Like Talking to Myself

That was what one of the 18 residents that attended today's Residents/Management Meeting had to say about how the meeting went … "Like talking to myself".

She wasn’t wrong and by the end of the 90-minute session I knew I’d never attend another, that it was a complete waste of time.

The session was actually doomed from the start with the Monthly Calendar indicating 11:30 as the start time, but a flyer indicating 11:00.

Playing on the safe side, I arrived just before 11 am, with a plan to watch videos on TikTok until 11:30 if it turned out I was early.

The meeting began 11 am sharp with Assistant Manager, Head Maintenance Guy and Assistant Maintenance Guy hosting. Manager took the coward’s way out, called in sick.

I doubt it escaped anyone that Manager called in sick because she didn’t want to face any of us, and I found the move especially hilarious as I’d experienced something similar in my work life.

It was when my career was winding down, I relocated to this area in 2003, took a job as Contracts Secretary at a transportation agency and was met with a KKK coven that tried for many years after to run me out of the agency, because the head of the agency/head of the coven, the Chief Executive Officer didn’t like the fact that a Black woman was employed as a secretary in his agency.

In fact, after I passed the test and interview with flying colors, was hired by my boss, one of the KKK girls in HR tried to talk her out of hiring me. Said, "Why do you want to hire that _______ (insert the N word)".

Linda was sold on me as the best candidiate, so I jumped into what I quickly learned was a nest of Klan folks.

The Chief Executive Officer couldn’t fire me because, with my skills and professional background, compared to the little KKK girls having been waitresses, wives of acquaintances and such, so he created a position that placed someone above my boss, the Contracts Manager, hired Venus as Senior Contracts Manager, and gave Venus the task of firing me.

Whatever bad things he told Venus about me, she didn't see it, couldn’t find a reason to fire me without sacrificing her own career and risking a lawsuit, couldn’t move me to walk away by telling me they didn't like me, wanted me gone; and eventually ended up not only failing to carry out the Chief Executive Officer's unlawful order, but liking and depending on me herself.

Venus ended up miserable, hated her job because of the heat she was getting from the head of the KKK coven/Chief Executive Officer and ended up quitting three months into the job, getting her old job back at a transportation agency in Los Angeles.

Before she made the decision to leave the agency, she was working on a project that involved meeting with other department heads, wanted nothing to do with the project, tried to push it on me.

I didn't want it either, managed to skirt around by only doing what she told me to do and following up with emails repeating what she asked for … "You want this and this and this". In that way I could limit my involvement in the project to only what she specifically asked for, no more no less, and circumvented her blaming me when the project failed, which I knew it would.

That further inflamed Venus to where she stopped trying to push the details off on me, but did have me schedule an important appointment with a department head for her.

Something told me she was going to push the meeting off on me, as a backdoor way of positioning me to end up doing her job. Consequently, I called in sick that morning.

Sure enough, when I miraculously recovered from my illness the next day, I heard from my boss that Venus called in sick that morning, told my boss to have me handle it.

With me not there, the responsibility fell to my boss, LOL.

Like I said, Venus lasted three months at the agency — quit and got her old job back, and because I stood still in the midst of the storm, let Spirit do its work, there was a series of events no one could explain that ended with The Chief Executive Officer retiring ahead of an indictment for financial fraud, the Director that acted as his 2nd in Command in the coven fled to a different agency, the other Klansmen and Klan girls cooled their jets and went underground with their racism.

My work done, the reason the Universe planted me in that storm done, I retired.

So, Manager calling in sick to get out of performing a task she dreaded is nothing new to me.

Even though the meeting was the same old same old, talking in circles, nothing really answered, nothing changed, Assistant Manager did a much better job of hosting than Manager did when she hosted. Assistant Manager didn’t speak as though she was talking to a group of children.

One of the highlights was the Baker bringing up the issue of the refrigerator being locked … why can’t Management keep a refrigerator for themselves in their own space, return the refrigerator in the Community Room to the Community, that she has to drag wagons carrying food for our events and ice to keep food cold.

When the answer was no that the refrigerator remains locked, the Baker stood up, shouted something to the effect, "YOU EXPECT A 76-YEAR-OLD WOMAN TO" yada yada yada "WELL, I QUIT! I’M DONE! NO MORE BINGO!" and stormed out.

I think she meant it.

Lu’s situation was not mentioned per se, but "Housekeeping" was discussed … "Make sure to keep your place up, no hoarding".

