Time Will Tell

It’s been a quiet reflective meditative few days as I went about my day to day activities while listening to myself think and watching world news as hostages are released, Rosalynn Carter was laid to rest, Oscar Pistorius — also known as poor little tink tink, for obvious reasons, was set to be released after serving 8-1/2 years of a 13 year sentence for the unaliving of his girlfriend, and Derek Chauvin — the cop convicted in unaliving George Floyd, was shanked in a Federal prison.

Pardon my not giving a damn, but the irony of Chauvin being transferred to a Federal prison, because it was felt he was unsafe in a State prison, is not lost on many, myself included — "Can he breathe" being the most used phrase in the comment sections.

I myself am suspicious.

Is this a setup, a play to get compassionate release or released because prison is not safe for him?

Insofar as I know, prison is not safe for anyone, so don't do the crime if you don't feel you'll be safe doing the time.

Time will tell how this plays out for Chauvin.

Insofar as I know, nothing interesting happening on the complex, as I watched Christmas patio decorations go up — first Red Light then the couple that moved into the unit vacated by the Black Witch when she moved to her daughter’s place in Palm Springs.

I can’t believe no one has yet to move into the unit in my quad — the one that became vacant after The Smoker was evicted.

As I watched Casino Lady move out this week (her sister roommate passed away last year, she doesn’t want another roommate so is moving to San Jose to be closer to other family members), I began to wonder if the County’s approval of the $500 increase is the holdup on new tenants coming in, as I know for a fact we do have a waiting list or is it that the rent has gotten so high that it’s not worth it for seniors, on or off the county. That rent at this complex is now not viewed as low enough and those with options choose to stay put, move in with family, et. al.

Time will tell as the new increase goes into effect January 1st. If no one moves in by then, and others begin moving out, I'll know it's a NO from the county.

Community Manager wanting to remove laundry rooms from the complex turned out to be just venting, an empty threat.

Too lazy to walk across the grassy knoll to check the laundry room on that side of the complex, I can still tell it’s open, back in use, because I’ve seen residents go in and out with their laundry.

As for the closure, a resident who’d taken Community Manager at her word, did not know about Section 35 — that it was the Manager’s responsibility, did contact the provider and was told it was closed due to "Being under investigation".

Evidently, the machines being damaged was an act of vandalism.

Since the reopening, I have noticed a change in lighting of that area — bright lights so that one can see in the room and around that area late at night.

I don’t know if it’s my overactive imagination or spidey sense but, I’m wondering if Meat Man, formerly Handsome Man, has something to do with the vandalism … not him per se, but perhaps his troubled son came back.

Furthering that suspicion is the fact that I’ve not seen hide nor hair of Meat Man in ages.

Is he even still living here?

The Dish device on his patio is gone and the last time I saw him I sensed something was wrong.

After that last encounter, I’d mentioned to Homegirl that he’d felt strange, the conversation awkward and that he’d looked shitfaced — embarrassed, waiting for me to say something thinking I knew something I didn’t know.

He was lucky not to have been evicted the first time it was discovered his son was living with him — discovered because his son was arrested for sex assaulting Di, with whom he was having a relationship. She didn't have the capacity to know better, but when she did get the capacity, locked her door, he broke it down, did not take NO for an answer, got arrested.

So, with cameras everywhere on the property, did the "under investigation" lead to Meat Man's door and he was forced to move and looking shitfaced was because he thought I knew?

I don’t dare ask the other guys about him. Instead of seeing me as being enormously nosey, which I am, they are a sorry bunch of losers that would be quick to spread something is going on between Meat Man and I or that I care what happens to him.

So, this too is relegated to the time will tell pile. I’ll either see Meat Man around after months and months and months of no sightings or I won’t. He'll just have disappeared into oblivion without my ever knowing the why of it.

There's also no word on whether my old buddy Apache has gone off the deep end.

The Baker is no longer close to him and Di, the one who is close to him, is not someone to give a straight answer, hasn't been able to since an auto accident left her brain damaged.

