Touché

I had no intention of getting on the road day before a holiday but, when I realized this morning that I could go no further on the needlepoint project, because I was missing a color, I decided I had no choice but to head out to the craft store into what I expected to be crowds and traffic jams.

I made it as far as the market yesterday, wearing shorts, and the world did not end but chickened out of going out-of-the-area in shorts and changed into leggings before heading to the craft store.

The roads were surprisingly clear, and the only crowd or jam I observed was at the Costco gas pump, which I decided I wasn’t in desperate need of gas and passed on.

Arriving back at the complex, I detoured through the Community Room to check the sign-up sheet for tomorrow’s 4th of July BBQ. With only seven residents signing up, I didn’t pick up a lot of interest but that doesn’t mean 30 moochers won’t show up and partake of the hot dogs provided by Activity Director and the side dishes provided by the seven who signed up to bring a dish.

We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.

Heading back to my unit, I ran into the grandmother that brought her granddaughter to last week’s Pizza Tuesday and said, “It’s probably hard to tell because she’s blond, that her dad is Black” and I’d said, “Not hard at all. I could tell she was mixed the minute she walked through the door”.

Grandmother was sitting in the lobby, I wasn’t quite sure if she was angry over my being a little too honest, but took a chance and greeted her with a smile.

She greeted me back and made a comment about the weather.

I said something about expecting a high bill because I’ve been having to turn the A/C on at 7:00.

As we were ending the conversation about the weather, and I began to move on she blurted out, “How old are you?”

What a question. People around here don't ask questions like that but, after a moment of shock, I replied “Seventy-four”.

“Oh? Really? I thought you were around 69”.

“Touché!" I thought to myself as I smiled because, inasmuch as I’m accustomed to people thinking I’m much younger than 69, I took it as an attempt at revenge for my not playing the game and feigning surprise at her pronouncement her granddaughter was mixed.

At any rate, inasmuch as I'm 74, 69 is not much of a burn, but if it makes her feel better, then okay, feel better.

Holiday Weekend

Except for the illegal fireworks, you’d never know this is a holiday weekend because, other than several U-Hauls bringing in new residents, there is absolutely no sign of life around here.

Vacancies created by a few deaths, transfers to medical rehab never to return, evictions because some seniors don’t like to follow the rules, a relocation to Arizona, a leaving to move in with relatives down the street, are bringing in new people at a rapid pace. Unlike the old days, when that mean Nurse Ratched was running the place, people were moving out and word on the street was don’t move here because of her and the complex looked like a ghost town, we now have a waiting list. People are lining up to move in.

From my needlepoint perch on the couch, I glanced out the patio window yesterday and spied a new couple …… with a pit bull.

That’s two pit bulls on the property.

Apache, our unofficial mayor, is going to lose his mind.

We had an incident a week or so ago, where a helicopter circled the area for almost an entire hour, yelling out something I couldn’t make out. I didn’t know if I was being instructed to evacuate the area or shelter in place, and I wondered if the chopper people know their equipment is sending out messages that are all static hiss cracking and they should be dropping flyers instead.

At any rate, I waited for the sound of sirens. Hearing none, I decided to shelter in place and wait the noisy chopper circling the area to go away.

Very next day, there was another helicopter. However, no message this time.

I later learned from younger sister, who lives on the opposite end of the complex and had a clear view of the mountain and the chopper, that the hubbub was about some homeless people trying to make a home on the mountain. She said the helicopter was telling them to leave or be arrested. I guess the choppers came back the next day to make sure they hadn’t returned. 

This issue with the homeless is so sad. I can’t imagine, but I can see why the authorities would not want an encampment on Little Mountain because of the likelihood of a fire being started.

All this to say that if the powers that be can send a chopper out two days in a row to chase people off the mountain, why don’t they send a chopper out to investigate the fireworks. It’s been nightly for two weeks, and the fireworks are not normal. They’re some kind of loud sonic boom. It was so loud last night, that I swear I felt the building shake.

I can’t wait for the Fourth to be over.

I’ve been doing a very daring thing lately …. wearing shorts instead of leggings.

“Daring” because I don’t know why. I just never felt comfortable exposing my legs in public. However, I saw a pair of bicycle shorts at Walmart last month that tickled my fancy and began wearing them indoors. Then, one day, in the midst of purging the unit of items I no longer needed, I didn’t bother to switch to leggings for a quick trip to the dumpster. Instead, I made a quick trip in the bicycle shorts.

Not quick enough because Nosey, the downstairs corner across the quad neighbor, ran to her patio, catching me as I was returning, whistled and said, “Hot mama. You have nice legs. You should wear shorts more often”.

