Fancy Plants and Funny Money

I’d heard that, due to complaints from residents about and management’s dissatisfaction with the Landscaping Company, that as soon as the contract was up, the company would be replaced.

I think that has happened, and management has contracted with Edward Scissorhands because, when I headed out to the market yesterday, I saw plants and hedges had been somewhat artistically clipped and sculpted into a design.

It’s giving minimalistic, but kinda cute.

At the market, I really liked that they are now offering … "Do you want change (coins from the purchase) back or to donate" to schools.

I opt to donate because coins are so inconvenient …. I never know what to do with them except separate and store because they’re too heavy to carry around.

Though pennies have mostly been discontinued, the occasional I still get go into an old 5-gallon glass water jug that I’ve managed to hold onto for 25/30 years, quarters go into various mason jars, dimes and nickels go into cowboy boot planters.

A few days ago, when I was removing coins from my fanny pack ... coins that I somehow accumulated from places that did not offer the option to donate, I found an Indian Head Buffalo Nickel.

I can’t decipher a date or any markings that would indicate the coin is valuable, but it’s rare/valuable to me and was added to a pocket in the back of my Franklin Covey planner, where I keep funny money.

I don’t even know what half of these are, but I do know some are foreign, two are Susan B. Anthony dollars and the dollar bill looks like loot from the bank that got dye pack bombed in the getaway, was later washed and somehow passed on to me at Home Depot.

I once had a Kennedy Half Dollar, but it was stolen by contract workers management had sent in for repairs, when I lived in a loft building in Long Beach.

I know it was one of the two workers that stole the coin because one of the guys had spotted it, asked if I wanted to sell it. I'd said no, that I was saving it and heard his coworker say, "You should have just taken it".

He did just take it because, after the workers left, the Kennedy coin had mysteriously disappeared.

I hope the bad karma he created for himself was worth it.

Who Does That? and I Am So Shocked

This week started out with a knock on the door, 10 AM Monday morning, just as I stepped out of the shower.

Wrapping the towel around myself, I peeked through the kitchen window, saw it was again Head Maintenance Guy.

After catching me last week in a state of undress, I couldn’t believe his timing to catch me again.

Upon opening the door just a crack to, once again, hide my state of undress, I uttered, "OH NO!" (like What Now?).

"Oh Yes", said he. "When I saw I had to bother you again, I went dammit, but they want me to retake the photos of the water heater".

Telling him I’d just gotten out of the shower, he said he’d come back, which he did about 30 minutes later.

On the off chance this might happen again, to ease his feeling bad about "bothering" me, and so I won’t have to worry about being caught unawares again, when he returned, I told him that the magic time is 11 AM, that I’m usually dressed and ready for the world around 11 AM.

Fortunately, there were no interruptions this morning. I was able to breakfast and dress at leisure, before heading out to run errands.

It was after 11 AM when I headed out, Kesha usually arrives at 11, so I picked up mail in the mailroom, so I could detour through the Community Room to see if Kesha had been dismissed or showed up today.

Thus far, she still has a job but for how long because, without pizzas to draw residents to the Community Room, the place was dead — there was only Kesha and Upstairs Lady — the resident that pushed my Witch Button, at the 4th of July event, and remains someone I won’t engage with.

We’ll see what the room looks like next Tuesday.

Returning to the complex, after running errands, I found in the mail I’d picked up an envelope from a company I’d never heard of, indicating the contents was a survey of some sort. My first reaction was to run it through the shredder. However, curiosity got the best of me, so I opened and found $2 cash money.

Who does that?

Who sends money through the mail as a bribe to complete a survey and, inasmuch as the envelope was addressed to the "resident" at my address, how many others in the complex received money in the mail and, of those receiving, how many immediately tossed in the mailroom’s junk mail container, rather than check the contents?

I might have done that myself — tossed in the trash, except I prefer shredding anything with my name or address on it.

At any rate, suspicious human that I am, thinking the money might be counterfeit, I researched the sender.

Turns out the sender is an independent nonprofit "created by Congress to establish philanthropic and private-sector partnerships to improve the public’s health and safety. Clean air, safe water and access to nutritious food, among other priorities, are essential to keeping people healthy and safe and ensuring our economy remains strong and stable".

They "conduct various national surveys to study public health trends, behaviors, and outcomes" and, "To encourage participation in these lengthy surveys, the foundation may mail small amounts of cash (e.g., $2 or $5) to potential respondents".

"You are typically allowed to keep the cash even if you choose not to participate in the survey".

Since I’m under no obligation, I’ll skip the survey, keep the cash, add the dollars to the money box I’ll be making for this year’s Christmas Party’s White Elephant Gift.

