Knock Knock Knock Happy Halloween!!!

My Little Knock Knock trick or treated me yesterday, showed me the fake stick-on nails she’d be wearing with her Harley Quinn costume at the school's Halloween event.

Asking if she was going to wear multicolored hair, like Harley, she said yes.

Sounds like a very cool costume. A character I might consider doing in future, except I don’t think anyone around here would have a clue as to what character I'd be dressed as.

In fact, when Little Knock Knock was telling me her character, Grandma Talker asked, "Do you know who that is?" because she herself had not a clue.

Not to be a smarty pants, but "The Joker’s girlfriend", said I, LOL.

So, my cosplaying as Harley would not go over well here.

When at Disneyland, I saw outfits for another character I’d have liked to play, but for the fact no one here would know who that is either.

Jedi

On the 16th of Halloween, Scary Mary asked readers "What’s your favorite Halloween costume?"

I’d commented that I couldn’t remember what costumes I’d worn as a child but that, as an adult, I’d been superheroes, a nun, a tossed salad, Pikachu, a Minion, Michonne from Walking Dead, Wednesday Addams, and this year I planned to be Minnie Mouse.

You’ve seen my latest — Minnie Mouse, and you can see my Wednesday Addams over on my buddy the Catalyst's blog, so today besides being the end of Halloween also being Throwback Thursday, I dug up photos of those past costumes.

I was a nun at the office party in 1976.

In 1978, I was big into Roller Derby, had my own boot skates, wore them to the office, dressed as a Roller Derby Girl, knee pads and all.

I actually worked the whole day at my desk in skates, rolling from office to office as work required.

This next photo is of coworkers and I, heading out to lunch, stopping to show just how brutal those roller derby girls could be .... knocking down opponents, stomping on them.

Being a tossed salad was a fun time.

I was Bat Girl in 2013 and again in 2019.

In 2014, I was Captain America and Wonder Woman a time or two thereafter.

I did a Turkey Trot as a Pilgram.

The Medicare Guy, here at the complex to see a client, put down his clipboard and asked for a photo of my Pickachu character to send to his young daughter, saying that Pokémon character was his daughter's favorite.

I did Walking Dead Michonne from 2014 thru 2016, once with a coworker's son who cosplayed as Rick's son Carl.

Do you still have those costumes, I hear you ask.

Except for the ancient ones — nun, roller derby, tossed salad, and Michonne’s cape, I do still have the making of each costume and can repeat, though I prefer doing costumes I’ve not yet done.

In other news, Talker called yesterday to say that, after I left Tuesday's event, word got around pretty quick about Manager's salty attitude — walking in, walking out, saying "No one appreciates me".

The result being she made a spectacle of herself. A lot of talk went around about Manager's inability to see herself as the problem. Staff is uncomfortable around her, residents hate her, yet she sees herself as a victim — "It's not me, it's them",

I also learned, from Talker, why so few costumes.

It was like those I'd asked why no costume had responded ... "Because of HER!". Many had planned to not attend, but then Talker, and a couple other residents got together, encouraged others to attend, saying that the way our rents had been hiked, we are paying for it. So come just to eat, take food home, leave nothing for Manager to take home for her own use.

Great plan. It worked.

The worms turn.

Low Expectations

Today was management’s Harvest Festival/Costume Contest, described in the flyer as a "Spooktacular Day" from 11am-3pm.

Based on past experiences, I was expecting the festival to be a lot less than spooktacular. So, even though I had a costume prepared, I was leaning towards not being duped yet again into wasting my time with another one of their less than manganous attempts at tossing us residents a bone.

Thinking my time would be better served with catching up on my Creative Memory scrapbooking projects, but curious, I decided to do a drive by. I headed down around 11:05, said a few hellos, took a few photos, snaped a photo of Greedy Grabby at her request, had her take a photo of me, and was back in my unit by 11:25.

The food looked great.

Head Maintenance Man and his new Assistant were behind the kitchen counter and residents lined up to be served piping hot giant pretzels and corn dogs.

On side tables were cupcakes, cookies, popcorn, apple slices, juice, chips, sodas.