I’d dropped two topics for discussion into the Community Meeting box last week — one was lateness of the Monthly Activity Calendar, which I’d signed, the other I’d scribbled with my left hand so as to submit anonymously was asking that "when an event is mentioned on the calendar, issue the money to Kesha so it can happen".

The money issue was explained away as a budget issue, that Manager prefers to save money from the budget for later in the year … to fund a Summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas event.

I couldn’t suggest the obvious, without outing myself, that if such is the case, then don’t put an event on the calendar that isn’t going to happen because Manager is hoarding money, won’t give Kesha what she needs to follow through.

BTW, Kesha was in attendance, listened in on the meeting.

As for the Monthly Activity Calendar/Newletter, "Newsletter is distributed every month via email".

BLATANT LIE!

I’d been previously told that via email would happen, but it has only happened twice, and days late even then.

I didn’t let this one slide, so I pushed it. "My issue is with the timing of the Newsletter. I get it on the 4th of the month and see I missed something fun scheduled for the 1st; or get it at 11 am on the 1st only to see I missed an earlier event that morning".

It was excuse after excuse … the Newsletter comes in pieces, that Manager asks around as to who has what, and it takes time to put the pieces together.

No way to run a business.

The Other Wheelchair Lady brought up that there’s a woman living here with an ankle bracelet. That the woman is living with her mother, and that she and Lu saw the woman swimming in the pool.

The Other Wheelchair Lady was essentially correctly told not to judge others, that the ankle bracelet doesn’t mean the woman has unalived anyone, and that she and others need to "Focus on what’s going on in your own unit. Don’t worry about what’s going on in other units, focus on your own".

I loved that, but it didn’t seem to sink in with others … and how dare Lu, who wasn’t present, is keeping a low profile since her hoarding was exposed, get riled up about a woman walking around with an ankle bracelet when she seems to have problems of her own.

So, that’s pretty much it, with Assistant Manager announcing management is going to start regular Community Meetings starting now, whereupon I wrote (I’d been taking notes) "I am out cause nothing accomplished".

With only 18 of what looked like the Usual Suspects showing up this time — down from the room full that showed up last time, why bother.

My guess is so few showed up because the last session was a lot of double talk, talking in circles, nothing accomplished. With this session being more of the same, I highly doubt that unless they lure folks in with food, no one will show up for future sessions.

Manager will be happy with that.

Just as the session was ending, Crafty Lady announced she’ll be hosting craft sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays.

That’s a huge commitment on her part, a commitment I don’t think will last long. I’ll just stick to the original plan to check in on Mondays.

Close Enough

I am getting pretty damn sick and tired of seeing Charlie K’s name pop up every time I boot up the laptop. More sick and tired of even seeing headlines about Donald Two Dolls and Taylor/Travis. My brain is literally screaming "MAKE IT END. WHEN WILL IT STOP?. MOVE ON!".

Other than that, life has been pretty quiet — no knocks on the door, no surprise visits from the Maintenance Guys.

Ever since last Halloween, I’ve been itching for the return of Halloween, so I can began decorating.

The First of Halloween (October 1) now just around the corner, I figured "Close Enough", and yesterday set up the front door.

I'd planned to place a pumpkin in the corner, but had to have the skull when I saw it at the market.

I’ll probably do the patio next weekend. Skelly was a pirate last year. This year he wants to be a cowboy so, with the sewing machine still set up, I’m going to knock out a western like bandana for him sometime this week. Fat quarters (18 x 22 inches) of pleather (fake leather fabric) and denim have arrived, so it’ll also be working on medicine bags in those fabrics this week.

After two days of seeing those two huge dumpster trucks clearing out Lu’s unit, her patio looks clear and everything seeming to have returned to normal in that quad, I think other residents are thinking like I’m thinking …. That it was a lesson in not judging a book by its cover.

Living in that quad is the drug dealer, his wife, and a woman who was previously homeless. We’ve all — myself included (though I’m at least friendly/neighborly towards them) eyed them suspiciously, but it was Lu, the woman we’ve known for years, would not have believed if we had not seen with our own eyes, who was the troubled one in the quad.

That event triggered me into more Death Cleaning, so I spent three days tackling the closet and ended up with clearing two big bags of gently/barely worn and some never worn items (tags still on) to donate to the Salvation Army store.

With 4 sweatshirts, 9 tee shirts, 4 blouses, 4 tank tops, 2 body suits, and 15 pairs of leggings cleared out, it is now a lot less aggravating to find what I’m looking for in the closet.

