There's nothing like a dog

for meeting neighbors! There is definitely something wonderful about walking a dog. I’ve met so many of my neighbors recently, and so many interesting people. It’s all a big surprise for me. This morning the children were waiting for the schoolbus and Lila was very excited to see them, pulling and panting. Everyone thought she was adorable—a puppy! One of the dad’s came over to me and we started chatting. It turns out he works for the print company that printed my catalogue for the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia exhibit I had eleven years ago. And he’s interested in seeing more of my work. He also expressed a desire to do some actual screen prints (not off-set litho) and I suggested he come over and meet my friend Susan Wakefield, with whom I did the prints that were in that exhibit at the AGNS (I had the fun, doing the artwork, and she did the excellent but dirty work of printing them).

Another neighbor who has three children (and a dog), came over yesterday because I had asked him if one of his children would be interested in helping me with Lila, take her out for a walk, play ball and such, when I have a long day and can’t get home in time for her needs. He brought his two (beautiful and lovely) daughters. He said his youngest (eight), when they were driving along the road in the morning, saw a deer and said “That’s why we live here!” That—and the great neighbors!