Happy Halloween

The Holy Tea is now 3 for 3, because not only did 1) the burner go back to normal shortly after the ritual, 2) I regained access to Dawn’s blog after the ritual but this afternoon, 3) the clock’s timer on the cellphone emitted the normal sound when cook time ran out.

I’d anticipated that, since the timer was the last to go, it would take a few more days before it recovered from damage done by that angry tree spirit, and so it became.

Today’s Halloween bingo wasn’t as boring as I’d anticipated.

Instead of calling out numbers, the caller called out characters, and we only played three bingo games, rather than the ten they usually call.

I won the first game.

As you can see, instead of chips we covered the called-out characters with little pumpkin faces.

Prizes were not set out on a table for us to choose from. Instead, a mystery bag was walked over to us.

Inside my bag were Halloween socks, which I plan to wear all year round.

Not a lot of costumes, but the ones that came dressed for the occasion were fun to see.

I did not wear my full skeleton outfit. It was too hot to wear the skeleton top, so I wore just my old leggings, my skeleton workout gloves and green lipstick.

Crafty Lady was of course present, and she read as …… salty.

I made a point to not be rude and ignore her. Instead, I walked over and, just to say something, came up with "You’re not in costume".

"No".

"Why not?"

"I don’t celebrate Halloween".

"Are you Jehovah Witness?" (cause I know they don’t celebrate Halloween).

"No. I just don’t like all the devil stuff".

"I love it".

"I know you do".

How can she tell …… what gave me away, LOL.

At any rate, that was the only time I noticed her during the event. After that, I was busy taking pics, no idea what she was doing, but it seems that when I ghosted her, did not come down to the Community Room to pick up whatever it was she’d made for me, that did the trick …… she finally got the message and now is giving me polite but salty about it.

Works for me.

When the party was in full swing, Kesha showed up …… and this wasn’t even her day to work.

She passed out little packets of candy, went table to table taking down names of attendees (about 30), so she can claim credit for the event, even though she had nothing to do with it ……… other than show up, give us little packets of candy.

I got three hugs …… one from Ernie when he first walked in, another one from Ernie after he left, came back, greeted me again; and lastly, a hug from the Clown, after which we took a photo together.

Her clown shoes were killing me, ROFLMAO.

I've never before introduced Ernie to the blog, never gave him a blog name, never considered him important.

He's just a normal dog walking guy, friendly to everyone, greets me with "Hey, beautiful", and hugs everybody with no hidden agenda.

I don’t know what got into Dream Lover when, at one point, he invited me to sit on his lap.

I pretended I didn’t understand and walked away.

4 years, 4 months, 3,391 Hours Later

Not yet tired of carrot soup for dinner, I had my third batch cooking in the crockpot yesterday afternoon when the power went out.

We’re having way too many power outages lately, and all the power company can tell us is "analyzing problem".

Luckily, it was only out from 6:00 to 8:30, instead of all night, but the timing of the outage was inconvenient as not only did I have to give up the idea of soup for dinner, switch to kale salad, but I was also in the middle of putting the last few stitches in that never ending needlepoint project when the craft lamp went out.

Retrieving the portable power station from patio storage, I was able to hook up the craft light, get sufficient light to finish.

4 years, 4 months, 3,391 Hours Later.

All that’s left to do is to wash the piece, iron, frame, post the great reveal in a few days.

Tomorrow is Halloween Bingo. When asked if I was attending by Painted Rock Lady, I did say yes but, as time has gone on, I’ve retreated further and further from the Usual Suspects, not so sure I wanted to go back to mingling.

Delivering November flyers to The Baker the other day, she asked, "You’re coming Friday, aren’t you?" So, I guess I’m going.

Billed as bingo, with a Halloween twist, it might turn out not to be as boring as I imagine.

I’ll be in costume, not wearing my "Look but don’t touch" tee, so hopefully Crafty Lady won’t give me any grief by trying to hug me ……… Cause me to create a scene by rudely backing away should it look like she's coming in for a hug or request a hug, like she did last time.

Wish me luck.

Show Me

I’m not from Missouri, the show me State, but I don’t take things at face value, I dig deep and have to prove to myself.

Thus it was that when, in early October, I’d posted the neighborhood Starbucks was up/running but, due to the cost of a Venti ($4.75 plus $1 tip and quarter change/$6.00), it would be a rare treat, a reader led me to a site that demonstrated a $3.95 plus $1 tip/$5.00 Tall was the same amount of coffee as the more expensive Venti.

