The Day After

The Memorial Day BBQ went off without a hitch.

After working out that morning, I switched into the leggings I stitched up and painted with stars back in 2014.

A ton of residents packed into the patio area — some residents I knew, some I'd seen around, others I'd never seen before.

Of those I'd never seen before, some turned out to be the wives of guys I'd seen out and about, but thought were lonely old men because I'd never seen them with a female companion.

Made me think of Handmaiden's Tale ... are the wives not permitted to be out/about OR are the wives not all that social, happy to stay in their units like me.

Who knows, but an interesting discovery.

I was surprised to see Name Dropper — the resident that came to us in July and was quick to say her granddaughter is an actress, had a role with John Travolta when she was a child. I thought she'd moved to Texas.

"Not until the 30th" said she.

"Oh, so this is your Last Supper", said I, as I began scouring the scene asking her which resident she thought might be Judas.

Oddly enough, the main table was set up Last Supper style, with seats reserved for the organizers.

I should have counted to see if there were 13 seats.

At some point, I asked Talker if Trash Tosser was present.

She looked around and said "No".

"Is she likely to show up?"

"I hope not", said she.

Talker did not get her wish. Trash Tosser showed up a little later and was nothing like I’d imaged. She's attractive, personable, seemed to be getting along well.

It's not unusual to see new people come in, think they're important, are going to start making some changes, running things, beginning with complaining about neighbors, but tossing trash on a neighbor's doorstep is a new one.

When I first heard of the trash tossing incidents, I’d surmised it might be Dream Lover had hit on her and she didn’t appreciate it; after all, I see she is a nice-looking lady; but word now it might be a racial thing. She doesn’t like sheet people.

Whichever it is, it seems she’s ceased tossing. Either Manager told her she could be evicted, or she’s learned Dream Lover has a lot of friends, best not to antagonize.

It’s said, she’s approached Dream Lover, wanted to apologize but “he was 'weary' about that. Because it lasted a bit”, didn’t want to hear her apology.

Dream Lover was the grill master. Lu was present but, unlike when they were joined at the hip, she rubbing all over him, neither she nor Dream Lover paid much attention to each other.

Guess he grew weary of that as well.

That romance was over so quick and fast that I almost got whiplash from watching it start then so quickly end.

That's pretty much all the tea served at the event. Conversations seemed to be gripping about Manager, how "rude" she is, how much they "hate" her.

One guy said he went to Manager’s office and tried to talk to her, help her have better relations with residents. I forget what exactly he said he told her, but it was along the line of not looking down to and speaking down to residents, seeing others in a better light, essentially the Law of Attraction.

Her response was, "You don't know the kinds of people I deal with here".

WHOA!

A few residents complained about Manager not handling complaints and that when they do go to her office to complain, her reaction at seeing them at her door is, "WHAT NOW!".

GOOD LORD!

It’s still the Law of Attraction, only she’s got it working in reverse. She hates, so hate is coming back to her.

She doesn't talk to me like that. Probably because I keep a paper trail by communicating via email.

She probably yells, "WHAT NOW!" when she sees my name in an email, but at least I don't have her disrespecting me to my face.

I actually don’t get all the hate, because none of what residents complain of come near to how awful that mean Nurse Ratched, who managed the complex for three years, was.

That woman was a sociopath. She terrified the old folks, demonstrated jealously towards those of us who didn’t fit the mold, in her mind, of looking old enough; of those who challenged her, she lied, manipulated, called the police, did whatever to play the damsel in distress, afraid of the resident, in order to get them evicted.

The current Manager doesn’t even come close to the horror of Nurse Ratched, as I’ve repeatedly told those who complain, but whatever. Their reality is she's the worst.

Other conversations were about all the grifting and ruining of lives being done by 45/47.

I didn't get into the political conversations other than to say the only joy I get from the mess we're in is knowing those who voted for a convicted criminal not only screwed us, but screwed themselves as well.

There was lots to eat ... burgers, hot dogs, chips, dips, potato salad, pasta salads, fruit, mac and cheese, cakes, pies, etc.

Everybody was bringing something, everybody was eating what others brought which, not knowing how others live and maintain their units, I’m not too sure was wise, but not my risk.

One resident didn’t bring food. He instead brought the homeless guy who sometimes camps out front on the lawn.

