Hits and Misses

The showing of Age of Adaline, at this evening's movie night, was a huge hit.

The room was full, residents clapped at the end and approached Apache (Movie Guy) saying, “That was a good movie. Thank you for showing it”.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised residents didn’t spread the word as to how good it was and another showing is requested by those that missed it.

While in the Community Room, I checked the sign-up sheet for Sunday’s BBQ. I don’t know whose deal that is, possibly organized by neighbor President of the Resident Activity Committee, but there doesn’t seem to be any interest, no one signed up.

That may be because the July Activity Calendar was distributed today and indicates management is hosting a BBQ Blast on the 11^th.  Also on the calendar is news that a Low-Impact Exercise Program, with music, is coming to us in August.

Whoopdedoo!

Hopefully we get enough interest to make the program a hit.

It took a minute for me to adjust to those bright and colorful Wonder Woman leggings but, inasmuch I’ve worn them while out and about and no one has commented, I feel like I blend in, which makes me comfortable that I don’t always have to wear dark colors.

When I went online to respond to a request to review those leggings, and saw they’d added Beauty and the Beast Leggings to their line, I snagged a pair of those as well.

Opportunist

Neighbor who had the traffic accident is going through a terrible time. Returning to her unit yesterday, from a few day’s recuperating at her son’s place, she caught me at my car and unloaded.

She still doesn’t know if the other driver is insured but suspects not, because the other driver has already hired an attorney and is asking for $25,000, even though both were fortunate to have no serious injuries, both just banged up. What makes the other driver seem like an opportunist, looking to score a big payday is the fact that, at the scene after the accident, the other driver thanked neighbor … “Thank you for paying off my car.”

What an odd thing to say.

I was correct about neighbor having had enough of California, wanting to head back to Nevada, because she’d put that move in motion prior to the accident; but then the Universe put up roadblocks which, to her are aggravations to fight and push through -- the last roadblock being this accident. To me, roadblocks are signs. In neighbor’s case, I think the Universe is telling her California is where she is to be for now.

One cannot fight the Universe.

Our arms are too short to box with God.

A notice went up on the board last week announcing a Card Making class scheduled for this past Monday, hosted by the deeply religious woman who got upset with me at the Egg Coloring Party because she’d hinted it not proper to attend an upcoming food event because of Lent and I said, “I’m not catholic.”

Card making is not a craft I’m interested in, so I passed. Evidently, no one else was interested because the class was cancelled due to lack of interest.

Deeply Religious took it personal. She walked into the Community Room on Pizza Tuesday, made everyone aware of how hurt she was no one signed up for her class and announced, “I’ll never do that again.”

Last Friday’s movie, Beauty and the Beast, was well received. Folks I’d never seen before came out for the viewing. When I saw the stack of movies planned for future showings – all old stuff, previously seen on television, I offered up Age of Adaline, which I picked up a few months ago, for tomorrow’s Movie Night.

I doubt anyone here has heard of it, so it’s likely to be a small crowd; but it’s quite an interesting tale about a woman who does not age, starring Blake Lively and Harrison Ford, well worth viewing.

After that, I guess it’s back to their stack of old seen on TV movies because that’s all I’ve got that isn’t vampires and werewolves --True Blood Series, Twilight Saga, Dexter. Because I have a phobia about sitting in dark theaters, in chairs where countless others have sat, and suspect there are creepy crawling things all over the place that I can't see and protect myself from, because it's dark, I don't go to movies. Instead, I wait for DVDs and the only other DVD I’m planning on purchasing this year is Wonder Woman.

I’ve got Madea Halloween to offer, but that’s something to be shown in October.

The remake of Clint Eastwood’s old movie The Beguiled is looking interesting, so maybe that will be a purchase but, with that hot Colin Farrell playing the lead, I’m thinking it might be a bit too steamy to offer for Movie Night.

Looks like we’re having a 4^th of July BBQ on Sunday, the 2nd. Not yet sure I’ll attend. I have the last of the 5Ks I’d registered for to take care of that day, plan to walk the Ontario Mills Mall, and may not be up to hanging out with the folks.

We’ll see.

Wish Not Granted

The vacant lot across the street having been sold, construction of something new coming, the resident I call Younger Sister was hoping for a Dollar Tree. Me … I’d been hoping for Starbucks and a Gym.

Neither of us got what we wished for.

The lot is big, so there’s still room for Starbucks and 24-Hour Fitness, but the new construction is going to displace Tent Guy, who’s been pitching a tent, living on the lot off/on for two years.

