One Down, One to Go

Up at 5:00 this morning, out at 5:45 to beat the heat and earn my medal for the virtual King of Pop 5K, which is to be completed on or before July 2nd.

Given the choice of either Michael Jackson or Prince, I’m opting for Michael -- never been a fan of Prince and purple is my least favorite color.

Had I known we’d be having triple digit heat, I might have rethought the medal being worth the trauma, but it’s done and behind me now.

For sure, had I known we’d be in triple digits, I’d not have signed up for TWO 5Ks this week.

Yep, I also need to complete the Stars and Stripes 5K on or before July 2^nd. So either tomorrow or the next day, I’ll be up at 5:00 to beat the heat and earn more bling.

I suppose I could drive 25/30 miles to the nearest Mall and do the walk in the comfort of an air-conditioned building, but the drive is prohibitive. Then there are people in the way and all those temptations – See’s Candy, Panda Express Chinese, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Lane Bryant, Torrid.

One of these days, when I’m not under any pressure to walk x number of miles in x minutes, I might try mall walking to see if it’s worth the drive and to challenge myself that I can get out without binge eating or going on a shopping spree.

I had thought to rent a hotel in Long Beach to facilitate completing Stars and Stripes in person/with the group, but hotel rates in that area go higher than a kite 4^th July weekend, and I’m saving up for movers. Though I’m not currently chomping at the bit to relocate just now, it’s still in the back of my mind, so I want to be ready -- just in case.

On tap for remainder of today is soaking my now tired body in Epsom Salt and needlepoint.

Always Last Place You Look

In an effort to have the Cardio Glider and microwave removed – the glider so I could have the space back, the microwave because it’s time to replace with a new one, I finally found a Veterans organization which said they do not pick-up in this area code but would make a special trip this morning because a truck was scheduled to be not too far away.

While thinking of where to look for assistance next, just in case the truck didn’t show up, I heard the following words come from the television screen … “No matter what you need or when you need it, check Yelp first.”

Hmmmm?

Yelp?

I’m sure that commercial has run many times before, but it never registered until now.

A sign perhaps?

Logging onto the site, looking for hauling services, I found a guy that had great reviews, took down his telephone number and, when there was no sign of a truck by 1:00, gave him a call.

This was the guy at 2:02.

I kid you not.

Most expedient service I’ve ever experienced!

And on a Saturday no less.

Even though I only had two items, he had to charge the minimum ($65) which I was happy to pay and a bargain compared to the $125 - $175 quoted by others.

And wouldn’t you know, Walmart is running a sale on microwaves. I’ll have a new one in an hour or two.

Having learned that the usual channels for picking up donations do not service this area – we can drop off, but they will not pick up, I’m thinking it’s good to be working towards living with less because, upon my death, family is going to have a difficult time clearing out what I’ve left behind.

I'm hoping to get this Living With Less thing down to leaving behind nothing useless, nothing meaningful only to me.

Resident’s/Management Meeting

I wasn’t surprised, showing up for today’s 3:00 Resident’s/Management meeting, to find a notice on the door by the mailbox leading to the offices and Community Room … “Resident’s/Management meeting is cancelled until further notice.”

In fact, I’d predicted the cancellation earlier when, walking to the car on the market parking lot, I spotted a woman I didn’t know by name, but recognized as a tenant, struggling with purchases, appearing to be headed back to the complex.

“It’s too hot to be walking, do you want a ride?” I asked.

She did.

After exchanging names, she asked, “Are you coming to this afternoon’s meeting?”

“Yes”, said I.

“Me too”, said she.

And at precisely the same time, we both added, “If there is one” and laughed our butts off at the synchronicity of saying and knowing activities and events on the calendar have a habit of being cancelled at the last moment.

Others already seated, waiting for the meeting to start, were blindsided by the cancellation inasmuch as the notice had evidently been posted mere seconds before I arrived so that others entering through that door earlier saw no such notice. Also, inasmuch as the cancellation notice was posted on only one of the four doors, those entering by a door other than by the mailbox were also blindsided by the cancellation.