The organizers were very upset because the ladies had asked the resident for help setting up and he fained his back hurt, then brought in a homeless gent who, while the ladies were making plates, serving residents, was at the food table loading up his own plate and piling it on.

Inasmuch as one of my complaints, about the Usual Suspects, is that they’ve not had my back when I’ve stood up, have wanted me to be mealymouthed like them, let bullies run all over me, like they let bullies do them, I was proud when Talker called bullshit, read the riot act to the homeless gent that, though he should not be there as he was not a resident, he was to remain seated, like everyone else, wait to be served. She then tore a new one in the resident that brought the homeless gent, saying "When we asked you to help set up, you said your back hurt, you couldn’t help, but look at all these ladies with physical issues helping, then you bring in a homeless person on top when you know homeless people are not to be brought onto the premises" yada yada yada.

My position was that if the resident wanted to feed his homeless buddy, he should have asked the ladies if he could make a plate for him, and taken it outside to him.

At any rate, Talker chopped him down to size, taught him not to think he could get all Henny Penny up in here ... not help, then take advantage of the organizing ladies, bring in others, because he’s a guy.

I was exhausted from not enough weekend, insufficient sleep from staying up way too late at night, into the early morning, watching Korean Dramas with English translations on the laptop, stayed just long enough to take 65 photos for the facebook page, went back to my unit and passed out on the couch for 3 hours.

Now for a PSA.

Whata Week

Reader’s Digest version … I fell out of lust, met the new neighbor, got some of the Lab work the doctor wanted done.

Unabridged version … Returning from this morning's workout, I ran into, introduced myself, and welcomed the new neighbor to the quad.

Learned, she’s not exactly new, but has been living on the opposite side of the complex for a year.

Management asked her to move over here, because the unit she’d been living in was designated a handicap unit …… no one who isn’t disabled should have been living there.

I didn’t know we had special units built for handicapped individuals which, I understand have "wider doorways, low cabinets, accessible bathrooms" etc., but if no one who is not handicapped should have been living there, then why did management lease the unit to her in the first place?

She says management told her she had to move because the unit had been requested by someone who is disabled, but my spidey sense is telling me management got caught when we had that last inspection.

At any rate, new neighbor said she's happy to move, because she didn’t like the low cabinets and that some of the features, she's accustomed to, were missing in order to make the unit accessible for people with disabilities.

I haven’t run into Silver Fox since the day he talked me out of being physically attracted to him, opened my eyes to what would be the side effects of ingesting yummy looking eye candy, so my jets have cooled. As Bob, put it …… "Not as pretty when it speaks." LOL.

As I was walking to check out the board in the Community Room the other day, I did see him driving, like a bat out of hell, back into the complex.

He was really gunning it, going way beyond the 10 mph speed limit, as he burned into the driveway, flew through the open gate, swooped into his parking spot.

He even drives angry, thought I, and reflected on what would have happened had someone been walking across the parking lot, as I hurriedly disappeared before he exited the car and saw me.

Everything about Silver Fox reads as angry which, in a way, is rather exciting. Made me think about how fun he must have been when younger …… a real Bad Boy, rough but fun. I also reflected on what the grapevine was saying about him before I became aware of who he was. That "He's really handsome, but sooo mean".

I can definitely see it now and ain't nobody got time for a moody, angry, aging Bad Boy.

On Thursday, I got the bloodwork portion of what the doctor wanted done, but the Lab gave me homework the doctor wanted me to submit for testing, within 1 to 2 hours after performing the homework.

It’s an impossible task, so she’ll have to be satisfied with the bloodwork which, if I’m reading correctly, indicates my Cholesterol is off the charts and may be the source of the high BP and dizzy spells.

Oh well.

Monday being Memorial Day, a 3-day weekend would be in order were I in the working world. I’m retired, but the Pain Cave workouts are like having a job with an employer that doesn’t recognize holidays, allows no days off.

Trainer will be working on Monday, so it will be a regular Monday for me; except, the bingo regulars are having a BBQ in the patio area later that afternoon.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, I plan to check it out for a bit.

Talkative, Opinionated, Political, Intense, Angry

I admit that Silver Fox’s facade had me tempted, but seeing through, like I always do, it hasn’t taken me long to make my way through the pretty boy veneer, size him up.

