The Week that Was

We had a bit of a weather cooldown on Tuesday. It was still hot, but bearable, so I was able to log in a mile around the complex.

Saw that a unit, which had recently been vacated — the resident located elsewhere on the complex, has an obvious new resident. Obvious because the previous resident wasn’t this kind of decorative.

Elsewhere on the complex was this creatively decorated patio.

I'm guessing this is where those people relocated to.

While sitting on the patio, I’ve often grabbed the phone to take a pic of my favorite sight — my two elderly boys on the walkway but, slow walking as they are, I've not been able to get to the phone quick enough to capture a photo … that is until on my walk that day.

The boys, who look like they could be twins, do not live together. At the end of the walkway, one hangs a right, the other a left. So, I don’t know how they came to be such seemingly close friends …… always together.

I may have to one day come up with an excuse to approach, while the two are sitting outside the gate, engaged in their favorite activity of watching traffic go by, start a conversation, find out what their story is.

I bet drivers passing by, seeing not only the two boys but often other residents, sitting on walkers, with nothing better to do than watch traffic go by see it as sad.

I, on the other hand, think us residents to be content, at peace. Don't need a lot of what those driving by have and do to make us happy, feeling blessed just to be able to sit and watch the world roll by.

Wednesday was another day of bearable weather.

I’d planned to watch the eclipse that day, eclipse glasses at the ready.

Then learned, California would experience no visible eclipse activity as the path was restricted to far northern regions — Alaska, Canada. So, I decided instead to join the Usual Suspects in the Community Room for crafts but took the long way around …… twice around the complex to log in another mile.

Told myself this was doable …… that I could, at the very least get up and out, manage one mile a day, so long as the weather cooperated.

That motivation lasted about as long as you readers probably expected, as today is Saturday and I’ve not been out walking since Wednesday.

Oh well.

I didn’t participate in Wednesday’s craft session, just watched, took photos for the residents’ facebook page, as they made picture frames using stencils, plexiglass, cardboard.

As for what I’ve been doing locked in my unit, other than watching Korean and Chinese Dramas on TikTok and Facebook, lusting after the handsome young Asian men I see on the screen, I’ve been finishing up yet another scrapbook …… one I started in '23, which chronicles my own personal activities, got sidelined due to the birth of great grandkids, making books chronicling their activities.

Once my '23 book is finished, the plan is to do one more, that will cover my activities between then and now, which I sense will be the last chronicling my own personal activities.

The hardest part of scrapbooking is coming up with a title page. I've come up with a system where I sometimes make the title page look like magazine covers, like this one ……

Since this next book will be the last of my personal activities, I'm thinking of doing something with one of the few photos I have of my toddler years, titling it HOW IT STARTED.

In addition to scrapbooking, I've also been throwing together tropical wear for the Resident’s End of Summer Event.

Not finding, in storage, the grass skirt I’d previously made, I grabbed raffia when I was at the craft store purchasing that Venus Flytrap and, in between scrapbooking and lusting after young Asian men in K/Cdramas, building a skirt.

Also, while at the craft store, I looked for blocks and letters to arrange in 8647, but didn't find anything usable.

The fact is, I tried, LOL.

So, anyway, as I was saying …… in addition to scrapbooking supplies, there's currently grass-colored raffia everywhere.

Still not sure I’ll actually have the guts to wear the skirt … won’t know until the day of; but if I don’t wear it, it will turn into Skelly the Skeleton’s outfit for this year’s Halloween patio display.

Pimp My Tee

I think it was last Friday when, while sitting on the couch, I spotted a patch of red through the patio window.

Made me think of a horror movie I saw where, much like here, the powers that be had removed that which was colorful from the community’s landscape … plus the color red specifically was so forbidden that a monster appeared and someone’s life would be ended over it.

It’s probably just a matter of time before our monster — management and/or the Edward Scissorhands Landscaper, finds a reason to remove the colorful tree.

THEN, as I got out of bed this morning, I spied patches of what looked like green grass peeking out through the rocks below.

They dug up the grass, put plastic sheeting in place, covered with rocks, and nature is still finding a way through.