Cranky Neighbor, the resident involved in that traffic accident, began feeling worse, so her son and daughter-in-law picked her up Sunday to recuperate at their home. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this accident isn't the last straw in Cranky’s California Adventure, causing her to act on her threat to move back to Henderson Nevada, which threat she voiced the first week she moved in because she didn’t like how things are done here in California, plus “I don’t know where anything is in the area, and I’m too old to make new friends.”

The Writer of Christian Literature, who’s been here about a year and a half, is in the process of packing up to move back to Florida.

I can’t imagine the time, energy, expense of moving so far cross-country only to turn around and move all the way back … especially at our age.

I’m still hoping and praying I don’t have to move end of this year. If it turns out I don’t get that wish either, though the no income tax in Nevada is tempting, I’m getting more and more away from the idea of moving out of California.

Riverside is a hop, skip, jump away – way more expensive, but I’ve been thinking of trying it for a year, if I must, then reevaluating crossing the state line into Nevada next if Riverside doesn’t work out.

I’m hoping it’s not an omen that, just when I’d decided on Riverside as my back-up plan, I get an emergency phone alert last night to evacuate NOW Riverside and San Bernardino counties. I figured it had something to do with the Manzanita fire but, looking outside, seeing nothing anywhere near us, I ignored the San Bernardino portion and began thinking the alert to be an omen Riverside might not be a good plan.

We’ll see. I've four more months before stay or go becomes official.

Today being Tuesday, it’s once again Pizza Day.

Since my involvement now is strictly limited to that of detached observer, it’s kinda fun to take my needlepoint work down to the Community Room, hang out with the folks, watch the show. So that’s what’s on tap for today.

Vehophobia

That is a real word, meaning fear of driving, not made up like covfefe.

Serial photo taker am I, always taking snapshots of people, places, things I see happening. Some of those snapshots make it to Facebook or the blog, some I hold onto for a while, lose interest in keeping and delete.

When returning from Starbucks on the 21^st -- the day I needed extra ump, I found myself at a standstill, blocked from returning just one stoplight from the complex because of a traffic accident. I pulled out my phone and managed to snap two quick photos before being directed by traffic control to detour.

Those photos were still in my phone when, on Friday, with a 50% off Joann’s coupon burning a hole in my pocket, I’d planned to head out to use on a block for another bib/medal board and a frame for the latest needlework project, as the project is close to complete. However, when the neighbor downstairs across the quad -- the one I refer to in the blog as Nosey, because she runs to her patio to eavesdrop on conversations and is always watching, asked if I had dollar bills for a five so she could take a cab to the market, the plan changed.

When I inquired why she was taking a cab to the market, less than a quarter mile away, she said she’d been having trouble with her legs and wasn’t sure she could make it.

No way was I going to let her take a cab for such a short distance, so off we went to the market where we ran into quite a few residents, including the woman upstairs, directly across from me -- the one that complains so much that her pseudonym in the blog is Cranky.

Nosey asked Cranky, “How are you doing … Should you be out?”, then Nosey turned to me and said, “She was in a traffic accident”.

“OMG”, says I. “Are you alright … when … where?”

“Just down the street … No, I’m not alright … my little red car was totaled”.

All of a sudden, a light bulb went off in my head … “I SAW THAT! … I was coming back from Starbucks … I had no idea it was you.”

Cranky is all stiff and sore but, from the looks of the photos, lucky to be alive.

I was stunned when Cranky, recently relocated here from Nevada asked me, “Aren’t drivers in California required to be insured?” because turns out the other driver was uninsured and is blaming her for the accident.

I have a feeling this would have been hit-and-run but for the fact the other driver’s car wasn’t flee-the-scene-able.

Learning someone I knew was involved in that accident, made me more than a little vehophobic driving to Joann’s in Redlands this morning. I was extra cautious, extra vigilant on the drive up and arrived seeing nothing frightening. On the way back however, I saw a little white car initiating a lane change, no blinkers and a big old tour bus right next to it in the lane it was attempting to move into.

I remember saying out loud, “You can’t see that big old bus right next to you?”

The bus swerved away and seemed to wobble.

Not wanting to get caught up in what I expected to be the bus losing control, hitting cars in the lane on the other side of it before toppling over, I slowed way down but the driver of the white car realized what it was doing, swerved back to its original lane, the bus managed to stabilize and all was well.

When I got off the freeway, I saw a red car wait for cross traffic to clear the intersection, then make a left turn on a red light.

It wasn’t like he was already in the intersection when the light changed.

No.

He was waiting at the stoplight, as were we all, where I could legally turn right on the red light when cross traffic cleared, but before I made my turn, I saw him smooth turn left.

