Forward Thinking

Absolutely nothing is going on my side of the world.

I'm still maintaining a low profile, away from the Community Room, and it looks like Quiet Old Guy is doing the same.

He's not been seen outside his unit since I last saw him on that day Church Lady and Hoochie were vying for his attention.

His car hasn't moved, his blinds have not opened, so I'm beginning to worry.

If I don't see signs of life soon, I'm going to ask for a welfare check, as it may be more than his deciding to keep a low profile ─ hide from the women.

With not a lot going on to distract me from forward thinking as I sit on the couch ─ engrossed in needlepoint, I'm seeing time fast approaching the Thanksgiving holiday when I do an annual visit with Twin 1 and her brood.

Annual, only since 2017.

Prior to 2017, after years and years and years of hurt and disappointment, being collateral damage to what Twin 1 now recognizes as her period of “being lost”, I’d become less and less and less involved in family gatherings until, in 2011 I decided, in order to save myself, I was better off without family.

A reconciliation of sort occurred in 2017 to where I now once a year give that side of the family a go.

It’s become somewhat of a duty as Twin 1 is insecure, and for me to not show up would read to her as not loving her, not forgiving her for the past, so I go.

It’s been okay, even though I really don’t relate.

Twin 1, though now an awakened soul, with a deep spiritual awareness, also intelligent and well spoken, at the same time is very ghetto ─ loud, Afrocentric. Her three sons are their mother’s children. Although they are all nice boys, they are in no way awakened. The boys are totally asleep in the dream ─ loud, Afrocentric, caught up in ego, sports, rap music, thinking they know stuff when they don’t know jack.

I don’t do ghetto, rap music, sports ─ except for the Tour de France and America Ninja Warrior, I’m more redneck than Afrocentric, and a big ego is laughable to me, so it’s difficult to relate to the grandsons.

Granddaughter, although rife with traumas resulting from growing up with the way her mom was during mom’s “lost” period, was somehow born an awakened soul, has a great relationship with her ghetto brothers, but is in no way ghetto herself ─  which makes the two of us more relatable.  However, since recently becoming aware of just how many issues she's dealing with, I've decided I can no longer allow myself to become too envolved.

At any rate, as they say, it’s all good in the hood ─ or as good as it's going to get for now. They all have their own lives, let me live mine, but it’s draining to be around people who are insecure, deeply asleep in the dream, traumatized, Afrocentric. Touching base once a year is all I can handle with that side of the family.

This year, however, instead of booking a hotel and spending time in the beach area so I can be with the brood Thanksgiving Day, I’ll be booking a hotel in the Murrieta area, as Twin 2 wants me to do the Riverside Turkey Trot with her Thanksgiving morning, after which she’ll drive us down to the beach area for time with the brood.

It’s been a tradition to pull out the Christmas decorations and deck the patio Day after Thanksgiving. The tradition this year will depend on how my body feel, because I’ll be driving back that day, and whether or not the family visit turns out to be draining or invigorating.

The activity calendar indicates Thanksgiving Potluck, 11 a.m., on the 26th.

Looks like Activity Director will be providing “fried chicken, rolls, drinks”, so the seniors will come with their side dishes, but it’s not worth changing my pain cave schedule to attend so no.

There’s going to be hell to pay if there’s a repeat of the event being cancelled because Corporate fails to give Activity Director a check.