Two Days In

Two days in and so far, so good.

I was mercifully spared from working out New Years Day by an early morning message from Trainer saying he’d opted not to open the studio that day, would see me Wednesday.

YIPEE, thought I.

Not that I don’t enjoy working out — hard and exhausting as it sometimes is, I do enjoy working out, am grateful to be able to do so because, when I feel a slump, I generally feel better after. It’s just that I sometimes resent being locked into the routine of, three days a week, having to get up at a certain time, suit up and head out.

A part of me always yearns to retreat from the world, self-isolate like so many of the seniors around here who are never seen, do not come out, and that routine — for better or worse, won’t let me give into that yearning.

At any rate, the cancellation gave me the impetus to not only get the patio decorations back into storage, but to spend the day better organizing the kitchen counter to give me more space, the kitchen cabinets — so that I can easily see what I’m looking for, rather than engaging in a frustrating hunt, and just better organize things in every room to make the rooms not seem so cluttered with stuff, without throwing out items I was sure I’d later regret tossing out, as I so often do.

Painted Rock Lady must have been sneaking around early morning New Year’s Day because, when I left the unit to head for the liquor store, play my lottery numbers, I found she’d graced my walkway with new creations.

As for the lottery, with the pot of all three games now in the millions, I couldn’t risk not playing, only to later learn I’d missed out, that my numbers had finally come up.

So, I suited up for driving to the liquor store and, on the way, looked over towards the area that is the entryway into the nice neighborhood behind us and saw the recently developing homeless encampment had disappeared.

Not too surprising since, at last Friday’s bingo, the topic of the encampment had come up. Shadow and the Baker both said they’d "called it in".

I don’t know who they called to get those folks removed, didn’t ask, but I’ve got mixed feelings about it.

It wasn’t on or in front of our complex, which made it not our problem, so why call?

The unhoused have to go somewhere and, if not causing problems, live and let live because, as the saying goes, "There but for the grace of God go I".

It was more a problem belonging to the businesses in that area, and the more prosperous living behind us, who use the area as a walking trail — all of whom I’m sure "called it in". No need for anyone here to get uptight and involved.

I myself was impressed with one of the builds.

It was constructed in such a way that allowed for a doorway, and tall enough that the occupant could stand and move around freely inside.

That's a lot of construction materials to be carting around. Wonder how he manages it.

I also wonder where the occupant relocated to.

So anyway, tomorrow marks the beginning of my personal DÉJÀ VU, when the weekly routine of everyday life begins all over again.

Heavy sigh!

Strange Encounter

Another scorcher day here in the Inland Empire so, with nothing pressing, I stayed inside until 5:00, at which time I ventured out to drop off the trash, pick up mail.

I noticed our Painted Rock Lady (PRL) had dropped of a few new creations.

When last you heard of PRL, she was conspicuously absent from July 5 bingo. She was not speaking to the other ladies, was mad and embarrassed because of having been called out as a troublemaker for inviting Karen to bingo under the guise of being a “good Christian lady”.

I guess she worked through that because, while I was in Long Beach, PRL did attend that Friday’s Bingo Game.

I understand Karen did not attend, but did walk in, whisper something into PRL’s ear, then walk out.

Hmmmmmm?????

So, anyway, the new rocks are a nice addition to the walkway.

After dropping off the trash, heading to the mailbox, I noticed one of the cars parked in the carport was parked in a way which seemed, to me, damaging to the car’s front end.

The car belongs to a young woman I’ve seen coming/going and can’t figure out if she’s someone’s caregiver or is a ghost tenant (living here illegally with a tenant).

No matter to me, but it won’t surprise me to one day see the front end torn loose because of scraping on/off the sidewalk.

From there, I began walking towards the front gate, to loop around to the Mail Center and noticed a young woman standing at the gate, holding the gate open, watching me. She wasn’t familiar, didn’t even look like she belonged here. Dressed in shorts and a halter top, carrying a towel or something similar, it appeared she was coming from the pool.

As I got to where she was standing, she asked, "Did you take a picture?"

