Carded

I got carded this morning.

Deciding I needed to run by the bank for emergency cash, I drove out of the area.

Passing Costco, I noticed there is no longer a line around the building. There was a short line near the front door, so it appears panic buying is over and the line was probably due to a limit of how many can be inside at one time.

Entering the bank, I saw they’d finally caught on and spaced the open tellers every other window, rather than side by side.

If you will recall, it freaked me out last time I did banking because, though we were spaced self-distance apart in the line to the teller, once at the teller I found myself sandwiched between a customer way too close to my left and another way too close to my right, which prompted me to tell the teller to pass on to his manager the suggestion the open windows be spaced out.

I don’t imagine MY suggestion had much merit, but someone evidently woke up and distanced the tellers.

At any rate, I learned there is now a limit as to how much cash can be requested through the pin machine. I’m not talking about the limit imposed on ATMs outside the bank, I’m talking about there’s now a limit on how much one can request inside, using the pin at the teller window.

I don’t know if this is everywhere, but this new restriction certainly surprised me. I don't see the logic.

The funds were there so I say to the teller, “Do you mean this is all I can take out?”.

“No. You can take out more, but not through the pin. I have to write out a withdrawal slip for you”.

And that’s what the teller did, but isn’t that what we did before the age of technology ─ fill out deposit and withdrawal slips? Are we now reverting to kicking it old school?

THEN he carded me ─ “Do you have a valid form of ID?”

Pre-pandemic, it sufficed that I entered the pin, but I guess this new request is due to our mask wearing.

I showed him my drivers’ license, got what I wanted and was outta there thinking to myself that the license couldn’t have been all that helpful because I was wearing a mask and he couldn’t be sure the faces matched, but whatever. It’s a new world out there.

I swung by the craft store on my way back to the freeway and noticed there is also no longer a 3-hour line around that building. Just a few folks in line along the front.

I didn’t join in. I’ll wait until things go back to when I can walk right in.

I guess the golf course is essential, because I saw a group playing on the greens. Couldn’t see if they were wearing masks.

Safely back at the complex, I checked my phone and saw this ....

Ooooh look John Gray, Walking Dead’s Darryl tweeted me goodnight.  LOL!

Happy Self-Isolating Mother’s Day

There being no Mother’s Day celebrations here at the complex, management posted little candy packets to our doors over the weekend, along with a new thing they’ve instituted to take the place of actual activities — an Activity Packet.

The packet consists of 1) a color me page (no crayons or color pens/pencils though, lol); 2) a couple crossword pages; 3) word search page; and 4) a couple mazes.

I do enjoy crosswords, word search and mazes, but I’m far too busy with my needlepoint project. I don’t have time for any of it, but I do think some of the seniors will enjoy the packets.

Also in the packet is “Resident Activity Suggestions at Home” which suggests we take a stroll over to the Community Garden to “Enjoy the shade from beautiful mature trees and birds who are always singing. There are 3 benches spaced more than 6 feet apart where you can visit with neighbors safely if desired. Pease wear your Mask”.

No thanks. I’m good without visiting outside. Besides, the Community Garden ─ created by residents before this management group took over, saved from being razed by them ─ because it’s a Certified Wildlife Habitat, when management’s construction crew tried to plow it under, might have murder hornets in those mature trees. Lol.

Say What?

Neighbor in the opposite downstairs unit — beneath next door neighbor, has been missing since the shutdown began.

Her car was gone, so I’d assumed she was sheltering in place with relatives.

Today she stopped by briefly.

As I was leaving for the Pain Cave — water bottle in one hand, trash bag to toss in the dumpster in the other, a young man I’d never seen before came out of her unit.

Rough looking character wearing a 49ers jacket.

Had I not seen him come out of her unit, I’d have paused at the door and been on guard as to whether I should step all the way out. But the fact he was associated with her, a relative I assumed, I turned the key in the door, locking it, and prepared to head down the stairs.

Hearing me come out, he looked up and said “Do you want me to take your trash to the dumpster for you?” said he.

“Why yes, that’s very sweet of you”, said I.

He trotted all the way up the stairs to take the bag from me and, as he headed down, I said, “This is so nice of you”.

“No problem”, said he. “I always respect my elders”.

HIS WHAT?! thought I. ME … AN ELDER?

How funny is it that I, at 76 years of age, somehow don’t think of myself as elderly. And hearing it put thusly, was a little insulted.

At any rate, when I got to the bottom of the stairs, I looked over to check on that penny — which yesterday was in its 7th week. Lo and behold, it was gone.

So either the neighbor stopping by her unit picked it up, or the young man with her saw the penny, picked it up and will all the day have good luck.

It WAS nice of him to help me out, but when I thanked him, he could have just said, “You’re welcome” and left off that elderly thing. LOL.

Remainder of the week, coming up on Mother’s Day, would normally find me making preparations to participate in a Mother’s Day 5K with Twin 2, after which we’d have a relaxing spa manicure/pedicure.

