but as i watched her through the window , watched her throw back her raven-haired head and laugh heartily at something one of her many friends was saying on the rover-phone , i pictured myself , out in our yard , raking leaves , looking in at alice as she sat at our kitchen table in her bathrobe , painting her nails , throwing back her blonde-haired head and laughing at something one of her many friends was saying on the rover-phone .