I’d really be interested to know who else around here received cash in the mail, but with Pizza Tuesdays now dead in the water, where us residents get an opportunity to get together and chat, it’s not likely I’ll see any of the Usual Suspects for a long long time.

Besides, even though the source of the cash looks legit, one never knows if the survey is for sure not scammers, attempting to gain sensitive information.

Better safe than sorry

Just as I was wrapping up today's post, I decided to go back to the mailroom, check the junk mail container for envelopes tossed by other residents — more dollars for the money box. There were none, but I’d also stopped by the car to retrieve something I’d left inside.

Seeing a resident standing still on the walkway, starring at something, I passed, asked what’s going on.

"Just watching them clear out the hoarder’s unit. They even have a hazmat team in there".

"Whose unit is that", asked I, and when he said it was Lu’s unit, my mouth flew open. I was genuinely shocked.

"LU'S A HOARDER!?"

"Oh big time", said he. "They’re even out back, throwing away stuff from her garage".

"Does she know? I’ve seen that show Hoarder, and those people get really upset, violent sometimes when people touch their stuff".

"She’s in there", said he.

How embarrassing for Lu.

I can only assume the condition of Lu’s unit was exposed when that State Inspector selected her unit, like he did mine, for inspection.

I passed inspection, she did not, and Management — who had to have known all along about the hoarding conditions from the various pre-inspections over the however many years, but was hoping her unit would not be inspected (it wasn't for years) was forced to give Lu an ultimatum when the Inspector chose units that hadn't been State inspected for a long time, like mine and Lu's.

I am so shocked. You can’t even imagine.

Funny thing is, when heading out this morning, I saw the truck and a crew removing junk from a unit in that quad. Didn’t think anything of it, but took a photo of the truck company, just in case I needed junk removal services in the future.

That's a big truck, and it's filled to the brim already around 11:20 in the morning.

Now learning there was a truck out back (5 PM), people clearing out Lu's hoard from the garage, I walked on over and took a photo of that truck, also filled to the brim.

Looks like they've been carting away tons.

Shocking.

Roll Call

Another quiet few days gone at the speed of light.

Only 1,394 days to go.

My only sighting of a resident, since Silver Fox caught up with me on Saturday, has been TinTin, the resident who moved into Patty the Smoker’s downstairs across the quad unit after Patty was evicted in 2023.

Passing each other on the walkway yesterday, TinTin announced she'll be moving next month.

Strangely evasive when I asked, "Why are you moving", she had no problem telling me where she was moving to, even gave me the name and telephone number of the property in Redlands.

Once back in my unit, I researched the property online, and it is quite nice ……… not like little boxes inside a big box the powers that be like to house us seniors, but a large open aired community like here, two stories like here, pool like here, washer dryer in the unit, an extra we don’t have, a fitness center we don’t have, Clubhouse with free Wi-Fi we don’t have, tons of activities and good reviews of management we don’t have.

I’d definitely be interested except, my being in the gray area where I’m considered over income, I’d not have the break in rent TinTin will get. I’d have to pay the full several thousand that I can’t afford to pay.

Too bad Red Light didn’t know about this community before she got stuck in the hoity toity community, with the luxurious units, where she’s bored, lonely, unhappy.

As I understand it, the Section 8 people have a lot of flexibility …… after living one year in a spot, they can easily relocate again. So maybe Red Light will find something more suitable when her year is up.

But for the fact, Red Light is raw since all that Facebook drama over being told she can no longer attend bingo here, would for sure misread my intent, I’d text her, let her know about that Redlands community.

At any rate, will be interesting to see what kind of blog fodder the new resident will bring to the table after TinTin leaves.

TinTin has hit the jackpot. So, I hope she doesn’t blow it by continuing that ghetto thing of tin foil, cardboard, fabric, paper, sticks, et. al., she does with her window.

As far as I know, everyone else in the quad is solid.

The Nice Old Guy, living upstairs across the quad doesn’t get out much but seems to be doing the best he can, on his walker, when I do see him out on the walkway.

His next-door neighbor — the guy that moved into the upstairs corner Bad Energy Unit, seems to have beaten the curse.

After having seen whatever apparition exists there cause the lives and physicality of four residents rather quickly deteriorate and eventually fall completely apart, he’s the only one to remain hale and hardy.

After not seeing him for months, I was beginning to wonder when, a few weeks ago, I finally did catch him heading out. He was beaming, said I'd not seen him because he's generally out early and had just returned from vacationing on a cruise ship trip to Acapulco.

So, whatever apparition is up there, either likes him or has moved on, because he's doing just fine.

After yesterday’s workout, I popped into the market, where I paid a fortune for salmon and a few veggies, no eggs needed.

