Sunday Funday Not

It was raining cats and dogs when the alarm got me out of bed 5 a.m. Sunday. Plan for the day was to take the place of Twin 2’s partner, who’d had to drop out of a 5K the two had scheduled.

Hoping the rain would run its course by the time I had to leave the complex, I went ahead with the regular preparations. Lo and behold, the deluge did slow down, then stop but, just as it was time to head for the door, it started up again.

That was it for me. I called Twin 2, said sorry to let her down ... she’ll be racing alone because walking in that kind of weather was not for me.

She herself was already on the road headed for the site, saying the weather didn’t deter her at all. I later learned it also didn’t deter a couple hundred others who showed up.

Oh well, that opportunity to get in some walking miles gone by, I spent the day on the couch, working on the new needlepoint project, watching the Endeavor marathon on PBS and, at times, slipping away into a nap.

It was a peaceful morning until the smoke detector in the front room began beeping that intermittent sound it makes, every few seconds, when the battery needs replacing.

OMG! thought I. First the rain putting a kink in my plans now this.

Why does the beeping always start after hours and weekends, when the office is closed, no staff around?

Last time it happened was when the on-call guy, who did not live on the property, didn’t want to return to the property, fix the problem. That time, the intermittent beeping was like water torture. I couldn’t take it all evening and overnight, so I went to a hotel.

This time I was determined not to let the beeping run me out of the unit but, after two hours, I was thinking hotel again, but first I took a stab at trying to disable the detector as I’d seen it done last time.

Couldn’t even get the top off, so I took a chance and left a message on the on-call line, hoping I’d get a better response this time.

Surprisingly, I did.

About an hour later.

I was lucky because Head Maintenance Guy (HMG), who does live on the property, had the on-call duty ─ rather than his assistant who does not live here, but it took him an hour because he was coming from church, not his unit.

HMG disabled the unit and said he’d bring a battery this morning (note to self for next time: open by twisting the thing and squeeze the clip to detach).

I’m so fed up with that detector in the front room screwing with me that I told him to take his time, that I’d like to see it disabled forever.

Evidently, he took me at my word because it’s almost quitting time and he hasn’t shown up with a battery.

Fine by me. I just better not be starting any fires by forgetting to turn a burner off with a cast iron skillet on top of the burner, as I’ve done twice in the past, setting off a real alert on the smoke detector.

There’s a backup detector in the bedroom that never gives me grief, so no worries about none in the front room. It will just take longer to get the alert if I have another senior moment.

Plausible Deniability

The weather was perfect for Apache’s BBQ Birthday Celebration this afternoon.

About 30 residents showed up and feasted on BBQ ─ hotdogs, ribs, corn on the cob, macaroni salad, potato salad, baked beans and, of course, cake.

Apache was thrilled with the gift from No. 45’s store.

Expecting the underside to say “made in China”, I looked everywhere but could find nothing that indicated where the item was made. The only markings were No. 45’s ─ on the box, on the item, on the tissue paper, which I suggested Apache use for toilet paper. LOL.

The lack of “made in” markings tells me No. 45 is, as usual, hiding something.

Not only that, but the photo in the advertisement is misleading.

It appears as though I was purchasing a bank designed as stacks of gold bars.

Wrong! ... or should I say fake advertising, because the photo in the advertisement is a bunch of individual banks stacked together, whereas there’s only one in the box.

Advertised

Received

No matter. It was still a cool gift.

The party was so fun that, instead of hanging around just long enough to take a few photos for the facebook page, I actually stayed and socialized. Even the Seer and her Shadow showed up.

That was a surprise because they’ve been so standoffish with all of us since hooking up, and specifically made a point of expressing they no longer wanted anything to do with Apache, but here they were at his birthday party.

It was rather weird. Especially since they offered no greeting to anyone when they came into the Room, just walked up to the counter, made plates, went outside and sat at one of the patio tables ─ just the two of them.

At one point, Apache asked me to come outside with him, that Shadow and Seer wanted to give him something and he wanted a picture (He was having me take photos of all his gifts as given).

“Are you friends again?” asked I, but he didn’t hear me so I just followed him outside.

He sits down at the patio table with them, I remain standing, waiting, camera ready.

The Seer and Shadow seem uncomfortable with my being there and say nothing.

“He said you have something for him and he wants me to take a picture”, said I.

Seer says, “Yes, we have something for you. That is if you want it”.

What? thought I.

“Something for you if you want it”.

That’s the strangest offering of a gift I’ve ever heard.