Is it the heat or are people just nuts?

Desperately Seeking

Desperately seeking a way out of reporting for jury duty on July 5, I did some research and learned that, if you’re over 70 years of age you can get excused on an “impairment”.

Realizing the issue with the gut definitely qualifies as an impairment, I filled out the Request to be Excused portion of the summons.

It was then I noticed, a doctor’s signature was required.

Emailing the doctor on Monday, asking for a time convenient when I could come in for signature, and receiving no response, I’d pretty much convinced myself the failure to respond was in retaliation for not submitting to unnecessary medications and unnecessary exams, which I feel the medical center is imposing on its physicians as a quota they must meet.

Oh well, thought I, it’s up to the Universe … if I have to appear, then I’m going to show up and hope to not have a gut episode that day.

No sooner than I had that thought yesterday -- releasing the issue to the Universe, when the phone rang. It was the doctor’s office telling me to come to the Reception Desk this morning, pick up a letter to the court the doctor had written excusing me from jury duty.

HALLELUJAH!

And not just that, but the doctor advised her office to make me aware that, because I’m over 70, I can request to be taken off the roster … permanently.

You’ve no idea how happy I am to be 73.

Age has its privileges.

Now if I could just get the DMV to stop with that written renewal test every few years. Plus, I’ve been advised that, because of my age, I’ll also have to take the driving portion next time.

Age also has its disadvantages.

Tomorrow is Movie Night here at the complex. Expecting a packed house because it’s a good one this time.

Yep. Apache remembered and accepted my offer.

Blazing Sun

This being fire season, I’m beginning to worry about the hills surrounding us. This hillside in particular, because it looks so dry.

Crossing my fingers, hoping for the best, but diligently on fire watch.

Hot as it is, I’m venturing out to Starbucks this morning.

Having switched to butter coffee, because it doesn’t cause my blood pressure to spike, this will be my first visit since end of February. However, spiking or not, I need that extra ump this morning because I walked all night in my dream.

The dream was of attending a comedy show with a friend. I remember being asked my thoughts on the comedienne after and saying she wasn’t funny, that she wasn’t bad, she just wasn’t funny, but that I thought it took time to reach the level of a Chris Rock or Wanda Sykes. After the show, my friend and I went to the hotel, where she was booked into Building 1. I was booked into Building 4 but, in the darkness, could not find the building.

I walked and walked and walked, asked a café worker who directed me one way, another worker who directed me differently and it was daylight by the time I gave up locating Building 4 and decided to wait by the car for friend to show up so we could head home.

The all-night walking spilled over to my awake life to where I am dragging this morning, willing to head out in the sun to Starbucks.

And speaking of walking ….

Medal from the last two 5Ks arrived in Tuesday’s mail.

That’s a total of 10 medals this year, representing 140.41 miles accumulated through walking and indoor biking events. Also, I’ve been eating healthy, because my gut won’t let me do otherwise, and then there are the miles of walking/biking not tracked –yet and still no loss of inches or pounds. I did have one month where I got all excited because the needle on the scale moved down. That must have been a fluke, because the needle quickly went back to where I’ve been stuck for like forever.

Inasmuch as I aim for one event per month, twelve per year, I’m ahead of the game at this halfway point of 2017.

Déjà vu

Another Tuesday has rolled around here at the senior complex. You know what that means …. It’s Pizza Day.

With nothing on my schedule, except a desire to stay out of the heat, I once again took my needlepoint project down to the Community Room.

Having begun this landscape in February, now about two months away from completing, I’ve come to the realization that I don’t like it. Landscapes are not my thing. I only chose this project because it’s what was available at the time.

Mentioning to a group of ladies inquiring about the project that I’d probably just roll up and store once finished, because “I don’t like it … maybe my kids will discover it after I’m gone and want to do something with it”, the resident I call The Seer interjected, “I like it.”

“You do? Do you want it?”

“I won’t say no.”

“Okay then, it’s yours.”

That’s one less thing in storage.

Pizzas arrived on schedule at 10:30, but Activity Director is not scheduled to be in today. Inasmuch as she didn’t appreciate two residents stepping up last week, taking control in her place, distributing pizzas in an organized manner, I was a stinker, wanted to prove a point, so reminded everyone, “Activity Director said no one is to touch the pizzas until she arrives. Since she won’t be here until next Tuesday, I think we should wait for her.”

Of course, no one waited. They were more interested in eating than proving a point.

Would you believe, it was The Baker – the resident who was so upset at last week’s Father’s Day Potluck because she felt overwhelmed and being taken advantage of … would you believe she stepped in and took Activity Director’s place.