Heading back to the car, I was approached by an older panhandler.

When he asked for money, I shook my head "no", but then remembered I had that found money in the car’s visor, so I said, "Oh wait!", had him follow me and donated to "the next panhandler that asks for money", as I said I would when I found the $20 bill on the floor of Ralph’s market last month.

The old panhandler hit up a few more customers, was successful with two, before I saw him hurriedly cross the lot, head for the bus stop.

He appeared to be working on a schedule, a pro, knew exactly how long he had to continue panhandling before the next bus arrived, because he timed it perfectly ……… not two minutes after he got to the stop the bus pulled up.

Money Just Falling Out of the Sky

Waking up this morning ……… checking my fingers and toes, I found they were all still there and nothing like gangrene looked to be setting in. So, as long as I continue with antiseptics, don’t wear any polish until my nails recuperate from the trauma done to them by the old ladies at the nail salon, I think I’m okay.

After this morning’s workout, I went on a hunt for eggs.

I had a feeling my regular market wasn’t going to have Eggland’s Best in stock, so I didn’t even bother. I drove to a different market, where I’ve been having good luck finding them.

That market had plenty of eggs available but, surprisingly, none were Eggland’s Best, so I pivoted back to my regular market and scored a 18-count carton.

When Trainer was a young man just starting off in the world, he actually worked for that market, knows a lot of people there, and since I often shop directly after working out, still wearing my Pain Cave shirt, those people know I’m a client and are extra friendly with me ……… ask about my workouts, complain about their jobs.

One of those is the guy who stocks the eggs.

After responding to his query about this morning’s workout, I thought to capitalize on my knowing him, get a leg up on Eggland’s Organic eggs, so I asked if he could tell me which day would be best to come in to make sure I get my hands on Egglands.

The way he explained it is that he puts in a request, they come when they come, but "you have to get here early" because they go as quickly as they come in.

That wasn’t much help, so now I’m thinking that, if those eggs get any harder to find, I’ll press my knowing him as a friend of Trainer's ……… ask him to call Trainer, tell Trainer to let his client (me) know when the eggs are in.

At any rate, I go through 3 eggs a day (two whites, one whole egg most if not every morning for breakfast), so I’m good for at least the next six days.

Weird thing about that 18-count carton is that, just last week, I’d paid $9.99 for a carton of 12 and today paid the same …… $9.99 for 18.

Did the cashier make a mistake, ring me up incorrectly?

I don’t know, but I didn't look a gift horse in the mouth and question it.

Speaking of gifts …… though I didn’t find eggs at that first market, made no other purchase there, I walked away $20 richer than when I entered because, walking down an isle, I saw something that looked like folded green paper on the floor.

Curious, I reached down, picked it up, unfolded and …… It was a $20 bill.

There was no one in the isle for me to ask if they’d dropped it, so it’s free money. However, I don’t feel right about keeping it. So, I put it in the visor of the car and will pull it out, donate to the next panhandler that asks for money.

When pivoting back to my regular market, I stopped along the way for gas and, as I stepped out of the car, spotted a dime at my foot.

Money just falling out of the sky, thought I.

Long time readers might recall that, just before my sister passed, she’d told family members she’d leave quarters to let us know she was around.

After she passed, I’d find quarters in front of See’s Candy Store, at my feet when I stepped out of the car — wherever I was, inside the Pain Cave under equipment I'd just worked on, falling out of the dryer of the complex when I opened the door to put my clothes in, just quarters everywhere.

When the Great Granddaughter was born, looking very much like my sister ……… in the same hospital where sister passed away, the quarters stopped.

I've not seen a single quarter in the two years since the baby was born.

At any rate, no one told me to look for dimes. So, since I didn’t know who this soul/spirit was, I didn’t pick it up ……… it might be my ex husband or an old boyfriend. I left it for the next person to come along, take the chance.

Up Close and Personal

This week started off with public displays of affection by Dream Lover and Lu that were so over the top as to be comical.

It began with my spotting them on the walkway, her arm around the back of his waist, her hand moving to his butt as they walked and talked.

They paused a few times, faced each other, her looking up into his eyes, he looking down into hers. They moved on a few more steps, her hands all over him, stopped, faced each other again, she looked up into his eyes, he looked down into hers, and then they kissed.

WTF? If they want to get all up close and personal, get a room. Oh wait …… they do have a room, two of them — his unit and her unit.

I don’t know what they’re trying to prove, who they are trying to prove it to with these public displays of affection but, to me, it’s beginning to look deliberate, like a weird game.

Lu is one of the women who kept knocking on the door of Hubba Hubba Awooga Silver Fox — offering cakes, cookies, meals, asking questions about where he was from, what he does, and he’d insulted her by telling her to go away, stop bothering him, that he’s sick and tired of women always chasing him.