The answer will have to wait until I run into Apache myself.

Black Friday at Walmart

Not as bad as you might think.

While a turkey leg was slow cooking in the crockpot yesterday — Thanksgiving/Stolen Land Day, I spent the day pulling Christmas decorations out of storage.

Testing the mini lights, seeing they were in perfect working order, I attached them to the patio rails, tested again and saw a great number of bulbs in one of two strings had suddenly blown out.

Nothing a quick trip to the local Walmart couldn’t resolve but, after googling closures, I learned Walmart was closed.

Having waited as long as I have, now anxious to get decorations up, I was willing, after this morning’s workout, to brave the day after crowd — Black Friday at Walmart.

In between then and now, I feasted on the usual turkey and dressing, only my dressing was a tried tested addictive gluten free, not made with bread but with tortilla chips recipe; and instead of cranberry sauce, it was homemade pico de Gallo, that I put on everything.

Towards the end of that day, granddaughter sent me a photo of what family showed up at her place.

As expected, it was my deceased sister’s boring husband and not one, but two of her brothers.

Nice photo, but Whew! dodged a bullet in not having to play nice with relatives I’m not all that fond of.

"Be well but be gone" as my blog friend Dawn the Bohemian would say.

At any rate, it was a surprisingly quick in and out at Walmart this afternoon.

The log jam appeared to be outside, at the Curbside Pickup side of the building.

That back lot was completely full, with cars 40+ deep on the roadway, all the way back to the end of the block, waiting to get in.

Unfortunately, I had two packages of a gluten free bagel product to pick up.

I’d recently discovered the bagels at the market, found no ingredients that would set off a gut episode, tried them, liked them, and then couldn’t find them back in stock at the market.

Having since discovered they’re sold at Walmart, knowing I’d be making a run today, I’d ordered them last night; but seeing the curbside pickup line was hours long, it was never mind, I’ll go inside for the patio lights, pick up the curbside order tomorrow.

Once inside, it was quick shopping and I was on my way out when I thought to check to see if I could pick up curbside inside, avoid that long line of cars and a return trip.

Approaching a woman I’ve seen working there for years, she said she didn’t know, but head to the back of the store and see if they’ll accommodate me.

They did.

A ton of sodium and carbs, but worth it.

At any rate, it appears the curse of this terrible week has come to an end, I’m batting a thousand because not only is DMV and the Covin Shot behind me, Walmart was easy peasy today, including pickup, Christmas decorations are now up to be enjoyed, complete with Skelly Claus.

AND ... I received an email from the medical provider's office saying, "You will be receiving a check for $139.99".

That’s right folks. Here I was gearing up for a fight and they folded in the first round.

Angry Black Woman

I did sense and say this week looked to be challenging, but I had no idea how challenging.

With first the fiasco in getting my license renewed, then the bozo at the gas station and now what happened at this morning’s pharmacy appointment, it’s taking all I have not to turn into the stereotypical Angry Black Woman.

Arriving five minutes early, checking in for the latest Covid vaccination was easy breezy.

Told the pharmacist would be with me in 15 minutes, I sat where I was told to sit and waited.

Then I waited and waited and waited well beyond 15 minutes until finally a pharmacy clerk walked over, paperwork in hand, said my medical provider was refusing to authorize the charge.

Why the refusal is unknown, especially since I couldn’t get the vaccination at the medical center because they only offer Prizer and I do Moderna. But my provider failing me, and other patients, is now legendary, so I rolled with it, said "I’ll pay".

Then I waited and waited and waited and waited some more.

Beginning to get hot and bothered, I went back to the window asked, "Did you people forget I’m waiting for a shot?"

Guy at the window said, "Sit over there. The pharmacist will call you up shortly".

"That’s what I was told 30 minutes ago", said I.

I wasn’t loud, but my voice was at a tone and pitch that got his attention, the attention of all others working behind the counter, AND the attention of customers waiting for pharmacy orders.

