Apparently SOMEONE Has Too Much Time On Her Hands

I have a waving acquaintance with most of the people in my neighborhood. It's hard not to when you live in a townhouse complex and spend time outside. I've even had actual conversations with most of the people near me. But not the people directly across the street.

The couple directly across the street doesn't have any kids (not that there's anything wrong with that) and seems to work incredibly long hours. They also seem to think I'm a freak when I sit on our tiny porch and read in the evening (the light is not very good on the deck) because they never wave at me when they come home.

And while it may be possible that I've had too much time on my hands in the evenings (the carpal tunnel preventing much evening typing, Hot Guy being out of town), I don't think I've gone all Rear Window. . .yet. (Rear Window - Alfred Hitchcock movie where homebound guy becomes convinced that his neighbor has killed his wife. I think there was a remake with Shia LeBouef.) I don't think the unfriendly couple across the street has murdered anyone. But I do think something fishy is going on.

A couple weeks ago they cleaned out the garage. They also hosed down enough folding chairs for a small wedding - which they then carried into a house. They also put a refrigerator in the garage. I didn't think anything about it until the other night. A van pulled up to their house and ten chattering young people got out, laden with shopping bags. They went into the neighbors' and didn't come back out. The next night the same thing happened. Last night four or five people came walking up to the house and disappeared inside.

Now, before you say "party". Let me point out that most of these sightings have been on weeknights. And what kind of party entails everyone arriving all at once in the same car? And who has three parties in the same week? And why do all the guests have beat up shopping bags? And why are they all younger than the couple who owns the townhouse?

I think it's weird. My pregnant brain says they've started a cult.

Do you think I need to get out more?

Over-Sensitive or Over-Worked?

I was talking to my neighbor last week and she said something that I just can't get over. I know I should. She wasn't trying to make me feel bad. She's a very sweet person. Really. We've bonded a lot while gossiping about the OBs at the practice we both go to (she's a trimester behind me). But as I apologized for my dirty sweats by explaining that I was cleaning that day, she said something that just . . .just BOTHERED me.

She said, "Just make your husband do it. It's too hard to clean when you're pregnant. My husband does all the cleaning now."

This is a woman who does not have a job outside the home. She doesn't even blog! And she's in great shape. And her husband works long hours. And I am so jealous I could spit.

I mean, Hot Guy helps. When he's home. And what he does that's REALLY spectacular is never complain about how messy the house gets. Sometimes he asks for clean underwear (but I want to say - in my defense - is that he's only asking because I haven't put the laundry away, not that I haven't washed it) but that's it. And I took on the cleaning (such as it is) and the laundry when I became a stay-at-home. So it's not like I feel that I have it so tough.

But still, not having to clean for the next 8 weeks would be so AWESOME. Is it normal for men to take over the cleaning when their wives are pregnant? Have I been gypped? Should I invite my neighbor's husband over and flaunt my belly at him?