So maybe these PDAs are, in Lu’s mind, showing Silver Fox a thing or two.

I doubt he cares.

The PDAs might also be designed to poke at our Karen character; and the fact they keep parading around in eye shot of Karen’s unit gives credence to the show might be specifically for her.

It did seem odd that, when they stopped and kissed, that it was directly in front of Karen’s patio window. Would have been hard for her to miss.

So the answer to who they’re trying to prove it to, may be Karen.

If so, it’s mean and it's cruel to rub it in Karen’s face, after he dumped her, told everyone who would listen that "she's crazy" and, when she refused to be dumped, sent him love letters, stalked him, he got Manager involved, who told Karen that harassing another resident can get her evicted. So why be cruel, why rub this one in her face? — carry on, but not in front of her unit.

I can see Dream Lover being deliberately cruel, as he’s done it before …… paraded a new one (Boebert) in front of an old one (Faith), but I can’t see Lu playing that game, unless he’s blinded her, with his sweet talk and so bedazzled her with that thing he's able to give her courtesy of those little blue pills, into playing the game with him.

Not only did they walk around showing off earlier today, when I later went down to pick up mail, there the two were sitting on the bench right smack dab in the middle of the grassy knoll for all eyes to see — again in direct line to where Karen could look out and see.

I waved and, instead of continuing on to the mailroom, I walked over to say hey.

I wanted to laugh out loud when, as I approached, Lu put a protective hand on and began massaging Dream Lover's leg.

Thinking to myself, girl please, you do not have to worry about me, I fought to keep the amusement I was feeling off my face, as I ignored her obvious he's mine gesture, asked how bingo was going.

Lu asked if I’d left bingo because it was too noisy.

Last time I’d attended it was overly noisy, gave me a headache, but no, said I, I’m just running on empty lately, don’t have the energy for bingo.

Lu accepted that and said there’s a lot of that no energy going around and filled me in on who’s been hospitalized, who’s moving — Grace, the Other Wheelchair Lady, just got out of the hospital, Genie — one of the Usual Suspects is moving, and MaryAnn is losing her mind so her daughter is moving her out to be cared for.

I said how surprising it is that Genie is moving, that MaryAnn is a supporter of the Mad King, so I don’t care.

Done with the conversation, and with watching Lu rub all over Dream Lover’s leg — reminding me the photo of you know who kissing the feet, sucking the toe of the other you know who, that’s circulating online today, I dismissed myself by saying I had to go to the mailbox, pick up a tax document I’d had to special request in order to file, and both expressed shock that I file taxes as neither has for years.

Lu said that it’s her understanding people our age don’t have to file, and her social security is not taxed.

Saying I pay taxes on my social security and my pension, Lu suggested I look into the matter, as she’s quite sure I’ve been filing when I don’t have to.

Not only do I file but, instead of a refund, I pay …… usually get a few pennies back from the State, but end up paying the Federal Government a Grover Cleveland and five to eight Benjamin Franklins. So, after returning to the unit, the plan was to ask Twin 1 to check with her lawyer for me, but then I thought to just Google it.

Q. At what age does one not have to file taxes?

A: "The Internal Revenue Service requires all taxpayers, regardless of age, to file a tax return and pay the appropriate income tax in any year their gross income exceeds certain levels."

Maybe Lu and Dream Lover don’t pay taxes because they’re below the required level, thought I, so I went further down the rabbit hole.

Q: At what income level do I not have to file taxes?

A: "If you have income below the standard deduction threshold for 2024, which is $14,600 for single filers and $29,200 for those married filing jointly, you may not be required to file a return. However, you may want to file anyway".

Q: Why file taxes if don’t have to?

A: "Even with little or no earnings, filing a tax return can still be beneficial. You may qualify for refundable tax credits to potentially receive a tax refund".

So, though Lu and Dream Lover are likely not tax cheats ……… they must be below the threshold, don’t have to file and are clean on that, but they are absolutely making a mistake if these PDAs are designed to poke at our Karen character.

They might not like what happens if her crazy is awakened.

BTW: If you’ve not seen the photo of you know who kissing the feet, sucking the toe of the other you know who, that’s circulating online today, let me know and I’ll revise this post to add here at the bottom.

Where’s George?

It’s a freezing cold and rainy day here in the Inland Empire, but no complaints because the power is on.

Fortunately, when I was out and about yesterday, I stopped by the market. Didn’t get much, basically shopping for two days at a time these days, as I’m still not ready to trust the power to stay on.

Any rate, I’m not so desperate for anything that I have to head out in the rain today, but tomorrow is a workout day and who knows what we’re in store for.