Covid-19 having put a kibosh on those activities, I was expecting nothing this Sunday … maybe a Happy Mother’s Day text.

Instead, I stop by the mailbox, find a package, in which was this from Twin 2 ….

How funny, sad, ironic and iconic is this tee. Not going to wear it, going to frame it.

Ain’t Nobody Got Time for This

Management — offices still closed, posted notices of Patio Inspections this week.

The world is struggling with a pandemic and management is concerned about residents being in compliance with no more than three plants, each not to exceed 50 pounds, on the patio?

Ain’t nobody got time for that.

Then there’s the Census.

I received my packet just as the lockdown began and, again, with the world as we knew it seeming to come to an end, I had more important things on my mind than completing the census.

I shredded it.

THEN, a few weeks later, I received a reminder with the caveat “You are required by law to respond”.

Oh ffs, arrest me, thought I and into the shredder went the threat.

In yesterday’s mail was another complete Census packet, also a priority mailer. The mailer was from the guy who makes the glitter masks.

I opened it and began jumping up and down with glee, like a little kid.

Rainbow Design

A gift giver that keeps on giving. I didn’t ask for this mask, I didn’t order it, he just sent it and I love it.

When all is said and done, I’m going to have to make a special trip to Los Angeles to meet this young man.

I was all matchy matchy on my way to the Pain Cave this morning, because I accessorized with my rainbow hair buff.

And speaking of the Pain Cave, since yesterday, I keep finding myself glancing out the window, looking at the patio, gauging as to whether the space is suitable for working out, because I’m getting one of those feelings again of knowing something is going to happen before it happens.

This time the feeling I’m getting is Trainer’s studio might not survive reopening, due to Trainer and his partner (he has one who works with groups) not being able to hold group sessions.

Early on in our relationship, Trainer had said, “I’m very fond of you. If something happens where you can’t make it to the studio, I’d come to you”.

My thought about that was how sweet. Then I thought about 1) how the Illusive Unfriendly downstairs neighbor would complain about the noise and 2) management would never allow us to work out on the grounds, but now I find myself looking at the patio, determining what exercises could be done in the limited space.

Trainer has said nothing to me indicating the studio might not survive but, if it happens, I’ll take him up on coming to me and we’ll do what we can on the patio if he doesn’t come up with another location.

As for that Census … timing is everything. I still feel the census bureau should not have been harassing citizens with their survey, when so much was going on. But now that there’s toilet paper and paper towels back on the market shelf, I felt a little more hopeful there might be a future to make the Census relevant, logged onto the laptop and completed the thing.

It took less than 5 minutes.

I still feel it was an inopportune time for a Census, but had I known it took so little time to complete, I probably would not have been so irritated and resistant.

Ready or Not

There was a lot of traffic on the road when I headed out this morning for a drive to the Sprouts out-of-the-area. Noticing the car’s windows had a thick layer of dust from being parked so long, I stopped by the DIY car wash.

I was the only one wearing a mask. That made me feel conspicuous, but I’d rather live with looking conspicuous than take a chance of what could happen by not wearing one.

Heading towards the freeway, I noticed the donut shop, near the freeway entrance, was once again open for business. Not to mention, the freeway was back to tons of traffic.

Ready or not, it appears this area of the state has reopened.

Once back in the area, I noticed the pizza parlor on the corner is also once again open for business and, come Monday, my Pain Cave sessions are back on.

I expect Trainer’s client list is going to blow up because more people are going to spring for personal sessions, rather than wait for gyms to reopen ─ that is IF gyms reopen. There’s also the possibility that if gyms do reopen, folks are going to avoid them because of the group factor and sign up for one-on-one’s.

No news on when the complex office returns to business as usual, and no news on Apache’s situation ... no news because I’ve not seen nor spoken to anyone and did not go out seeking. I’ll wait until news comes to me.

There’s also no news on when the day once again comes when I run out of a floss color and can walk into a craft store and purchase a skein.

Thus far, I’ve run out of two colors, and though craft stores ─ with the exception of Hobby Lobby are open now, allowing customers in, there’s a line, estimated at a 3 hour wait time.

And don’t think of beating the line by getting there early, as customer service tells me people begin lining up at 7:00 a.m .... the store doesn’t open until 10:00.

What in God’s name could people be working on that they’d get in a craft store line 7:00 in the morning when doors don't open until 10:00?

Having already devoted 9 months, 1,224 hours to this project, I’m not going to let lack of a few colors slow completion down. I’ll just work around the missing colors for now.

Worst case scenario, that being months from now I finish the project and have not gotten ahold of the missing colors, I’ll frame it and present as is. Should be an interesting conversation piece. Folks will ask Twin 2 why there are empty spots and she’ll say the piece represents work done during the pandemic of 2020. LOL.

May Day

That is all.