At any rate, Seer pulls from her lap a very nice-looking watch.

No box.

No wrapping paper.

Something was not right.

No wonder they were uncomfortable with me being there to witness what was happening.

Neither Seer nor Shadow are the warm generous type.

Neither can afford to be buying nice watches, especially for someone they’ve been professing to no longer like.

I take the photo and make a speedy retreat back to the party and say nothing to anyone so I can claim plausible deniability should the fertilizer hit the fan at a later date.

If I were in Apache’s shoes, I’d have said “Thanks, but no thanks”.

It would have angered them, but the two of them have become such a grumpy resentful hateful pair anyway, so better safe to say no, than sorry and get in trouble for accepting what feels like ill-gotten property.

For Apache’s sake, I hope there’s no tracking device on the watch.

On tap for tomorrow is another early rising to head out for a 5K. Rain is expected. Hopefully it won’t start until after I’ve crossed the finish line.

Business as Usual

It’s been business as usual here on the senior complex and in my part of the world.

Sunday was as I’d expected, no call or text from Twin 1. However, she did somewhat acknowledge Mother’s Day by proxy in a text I received from granddaughter.

I had to laugh.

It’s better than nothing.

The seniors celebrated Mother’s Day with a potluck yesterday, rescheduled from last week.

I did see, when last I walked through the Community Room, that 20 or so residents signed up for the event, so there was interest. Which means the rescheduling was most definitely budget related ─ that the new Community Manager had failed to provide Activity Director with needed funds; but I can’t tell you how the event went because I didn’t make it back from Trainer in time to do a walk through and take photos for the residents’ facebook page.

Apache’s birthday was Monday, so I caught up with and gave him the gift box from No. 45’s store.

His eyes lit up, but he doesn’t want to open the box until Saturday, at the BBQ celebration of his birthday.

I wasn’t planning to go to that. It’s just no fun going to food events when I can’t eat any of the goodies, but I guess I’ll have to go to take photos of Apache's face, when he opens the box, for his private facebook page and so I can see if the underside of the gold bar bank says “Made in China”.

Elsewhere on the complex, word is Nosey ─ hospitalized/recovering from a fall in her unit resulting in a broken hip, was doing well and would be returning some time next week.

Picking up mail on Monday, I ran into one of our Community Room regulars who informed me that she was just home from the hospital where she’d had surgery on her knee.

News to me. I’d not heard, but then I’ve not been around much lately to hear what’s going on.

At any rate, she tells me she’s had her knee operated on THEN without any prompting on my part, she showed me the surgical scars.

OMG!!!!

WHY DO OLD PEOPLE DO THAT?!!!! .. MAKE SUCH A BIG PRODUCTION … BRAG EVEN.

It was bad enough she was wearing shorts to openly display the scars, but inasmuch as I did not appear all that interested in details, she just had to push it by sticking out her leg saying “See”.

Hopefully she read my facial expression (like I was about to toss my cookies) and will be more discerning about the show and tell stuff.

With the dentist off my to-do list, a measles booster off the list, this morning it was a drive to the eye clinic for a long overdue exam and new glasses.

That’s the vision center at my medical provider’s office, not the private vision center I went to after the provider’s office royally screwed up last time I went through the process.

I went back and forth in my mind as to whether I should go to the provider this time, in the hopes they’d do a better job, because everything is covered except purchase of the glasses, rather than to the private vision center that did such great work but cost and arm and two legs.

I decided medical provider’s office.

But upon arriving in a timely manner for this morning’s appointment, I was told my appointment is not until next week. Of course they're right. I'd misplaced the appointment card, but had written the date and time in my organizer, yet and still showed up a week early.

I took this not as yet another senior moment, but a sign from the universe to not waste my time. As soon as I arrived back at the complex, I cancelled next week’s appointment with the provider and scheduled end-of-month with the private center.

Since I was at the medical center, I stopped into the Nurse’s Station for a Blood Pressure Check. It was o-k-a-y and, as I was leaving, the nurse was still looking at whatever it is they see on the computer screen and suddenly blurted out “OH MY GOD!!”.

I stopped cold in my tracks, frightened, thinking she’d discovered a problem.

“You look nowhere near this age”, said she.

Relieved and laughing, I said, “You scared me and thank you”.

Not thank you for scaring me, but thank you because it’s always good to hear I don’t look it.

There's no magic formula to my not looking my age. It's all the Grace of God, expensive makeup and an aging picture I have hidden away in the attic.