My next trip to Starbucks was on the 22nd, where I purchased a Tall and kept the cup.

Then, yesterday, I purchased a Venti and, using water, ran an experiment to see if the Tall was indeed the same as a Venti.

Tall comes up short in filling a Venti cup.

I don’t know how the guy on that site managed to trick my eyes into seeing otherwise but just goes to show, like they say … one can’t believe everything they see on the internet, not even if we see with our own eyes. Have to prove it for oneself.

Like any good scientist, I had to verify the initial findings, so I poured a Venti into my coffee cup.

Actually, filled to the brim with a tiny bit left in the Venti cup.

Next, I poured a Tall, which the guy demonstrated was the same as a Venti into my coffee cup.

Nope. Not happening.

I’ll stick to the occasional $6 cup.

I also thought my eyes were deceiving me when, headed for the dumpster two afternoons ago, I saw something strange poking out from behind the dumpster wall ……

A Nazi car?

Nope ……… Can’t be ……… Not in my backyard.

Oh, but it was.

Word got around pretty quick, and it was tracked to a visitor.

The driver was visiting the neighbor that moved into the vacant unit upstairs across from Lu’s unit.

A little history on that unit: The previous resident was Laura, one of Dream Lover’s old girlfriends, known on the blog as Boebert because she talked during bingo, couldn’t be quiet …… not unlike Lauren Boebert at the Beetlejuice show.

The unit is one building over from me, upstairs across the quad from Lu.

Now that Lu is with Dream Lover, I imagine she was previously jealous … glancing up, seeing Dream Lover climbing the stairs to Boebert.

But at least Dream Lover waited until Boebert moved out (due to cigarette smoke continuing to seep into her unit from those violating the no smoking rule) before he hooked up with Lu, otherwise Boebert would now be looking down, seeing Dream Lover going in/out of Lu’s unit.

As far as I know, I’ve not seen the person that moved into Boebert’s old unit, don't know anything about him or her or them, but I’ll have to snoop around, fix that and, hopefully, one day catch a glimpse of the driver of the Nazi car.

Speaking of history on units ……… remember the guy that moved into the cursed unit — upstairs across the quad from me ……… "Cursed" because bad things happened to everyone who has lived in that unit since I moved in 2012.

Nice guy in the unit now, friendly to me, but not sociable around here (let’s call him The Geek, because he’s kinda dorky) has managed to break the curse, is going strong, will outlast and outlive yours truly.

Proof is in the Pudding

"Has the tea worked" asked Catalyst in a comment.

All I can say is, when I woke up yesterday, took care of morning activities of daily living, got online, began reading blogs, when I got to Dawn’s Bohemian Valhalla blog …… that I haven’t been able to access since shortly after the trees were cut down and I began dealing with that annoyed spirit, even though locked out, I always clicked to try anyway ONLY this time I clicked AND …… I was in.

That’s one.

Then, when I got around to making breakfast, forgetting the front right burner hasn't worked since shortly after the trees were cut down, out of habit I turned the nob, as I have a couple times ONLY this time …… I got fire.

That’s two.

Thinking the clock's timer on the cellphone might have rightened itself, I tested the timer but no. Still not working. BUT it was the last to have been affected, so maybe takes a few more days for the sound to come back.

At any rate, I'd say the tea has once again proved its efficacy and …………

Painted Rock Lady telephoned yesterday afternoon to warn I was in danger of a lease violation because Cujo was not on a leash, LOL.

"But he’s in a cage" I joked (meaning inside the patio rails).

"Doesn’t matter. Management said all dogs outside have to be on a leash", said she.

So, I quick fast resolved the issue, and sent her a pic.

She must have still been in the area, because I could hear her laughing.

She also said that management has advised all dog owners that no one else can walk their dog …… no neighbor, no visiting relative, only the dog’s actual owner.

So, I guess Skelly is the only one that can walk Cujo.

Stupid management. Stupid rules riling up the dog owners.

I can understand why management would want dogs leashed, but who cares if someone is ill, can’t walk their dog and a neighbor or family member volunteers to do so, as I've often seen.

What’s the harm in that?

I couldn’t get that skeleton planter off my mind. It kept calling my name. So, I made a quick trip back to the market.

Bow Wow Wow Yippie Yo Yippie Ye

Skelly got a dog over the weekend … a Golden Retriever.

Meet Cujo.

I’m currently having a real fixation with skeletons, wish I had more and almost added a skeleton planter, I saw at the market, to my menagerie.

