RIP Toby

Rain Drops Keep Falling on My Head

Other than water nonstop pouring from the sky, not a lot going on around here.

The show must nevertheless go on, so this morning was the usual workout. However, because last few days’ warning to "Prepare now … California’s next storm may bring life-threatening flooding beginning Sunday", I switched marketing to yesterday, before the storm hit, so as not to a have to do so in today’s rain.

Yesterday was pretty much blue skies.

Which meant the organizers and participants of Sunday morning’s event at the airport were able to proceed without a hitch.

There’s always a few diehards who would have participated had not the coast been clear, had the rain started earlier, but it might have put a damper on the after events.

So though the event was a go, I’m still glad I didn’t register.

The predicted storm didn’t hit the area until late last night, raining cats and dogs ever since.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, I won’t have to head out again until Wednesday.

It’s predicted to still rain straight through until then, so if anyone is looking for me, I’ll be here — snug as a bug drinking coffee from my pink cup.

Not one of those Pink Stanley Cups in the news lately, the ones folks are going crazy for.

I personally don’t get this craze. They’re sold out at Target, going for $150 on Ebay and, believe it or not, $250 at Walmart.

I’m happy with my years old pink seasonal coffee cup ($10).

LATE BREAKING NEWS ... Red Light telephoned just as I was ending this post. She's talking about not wanting to live here any longer, looking for a place to live, has already requested return of her security deposit from management to facilitate said move.

No surprise, management said "NO".

Not that I'd like to see her go but, if she does go, bingo goes with her. I'll be free without having to put on those big girl panties.

As for why she wants to move, if she follows through and when, more on the details as this story develops.

You Have the Right to Remain Silent

Our friend the Catalyst has been posting AI images of himself in different roles — his fantasy lives.

My fantasy life would be that of an FBI Profiler.

I imagine that would be a difficult occupation for AI to image. So, I settled for a role where I got to ride a hog, carry handcuffs and give perps their Miranda rights.

"You Have the Right to Remain Silent"

The character in Game of Thrones I most admired, another fantasy life, would be the fierce Brienne.

Also not AI available, so I'd have to settle for a lesser fierce character, Daenerys Targaryen, The Mother of Dragons.

"Dracarys!!"

Other than playing around with AI this afternoon, I’m gagging over the February Activity Calendar, posted to our doors an hour or so ago.

I refer to it as the "Activity Calendar" even though actual activities are rarely mentioned.

There are quite a few interesting notation on the calendar. One being “Friendly reminder only outdoor furniture should be placed on your patio/balcony”.

There’s only one patio that has a dresser drawer on the patio, so no one has to think long and hard as to who this note is meant for.

Why they don’t just call TinTin and tell her to get the damn thing off the patio, I don’t know, but I’ll be on the lookout for if and when she complies.

There's also the notation "Clubhouse is temporarily closed for repairs".

Inasmuch as I didn’t see any repairs going on, just the smell of paint, my guess is Manager is probably stretching the closure out, dragging her heels in order to punish Red Light for so often challenging her and/or as revenge for whatever it was she’d overheard Red Light and Homegirl say about her, that time when she was watching them on video and listening in.

At any rate, Thank the Lord for Manager dragging her heels for whatever reason. Gives me more time to find my big girl panties.

There’s also mention of that intrusive survey — the one where I went rogue, tossed in the trash rather than fill out.

Evidently not everyone went rogue, because management is thanking those that "took the time to complete".

As to how many "took the time", could be just one resident for all I know.

Evidently, there was a bribe associated with completing the survey, because the thank you goes on to say "We would like to congradulate (sic) WD for being our winner!" … WD being the Nice Old Guy upstairs across the quad.

I’d like to take a big red marker, cross off "congradulate" correct it to "congratulate" and surreptitiously drop it off, if I didn’t think they’d surely go to the trouble of checking the document for prints, or recognize my handwriting, or catch me on video dropping it off, LOL.

At any rate, next time I see Nice Old Guy around, I’ll have to ask what he won. I’m guessing a $25 gift card for the corner market.

There’s also a note "Community meetings are coming soon! Dates to be announced".

Long time readers will recall the good old days when we had those meetings where residents could somewhat vent frustrations towards management.

It’s been years, so I can’t but wonder what brought this on but, once again a guess, this time it will probably be more of management going hard, telling us what they’re going to do, less residents venting.

Can’t wait to see how it goes.

'Twas a Dark and Rainy Day

This first day of Black History Month has been wet and gloomy, as a storm rolled in to ruin the perfect sunny weather we’ve been having last few days.

I am so glad I didn’t register for Sunday’s 5k at the Runway of Ontario Airport, as it’s likely to be rained out when the second phase of this rain storm hits the area over the weekend.

Desperate for a walking event, I came close to registering but held out because of the parking situation that once the lot closest to the event was full, a lot located a couple blocks away would be made available and registrants would be shuttled to the event.

I once got lost in that airport — barriers and miles to a turnaround area, when I went to pick Twin 2 up from a trip. So I know "a couple blocks" means miles and miles and miles.

No thanks to be stranded away from the event, dependent upon a shuttle.

Even though the event is only a 30 minute drive, I might have sprung for a hotel, so I didn’t have to worry about parking, but there were no hotels close enough to allow me to get to the event without driving.

My only other option was to arrive early, around 5:30/6:00 a.m., to ensure a spot in Lot 1, which would have meant a long wait for the 8:00 a.m. start time.