A little aggression goes a long way because he got up, went over to whisper something to someone and, before I knew it, someone walked over, asked for my payment of $139.99 and the pharmacist called me in for the shot, and I was outta there in less than 7 minutes.

Is the Universe testing me?

Is it just that it’s my turn … my astrological moon is in manure?

Whichever it is, it appeared the test wasn’t quite yet over because, feeling the need for chocolate to calm down, clean eating went out the window and I used the cellphone to put in an online order at See’s Candy Store, knowing it would be ready for pickup by the time I arrived.

The order was ready and to make certain the correct person was picking up, the young lady asked for my name and the last four digits of my telephone number.

Of course, I knew my name, but my brain was still so raddled by the problems at the pharmacy that I scrambled the last four digits of the phone number.

She questioned it.

"Look! It’s me. No one is going to come in here and commit fraud for a box of chocolates" said I.

I left with my candy, no further questions, and a treat for my Little Stalker, as she’s sure to come knocking before the holidays are over.

Now back at the complex, chocolates and hot coffee having pulled me from the edge, and thinking clearly, you already know I'll be putting in a claim for the $139.99 with the provider on principal, which they probably will decline.

Another thing that occurs to me is that perhaps the pharmacy is in the wrong, because I also have medicare.

I don't know how those things work but, when the provider said no, could not the pharmacy have billed medicare?

They have a record of my number. Who did they bill when I had my other shots there?

As for why the provider refused to authorize the transaction, it's probably because so many of its members, tired of not being serviced in a timely manner, have been going off plan; but inasmuch as they could not give me Moderna, will be interesting to see the reason for declining when I request reimbursement.

Oy Vey! What a week, and it's not over yet.

What is Wrong with People???

Along with everything else going around, there appears to be an epidemic of rude behavior.

Pulling into the gas station yesterday, assessing there was no need to mask up, as I could see through the window only two customers roaming around inside, none at the counter, I entered maskless, stood at the counter, waited while the attendant set up pizza in the microwave.

He approached the counter, asked how he could help me but, before I could say $30 on No. 6, he began coughing.

Though he put his head down, did not cough towards my face, I nevertheless began taking steps backwards, away from him.

Whereupon, after done coughing, he took both hands and laughingly, with a backhand sweeping motion, began waving his germs towards me.

What is wrong with people!!!???

Needless to say, I was not amused.

I turned around, walked out but, if he thought he’d so offended me that I was leaving, he thought wrong.

I went to the car, dawned my mask, walked back in, requested $30 on No 6 to his now somber looking face.

He couldn’t see me laughing behind the mask at his discomfort at seeing me so pointedly exiting, returning all masked up, but maybe he could read the amusement in my eyes.

She who laughs last laughs best.

I feel for the customer that ordered that pizza.

Gas station pizza is precarious eating at best and totally dangerous eating when handled by a guy who’s not wearing gloves, switches to the cash register where he handles coins and dollar bills, thinks it’s funny to wave his germs at a customer and then returns to removing the pizza from the microwave.

Because Friday is the Day After Thanksgiving, the Office closed, the Community Room unavailable to us seniors, this week’s Bingo Friday has been moved to tomorrow ……… Monday.

Monday and bingo on the same day!!!! All I need to make the start of the week extra challenging is rain.

As Trainer is taking no days off for the Thanksgiving Holiday and my workout days (M W F) don’t fall on the actual holiday, after I get through tomorrow, the remainder of the week is a regular week for me …… except for a trip out of the area for the latest covid booster.

Don’t yell at me, but I’m late getting this shot because I wasn’t planning on getting vaccinated again because of problems I’ve had with skin rashes ever since I began with the vaccinations. However, wanting to get a look at the new baby next month, I’m taking the precaution.

Besides, with no help from the medical professionals, through trial/error I’ve discovered the cure for what had been plaguing me was organic castor oil and a homemade rice filled heating pad.

So, I'm not too worried about a reoccurrence, now that it's under control and can be handled so easily if necessary.

So anyway, looking at the news of holiday travel already in progress, I’m beyond happy not to be preparing for and facing that nerve racking drive to Long Beach this week.