I find that hilarious and can’t imagine what our monster can do about it.

Yesterday was a hard day due to a doctor’s appointment I didn’t ask for, the doctor’s office schedule the appointment with my primary for no good reason other than to piss me off and piss me off they did by sending me messages, a day or so before the appointment, under the guise of Personal Action Plan, wanting to know the main reason for the visit.

After ignoring the first two messages, only to receive a third, I responded "Hell if I know", because THEY scheduled the appointment and then had the nerves to bug me about the nature of the visit, though I knew the nature was just checking in … a cattle call that I didn’t want to participate in but had to if I wanted to continue getting blood pressure medication, which is about all the medical provider is good for.

Unnecessary cattle call it turned out to be, because all the doctor did was take my blood pressure, stethoscope my chest, send me down to the Lab for a blood test, all of which she usually just sends me a notice to get taken care of, no hassle no visit required.

But the thing was, this appointment, in addition to being a waste of my time, was scheduled for the primary's office at the main medical center, where parking is a nightmare.

In fact, I spent an estimated 25 or so minutes, along with a mass of other vehicles, trying to find parking, got so frustrated that myself said to myself, "Screw it", drove out of the medical center area, hit the streets and began driving back home, but saw a shopping center, pulled in, parked by an Aldi’s Grocery Store, walked down Sierra Blvd to Valley Blvd, down Valley Blvd to Medical Center Parkway, crossed the parking area to the doctor’s building, a 20-minute hike, arriving late of course and just waiting for the receptionist to say "you’re late" so I could explode.

Fortunately, scheduling was behind, no one said anything to set me off until the doctor’s nurse took my weight and blood pressure.

Weight could have been better, but was better than I expected, considering I’ve not exercised or dieted to make up for lack of exercise; but the parking situations and having to hike had so frustrated me that my BP was 178 over I forget.

The nurse said, "I’m going to have to refer you to the blood pressure clinic".

"NO!" I yelled, "IT’S BECAUSE I’M UPSET I SPENT 25 MINUTES LOOKING FOR PARKING, GOT SO FRUSTRATED THAT I HEADED HOME, ENDED UP PARKING BY ALDI'S, HAD TO WALK HERE AND PROBABLY WILL NEED TO CALL A CAB TO TAKE ME BACK TO MY CAR!"

I was expecting a call for "Security", but she instead wisely backed off with "okay" and had me wait another 15 minutes in the outside waiting area before calling me back into a room for the doctor, during which time I took the extra BP pill I carry with me for just in case situations, so I wouldn't have a stroke in the doctor's office or on the hike back to the jeep.

Having calmed down by the time the doctor arrived to prove the visit was indeed a waste of my time, I was down to 152/78, calm and back to my friendly self as the Lab later took blood. It helped that when the Lab's check-in person asked me to verify my birthdate, and said, "OMG You look Great" when she realized I was 82.

Done with the Lab, I hiked back to the jeep and, once back home, the memory of having wasted my time and that horrible parking experience behind me, clocked in at 105/48.

The plan for today was to do absolutely nothing. Just rest from yesterday, because yesterday took a lot out of me; but then Crafty Lady asked me to come down to the Community Room, where Kesha had them playing bingo, to pick up a t-shirt she’d made for me.

The resident’s 4th of July party is this Thursday the 2nd. Crafty Lady has made t-shirts for all the organizers, with logos she matched to our personalities, including one for me as the group’s photographer.

I didn’t dawdle in the Community Room … just took photos of the other personalized logos for the residents’ Facebook page, brought mine upstairs, tried it on.

Didn’t like it — it’s white, and white is not flattering to my body type … It adds pounds to my overall frame and inches to my ta tas, which need lessening rather than enhancing, plus I felt restrained in the tee, couldn’t breathe, so I decided to pimp it. The bougies call it Upcycling these days.

Whether pimp or upcycle, a lot can go wrong … I’ve had more failures than successes and was taking a big risk I’d mess up, not be able to wear the tee on Thursday, would have to admit to Crafty Lady and the others that I screwed it up.