“You’re too nice”, said I to her.

"Well, if I don't do it, we might lose Pizza Day altogether", says she.

"And so it would be", said I. "Because I'd let it go all to hell".

What can I say. She's either a bigger person than I or more willing to be victimized than I.

At any rate, it was déjà vu for the old guy on the cane – balancing multiple pizzas, chicken and bread packets on one side, cane in the other. At one point I gasped, because he was holding the pizzas sideways under his arm, opening side facing down to where one pizza nearly slid out the box.

They even had a gluten free pizza this time, which The Baker offered me.

I declined.

Gluten-Free doesn’t necessarily mean made with almond meal flower, no corn starch, rice flower, soy, corn syrup. Besides, I don’t eat cheese.

Great idea though, for people that only have a problem with the gluten.

BTW, heading to the Community Room, I noticed the guys had fixed the gate.

It once again has a handle, and the handle requires a key to gain entry … same key we’d previously been issued.

Our little gated community is a little less compromised.

Happy Father’s Day?

Waking up this morning to all the Facebook messages of thanks for “being such a great dad … great stepdad”, it was nice to see a post thanking all the mothers who “raised children without partners”.

Having grown up without a dad, Father’s Day is just not a holiday I’m familiar with.

As touched upon elsewhere in the blog, mom was a complicated individual. She kept a lot of secrets, did not like to be asked questions; however, best I could ever determine, another woman came between she and my father, mom moved out-of-state to get away from the situation when I was a baby, and never spoke of my father other than to say, when angry at me, “You’re just like him!”

Satisfied with the status quo was I, because you can’t miss what you never had. Besides, I had my aunt to spoil me, an uncle to spoil me and, eventually a baby brother came along later under circumstances I never learned because I don’t remember a man in my mom’s life during that time.

At any rate, there were no Father’s Day celebrations during my formative years.

THEN mom remarried, a sister and more brothers came to be, along with a stepdad I did not like. He was mean to my brother and I because we weren’t his, and his meanness towards us eventually turned his own against him, as they didn’t like his treating brother and I different.

I’ve been wrecking my brain trying to recall if Father’s Day was ever celebrated for that guy.

I’m sure it must have been by someone in the house, surely not by me or brother, but I can’t recall.

He was eventually out of our lives through divorce and, when he later died, I don’t recall anyone shedding a tear … surely not brother or I.

There was no Father’s Day celebration when I myself married and my girls came along, because I had to flee my mentally, emotionally, physically abusive husband when my girls were six months old. Because we were in hiding from him, the girls had no contact with their dad until they reconnected with him as teens. They probably sent him cards and called, but I don’t know, I never asked, never interfered with their relationship with him.

However, I will say, I did become aware at some point that the girls learned, all own their own, what a tool their dad was and it became a relationship more of tolerating, because he was their father, rather than liking or respecting him.

So all this to say, Father’s Day is not and has never been a biggie in my world.

To my great surprise, those Wonder Woman leggings arrived in Friday’s mail.

I only placed the order on Wednesday, so you might say they arrived faster than Superman’s speeding bullet.

Also to my great surprise, the feel of the fabric, length, fit are all perfect.

Only thing is, the pattern is very busy, the colors very bright.

They didn’t look that busy or bright online, so they’re going to take some getting accustomed to on my part because, inasmuch as I don’t like to stand out -- more like blend in, I’m usually in dark muted colors.

What do you think of them?

Scattered 100’s

That’s something you don’t want to hear first thing in the morning from the weathergirl. “Scattered rain” maybe … “Scattered 100˚ weather”, absolutely not.

I feel sorry for my race buddies participating in tomorrow’s Platoon Run, there’s also a Tin Man 5K in the area. The Tin Man probably has medics standing by. Those involved in the Platoon Run, being as how it’s a smaller group, participants are on their own.

Needless to say, I’ll limit myself to indoor bike riding with the A/C blasting.

Pokémon Go is running a Fire and Ice Event, releasing more fire and ice Pokémon types into the wild and assigning extra points for various actions but, inasmuch as a student at the University has tested active for tuberculosis, it won’t just be the heat driving me to hunt only in and around the complex.

In fact, since I’m soon to be stuck in a room at the creepy old courthouse, being subjected to voir dire along with a room full of others whose status I don’t know, I’m wondering if I should get vaccinated.

I once again snuck out early at yesterday’s Residents/Management meeting, and for the same reason I snuck out early last time … the old people droning on and on and on repeating themselves, bringing up things that don’t matter, like someone removing their clothes from the washer/dryer.