In fact, I found two tops I’d purchased, hung in the closet, forgot all about.

The 1944 top was a fun find, have been wearing it since. Jasmine Crockett’s clapback on MTG was initially put in the donation pile, but inasmuch as it’s so iconic, I’m not ready to part with yet. I don't see myself wearing it anytime soon, but it's nevertheless back to hanging up in the closet.

Just as I was finishing up this post, I received a text message from Crafty Lady. Seems it’s a group message alerting everyone to her having gotten "two vaccines yesterday, shoulder hurting really bad, experiencing flu-like symptoms, ergo no crafts for today".

I was just about to reply, "take care of self", but then it hit me that Crafts had been moved to Monday so Kesha couldn’t take credit. I understand Crafty Lady might not be as supportive of Kesha as I, didn’t want to give her that little bit of an out to try to keep her job, but WTF, no one told me about Monday being Craft Day.

Now what happened last week makes sense …… the Baker sent photos for me to post to the Residents’ FB page, showing how the Usual Suspects had crafted balloon paintings.

Hmmmm, Why did no one call, let me know they were doing crafts? thought I.

I wasn’t upset, just figured it was strange that no one notified me. They all know I’d never miss a craft session, is something going on?

After pondering all week, I’d come to the conclusion that perhaps Crafty Lady has a jealousy issue with me, didn’t want me included, in which case no worries, I wouldn’t chase the group down. Unless notified in future, I’m okay with being left out of Crafts.

Now seeing this text message that Crafts are on Monday, instead of heading down to the Community Room on Tuesdays, I’ll make a point of checking in on Mondays and, if I see crafts taking place, if anyone dares to greet me with "Long time no see" or anything of that nature, I’ll let it be known I’d been left out of the loop, that Crafty Lady’s sending out that group text message was first I’d heard of Crafts on Monday.

F 'em all and, if Crafty Lady is one of those who does have a jealousy problem with other Black women, which might be why she doesn't want to give Kesha the opportunity to take credit for her sessions and left me out of the loop, then F her two times, with a dirty dick and sandy vaseline.

Who Does That? and I Am So Shocked

This week started out with a knock on the door, 10 AM Monday morning, just as I stepped out of the shower.

Wrapping the towel around myself, I peeked through the kitchen window, saw it was again Head Maintenance Guy.

After catching me last week in a state of undress, I couldn’t believe his timing to catch me again.

Upon opening the door just a crack to, once again, hide my state of undress, I uttered, "OH NO!" (like What Now?).

"Oh Yes", said he. "When I saw I had to bother you again, I went dammit, but they want me to retake the photos of the water heater".

Telling him I’d just gotten out of the shower, he said he’d come back, which he did about 30 minutes later.

On the off chance this might happen again, to ease his feeling bad about "bothering" me, and so I won’t have to worry about being caught unawares again, when he returned, I told him that the magic time is 11 AM, that I’m usually dressed and ready for the world around 11 AM.

Fortunately, there were no interruptions this morning. I was able to breakfast and dress at leisure, before heading out to run errands.

It was after 11 AM when I headed out, Kesha usually arrives at 11, so I picked up mail in the mailroom, so I could detour through the Community Room to see if Kesha had been dismissed or showed up today.

Thus far, she still has a job but for how long because, without pizzas to draw residents to the Community Room, the place was dead — there was only Kesha and Upstairs Lady — the resident that pushed my Witch Button, at the 4th of July event, and remains someone I won’t engage with.

We’ll see what the room looks like next Tuesday.

Returning to the complex, after running errands, I found in the mail I’d picked up an envelope from a company I’d never heard of, indicating the contents was a survey of some sort. My first reaction was to run it through the shredder. However, curiosity got the best of me, so I opened and found $2 cash money.

Who does that?

Who sends money through the mail as a bribe to complete a survey and, inasmuch as the envelope was addressed to the "resident" at my address, how many others in the complex received money in the mail and, of those receiving, how many immediately tossed in the mailroom’s junk mail container, rather than check the contents?

I might have done that myself — tossed in the trash, except I prefer shredding anything with my name or address on it.

At any rate, suspicious human that I am, thinking the money might be counterfeit, I researched the sender.

Turns out the sender is an independent nonprofit "created by Congress to establish philanthropic and private-sector partnerships to improve the public’s health and safety. Clean air, safe water and access to nutritious food, among other priorities, are essential to keeping people healthy and safe and ensuring our economy remains strong and stable".