It’s a planter I can leave on the patio all year round but, since the sun kills every plant I try to raise on the patio, I couldn’t justify the purchase.

Also inside the market, I spied a clever way to "carve" a pumpkin … I ininitially thought it was a mask glued on, which would have been a great idea, but painting does just as well as carving.

Leaving the market, I spotted a Rubicon tricked out with a Halloween display, driving in. Of course I turned around, took a few pics as the occupants walked away.

I'll be sad to see the month of Halloween end, because seeing seasonal decorations is so fun.

In other news — knock on wood, I think the angry tree spirit, with a little kick from an old remedy, has left the unit.

I got serious about speeding its exit when the timer on the cellphone failed — another act of electronic vandalism. The timer would tick off the minutes I'd set for cook time but, when the time was up, it emitted no sound/no signal to let me know time had run out, after which an old remedy came to mind.

Back in the day (around 2005), when I was up against the Klan at that racist agency (CEO Klansman, various Klan Department Heads, their Klan secretaries), I’d get to the office early, before the racist arrived, walk around and into various offices with a ying yang mug of Gadatsu Holy Tea, speaking out loud, "Evil spirits, chew on this" as a way to draw their dark energy out of the atmosphere in which I was working, because that’s what Holy Tea does. It’s used in rituals to bring peace and salvation to unrested spirits, effective in purifying negative energy.

One morning, as I was working the ritual, I failed to notice my boss was in her office, saw me, yelled out, "Shirley, what are you doing?"

"Getting rid of evil spirits", said I.

She was cool, knew I was different, liked me, sometimes helped me by giving intel on what the Klan was planning. So, she just accepted what I was doing, like it was normal, went back to whatever it was she was doing. LOL.

I only had to do the ritual a couple times before I felt a shift in the energy … the Klansmen, Klan girls not so sure of themselves, more leery of me because I didn’t seem to react with the fear they’d expected. Instead, I was always smiling, walking around looking smug, like I knew something they didn’t.

I did.

End the end, the racists could never get me or get to me and, eventually, all the bad energy they directed at me bounced off my wall of protection and hit ‘em. The racist CEO resigned ahead of an indictment for financial fraud, the various racist Department Heads, like rats jumping a sinking ship, fled to other jobs. One committed suicide, and those remaining — because they couldn’t find other jobs, went on the downlow with their racism, were no longer a problem for me.

So, anyway, when the timer on the cellphone went out, I decided to get serious about sending the tree being on its way, thought back to the Holy Tea, which has been with me, in the cupboard all these years.

I’ve never had to use it since those days with the racists, but it doesn’t hurt to have such a powerful antidote to unruly forces on hand, so I’ve kept it all these years … when I moved to Long Beach to help Great Granddaughter out, when I moved back to where I am now, the tea was always with me.

On Friday, I performed the ritual, sent the tree being — knock on wood, packing.

In even more news, it appears Lu and Dream Lover are back on; as daily, since trucks arrived, carted Lu’s hoarding stuff away, I’ve observed him heading for her unit and, looking at posts on Facebook, Dream Lover has been gifting Lu with some of his Crafts Day artwork.

That’s all she needs … more stuff.

At any rate, Happy Monday, the game continues.

Spooky

In addition to a lightbulb, three different chargers, and the emersion blender failing in a few short days, one of the burners on the stove went out and, in the middle of watching a Chinese drama last night, a notification popped up on the laptop "Trend Micro no longer supports this software".

I’m beginning to think this place is cursed, that cutting down the trees released an electronics hating, kitchen appliance hating demon.

Why it's chosen my unit to vent it's displeasure, is anyone's guess.

Burner on the stove is no biggie as I’ve three other burners, except it is my favorite burner, the one predominately in use — right front.

Is that weird that I have a favorite burner, or is it common … all of you have favorite burners as well?

I’ve yet to hear from management about that $15 lightbulb, so I’ll hold off on putting in a work order for the burner until after that issue is resolved.

The laptop is a different situation. Still operable, but without cybersecurity software, I’d be vulnerable to data theft, so I quick made an appointment with Tech Support for this morning.

Having purchased the laptop in 2018, maybe even before that, I figured it couldn’t be upgraded to Windows 11 to recapture the cybersecurity program, so I was prepared to purchase a replacement.

Luckily, Tech Guy Dan was able to download a different version of the security program which, he believes, will allow secure use of the laptop. Secure, at least long enough to wait for a big sale he says will be coming up on laptops.

While in the store, I checked prices and was surprised to see how reasonably priced computer equipment is.