The bicycle shorts are really comfortable, but I still can’t bring myself to wearing them while out and about, but I have been wearing them out and about on the complex – to the mail box, the laundry room, the scale in the Game Room, even wore them last Pizza Tuesday to the community room. Wearing them to the mailbox one day, a female resident did a double take and said the same thing Nosey said, “You have nice legs”.

They look like regular normal legs to me, but okay. I’ll take the compliments.

And in the Community Room that Tuesday, Church Lady and another resident whose name I don’t know made comments I didn’t clearly hear about me in shorts.

I see lots of others, male and female, wearing shorts around here, and no one thinks anything of it – except for the guy who is known as “The man with the pretty legs” because he’s always in tennis shorts, shaves his legs and they are pretty. I just don’t know why I myself feel so conspicuous and why others are commenting.

I am, however, beginning to feel more emboldened by the comments and, instead of switching to leggings when I make a run to the corner market today, for avocados to make a vinaigrette, I may go as I am … in shorts.

Getting daring and risqué in my old age.

TMI

Another thing that came out of Tuesday’s foray down into the Community Room was that a resident, new to the complex for about four weeks, brought her granddaughter down to wait for pizza delivery.

I don’t generally refer to folks in terms of ethnicity in this blog, but for purposes of telling the story it’s necessary to point out the new resident is a Hispanic lady.

When she walked in the door with the cute little blonde girl, around 11 years old, wearing a tee shirt that indicated she was into gymnastics, it was an obvious conclusion the girl was the woman’s granddaughter. It was also obvious the girl had some Black in her. She looked like a young Megan Markle.

Just an observation, meant nothing to me until grandma, at one point, said “It’s probably hard to tell, being blonde and all, that her dad is Black”.

“Not hard at all”, said I. “I could tell she was mixed the minute she walked through the door.”

Realizing my mouth had gotten away from me, I thought to temper what I’d said with, “She’s very pretty”.

Fortunately I wasn’t alone in not playing the game, having failed to pretend to be surprised, saying instead that it’s not that hard. Another new resident waiting for pizza delivery, chimed in an acknowledgment that it wasn’t hard at all.

I don’t really know what grandma was thinking that the child’s ethnicity isn’t obvious, but perhaps she thinks it’s cool to have a mix-raced family member and wanted to make sure we knew she’s a member of the club, so to speak.

Another thing that popped into my head later is the way Shadow described Apache’s attempt at fisticuffs.  He said Apache came at him, arms flinging wildly like a girl before others stepped in to save Apache from being knocked flat on his arse.

The image of Apache’s arms “flinging wildly like a girl” is now playing over and over in my head, causing me to occasionally LOL. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to not see that and be amused when I run into Apache from now on.

One last thing coming out of Tuesday’s session in the Community Room is a statement I made about the way Activity Director arrives on premise, then heads into Community Manager’s office, and there she stays chatting for a considerable time while residents do her job for her – pick up and deliver the pizzas, set up the tables, get signatures and distribute the pizzas.

“She’s always chatting while others do her job for her. Nice work if you can get it”, said I.

After Community Manager was called away by the school, because her son was injured, Activity Director had no choice but to join us in the Community Room.

BTW, the injury to Community Manager’s son turned out to be a sprained ankle.

But anyway, Activity Director announced she needs “volunteers” to make their involvement official. “Official” being fill out a form she presented, which form indicates a background check.

A background check to pick up pizzas and help out with other activities because Activity Director is a screw up?

The Seer and The Baker, who both help out with decorating the Community Room and organizing potlucks, said it’s ridiculous to have to go through all that for volunteering, but okay, sure.

The two ladies who use their own car to drive to the pizza place, pick up the pizzas and drive them back, using their own gas, said it’s ridiculous to go through all that for volunteering, no way will they submit to a background check. Activity Director said it's not a big deal, but you can't volunteer if you don't fill out this form and submit to a background check. The two ladies said, fine, we're done with volunteering.

I doubt they object because they have something to hide, because we all supposedly had background checks when we signed up for units in the complex, but you never know. Maybe there’s something management missed.

Will be interesting to see who picks up pizzas next week.

Activity Director also said she needs residents to give her copies of our medical cards. The purpose, or so she says, is to be able to arrange for on-site representation for plan members.

The office already has way too much information on my life documented in their office files, on their computers. They say everything is secure, but what’s secure in this day in age? There no such thing, so I’m not cooperating. I won't be giving them anything other than what they already have. And needless to say, I was done with volunteering a long time ago.

