Officially Worn Out

Having the car serviced is off my to-do list and couldn’t have gone better. In at 9:00 yesterday, I was out at 10:47, which included the time it took to wash the car, and the service consultant did not try to talk me into anything other than what I came in for -- a straight 12-point inspection – rotate tires, fluids, check chassis, belts, hoses, exhaust system, air filter, yada yada yada. Except I did notice later, when at home checking the invoice, a notation “recommend tie rod ends trans service”.

I don’t know what that is, it wasn’t explained, so I’ll research on the internet to determine if it’s something I should have taken care of next service, or if it’s a pad the bill thing.

At any rate, service went so smoothly, so quickly, that I began to doubt all that was to be performed actually was performed -- especially rotating the tires. I guess it's a situation of damned if you do, damned if you don't on the part of the dealer. When they let my car sit for 2 hours before they begin work, I let them have it on the follow-up survey. When they get started right away, I'm in and out in record time, and suspicious.

Nevertheless, I wish I’d set a trap, like put a mark on one of the tires so I could see if that tire was in a different location at the end of service.

Next time for sure.

I had every intention of heading out early this morning to complete the latest 5K, but having been awakened at 3:30 this morning, by someone doing laundry, that plan was put in jeopardy.

Who does laundry at that time of morning?

I wondered but, though I could not go back to sleep, I wasn’t about to go outside to find out.

I forget what Laundry Room hours are but, for sure, it’s not 3:30 in the morning.

Though my unit is upstairs, at the end of the building, with the laundry room right around the corner, I don’t normally hear the start/stop of water rushing into the washers.

But when all is quiet, late at night/early in the morning, I hear a faint gushing sound -- just enough laundry room sound to disturb my rest. I can’t even imagine what the weird new tenant underneath me has to deal with, because her walls are right up against the laundry room.

At any rate, wide awake and unable to go back to sleep, I turned on the laptop, played a few rounds of Candy Crush, AlphaBetty, read a few blogs, researched kente cloth fabric sources and eventually was able to get back in bed and sleep, waking at 8:00, with no plans to do that 5K.

However, after pulling myself together and realizing the source of the fabric I wanted was less than a mile from the mall, I all of a sudden got an energy boost and headed out to kill two birds with one stone.

The 5K got done in a crazy circuitous kinda way, as I paused the Runkeeper in the mall when I stopped to purchase a poorly made cheap looking gluttee wrap.

I noticed the gluttee kiosk during last week’s 5K. It’s like a hoodie around the waist, without being an actual hoodie which, tying a hoodie around my waist is something I always do because I need the pockets and I’m not comfortable wearing leggings in public without a butt covering.

At any rate, I noticed how poorly thrown together they were and knew I could do better but, unable to find a pattern, I bought one to use as a pattern so I can make one in kente cloth and other fabrics for myself and my girls.

After making the purchase, I unpaused the tracker and did a few more laps in the mall.

Close to finishing, I paused again and drove to Target and the bank – taking it off pause as I walked between the two locations.

Then, I paused and drove to the fabric store, where I finished up on the parking lot before heading in for fabric.

Though the start/stopping/different locations added 15/20 minutes to my time, considering all I accomplished, I’d say 1:33:58 is pretty good time.

A 5K last week, one today, the car serviced, other errand during the week, I am officially worn out. Thank goodness, my next challenge isn’t until November 1st.

October Challenge

Having barely recovered from last week’s challenge, I’m not much feeling like completing another challenge so soon. However, inasmuch as I’d already registered for the Virtual Halloween 5K, to earn another cool medal, I’m committed.

Tomorrow would be a good day to walk the mall, but I’ve an appointment at the dealership to have the car serviced. No idea how long that’s going to take, or what repairs they’ll manufacture in order to up the bill but, after researching new cars, I find nothing I like as much as my old reliable Saturn Vue – not even a Jeep, which I’ve coveted forever, so there’s no limit to how much I’ll pay to keep the Saturn going.