The removal is because the cycle has completed and the clothes are just sitting, holding up use by the next individual.

“So don’t leave your clothes in the laundry room, stay with them” they’ve been told over a million times, but they don’t want to do that. They’d rather complain.

Inasmuch as I’d had a kid come to the door selling candy, I asked, “When is the walk-in gate going to be fixed?”

Maintenance said the part they’d been sent was the wrong one. The correct one had just arrived and the gate is to be repaired today, though I’ve yet to see that happen.

One resident said she too had the kid come to her door selling candy. Another had a man approach asking for gas money, saying his car broke down at the market.

If his car broke down at the market, why then did he walk a quarter of a mile to ask for money here?

Nope.

Like the kid selling candy, he probably noticed he could just walk into the complex and was casing the joint for what he could come in later to do.

Apache, who has a problem sleeping and consequently is out walking 2:00/3:00 in the morning, saw a naked woman taking a shower at the pool facility.

Even though access to the complex is compromised because of the missing knob on the gate, the pool area is gated. So how she got inside is a mystery ... maybe found a way to climb over. At any rate, I’m going to tease Apache unmercilessly about how long did he watch before making his presence known.

When I asked how the walk-in gate got damaged in the first place, one of the maintenance guys said a resident’s power chair went out-of-control and banged into the handle so forcibly that it bent and popped out.

That’s too bizarre not to be true.

One thing interesting that was discussed was the “harassment” clause in the lease. That “harassment” will not be tolerated.

Inasmuch as there’s all this stuff going on about neighbor President of the Resident Activity Committee, though nothing to the level of “harassment”, I didn’t know what was meant.

I wasn’t the only one.

A couple of residents said they are well aware not everyone here likes everyone else, but don’t consider it harassment not to like someone and asked for specific examples that would be considered a lease violation.

The Community Manager seemed reluctant to get specific. It was like pulling teeth to get her to say she meant “harassment” in a male/female situation.

A resident then said that too is subject to interpretation. That when a male tells her she looks good, she sees it as a compliment, but that another might see it as harassment.

This is true because, when I read Bill O’Reilly was deemed a harasser for calling a Black woman “Hot Chocolate”, I couldn't understand why she didn't take it as a compliment ... I certainly would.

At any rate, after much hemming and hawing, the Community Manager finally said she’d received a complaint that a male resident touched a female resident inappropriately … “He grabbed her butt”.

Ohhhhhhh!

Never a dull moment around here.

Senior Moment

Oops, I did it again.

In spite of an organizer on the counter with 5K activities, hair appointments, dental appointments, meetings and events here at the complex penciled in, and the community’s activity calendar on the fridge, I once again got my days mixed up and ended up a whole day ahead of myself.

Yesterday went well insofar as completing the Virtual Platoon 5K Run, though I didn’t much care for the mall I’d chosen.

I started off outside, but it quickly got too hot for me, so I moved the walk inside. Even with two floors, the mall just wasn’t large enough end-to-end, so walking and rewalking and rewalking the same areas to get to 3.12 miles got a little boring.

The mall itself was otherwise nice insofar as visual appeal.

This artwork so fascinated me that I actually paused my Runkeeper App to take photos.

The artist “Punk Me Tender” is said to have been inspired to create this mural by an Alexander McQueen dress. And I'm only familiar with fashion designer McQueen because I never miss an episode of Project Runway.

Also what I enjoyed about this mall is that people here were uncommonly friendly, in that other mall walkers would smile and greet me, and there was an interaction with a young lady in a boutique that just blew me away.

After I completed the walk, I popped into the boutique that’s selling the DC Superhero Wonder Woman Leggings, but was told they’re not available in-store, only online.

No problem. I can order online but, when I asked if I could try on a pair of leggings in my size just to verify the fit, I was told they do not allow try-ons for leggings.

It was then the young lady at the counter paying for her purchases chimed in … “I’m buying these leggings. They’re the size you’re looking for. Would you like to try them on?”

How amazing was that! ... to offer an old Black lady you don't even know to try on your lovely new leggings.

Of course, I declined. No way could I have accepted such a kind, thoughtful, generous offer and put her nice new leggings on my body but still, I’m blow away that a stranger would offer such a thing … and not only that but, as she was leaving, after having paid for her many purchases, earning a $50 off  $125 purchase coupon, she handed the coupon to me.

I’ll never spend $125 in the boutique, or on clothes anywhere, but still.

The store’s policy to not allow try-ons for leggings may sound odd except, unlike other stores, they are not on a rack. They’re sold in tightly compressed sealed clear plastic bundles, so it makes sense.