One resident said, “I was rushing to get down here and now it’s cancelled?”

Another announced, “I put my wig back on for this?”

I don’t think anyone will have to worry about rushing or putting their wig back on in future because “Cancelled until further notice” sounds very much like management is over trying to appease disgruntled residents and plan no further such meetings.

Too bad because the grapevine is working overtime and was hoping to get answers from management as to what, if anything, is being done about the mentally challenged guy, living with his parents, who has accosted yet another female resident.

First time was June 3^rd when he approached our dumpster diving resident, shook her, asked “What do you have” and went through her belongings.

Then was the wheelchair bound woman who’d been pushed out of the way on the walkway.

We don’t know if that incident was the same mentally challenged guy but, for sure, he was identified as the perp in this latest incident of walking up to a resident seated in her car, knocking on the window telling her to roll down it down. When she failed to do so, he began banging on the window and kicking the car.

This was a huge deal and hit the grapevine like wildfire, because the resident accosted is Nurse Ratched’s mother.

To ensure her mother’s safety, Nurse Ratched immediately relocated her mom from a downstairs unit to an upstairs. Grapevine wants to know what, if anything is being done to protect the rest of us and protect Mr. Mentally Challenged as well, because eventually he’s going to accost the wrong woman and get himself hurt.

Nothing else planned for the week, except I contacted one of those Take My Junk companies and scheduled Friday morning to remove the microwave and Cardio Glide exercise equipment. Going to cost an arm and a leg, but probably safer than some random guy with a truck from the streets, PennySaver or CraigsList.

No Qualms

Hot as it is, I had no qualms about heading out for my daily cup this morning.

I tried brewing my own for a while but found 1) Without the impetus to head out to Starbucks, I’m more likely to stay indoors all day, not interact with others and 2) Brewing my own was not fun and too much trouble. So I’m back to spoiling myself with daily trips to Starbucks.

While out and about, I stopped by the UPS Store to drop off a return package – another thing I have no qualms about, but only since retiring.

Before retiring, if I came to regret a purchase made in-store or online, it seemed such a bother to return. So I’d keep the item thinking I might grow into liking it or eventually run across someone to give it to.

Sometimes I did eventually decide it worked for me after all, and sometimes I gifted it to someone else or ended up donating. A couple items I held onto so long that granddaughter grew up and into them, tags still intact.

Retirement has given me a whole new outlook about purchases. I’m less likely to buy something in-store unless it is absolutely right for me and, when online purchases disappoint, as did the summer sandals I received, it’s returned through the UPS Store or locally if there’s a walk-in location.

Deciding to be lazy and NOT make summer shorts after all, I located peasant shorts online. They’re the length I like, soft linen -- which is what I prefer, look good on the model but one never knows until one tries on oneself. Unsure of the sizing, inasmuch as I can return the shorts to the local department store if one or the other is not right, I ordered my size and one size up -- as I'm once again getting thick around the middle.

On tap this week?

The Monthly Calendar indicates yet another Resident’s/Management Meeting 3PM Wednesday. If not cancelled, I’ll go downstairs for that. The calendar also shows a 10AM Health Class on Friday. I’ll check it out, but won’t be surprised if it doesn’t materialize; and the Father’s Day Potluck, for which I’ve already opted out, is noon Friday.

Arts and Crafts Ombre Letters

Arriving at yesterday’s scheduled Ombre Yarn Wrap Monogrammed Letter session, I found the session cancelled, the room in an uproar, and the newest Activity Director FUMING.

“Session cancelled”, said the Activity Director because, “I can’t do my job because SHE won’t do hers”.

Of course the “she” referred to was Nurse Ratched and the job Nurse Ratched was failing to do was just more of the sabotage she’d visited upon previous Activity Directors, only this one is so angry, so upset that she wants to confront and fight back.

What Activity Director said Nurse Ratched did this time -- for the second time in a row, was to make herself unavailable when Activity Director showed up, per appointment, to pick up the budgeted money for class supplies.

