Money Just Falling Out of the Sky

Waking up this morning ……… checking my fingers and toes, I found they were all still there and nothing like gangrene looked to be setting in. So, as long as I continue with antiseptics, don’t wear any polish until my nails recuperate from the trauma done to them by the old ladies at the nail salon, I think I’m okay.

After this morning’s workout, I went on a hunt for eggs.

I had a feeling my regular market wasn’t going to have Eggland’s Best in stock, so I didn’t even bother. I drove to a different market, where I’ve been having good luck finding them.

That market had plenty of eggs available but, surprisingly, none were Eggland’s Best, so I pivoted back to my regular market and scored a 18-count carton.

When Trainer was a young man just starting off in the world, he actually worked for that market, knows a lot of people there, and since I often shop directly after working out, still wearing my Pain Cave shirt, those people know I’m a client and are extra friendly with me ……… ask about my workouts, complain about their jobs.

One of those is the guy who stocks the eggs.

After responding to his query about this morning’s workout, I thought to capitalize on my knowing him, get a leg up on Eggland’s Organic eggs, so I asked if he could tell me which day would be best to come in to make sure I get my hands on Egglands.

The way he explained it is that he puts in a request, they come when they come, but "you have to get here early" because they go as quickly as they come in.

That wasn’t much help, so now I’m thinking that, if those eggs get any harder to find, I’ll press my knowing him as a friend of Trainer's ……… ask him to call Trainer, tell Trainer to let his client (me) know when the eggs are in.

At any rate, I go through 3 eggs a day (two whites, one whole egg most if not every morning for breakfast), so I’m good for at least the next six days.

Weird thing about that 18-count carton is that, just last week, I’d paid $9.99 for a carton of 12 and today paid the same …… $9.99 for 18.

Did the cashier make a mistake, ring me up incorrectly?

I don’t know, but I didn't look a gift horse in the mouth and question it.

Speaking of gifts …… though I didn’t find eggs at that first market, made no other purchase there, I walked away $20 richer than when I entered because, walking down an isle, I saw something that looked like folded green paper on the floor.

Curious, I reached down, picked it up, unfolded and …… It was a $20 bill.

There was no one in the isle for me to ask if they’d dropped it, so it’s free money. However, I don’t feel right about keeping it. So, I put it in the visor of the car and will pull it out, donate to the next panhandler that asks for money.

When pivoting back to my regular market, I stopped along the way for gas and, as I stepped out of the car, spotted a dime at my foot.

Money just falling out of the sky, thought I.

Long time readers might recall that, just before my sister passed, she’d told family members she’d leave quarters to let us know she was around.

After she passed, I’d find quarters in front of See’s Candy Store, at my feet when I stepped out of the car — wherever I was, inside the Pain Cave under equipment I'd just worked on, falling out of the dryer of the complex when I opened the door to put my clothes in, just quarters everywhere.

When the Great Granddaughter was born, looking very much like my sister ……… in the same hospital where sister passed away, the quarters stopped.

I've not seen a single quarter in the two years since the baby was born.

At any rate, no one told me to look for dimes. So, since I didn’t know who this soul/spirit was, I didn’t pick it up ……… it might be my ex husband or an old boyfriend. I left it for the next person to come along, take the chance.

What Could Go Wrong?

It was so annoying this morning when, watching a program where the cops had the serial killer in the interrogation room, gotten him to confess to unaliving three women and he was about to tell the investigators what he’d done with the bodies that the power, without any prior notice, no warning, went out.

Unless and until I catch a repeat of whatever program that was, I’ll never know where the bodies were hidden.

The previous day had been such a warm day that I’d had to run the A/C and, just before the power went out, I was planning to run the A/C again because the unit was hot from my having used the oven to cook breakfast and the heat of the sun coming in through the patio window.

With now no TV to watch and working on that never ending needlepoint project out of the question in an uncomfortably hot unit, no A/C, I began thinking of options to get away until power was restored.

I could head to the mall — walk/train for an upcoming 5K, pop into Macy’s to replenish my Estee Lauder Cinnabar perfume and stop by See’s Candy to replace the candy I’d lost during those last outages, one a weeklong outage.

Another option was to walk around the complex or drive to the University, walk/train there for that upcoming 5K.

My last option was, inasmuch as I’d removed the polish from my nails earlier that morning, saw that my nails could do with professional conditioning, I could drive to that nail salon that takes walk-ins, get a manicure/pedicure.