At any rate, since I had no try-on, I’m not sure I’ll like the fabric or fit or length on the leggings, but the item is one of those things that keeps calling my name, so I took a risk and ordered online.

The boutique’s website says “No returns” so here’s hoping I’m not disappointed and end up having to eat the cost.

Once back at the complex, I had just enough time to order the leggings and take a quick nap before it was time to head to the Community Room for the Residents/Management meeting.

This is where the senior moment comes in.

Expecting a crowd, I walked into a room with only two residents … watching television.

“What happened to the meeting?” says I.

“That’s tomorrow, Thursday”.

“Well, what day is this?”

“Wednesday”.

Ohhhhhh.

So today being Thursday, we’re to have a 3:00 Residents/Management meeting followed at 4:00 by neighbor’s Residents Activity Committee -- the committee that’s down to just herself and the treasurer.

Tomorrow is Movie Night and, would you believe, it’s still Lonesome Dove. Being as how it’s a three-hour movie, Part 1 was last week Part 2 this Friday.

Needless to say, I won’t be going down.

I did pick up Beauty and the Beast when last at Walmart and offered it up to Apache, the movie guy. He said, “I’ll keep it in mind” but we’re seniors, subject to not only get our days mixed up, but to forget. I’ll be quite surprised if he remembers.

One Down, Two to Go

Finished the 25 Mile Pedal for the Medal Challenge. Took me 2 hours 8 minutes over 4 days, but I got ‘er done.

Coolest medal ever -- the wheels spin.

This morning is a 30-mile drive to the Montclair Plaza Mall to qualify in the 2^nd Annual June Platoon 5K Run.

The promoters of this group do not do virtuals per se, but virtuals can be arranged by direct contact with the organizers.

As I’ve previously blogged, this organization is a small group – about 75 to 100 and everyone in this group is fast compared to me. Even though the other participants are encouraging, it’s too embarrassing to always be holding everything up while they wait for me to cross the finish line … last, so I’ve mostly been making arrangements to participate as a virtual.

There are two malls closer than 30 miles out, but Montclair has two levels, a Barnes and Noble with a restroom that doesn’t bring up my abhorrence of public restrooms, and a store I saw online that’s selling DC Superhero Wonder Woman leggings. I wanted to see a pair in person, try on for size.

After I finish up this June Platoon 5K, that’ll be two challenges down this week, one more to go in July. Though I doubt it’ll happen, I’m hoping nothing else comes along to tempt me beyond a regular stroll around the neighborhood.

I’m also hoping to make it back to the complex in time to sit in on today’s 3:00 Residents/Management meeting.

I don’t imagine all the resentment towards next door neighbor President of the Resident’s Activity Committee that arose at yesterday’s potluck will be discussed, but I’m looking for feedback on the missing handle on the walk-in gate. Like how did it happen, when is it going to be repaired.

Directly after the Residents/Management meeting, there is to be a meeting of neighbor’s Residents Activity Committee.

I want nothing to do with that; besides, I’m not sure there is even a committee any longer.

After contacting The Baker to make sure she was okay and to ask if she wanted me to intercede, to which she replied “Thank you, but no, don’t say anything to her, I’m fine”, I posed the question that, since everyone is so upset with how neighbor is handling the position, can they impeach her.

The answer I got was “There’s no need to impeach her because there really isn’t a committee any longer. Everyone dropped out, except the treasurer.” That leaves a committee of two … just neighbor and Apache (the Treasurer)”. Going to make for a lonely session for neighbor to lord over this afternoon.

There's more, but that's all the time I have for right now. Planning to walk some of the 5K outside the mall, want to get there before the sun gets too hot on me.

Veggies with Resentments on the Side

Pizza Tuesday was anticlimactic ... sorta.

Pizzas were delivered at 10:30. Activity Director had not yet arrived, so The Seer and a resident I’ll call “The Little Helpful Lady” because she’s always stepping in to help out whenever and wherever, those two took over, called out what type of pizza it was -- cheese or pepperoni, etc., and walked it over to whomever wanted it.

But then there was this one old guy on a cane, who I think has Parkinson’s because he always shakes. He approached the table and began opening boxes. The ladies kept telling him “This stack is all pepperoni” yet he tightened his jaws in defiance, kept opening boxes and, even though the other food products were in labeled containers, he opened them as well -- all the while shaking to where I was sure product was going to hit the floor.

He managed though. Managed enough to hobble away with two pizzas and a grocery bag, that he brought in preparation, full of breads and containers of chicken.

