Fool Me Once

I’m reticent to say the storms have passed because, after a dry yesterday, it rained during the night.

Today was all blue skies and a bit of sun, but there's snow on the mountains.

I spied a couple cars coming down from there with snow falling off the roof.

I'm actually hoping some of that snow makes it down like last year and we get a snow day.

Expecting it to be so, I some time ago invested in insulated boots.

She ready.

The houses on the hill are still standing, but it does look like there's some erosion going on.

If I were they, I'd be worried.

In case you heard about today's earthquake, thankfully it didn't reach this far. It was a 4.6 centered 90 miles away in Malibu — Barbie land, one the areas already experiencing devastation due to the storms.

A 4.6, after we just had that 4.1, would have done some damage to us for sure.

Just in case today’s calm weather was fooling me — calm before the next storm, I wore myself out after this morning’s workout — multitasking like nobody’s business.

After replenishing a few things at the market, I didn’t even take time to change out of workout clothes, as I first dropped off two of four bags upstairs, popped into the laundry room and got a load started on my way to check mail, circled around to the car to bring the other two bags upstairs, started sushi rice cooking and, in preparation for steam cleaning the bathroom, pulled the steamer from the hall closet, loaded it with water and, while the water was getting hot, put the groceries away, finished cooking the sushi rice and, in-between going back and forth to the laundry room, made sushi, steam cleaned the bathroom, and rearranged the hall closet.

I kinda sorta had to redo the closet because, in order to get to the steamer, I had to pull everything out.

I was a real whirling dervish.

Before I ran out of energy for the day and put the steamer away, I steam cleaned the kitchen floor.

Goal for tomorrow is to make albondigas soup, shampoo the carpet, then crash.

No updates on Red Light’s situation.

I did see her for a hot second, when I was out on the patio, pulling the carpet cleaner out of storage, but I was too busy to get into a discussion with her.

She looked woebegone, so I did ask if her situation had been resolved. She said "no". I responded with an "Oh" as I shook my head sympathetically and rushed back to my cleaning duties.

Speaking of fooling me once … Randy Rainbow has a new book coming out.

I’m still sore about paying extra for an autographed copy of his first book, only to receive what is obviously his having signed a page before the book went to print, and that page being copied and included in the book as a "signed copy".

So, sorry Randy. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice won’t be happening.

Rain Drops STILL Falling on my Head

I’m kinda enjoying this rainy weather …. so long as it gives me the occasional break to make it to the Pain Cave and to the market after without swimming to those locations, which it did this morning with a calm sky before the next storm hits.

I don’t have to head out again until Friday.

Received an email two days ago "Long Beach Pride Early Bird Ticekt Offer: $20 for a limited time!"

Because of the typo in ticket, I thought it might a trick from some spammer, but learned it’s for real.

Long Beach Pride is scheduled early — first Pride of the Season, May 18-19. Probably to make up for scheduling late last year; and the Parade is back, after absence of a parade last year, which is why I didn't attend.

The new great grand baby will be six months old in May, so thinking going to Pride this year would give me an opportunity to see the fam, that I might be allowed to hold the baby and kiss the great grandson this time, I decided to give Long Beach another go.

Returning to the complex after this morning’s workout and market run, booking a hotel turned into an all-afternoon ordeal.

Last visit, my preferred hotel let me down, so I decided it’s time for a change.

Even though I got stuck in the bathtub at the hotel closer to the ocean and shoreline village a decade or so ago, I wanted to book there because it’s more upscale, which translates into a safer area. I can walk around, visit the village, get close to the Queen.

Problem with booking there is that it’s too far from the festivities.

My other option was a kind of snooty clientele hotel closer to the festivities.

Downside of booking there, other than I don't care for snooty, is there wouldn't be too many sightseeing opportunities as it's located too far from shoreline village and the Queen, plus they have no microwave — which is essential for me.

Having a little crock pot that I can use as a microwave, I decided to book that snooty closer to the festivities hotel and, looking at how few rooms are available at the favored hotel (only 6 remaining), the one near shoreline village (7 remaining) and the one I booked (? available but only accepting nonrefundable prepaid), I’m glad I didn’t putz around and think too long about whether or not to go this year.

Can you believe it’s only February, the event is not until May, and it’s looking like hotel rooms will be gone before the week is over.

So, there’s that.

As for how I got stuck in a hotel bathtub — I think it was the Thanksgiving my sister hosted family at her place. I had injured my right shoulder in the office gym doing an overhead tricep extension from a bench position, which injury I later learned was a torn rotator cuff.

In the interim, before I sought treatment, I was using pain ointments and could not use my right arm, cause pressure to be put on that shoulder without searing pain. So, taking a bath in the hotel tub, when it was time to get out, trying to lift my body out of the tub with just the left arm wasn’t working. And, as the water drained completely out, and with the tub being rather small and slippery, I got stuck.

I don’t know how long I lay there ..... thinking about a solution to my predicament, squirming, wiggling, but somehow after the tub and my body became completely dry, which gave me some traction, I was able to extract myself.

I do know I stuck to showers thereafter and hopefully, by now, the hotel has upgraded their tubs to adult size as I would one day like to book there, visit shoreline village.

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.