So, snug as a bug in a rug today, I’m avoiding depressing news, catching up on recorded TV programs and working on that never ending needlepoint project.

Please tell me I’m not the only one to remember how, back in the day, we’d track dollar bills by serial number, as the bills circulated across the country through a site called Where’s George.

If this doesn't sound familiar to you .... In the late 90s early 2000s, when the internet was fairly new, Where's George was a game that involved dollars stamped with the message "currency tracking project/track me at WheresGeorge".

If and when one of those stamped bills came into our possession, we’d go to Where’s George, check to see if the serial number on the bill was listed and, if listed, we’d input where in the country we’d found it, then send it back into circulation to travel elsewhere, be found by someone else.

It was just a fun thing to see how far the bill would travel.

Although the game started with tracking the trail of dollar bills with the specific message "currency tracking project/track me at WheresGeorge", it caught on and people began writing other messages on the bills — none of which I can recall, except it became something like the message in a bottle craze.

Thinking back, I'm not at all certain it was legal to write on/deface money, but it was done.

Looks like it's still being done because, when I went to pull cash out of my fanny pack to pay for groceries yesterday, I found a bill with a message.

We love you Mac

It's a $20, rather than a $1 bill, but I nevertheless looked for the old Where's George site, found it's still up.

Not only is the site still up, it appears to be active with stats showing where and under what circumstances the bills listed came into the finder’s possession, like "I got it the Brookdale Dollar General, Got in a McDonald’s as change, A gift for a holiday in a card, Arcade Bar in Lincoln Nebraska, Received in change at a gas station in Vermont", so on and so forth.

So, anyway, the $20 I’d gotten as change somewhere in my goings was, of course, not listed as only $1 bills are, but Where’s George looks like a fun thing to bring back in these troubling times.

Maybe I should log in my $1 bills, write on them messages — such as "Have faith" …… "This too shall pass" and other such messages of hope, send into circulation with instructions to "track me at WheresGeorge", see where they land.

As for whoever this Mac guy is, my guess is he's not worthy because, if someone had written such a message to me, I'd have treasured the bill, framed it even.

The Christmas Party Chronicles Part 2

Yesterday's Residents Christmas Party got off to a rocky start.

Manager all of a sudden appeared, threatened to shut us down because Hell on Wheels (HOW) had brought in alcohol ……… eggnog and kalua.

After a discussion with the organizers, we were allowed to continue with the caveat HOW would put the alcohol away.

You all know my interest in getting to the bottom of things by now; so, after Manager left, I asked the question, "How did she know?".

Name Dropper offered that she’d gone to Manager’s office to discuss her oven not working, said Manager looked preoccupied and before Name Dropper could drop her complaint, Manager stood up, said, "I’ve got to see what’s going on in there", and rushed to the Community Room.

I surmise Manager had been watching us on the video setup at her desk because, not only did she know there was booze in the room but, when she burst through the door, she went directly to the person with the alcohol.

Mark my words, Manager will use this incident as an excuse to do what she’s been wanting to do ……… forbid our using the Community Room for activities.

So, anyway, other than that, the party was a hoot.

While I satisfied myself with my homemade gluten free fodmap free chicken tamales and leftover kale salad, the residents had a choice of Mexican Food (enchiladas, tamales, rice, beans, salad) or lasagna and salad. There was also a table of desserts, which included a pineapple upside down cake in the shape of a Christmas tree.

Those little grinch characters the Baker had me print out, turned out to be a hunting game.

Twenty-five of the cutouts had been placed in various places around the room, and whoever found the most won a prize.

I totally didn't notice there were clip outs sandwiched between slats in the blinds.

The other games were Pin the Nose on the Snowman, and guess how many candies in a jar.

How the snowman started ………

How the snowman ended.

Snowman’s "nose" was all over the place so, when I was asked to decide a winner, I picked a nose that was close to the correct spot, as many were, but was pointed in the direction of a nose.

The social experiment I did with the money boxes was great fun, but didn't go exactly as I'd planned.

Second to pick a gift was the guy who won the money box last year, let’s give him the blog name of "Husband".

His wife, who is not all that mobile, told him to pick for her and Husband, recognizing the butcher paper from last year, went straight for one of the boxes.

Problem was, he ended up with the box containing the Star Wars Gingerbread kit, with no chance it would be stolen.

Husband was next to pick — for himself, and chose not to trust the other two butcher paper wrapped gifts, ended up with a purse.

Husband went from bad to worse in the swap.

Two or three more gifts, and it was Dream Lover’s turn.

You can hear Husband in the background saying, "There it is".

Husband had obviously expected money in the box covered in butcher paper but, having been burned by that first box not containing money, passed on the other two, but now realizes he'd missed an opportunity.