"Yes, of a car. Why?"

She didn’t reply, just walked away, off the property, down the street.

Wondering about the strange encounter, I deduced she was more than likely a street person who’d made her way onto the property, gone swimming in the pool. I didn’t notice her until I began walking towards the front of the property, saw her watching me as I approached and then questioning me about taking a picture of her.

Her paranoia (probably because she knew she shouldn’t be here) is what brought her to my attention and now, having been brought to my attention, I took a closer look at the parking job photo I’d taken and, sure enough, she’s in the background.

You can barely see her, so here's a close up.

I wonder if her swimming in the pool is a one-time deal, if she’ll be back, or her thinking I might have taken a photo and will report her keeps her away.

She needn’t have worried. I’d not have reported her. Mainly, because the office clearly doesn’t give a damn about anything relating to us residents and because I don’t really care. It’s not the first time someone has come in off the street, going swimming in the pool, enjoyed the jacuzzi, even availed themselves of the pool's shower facility. However, in the past, they've usually waited until dark to sneak onto the property.

Valentine State of Mind

Not me … NEVER me, but the painted rock lady Jan, as I spotted new rocks on Monday.

The rocks reminded me it’s time to switch to the V-Day coffee cup.

Running into Jan yesterday, I thanked her for planting new rocks whereupon she said she had already begun on rocks for Easter.

"What about St. Patrick’s Day?", asked I. "Doesn’t that come before Easter?"

"Oh, that’s right. Guess I’d better get busy", she replied.

Can’t wait to see what she comes up with.

Even though I no longer do anything or go anywhere to recognize St. Patrick’s Day, I do wear my four-leaf clover top.

When I was working, I’d pick up green bagels to treat the office to celebrate and, one year, I recall the Arab Attorney (the guy I’d blogged about still being bitter all these many years later), took me to a bar called Casey’s for green beer.

I don’t recall enjoying the taste, but not because it was green, but because it was beer.

In junior high school, I was the nerd that joined the Folk Dancing Group.

Our final exam was, one-by-one to perform in front of the group an Irish Jig, in the choreographic sequences designed by the teacher AND at the end of the dance we were to add a step we ourselves had designed.

I got an A in the class and though I do not recall any of the steps given by the instructor, to this day I recall my step and sometimes find myself jigging it around the unit.

Of course, I can no longer get both feet off the ground simultaneously to do it properly, but I manage a fair enough facsimile.

Funny what sticks in your mind.

Ain't Over Til It's Over

Woke up this morning feeling refreshed and ready to go for the first time since I don’t know when.

Probably because, with Jim — The Most Interesting Man, having been determined to be the source of that sense of an impending death, rather than immediate family, and having not heard from THEM last few days, with no further disturbances in the Force, I was able to get the first all the way through until morning sleep since I can remember when.

Monday had been painless.

A break in the rainstorm enabled me to finish that morning’s workout and make it back to the complex ahead of the storm starting up again.

Heading out that morning, I made a point to drive the long way out of the driveway to check on patio decorations.

From what I could tell, all were still intact, except the one that was under wraps until judgment day — the day the Tyrant was supposedly to have made a decision.

We’d STILL not heard who won by then — who placed, who showed, but the resident of that patio had already removed the display, which led me to hope that patio did not win, place OR show, because it seemed kind of cheesy to decorate, keep under wraps with the intent of having a big reveal — to be seen on judgment day, then to immediately remove before we’d been notified of the winning patios/before the holiday was over.

I myself don’t want the lights to go out, don’t want the holiday to end, so my plan is to unplug on New Year’s Day, then take my time returning items to storage.

I so don’t want the holiday to end that, when last at the drugstore, I’d picked up an on-sale gingerbread kit.

It will give me an opportunity to try the sugar glue option, instead of royal icing, but I may not get around to working on it for months ... but no one ever said we can only build in December.

