’t blame you for declining her offer. Milk? People drink that stuff without having a gun pointed at their head? Ugh! Mind you, chocolate milk is a different matter entirely!
erika said on August 27th, 2007 at 7:14 am
I craved milk, too. mmmm.
When I just saw the hand picture out of the corner of my eye I thought it was Monkey’s.
I have a crazy boy neighbor who always wanders around outside the apartment complex and one day he brought me a shirt I forgot in the laundromat.I was glad to have the shirt, but WEIRD. Why can’t people get some social skills?
Kerry said on August 27th, 2007 at 8:28 am
Oh I craved milk too! Between my son and I we went through milk like crazy.
What a great idea, painting outside! And that easel is a great idea too! I may have to get us one.
lauraldawn said on August 27th, 2007 at 8:31 am
I had a neighbour like that too!! How weird. She was more like 60, but still …
Funny.
And yeah. Good call on not sending the monkey over there. That would be bizarre. Just wait till you have the baby … then maybe she’ll offer to babysit BOTH!!
PS By far the weirdest offer I ever had about babysitting was another mom in the building I was living in. She told me that we could trade off babysitting cause both our kids were nursing (they were about 3 and 5 months). I didn’t quite understand the significance until she said she could feed my child and I could feed hers - like wet nurses. THAT freaked me out (I still am friends with her though)
Drea said on August 27th, 2007 at 9:37 am
Awe poor thing! swollen anything is not fun. I had major swelling w/ Caleb… was preggo same time you were.. can be so hard. BTW whats your exact due date? Calebs was Sept. 8th. I told Dr.s Sept 1st. He came Aug 31st
Hot hot summer…
Do you ever frame monkeys work? that would look so cute framed!
Morriss Partee said on August 27th, 2007 at 9:40 am
Not even Whole Milk will get you a good “Got Milk” moustache. For that ad campaign and other photographic purposes, you have to whiten up the milk with glue or flour or something.
Karen said on August 27th, 2007 at 9:52 am
You gotta love old neighbours though - they’ll keep an eye out on your place and all that goes on around. Annoying to be called on a daily basis though.
There was an old guy who lived across the street in our previous house, who used to take our garbage can and bluebox back to the side of our house every time it was emptied. We bought him some corn one summer and he was over the moon! He lived all alone, but was such a nice guy, sort of the mayor of our street. It was sad when he died the summer just before we moved. Tough getting old…
Rebecca said on August 27th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Oh, I have a K in my life, too! An elderly woman from church has decided that I Need Her Help, so she pops over a couple of times a week to see if I maybe need her to babysit or whatever. She is driving me very sweetly nuts.
You WILL get your body back, but I know what you mean - that pregnant body was NOT me.
ali said on August 27th, 2007 at 11:03 am
oy. the hands! your poor hands!
the good news is that the swelling will go down pretty much instaneously. but you poor, poor thing!
kgirl said on August 27th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
I also thought that your hand was a cute chubby baby hand. But now that I know it’s yours, I’m horrified.
*wink*
manda said on August 27th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
My husband never understand why I won’t allow his relatives that are nearing their 80’s to watch our two year old. I’m always like, “seriously, this is for all of our health!”
porter said on August 27th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
I also have a neighbour like that…hmm she doesn’t offer to babysit. Maybe that’s how you can get rid of her!
I have never understood anyone saying they like to drink milk…I’ve never liked it not as a kid, not pregnant, not when I was nursing my kids.
porter said on August 27th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I wasn’t finished…. I wanted to say that you are so cute that I can’t imagine you wouldn’t look even cuter pregnant. I’m sorry you are uncomfortable and swollen…
B said on August 27th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
Better watch out - she might have your blog address too! Those older people may be slightly out of it, but they are crafty!
mamatulip said on August 27th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
I was so swollen with Julia; my hand looked just like yours and I had cankles up to my knees. I feel for you, girl! Hang in there….it’s almost BABY TIME!
Oh, The Joys said on August 27th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Oh, the hands! That just made me remember being pregnant in the summer, bleah. Roo will be two on Wednesday. I was YOOOOOOGE two years ago in this southern heat. Ack!
Cathouse Teri said on August 27th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
First of all, STOP carrying the Monkey. At all.
That’s it. Just a first of all.
Hey, you can leave the Monkey with me if you need to. I mean you know me as well as you do K! You may have to put her on a plane, though. Hey, how about if you just put K on a plane!
sue b said on August 27th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
i’m not liking the swollen hands at all and order you to go lie down on your side (i forget which side, but it matters, so i’ll check on this) for a couple of hours a day twice a day so your poor poor blood can circulate. i’m saying this with my very sternest expression on my face. get out those videos and lie on the sofa. now i mean it!!!!
sue b said on August 27th, 2007 at 11:46 pm
i’m back for more instructions. for you, not me! it’s your left side you must lay on to help your kidneys move some of that fluid. more water also. of course, we all know where that will lead–more peeing. i hope you will take this advice, after all, i am a head nurse. in a psychiatric hospital.
taylorblue said on August 28th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Funny neighbor…hopefully she doesn’t read that post! And I loved milk when I was pregnant with my son…I drank 2 liters a day and the doc said switch to skim. I met her half way…I started drinking 1percent. I gained like 15 lbs from the milk alone!
multi-tasking mommy said on August 28th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
LOVE the idea of painting outside! So much fun! I love the monkey’s painting too–GREAT art work–she’s going to be talented just like her Mama!
Teena said on August 28th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
Your neighbour must be a pain but I bet she means well.
And what an artist you have! That looks like fun! Can I come over and play?!
ewe-are_here said on September 2nd, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Although your neighbor sounds rather annoying in some ways, it sounds like she’s rather lonely, poor thing.
Just caught up on all your posts this week - sounds like you’re still doing great! I would sooo love to go to a movie, too, (and I’d opt for Bourne or Becoming Jane) but we have no baby sitter! Grrrr.
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