Next up was myself. I chose to steal.

I’d seen Agnes unwrap Myth Arts bowls, so not wanting to take the chance of unwrapping something I wouldn’t like, I stole the bowls I’d seen and liked.

Agnes was not at all unhappy with my stealing, because it gave her the opportunity to choose another gift or steal ……… she promptly stole Dream Lover’s money, which he for sure wasn’t happy about.

Having lost the money, Dream Lover had to pick another gift and took a chance on the last remaining box.

No one expected it to be yet another money box.

Dream Lover miscounted. It was $30, not $25, but I did not correct him, because I don't want anyone to know the boxes are from me.

Next was Red Light, who promptly stole Agnes’ money.

Instead of opting for another gift, Agnes then stole Dream Lover’s money with Dream Lover promptly stealing it back.

This being the third time that money had been stolen meant Dream Lover’s cash was safe, could not be stolen again.

I ran into Dream Lover this morning and he was still perturbed at how many times his money had been stolen saying, "What the hell" when he recounted the sequence of who'd stolen from him, LOL.

After Red Light stole Agnes’ money, Talker stole the money from Red Light and that being a third time, that cash could no longer be stolen. Talker ended up with the cash.

What I've learned from this experiment is money boxes are the fun way to do a gift swap, but now that the boxes are expected, to move on from butcher paper, wrap every box different paper, different ribbons.

In fact, next year ……… if there is a next year, I'll probably just buy premade money boxes.

I'd posted previously, when a resident complained about Di using the "F" word at bingo, that I'd said no big deal because I've used the word my own self. "But you don't say it in front of us" the complaining resident replied, and I'd said, "Not yet".

Well, there were times during the event when one of the organizers stood up front to inform us of the sequence of events, etc., and we couldn't hear because people were talking over her.

Others, including myself, would yell for people to shut up and listen.

Still, people were so into their private conversations that they would not stop talking, which prompted me to say, "People won't shut up, What the F$%k".

So there, it's been said in front of them.

Friday the 13th of Christmas

Second Friday the 13th we’ve had this year — first being in September, but it’s all good because today is a no bingo Friday.

Next week's Bingo Friday is not actually bingo. Instead, it's the Christmas Party we throw for ourselves — three days after the Christmas Party management has scheduled for us.

No contest … the one we throw for ourselves is bound to be better.

The Baker is planning a Mexican Food menu and all kinds of games.

Of course, she’s not taking it all on by herself — one of her daughters, who runs a catering business, will be helping; as will Talker and Red Light (who no longer even lives here) be assisting. Others have donated sufficient monies to cover the cost.

Going to piss Manager off that 1) Our party will be better than the party she doesn't even want to do for us and 2) Red Light is involved in the party that will be besting her.

One of the games the Baker is planning has something to do with Grinch characters she had me print out and cut into 2-inch squares.

Hmmmm? Can’t wait to see what that’s about.

Among the many other games she told me she's planning is the White Elephant Gift Exchange — where attendee, one by one, choose a wrapped gift from the table, opens it; and the next person has the option to pick a gift from the table, or "steal" what another person has already unwrapped.

The reaction to the money box I put together for last year’s Gift Exchange, was a hoot.

The guy's wife stole it from him, then Di (who always needs money) stole the cash from the wife. However, wife was smart. Instead of selecting another gift from the table, she stole the money back and, since a gift can only be "stolen" a limit of three times, wife ended up with the $20.

So much fun to watch that I'm again going with a money box as my White Elephant Gift for the table.

Last year’s money box was a social experiment in that I wanted to see how many would base their choice of which gift to take from the table based on how pretty the outside package was (much like the choices we make in life, based on appearances, only to later learn that what we chose is not all that great inside). So, I last year wrapped a small box in plain butcher paper with Christmasy ribbon.

Positioned amongst the fancy wraps, the plain unassuming gift was overlooked again and again and again, as residents went for big and fancy looking — thinking they held a treasure (when some of those fancy gifts were no more than water bottles and food storage containers).

Plain and simple, which held the actual treasure …… cash, ended up being the next to the last gift on the table to be picked.

I’m sure the folks that needed money were sorry they didn’t choose it.

To see if lessons had been learned to not judge by a plain/simple appearance, I again put together a small money box, wrapped it in butcher paper with Christmasy ribbon.

The extra gift last year was a Christmas coffee mug. This year it's a 2nd money box …… except this box is a little larger to extend the social experiment to whether size will be a factor in choices, i.e., which will go first, the little one or the big one?

In other words, I'm turning my fellow residents into test subjects, lab rats, just to study their habits in their natural habitat.