Not wanting anyone to see my unconditioned, no polish nails, I decided against the Mall, passed on training, headed to the nail salon.

This would be the nail salon that did such a terrible polish job back in April.

That salon had done a satisfactory job on shaping and conditioning but, heading back to the complex I’d noticed the polish already coming off the tip of the thumb nail, the child-like polish job around the bed of every single nail as well with polish painted over onto my skin ……… nails and toes.

I really would have liked to have called Nora at the other salon in the area. However, Nora does gel and her prices, though worth her good work, are too costly, so I decided to give the bad paint job salon a second try. Only this time, I’d request no-polish, just a $38 trim, shape, cuticle trimming, condition, sea salt exfoliation.

What could go wrong?

There were no other clients when I walked into what looked like Senior Citizen’s Day. The receptionist and the five nail technicians all looked to be in their 60’s and over.

What could go wrong?

Well for one, the two old ladies that worked simultaneously on the mani/pedi, both nicked me with their instruments …… more than once. I’d wince, say "Ouch, be careful" and am now wisely treating the areas with antiseptics.

Also, when all was said and done, $38 ended up $60 — not unusual, though I never can figure out how these places always quote one price and, once the work is done, it’s never the price quoted; plus, I always tip $10 to manicurist $10 to pedicurist because work is work, even when it's a bad job or you've hurt me with your instruments; so $80 total.

And, lastly ……

I actually am surprised this salon is still in business. Senior nail technicians are heavy handed …… give good pedicure, and the pedicure, except for geting nicked a time or two was fine, it’s just that senior techicians are not good at manicures.

Next time, I’ll call Nora, pay whatever the cost if she can give me a regular mani/pedi, no gel.

At least power had been restored by the time I returned to the complex.

Up Close and Personal

This week started off with public displays of affection by Dream Lover and Lu that were so over the top as to be comical.

It began with my spotting them on the walkway, her arm around the back of his waist, her hand moving to his butt as they walked and talked.

They paused a few times, faced each other, her looking up into his eyes, he looking down into hers. They moved on a few more steps, her hands all over him, stopped, faced each other again, she looked up into his eyes, he looked down into hers, and then they kissed.

WTF? If they want to get all up close and personal, get a room. Oh wait …… they do have a room, two of them — his unit and her unit.

I don’t know what they’re trying to prove, who they are trying to prove it to with these public displays of affection but, to me, it’s beginning to look deliberate, like a weird game.

Lu is one of the women who kept knocking on the door of Hubba Hubba Awooga Silver Fox — offering cakes, cookies, meals, asking questions about where he was from, what he does, and he’d insulted her by telling her to go away, stop bothering him, that he’s sick and tired of women always chasing him.

So maybe these PDAs are, in Lu’s mind, showing Silver Fox a thing or two.

I doubt he cares.

The PDAs might also be designed to poke at our Karen character; and the fact they keep parading around in eye shot of Karen’s unit gives credence to the show might be specifically for her.

It did seem odd that, when they stopped and kissed, that it was directly in front of Karen’s patio window. Would have been hard for her to miss.

So the answer to who they’re trying to prove it to, may be Karen.

If so, it’s mean and it's cruel to rub it in Karen’s face, after he dumped her, told everyone who would listen that "she's crazy" and, when she refused to be dumped, sent him love letters, stalked him, he got Manager involved, who told Karen that harassing another resident can get her evicted. So why be cruel, why rub this one in her face? — carry on, but not in front of her unit.

I can see Dream Lover being deliberately cruel, as he’s done it before …… paraded a new one (Boebert) in front of an old one (Faith), but I can’t see Lu playing that game, unless he’s blinded her, with his sweet talk and so bedazzled her with that thing he's able to give her courtesy of those little blue pills, into playing the game with him.

Not only did they walk around showing off earlier today, when I later went down to pick up mail, there the two were sitting on the bench right smack dab in the middle of the grassy knoll for all eyes to see — again in direct line to where Karen could look out and see.

I waved and, instead of continuing on to the mailroom, I walked over to say hey.

I wanted to laugh out loud when, as I approached, Lu put a protective hand on and began massaging Dream Lover's leg.

Thinking to myself, girl please, you do not have to worry about me, I fought to keep the amusement I was feeling off my face, as I ignored her obvious he's mine gesture, asked how bingo was going.