I’ll be facing all that soon enough — next month, around Christmas.

Listening

A few days ago, Dkzody did a post about listening to the voice within.

Whether you call it God, Spirit, Soul, the Infinite, Instinct or Gut Feeling there is something that speaks to us.

So, when I got ready to head out this morning to get grocery shopping out of the way before the rains started again, I felt or heard that I should mask up, so I did.

It was a good thing I listened because, two people coughed directly in my face — first the casher then, as I was leaving, one of the managers caught me in the face as I turned a corner.

I already have a runny nose and the sniffles from being caught in the rain yesterday. Had I not had my mask on, I’d be in a complete panic right now as to what might be coming next.

Neither tried to turn their head or cough in their arm.

Who raised them?

So, anyway, while I was dealing with DMV on Tuesday, Management was throwing a Thanksgiving Celebration for the seniors.

From the photo the Talker provided, it looks like chicken with all the trimmings from El Polo Loco, and pies that appear homemade (the best kind) rather than storebought for dessert.

That’s two events in a row — Movie night on the 31st, and now Thanksgiving on the 14th.

Why Management didn’t have this closer to Thanksgiving — next Tuesday, two days before Management takes off for a 4-Day Holiday weekend, is a mystery.

At any rate, I hope the County thinks these events are worth approving the $500 increase.

Upstairs Lady, the resident who has problems with her legs, manages to walk by propelling herself side to side, said that some time ago, when she found out how much less the county units were going for, she applied to get on the county roll.

"I should be on the county, tried many many times" she said, but that the list was long and the buildings they offered her didn’t look like this one. They were in seedy rundown areas, were not well kept and smelled foul.

I believe her.

Many times I’ve said, though things are not perfect around here, there are worse places for seniors.

Returning from this morning’s market run, I see two residents, that did not decorate for Halloween, have already set up their Christmas decorations.

I realize not everyone loves Halloween as much as I do, don’t decorate, but decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving is a little much.

I must admit though, seeing decorations going up is tempting me to do the same, but I’m holding out for the traditional Day after Thanksgiving.

I have, however, jumped the gun a bit — I'm drinking coffee from my Christmas cup, but only because I don’t have a Thanksgiving cup.

A funny thing involving listening happened as I was picking up mail after this morning’s grocery run.

Only it wasn't the still small voice talking, it was the resident you might recall saw me at Sprouts, gave me a hug like he knows me and we're best buds, which we are not.

I’ve seen him around for years and years, exchanged pleasantries, but hardly know him.

At any rate, he too was picking up his mail and, as I headed back to my unit, he began walking along side of me talking talking talking about nothing in particular.

I listened.

When he got to talking about how he's been recently working out, going to the gym five times a week, I was impressed but said "Five times a week is brutal. It’s like a job”.

"I’m feeling better already", said he.

"Good for you. It's important to stay active", said I.

"I’m a little sore on my right side, but I need to get strong because I’ve a girlfriend now".

"Get stronger and take some of those little blue pills" came out of nowhere.

Stunned him a little.

He stopped in his tracks with his talking talking talking mouth frozen wide open, but then laughed, said "Maybe" as we both headed off to our units, in different directions, laughing.

Renewed and it Feels So Good

After two days and DMV offices in two cities, I got through the gauntlet that is renewing one’s drivers' license.

In conversations with others at the two offices, the general consensus is that the system, though fairly quick and relatively uncomplicated in the past, is now neither quick nor uncomplicated.

Walking through the doors about 20 minutes early for my appointment at the local office yesterday, seeing a gaggle of people packed like sardines, not trusting the atmosphere, I immediately masked up.

I was the only masked up person in the place but didn’t care about the stares. There’s just too much stuff going around to risk it.

Walking up to a clerk, saying I have an appointment, I was asked for a "code".

Saying I knew nothing of a code, I was unceremoniously told, without further ado by a little Gen Zer who looked like she resented having to work for a living, to "stand over there" ...... "over there" being a line of about 20 people leaning up against the wall.