Not only did I run into him last Thursday, our paths also crossed yesterday, when I was heading to the Pain Cave, and today, in the Mail Center.

Silver Fox is a talkative soul.

I picked that up about him last Thursday, but then thought about something I’ve shared before here on the blog …… that it’s frustrating to try to talk to anyone around here about anything other than what goes on in the complex, because people here are remarkably uninformed, gullible, naïve, clueless.

Water reaches its own level, so maybe Silver Fox — hungry for conversation was being drawn to me subliminally, as someone he sensed isn’t clueless.

So today, he shared his feelings about social media ….. that family lives nearby so, though he has a Facebook account, he doesn’t think much of FB as a tool to connect with others and feared that if he did use FB, he’d not be able to control his hatred of No. 45/47 — post things that would make him a target. Also, that he was a Project Manager in his previous career, and is so worried about the current regime “messing with people’s money” that though he doesn’t want to go back to work, he’s getting ahead of what he sees coming by interviewing today for a Project Manager position; and also, in preparation for what he sees coming, he went to Bass Pro this morning and bought a pew pew.

So talkative, opinionated, political, intense, angry, and soon to be packing.

I’m beginning to see why he and Shirley divorced.

When I could get a word in edgewise, I defended FB saying that, because I’m a quiet person, older than he, don’t socialize much, don't care for long phone conversations,  I use FB to connect with family, friends, former coworkers and if anyone wants to communicate with me, I prefer it be through FB, Instagram, Text Message.

He seemed surprised about my age, which I told him thinking he’d think twice about being interested in me, said "You don’t look like it" and of FB he said, "Well, I guess that’s okay".

As if I needed his approval.

Though I do enjoy the eye candy Silver Fox provides and would still stop and chat with him if and when our paths cross, because I find him interesting, it’s obvious to me that he’d get on my last nerve in no time at all.

It’s not that I’d be too quiet and chill for him, it’s that he’s too talkative and intense for me, I can see him being controlling, and not be able to accept my witchcraft books, voodoo dolls, chill and nonjudgmental attitude.

He's nice to look at, but I hope his ex-wife Shirley thinks twice about going down that road again.

Weekend Update

We have a new neighbor in the quad.

As I was heading out to Friday’s workout, I saw a moving company truck parked at the end of the walkway. A little lady, whom I took to be the new neighbor, hurriedly passed me on the walkway.

She seeming so rushed, I didn’t get to greet her other than to say "hello". She responded "hello" and was gone in a flash.

Just as I was making my way around the moving van bringing her in; simultaneously, one of those self-moving vans was driving by, exited the gate, moving someone out.

It’s like a revolving door around here. A lot of newbies, very few of us long-timers still around.

My guess is us long-timers are still here because we’re in that gray area — over income for most "affordable" living situations, but not so flush that we’re willing to pay the exorbitant sums being charged elsewhere.

Long story short, we will follow the path of other long timers who did leave .... they left because they died.

So, anyway, the new neighbor doesn’t look like she’s going to provide any blog fodder. She reads as quiet, no drama.

It's nice to look out in the morning, see a window free of debris, a patio not cluttered with a dresser drawer and miscellaneous items, but real patio furniture and cute decorations.

Saturday was a milestone for me because of this ……

Any guesses as to what that is and what it signifies?

I’ll wait.

Spoiler: If you thought it signifies my reaching the bottom of that never ending needlepoint project, you would be correct.

After 4 years, an estimated 3,630 hours, I finally touched bottom and, over the weekend, I managed to fill in the corner, left of that one bottom row.

Now working my way across, rather than down, looks like I may complete this project around this time next year; then I can get rid of the frame, put an exercise bike in its place, and have time to read books again.

Over the weekend, I also managed to put in some scrapbooking time. I’m very far behind on that craft, with last year’s Disneyland visit and the Mission Inn’s Christmas Festival of Lights to be scrapped into the Places book.

I was going to fit in doing my nails up for the holiday, but between scrapbooking and the needlepoint project, I somehow managed to break both pinky fingernails down to the nub.

There will be no fancy nails until the two grow back.

I didn't get around to posting yesterday and had two Funnies for you; so, here's a late Sunday Funnies.

Hubba Hubba Awooga Silver Fox

Heading for the dumpster today, who did I run into but the famous Hubba Hubba Awooga Silver Fox.

