Well, hello stranger!

I'm happy to report that spring is officially here! Yes, all over you can see new life sprouting about and old friends reemerging. The trees have little buds waiting to bloom, the birds are returning from their winter holiday and colorful flowers are beginning to peek through the barren ground. It's not just nature poking it's head out, my neighbors are beginning to show their faces as well.

Spring in Ohio means warmer weather and with that natives here venture out from indoor hibernation. Don't get me wrong, there are a few that brave the winter months, still going for daily walks, but not many. For the most part you only see your neighbors when they're battling ice pelting winds to the mailbox or digging out from a storm, and even then you just assume it's them. They are usually covered from head to to in winter gear. However, in spring you get to see their smiling faces and even get provoked into a conversation. In the winter, you only get a wave, and that's only if they have gloves on.

I always look forward to seeing my immediate neighbors. They are all wonderful. In fact, when we moved here we were bombarded with baked goods (it was fall). We thought we had moved to Leave it to Beaver Land. It's not just my street neighbors I get excited to see in the spring, it's also the colorful cast of characters that walk up and down the boulevard. I'd like to you to meet them.

Let me introduce you to Wave Lady. She stands at the front of the subdivision and, you guessed it, waves. She greets every car that comes and goes with a huge smile and a spastic wave. You can't help but grin as you pass.

Then there is Litter Patrol. Litter Patrol is a woman that collects the garbage that has blown about. She is serious, not as friendly as you go by, but then again she is on a mission. She's saving the planet after all.

Next meet The Sneak. Along the boulevard we have a nursing home as well as an assisted living community. The Sneak belongs to one. I see him walking along the side of the street, just out of sight of the living facilities, smoking like a chimney.

Lastly, my favorite, Fabio. Fabio is fabulous. Picture this, he has John Travolta's strut from Saturday Night Fever, Jerry Seinfeld's body and a head of long, luscious locks. He is the stuff. He struts everyday, up and down the boulevard.

I had an encounter with Fabio once. I had just arrived home from the store and to my surprise I could see Fabio walking down our street. I was shocked because I had never seen him anywhere but the boulevard. I couldn't wait to tell my husband that I saw Fabio on our street, it was kind of an honor. I needed to unload my car, but Fabio had a way about him, you just couldn't look away. His walk was mesmerizing and his hair always blew just so, almost like he was walking in slow motion. Suddenly I woke up from my hypnotic state, because Fabio was walking right towards me. I became weak in the knees as he approached me.

"Do you live here?" he asked, in what I swear was a french accent.

"Yes," I replied.

"Here."

I looked down as he placed a stack of papers in my hand. I was holding a pile of my financial documents. He explained that he had found the papers blowing around the boulevard and with that he was gone. I remember whispering thank you as he walked away, hair swaying in the breeze.

I later found out that my husband, before heading to our accountant, had placed the records on top of his car while he was getting ready to leave. He became distracted, got in the car and drove off, thus leaving our records scattered to the wind. That day Fabio became our hero.

Thank God that incident happened in the spring! Who knows what would have happened in the winter. Actually, the papers would had probably frozen to the ground and stayed there until Litter Patrol came to pick them up.