My appointment time came and went, without the "over there" line moving an inch, so I walked over to a different clerk, questioned if I was in the correct spot inasmuch as I had an appointment.

He explained there was paperwork to be filled out.

It seems I had the option to fill out said paperwork online at home, which paperwork would have generated a code that supposedly would have moved me up the line ─ from "over there" to speedy appointment status.

The little bitch Gen Zer, sitting there doing nothing but staring into space, couldn’t take a moment out of her resentment to tell me that?

At any rate, I decided not to waste hours of my life in a line that wasn’t moving ─ walked out, went home, filled out the paperwork online, went to reschedule to another day, but learned the nearest appointment available was a month away — mid December!

So what happens if, in mid-December, I don’t pass on the first try? Do I have to reschedule again? Come back in yet another month, by which time my license would have expired?

DMV is now worse than my doctor’s office.

Every time something comes up that I need to schedule an appointment with her, I get a message she’s booked up, not available to schedule for three months. In which case, I research holistic methods of healing what ails me— usually the writings of The Sleeping Prophet Edgar Cayce, with sometimes remarkable results.

I’m actually better off healing myself anyway, because the doctors at the medical center just don’t seem all that swift. They never solve problems, just prescribe medication without delving into what exactly the problem is, and there is no follow up.

So, anyway, I booked the mid-December appointment but then thought, since it would take another 30 days to book an appointment should I not pass, I logged in to schedule a backup appointment at the Redlands office.

Redlands was booked up until late December!!!

Good grief!

I opted out of a backup appointment.

But then thinking it best to have that second appointment just-in-case, I went to book it, found an opening for this morning had popped up at Redlands, cancelled this morning’s workout, and jumped on it.

Arriving 30 minutes early for my appointment, I could not find parking on the small parking lot and found signs on the lots of nearby businesses that indicated "no DMV parking" and threats of tows. Consequently, I parked about half mile away at Citrus Plaza, in front of Target, switched from sandals to walking shoes, and hiked to the office.

There was a line for appointments, a line for without appointments and angry people, rolling eyes, in both because the idiot checking us in was an obvious fool.

So annoying the idiot was that the guy in line ahead of me told me he wanted to do him physical harm.

I cautioned my line mate to "Be calm. Don’t turn into a male Karen".

He maintained, and we both eventually got through the gauntlet with tickets issued by the idiot, only to sit where told to and sit and sit and sit.

While waiting, I added two new pokémon to my poke deck.

While I was killing time playing Pokémon GO, my line mate was getting antsy, got up, sought out a supervisor.

All of a sudden there was a flurry of activity.

The supervisor came over and began checking the numbers on everyone’s tickets (about 20+ of us), saying the idiot had logged is in as waiting for service at the Riverside office.

We were in Redlands.

Things went pretty quick after that, as it was all hands-on deck; clerks at every window stepping in to service us.

I passed the visual, which I wasn't sure I would because of eyestrain caused by close needle work.

There was a quickly handled minor problem with the camera when I stood for a new photo, which prompted me to say to the clerk, "What else can go wrong?"

Fortunately, the what else wasn’t failing the written — I passed by the skin of my teeth (missed the maximum allowed 5) because of questions like how many feet between cars parallel parked … how many feet between a car and motorcycle, yada yada yada.

It was a difficult test. One woman failed by missing 8. Another missed 11.

The what else that could go wrong was ……… it started raining and here I was a half mile from my car.

A nice lady, waiting for her test results, said she and her husband would drive me to my car but, after 3 hours, I was ready to get out of there.

So here I am back in my unit telling the tale, not drenched enough to get ill I hope, renewed and it feels so good not to have to face that again for another 5 years.

Monday Already?

Time is flying by at warp speed.

It was busy busy busy over the weekend, as I finished the great grandbaby's 3rd Creative Memories scrapbook.

Can't say that meant I was all caught up because, with so many pics of the world’s most photographed baby, I had to start a 4th.