He, like Miracle Man seemed somewhat depressed.

Greeting him with "Hey, Stranger, how’s it going?", he responded, "I’m living through it" and went on to say "It ain’t easy. I’m walking around mad and upset most of the time …… There’s something, like a vibe that’s going around and it don’t seem right to me and I don’t know if it’s, you know, everybody is kind of upset, can’t figure out what’s coming, and it ain’t a good thing you know".

I really didn’t know how to respond to all of that other than to say walking around mad and upset will make you ill, stay away from the news and have faith.

We chatted for a bit and I learned he has two ex-wives, no children by the second wife — whose name is Shirley of all things, but three kids by the first wife.

He’s been divorced from Shirley for 15 years, but has maintained contact with her the entire 15 years, due to family.

How a man speaks of his mother, ex-girlfriends, ex-wives is a tell as to what kind of person he is. Of Shirley, Silver Fox says, "She’s probably one of the best woman I’ve met in my life" and that she says he’s one of the best men which, to me, begs the question why the divorce?

I suggested, "Maybe you two will get back together", to which he responded, "The world is changing, so we’ve been talking about it (getting back together) pretty good lately".

My rule is …… never go back, but it seems the economy is driving folks into reconciliations OR at least stomaching each other for mutual benefit.

Silver Fox is really interesting to talk to. In addition to the above, I also learned he’ll be 75 in two weeks, doesn’t like to be around a lot of people (we have that in common) and that, in his words, "I should have been dead three different times".

I’d like to know more about what has happened in his life to make him say that and, if given an opportunity, I’ll see if I can get that out of him before he moves out to rejoin his ex-wife.

If you’re wondering how I managed to get most of our conversation word for word, without using my shorthand skills … ever since that weird little man approached me that day, I set my phone to record video when I leave the unit, just in case I see him again and can capture a photo, off the video, should I have further difficulties.

Thus it was, video was running when I ran into the Silver Fox. I was able to record the conversation AND, at long last, capture a photo for you.

Now keep in mind, Silver Fox’s looks may not be for everyone but, around here, and to me personally, he’s delicious eye candy with a sexy Obama aura.

I also, during the week, managed to capture a photo of the neighbor’s late 20’s something son who made a play for me — put a note on my door with his telephone number, suggesting I call him sometime.

I’m not posting that because, at a distance, he looks okay and seems a nice enough kid; but the photo shows him up close and personal. Let’s just say, at that angle, he looks rough and so far from being attractive that I’m embarrassed to say he's who thought my old arse would be interested.

In other news, Long Beach Pride is this weekend and though I could have booked a hotel and walked to the Festival, what I really enjoy is the Parade, which the logistics are such that I can’t get to.

Twin 1 is no longer living along the Parade route, Granddaughter lives too far away from the site, there’s no hotel near enough for me to walk to the site, driving to and parking anywhere near the parade is an impossible task, so I’ll be missing the fun this year.

Show n Tell

Feedback on the Mother’s Day luncheon was that it was "okay". Residents were served big Jimmy John's sandwiches.

The only beef was that on the last Father’s Day, the women were told to remain seated while the men/Fathers were served first; but management did not make the men wait until the women were served at Tuesday’s Mother’s Day event.

Since this was not Activity Director’s event, but one of the events Manager is reluctantly required to arrange for the seniors by Corporate, I asked if she greeted them this time.

Not only did she not, she once again sent staff in to manage the event and "hid' in her office.

Manager really is uncomfortable with residents OR is her refusing to greet at the door, and sometimes refusing to attend events a statement of sorts?

I recall, when I was in the working world, I ascribed to the proverb about being discerning about who one breaks bread with.

If I didn't like or respect you, I'd not share a meal with you.

When the three witches, Attorneys Henrietta, Joyce, Jane, treated me like crap all year, but wanted to show how manganous they were on Secretaries Day by taking me to lunch, I made a statement by taking vacation Secretaries week every year of the three/four years I worked for them, so I didn’t have to eat with them and they were left looking shitfaced as the other attorneys and their secretaries celebrated.

Was I being petty?

You bet I was. I wasn’t going to play that hypocritical game with them, so they could pat themselves on the back thinking what great massas they were to their slave; and it felt good to know I was causing them embarrassment.

Would you believe, they didn’t catch on to being embarrassed and laughed at by others until the very last year I worked for them.