They "conduct various national surveys to study public health trends, behaviors, and outcomes" and, "To encourage participation in these lengthy surveys, the foundation may mail small amounts of cash (e.g., $2 or $5) to potential respondents".

"You are typically allowed to keep the cash even if you choose not to participate in the survey".

Since I’m under no obligation, I’ll skip the survey, keep the cash, add the dollars to the money box I’ll be making for this year’s Christmas Party’s White Elephant Gift.

I’d really be interested to know who else around here received cash in the mail, but with Pizza Tuesdays now dead in the water, where us residents get an opportunity to get together and chat, it’s not likely I’ll see any of the Usual Suspects for a long long time.

Besides, even though the source of the cash looks legit, one never knows if the survey is for sure not scammers, attempting to gain sensitive information.

Better safe than sorry

Just as I was wrapping up today's post, I decided to go back to the mailroom, check the junk mail container for envelopes tossed by other residents — more dollars for the money box. There were none, but I’d also stopped by the car to retrieve something I’d left inside.

Seeing a resident standing still on the walkway, starring at something, I passed, asked what’s going on.

"Just watching them clear out the hoarder’s unit. They even have a hazmat team in there".

"Whose unit is that", asked I, and when he said it was Lu’s unit, my mouth flew open. I was genuinely shocked.

"LU'S A HOARDER!?"

"Oh big time", said he. "They’re even out back, throwing away stuff from her garage".

"Does she know? I’ve seen that show Hoarder, and those people get really upset, violent sometimes when people touch their stuff".

"She’s in there", said he.

How embarrassing for Lu.

I can only assume the condition of Lu’s unit was exposed when that State Inspector selected her unit, like he did mine, for inspection.

I passed inspection, she did not, and Management — who had to have known all along about the hoarding conditions from the various pre-inspections over the however many years, but was hoping her unit would not be inspected (it wasn't for years) was forced to give Lu an ultimatum when the Inspector chose units that hadn't been State inspected for a long time, like mine and Lu's.

I am so shocked. You can’t even imagine.

Funny thing is, when heading out this morning, I saw the truck and a crew removing junk from a unit in that quad. Didn’t think anything of it, but took a photo of the truck company, just in case I needed junk removal services in the future.

That's a big truck, and it's filled to the brim already around 11:20 in the morning.

Now learning there was a truck out back (5 PM), people clearing out Lu's hoard from the garage, I walked on over and took a photo of that truck, also filled to the brim.

Looks like they've been carting away tons.

Shocking.

Never Ever Have I

The above meme popped up on FB a few days ago; followed, a day later, by a clip from an episode of South Park that seemed to give credence to the meme.

South Park is a modern-day Nostradamus except, whereas Nostradamus wrote poetry that foreshadowed future events, South Park (and the Simpsons) have a history of producing animated episodes that foretell future events.

It sometimes takes three "Signs" before I wake up, get the message, but I don’t need a third to let me know the meaning of the meme and South Park's episode is that it’s time to begin work on Voodoo Doll No. 3.

So, yesterday, I cut freezer paper and fabric a little larger than printer paper, ironed the sticky side of the freezer paper to the fabric. Once the two were fused together, I cut to printer paper size, placed in the printer paper tray, sent the image I'd selected to the printer, to print on what was now essentially fabric printer paper — Step 1 in voodoo doll making that generally takes, start to finish, 15 minutes.

Never ever have I run into so much resistance. This doll did not want to be made.

The fabric paper went through the printer no problem, the image would have been perfect except the colors failed due to low ink in the cartridges.

After placing fresh color cartridges in the printer, I started Step 1 for a second time.

The fabric paper jammed in the printer.

Once the jam was cleared, I began Step 1 for a third time.

The fabric slipped off the freezer paper, causing the image to come out twisted, areas covered in black ink.

I began Step 1 for a fourth time.

I don’t even remember what went wrong that time, only that a 15-minute project was taking hours and hours and hours, the whole entire day.

I had to take a break — walked over to the Baker's unit to deliver flyers and learned Hell on Wheels is not doing well. After two months of therapy, she's still not able to stand on her feet, due to sciatica, and is now basically bedridden.

Her options now are to go into a Nursing Home or return to the complex, engage a fulltime live-in Nurse.

I don’t see a fulltime Nurse living with a bedridden Hell on Wheels in a unit crowded with stuff. It was hard enough to find Caregivers that were willing to work with her demanding self, but we’ll see how it goes for her.

