Raindrops Falling on My Head

Is it too soon to declare the drought in California as over?

Asking for a friend, because I woke up middle of the night to the sound of rain drops hitting the roof.

It’s been steady raining since, so maybe the occasional rain we’re beginning to get, after such a long dry spell, signals the end of the drought.

So glad I wasn’t lazy and got the Halloween decorations back in storage before rain I did not expect created a wet sloppy mess, but I wish I’d not been too lazy to retrieve my umbrella(s) from the trunk of the car.

I’ve got three of them and somehow all three ended up in the trunk of the car, making it difficult to get to the car for this morning's workout in a dry state.

Oh well.

This month’s activity calendar was posted to our door late yesterday afternoon. Too late to see a craft session was on the calendar that day … "Thanksgiving inspired craft, 3:00 – 4:00".

The Baker texted earlier that morning to say she’d been in contact with Activity Director and was told there was to be a craft session.

So, though I didn’t get the calendar in time to decide if I wanted to participate, I did have advance notice. Which advance notice I decided to ignore, get busy doing nothing, so I could say I got busy and forgot because Activity Director’s crafts are generally cheap little Dollar Store things that I end up tossing after creating. Not worth the time or energy.

Also on the calendar is a Thankful Celebration on the 15th hosted by management.

Management is beginning to scare me with this having no concern for entertaining us for years and years and years, now all of a sudden there’s a Luau, then a Pumpkin Painting/Costume event, and now "Come to the Community Room to celebrate Thanksgiving with a slice of pie and some hot apple cider".

They raised the rent after the first event, were pushing the Hospice they’re partnering with at the last event, so maybe this time it’ll be a Funeral Home, as I can’t believe management will ever do anything without some kind of ulterior motive.

Stay tuned.

Feeling exhausted and stressed last week and a half, I’d been going to bed very early, missed a lot of my regular TV shows but had the recorder going.

Catching up last night, watching the latest and last Halloween Cookie Competition, I saw something I couldn’t believe the competitor did, being as how we’re still somewhat in a pandemic. Not to mention, it was a nasty thing to do even before it became dangerous.

Did you see what she did?

Did you catch what I think is unsafe to do in the atmosphere we now live.

If you didn’t catch it ...... to help the icing dry just a little faster, she blew on the cookie.

The two judges later picked that cookie from her display, split it and both judges ate a piece.

They must have enjoyed the taste of the competitor’s DNA because she won.

My gut being so sensitive that I can only eat what I cook is a pain to deal with, but it’s things like this that make me see my condition as more a blessing than a curse.

Mildred’s Day 24 challenge is "A song by a band you wish were still together".

The Doobie Brothers, hands down, because I loved the soulful sound of Michael McDonald’s voice, not to mention he was devastatingly handsome.

Michael went on to have a successful solo career and became ever more drop dead handsome with age.

She WAS Ready

Fourth of July weekend and nothing happening around here.

Nothing happened on Thursday either.

After all the preparation I did for that day’s water shutoff — to repair “two broken main lines”, the water was never turned off.

I don’t think the plumbers ever showed up because, with the point of the break being just around the other side of my building, where I would have heard sounds or felt the vibration of motorized tools, I never heard any sounds to indicate plumbing equipment, nor did I feel said vibrations.

Outside only once that day, just long enough to take out the trash, check the mailbox, I never saw any of the maintenance guys OR a plumber’s truck and, whenever I was in the kitchen — which was a lot because I had the munchies, I’d check to see if water was still on.

It was.

Then, of course, there’s the thing that when water is shut off, there’s a sputtering when water is eventually turned back on.

There was no sputtering at any time during the day to indicate water had been off, even for a short time, that I might have missed.

So, who knows what screw up management has wroth upon us this time, but the good news is I had plenty of cold filtered water to quench my thirst that day and the next, plus I didn’t have to cook.

Upon returning from the Pain Cave yesterday, I made a point to take the long way around, in order to walk by the area where I’d previously seen water leaking from the broken main lines.