To put me in my place that year, they took the temp employee, hired to work my desk that week, to lunch on Secretaries Day.

Problem with that was, in the one week the temp worked for them, he saw through them, commended me upon my return with having left him a manual with such clear detailed instructions and my putting up with the witches for years.

He figured out why I'd taken vacation, laughted at the witches, just like everyone else, and that temp became one of my very best friends, and remains so to this day.

So, maybe Manager is ascribing to the same proverb, about breaking bread, for her own reasons.

Lots of movement here on the complex today — people moving out, others moving in, old faces disappearing, new faces appearing.

Talker knocked on the door last night and, when I opened, she was dancing/singing, announcing one of those moving out is her downstairs neighbor … our Karen character.

Our Karen Character

"Hold up" said I to Talker as she was dancing/singing, grabbed my phone, asked her to repeat what she was doing so I could tape it.

Of course, I didn’t tell her I was taping for the blog. I said it was a keepsake for her, sent the video to her to do with as she liked. She sent it to the Baker, other residents, and her family. All who got a good laugh.

I suppose Karen is moving out because, try as she did, she couldn’t force Talker to move by incessantly complaining about ordinary ever day noises one will hear when others are living upstairs, you living downstairs; and the office didn’t want to hear any more of Karen’s complaints.

Would be funny, if Karen moved to the same one-level complex as Red Light.

Returning from this morning’s workout, I ran into Miracle Man — the resident who, in his younger years, survived being shot on two different occasions, stabbed and firebombed.

He was looking visibly depressed and close to tears. I knew it’s because he’s losing his girlfriend — Ruthie, the woman being evicted because of bed bugs.

Ruthie has been telling others she bought a house nearby, because she doesn’t want to move too far away from Miracle Man.

Not likely she bought a house when she’s on SSI, that is unless she’s won the lottery, but Miracle Man tells me she hasn’t found a place yet, that she’s looking, has a place in mind, but it’s not yet locked in.

I’d assumed that inasmuch as she’s on SSI, the County was helping her to relocate, but research tells me, "No, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is not the same as county assistance. SSI is a federal program administered by the Social Security Administration, providing monthly cash benefits to individuals with limited income and resources who are blind, aged 65 or older, or have a disability. County assistance programs, on the other hand, are typically state and local programs that provide various forms of assistance, including cash benefits, to individuals who are unable to meet their basic needs".

Either way, Ruthie is not in the position to purchase a house. Rent maybe.

With the handcuffed woman still on my mind, I today researched the police blotter, the department’s website and the news for "Police activity 05/13/25 on Sierra in Fontana" and got nothing. So, I’m moving on from that.

We’ll just have to write it off as The Eighth Wonder of the World.

Happy Belated Mother’s Day

Logging into the laptop this morning, the first thing flashing across the screen was "Egg prices are plummeting".

I'd not describe it as "Plummeting", when I just yesterday noticed an 18-count carton of organic eggs dropped a lousy $1.00 — from $13.99 to $12.99, but it’s a start.

Mother’s Day has come and gone — my 58th, and it was awright.

I received the obligatory texts from the usual suspects — Twin 1, Twin 2, Granddaughter.

I feel bad for my twins. They always want to take me somewhere to eat, do something fun, buy me something, but my worsening gut issues precluded my going anywhere to eat, there’s no place I wanted to go, nothing I wanted to do, nothing I needed. All of which made a not fun Mother’s Day for my girls, as I was content doing laundry and housework.

I had the Laundry Room all to myself, the flowers in the area around the Laundry Room were in full bloom for Mother’s Day, so I enjoyed the peaceful setting.

Talker walked by, saw me doing laundry, came in to give me a Mother’s Day hug and a side of tea.

There’s a new woman in Dream Lover’s life, but it’s not what you think.

Evidently, Dream Lover has a new neighbor — a woman who has taken a dislike to him and demonstrates her dislike by, instead of taking her trash to the dumpster, tosses it in front of DL’s door.

That’s pretty extreme.

Of course, DL went to Manager over it, got the usual "I'll talk to her", but it's unclear as to whether Manager actually did, because the woman has tossed trash at his door more than once OR if the woman was spoken to and, not caring what Manager had to say, continues to trash DL's area.