It was a great spread ……… unfortunately, nothing my gluten free self could eat, though I was tempted to risk getting sick on one of those giant pretzels.

What tea I caught, just before I left, was about Manager.

While staff was serving, she came in all grumpy like, walked over to the kitchen counter, complained to staff — loud enough that residents heard her, "NOBODY APPRECIATES ME!" Then stormed back to her office.

Guess she wanted us to kiss her substantial arse for throwing us a bone.

That got residents to talking, complaining about how Manager is responsible for the turnover — residents moving in one month, out the next; and that her being mean is why we no longer have a waiting list and now have "now leasing" signs posted all over the front.

At any rate, I did not return for the 12:30 costume contest. So, I have no idea who won, what the prize was — probably gift cards to the market; but very few were in costume during the time I was there.

It’s likely more costumes showed up; but while there, I only saw Di as a Zombie, one of the women who took my seat at bingo dressed as a Witch (go figure), a new resident as ……… I’m not sure, but dressed in a suit, wearing a mask, I'm guessing Phantom of the Opera, Talker wore a monkey mask, Hell on Wheels wore a fancy flowered head thingie, then of course there was Minnie Mouse.

I was undecisive as to wear the ears I’d planned for.

Or the ears the kids gifted me at Disneyland.

I went with the ears I’d planned for.

Minnie’s hands are white gloves that I used a black marker to make the signature three knuckle lines.

I asked two residents, who always wore costumes before, about the lack thereof this year. "Because of HER!" (Manager) they both said.

Interesting that they’d attend, eat the food, but hated Manager so much they drew the line at dressing in costume.

When I asked Dream Lover why no costume, he said "I never wear costumes".

Not true, because he dressed as a Pennywise the scary clown last year, and a Dinosaur the year before.

Whatever.

On the way out, I purposely walked by Manager's office to see if she was sitting there sulking, feeling sorry for her unappreciated self, upset that, for whatever reason, she'd had to throw residents a bone, but saw the blinds drawn so tight, that I couldn't see inside.

I don't think she's comfortable around people enjoying themselves. She a control freak, prefers having people under her thumb — quiet, fearful.

Oh well. Sucks to be her.

And Now This

Long time readers might recall the story of how it was, back in 2017, when I had that weird encounter with the neighbor living in the unit beneath mine.

When the former neighbor of that unit was taken to a care facility, the woman who now occupies the unit (known in the blog as Illusive Unfriendly and sometimes referred to as Creepy Girl downstairs) moved in quick, fast, overnight.

So quick, fast and stealth that it was days before I realized someone was living in the unit, then it was days, maybe even weeks before I actually saw her.

Returning from the market, I one day saw a woman sweeping up leaves in front of that unit, made the assumption it was she, took the opportunity to say hello, welcome her to the quad.

The encounter went like this ………

"Hi, are you the new neighbor?"

"Yes" she replied without looking up to make eye contact.

"I’m your upstairs neighbor, my name is Shirley".

Still looking away, she began laughing.

Puzzled, I just stood there for a moment, not knowing what to say.

"A lot of Shirley’s" says she seemingly to herself.

"Oh. Have you met other residents named Shirley?"

"No. I just know a lot of Shirleys".

"You won’t have a hard time remembering my name then."

Silence, still evasive – turned away, avoiding eye contact.

She hadn’t given me her name, so I asked, "What’s your name?"

If she said, I didn't hear her it, so I just left it at "Well, welcome."

Silence.

My instincts were telling me to run, but instead, I pushed on, "Have you met any of the other neighbors in this building?"

"I don’t socialize. I don’t even go to the Day Room (meaning the Community Room). I don’t like to be around people."

"We’re pretty nice here."

Whereupon, she finally turned in my direction, looked me dead in my eyes and cold as ice punched out, "I … DON'T … LIKE … PEOPLE! … I'LL … SPEAK … BUT … THAT'S … IT!!"

A little frightened by the dark energy she was displaying, I said "Okay then", and fled up the stairs.