If the car is in and out, with nothing requiring overnight service and a rental, I’ll aim for the mall Thursday as I’ve plans to hang with the seniors Friday to watch Wonder Woman.

The monthly calendar was distributed and indicates an Ice Cream Social on the 17^th and a Halloween Potluck on the 24^th. Of course, the ice cream social is out because of my gut issues but, even though last year’s Halloween event was a bummer and ruined the season for me – because I was the only one who wore a costume, I’m seriously thinking about participating.

I don’t know what happened that the seniors had so little enthusiasm last year because, always before, everyone came in costume.

To bring back the enthusiasm of yesteryear, I’m going to pick up some inexpensive masks and headwear to ensure everyone in attendance is wearing something.

As for my contribution to the potluck, in the past it's been deviled eggs.

Halloween 2015

Halloween 2016

However, deviled eggs are a lot of work -- especially if one adds themed decorating to the task and, when the seniors disappointed me last time, I vowed I’d not go to that much trouble for them again … and thus far I haven’t, not for Easter when I always brought deviled eggs or green deviled eggs for St Patrick’s Day or any of the multiple other occasion I was known for being the “deviled egg lady”.

So, since I can’t eat any of the sandwiches the Activity Director plans to bring, or anything the seniors themselves contribute, I’ll just make deviled eggs for myself to have something to eat and let the masks and head bands be my contribution.

That’s fair, don’t you think?

Happy National Coffee Day

Of course, I didn’t learn of this until late this afternoon, and I could have used a free pick-me-up after this morning’s mall walk, to qualify in the third of the hashtag Virtual 5K Series.

In fact, there was a Krispy Kreme just a few steps from where I’d parked on the lot. I’d actually even thought about walking over to pick up donuts for the folks which, had I done so, I’d surely would have seen a National Coffee Day sign.

The reason I didn’t walk over for donuts was not because I couldn’t eat a donut myself, but because I was feeling stiff, sore, bottoms of my feet were on fire, and I was moving a little like Frankenstein.

The shoes which formerly felt like walking on air, all of a sudden towards the end of the walk felt like walking on rocks. Not exactly sure why, but perhaps I was landing too hard, not to mention I walked longer than was required, logging in 4.0 miles instead of 3.12, and not on purpose.

During the walk, I paused the Runkeeper a time or two to take a photo of something in the mall that captured my fancy and, at one point, I forgot to un-pause the device as I continued on. Fortunately, I was also wearing a Fitbit. So, when I realized the Runkeeper was stuck at 1.89, when I knew I should have been well over that, I checked the Fitbit. It was clocking me over what was required at 3.40 and, by the time I made it back to the mall entry where I came in and got to the car, I’d logged in 4.0 miles and the choice was 1) Hobble over to Krispy Kreme or 2) Drive over to Target and pick up a Wonder Woman DVD.

Though I was still walking kinda loopy, I made it into Target, so next Friday’s movie night here at the complex will be Wonder Woman, and I’ll join the folks to watch, of course wearing my Wonder Woman leggings.

As for the photos that caused me to pause the Runkeeper, it was Halloween costumes that made wish my girls were little again and I could dress them up.

And mannequins that were a far cry from the boring poses I'm accustomed to seeing.

Saturday and Sunday plans are to do absolutely nothing but soak in Epsom salt, recuperate, and prepare for the coming week.

Waiting Game

So it looks like the Head lazy slow unmotivated Maintenance Guy is playing the waiting game with me, insofar as retrieving the two Portable A/C’s that got me through the triple digit heat wave.

Now remember, HE didn’t offer a portable the first three days when the inside heat fluctuated between 90˚ and 94˚. Portables popped into my head, when the first A/C guy showed up – the one who wanted to repair the entire unit, but said the parts had to come from Texas and Texas was under water. It was I who had to request a portable in order to make remaining in the unit bearable.