A little scared, I went for it, starting with cutting the sleeves completely off.

from this

to this

That's more like it. Trying it on, the tee felt better already … looked like a muscle tee; but still needing that collar off my neck, I folded the tee in half, cut a little triangle out at the neck area.

to this

Pimped up nicely. However, as soon as I find my marking pen … which I had in my hand at one point in the process, and somehow magically disappeared, I’ll use the marker to mark where I can cut the V into a U.

In other t-shirt news, I've added two new ones to my collection.

Store Bought

Image clipped from internet,
ironed on with Transfer

Don’t Hug Me, Don’t Hug Me, Don’t Hug Me

That was my mantra yesterday when, around 11:30, Crafty Lady called, said she was on her way to my unit, that she had something for me.

My first reaction was Oh Sh!t.

My second reaction was She’d better not hug me. Better not expect me to hug her.

Repeating the mantra, don’t hug me, don’t hug me, don’t hug me, willing it to be so, I began setting the scene.

First, I left the door unlocked, so I could just call out "come in" when she arrived.

Then I sat on the couch, put the laptop in my lap, as a barrier to a hug, make it look like I was working on something important …… an excuse to not stand up when she arrived.

What she brought was a t-shirt she’d purchased and personalized with a stencil.

Turns out, there was no creepiness involved. She was passing out a bunch of tees she personalized to fit the personality of each member of the "team" (the event organizers). Said that (as the photographer), I’m part of the team.

I’ll take it.

I actually liked the tee a lot, but it was way too big …… a tee I’d ordinarily wear as a night shirt; but thinking it too cute not to wear at today’s event, I pulled out the sewing machine, stitched a seam up both sides, shortened the sleeve a little, turned the tee into a fit I could live with, and paired it with Disney Nightmare Before Christmas Ears.

I was successful in getting to the Community Room before the crowd arrived this morning, hid the White Elephant Gifts (Box, Shopping Bag, Santa Stocking) under the tree without being seen and watched as my contribution was further hidden in a sea of other gifts, and later transported to a table.

There was one little snag when MAGA, true to her sticking her nose in where it doesn't belong, got herself involved in transporting gifts from under the tree to the table, made a decision to leave the Santa Stocking under the tree saying, "There's nothing in there but paper".

How does she know what is or is not hidden in the stocking?

Who died and gave her the right to make that call?

I hope I didn't blow my cover by glaring at her, saying "No it's not!".

"Oh, is there something in there? asked she.

I didn't answer, just glared; so, she picked it up, added to the table.

Stay in your lane lady. You've already annoyed, gotten into it with the Talker, I'm nearing the end with you as well, and I heard other in attendance whispering about how bossy you are.

So anyway, theme of today’s festivities was the Grinch.

Lunch was lasagna. We had Cookie Decorating — I didn’t have the patience (I think that 4 years, 4 months, 3,391 hours' project has used up my patience); a Guess the Number of Candy Canes in the jar game — I guessed 75, there were 100; a Drawing for gift bags with prizes inside — my number was not called, an Ugly Sweater Contest, the White Elephant Gift Exchange, and we even had a visit from the Grinch itself.

I’m guessing that, by disguising the money in a Box, Shopping Bag, Santa Stocking, those expecting a money box were thrown off because no money was uncovered until Player No. 6 stepped to the table, chose the Shopping Bag.

The Box wasn't chosen until Player 19, after which Player 21 chose the stocking.

Of course, there was a lot of back-and-forth good-natured stealing of the Box, Shopping Bag and Stocking, each of which reached the limit a gift can be stolen.

Seeing how my brain children were received, I was a proud mama, and even more pleased when I heard a few of the newer residents say they’d never seen anything like it at a gift exchange before.

Before all was said and done, MAGA ended up pissing off another resident.

I'd mentioned previously that those of us a little better off than others bring extra gifts for those who, for whatever reason, didn't bring a gift. No one is ever left out.

So when it got down to three people left to choose a gift, myself and Robbie and another resident, MAGA approached Robbie and said, "You didn't bring a gift. We have people that brought gifts that need to choose".

I could see Robbie getting immediately angry, but he stayed calm, said "Talk to B" (the Baker told him to get in line).