I’ll have to see who this new neighbor is, determine if management has done it again …… brought in a resident who is not well in the head, or if DL made his usual play …… "I’m looking for a nice woman to spend time with" and she did not appreciate it. Is tossing her trash as if to say to DL that she can see through him and he’s trash.

This scares me a little about who we’ll next get in our quad, when TinTin’s vacant unit is leased out. I’m hoping our good Chi in the quad will attract someone nice, but you never know.

The Activity Calendar indicated, instead of today being Pizza Tuesday, it's a late celebration of Mother’s Day …… "Social: Mother’s Day Luncheon. Celebrate Mother’s Day with a community luncheon full of fun, connection and appreciation for all the amazing moms, grandmothers, Aunts, Sisters, Friends, mentors, etc."

I guess Great Grandmothers fall into the "etc" category, LOL.

I wasn’t planning on attending because I can’t eat whatever is being served; besides, I had an appointment with my Primary at the Main Medical Center — the first time I’ve been able to actually meet with my doctor, face to face, since 2019; and accomplished only because that RN I’d two-weeks ago interacted with by phone, when my BP recorded 173, sent a message to the doctor’s care team that she should see me. Otherwise, it would have taken three months to get an appointment.

I’m actually surprised my doctor hasn’t retired yet, as she’s about my age, maybe a few years younger.

She looks great though, hasn’t aged much — probably because her culture is one that the women do keep their beauty as they age. The men, not so much.

At any rate, she joked about watching her patients age with her, adjusted my BP medication, had her nurse give me a tetanus shot, ordered Lab work — which I’ll take care of later this week, or next week, at a different facility, because the Lab Section at the Main Medical Center was way too peopley for me.

On the way to the Med Center, the dash cam captured a woman, on the far side of middle-age, in handcuffs.

That's her white car blocking the lane.

Mother's Day only two days ago, and mom or grandma is in cuffs.

I’ve never in my life been handcuffed, not even for roleplay fun when I was married to the cop, and could not imagine what an older lady could have done to be removed from her car, in traffic, and handcuffed.

Curses, Foiled Again

Leaving the market yesterday, after popping in after that morning’s workout, I saw a bird seemingly having a bad day.

He flew away just as I ended taping.

This morning, Manager replied to my email about California Code, Civil Code - CIV § 1947.3 prohibiting landlords and their agents from requiring tenants to pay rent only by electronic means.

It likely took a day to reply because Corporate had to first look at the Code. Manager then had to work out a response after hearing back from them.

As I’d surmised ... that management was technically in compliance because checks and money orders were still being accepted by the office for now, that is exactly how the response was framed.

"We are fully aware of the code (not bloody likely), we comply with all local and state laws, and we are still accepting checks and money orders. You simply just have to personally deliver it to us in the office. However, we will not accept postdated checks."

Curses, foiled again; but it was worth a try.

At least management now knows they can never achieve the goal of one form of payment, that being Rent Café; that the office will have to continue accepting walk-in payments.

So maybe management will stop all the many methods they’d been trying to force us to Rent Café. Be happy with those of us who capitulated and be done with it.

In other happenings, I received an email for my auto insurer, the other day, indicating I needed to update my odometer reading.

I logged into the account, updated the reading on my Jeep Renegade to 19,466.

Not a lot of miles in 7 years‘ of ownership, but not unbelievable that someone could log in so few miles in seven years.

The insurer evidently didn’t buy it.

They mailed a document for me to sign, under penalty of perjury.

A little insulting, don’t you think, and not the first time.

I forget what I was driving back in the day when it happened, probably a Beetle, but it was before the internet, so such updating was by telephone.

When I read off the odometer reading to the agent at that time, she said, "If you’re not giving me an accurate reading, it could cause you to lose your insurance".

Pretty much called me a liar, assumed I was lying about my low mileage in order to get a discounted rate.

So, anyway, I filled out the form with a now odometer reading of 19,612 miles. The increase because of the day I had to drive from one end of town to another seeking a pharmacy that was open, then the following day having to drive to the main Medical Center.

At any rate, I’m going to lose it on my insurer if they communicate a problem with the difference between the mileage first reported a few weeks ago, and the mileage now being submitted.

Another interesting thing about the Jeep is that, when I last stopped into the air check station, the guy said my two front tires needed to be replaced — something about the wear patterns.