No News is Good News

Not a single solitary thing going on in my life. No drama, no excitement, no problems and I like it like that, which makes my long-time spiritual practitioner, now deceased, wrong.

Way back when life was overwhelming -- what with family problems, financial problems, dealing with racism and abuse of authority in work situations, I’d see my practitioner at least once-a-week and the Shaman, now also deceased, twice-a-year.

The Shaman would tell me what was coming, why others were doing what they were doing, which advanced knowing gave me a leg up, and the practitioner would meditate and lift me to a place where I could detach and stay high in consciousness under the bludgeonings of chance, bloody but unbowed as others went low.

I remember once saying to her, “Does it ever stop?”

“No, honey. Ninety percent of the world is here to challenge and test the other ten percent. It’s how we grow. Life would be boring without it.”

Well, I’m going through a period when the trials and tribulations in my personal life seem to have stopped and guess what ... I’m not bored.

So not bored that I started not to head down to the Community Room to people watch this Pizza Tuesday, even though I’d not had contact with others since last Tuesday. However, having nothing in my life to entertain you folks with, I decided to go down to see what the old people were up to.

Church Lady was once again back. Still looking for sympathy, she responded to my hello with an excuse for being there ... “I only came down because V_____ invited me to coffee”.

Did I ask? I just said "Hi".

At any rate, V______ interjected, “Yes. I told her she needs to come down more often”.

“You use to be here every day” said I.

“Not anymore” said Church Lady. “Nobody misses me anyway”.

Not wanting to go down that poor me road with her, I walked away. With all the serious things going on in the world right now, ain't nobody got time to acknowledge her little hurt feelings.

Catching up on the happenings, I learned Apache is still on that quest to get the pit bull off the premises. There was to be yet another big pow wow with the new Corporate Boss Lady, Community Manager and people Apache contacted from the county this afternoon, but Community Manager was called away around 11:30 on an emergency. The school called to say her son had been hurt.

Hopefully it’s just kid stuff and nothing serious.

With Community Manager called away, Assistant Manager missing in action, and Head Maintenance Guy (HMG) also missing in action, that leaves only Activity Director and Assistant Maintenance Guy to man the premises.

As to where Assistant Manager and HMG are today, no one knows. We’re guessing, however, that perhaps his wife is in labor.

What does that have to do with Assistant Community Manager being also missing in action you ask?

If HMG is at the hospital on baby watch, she'd be there with him because HMG is her nephew.

Which explains how he was able to get away with doing so little in the past, but he’s cool now. That shakeup with former Corporate Boss Lady being fired, former Assistant Maintenance Guy getting a write-up and then quitting, must have awakened him. Either that or he too got a warning from Corporate.

Upon remembering to ask what’s happened to the pregnant young lady living with her grandma, I learned she’s working now and also bought a car, which is why I’d not seen her in ages.

We’re waiting to see what happens once she delivers.

Will we be subjected to a baby wailing at 2:00 in the morning? Perhaps an echo with HMG's baby wailing from the west side of the complex, the young lady's baby wailing from the east.

Posted to the board was a sign-up sheet for a 4th of July Potluck next Tuesday, the 3rd.

This would be the first time Activity Director actually scheduled an event not days after, but actually more timely -- the day before.

Asked if I was planning on attending, I said probably not because Activity Director’s events are boring. But it looks like us seniors won’t be doing our own thing – a barbeque, music, dancing, because Apache and Shadow are fighting, even came close to blows I’m told, other residents had to jump in and separate them, and since those two are usually the ones to get those impromptu get-togethers started, I’m guessing not this time and I’ll have to drop in and satisfy myself with Activity Director’s event.

As to why the boys are fighting, there's nonsensical reasons coming from both sides. However, from where I'm standing, it looks to me like Apache is jealous that he’s now not the only big dog on campus. Of course that's too much truth for Apache, he'll nut up on me if I tell him what I see. So I'm taking the role of Switzerland here, neutral territory, not saying anything to either side, just listening.

However, if the boys don't settle down, if the two do come to blows, rule is both will be evicted.

The Saga Continues

That would be the saga of the skull print onesie pajamas I’ve been trying to get my hands on since April.

After the first online order went awry, I reordered and had shipped to a different mall, as I mentally blamed the first store for failing to notify me the item had arrived and then losing it.

The second order indicated the item would arrive in 12 days ... call customer service if not notified by then.

I waited 15 days before calling customer service, who indicated the item had arrived almost nine days earlier.

After escaping today’s power outage by spending time running errands, including having a manicure/pedicure, I went to the mall.

Good news is they did have a package for me.

The clerk asked if she could open the package to verify the purchase.