With the office closed on Friday — New Year’s Eve, that gives the Tyrant until tomorrow to post January’s Activity Calendar to our doors, which calendar should indicate who won what (I’m beginning to think the winner might be my neighbor around the corner — the one with the poinsettia on her patio). However, it wouldn’t surprise me if we don’t receive a calendar until Monday the 3rd — too late to walk around, check out the winners, capture a photo for you if it was a patio I’d missed.

Actually, with the Tyrant’s track record, I’d not be surprised if the info was not in the calendar at all, and we never learned who won.

Stopping into the market, after this morning’s workout, was boring without an elf to hunt for. When I exited the market, intent on heading to the drug store for electrical tape — to see if I can salvage the power cord on one of the laptops, it began sprinkling. So, I put that errand on the back burner and high tailed it back to the complex before the rainstorm started up again.

Stopping by the mail center, I spotted one of Jan’s creations I’d not seen before.

She must have used a stencil on this one, because it’s too perfect to be hand drawn.

So, anyway, I don’t have to head back out into the world tomorrow after all. No beastmode back-to-back workout, because Trainer decided to keep Friday’s schedule as is.

Works for me.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Jan has been leaving Christmas themed rocks along my pathway.

Before heading out of town for Thanksgiving, I’d noticed the neighbor around the corner had her patio display up.

Upon my return, I saw she’d added poinsettia to the display.

Going outside this evening, to see how the display looks after dark, I find that her neighbors have holidayed up that side of the building.

Neighbor across the quad, who won Second Place Halloween Patio, thus far has decorated only her bedroom window.

The sheer type curtains, lighted up red, seems less like Christmas to me and more like what I've seen in old movies — symbolic of Red-Light Districts, Pleasure Districts, if you know what I mean.

Next door neighbor brought in a Christmas Tree today, with plans to set it up inside, so I guess that means no outside patio decorations, except for mine, on this side of the building.

I managed to get my display up the traditional Day after Thanksgiving, even though that was the same day I arrived back and should have been resting.

Heading out this morning to run errands, I took the long way around the driveway, and saw a few residents had done the bare minimum — Big Linda set up what looks to be a pre-lit reindeer, another resident added a wreath to the railing, two others have added lights to the railing. Other than that, I spotted no further decorated patios — except one resident still has scarecrows up from Halloween, LOL.

It’s still early, so I'm sure to see further elaborate displays.

Working myself up to making tamales sometime this week, I stopped at Sprouts for free-range organic chicken today, then headed for the craft store.

While checking out, I noticed the name tag on the cashier — "Kenny".

Right away, my mind went to South Park and, I said, "Your name is Kenny".

He looked up, a puzzled look on his face as to what I was about to say and replied "Yes?".

"Do you get teased a lot about South Park", said I.

His face lit up and he giggled like a girl, replying "Not so much now, but when I was in elementary school".

What’s really funny is that he’s been teased as the Kenny character — the one that gets killed in every episode, when in actuality he seriously looks like Cartman ... all rosey cheeked with a roly poly body form.

After running errands, I sat on the couch pondering whether or not to put the Christmas knickknacks on display.

Now that I’ve got the sewing machine out, and I’m having to move things around to make room to iron fabric at various stages, lay out the cutting mat at various stages, spread out the quilt at various stages, it’s like there is just too much stuff around me. The walls are closing in so, the Santa Nutcracker will have to suffice as inside decorations, everything else is going back into storage. Besides I don't entertain, the knickknacks were just for me, and me can do without further clutter this time around.

Happy Halloween

Jan’s most recent artwork depicts a little boy and girl out trick or treating.

THAT’s as close as I’ll get to trick or treaters tonight but, just in case, I played it safe and purchased a box of individually wrapped Oreo Halloween cookies that will go to the Community Room table, marked “please take” tomorrow, if none of the grandkids visiting relatives knock on my door.

I don’t know what happened with the haunted house across the street, but it just never came to fruition. Days ago, the black tarp covering the windows was removed, the Halloween motifs on the outside of the building painted over.

As for the patio contest, it appears that, when I saw the Tyrant taking photos of downstairs neighbor corner unit across the quad’s patio (I've not yet thought of a name for her), it was for a positive purpose, not negative. The Grapevine says he gave her Third Place in the patio decorating contest.

