This isn’t my first work from home rodeo. You’re going to notice things in your house and neighborhood that were outside your scope of awareness before: the thunk the washing machine makes as it switches to the spin cycle, the water running through the pipes if you have a boiler, the creaking as a strong wind pushes the house, the way one cat announces before she uses the litter box and the other howls as she prepares to produce a hairball (typically while I’m working out). You may wonder why the small cat makes a thump when she jumps onto the counter, but the large one only thumps coming down.
Even in these strange times, you’ll notice things about your neighbors too. You’ll find out which ones hire a lawn service (and wonder why everybody on the block hires different ones), notice when the truck that always leaves at 5am is home or gone, and wonder why the curtains across the street are still closed this morning when they’re usually open before you head to work.
You may hear the guy who talks to himself – loudly until he notices somebody outside – as he rides his bike, or see the couple that takes morning walks year round, even in our winters. You can watch the birds at the bird feeder as they alternate with the squirrels, observing the different visitors as spring advances. If you look carefully later, you may see the evening visitors… woodchucks, raccoons, and skunks.
When you inevitably return to normal office settings, you will know so much more about your home and neighborhood if you take the time to look and listen now.