Then, with so many photos of the baby shower/Sprinkle and prenatal photos of the soon to be born baby sister, I decided to start a separate Bump to Baby scrapbook and began toying around with materials for the beginning title page.

Bump to Baby: We're Cooking up Something Special

I really truly need a 2nd bedroom to be used for crafts but, inasmuch as I'm already over income would not be able to effectuate such a transfer.

When residents need more space, transfer from a 1-bedroom to a 2-bedroom, they apply as a new tenant, then go on a waiting list to vie with others around here who want more space.

The fact that I am over income would disqualify me from applying as a new tenant.

In fact, the only reason I'm still able to remain living here is because I'm grandfathered in by reason of becoming over income a few years AFTER qualifying and moving in.

Assistant Manager once told me that I could win the lottery and still remain living here because of grandfathered status. That being said, it bugs me that I still have to go through the annual recertificate process where the office gets into my financials on the basis of deciding if I still qualify, then make statements such as "I don't have what you have".

I technically don't still qualify but, since I'm grandfathered in, why go through the process?

It's illogical.

So anyway, rents being so outrageous elsewhere, annoying as management can sometimes be, I feel fortunate to be in this, currently for me, affordable living situation.

Over the weekend, I also put the almost finishing touches on my Holiday shopping.

Starbucks

Two gift cards, both for Trainer … one for Thanksgiving, another for Christmas.

I passed on the usual gift card for the mail carrier because every day it’s a new face lately. I’m constantly on pins and needles as to whether the key to the lock box, where packages are stored, will get to my mailbox or be misdelivered. So, unless and until we get some consistently good service around here, I’m done with giving gift cards in appreciation, like I used to do for our former carrier.

The great grandbaby — aka Young Skywalker as I like to call him, not yet two years old, already has everything, including a spaceship.

His mom and dad, already pressed for space for the new baby — expected to be delivered soon, will now have to find space for the airplane I’ll be gifting to Young Skywalker.

Fearing the airplane would sell out if I waited closer to the holiday, I purchased it in late September.

The only holiday gift thing left to do is to purchase wrapping paper for the baby’s gift, and then I am done.

I won’t be heading to Long Beach this Thanksgiving because the family unit is now irretrievable broken, no family for me to celebrate Thanksgiving now or any time in the future with.

The grandsons have morphed into manipulative self-centered liars that think the world owes them a living. They no longer get along with their mom, tried to use me until I put the brakes on. The twins no longer have a relationship with each other or with the boys or with granddaughter.

It's just an unfixable mess.

The only folks likely to show up at granddaughter's place, should she host Thanksgiving, would be the youngest of her manipulative lying brothers, my deceased sister's husband ...... Nice man but bores me to tears and always wants to give me a sisterly hug when we meet, which I'd rather not. Also, White Grandpa and White Grandma.

White Grandpa vibes very well, is fine to be around; White Grandma flat lines, is empty, does not generate a pleasant aura at all, so I'd rather not with her.

All in all, a family Thanksgiving get-together is not for me.

I will however head to Long Beach, around Christmas to deliver the great grandbaby’s gift, see his new sister.

Since I now have the Thanksgiving holiday open to do so, I’ve been debating whether or not I want to register for the local Turkey Trot.

Even purchased a cute pair of non-thanksgiving themed leggings to wear.

Wednesday Addams … how could I resist.

At any rate, I’m leaning towards not doing the 5K. Use the day to set up patio Christmas decorations instead.

Backtracking a bit, I’m doubting the results of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Race Timing System used at the Mission Inn 5K.

No doubt I did do well, but I did say to Trainer that "I was shocked" at how well the system said I did.

Since then, I've learned a much younger client of his saw me cross the finish line AFTER her, and further stated her results did not get posted. Consequently, I’m doubting the validity of the results, that I did as well as the system calculated.

Oh well, insofar as it now officially stands, I remain a 79-year-old 5K beast — at least until next year when I participate in that race again, see if the systems says I'm less beastly.