I said, "We always have extra gifts, don't worry about it", so MAGA walked away.

THEN, at the end of the event as we all began to rise, she said, "No one can leave. We have to help clean up".

I believe that's considered holding others against their will.

Of course, folks helped clean up, because that's who we are, what we do; not because MAGA said so.

I promise you, the very next time MAGA catches me outside, cries on my shoulder because she's had a tiff with anyone, I'm going to tell her why it is people stop talking when she approaches, so as to not engage with her; walk the other direction when they see her coming.

Oh, and P.S. Ernie made an appearance at the door. He didn't come in, just stood their making goo goo eyes at me. I was busy, didn't acknowledge him, so he went away.

Stolen Land Eve

While the majority are planning for tomorrow’s feast, having finished conceptualizing covers for Twin 1’s bathroom accessory, my plan for tomorrow is to shampoo the carpets.

Can’t say that I’m happy with the second stab I made at making a cover, but soooooo over the project, I kinda hastily stitched up a teepee like cover, with an open flap that can be closed, just to be done with it.

It’s a lot more functional than the tube cover, but I don’t like it, am not proud of the finished product. However, so totally over this project, I just no longer care. Don’t even understand the need for a cover.

Talking to Twin 1 on the phone last night, where she said she'd just finished handing out 200 turkeys donated to her organization, I explained my reservations that Cover 1 would drive her nuts with the necessity to lift off/place back on, might not fit, and that Cover 2 was not to my liking.

She said she’d searched Etsy (online craft central for anything and everything), couldn’t find a cover, turned to me.

I appreciate that she had faith in my abilities to come up with something, but told her there’s a reason she couldn’t find a cover on Etsy. Reason being people don’t usually cover their standing holders.

After having read Tundra Bunny’s comment about his "metal giraffe", I looked that accessory up, saw how cute it is, how it would suit Twin 1’s Afrocentric ascetics, so I suggested she just replace what she has with a giraffe for TP and another for Paper Towels.

So, we’ll see how it goes — if she tests out my creations or purchases anew; but, however it goes, I’m done, over and out.

Through the patio window yesterday, I caught a glimpse of little Knock Knock on the walkway.

Is school out?

She’s older, more reserved, so I don’t expect she’ll be constantly knocking on my door; but, if she catches me outside, she will run up/give me a hug.

Next Door Neighbor knocked on the door yesterday to see if I was still alive, since she’d not heard or seen me coming/going for a while.

Things are all up in the air with her looking to move to a downstairs unit, due to a planned surgery that would have rendered her incapable of climbing stairs; and last we spoke, both the move and the surgery were on hold due to a new even worse medical diagnosis.

Inviting her in to view the finished 4 Years 4 Months 3,391 Hours artwork, she oohed aahed then asked if I’d had offers to buy it.

After saying I had no intention of working that hard for that long just to sell it, and further that family would be upset if I sold, that I expected they’d fight over it after I’m gone, I began thinking how weird that her mind somehow always thinks dollars/cents, the monetary value of things.

My mind went back to the time she was in my unit for something or other, how her eyes had roamed that time as well; she looked at various figurines, said "That’s probably worth money".

Who thinks that way?

As I was pondering that thought, her eyes began to take the room in. She asked about the cover on the yoga mat.

It was covered. How did she know there was a yoga mat under it?

Then it was, "Is that a sewing machine?"

It too was covered.

Then, "Is that a carpet shampooer?"

Damn lady.

She'd better not ask to borrow it.

Just before she moved to leave, it was "What’s that on the floor?"

It was my walking pad.

Inspecting and observing more than even the State Inspector did, I’m surprised she didn’t check the bathroom and the bedroom.

Weird, just weird.

Cute, But Is It Functional?

Having come up with an idea for covering Twin 1’s bathroom accessory, but not having the accessory to test width/length, I looked up the product description — 7.25 diameter x 23.5 height.

Using my yoga mat, which was the exact correct height, I built a prototype, leaving extra diameter inches to accommodate the overhanging thingies, then tested the prototype to make sure, once a paper towel and toilet paper were added, there was sufficient room.

Looked right, so I went for it.