I’m no expert, but I looked at both tires and the thread looks fine to me.

With less than 20,000 miles on the odometer, I think I’m being hustled about the front tires needing to be replaced.

Pizza Tuesday

The meeting with Manager went okay; that is after she first tried to convince me the problem was at my bank …… "the bank paid with a card, rather than your account, you should contact the bank".

That was too ridiculous to even consider.

When she failed to convince me of that, she then offered to give me the telephone number of that third party vendor so I could work it out with them.

You push us into signing up for this crap, but then you want to wash your hands when there’s a problem with the crap you pushed on us?

Nope. I don't think so.

She yesterday indicated she’d find the problem, work me through the system, so that’s what we did.

It took half an hour — with my opening up my Rent Café account on her computer, her searching, finding where it had been set to card, removed and reset to bank account.

Setting to card might have been my mistake, but maybe not, because Manager tells me I’m not the only one to get charged $29.14 — could have been a glitch in the system that sent it to cards.

Manager said one resident stormed into her office highly irate. When Manager gave her the same spiel she tried to give me, "I told her to contact her bank or the third party", it further infuriated the resident. She yelled, screamed, stormed out, according to Manager.

Wish I knew who this Resident is, and I won’t be surprised if others come forward, as Manager said some didn't pay rent.

Did they not pay rent OR did they sign up for Rent Café and are caught in the glitch …… it didn't go through?

That nearly happened to me …… when I checked my account May 2, saw nothing withdrawn May 1 for Rent Café, I went into the portal, manually pushed buttons to make it go through.

There's the possibility others don't yet know, haven't checked their account.

Manager seemed unusually pleased with herself, when she said rent was considered late on the 5th, and some didn't pay. She actually shrugged her shoulders, and had a smurk on her face.

As to yelling, screaming …… you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. I got Manager to solve the problem, and she did it willingly, nicely, after we got past the blame game.

Before leaving Manager’s office, I made one more pitch for return of the Rent Drop Box.

Manager says she was just as surprised as we were when the order came down from Corporate to get rid of the box. Evidently, there’d been a thieving incident at one of the other properties that was "really bad" involving a rent box being broken into to steal cash and someone being hurt.

"There’s no cash in the drop box", said I.

"Criminals don’t know that and besides, they want checks to whitewash, fill in, steal people’s identities. It’s a safety and security issue, for the protection of residents and us (office staff)".

Whatever.

That done, I popped into the Community Room as I’d seen "Mother’s Day Crafts" on the calendar.

Folks were just lining up for pizzas, so learning it would be half an hour before crafts began, I left, came back at the appointed time.

I’d barely sat down when I became aware the Other Wheelchair Lady was going off about someone she "couldn’t stand". I didn’t focus on what or who she was complaining about, but as she went on and on and on and on, it began to amuse me.

I started laughing, looked up from what I was doing, and she said, "I’m talking about you-know-who …… Manager".

So, just as I had experienced a session with Manager showing her good side, here Other Wheelchair Lady is bashing her to high hell.

I thought, Is this the one that yelled at Manager over Rent Café?.

I asked, "Are you pissed off about the Rent Café fee?"

"No", said she. It was something about an event I’d not attended. Manager made the residents line up outside while the room was being prepped. When the door was opened, Manager stood by the door as residents entered and "Didn’t say anything to any of us, no hello, no nothing as we passed by. And then, when she finds out we don’t like her, she starts crying".

Oh well.

Today’s Mother's Day craft was using modge podge to glue tiny little delicate flowers and greenery to glass vases/jars/photo frames.

Made by Greedy Grabby

Made by Hell on Wheels

Made by Jo, New Resident

Made by Me

Made by Talker
used too much glue but will dry clear

While we crafted, Name Dropper popped in to tell her friends in the room that she’s packing, her last day here is coming up.

"You’re moving?" asked I.

She answered in the affirmative.

"Where to …… back to Palm Springs?".

"No, Arizona".

"What’s in Arizona?".

She skillfully changed the subject, didn’t answer.

Hmmmmm?

Name Dropper lasted one year here, and it must have been a hard year, because she looks terrible. Aged considerably.

I’m guessing the loneliness and the drinking.

After returning to my unit, I got online, saw a reader — SoCalFifi, had commented to yesterday’s post …… "According to Mr. Google 'California Civil Code § 1947.3: prohibits landlords from requiring tenants to pay rent only by electronic means.' Maybe corporate needs to be reminded".