I wasn’t planning on treating myself to anything special for Christmas, but having learned the Old Gays have published a book, even though I've not yet had time to finish The In-Between, and have My Life at Grey Gardens on the bedside table to get to, I preordered their book as a gift to myself.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Old Gays, they are a group of gay social media personalities and LGBT rights activists that I first discovered on TikTok doing cosplay including ……… what else, the Wednesday dance.

They’ve become enormously popular, and I later saw them as guests on an episode of Ru Paul’s Drag Race.

Like I said, busy busy busy this weekend and maybe, if the weekends were longer, Mondays wouldn't come so soon, I could squeeze in some reading time.

Veteran's Day

And We’re Back

After a week’s absence from Bingo Friday, because Red Light was travelling, this afternoon it was back to Bingo Friday.

I myself wouldn’t mind if bingo ended altogether, for no reason other than I’m more and more not wanting to go anywhere, do anything, just stay in my unit, enjoy my aloneness; but Bingo Friday is important to the Usual Suspects, because it’s all they have, other than the occasional bone tossed to them by Management and Activity Director.

As for me, unlike most of the Usual Suspects, I’ve got a kazillion other things I can and would rather be doing, and it’s no one’s fault but my own that I can’t just not go because I signed on as an integral part …… design and print the flyers, take photos, manage the residents’ website.

Not seeing a way to unsign, I’ll have to grin and bear it unless and until bingo ends.

The sessions are a good way to catch up on what’s going on, but my head is already so filled with things I don’t want to see, don’t want to hear, don’t want to know, that I’d really rather not see, hear or know anything further.

Consequently, just walking from my unit to the Community Room for this afternoon’s bingo felt like I was walking the Green Mile with the weight of the world on my shoulders.

I’m not kidding.

The closer I got to the room, the heavier I felt and, when I made it inside, I plopped down on the chair and let out a heavy sigh.

"You’re tired already?" commented my tablemate Buttons.

"I got tired on the way here", said I.

I wasn’t tired at this morning’s workout. I only got tired when I headed for someplace I didn’t want to be.

So, anyway, the topic this afternoon was what was going to happen to the curly haired kid whose grandpa just past away.

"They’re not going to let him stay here" someone said.

"He’s going to live with his grandma" said another.

That’s good to know that his grandma is still alive. Hopefully she stays alive long enough for him to find his way in the world — learn a trade, get a job, etc.

I also learned the battling OG’s have been evicted .

The OG’s being the couple — him 66, her 74, married for 37+ years, that moved out just before the Pandemic hit and we went into Quarantine; returned a year or so later saying they’d been through hell, insofar as living arrangements since moving out.

Their back story, if you wish to know why I refer to them as the "battling" OG’s, can be found here.

Very much liked individually and as a couple, they were welcomed back by management and residents with open arms. However, inasmuch as they did not move out of their own accord this time, were instead evicted, they won’t be allowed back. An eviction on one's record is like the kiss of death, not only here but when trying to get a place to live elsewhere. So, this is unfortunate.

Reason for the eviction being the husband got into gambling. Gambled the rent money away.

Speaking of rent, I got a little clarification on the $500 increase.

First off, it’s exactly $518 and raises the cost of units occupied by those on the county roll closer to the same the rest of us are paying.

I had no idea those units were previously going for close to half of what those of us not on the county roll are paying.

The questions hanging in the air are whether or not the county will approve the increase and what will happen if they do not approve it.

On another note, I had an ephinay about the Silver Fox, aka 😵👀👅📣. I think he and Next-Door Neighbor would be attracted to each other. Both have a boogie vibe about them and I have a sense that, should they see each other on the walkway or in the parking area, it would be on.

Score Card

Tis the season and, thus far, the score around here is two falls and one death in a short period of time.

The death was an old gentleman living with his 18-year-old grandson.

The two were a popular fixture on the complex. Never attended activities, but regularly seen out walking together.

The kid moved in with his grandpa two years ago, after his mom passed away, now his grandpa is gone, and he’ll have to find other accommodations.