The A/C was repaired 19 days after it went down, and only because I’d asked for Corporate Boss Lady’s email address to rat Maintenance Guy out for not moving his butt, after which the A/C was promptly repaired the very next day. That was the 16th. Would you believe, the two Portable A/Cs are still sitting here.

I think Maintenance Guy is trying to annoy me.

Nice try, buddy boy.

Instead of giving him the satisfaction of making me bug and beg him to come get them, I’m using them as furniture.

Front Room Portable A/C

Bedroom Portable A/C

Right now, they're racks for books and magazines. If I don’t eventually use them as plant stands, I’ll move stuff around in the patio storage area and move them in there.

I can hold out as long as you can buddy boy, cause I’m older, I’ve got more experience in outwitting/outplaying, and I'm retired, while you're the one that has to keep a job.

The guy is earning himself quite the reputation around here, and it's not good. He's so lazy that, when one of the residents lost her key and was locked out of her unit on a Sunday, when the office was closed, she called him on the emergency line, asked if he could come over from his unit on the property and let her in, he told her to "Call a locksmith". The reason he's been supplied a unit on the property IS to make him available for emergencies.

Another millennial who can't be bothered, doesn't want to work, doesn't think he has to earn his paycheck.

I image he won’t come for the portables until the annual Corporate Boss Lady’s walk-through. Maintenance always gets on its game about seeing nothing is wrong in any of the units when that time rolls around. However, if the portables are in storage by then, Maintenance Guy won’t even see them to remove in advance and, when Corporate Boss Lady shows up, I’ll be sure to tell her about the two portables in the storage area.

Other than that, it’s business as usual around here.

The seniors have had and are having quite a few activities, all of which I’ve had to pass on because of my gut issues – spaghetti dinner, pizza party, hot dogs added to the movie night menu and they’re scheduled for a day trip to a casino in San Diego.

The seniors do love to gamble.

When I declined movie night, adding turkey dogs to the menu was offered as a bribe, but even those now cause a little stomach distress, so I passed.

And when I explained, “I don’t enjoy gambling. I’m not lucky”, it was suggested I could walk around and explore San Diego instead.

Yes, but what fun is that if you can’t eat anything while out and about.

I even had to pass on my annual meditation retreat because of the food issue.

I hope this gut thing will eventually pass, because it’s really cramping my style.

Flu shot out of the way, Creative Memory photo albums all caught up, next on my planner is qualifying for the third 5K in the hashtag series.

I usually aim for twelve challenges a year. To date I’ve completed 16, and I’ve registered for three more before end of year – two turkey trots and a virtual Halloween.

After the Gold Digger 5K is off my list, next is to put the car in the shop for regular maintenance.

I’m dreading it. Not because I didn’t respond in glowing terms to a Satisfaction Survey a while back, but because my car is old, a 2004, and older cars get no respect at the dealership. I show up on time, they let my car sit in a corner a few hours before getting around to servicing it. Last time, I sat for 5 hours as I saw other customers, who arrived after me, come and go.

That’s the main reason why, when I do buy a new car, it won’t be from this dealership.

In fact, I think I’ll mention that when I get a Satisfaction Survey on this next appointment. If it’s another long wait, I’ll point that out as a reason to go Jeep next time instead of GMC.

Lastly, I received a reply to the Customer Service nightmare at the credit union Yelp. "I'm so sorry for your experience. We'd love to help make this right. Please give us a call at _______ and ask to speak with our VP of Branches. He's aware of your situation and would love to help.”

No point to it. I’ll stick with my bank but, hopefully, thanks to the Satisfaction Survey and Yelp Review, and the fact the issue has reached the ears of the VP, the outcome is that Loss Prevention Guy won’t play God with another customer. That's all I wanted was to clip his balls a little bit.

Senior Moment

Looking at my Daily Planner yesterday, I saw a notation that first up for Monday was a flu shot. So, after pulling myself together, off I go driving 20 miles to the medical clinic, only to find an empty lot and the facility closed.