Holy Crapola! I took a look at the Code, saw it read "a landlord or a landlord's agent shall allow a tenant to pay rent and deposit of security by at least one form of payment that is neither cash nor electronic funds transfer".

Technically speaking, the fact that the office is still allowing residents to walk their payments into the office, might be considered the one form of payment that is neither cash nor electronic transfer. On the other hand, if the end goal is electronic funds transfer … Rent Café for all — like only electronic at Scary Mary's complex, the code says they can’t do that. They have to give us another option.

I began planning how I could surreptitiously get this information to Manager and Corporate — send copies of the code, making sure to leave no fingerprints, change my handwriting on the envelope, leave no DNA by licking the stamp, drive to a post office out of the area to drop the envelopes off.

But then I thought "screw it" and sent an email to Manager that Corporate will see.

"Thanks for your help this morning with Rent Café. I appreciate that removal of the rent drop box is for reasons of safety and security, but I’m wondering if this falls under a Civil Code which was just brought to my attention …… California Code, Civil Code - CIV § 1947.3, which indicates a landlord or a landlord's agent shall allow a tenant to pay rent and deposit of security by at least one form of payment that is neither cash nor electronic funds transfer. This might be something Corporate might want to look into and reconsider removing drop boxes. Thanks!"

Manager will see it first thing tomorrow morning, then we lay low and wait.

I’ll also make sure others are aware of this code.

Thanks again, SoCalFifi.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

We've had a lot of special days since first of the month — first there was Justin Timberlake Day (It’s gonna be Me/May), then May Day, followed by Star Wars Day (May the 4th) and now Cinco de Mayo.

But Wait … there’s more. Mother’s Day is coming, then Memorial Day.

I made ground turkey tamales week before last, still have a few in the freezer. So, after whipping up a quick Spanish Rice, I’m good to go on a meal appropriate for the day.

Due to driving all over town to pick up a prescription, this past weekend wasn’t much of a time off from the outside world.

Of course it rained on Sunday, the day I had to drive all the way to the Main Medical Center, and driving on the freeway in serious rain was terrifying. I equated it to driving through a giant car wash, even found myself singing a bar or two of that old song about working at the car wash from the movie Car Wash.

Once I arrived safe and sound at the exit, a few street miles from the medical center, I told myself no way was I taking the freeway back. So, after picking up the medication, I set the GPS to give turn-by-turn street directions home.

Of course there just had to be another glitch before I got hands on the medication … the pharmacy didn’t have the order.

After Saturday’s fiasco of driving from one end of town to another, finding pharmacies closed and now this, I began thinking …. is this all a warning? does the Universe not want me to take this medication?

I’d been at a level of discomfort for so long that I didn’t know how I could do without it, but turned out the missing order was not the work of the Universe blocking me. It was that the facility is so large that they have two pharmacies — the order went to the pharmacy in the hospital.

After I gave handsome pharmacy guy the sad tale of my previous day, he took pity on me. Instead of having to find my way to the pharmacy on the hospital side, pharmacy guy cancelled that order, had it processed where I was, and I was out and on my way within 10 minutes.

Taking the streets back, I ran into quite a lot of flashing yellow lights but was calm, patient, respected every one of them.

So, with the medication off my bucket list, I turned my attention to the high service fee, and sent an email to Manager asking that, because of the excessive nature of the fee, she consider reopening the rent drop box, as it’s convenient for us and less disruptive to office staff.

Bright and early this morning, she opened the email, replied having no awareness of the fee, would look into it, but that Corporate had ordered the removal of drop boxes at all of its properties.

The drop box is not coming back.

LATER: So. Manager’s investigation shows it’s something like what Scary Mary said, "If I pay with my credit card on the resident portal the fee is $38.00. But if I pay with my bank account the fee is only $3.89". Turns out the payment went to a credit card, thus the service fee of $29.14.

I did say registering for the online portal was way too complicated. Somehow, it’s connected to the card, instead of the account.

That tells you how complicated the portal is because, when I was in the working world, the secretaries and attorneys would call me to fix their computer problems before they called Tech Support.

I’ve a meeting with Manager tomorrow morning. She’s going to walk me through the process.

She thinks the fee is $3.89.