I didn’t think to ask what the prize was (probably a gift certificate for the corner market), but I did say, “I’m surprised. I thought she’d get first place”.

The Grapevine (the Talker) said neighbor got knocked down to Third Place because "There’s another spooky one over there", and she directed me to go past the building she pointed to, and to zigzag “this way, go that way”.

In spite of the twisty turny directions, I found myself standing in an area I'm familiar with, as I usually stop by to see what the resident has put on her patio for past Halloweens.

After the Tyrant decreed "family friendly", I'd expected she'd be reluctant to put up her usual skeleton but noooooo. She not only ignored his decree, but went above and beyond.

That creepy doll and witch over to the left, are new additions to her usual display, as are those two creatures over to the right.

The skeleton I recognize from past Halloweens.

The heads, along the railing, also new, are actually Michael Myer heads — the character from the Halloween movie franchise.

This resident was in it to win it ... and the Grapevine is speculating she did.

I won't know for sure that patio is First or who won Second Place or where it's located on the complex, until I see the official announcement in the Monthly Calendar, which I expect will be posted to our doors tomorrow, but Third Place is confirmed.

In fact, I ran into the Talker on Friday, when I was returning from the pain cave. She was on her phone and, when she hung up, she said that was my neighbor telling her that the Tyrant had just called, saying she'd won Third Place.

That's got to be a record in how fast someone on the Grapevine delivered information to me. LOL.

Hopefully, I can get a photo of Second Place before the resident takes it down.

So, now downstairs neighbor corner unit across the quad knows who her competition is for next year. She's going to really have to step up her game to beat out the patio the Talker and I think is the First Place winner.

Downstairs neighbor corner unit across the quad also now knows, as we all do, that the Tyrant is full of horse manure and speaks with forked tongue when he caused some residents to not participate, afraid to put up their skeletons, with his "family friendly" decree and then chose displays with skeleton and bones.

And btw, the Tyrant better not take credit for this event, better not go thinking he's finally had a success, because we've always put up patio displays. The only thing he did was to take what us residents have always done — decorate our patios for Halloween and Christmas, and turned one such into a contest.

Not Exactly What I Had in Mind

Jan made quick work of creating a candy corn rock. I saw it when I headed out for the pain cave yesterday.

Not exactly what I had in mind — I was thinking along the lines of a rock with white, orange and yellow going all the way around, like candy corn, but okay.

The po po were guarding the campus parking lot today.

Made me nervous about parking, especially when I noticed student cars did have a blue sticker posted to their windshields, indicating they’d paid for parking for the month and/or a paper receipt indicating they’d paid for parking that day.

Not normally a rule breaker, I nevertheless took a chance, parked, did 4,200 steps 1.40 miles, and got away without being dragged from the car, beaten and jailed for parking without a sticker while Black.

Not sure I’ll risk it again. May go back to off-site parking, so I can spend more time on campus, walk further, without worrying about getting busted.

As Barbara had commented in a previous post, about what I’d see the kids doing or wearing, sure enough, I wasn’t even out of the parking lot when I spied what looked like unnecessary abuse of a stuffed animal.

The Halloween car seemed a fun idea.

I took note of what the kids were wearing on campus and, surprisingly, they were dressed like normal people their age — jeans, some with ripped knees, tees, shirts, jackets, no one trying to stand out by dressing ostentatiously. Everyone blending in.

Insofar as places to go for snacks, the students have a restaurant on campus, a Starbucks!, sushi place, pizza joint, Einstein Bagel shop, and probably more places I did not see.

I really miss bagels but, not able to digest wheat or flour, bread in any form is out of the question.

There’s even a daycare facility on campus.

All in all, it’s an interesting place to walk, while I train for the upcoming 5K.

The Haunted House

Headed to the pain cave this morning, I saw new painted rocks along my pathway — Halloween themed painted rocks.

