When I was growing up we had six plate-glass windows in the front of our living room. Mom planted a hazel nut-tree in front of the window. A garden was planted to stretch across the front of the yard. Mom then removed the curtains and we grew up looking at garden   .

Our dog Sam,   spent the better part of his life standing in front of the window waiting for the newspaper boy and mailman. In those days the paper came twice a day. Sam was well entertained.

One cold rainy February day in 1977, I came home from work to find the wind blowing through the living room. Where, once there were six plate-glass windows, there were now only five. The dog was sitting a little stunned beside my 86-year-old Grandmother. He held up his paw to show me that one of the pads on his foot was cut. I asked my Grandma if anything unusual had happened that day. My Grandma was from Glasgow. She replied with a very thick Scotch brogue…”Ach nooo, not a soul has gone down the street all day…”  I hugged her and then the dog. Then, I took a closer look at the shattered window. Glass was on the carpet and the rain and wind were unhindered. Outside the window, I noticed a note tucked into the front door. I opened the front door, took the note and read the scribbled print.

Dear Customer,

I hope your dog is okay.. He broke the big glass window when I tried to deliver the paper. Please call me when you get home.

My Dad can deliver your paper.

Sorry, 

Your paperboy

Our current dog Sami spends the majority of his life looking out our six foot windows. He barks insanely at the raccoons and squirrels on the perch, seagulls flying by and boats passing on the water below us. Living off grid with no access to paper delivery I have every confidence that it won’t be a visit from a paperboy that causes the dog to break our front windows. Much like worrying about the dogs falling off the cliffs, Sami flying through a window is just one more thing I have decided not to worry about.

Living in a house with as many windows as we have,  you would think we would be more diligent about keeping them clean. Window washing was yet another chore which we avoided all summer. Today E washed them all inside and out.. What a difference.. They look gorgeous. I think Sami can see twice as many seagulls today as he could yesterday. So far, the windows remain in one piece and his paws are unscathed.

I made my applesauce today.. Fourteen jars. I have more apples and am hoping to keep them safe to eat for weeks to come. After I had made the applesauce we took a beautiful walk on the beach at SoHo. No one around. It was lovely.

I have grown up to be just like my Mom. Our living room here has no curtains. Although I don’t look at a garden I do look at the nature channel. At the family home in L, we removed all the curtains at the back of the house after we had privatized the back yard with hedges and trees. Our kids grew up looking at garden.. Hopefully they will live their lives, as we do…..

with no curtains