It’s cute, but is it functional?

It would drive me crazy to have to lift the entire cover off to access the paper; plus, it looks small. I’m not sure that the extra two inches I allowed for the overhanging hardware is enough.

Twin 1 lives in Nevada, will be down this way around Christmas as she’s been requested to service a shelter in this area, might not be down this way again for months.

I’d hate for her to take the cover all the way back to Nevada, find it doesn't fit; so, I thought of a backup design — a skirt like cover with an opening where she can just reach through the flap, grab the paper product, let the flap fall back into place.

Having used up the African print, I headed out this morning to the Knit for Jesus store for more fabric, with a stop into the office to ask management for a new access card to the parking lot because mine stopped working.

Assistant Manager said the problem was not with my card, that the gate thingie wasn’t working, I’d have to enter the lot through the opposite gate.

Fine by me and, as I headed out to the car, Crafty Lady appeared.

It’s Monday, so she was set up in the Community Room for Crafts Day, saw me enter the building, came out to give me that little witch she said she’d picked up for me.

Don’t know what I’ll do with it, but I like it.

Knit for Jesus was, unfortunately, doing a booming business, I guess because they're all that is for crafters.

If you've not done your Christmas shopping for decorations, better get on it. Shelves are emptying already.

Sorry to give them a compliment, but their shopping bags are hella cute.

After picking up fabric, I began walking around looking for letters, so I could pull a Miss Merry’s protest (when she shops at Knit for Jesus, she spells "FTRUMP" and "8647" with the letters).

Employees were working in the letters isle, so no go. However, I did find numbers a few isles over, and had the isle all to myself.

For My Next Trick

We are 13 days into the month and us residents just this afternoon had the Actvity Calendar for this month posted to our doors.

I guess it really doesn't matter inasmuch as there are no activities listed, LOL.

Except, "Thanksgiving Social and Tenant Council Meeting with Management, Tuesday, November 18, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm".

I'm not expecting much from another management meeting or a "Thanksgiving social" but, if the Starbucks strike is over, I'll grab a cup, head down to the Community Room, just to see what Kesha and Assistant Manager are up to.

Hopefully, I can manage to listen, take notes on the meeting portion, keep my thoughts about management to myself, because voicing my frustrations, at previous meetings, has been a waste of energy.

HOWEVER, if there is any mention of our paying for lightbulbs, garbage disposal, toilet, that will be my opening to tell them I've learned it's illegal for management to charge us for those items — simple wear and tear; and ask what have they been doing with the money collected from that illegal practice.

Now that work on that never ending project came to an end, for my next trick Twin 1 has tasked me with designing a cover for this bathroom accessory ……

I haven’t a clue where to begin but, while I’m waiting for an idea to pop into my head, I thought I’d start with purchasing fabric.

After getting my BP checked yesterday (121/58), I drove over to the homophobic, racists, antisemitic Knit for Jesus craft store (don’t judge me for giving them my business. They’re the only option since Michael’s and Joann’s went out of business).

I picked up a bolt of Kente Cloth, cause I know Twin 1, with her afrocentric self, would like it.

Then saw a different print …… somewhat similar, but a little more muted that I thought she might like.

Not knowing which she’d like best, I took both bolts up to the little strait-laced grandma looking lady manning the yardage station.

She oohed and aahed over the Kente Cloth fabric, said she likes color and had in fact told her daughter she was going to make for herself a top and pants out of that specific colorful print.

Sensing she didn’t know what she saw as a "colorful print" actually was, I said, "It’s Kente Cloth".

Seeming not impressed, she said "I just like all the colors".

"Wearing pants and a top is a lot of color, and I don’t see you wearing that much color", said I.

She was a tiny little lady, and that much color would have swallowed her up. Her little body didn't exude the power to carry the print off.

She laughed said her daughter told her the same thing, that it was a lot of color, and now hearing it from me as well, maybe she’ll just make a top.

Thinking it might not actually be safe for a basic white strait-laced grandma type walking around in Kente Cloth, I added "Kente Cloth is pretty ethnic. They call it cultural appropriation now days".

We left it at that, as another customer approached, oohed and aahed over the Kente Cloth.

