Geek Wear

Yesterday was somewhat productive.

Using a black tee-shirt, iron-on transfer paper and an image commandeered from the web, I put together my PokémonGo team shirt.

I had to rotate the image horizontally because the transfer irons on face up. I also had to scissor out all the white, which was such a pain that I dispensed with the letters … for now, but I kept them just in case I change my mind later and decide to add to the back of the shirt.

The end result suits me to a tee … no pun intended.

Heading to the Residents’/Management meeting at 3:00, the smoke cloud from the Blue Cut Fire had yet again bloomed.

I’m beginning to think this fire can’t be beat. It’s going to go until it burns its own self out.

The meeting started 25 minutes late, because Nurse Ratched sent her assistant back to the office to put together and print out a sign-in sheet.

You’d think they’d have taken care of it in advance, but that’s our muddled management for you.

Quite a few residents were in attendance and someone actually did bring popcorn.

LOL.

I brought a magazine, which I not-so-surreptitiously read when Nurse Ratched bored me going over the same issues, was making the same excuses, backtracked or double talked.

I did learn the garage fire was due to the resident “Working on a car -- not even his own, AND smoking!”

So the resident was working in an enclosed garage, with flammable materials AND smoking on a no-smoking property. It's a wonder he didn't blow himself up.

“I was at home watching television and had to come back at 9:30 in the evening” Nurse Ratched went on to say.

I didn’t voice it out loud, but in my head I was going “Boo Hoo”.

On second thought, I think I did whisper it to the woman sitting next to me.

“The fire department had to chop through the garage door.”

I’d assumed so when I saw the board put in place.

Needless to say, his side business having been discovered in such a public way, the resident involved will not be working on cars any longer-- at least not on these premises … and, the other resident who works on equipment in his garage, has been ordered to clear it out and was observed doing so last two days.

After that, the next twenty minutes was about how rules and regulations “Must be followed!”

“Garages are for parking cars, not working, not storing furniture!” and Nurse Ratched announced she's cracking down on unauthorized residents (I doubt it. She’d been promising to crack down on that for ages), cracking down on parking in carports residents are not paying for, and hours and use of the pool.

She’d had to chase away a man and a woman -- who’d somehow entered the property on a motorcycle and helped themselves to swimming in the pool.

The adult building next door had to chase a homeless man from their pool.

Plus, she said residents had reported unattended children in the pool and jacuzzi late evenings when 1) visiting children are to be accompanied at all times to the pool by a resident and 2) children are never allowed in the jacuzzi because it’s harmful to their internal organs.

Nurse Ratched did not have my full attention, because I was reading at the time and listening with one ear, but I’m fairly certain I heard her say that children can “cook” in a jacuzzi.

True or not?

I’ll have to google that statement.

She also once again went over patio and balcony rules -- no more than three plants, draining trays under each plant, only patio furniture.

This visibly riled my next door neighbor, seated at the table opposite me.

She’d been complaining to me, and others, about the unsightly patio directly across from her unit, and the child in that unit.

This is the patio we use to open our blinds in the morning and see pretty seasonal decorations.

Now we see a variety of items that don’t belong -- mop, broom, boxes, grocery bags filled with who knows what, baby car seat, back pack, a small child playing on the patio. This last week it’s just been clothing piled neatly in a corner.

I myself had more appreciation for the view outside my window when the elderly couple occupied the unit, can’t understand why Nurse Ratched allows a young family with children to reside in a senior community, but it isn’t impacting me personally so, not sweating the small stuff, I don’t really care.

That’s not who next door neighbor is.

A former State Commissioner, she’s accustomed to setting policy, being large and in charge. Here at the senior complex, that background translates into being a crusader, always stirring things up, enjoying drama, loving to complain and an incessant need to be heard and to hear, "That's a great idea".

Just before the meeting started, she’d dropped off a letter of complaint to the office about the unsightly patio and the child. So, already having worked herself up, when Nurse Ratched once again brought up the patio and balcony rules, next door neighbor took the floor and went on about having to look at unsightliness directly across from her unit every time she opens her blinds in the morning, and the fact a young child is allowed to play on the patio, could possibly squeeze through the bars, fall and hurt himself.

Nurse Ratched’s response was an adamant, “Rules must be followed! Rules broken will result in a Violation leading to a 3-Day Notice to Quit. I’ll take care of it!”

Really?

I don’t think she realizes the unit being complained about is occupied by her own handsome Maintenance Supervisor and his young family.

Is she going to violate or evict her own hire for not following the rules?

On tap for today?

I’m thinking I should shampoo the carpet, but we’ll see.