One of two falls is a neighbor around the corner in this building. She just kind of slipped while out walking on the complex, her foot went wonky, and she’s laid up with a broken foot.

The other fall is that new resident — moved in three months ago, the guy the ladies were all going ga ga over.

Word on the grapevine was the guy, mixed with First Nation blood and some other blood type, resulted in his being a devastatingly handsome kinda guy but "He’s mean ….. antisocial …… doesn’t like people knocking on his door; And he doesn’t like women. Says he’s sick and tired of women always chasing him".

He slipped in a puddle on the property, fell backwards, landed on his side, cracked a rib and was laid up for a while.

Today, returning from this morning’s workout and a stop by the market, was the first time I’ve seen him up close and personal — other than briefly, one time before I heard the girls speak of him, when we'd passed on the walkway and I'd said, "Good morning". He'd scowled at me but did say "Good morning" in return.

I later understood the scowl face was because he'd come to expect women around here were thirsty and "Good morning" from a female, in his mind, translated into "Hubba Hubba Awooga".

He'd been burned, was guarded and didn’t want to open the door by appearing friendly.

Today he did.

Talker pulled up behind me just as I was getting out of the car, chatted me up for a bit, then went to park whereupon I thought to ask her if my Little Stalker had liked my Wednesday dance.

She didn’t exit the car right away, so there I was standing in the parking lot, arms full of workout gear and grocery bags, when this Silver Fox walked across the lot, stopped, looked at me, asked "Are you alright?"

That was nice.

"Yes, I’m just waiting to say something to my neighbor".

As he then moved towards his parked car, Talker exited her car, saw him and engaged him in conversation, asking how he was.

"Worst year of my life", said he. "I had Covid, Bronchitis, a growth on my chest blew up into a big deal and had to be drained, then I fell and was laid up for a while".

Standing close enough to listen as he and Talker finished their conversation, I did not introduce myself or ask for an introduction because, since he’s so leery of women coming onto him, I was being guarded in return.

After he walked away, I mentioned to Talker that he seems nothing like what I’ve heard from the other ladies.

She'd not heard what I'd been told, was surprised the others had labeled him as antisocial, tired of women chasing him.

"That’s because one of the girls, I won’t say who, was constantly knocking on his door", said she.

Ohhhh, the old sour grapes. He wasn’t interested in whoever that was, so she put antisocial yada yada yada out on the grapevine. Now everyone stays away from him.

Talker went on to say Silver Fox is in business — owns an ammunitions company.

"He’s an arms dealer", I joked, but sometimes words come out of my mouth that turn out to be accurate.

At any rate, having seen the infamous Silver Fox up close and personal, he seems nice enough to me, is handsome but not the drop dead ga ga the other ladies seem to think.

In fact, I don’t see First Nation at all. Instead, I see Louisiana Geechee, clearly Creole in his skin color, texture of his hair, mustache, beard and body type; but Covid, Bronchitis, a Growth on the chest that needed draining (a cyst?) and now a cracked rib is a lot.

He's like that Charles Schultz Peanuts character that has a cloud following him. Possibly, some woman he left behind in Louisiana that is now working a voodoo ritual on him.

One Last Thing

Actually a few last things before I put my favorite holiday (Halloween) completely behind me.

Odd how The Addams Family, inasmuch as they’ve been around for ages, was so immensely popular as costumed characters this time around.

I’m fairly certain Netflix’s Wednesday had something to do with it.

My Little Stalker’s GG sent me a vid of her Wednesday costume and dance, for which she won a 1st Place Medal in a costume contest.

In return, I put on my costume, took a video of the dance I learned from TikTok shortly after the movie came out last year.

So, that's it for Halloween this year, but it's not too early to plan for next year's costume and decorations while everything's on sale.

Except that's how I ended up with three, count 'em, three Thing hands.

I'd planned early, purchased Thing on sale but, as Halloween approached, could not find where I'd stored Thing.

Of course, after purchasing another, the first one turned up; but then I ran across the motion activated Thing, had to have it.

So now, I've a collection.

Oh well, I suppose three hands are better than one.