I was expecting two dolls donnie’s tariffs would cause prices to go sky high. Instead, if and when I have to upgrade to Windows 11 to get the cybersecurity program, the laptop will cost a couple hundred dollars less than I paid back in 2018.

Go figure.

The drive cam caught a funny thing on the freeway as I travelled to the computer store.

So far so good on not receiving text messages from Crafty Lady, and no Kesha knock on the door.

Carrot Soup for Days

Happy Monday. Let the games begin.

If you look closely, you’ll see that Skelly has acquired the beginnings of a real legit spider web.

At this point, it’s just one thin string, but Skelly and I will take it … so long as it’s outside, not inside my unit.

No news from the office yet over payment for the $15 lightbulb, but it’s early in the game. If they’re efficient, I should hear from them sometime this week.

The lightbulb wasn’t the only thing that had to be replaced because, over the weekend my wall charger, portable charger and charging station all failed, had to be replaced.

Today, I had a craving for, of all things, carrot soup.

I remember many years ago, I was eating such a volume of carrots — raw, juiced, roasted, that my skin actually took on a jaundiced coloration, which turned me off of carrots for a while.

I didn’t stop eating carrots, just lowered my intake — no roasting, no juicing.

It wasn’t until today, when I tossed carrots into the crockpot to make carrot soup that I realized the carrot cravings are back because, last few days, I’ve also been eating quite a lot of raw and roasted carrots.

So long as I don’t juice it, maybe my skin won’t turn yellow this time.

It was after 30 minutes in the crockpot, when the carrots were ready for the emulsion blender, that I turned the blender on and …… nothing.

It was dead.

That’s a lightbulb, three different chargers, and now a kitchen appliance to fail in a few short days.

I had to switch to the countertop blender, which worked just as well.

Carrot Soup for Days

I even made a little loaf of gluten free Artisian Bread, from a boxed mix, to go along with the soup.

So long as the countertop blender keeps ticking, I see no need to replace the emersion one.

After telling Crafty Lady that I’d check into the Community Room this morning, pick up whatever it is she made for me, and then not showing up — as I’d planned all along, I’m beginning to feel a little guilty for ghosting her.

Hopefully, the message is beginning to sink in, she’ll swallow any hurt feelings being ghosted might have caused and, like Corporal Stitch in Heartbreak Ridge said, she’ll not "Go away mad. Just go away".

Tomorrow is No Pizza Tuesday, and I’ve decided not to close the blinds, hide from Kesha.

If she follows that plan to knock on doors and my door gets knocked on, I’ll let her in, tell her don’t take it personal but she and management have given me no reason to come to the Community Room.

She needs to hear it plainly said that, like Scary Mary commented "If they want people to come back to the community center for get togethers they're going to have to work for it".

Blood and Bandaging

It was around September of last year when management announced repairs were "costing the company too much". That in the future, us residents would be charged for repairs to our units ……… holes in the wall, the garbage disposal breaks down, the toilet refuses to flush, a lightbulb goes out, our responsibility now.

Excuse me, but I thought repairs, unless the result of a resident’s damage, is the cost management pays for owning/managing; but oh well ……… things are different around here.

It was late Thursday when the dome light over the bathroom sink went out.

I put in a maintenance request and Assistant Maintenance Guy showed up the next day.

Holding a box in hand, that I thought was rather large for a lightbulb, he said, "You know this will cost you $15".

Yes, I knew management announced we'd be charged for lightbulbs. I did not know it would cost $15; but I’d already considered the cost of falling/hurting myself, had I tried to climb up on the counter, replace the lightbulb myself, so I told him to go ahead with the work.

"Take a check down to the office when you get a chance said he", as he walked into the bathroom to replace the bulb.

I was surprised to see it wasn’t a regular lightbulb, but some kind of circular lighting thingie that he attached to the electric cords inside the dome.

No way could I have made the replacement myself. I don’t think any of us could have done the work, or if it was even safe for us to try.

I'm now thinking some, when the dome light goes out, probably just do without rather than pay $15.

So, anyway, the plan was to walk a check down to the office on Monday, with a notation on the check that I was paying for the light thingie, which meant that if I ever moved, the light was coming with me because I paid for it. But then I thought to investigate if it is even legal for management to charge us for repairs that fall under normal wear/tear.

Google tells me, "A property management company generally cannot charge residents for routine repairs in California because landlords are legally responsible for maintaining a safe and habitable property. However, residents can be charged for damage they or their guests caused. Some management companies may charge a separate fee for coordinating repairs, which should be clearly outlined in the lease".