Jan was supposed to be in hospital, having knee surgery. However, catching up with her upon my return from the cave, she tells me she was admitted, they found her kidney count too high, postponed the surgery, sent her home.

Since she’d doing Halloween themed, I asked if she could do one to look like candy corn.

She’s going to try.

That should be cute.

I suggested she make more than one because, "If I see a candy corn rock, I’m taking it". LOL.

Running late, I drove, rather than walked to the pain cave and, on the way out of the driveway, I spied what looked like a Haunted House going up across the street.

I can make out black tarp over the windows to make it dark inside, a door covered in Halloween print, and something over to the left that looks like Halloween graffiti — definitely a haunted house going up.

I don’t like to be frightened, so I won’t go in but, once it opens, I will check out the goings/comings.

Should be fun.

That is … IF IT OPENS, because Big Linda is probably having a cow, right this minute, calling the police and every kind of agency there is, to protest.

Why?

Because that’s what Big Linda does.

Big Linda is retired military, tries to drill sergeant everyone in and around the complex … regulating what can and cannot be done.

She’s actually been quiet and subdued since the shutdown but, her unit being directly across the street from that building, she took issue when it was a pot dispensary — even though it caused us no problems, and called the police numerous times seeking to have it shut down.

It finally was shut down and has been unoccupied since 2017.

In fact, it wasn’t just shut down, but raided after an investigation deemed the business to be "illegal in the city" and "housing a pot farm inside".

At any rate, for Big Linda to see the building reopen — even for a limited time as a haunted house, is going to stir her up again.

When I returned to the complex, there was a notice on the door about yet another inspection. This one by an agency that’s involved in making sure the property is “In compliance with the federal tax credit program and all applicable regulatory restrictions”. The regulators will be looking at units on October 21-22, then again 25-29.

Inasmuch as previous inspections were one day, only a few random units looked at, with this one being over days and days, I'm thinking ... could corporate and management be in trouble? Are they being investigated? Does this mean ALL units will be inspected, including mine?

Management has asked that, pre the regulators coming in, we “Please confirm that all fixtures are working properly”.

Are they serious?

All fixtures sure as hell are not working properly, so here’s my dilemma … At my recertification appointment, I was going to put in a 4th request to have the broken bedroom blinds replaced and for management to fix the light being out in the refrigerator.

Now, I’m thinking I should be petty … not make a 4th request, but take a chance that these regulators will check my unit, see the blinds, see the light out in the refrigerator, give management a black mark towards being in compliance.

I’m leaning towards going down the petty route.

Would serve them right.

Stiff and Sore

Saturday’s walk, on the campus of the university, was energizing and motivated me to get off the couch yesterday, put in some time on the smart hula hoop, followed by a 6 mile ride on the indoor bike.

Woke up this morning feeling it — stiff and sore.

Much as I would have preferred to stay in, nurse my aching body, I pushed through, kept my appointment at the Pain Cave.

Got through today’s upper body workouts, arrived back at the complex feeling even sorer and stiffer.

As I pulled into my parking spot, the Talker, who parks next to me, was preparing to enter her car to drive away.

Asking if her brother, who was banned by the Tyrant, from bringing his mobile food bank onto the property, had found another location, she responded, no, that he was currently looking for another location because he had lost his lease.

I’m not exactly sure what that meant, but gather either the church lot he was working from, or a location he had leased, was no longer available to collect, store, distribute from.

The Talker went on to say she too was looking for another place.

"What!! … Why are you looking? Are you moving?" asked I.

That was a "yes", but only because the office has notified her that she is now over-income and has to be out by October 31.

Damn! That’s harsh. She’s only been here a year and a half.

The Talker got pushed over-income as a result of monies inherited when her mom recently died, followed by her now getting a salary from a health care organization for taking care of the disabled brother who lives with her, which salary had been withheld and is now coming in lump sum, with additional checks to follow, further pushing her over income. Not to mention the disabled brother also became privy to a similar lump sum windfall.

"Money just keeps coming in", said she.

"It’s a blessing and a curse", said I.