Lu asked if I’d left bingo because it was too noisy.

Last time I’d attended it was overly noisy, gave me a headache, but no, said I, I’m just running on empty lately, don’t have the energy for bingo.

Lu accepted that and said there’s a lot of that no energy going around and filled me in on who’s been hospitalized, who’s moving — Grace, the Other Wheelchair Lady, just got out of the hospital, Genie — one of the Usual Suspects is moving, and MaryAnn is losing her mind so her daughter is moving her out to be cared for.

I said how surprising it is that Genie is moving, that MaryAnn is a supporter of the Mad King, so I don’t care.

Done with the conversation, and with watching Lu rub all over Dream Lover’s leg — reminding me the photo of you know who kissing the feet, sucking the toe of the other you know who, that’s circulating online today, I dismissed myself by saying I had to go to the mailbox, pick up a tax document I’d had to special request in order to file, and both expressed shock that I file taxes as neither has for years.

Lu said that it’s her understanding people our age don’t have to file, and her social security is not taxed.

Saying I pay taxes on my social security and my pension, Lu suggested I look into the matter, as she’s quite sure I’ve been filing when I don’t have to.

Not only do I file but, instead of a refund, I pay …… usually get a few pennies back from the State, but end up paying the Federal Government a Grover Cleveland and five to eight Benjamin Franklins. So, after returning to the unit, the plan was to ask Twin 1 to check with her lawyer for me, but then I thought to just Google it.

Q. At what age does one not have to file taxes?

A: "The Internal Revenue Service requires all taxpayers, regardless of age, to file a tax return and pay the appropriate income tax in any year their gross income exceeds certain levels."

Maybe Lu and Dream Lover don’t pay taxes because they’re below the required level, thought I, so I went further down the rabbit hole.

Q: At what income level do I not have to file taxes?

A: "If you have income below the standard deduction threshold for 2024, which is $14,600 for single filers and $29,200 for those married filing jointly, you may not be required to file a return. However, you may want to file anyway".

Q: Why file taxes if don’t have to?

A: "Even with little or no earnings, filing a tax return can still be beneficial. You may qualify for refundable tax credits to potentially receive a tax refund".

So, though Lu and Dream Lover are likely not tax cheats ……… they must be below the threshold, don’t have to file and are clean on that, but they are absolutely making a mistake if these PDAs are designed to poke at our Karen character.

They might not like what happens if her crazy is awakened.

BTW: If you’ve not seen the photo of you know who kissing the feet, sucking the toe of the other you know who, that’s circulating online today, let me know and I’ll revise this post to add here at the bottom.

Uneventful

It’s been an uneventful week here at the complex, or so it seems to me because I’ve so rarely gotten up from the couch.

Though I’m not watching or reading the news per se, what headlines flash before my eyes on TV and Tik Tok, before I can switch to something less traumatizing, is enough to suck the energy out of me. So, with no energy to go anywhere, do anything, it’s taking great effort just to get off the couch, do what must be done — like head to the Pain Cave for workouts, do groceries, pick up mail.

And btw, last time at the market the Eggland’s Organic Eggs were priced at $9.99 a dozen. Might as well call it what it is — $10 a dozen.

I can’t say there’s a limit I’ll pay for eggs because, as I’m spoiled to Eggland’s Best, I'll pay whatever for as long as they’re available.

At any rate, I can’t phantom this energy drain that’s driving me to isolate, withdraw, which energy drain I attribute to the bad chi swirling around in the atmosphere, emanating from the Mad King, continuing for four more years. Something has to give/snap along the way. Hopefully it's them that give/snap, not me/us.

In other news, it was on Wednesday, when heading out for that morning’s workout, I saw neighbors gathered around the bench on my walkway, one of whom was the Baker.

Looks like the episode with Red Light is in her rear view, as she seemed back to her old jolly self — except she’s all battered and bruised from a fall in the elevator at her doctor’s office.

Before I had to rush off for my workout, I asked "How did you get Rox (Red Light) to take down that stuff she posted?"

There were other neighbors around, so she was cryptic in saying, "Someone got to her". Then gave me a look like she didn’t want the others to know about her Deputy Sheriff son-in-law’s involvement by adding "That person I told you about".

I nodded my understanding, and took off for my workout.

Other than that, the only contact I’ve had with neighbors this week is, while sitting on the couch, observing them through the patio window.