Last time I did that was 2015 for the Halloween Spooktacular up in the mountains of San Dimas, but I no longer have the energy or motivation to arrive before the sun comes up, so I waffled, didn’t register and, last time I checked, the event was sold out.

I actually was rather relieved that I no longer had to ponder whether I should register or not, because "sold out" meant I couldn't; and now that the weather has taken a turn, I’m glad I didn't waste money on an event likely to be rained out — which has happened more than a few times.

Besides, in my constant search for a 5K nearby, I see the Kappa Delta sorority is bringing the Shamrock 5K back to the university in March.

The college is a stone throw’s away from the complex, has plenty of parking so, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will be my second time participating in that 5K.

I recall the event being boring … entertainment at the finish line, but no entertainment along the course. However, who knows, this being the first in person race at the college since the pandemic, maybe the sorority will step it up, but even if they don’t, it will feel good to get out walking in a safe space again, even if only for one morning.

Organizers have already opened registration for this year’s Mission Inn October Run, but not being the spring chicken I once was, and the struggle being real, even with the walking poles last time, I’ll have to think about my ability to give it another go.

After tossing those really great walking poles by mistake, I did replace them, but not without going through the same hoops as before.

I couldn’t remember where I’d bought them from, so tried a retailer I thought would have been the source.

Wrong. I ended up with the poles I didn’t like, the ones that wouldn’t lock, so returned them.

Second try, I got the right retailer but somehow ordered the wrong product. I ended up with a cane.

It’s a really good cane, so I’m hanging on to it just in case I one day need it or can gift to someone else.

Third try was a win win — correct poles and, instead of a boring one color, in a pretty ombre coloration.

Looks like I’ll have to wait until March to test them out.

Seismic Activity

Feeling slight rumblings and swaying of the building yesterday and this morning, I thought perhaps I was imagining it.

That is until, returning from this morning’s workout, I ran into the resident who occupies the unit beneath Next Door Neighbor and asked if she’d been feeling seismic activity.

She had, so next I logged onto the earthquake tracker.

"San Bernardino has had (M1.5 or greater) 2 earthquakes in the past 24 hours; 9 earthquakes in the past 7 days; 41 earthquakes in the past 30 days; 507 earthquakes in the past 365 days".

Who knew.

So long as the rumblings and sways are limited to the earth letting off steam at 1.5, I think we’re good.

I also asked that same neighbor if she’d yet met our new neighbor (TinTin).

She had not but said, that because her unit is directly across from TinTin’s, she has been privy to who goes in/out and they all "Look rough".

Feeling the same vibes/red flags as I, she's not planning on introducing herself, said she's instead told herself, "I’ll just stay away from whatever that is".

I don’t always lock my door when I head down for a quick drop off to the dumpster, but now I will.

No news as to if and when the Community Room reopens. Perhaps Complex Manager is waiting to make certain the painted over crack in the ceiling is going to hold.

With the continuous rumblings and swaying, maybe I'll get lucky and it will all comes tumbling down, closing the room for months.

Checking sporadically on the nest in the naked tree, I’m beginning to think it’s an old abandoned nest, perhaps from when the tree was covered in leaves. Because, after all, why build out in the open like that.

I also, a few days ago, ran into the little guy that moved into the bad energy unit — upstairs, across the quad, over Red Light. He appears to be thriving.

He was carrying a rather large TV from his car to his unit when our paths crossed.

Strong little guy. Maybe I should name him Mighty Mouse.

"Getting ready for the big game?" asked I.

"No. My TV broke, had a crack in the screen. I had to buy a new one because they said I didn’t purchase a warranty".

Whaaaat?!!!

"Where’d you buy the first one from?"

He named a well-known retailer that shall remain nameless here on the blog, because I don’t want to get sued.

I purchased a standing mixer from that retailer, which failed after one use. I’d not purchased a warranty and had no problem returning, getting money back. So why he couldn’t return a TV with a broken screen without a warranty was odd.

Once bitten, twice shy, so no longer trusting this retailer, I purchased a mixer from a different source. I also later learned some of what is sold by that retailer is actually from a manufacturer that has been accused of defrauding the public, and probably the retailer, by pawning off rebuilt as new.

So, though Mighty Mouse appears to be physically thriving in that unit, he seems to be losing some of his marbles, because after being denied recompense on the first TV, when I asked from where he’d purchased the new TV, he named that same retailer, but said "This time I bought a warranty".

Good luck with getting them to honor that warranty if anything goes wrong.

I Got Nothing

Nother other than having spent the entire weekend indoors, catching up on recorded TV programs, working on that never ending needlepoint project, and watching my new superpower wane as it didn’t bring in any lottery winnings.

Heading to this morning’s workout, I saw our Outside Neighbor was no longer occupying space on the sidewalk. She’s moved on.

Sneaking a peek into the Community Room after this morning’s workout, I saw all the furniture had been moved to the far side of the room but, other than that, the room looked sparkling clean, no crack in the ceiling, no sign of earthquake damage elsewhere in the room.

However, there was the strong smell of paint.

From that, one can assume last week’s earthquake caused the previous earthquake crack in the ceiling to reopen, and management has once again painted over it.

I hope that doesn’t mean the room will reopen in time for the next scheduled bingo, Friday, February 9, because that’s too soon for me to get out of the responsibility by just fading away, being forgotten.

I’ll probably have to put on my big girl panties and just say count me out.