She agreed with that and went on to say she felt bad about being blessed, because there are residents here who are struggling and, being as how she is a talker, she went into detail about the residents of whom she spoke.

She pointed out that one such resident, who lives in my building, around the corner, has so little money that the office settled her rent at $295 a month.

I’m no fool though. I’m sure the county is kicking in $900 or so for the shortfall, but I didn’t say that to the Talker.

She also said the nice old guy who saved the kitten is also struggling because, after his wife died a year ago, he lost income. His rent had been settled at $750 and, with the loss of income, he now only has $925 coming in.

"He needs to get himself re-evaluated", said I, which she said is what she told him but, in the interim, she — the Talker, has been helping him out, paid off a few bills for him.

She and her brother with the van are generous souls. Her generous nature is probably what’s attracting money into her life — The Law of Attraction.

At any rate, it was interesting to learn of the disparity in how management determines the price of leasing a unit here. I assume there is a formula they follow and, because she and I are in a gray area — not rich, but not as poor as others, the formula is slowly working against me, but worked rapidly against her because everything came in all at once.

She’s living on faith that she’ll be led to the right place, which is what I too will do when the time comes. Living on faith is what brought me here after that disastrous year I had my life turned upside down, when I relocated to Long Beach so granddaughter could continue with her schooling, keep her from being homeless when her mom spiraled out, left her alone to fend for herself.

Talker said she wants to buy, but plans to wait until the housing market calms down.

So that was my today, which happened to be the 2-year Anniversary of my working out with Trainer in the Pain Cave.

Thanks to my gut issues, which got progressively worse last two years, I’m not leaner, but hope springs eternal. I keep trying for weight loss.

I am, however, very much stronger — I even now can feel muscle in my upper arms.

Can you make out the words on my leggings? I’m what those words say.

Revenge With a Side of Rocks

While in the Laundry Room on Saturday, talking to a resident I’ve never seen before — even though she tells me she’s lived here for three years, I asked if she’d gone to movie night.

Her response was to laugh — long and hard.

Once she stopped laughing, she said — with a smirk on her face, “No one did …. except my neighbor and his wife”.

From this resident’s obvious enjoyment of the Tyrant’s failure, I’m deducing that his carrying on with movie night, rather than telling the couple the event was cancelled due to lack of interest, has residents laughing behind his back. He’s become a joke.

When people in power lord it over others who, for one reason or another, feel they can’t speak up/fight back, those powerless ones find other less hazardous to themselves ways to exact revenge. Silence and non-participation is one such effective measure.

However, the Tyrant may have found a way to break down some of the wall that’s between himself and residents. The Baker tells me he’s bringing bingo back.

These old people love them some bingo. So, they will undoubtedly put aside their dislike and participate.

Even the Baker, who opted out of everything some time ago, long before the pandemic shut activities down, said she planned to participate.

And get this … not only is the Tyrant bringing bingo back, he’s planning on being the Caller.

I too enjoy bingo, but I’m not desperate enough to lock myself into the community room, with a group of residents when the pandemic is nowhere near over, plus have to look at the Tyrant’s deceitful face, listen to words coming out of his lying liar’s mouth.

Besides … doesn’t he have more important work to do?

I’ve not run into Jan — the painted rock maker, in some time; however, I have seen her latest work in and around my area, which consists of smooth oval rocks with bible verses.

I captured photos of three. 

Matthew 11:26

Joshua 1:9

Proverbs 14:30

You will note there is not the usual polish on my nails in those photos. I'm such a girlie girl that I  actually feel naked when not wearing polish but, in the process of giving my nails a breather, I didn’t want to take a chance on the rocks being taken as souvenirs before I got polish on and could get a photo fully dressed.

I'm impressed at how neatly Jan managed to script on these rocks.

At any rate, I didn’t have to worry about someone removing the rocks before I could polish my nails and take a proper photo, because I confiscated two of the three to add to my collection right after I captured those photos.

I'll have to let Jan know, so she'll know they're in appreciative hands, not tossed.

The two I confiscated go well with my nails — now freshly skittle polished, don’t you think?