Later that night, I got to thinking about that conversation, wondered if I’d spoken incorrectly.

So, I asked Google …… "can white people wear kente cloth?"

There wasn’t an exact ye or ney. It was more or less, do it at your own risk, because inasmuch as the cloth symbolizes Black Excellence, to see a white person wearing is "conflicting". That you’re likely to get a lot of side eye because some do see it as cultural appropriation.

The internet also reminded me of the hew and cry that was when "with the introduction of new federal police reform legislation, Democratic Congressional leaders came together in Emancipation Hall in the U.S. Capitol to kneel together in support of the fight for racial justice. In addition to the symbolic gestures, the leaders, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, wore kente stoles …… In doing so, they meant to honor Black lives. Instead, they appropriated African culture".

They’d meant well, but caused quite a stir.

I imagine if that strait-laced granny follows through with either a top or pants or both, her circle of friends might think it cute, even some in the general public might think it cute/cool; but for me, I’m big on respecting the various cultures.

Like when I was training at the Thai culture Pain Cave. When told it would be deemed disrespectful to walk across the floor in shoes, I’d take shoes off in an area provided at the door, walk to the back training area in socks, slip athletic shoes back on AND repeat the process leaving — take off shoes in back room, walk to the front in socks, put shoes back on in area provided.

Once, Trainer said he’d ask the guys if an exception could be made for me, but I requested he not do so because "I believe in respecting the culture".

Later today, I messaged Twin 1 photos of the two prints; she chose the second one, the not Kente Cloth one.

Go figure.

The Kente won't go to waste. It will eventually come in handy for something I make in the future …… not pants and a top, though I myself probably could carry it off.

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.

Never Ever Have I

The above meme popped up on FB a few days ago; followed, a day later, by a clip from an episode of South Park that seemed to give credence to the meme.

South Park is a modern-day Nostradamus except, whereas Nostradamus wrote poetry that foreshadowed future events, South Park (and the Simpsons) have a history of producing animated episodes that foretell future events.

It sometimes takes three "Signs" before I wake up, get the message, but I don’t need a third to let me know the meaning of the meme and South Park's episode is that it’s time to begin work on Voodoo Doll No. 3.

So, yesterday, I cut freezer paper and fabric a little larger than printer paper, ironed the sticky side of the freezer paper to the fabric. Once the two were fused together, I cut to printer paper size, placed in the printer paper tray, sent the image I'd selected to the printer, to print on what was now essentially fabric printer paper — Step 1 in voodoo doll making that generally takes, start to finish, 15 minutes.

Never ever have I run into so much resistance. This doll did not want to be made.

The fabric paper went through the printer no problem, the image would have been perfect except the colors failed due to low ink in the cartridges.

After placing fresh color cartridges in the printer, I started Step 1 for a second time.

The fabric paper jammed in the printer.

Once the jam was cleared, I began Step 1 for a third time.

The fabric slipped off the freezer paper, causing the image to come out twisted, areas covered in black ink.

I began Step 1 for a fourth time.

I don’t even remember what went wrong that time, only that a 15-minute project was taking hours and hours and hours, the whole entire day.

I had to take a break — walked over to the Baker's unit to deliver flyers and learned Hell on Wheels is not doing well. After two months of therapy, she's still not able to stand on her feet, due to sciatica, and is now basically bedridden.

Her options now are to go into a Nursing Home or return to the complex, engage a fulltime live-in Nurse.

I don’t see a fulltime Nurse living with a bedridden Hell on Wheels in a unit crowded with stuff. It was hard enough to find Caregivers that were willing to work with her demanding self, but we’ll see how it goes for her.

Refreshed and reenergized from the break, I began Step 1 for a fifth time, and ta da, success.

What did South Park predict that prompted this project you ask.

In the clip I saw of an episode’s storyline was a depressed and demoralized Satan sitting on a park bench. JDV approached asked "Satan, what’s wrong?" to which Satan replied, "Tides have changed, the final showdown is upon us".

I'm counting on Satan being correct, that the end of this madness is being prophesied. Consequently, I've prepared for the next chapter.