Community Run

Set the alarm for 4 a.m. this Saturday morning, but awoke at 3:01, ready to get myself washed, dressed, fed, and out the door at 5:30 to drive to the 8th Annual Jurupa Valley Community Run, the first 5K I’ve participated in this year, and the first time I've heard of this event.

Not that I haven’t wanted to get back into the swing of things (participate in other 5Ks this year) but because it’s the first one to come to my attention that didn’t involve an overnight hotel stay. Jurupa Valley is a drivable distance from the complex.

Mother’s Day being tomorrow, you’d think this event would be so themed. But no. Instead, the race organizers requested participants dress patriotically ─ “This year we are hosting a Patriotic Run ... join us in wearing Red, White, or Blue on Race Day”.

So, they kinda sorta skipped celebrating moms and went straight to Memorial Day, but okay.

I pulled from storage the patriotic leggings I made s few years back for a 4th of July 5K in Long Beach.

Twin 2 was going to wear the patriotic tutu I'd put together some years back but, at the last minute, lucked up on cute patriotic leggings 50% off at J.C. Penney.

Last time I did a 5K with Twin 2 (November 2017), I had to hustle to keep up with her. This time it was “Ma! You walk really fast”. She had to hustle to keep up with me.

I’d planned to run part of the race but, when my knees realized what my head was planning, they started acting up. So, I decided not to risk an injury and just fast walked at a nice clip.

The Pain Cave training paid off. My official finish time improved from 1:04:20 to 00:56:43, placing me at 179 out of 193, second in my age group ─ but hold the applause please, there were only three of us over 70 years of age, so I finished middle of the old folks pack, but passed fourteen in other age groups … younger.

After the 5K, I was treated to a much needed Mother’s Day mani/pedi.

Twin 1 opted to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend distributing food and roses to the homeless women of skid row/Los Angeles this morning.

If I hear from her tomorrow, whether a telephone call or a text message, it will be a miracle.

Last time I received a Mother’s Day acknowledgment from Twin 1 was some 10/12 years ago, when she invited me to drive down to Long Beach, spend the day with her, go to dinner, and she stiffed me with the bill. 

Instead of she taking me to dinner, I ended up taking her.

So, I will be stunned to get any sort of acknowledgment from Twin 1 this weekend, because that’s just the way she is. Everything is about her ─ it was so in the past and, even though she extends herself in serving the homeless, everything still is about her.

Twin 1’s service to others is a subconscious clearing of her Akashic record ─ atonement for past events, and I applaud her for that. However, what she does for others also fills the need she has for love, attention, approval ─ love, attention, approval she recently indicated I don’t give her enough of.

I ask you ... do they ever grow up?

So, anyway, today was my Mother's Day. Tomorrow I sleep late.

Happy Mother's Day! … tomorrow. 

Thanks Debra!!

So much cuteness was in today’s mailbox coming from Debra’s tinfoil hat contest.

As “Queen of the Nile”, I received not one prize, not two, but THREE!

Decorative Tea Towel

Notepad

Healing Stone

The healing stone is an especially cool prize. Going to come in handy around here, and not just for me.

Not so much appreciated in today’s mail was this box from the Orange Traitor's store.

I’m glad it came in a nondescript box. I’d have been embarrassed to have the mail carrier put this in my mailbox and think of me as a fan.

In case you haven’t noticed, I’m definitely not a fan.

And I'm certainly not the "enthusiast" the note in the envelope assumed by the purchase.

But the signatures are interesting. I’m no analyst, but it seems obvious that one signature reflects an individual with an overblown ego, the other looks like a little boy trying to be a big man.

Thing about this ending up in my mailbox is, I’d recently posted that my buddy Apache is planning a party for his birthday, that I didn’t feel compelled to bring a gift this year, but he’s a huge fan of the Orange Traitor (OT), so I’d look around and see if anything popped up.

Minutes after that post, a gold bank popped up when I googled OT gifts for men.

The bank was reasonably priced (cheap), but after the Orange Traitor’s store added shipping, handling, taxes, gift box, the price doubled.

Oh well.

It popped up so quickly after that post about a gift that I can only feel the Universe wants Apache to have it.

At least the gift box looks worth the additional price.

Rainy Days and Tuesdays

Opening up the patio sliding door to let in fresh air this morning, surprised was I to see rain.

The show must go on so, the plan to hurry back from this morning’s workout with Trainer, in order to take photos of today’s Mother’s Day potluck for the seniors’ facebook page, then drive out of the area to Sprouts and the craft store was streamlined to just the workout and photos.