On one such day, I observed something that quite literally blew my mind — it was Dream Lover (age 62, who has made the blog many times), walking down the walkway, holding hands with Lu (age 82, who has no notable mention in the blog other than being one of the Usual Suspects).

All of a sudden, it clicked. Over the last month, I’d seen the two together many times …… walking down the walkway, once with her arm in the crook of his and had thought nothing of it; the two heading out in her car, coming back in, again thinking nothing of it. It took this walking holding hands, like school kids, for me to wake up, smell the coffee, realize the two are now a couple.

Since then, though I’ve not spied another obvious gesture designed to let us residents know they’ve coupled up, I have observed him heading towards her unit on a regular basis.

I’m surprised, and a little disappointed at Lu. She’s not a stupid woman.

Lu knows Dream Lover’s history with other women on the complex and now, after all these years of knowing, is allowing herself to be used by a known user.

Dream Lover had obviously been on the prowl since his last conquest, our Boebert character (Lu's neighbor) moved. He's no longer doing volunteer work at the senior center, so I guess that source of female company has also dried up and here, on the complex, is where he's limited to hunt.

It was just at the Christmas Party when he said to me, "I'm looking for a nice lady to spend time with".

I knew what he was getting at, and played stupid, like I didn't so he'd have to put it in plain and simple words, that he wanted to hook up with me, so I could shut him down.

He tried once more, but the best he could come up with was to look at me and one day in the Community Room say, "You're a nice lady".

Dumbass, I just turned around, walked out of the room.

I can't imagine what he said to Lu, but she fell for whatever it was and now I understand why it was he couldn't look me in the eye when I saw the two of them returning to the complex, removing items from the trunk of her car.

He looked embarrassed, but I'm not exactly sure what he was embarrassed about, as I'd not yet put two and two together at that time.

This is not going to end well for Lu. As is Dream Lover's pattern, he'll drop her as soon as something better comes along.

At any rate, now that I know they are a couple, I often find that old song about a Tender Woman and a Snake playing in my head.

President’s Day

That is all.

Out and About

Snow on the surrounding mountains made for a cold yesterday, but it was a dry day, the sun was shinning, so I headed out of the area to replenish my needlepoint floss stash.

I’ve been getting low on colors needed to complete the never-ending needlepoint project — a project now 3 years, 3,350 hours into the making with no end in sight, and couldn’t run to one of the local craft stores (Michaels or JoAnn’s) because they’d both surprisingly gone out of business.

The only craft store still in business, a few cities over but within driving distance, is the craft store with the mission "to honor God by operating in a way that follows Biblical principles". Translation: racist, homophobic, rethuglican Orange Menace supportive.

It’s the only game in town, so I drove over, got the colors needed, made it out alive.

Heading back to the car, hearing music and seeing the top of white tents off in the distance, I suddenly remembered this is the area where there’s a Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.

Sprouts has no eggs available to sell, none, not a one, and store management can't say when the shortage will end.

No such shortage at this farmer's market.

The 18-count at $17 comes to $0.67 per egg but one doesn't know where these eggs come from, what conditions the chicken that laid the eggs are being kept in, what feed they've been given.

The 12-count is $1 per egg, but same problem with not knowing whether the eggs will make one ill.

Plus, I don't care for diversity inclusion equity in my eggs ... prefer all brown or all white, not a mixture of the two.

These are supposedly Organic, but who knows, and I can't make out the price.

At any rate, I still have a few Eggland's Best Organic (12 count at $8.79 comes to something like $0.73 per egg), so looks like I'm getting the best and safest deal at my local supermarket ..... for now.

No thanks!

Empanadas and Oxtails WTF

I probably have food issues today due to what I ate as a child, because my mom was from the country, cooked slave food country like her mom, and I didn't know any better .... thought it was normal to eat, what I now see as horrendous concoctions, like brains and eggs for breakfast, oxtails, chitlins, hog head cheese.

The fact that I've not continued that tradition, have not eaten that way, may be why I, the oldest of my mother's children, am still alive while everyone else .... brothers, sister, all died long ago.

And p.s. ... I never fed my children any of that goop, but others seemed to enjoy it as the line was long for either the Empanadas, the Oxtails or both, so whatever.

The Farmer's Market was a good place to recharge — put in some walking steps, breath in fresh air, get some sunshine, listen to music.

It was a nice afternoon. Too bad the day did not end as well .....

Yep! We had another quake, but at least it was tiny one.