Home Alone

It occurred to me yesterday morning that, with no Community Manager, no one from Corporate checking in, just Assistant Manager – who is always closing down early because she’s sick or something, and the two Maintenance Guys – Head Maintenance Guy who doesn’t give a darn and the new Assistant Maintenance Guy, who is too new to do other than told, us seenagers are Home Alone.

Thus far, we’ve been well behaved.

The Shadow’s 60th birthday party was off-the-hook.

The new old guy I’d invited never showed, but I wasn’t surprised. He’d probably forgotten or was taking a nap. Either way though, he missed a good time because we had sooooo much fun.

I took lots of photos for our Facebook page but, keeping in mind Shadow doesn’t want his face posted, I found workarounds.

Like snapping his photo when he was looking down, cap brim hiding his face, or capturing him when his face was turned away from the camera, or when a Pokémon Wailmer wandered into the room and hovered over the birthday boy’s face.

I also got him to use a Lay’s Smile Bag as a disguise.

Looks a little like John Cena doesn’t he?

I don’t mean to rag on the guy but trust me … Shadow is nowhere near this good looking without the bag.

Shadow had so much fun with the Smile Bag that he began creating fun settings for photo ops.

The resident providing ice cream never showed, so I could have gotten away with contributing ice cream instead of chicken, but the chicken went over well -- especially since I also picked up a tub of potato salad.

From now on, however, my contribution will be ice cream even if someone else has committed to it. Too much ice cream is better than none at all, and the ice cream to go with the cake was missed to the point where birthday boy asked if anyone wanted to go with him to the donut shop for a scoop.

The party was such a success that I think Apache got a little jealous. He kept reminding attendees that his birthday is coming up.

He mentioned it so much that Shadow called him on it, blurting out “You’re beginning to sound jealous.”

Must have hit a nerve, because Apache didn’t mention it again after that.

Apache need not worry, because one of his friends whispered in my ear that “If I give you $20, will you pick up chicken and potato salad for C____’s (Apache’s) party?”

“Of course,” was my answer. “Just let me know what day you’re planning for”.

Remember how I said some of the ladies around here are extremely forward, don’t even care if a male is spoken for?

Well, one such lady made her interest known by leaving a lip print on the back of Shadow’s birthday card.

I’m more than a little certain it was Loosey Goosey, who’d come on so strong when Shadow first appeared in the Community Room that it scared him.

Obviously, The Seer did not invite Loosey to the party, but Loosey had the opportunity to leave the lip print when she’d earlier been in the Community Room, picking up a pizza, and Shadow’s birthday card had been sitting on the counter for residents to sign.

I thought the lip print hysterical.

The Seer was not amused.

Shadow was smart enough to show no reaction.

I find it so wildly funny that I’m going to try to get some of the ladies to leave lip prints on Apache’s card.

On tap for today is picking up a tire pressure gauge. The Jeep’s manual says it’s to be done once-a-month and since I can’t just drop into the tire place, like I did when I had the Saturn after purchasing new tires, and since gas station attendants who’d check our tires is a thing of the past, looks like I’m going to have to learn to do it for myself.

Looking at videos on YouTube, seems simple enough … except for the bending and stooping.

I’m in fairly good shape for my age, but bending and stooping is my Achilles heel.

Seems a lot of trouble, a lot of work, but if I gotta, then I gotta, especially since I’ve a road trip coming up.