The first time it happened, Activity Director took it as an honest mistake and bought supplies with her own money. This time, she saw it as deliberate and, unable to foot the bill, had planned to confront Nurse Ratched yesterday morning, only to find Nurse Ratched had taken off on vacation until next Tuesday.

No surprise to us. It’s what Nurse Ratched does … sabotage and not being around to be challenged on it.

“I’m just so upset. I’m going to report this to MY boss!” said Activity Director.

“Won’t do any good”, said I. “It’s not personal. It’s a pattern. She does it to everyone and thrives on conflict. Best thing you can do is to ignore her, pretend she doesn’t exist”.

Inasmuch as the Activity Director can’t do that – ignore her that is, we’re thinking she’ll be discouraged enough to quit -- which is exactly what Nurse Ratched wants.

Why?

None of us can figure the why out. It doesn't make sense, doesn't compute that her only motive might be she wants us to have zero activities, but that's the general consensus.

Time in the Community Room wasn’t a total loss. I’d offered all the DVDs that weren’t horror and they went quickly.

Only Half a Shelf Remaining

Still up in the air is what to do with DVDs involving vampires, werewolves, serial killer Dexter -- who only kills bad people … those who escaped the judiciary system. For sure no one here would have wanted those DVDs, inasmuch as I’m surrounded by fuddy duddies who are afraid of scary movies, do not watch even the ever popular Walking Dead.

On tap for today?

I'm trying to talk myself into shopping for fabric to make summer shorts. Unable to find shorts last year that weren't too short, too tight or too loose, I was in leggings when everyone else was in shorts. Running into the same problem of too short, too tight, too loose and wearing leggings while everyone else around here is in comfortable for the weather clothing, I'm thinking I should stop being lazy, find a pattern and stop dressing winter all year round.

Better to Give than to Receive but Isn’t Easy

Today at 10:00 is our once-a-month activity -- Arts and Crafts, Yarn Wrap Ombre Monogrammed Letter.

That’s about the extent of activities around here … once-a-month unless a special occasion crops up when we are graced with two activities – Arts and Crafts and a holiday potluck.

The lack of activities would be depressing but for the fact I have my needlepoint projects to keep me occupied, two 5Ks coming up to keep me motivated to move, and meditation to keep me in tune.

Even Nurse Ratched’s mom – who by the way lives here, was overheard to complain to her, “There are no activities”.

LOL.

Because of Father’s Day, this is one of those two-activity months with the Father’s Day Potluck on the 24^th.

There has been little interest in this event, since I’ve been a resident, with generally one lone male – The Baker’s husband, and two/three women who attend to support The Baker in honoring her husband.

Due to the poor turnout, I’ve never attended. Thought about it this time around, signed up, but have since changed my mind deciding against.

In keeping with Living With Less, I decided not to box up the DVDs with hopes of having bazaars here once again, or at another complex, so I could sell them. Instead, I’m taking them down to Arts and Crafts and offering to one and all for free.

Some of the DVDs have never been viewed -- I’ve not had the time.

It was a huge mistake to take that Cardio Glide equipment off my next door neighbor’s hands, because I’ve since tired of it and, try as I might, can’t get anyone else to take it off my hands.

I seriously doubt Salvation Army will want to pick it up, and research into Haul Away services resulted in places that will take it for scrap metal, only their services are not free. Cheapest I’ve found will pick up one item for $85.

I so want rid of it that I’m actually considering paying the $85 to have it taken away, maybe more because I want to purchase a new microwave and need the old one removed.

Before I go so far as to book the service, I’m hoping to see some independent guy with a truck collecting scrap metal -- when I’m out and about, have him follow me home, bring him in – with the door wide open in case he’s not right and I have to run, and get him to haul the items away for free inasmuch as he can sell them for scrap and make a bit of money.

Hopefully, ALL the DVDs will be taken so I won't be stuck with finding some place to donate those as well.

Who knew giving would be so complicated.