Though it’s difficult to discern in the photo, the dark shadow is wet with running water leaking up from the concrete.

Too bad that water can’t be diverted to the grassy knoll, and other areas that could use it. The drought is having a severe effect on grass around here — everything is turning brown.

At any rate, management doesn’t seem to be worried about the situation because, attached to our doors yesterday, instead of a notice indicating why water was not turned off and when it will be, was the monthly calendar indicating management is off on a three-day weekend.

I swear, if it wasn’t for the cheap rent, the Pain Cave and everything else I need so close by, also the perfect placement of my unit to see pretty much everything and everyone, I’d blow this joint.

On another note, there’s been a complete reversal on my decision to live with that ghost in the machine — the ghost that causes the microwave to operate in the off position when the door is opened.

Even if it is just a problem with the sensor in the door, inasmuch as the issue has elevated to ongoing —spreading gama rays all over me when I open the door to put the coffee cup inside, and then again when I open the door to remove the coffee cup, I’ve decided that was way more radiation coming at me than I was comfortable with.

I unplugged the machine and, deciding it an opportunity to get more counter space, I did my research and have ordered a compact microwave.

The one I’ve ordered is kinda weird looking — more like a TV than a microwave, but had great reviews, doesn’t take up much space and weighs only 5 pounds, with still plenty of room inside for my needs.

It doesn’t arrive for pickup until the end of August, which means I’m now warming up coffee on the stove, in my old stainless-steel pot, rather than nuking.

As for why such a long waiting period ….. I’m guessing they either have to build it or it’s an import or both.

Either way, I’m crossing my fingers it lives up to the hype and doesn’t leak radiation.

So, with nothing fun or interesting going on, if anyone is looking for me, I’ll be right here — all weekend long, inside, catching up on recorded television programs, and working on the needlepoint canvas I began in February.

Have a Safe and Sane Holiday.

No Spigot for You

The October Activity Calendar was posted to our doors yesterday, containing 30 days of blank spaces. The only activity is a Halloween Costume Pizza Party on the 20^th.

After that last disastrous event, where only five residents attended, I can’t even pretend to care. So I dunno.

There’s also the fact I don’t eat cheese … can’t eat cheese … even the smell makes me nauseous.

I could hold my breath, so as to not smell the aroma of cheese in the room, and bring a salad OR I could drive to the Colonies Crossroads Center in Upland where there’s a parlor which -- when I get a taste for pepperoni pizza, makes a cheese less pie that is to die for.

My interest in attending depends upon how many residents sign up for the event.

We do have a lot of new residents. They’ve not yet had time to become jaded, so they might turn out. I myself am looking forward to the Halloween potluck breakfast hosted by the residents themselves. THAT was not on the calendar, so I’m assuming the Activity Director wanted nothing to do with our event and those hosting will be going rogue.

Along with the calendar posted to our doors, was a notice:

“Due to the drought, we will be eliminating
the water spigot in the patios.
Please remove your hoses.”

How insulting.

Only the downstairs units have water spigots on their patios and very few residents appear to be plant people. So the fact management doesn’t trust those few seniors to honor the drought, not excessively water plants on their patios, and actually are removing the spigots is beyond insulting. It’s treating the seniors like children.

The Community Room is available to residents only during staff office hours -- Monday through Friday, 9:00 to 5:00.

There was an incident two weeks ago when I went down and found the office and Community Room locked up tighter than a drum, with a notice posted on the door that office and Community Room hours would be 1:00 to 4:00 until further notice.

We were back to regular hours the very next day.

Why?

There was a flurry of furious phone call by residents to Corporate and various agencies.

I imagine phones are once again ringing about this impending ridiculousness.

There are workarounds, like watering cans -- unless management outlaws them as well; and there’s the option of doing what I use to do when into plants, I’d put them in the tub and give them a shower. So, management removing the spigots and cementing the hole will avail nothing, except piss the seniors off even more than they already are.