Ready to head out the door to The Pain Cave, realizing I had 15 minutes to spare, something told me to head down to the Community Room, even though the event wasn’t scheduled to begin for another 45 minutes, just to see what was going on.

What was going on was nothing. Church Lady and the woman who has volunteered at the Veterans Hospital for over 40 years were the only ones in the room.

The volunteering woman is an interesting little lady. Her older brother is classified as a fallen hero of the Korean War. Which is why, I assume, she’s so involved in veteran affairs. I don’t know when her brother’s remains were found, but it was just last year that the remain were released by Korea’s POW/MIA Accountability Agency.

So, anyway, as I was saying, there was nothing being set up for a Mother’s Day potluck, only two residents in the room, and a sign indicating the potluck was cancelled.

I guess the show doesn’t always go on.

Church Lady tells me it’s rescheduled to the 14th because no one signed up.

That’s interesting, but I think Church Lady was just guessing, because it’s highly unusual and unlikely the seniors would turn down an event involving food.

Running into Activity Director herself, I was told it’s rescheduled because of the rain.

Not bloody likely. I’ve seen the seniors heading to food events during flash floods.

Running into my buddy Apache, after returning from the Pain Cave, he tells me it’s because the office did not release funds to Activity Director to purchase what she needed for the event.

That makes sense, and is probably because the new Community Manager didn’t understand the process in time for Activity Director to get things together.

I guess it’s taking new manager some time to understand more than the event budget process, because we didn’t get a monthly calendar posted to our doors until this morning.

Will be interesting to see how things go on the 14th, two days after Mother’s Day.

So, with this morning’s workout off my plate and rained into sticking close to home base, it’s catching up on recorded TV programs and reading for me.

Though I finished the 13-month long needlepoint project yesterday, I can’t start on the new project until I hit the craft store and pick up a few things. Aida cloth and floss came with the pattern, but I’d rather pick out my own floss so as not to run the risk of coming short towards end of the project, and a larger piece of cloth than provided, to give extra space to work with when I get to the edges.

And speaking of that over 3284 hours long project ...…

Finished Canvas

Lucked up on most perfect trim

Decorative Pillow Front

Decorative Pillow Back

Side View

Done and Doing

I took the scenic route to my second, and hopefully last date (except for a basic cleaning), with dentist McDreamy yesterday.

Passing the famous McDonald’s Museum, I spied something different under the golden arches.

I must have travelled through this area hundreds of times, marveled at the sight, parked to collect Pokéballs and never noticed Hamburglar before ─ and actually, McDonald’s is not a Pokéstop, the next-door Military Museum is, but the two are so close together that they act as one. 

At any rate, thinking Hamburglar was a new addition I pulled over, snapped a few photos and got back on my way.

Once I returned to the complex, I looked at old photos I’d taken of the museum and Hamburglar was there all along.

Funny that I never noticed before.

Pulling up to McDreamy’s office, I saw the abortion protestors were again out in front of Planned Parenthood. 

I guess it’s an every Friday thing.

Knowing I’d be passing either a Goodwill or Salvation Army Store, on the way back to the complex, I’d put a toaster in the car to be donated.

I’ve used it so seldom that I didn’t even realize I had a toaster until, opening the cupboard a few days ago, it too all of a sudden registered, like the Hamburglar. So that’s a crockpot, Oster steamer, wok and toaster recently donated, with another smaller crockpot I didn’t know I had, still in the box, to go.

I imagine I’d purchased the smaller with the idea of cooking oatmeal when I travelled to hotels for meditation retreats or a 5K but, inasmuch as oatmeal is a grain and grains are now on my do-not-eat list, it’s time to put it in the trunk of the car for the next time I pass a donation center.

It occurs to me that all one needs these days, to set up a household or to travel, is a coffee maker and an instant pot.

Pain Cave workout done and over early this morning, on tap for remainder of the day, after I step away from the laptop, is cleaning, dusting, reorganize the bedroom closet. Tomorrow it’s shampoo the carpet and, while the carpet is drying, set up the sewing machine and get to work on turning the needlework project, I finally finished last night, into a decorative pillow.

As I type this, Clint Eastwood’s Magnum Force is on television ─ that’s the one about the cops involved in killing criminals the courts went soft on (vigilante killings), one of my favorite Eastwood movies. But whatever happened to that guy? I know he recently made a movie that bombed at the box office, maybe two that bombed, but the Eastwood I enjoyed bombed way back when he dissed Obama with that “empty chair” routine.

I guess he's satisfied now that the country is in turmoil, the chair filled with a fat ass.