Refreshed and reenergized from the break, I began Step 1 for a fifth time, and ta da, success.

What did South Park predict that prompted this project you ask.

In the clip I saw of an episode’s storyline was a depressed and demoralized Satan sitting on a park bench. JDV approached asked "Satan, what’s wrong?" to which Satan replied, "Tides have changed, the final showdown is upon us".

I'm counting on Satan being correct, that the end of this madness is being prophesied. Consequently, I've prepared for the next chapter.

Knock on the Door

Plan for today was a nice leisurely morning. So there I was walking around in panties, no bra, no makeup, not yet showered or bathed, having just cooked breakfast, settling down to eat around 9:30 when there was a knock on the door.

It was the Head Maintenance Guy (HMG), accompanied by the Inspector I’d seen inspecting units yesterday and another guy.

I opened the door a crack to hide my state of undress, asked what was going on. "Inspection" said HMG.

"OH NO! I thought we were done with that", said I.

"We did one side of the property yesterday, we’re finishing off with this side today".

I offered to hide in the bathroom while the Inspector inspected, but HMG said, "We’re inspecting the bathroom as well". So, I had to run into the bedroom, quickly slip on a bra, a tee and let everyone in to see me without makeup, no perfume, no earrings.

What a nightmare, but it's probably karma for my being so cavalier in my reply to what Mitchell had commented yesterday about a "surprise inspection". Me laughing, commenting "a surprise inspection would be hilarious".

Not so hilarious when it happens to me; but it’s over, done with and it was interesting chatting with one of the guys who, seeing my never-ending needlepoint project, learned I've been working on it for over 4 years, and that the end seems near, said his mom gave up, never finished one she’d worked on for a couple years.

While we chatted, HMG and the other man were inspecting away, the other man making notes on his clipboard.

Being as how the one I was chatting with seemed so friendly, so fun, and the other so deadpan, I said, "Your partner is sooooo serious".

Laughing he said, "That’s because I’m from Corporate, here just to shadow the Inspector and M___ (HMG). He (the other guy) is from the State, all about inspecting. He's coming in one way or another".

"Like ICE", said I.

That zinger really made him laugh, then say, "Well not that bad".

At that time, HMG and the State Inspector came back in from inspecting the patio, the Inspector was smiling for the first time (I wonder what he saw that made him smile). HMG and the friendly guy from Corporate thanked me, apologized for the intrusion, and they were off.

I kid you not … less than 10 minutes later, as I was at last finishing my now lukewarm breakfast, there was another knock on the door. It was Assistant Maintenance Guy, here to repair something on the oven hood the State Inspector had noted on his clipboard paperwork.

"When the Inspector says something needs to be fixed, we have to get on it right away", said the Assistant Maintenance Guy.

I didn’t see anything wrong with the hood, Assistant Maintenance Guy didn’t see anything wrong, so I’m thinking the State Inspector is just throwing his weight around.

At any rate, all in all not a terrible experience this morning. I just hate that not one, not two, not three, but four persons have seen me without makeup.

I’d really like to get permanent makeup, looked into it some time ago, but found that high blood pressure is an impediment to the process.

Once Assistant Maintenance Guy was gone, I finished breakfast and got on with my usual morning ritual except, instead of getting fully dressed after bathing, I lounged in bra and panties, read a few blogs, started on today’s post when, around 11:30, there was yet another knock on the door.

It was Head Maintenance Guy again, this time saying he had some guys with him to follow up on the State Inspector’s notation about the water heater.

I said, "Count to ten, then come in" — by which time I’d disappeared into the bedroom to give up the idea of leisurely lounging, put on regular clothes.

Returning to the living room, I spied Head Maintenance Guy on the patio with two guys, one of which was HOLY SMOKING HOT EYE CANDY!

Thank the Lord I had my face paint on.

After the three on the patio were finished, Head Maintenance Guy said they’d be back later, after picking up a part, to fix the problem, that I didn’t need to stay home if I had something to do.

"Well, I’m dressed now. Free all rest of the day".

Truth be told, even if I had something else to do, I’d not leave, miss another opportunity to get a look at the Hot Eye Candy water heating company guy.

In other news, The Usual Suspects did not return to the Community Room yesterday to finish their projects. There was only myself, Crafty Lady and Dream Lover, now seemingly free of his entanglement with Lu, and probably lonely, as he seems the kind of guy that has to have a woman to hang out with.

Dream Lover’s finished product. Not bad.

Crafty Lady's near to completion project.