The small box contains $30, the larger box $20.

I’m taking that Friday off from working out, so I can get to the Community Room early, take photos as the festivities begin.

I also want to get there early enough to sneak my gifts on the table — just in case someone figured out I was the one that brought the money box to last year’s Party and would be watching for a repeat.

I’m actually adding another extra gift …… a purchase I wanted to return.

I wrapped this extra gift in Christmas paper, just because. However, I'm now wondering if I should give it a do-over, wrap it the same as the money boxes, so folks won't equate butcher paper with always being a money box.

Shall I?

I don't know what I was thinking when I ordered yet another gingerbread kit but, having decided I don't want to put this kit together, I filled out the online return paperwork and was planning to take the return paperwork and purchase back to the store. However, the rather quick online reply (automated? a bot?) was that "Your refund is on the way …… Feel free to use, donate or dispose of any unwanted items – no need to return them to the store".

Nice, I get a refund, but who does that …… returns payment but doesn't want the purchase back?

Pondering what to do with it, a lightbulb went off that it would be another extra gift for the table.

I have a sense no one around here is going to want to deal with a gingerbread kit, but at least it's off my hands.

Maybe they can regift it to a young family member that's into Starwars.

It’s Only Money

That’s what I told myself when, in trying to balance my unbalance able budget, that it’s only money.

"Unbalance able" not only because I can no longer get by on all the cheap things that previously were my grocery list — like canned soup, crackers, peanut butter, ramen noodles, frozen dinners, Baker’s turkey burger and fries, Panda Express Chinese food, deli fried chicken and potato salad, but now have to purchase specific quality items (by quality, I mean expensive) and cook them myself, but also unbalance able because, last few weeks, I've had to replace kitchen appliances and this morning learned, at the dental office, I’m going to need a crown.

First to go was the standing mixer. It conked out while I was using it to massage kale.

BTW, did you know you don’t have to massage kale by hand? The paddle in the stand mixer works just as well, if not better.

After replacing the mixer, just in time to mix masa for tamales, the Instant Pot died in the middle of steaming the tamales.

At least replacing the Instant Pot with an Instant Pot Duo gives me more counter space, because I can get rid of the big air fryer taking up space as the Duo is both a crock pot and air fryer.

So now comes an expensive crown, because one of the decades old metal fillings is disintegrating.

Having seen the x-rays, I’m certain this is not a money grab on the part of the dentist, but a legitimately necessary procedure — not like the shyster dental office that took over the practice of my long-time silver-haired blue-eyed dentist Dr. McDreamy and tried to scam me into unnecessary work.

When things conk out or go wrong, it's usually in threes, so Mixer, Instant Pot, Dentist, makes for the three that should announce the end of unexpected expenditures.

That’s probably why I was spared when, on the freeway returning to the complex, two rather sizeable rock came out of nowhere, flew up from seemingly the edge of the freeway, maybe fell out of the open bed of the truck ahead of me, then BAM!!!, hit the car but did not shatter the windshield, causing yet another expenditure, but instead hit the car where I heard CLANG!!!, like metal being pounded on.

Upon inspection, once I reached the complex, I found minor paint damage — no dent, no damaged headlight.

As for the other three, it’s only money.

On second thought, additional expenditures might not be over. There's still a utility bill looming over my head — the result of running the A/C almost 24/7 to combat the excessive heat.

On the 15th Day of Christmas

Cancelling this morning’s workout turned out to be a smart move as, not having to rush around, I was rested and in a good frame of mind when I went down to the Community Room for the Ugly Sweater Christmas Party, prepared to once again be robbed, as I was at our Halloween Costume Party when I didn’t win Most Creative.

Walking into the room, first thing I noticed was the seating configuration.

As previously mentioned, Community Manager rearranged the tables and chairs to where we were separated into pairs — gone were the big tables pushed together to allow for group seating.

Why?

No really good reason. Just because she could, and wanted to flex her power and control.

In addition to her new configuration, the Community Manager ordered us to not unarranged her configuration, rearrange to make it more copacetic for our use.

Walking in, I was surprised to see the tables had been rearranged to suit our needs after all.

Asking the Baker how the organizers (herself, Red Light, Homegirl) were able to get this by Community Manager, she said "I got into trouble".

She would not elaborate but, from the flash of fire in her eyes and the way her mouth tightened, it’s a fair guess that she’d had enough and went toe to toe with Community Manager (CM) — said what she’d needed to say, threatened what she needed to threaten to get CM to cut the crap.

At any rate, the room was how we needed it to be, and the refrigerator had been unlocked.

Whatever the Baker said or did, it probably shocked CM, because the Baker is not one to get fed up, lose her temper. She's all meek and mild, let's people walk all over her, but everyone has a limit and the Baker evidently reached hers.