No good deed goes unpunished because, Activity Director arrived at 11:00, saw that the two residents had done her job for her and, instead of saying “Thank you” announced, “No one is to touch the pizzas until I arrive”.

So there’s that.

Before heading down to the Community Room, having decided upon waking this morning that I’d stick around for the Father’s Day Potluck, I’d made a run to the deli and picked up a veggie tray. So I was in the Community Room working on my needlepoint project, catching up with folks I’d not chatted with for a while, until the 1:00 potluck, which was three ladies putting everything together in the kitchen -- Helpful Lady, The Baker and another always helpful lady I’ll call Wants Braids, because she keeps telling me she does.

At any rate, instead of assisting in her event, Activity Director was sitting in the corner working on her computer.

This caused some whispered to me resentment.

My response was, “I understand how you feel, but sometimes you have to resist the urge to help and let people succeed or fail on their own”.

In other words, step out of the kitchen and stop being Activity Director’s slave.

People treat you how you let them.

THEN there was some whispered to me resentments, from three different individuals, about my neighbor President of the Resident Activity Committee -- her not being present to help at this event, other events, not being present with the keys to unlock cupboards containing what was needed for this event, displaying a hoity toity “plantation master” manner (neighbor is Black) -- giving orders, dictating to others instead of doing herself, causing the Committee to be in turmoil with the secretary of the Resident Activity Committee having announced, “I can’t work with her” and resigning, others on the verge of quitting.

In spite of all the underlining resentments, I enjoyed myself.

There was plenty to eat – sandwiches, salads, fruit, cupcakes.

Having at long last learned my lesson that I just can no longer eat like a normal human being without setting off an angry gut episode, I wasn’t even tempted to eat anything other than the veggies I myself brought.

Even coated them with my own DIY vinaigrette.

We had three fathers in attendance, and Apache -- who is not a father to a human child, that he knows of, but is father to three cats. I announced that I considered myself qualifying as a father because I’d raised my girls on my own.

So I had a good time. The Baker did not.

The frustration she felt at working so hard in the kitchen, going back/forth to her unit to get items she could not get to in the kitchen because the cupboards were locked and neighbor President of the Resident Activity Committee has the key and neighbor was not in attendance -- that frustration turned to anger. She got all red in the face, stood up and announced to everyone present that she was fed up with “working hard to see that everyone has a good time” while neighbor “President of the Activity Committee doesn’t do anything”.

Then, almost in tears, she walked out.

Don’t bother to tell me to stay out of it, because I want to stay out of it, but Infinite Spirit is directing me otherwise and, when spirit tells me to do something, it nags and won’t let me rest until I do it. Consequently, I’ll put in a call in a little while to see if The Baker is okay and to ask if she wants me to intercede in some way with neighbor President of the Resident Activity Committee.

I'm hoping she says thanks, but no ... in which case, Infinite Spirit will let me rest because it's not my failing that I did as directed but she declined.

Bad Intentions?

Not much going on last few days. Focus has been on needlepoint and hitting 25 miles on the indoor bike to qualify for 2017’s Pedal for the Medal.

After putting in tomorrow’s miles, I do believe I’ll take my needlepoint down to the Community Room to see for myself what The Baker just told me – when, returning from the market. I ran into her at the mailbox, about the Activity Director having changed her days/hours to make herself available to police Pizza Tuesday.

Evidently, there’s been so many complaints about the old people acting like wild animals that, last week, she came in and took control. Instead of the old folks bum rushing the guys bringing the pizzas in, before the guys could even put them down, she made everyone sit and wait. The Baker said people kept trying to stand up and walk towards, but Activity Director told them to SIT.

In addition, Activity Director announced there would be no opening boxes, inspecting/touching pizzas dropping them to the floor.

I wasn’t clear on how the folks got to choose the kind of pizza they were interested in, since they can’t open the box. Was the Activity Director labeling the boxes? Was she opening and calling out? I wasn’t sure what The Baker was saying about that; but she did say Activity Director enforced the “only allowed ONE” rule, but saying that, after everyone was allowed to partake. if there were pizzas left over later in the day, residents could return and have at what was left.

The Baker said the old folks didn’t like being reigned in.

I’m sure they didn’t, but Pizza Tuesday now sounds like the greatest show on earth to watch, so I’m thinking of going down tomorrow to witness for myself.

Tomorrow was also to be the Father’s Day Bagel Breakfast, but was changed to a 1:00 potluck because Activity Director finally saw what I thought was obvious – that a bagel breakfast during pizza delivery time wasn’t smart.

Activity Director is bringing in sandwiches, sodas, and is requesting side dishes.