Confused, I jump onto Facebook, posted my predicament and asked, “Is today a holiday or did I miss the apocalypse?”

My Archeologist friend replied, “Today is Sunday. They won’t open until tomorrow”.

After that, it was pretty much open season on me with Facebook friends commenting LOL and ROFLMAO.

My buddy Apache took it to another level with “Oh, oh. Looks like maybe you’re getting old”.

A long-time friend, now living in Fargo, got jiggy with, “The Rapture was yesterday. Lots of parking now”.

Oh well.

At least it was a nice day for a drive.

That bit about the Rapture reminded me of a few years back, when the Rapture had been predicted for a particular day and there was talk about believers being lifted.

I was living in Long Beach at the time, had gone for a walk and saw where at least one believer had supposedly been lifted.

On tap for today -- Monday for real, is driving back to the medical center to get the flu shot off my list, When I return to the complex, I’ll get started on the new Creative Memory book as I’ve locked in a title.

Browsing through a stack of 12x12 patterned papers, I found a sheet titled, “Life Documented”, which is a perfect opening.

Besides, inasmuch as Doomsday Writer David Meade has revised his prediction of the world ending on September 23rd, saying it will now be October 21st , the previous idea of  “Still Here” might be a little premature.

The Shoulda Syndrome

Because my mind isn’t cluttered with work and kids, money worries and keeping up with technology (though it should), I find myself now spending a lot of time reflecting on my past. Not that I want to. It’s just that various people and situations pop into my head. Sometimes I smile at the memory, sometimes I absolutely cringe.

I’ve made some dumb mistakes which, fortunately, did not ruin my life or got me murdered -- and very well could have, so I’ve few regrets.

About the only real regret I have is that I wasn’t more honest with people. Not in the sense of lying – I’m a terrible liar, but more in the sense of  holding back, not being completely honest, shading the truth -- mostly in an effort to not be confrontational or hurt someone else’s feelings at the expense of my own.

I think it was about a week and a half ago, just about the time I decided to go over complex management’s head and take the A/C issue to Corporate Boss Lady, that I decided my problem is I’m too nice and that I need to be meaner, that I should have done this instead of that.

To that goal of being a meaner me, I’ve posted a review on Yelp three times in one week.

I didn’t even know I had an account on Yelp until, in November 2016 when, after responding to a Dealer Satisfaction Survey, I hit submit and the review rolled over into Yelp … with an old photo of me.

Having outed myself, as a somewhat dissatisfied customer, I figured I’d have to wear a disguise next time I took the car in for servicing, and then I forgot all about Yelp until that very bad customer service delivery experience with Big Box and remembered my vow to no longer be nice.

I yelped them.

Then yesterday, Costco’s Express Delivery Service was so outstanding the afternoon before, that I went online and praised the service on Yelp.

Since I was at it, that very bad customer service experience at the credit union came to mind so, though it’s weeks later, I yelped them as well.

The beast in me is loose.

On tap for today is putting the finishing touches on my latest Creative Memory Scrapbook, which I titled “Oh Snap”.

I was very much behind, having stopped scrapbooking in 2015 because Creative Memories had gone bankrupt a few years previous, thus producing no more page refills and protective covers. I could still find some product on eBay, at an increased price but, as it was getting harder and harder to even find product there and reluctant to go to a different system, I just stopped. I still took photos, had them developed and left it at that.

It was the photos taken during the Eclipse that jump started my interest in scrapbooking again and, when I went online looking for product, lo and behold Creative Memories was back … with product galore.

So the last month has been catching up with the 2015/2016 (and some 2017) photos, thwarted only by lack of access to my notes and journaling printouts when the laptop was in the shop.

All caught up, now I just have to think of a title for the new book that begins with the Eclipse and Zumba photos. That to me is the hardest part of scrapbooking … coming up with an idea for the Title Page.

Since the world did not end on the 23rd, as Theorists had predicted, I'm thinking about "Still Here" as a title ... seriously.