I'll bet it ended in a compromise — CM backed down, allowed the refrigerator to be unlocked just for this occasion, with the tables and chairs to be rearranged back to her configuration at the end of the party.

The party was a hoot and a holler. We had so much fun.

Residents were feted with Tacos (a choice of beef or chicken), rice, beans and tamales (tamales provided by the Baker’s daughter).

Dessert was German Chocolate cake and jello shots, minus the liquor.

After the meal was The Saran Wrap Christmas Game, where prizes were enclosed in layers of saran wrap, forming a big ball.

The ball was given to the first player to unwrap, try to get at the prizes, while the person seated next to him/her/they/them tried to throw doubles with a pair of dice. Once doubles were thrown, the person with the ball was considered timed out, the person that threw doubles got at the ball while the next person tried for doubles to time that person out, take a turn at unwrapping, getting to a prize.

Folks took the game seriously, unwrapping as though their life depended on it before being timed out.

Others got a bit upset when they'd barely touched the ball before being timed out, because the next person got lucky and quickly threw doubles.

It took some doing to get to the levels where candies, lottery tickets, money and small bags of chips began falling out.

At the end of the ball, last prize to fall out was a gift card.

Next was the White Elephant gift exchange.

Having run into the next-door neighbor of my old buddy Apache at Walmart last week, I’d asked if she was coming to the party.

"I’m broke", said she.

I said for her to come anyway, that she didn’t have to participate in the gift exchange.

Later, I thought to come up with an extra gift for the exchange, with the intent that she’d be able to participate.

Great minds think alike, because a couple of us brought extra gifts so those not able to bring a gift would not be left out.

Most everyone seemed happy with the gifts they’d unwrapped, but there were a few less than thrilled faces and steals where folks liked what someone else had chosen, opted to steal it from them, rather than choose a gift from the table.

This stealing forced the person stolen from to select a different gift from the table.

With sufficient extra gifts to choose from, Apache’s neighbor did not end up with the extra gift I brought. Instead, she unwrapped a gift, and found inside a set of four Rubbermaid food storage containers.

She didn't look all that thrilled.

The Bite Me coffee mug I’d wrapped and placed in a Christmas stocking went fast — was the third gift to be chosen — chosen by Homegirl who seemed happy with it and though others thought it cute, no one pulled a steal.

The extra gift I’d donated was kind of a social experiment for me — a money roll.

I’d strung 18 one-dollar bills together, added a two-dollar bill at the end, placed them in a box with a pull tab at the beginning of the roll.

Where the social experiment comes in is ... you know how we sometimes in life make choices based on how pretty the outside package is, only to later find out that what's inside is not all that great?

Well, I had a sense that, with so many struggling for cash around here, $20 would come in handy, but I wanted to see how long it would take and who would select a package that was plain ..... in terms of life again, the package that looked basic and humble on the outside, not so prettily wrapped.

So, though I had pretty Christmas wrapping paper, I wrapped the gift in plain butcher paper, but added a colorful ribbon to make it Christmasy.

Sure enough, it was almost end of the game before someone selected the gift that was not all glitz and glamour.

It was stolen twice — once by the guy's wife, which forced him to select another gift.

Then, someone stole the money from the wife.

However, she was smart. Instead of selecting another gift, she stole the money back.

I don't know if that was a legal maneuver in the game rules, but it was hilarious!

Inasmuch as a gift can only be stolen twice, the wife — no longer in danger of having the money stolen a third time, ended up with the loot.

That was so much fun that I'll do a money box from now on.

Maybe next time, folks will think twice about being lured by colorfully wrapped packages — end up with four Rubbermaid food storage containers instead of needed cash.

I myself didn't have to pick a gift because, early in the game, I saw my friend Jenne open a gift that was a cozy little blanket and santa mug.

I told myself then and there that, I was going to steal it from whoever had it when my turn came and did.

Try as we did, I came away with not a single elf photo to show you.

Folks did look in the mirror, some screamed, but even with someone standing behind the person looking in, the camera could not capture the image.

So stinky poo on that, but you could have knocked me over with a feather when I won Most Creative.

Prize was $10 Walmart Gift Card, which I’ll use to purchase candies for the gingerbread house I plan to build.

I also walked away with a bag of goodies from Homegirl — earring's she'd made, a blinged out coffee cup filled with candies that I'll pass on (the candies not the cup), and a painting kit, including brush and an easel, to paint a drawing she herself sketched.

She's so creative.

Bless her heart. It was nice of her to think of me, but I don't know what gives her the idea I can paint. LOL.

I will however, give it a try ..... that is if and when I can find the time.