Because of my gut problems, potlucks are no longer fun for me. About the only thing that doesn’t cause a bad gut reaction are veggies, so I dunno. I’ll decide tomorrow and, if I do decide to attend, I’ll pick up a veggie tray at the deli.

Had a disturbing incident at the market this morning.

I usually carry a pocket Taser when leaving the complex, had placed it on the counter by the door, but was halfway to the car before realizing I’d forgotten to pocket it.

Thinking no big deal, it's middle of the day and I'm only going as far as the market, I opted not to go back upstairs to retrieve.

Big mistake because, while shopping in the veggie department, something caused me to look up whereupon I saw this tall good-looking brother walking into the market. Thinking nothing in particular about him, other than having seen him, I went on about my business.

Once I’d finished shopping, I was walking down an isle heading for the checkout when, yet again, something struck me causing me to stop and look over at a rack of magazines. It was then I noticed he was right behind me, so close as to be in my space. He’d been so stealth, so quiet, I never knew he was there, but seeing him so close to me with no cart, no groceries in his arms, I felt uncomfortable and frowned at him with a quizzical look on my face like what are you up to.

Seeing I was onto him, he tried to play it off by nonchalantly passing me, then feigning interest in the magazines, stopping in front of my cart, middle of the isle, blocking exit to where I couldn’t move without squeezing past him, putting myself in a position where he could cop a feel or whatever it was he was up to.

This was when I could see he wasn't a street bum. He was nicely dressed, had an expensive man bag on his shoulders and sized him up not as a purse snatcher but a pervert type.

Would have been a good time to pull out the pocket Taser but, since I’d left it on the counter, I backed away to the opposite end of the isle, turned around and took a different route to checkout.

Once at checkout, I looked around to see where he was and saw him outside the store and kept an eye on him.

The checker and the bagger were looking at me, wondering what I was looking at, and I told them how the guy had stalked and cornered me in the isle. The bagger offered to escort me to my car, but I said the guy knew I was onto him and appears to have left the lot.

He hadn't.

I cautiously headed to my car, looking right, looking left, looking behind and, just as I reached the car, spotted him sitting not too far away on a grassy knoll.

If the store security cameras were on me at that time, they probably thought I was nuts, because I immediately ducked down, so he couldn’t see me, quietly quickly got groceries in the car, while still in the ducked down position, and was safely locked in the car when I saw him get up, cross the street and go sit under a tree near one of the businesses across the street.

For sure, I won’t be leaving the pocket Taser behind again … ever. It was an incident that gave me pause at the time, but now, after having thought about it, I've developed a headache and the shakes; which I take as my instincts telling me that guy was a bad man with bad intentions.

Laughed So Hard

Tomorrow’s movie here at the complex is Lonesome Dove. With the resident I refer to as Older Sister offering Hidden Figures – the movie about the Black women of NASA, and Lonesome Dove having been selected to show, I put in a call in to Apache, who knows everything going on around here, to ask him “What’s going on … Who’s selecting the movies … What’s the criteria?”

The Beauty and the Beast DVD was released this week. I intend to purchase and, once I find out what the criteria is … whether it’s nothing naughty or controversial or only On TV movies -- which is what it's beginning to look like, I’ll offer it up for a future showing. If he says it’s nothing with naughty words, I’ll remind him there are saloon girls in Lonesome Dove and the term “poking” those girls is bandied around.

So there’s that.

Walking through the gate, taking the long way to the mailbox, I reached for the handle to open the gate and found a hole where the handle use to be.

Our security has been compromised.

I’m a little suspect as to who/why and hope our cars and our persons aren’t at risk and that management fixes the problem stat.

Though I’m happy with my 13-year old car, and plan to run her until the wheels fall off and parts are no longer available, I admit that – with so many new car suggestions on television acting subliminally on me, I’ve thought about trading her in and buying a Jeep. What’s stopped me is the fact cars have been stolen from this gated community. I figured I’m better off keeping what I have.

Now with the walk-thru gate open to any and all, it probably is not wise to be outside after dark or too early in the morning.

With nothing else on my mind, I've started a Pro/Con on moving to Nevada at the end of the year if told that windfall I received makes me ineligible to continue living here. So far, the pro side has no income tax and, with the IRS taking the lion's share of this windfall, that's important; but the con side has me having to run across Black Widow Spiders and Snakes as opposed to the regular spiders and lizards and crickets I deal with now.

Lastly,  I'll share with you what I saw on Facebook this morning that had me laughing so hard I almost broke my ribs. What’s going on in the political world is not funny per se, but the political cartoons are hilarious.