Yoo Hoo, I'm Waving

I love walking in my neighborhood. It is lovely and quiet in the early morning. We don't get a great amount of traffic as there are only 80 houses in our development and all the streets end in cul de sacs. It is a friendly place and we wave at each other even though I don't know a good portion of the people who live here. That is sad, I know. We used to have a great yearly neighborhood picnic but that seems to have fallen by the wayside. But, I digress, rabbit trail, take the road less traveled, wander aimlessly...Um, yeah.

So, Maxie Boy and I like to walk in the morning. Oh does he like to walk.
This picture may look like he is waiting patiently but it is only an illusion. When he knows that he is going to get to go for a walk he can be seen running back and forth to the back door, jumping and barking. He has to be on his leash before he can be walked down the driveway. He has an "invisible fence" and he has been trained that it is "safe" to go beyond the usual zap line only when he is on a leash.

Since I walk the neighborhood in the early morning we tend to encounter people leaving for work or school. We always wave. Well, I wave because Max doesn't have opposable thumbs and so waving is difficult for him. He is bitter about that but we are working through it.

And when I was waving at people as they drove by it got me to thinking about all the different kinds of waves we employ and what they might mean. Yeah, I have way too much thinking time on my hands I know, but work with me people!

So, the first wave that I employ is the "Hey good neighbor" wave. It isn't exuberant, it is just hey how ya doin'. The arm extends up, elbow at 90 degree angle, and the hand at shoulder height. And then you give one toggle of the hand, back and forth, at the wrist.
Friendly but not too friendly. Acknowledging that you have seen them. Perfectly adequate.

Then there is the "hip wave". You know the one. You are striding along, you want to wave but you really don't know the person all that well, not well enough to give them the "Hey howya doin'" wave. Hand goes up to hip level, index finger extended, toggle to the right and left and you are done. The variation on this is raising the hand up to the face level, sort of like you are saluting them....but not. Now if you are extending another finger and waving that one it sends an entirely different message. One that we won't be discussing here.

Then there is the head bob "wave" or acknowledgement. I employ that for the motorcyclists that I encounter. I don't want them taking their hands off the handlebars. Nod head in hello, they are on their way. Everyone's day is fine and dandy.

But then there is the full out, full on, hey I know you and I like you wave. That wave I reserve for my friend Jenna, who is the daughter of my friend Lauren (Lookleap) who does not yet blog but should. Can the neighborhood stand two bloggers who live 300 feet from each other? Only time will tell.

At any rate, I reserve my full arm extension, hand toggling back and forth madly, big smile wave for Jenna. Cuz she waves at me that way too. It makes my day.

Look! It's Paul Bunyan and his big dog Blue. What, Blue was an Ox? So what, Max sometimes thinks he is a human so we will just call it even.

I like walking in the morning because at some point the sun will be at my back and I will actually look tall. It is all in the perception, People. All in the perception.