Nothing about being responsible for lightbulbs, garbage disposal, toilet is in the lease I signed back in 2012. Maybe they revised the lease, but I’ve never signed a revised lease.

The plan now is to wait and see.

If the office calls about payment, or sends a bill, I’ll say I’ve discovered it’s illegal to charge for normal wear/tear.

If they say it’s in the lease, I’ll walk my lease down and say "Show me where it says that".

It’s only $15, but since they don't spend money on events for us, there should be plenty of money in the coffers to shoulder the cost of necessary repairs to their own property.

In other news …… If you will recall, I wasn’t totally happy with the pouch I came up with to hold the newly acquired medical device, reworked the pouch into a 60’s/70’s style tribal medicine bag.

Pouch

Medicine Bag

The plan was to make two more — one from faux leather, one from denim.

Today, I finally got around to making those bags.

Wasn’t easy, as I was trying out different methods and designs as I went along; and there was a lot of Ouch, Ouch, Ouch as the pins somehow kept finding my fingers, treated me like a voodoo doll. At one point, there was even blood and bandaging.

Took all day, but I’m pleased with results.

People Who Need People

End of another week here in La La Land.

I had to make a run by the bank yesterday, where I got a new riddle for you.

"Why don't mummies take time off?"

I'll wait for your guess but, in the interim, Craft Wednesday didn’t happen but, shortly after the time Crafts was scheduled to begin, a group text message went out from Crafty Lady …… "I’m in the clubhouse if anyone wants to come join me, even if it’s just to talk".

All of a sudden, I could hear Barbara Streisand in my head singing People Who Need People.

Along with everything else I’ve deduced about Crafty Lady is that she's reading as one of those …… a people who needs people.

She’s gotten very close to some of the Usual Suspects in the short time she’s lived here.

According to an October 9th post on Facebook, Crafty Lady got together with Talker, Talker’s sister, three others, went out for lunch at Fire Wings.

I’ve seen this scenario happen here before, where there’s all this neighborly involvement quick fast because people seem to NEED people.

Remember Red Light?

She too came in like gangbusters, got very involved in the community.

She, Talker, Talker’s sister and others often met up for lunch, went to Senior Expos, Church Fairs and other events together.

Red Light tried to rope me into that let’s all get cozy and too familiar with each other, but I’d declined turning neighbors into besties.

In fact, when I saw online that the Golden Futures Senior Exhibit was coming to town, I signed up, got my ticket early on.

THEN, Red Light somehow got wind of the exhibit, got a group together, invited me to attend with them. Of course, since I declined, I didn't dare use my ticket, chance the risk of running into one of them, which I surely would have.

Some people just enjoy doing things alone, and being left alone.

There's that old Rudyard Kipling saying from his poem "The Winners" …… "He travels the fastest who travels alone," but those ladies would not have been able to understand that.

Since my teen years, I've often been labled as "stuck up", got bullied for it even, just because I'm quiet, enjoy my own company more than being in the company of others.

So, anyway, as for this current togetherness, think back on how all that previous togetherness with Red Light ended …… hateful text messages, threats, hurt feelings.

Familiarity breeds.

Though a beautiful song, I could never buy that people who needed people were lucky. Seemed more like people who needed people were codependent, not comfortable being alone with their own thoughts, alone with their own selves.

I don’t know that, after the text message, anyone went down to the Community Room, but I do know no one responded to the text.

Time will tell how this saga ends but for now, even though Crafts seems to be dying, I got included in a text message that indicated the Usual Suspects are already gearing up for a Thanksgiving event.

Can we get through Halloween first?

As for "Why don't mummies take time off?"

My guess was because they're all wrapped up in their work.

The teller said, "Oh that's a good one, but the answer is "Because they're afraid to unwind".

BREAKING NEWS. Just as I was finishing up this post, I got a text message from Crafty Lady …… "Good morning beautiful, just checking on you, making sure you're alright. I made something for you. When you're free let me know so I can get it to you."

Instantly, Anne Marie popped up in my head with an exasperated "JESUS F__KING CHRIST!!!".

Why is it so hard for her to leave me alone?

I'm not the least bit interested in what she's gone through the trouble to make for me, but replied that I would check into the Community Room either Monday or Tuesday.

That was a lie.

I'm feeling very annoyed and have no plans to check in with the seniors until the Halloween event.

I don't want to be cruel, hurt her feelings, but when I don't show up on Monday or Tuesday, do you think she'll finally get the message?