The Other Wheelchair Lady’s unfinished bunny. It’s cute though.

I just realized today is 9/11 and I’m feeling a little sad. Sad that it looks like the guy that ended Charlie K may end up like Luigi M … caught.

I Smell a Rat

It’s inspection time here on the complex. The landscapers are tidying up the outside, the Maintenance guys are changing out the A/C filters, the Assistant Manager is inspecting units to make certain everything works in advance of the State and Federal inspectors.

The most recent Assistant Manager is a cute little young lady that seemed to be enjoying seeing inside our units. When I opened the door, she immediately said, "Oh how cute".

"Wait until you see my Next-Door Neighbor’s unit. Mine is a mish mash of things I like. Hers is like a museum", said I.

I was actually heading out when she and the Maintenance guy arrived — on my way to Pizza Tuesday in the Community Room. So, I told her to feel free to inspect, lock up when they leave.

Arriving at the Community Room, I found Kesha was hosting a Resolution Conflict session with a few seniors — reading from some handout, and the counter free of pizzas.

I positioned myself at a table next to them, whereupon the Baker leaned over, whispered "There are no pizzas …… from now on".

"Why?" asked I.

"We don’t know".

I smell a sabotaging rat.

It doesn’t seem coincidental that, after all these years, when we get a Kesha as Activity Director, all of a sudden the tradition of free pizzas on Tuesday comes to an end.

Not only that, but the Calendar indicates Kesha would today be hosting "Social: Chips and Salsa Social" 12:30 to 1:30, but that too wasn’t happening because Management didn’t give her the money for the chips and salsa.

I definitely smell a sabotaging rat. Kesha’s days are numbered.

Before I arrived, the ladies said they were asked to fill out a Needs Assessment Survey, which is to justify Kesha’s position.

Uh huh.

So, nothing that was scheduled to happen this morning came to fruition, no fault of Kesha’s, but the newer resident (Crafty Lady) that occasionally hosts crafts for us, had us making art out of cut up paper towel rolls.

First, Crafty Lady provided us with strips of paper cut from paper towel tubes, and circles cut from a cardboard box.

Then we folded a strip, nestled the folded strip inside the unfolded strip to produce a flower like design, hot glued the designs around the cardboard circle however we saw fit.

The Other Wheelchair Lady is trying to make a bunny.

I didn't stay long enough to see her finished bunny, or the finished product of others, but inasmuch as the session is to continue tomorrow, I'll get to see how the projects turn out, and will post the results.

I'm a crafter, so I was quick to position my little designs in the middle of the board, paint and be out, back to my needlepoint.

As we were crafting, Kesha (who had been working on something in the office) came back into the room, began taking pictures of our craft session.

"She’s going to turn those photos into Corporate, take credit for what we’re doing", said Crafty Lady.

"Doesn’t matter", said I. "Won’t help her" (because I see far, know her position is about to be eliminated and there’s nothing she can do to save it).

It’s great to be retired, not have to worry about downsizing, layoffs, and sabotage because you’re Black.

In fact, last Sunday, September 7, marked my 15th year of sliding the chute.

Other than discussing the obvious impending dissolution of Kesha’s position, conversation at the table was how those of us who are familiar with Not Dead Nancy, from the old days, were shocked at her appearance; all saying, like I, that they did not recognize her, and how sad it is.

Someone finally asked me about that photo of my sitting on Meat Man's lap — it was Crafty Lady. She said she’d been browsing the photos of last Friday’s event, posted to the residents’ FB page, saw the photo and wondered what’s going on with him and I.

"Not a thing", said I. That H_____ (Meat Man) is just someone I like to clown around with.

She said she’s run into him a few times, he told her he was single.

Those of us who have known Meat Man for years — the Baker and I, laughed.

I didn’t go into detail — that he actually has an off-site fiancé, just said Meat Man is like a dog chasing cars, goes after every new woman on the complex, and I'm surprised he hasn't already pitched himself to her.

"He’d be wasting his time", said she.

"He usually is wasting his time", said I, "But that doesn’t stop him from chasing".

That’s pretty much all the news, except there was a box set up in the room where we could drop topics for the upcoming Community Meeting.

Had I known, I’d have brought down a typed complaint about lateness of the Monthly Calendar. However, seeing sticky note paper available, I printed out my complaint — how frustrating it is to receive the Calendar after an event or on the day of and, while others said they didn’t sign their name to whatever issue they dropped in the box, I signed mine.

Bring It On.