I generally say, “No. Don’t bother” but this time I fortunately said, “Sure. Go ahead”.

I say “fortunately” because expecting to see an item with this print pattern on it.

I instead found an ugly blousy looking thing with this print pattern on it, and a shipping label indicating it was to have been sent to a woman in Atlanta.

I’m done.

Not only with giving up trying to purchase the skull print pjs, but ordering online from this particular retailer.

Returning to the complex well after the all clear on the power outage, I was met by the neighbor in the downstairs corner unit, across the quad – the resident I refer to in the blog as Nosey because she keeps an eye on everyone’s activities and isn’t shy about running out to her patio to eavesdrop on conversations.

She obviously saw me leaving at 9:00, she always does and greeted my return with “We made it -- but that was a long boring four hours”.

What with meditating, needlepoint and three books I'm trying to make time to read, I could have easily done the four hours without being bored, but I had to escape because I can’t do anything in a hot upstairs unit, facing the sun, with no A/C.

At any rate, all seemed well when I returned and nothing in the fridge appeared to have thawed any.

Tomorrow is movie night. Casino Lady said she got her hands on Jumanji with Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black.

Sounds like a movie I'd like to see, but after that experience of trying to enjoy Black Panther with rude attendees chit chatting, I said never again and I meant it -- just like I'll never order again from that online retailer.

Pizza and Potluck

Another Tuesday here at the senior complex means pizza for the folks. In addition, Activity Director being not present last week to arrange for a Father’s Day activity, she scheduled the Father’s Day celebration for today – sandwiches, sodas, whatever other dishes the seniors wished to contribute.

I was in the Community Room earlier catching up with the folks, but headed back to my unit just as the 1:00 celebration was being set up, so I can’t tell you what dishes were served and how many fathers attended, but generally only two or three. That’s not including The Seer and I who consider ourselves fathers as we were both single parents doing the job of father and mother for our children.

Bingo is at 2:00 and since it’s not Activity Director’s boring bingo but an outside agency coming in trying to sell us medical insurance, bingo is likely to be more engaging with better prizes.

I’m trying to motivate myself into heading back down for that, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to tear myself away from the couch, television, laptop and needlepoint.

Notices were finally received by residents via snail mail that the power will be off on Thursday. Instructions are to unplug electronics, just to be on the safe side in case of a surge. As for refrigeration, everyone is hoping things won’t thaw out during the outage and perhaps the outage time will be shorter than the estimated 9:00 to 1:30 p.m.

Hopefully, because I’ve still quite a lot of frozen items in the freezer department I’d like not to lose.

I finally did get around to making that Chicken Curry recipe that beat Bobby Flay. It was barely edible, and certainly didn’t taste like it could beat anyone, let alone a famous chef.

Probably my fault. I’m just not good in the kitchen, even when following a recipe. Consequently, a freezer full of frozen products.

Church Lady was back in the Community Room this morning and, when I left, she was looking forward to bingo. So, I guess she’s over being upset that the Seer and Shadow called her out on talking the church talk but not walking the church walk.

She doesn’t appear to have learned anything from it however, because the Seer has on good authority Church Lady is still spouting venom to anyone who will listen to her here on the complex and in church.

Speaking of never learning, while in the Community Room Loosie Goosey received a phone call congratulating her on winning $9,000. “Sure", I sarcastically said. "Just send us $10,000 and we’ll send you the $9,000”.

“I know”, said she “Because they already got me”.

“What?! How?! When?!”

“I’m embarrassed to tell you …. it was last month”.

Loosie isn’t that old and being the tough from New York with a mouth on her type, she’s certainly not a pushover, but somehow fell for it, rushed over to Walmart and did as the caller was instructing … bought pre-paid cards, something about putting money into Amazon. They even instructed her to try to borrow more money when she ran out. All told, the caller conned her out of $500.

When I asked, “How did you fall for that?”, the answer was “Desperate. The idea of getting $9,000”. And when I asked, “When did you realize it was a scam?”, the answer was “As soon as I walked out of Walmart”.

She was off in another direction before I could get further details as to what it was that caused her to realize she’d been conned (probably because the caller, at this point, having gotten the money, hung up on her) but, inasmuch as the scammers now appear to have her on speed dial and are calling yet again, at least she knew to hang up this time.

I myself don’t even answer my cellphone if I don’t recognize the number. I figure if I don’t answer and it’s important, a message will be left.

Hard to believe, in this day and age, with so many warnings that intelligent people still fall for that particular scam.

Well, 2:00 has come and gone, bingo is in process but, comfortably settled inside, I’m not going back down.