Playing Possum

Today was cold windy wet rainy.

Skelly is getting a nice bath.

Not much chance of Kesha walking around knocking on doors in this kind of weather; but, just in case, I closed the blinds at 10:30, lowered the volume on the TV and played no one home until noon — when Kesha should have been long gone, headed to the next complex on her schedule.

Shortly after noon, a group text message went out from the Baker.

Evidently, she braved the weather, went to the Community Room — where she said she’d never set foot in again on a Tuesday.

Oh, well.

She tells us it was just she and Kesha, with Kesha asking "What’s wrong" … like why is no one coming down on Tuesdays.

She said she told Kesha it was "About that problem with the refrigerator. We talked for about a half hour and I think we worked all of it out".

Well bully for her, but I don’t see their reconciliation making a whole lot of difference.

With no Pizza Tuesday and no Activities, because money is not being provided for Kesha to do anything, what’s the point of getting together in the Community Room?

And speaking of Activities, after bringing up the lateness of the Activity Calendar in that management/residents meeting, the result was not a timely Activity Calendar for this month. Instead, we received no Activity Calendar at all.

If by some miracle, the reconciliation does draw others back to the Community Room on Tuesdays, they can count me out unless and until management, and Kesha, come up with a reason for me to take time out of my day to go down there.

I once visited a senior complex where the residents gathered in groves to meet and greet in the mornings, because every morning management provided coffee and donuts.

We actually had that kind of joyous atmosphere here when I first moved in … but then Corporate bought the place and communal joy went out the window.

Yesterday was Crafts Monday. Since no one sent photos for me to upload onto the Residents FB page, I’m guessing they didn’t do crafts.

Did it die off already?

I’ll know tomorrow, because tomorrow is Crafts Wednesday. If I get nothing to post tomorrow, it will be a fair guess that the few that attended lost interest.

Twice a week to me seemed a little much to begin with in the first place — a huge commitment for Crafty Lady and for the Usual Suspects to attend in support of Crafty Lady.

While watching an English Subtitles Chinese Drama the other day, about the usual scumbag guy that sets himself up for very bad karma, the funniest thing popped up.

How do you like that, Linda in Kansas. There’s no escaping mention of Taylor, but at least Travis wasn't included in the script.

Bare as a Baby’s Bottom

That would describe the grassy knoll after tree trimmers had at it during the week.

Before

After

Curious to see what other changes had been made to the landscape, I ventured out yesterday for a walkabout.

So far as I could tell, other trees had been trimmed, but our grassy knoll is the only area that has been decimated.

Turning the first corner on my walk, I spotted Painted Rock Lady standing outside her unit watching the tree trimmers operate the wood chopper.

We considered who we might like to toss into the chopper, after which she asked, "You coming to our Halloween party?".

"Is it a party? … the flyer indicated bingo.”

"Well, we are playing some bingo, but there will be other games, costumes".

So, it looks like Halloween won’t be a complete bust after all, but why didn’t the Baker have me indicate on the flyer that it wasn’t just bingo, but a party?

I’d specifically asked her that?

I’d even let her look at the boring bingo flyer just to make sure she didn’t want me to jazz it up by adding games, costumes, snacks, but she was happy with a plain vanilla flyer.

Oh well. It’s a good thing I’ve gotten this clarification, otherwise I very well might have continued my sabbatical, not checked in on the 31st.

Also, while on that walk, a neighbor mistook me for Tech Support.

This would be a neighbor I’ve seen at various events for years, but never bothered to know his name or interact with?

I do recall he was seated adjacent to me at the July 4th BBQ and that inasmuch as he’s somewhat disabled, as though he’d had a stroke at one time, couldn’t work his hands to twist the cap off his water bottle, had motioned for me to help him (motioned because he doesn’t speak), which I of course did open the bottle for him, later bussed his dishes as he has difficulty walking.

So, anyway, he stopped me on my walk, motioned that something was wrong with his telephone, placed it in my hand to take a look.

I couldn’t make heads or tails of the problem, other than the glass was cracked as though he’d dropped it at one time and the screen was locked on hello, being flashed over and over and over in various languages.

My guess was he’d downloaded a virus, so I told him it was best to take it to the shop.

He understood, so I continued the walk which logged in as a mile in 24 minutes. Not too shabby, but not good enough for a 5K. I fear my 5K days are over.

On that walk, I did see two other residents had "decorated" for Halloween.

Bless their hearts, but I guess something is better than nothing.