Taking Care of Business

No word yet or how Painted Rock Lady is doing, but I slept in late this morning and slept well, straight through, so I think that sense of a disturbance in the force was related to PRL, because it's gone now.

Having put off errands for some time, I was all over several towns today, catching up, taking care of business.

Returning to the complex, stopping by the mail center I saw a young lady and her young child enjoying the pool.

Because I had stopped to wait for another resident to exit the tight mail center area — six feet rule and more for me in tight spaces, and was watching the young woman enjoy the pool, I guess she felt she needed to explain herself.

I wasn’t thinking anything about her using the pool, just looking, waving at the little boy as I waited for the mail center to clear, so she didn’t need to explain herself to me, but she did saying, "I don’t have a pool where I live. My mother lives here" and motioned to a woman seated in a shaded area.

"Oh, hi," said I. "I’ve not seen you around before, are you new?"

"I’ve been here one year already", said she.

We chatted for a bit, she vibed well, so I invited her to join us at Bingo and next week’s Social Luncheon, that the office is hosting for us residents.

She seemed excited, saying she was glad to have talked to me and would look for me to sit with when she came.

As the mail center was now clear of another human being, I went on about my business.

However, before I moved on, I asked her daughter "Is the sun not making the water warm?"

"Oh no. It’s nice and cool and refreshing", said she.

So, it’s been verified by two different sources — those kids the other day and the resident’s daughter today that the sun is having no impact on the pool water. It’s cold.

This woman’s excitement about getting involved in activities, saying she was glad to have talked to me, made me think this is one reason why some residents stay in their units, don’t come out. They might be shy, not sure of themselves in new and unfamiliar surroundings.

The resident known in the blog as Genie as much as said so when, a few weeks ago, she almost made me cry when she said, "You were the first person I met when I moved in here, and you were soooo nice".

I didn’t know until she’d just said that, when I saw her struggling in the heat a few years ago, appearing to be heading for the Community Room, I went outside, gave her my arm, helped her inside, provided her with cold water, that she was brand new to the community, didn’t know anyone, felt alone in a strange place.

I expressed surprise and said, "I didn’t know you were brand new here".

"Yes, and I was so scared".

"Scared of what?"

"Oh, you know. New people. Unfamiliar surroundings. I didn’t know what to expect and you were soooo nice to me".

It was a touching moment, so feeling a bit teary eyed, I changed the mood by saying, "Fooled you didn’t I. You didn’t know what a beoch I was".

When I first moved in, we had a Welcome Lady who came around, welcomed and acclimated me to the community activities. 

I’m pretty independent, not fearful of getting out, going places, joining in whether I know anyone or not, but it seems more than a few seniors are like Genie and this new lady — need a bridge, someone or something to make them feel comfortable.

So, anyway, on another note, I wonder if this is for real.

If it’s for real, I hope there’s a virtual option so I can join in on the fun at Hawley’s expense.

I can't get enough of looking at the video of him hauling arse through the Capitol, fleeing from the homegrown terrorists he'd encouraged on his way in.