Looking a Lot like Christmas

Woke up this morning feeling like yesterday was a dream, that we could not have possibly had a terrorist-style attack here in the Inland Empire -- in the building where granddaughter had her company training, down the street from my dentist, down the street from Souplantation, with ties to Redlands even – the posh side of town.

That it actually did happen just boggles the mind.

When the attacks in Paris happened, I remember clearly thinking to myself, “It’s a good thing I live in a nothing area. We don't matter. No one even knows we exist.” 

This is just a quiet unimportant out-of-the-way community. We don’t have anything spectacular, we don’t do anything spectacular. If we want spectacular, we have to drive to outlining areas. So the fact that this guy, and gal, chose this area and a social services building, is even more baffling -- except there seems to be a workplace component to their misguided actions.

Our authorities don’t have the best reputation for responding to and handling crime, so equally baffling and impressive is that they were able to call up the resources they did and track the suspects down so quickly.

The whole thing just goes to show … one never knows, location doesn’t matter, stay alert and aware.

In spite of yesterday’s tragic and baffling event, life goes on here at the complex and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Holiday displays are popping up all over. 

This one is particularly interesting.

We’re all wondering what’s going on with the wife of the now out-of-a-job maintenance man because, last I talked to him, they were on a waiting list and packing up in anticipation of getting a unit elsewhere on the complex or off the premises by the 20th. However, the wife got busy on the patio, a day or two ago, and has it looking like they plan to be in their current location through the Holiday.

So who knows.

Casino Lady -- the resident who worked with Activity Director to arrange the monthly casino trip, brought someone over to look at the tree on my patio, giving the person instructions to find something similar.

Good luck with that, I told her, as the tree came from Costco in 2012; but Costco does have a tree this season that’s worth checking out. She’d better hurry though, because if this year’s tree goes the way my tree went, they’ll sell out fast and then get scalped on Ebay for hundreds more.

My tree went for $49.97 at Costco, but were quickly bought out by entrepreneurs and resold for $200 plus $76.42 shipping on Ebay.

I don't usually get involved, but it so bothered me that people were being taken advantage of in this way that I contacted both Costco and Ebay.

To Costco ... "They're reselling your $50 product for close to $300. Is this even legal, do you care?"

They didn't.

To Ebay ... "This guy is taking advantage of people, reselling a $50 tree for close to $300, is this legal, do you care?"

They didn't.

The Community Room tree is laughable, a done deal and old news; but there’s a tree in the entryway and one in the Game Room. We’re waiting to see how Nurse Ratched is gonna handle getting those two decorated.

Would be a hoot and a holler if she made the new Maintenance Supervisor do it.

He wasn’t looking too happy yesterday. Actually, he was looking positively surly and embarrassed when he saw me walk into the Community Room to view that “horrible” tree and I spotted him in the kitchen washing out three coffee carafes.

He averted his eyes and began scrubbing so hard I thought he'd break the carafes. I could almost read his mind … I’m maintenance! I’m a supervisor! And she’s tasking me with housekeeping duties.

Based on his tight jaw and obvious embarrassment, I assumed he was not only tasked with washing the carafes but also making coffee. I later asked around and, sure enough, some nice someone has been donating coffee for the Community Room and the new Maintenance Supervisor has been tasked with making the morning brew.

If he wants to keep his job, he’d better get accustomed to performing duties out of his classification. He’d also better fix his face and not let Nurse Ratched see him looking surly about it.