It irked me to no end that after chasing me away with "I DON’T LIKE PEOPLE" it became obvious her dislike of people did not include male residents. I concluded she didn’t like people who had innies, just liked those with outies …… if you know what I mean.

But if that’s how she wanted it, so be it.

I’ve stayed out of her way since, and because she came across as cra cra, I’d pass her on the walkway, tell myself she doesn’t exist and was able to walk by her stone faced, my eyes dead, as though she really wasn’t there.

And so it went for four years until she resurfaced in 2021, showed just how cra cra she was by complaining to the office, on more than one occasion, that I was disturbing her peace by bouncing a ball 3:30 A.M.

Trust me …… the only thing I’m doing at that hour is sleeping, and the ball she accused me of bouncing in actuality was someone doing laundry at that ungodly hour, churning sounds coming from the machines.

Her bedroom is right next to the Laundry Room and she couldn’t tell the difference between noise coming from right next to her, attributing it instead to my bouncing a ball upstairs?

I was beginning to take it personal, thinking she was having an issue with me in particular. Perhaps upset because instead of trying to win her over, play nice, I’d ignored her for so long. I also told Next Door Neighbor perhaps her issue with me was jealousy because "she’s young and ugly, I’m old and pretty".

Why I referred to her as "young" will become clear as you read on, and though she has no problem attracting the outies, I think she'd unattractive.

At any rate, that was that until this Saturday when I went to the Laundry Room, walked in, saw her (Illusive Unfriendly/Creepy Girl) folding clothes on a corner table.

I think I might have instinctively forgotten who I was talking to and said, "Hello".

I don’t recall if she said "Hello" back, but when I subsequently got back to acting as though she did not exist, went about my business of putting clothes in one of the washers, she suddenly spoke up. Said that machine wasn’t working, and went on to say how she’d tried and failed to get what money she’d put in the machine back.

Next thing I know, she’s talking to me like we’re old friends. Actually, spilled some tea about TinTin.

It was old tea having to do with that rumor of TinTin bringing bugs with her, saying her (Illusive Unfriendly/Creepy Girl) boyfriend on the property (Big Friendly Guy) had told her this, that, the other.

Old tea that she had probably been itching to tell someone, but at least she was being friendly.

Seeing an opening, I asked her name. This time she told me and added, "I know your name is Shirley".

Did she remember from years before when I told her my name, or has she and her boyfriend been talking about me and he stood up for me, told her I'm not a threat, too old for her to be jealous of? Who knows.

Whatever her issue ─ not liking me personally, not liking people with innies, and taking seven years to tell me her name, her issue has nothing to do with her being of old age as she was given some kind of special dispensation, was allowed to move in at not yet 50. She was in her 40’s and may still not yet meet the age requirement for this complex.

And now this …………

Every Other Friday

Today was that other Friday ………… Bingo Friday.

To explain why the afternoon went the way it did, let me start off by saying, I’m hanging on by a thread ……… my nerves on edge because I have a bad feeling about the outcome of this election, and I wasn’t looking forward to fulfilling my responsibility of participating in bingo, mingling with people, taking photos, updating the resident’s FB page.

So, that was my state of mind when, after the morning’s workout, I rushed back to the complex and, as I always do every other Friday, hurried into the Community Room to claim a seat at a table where I can easily take photos — set up bingo cards, placed a container of glass chips next to the cards, and left my water bottle to indicate the spot was taken.

Then I rushed upstairs, changed out of workout clothes, grabbed my Witches Brew thermos, filled it with coffee, and made it back down to the Community Room about five minutes before the start of bingo.

Walking into the room, I see the place was crowded and two of the usual suspects were sitting at the table I’d set up, which was okay. I wasn’t taking ownership of the entire table, just that spot.

Problem is, the two had taken over the spot I’d prepared. Gone were the cards and the water bottle.

I pitched a fit ……… "Where’s my stuff!? ……… What's happened to my spot!?"

Turned out the two had walked in, and instead of adding themselves to the table with the prepared spot, decided to take the table over so they could sit together, just the two of them.

Giving them the benefit of doubt, one can say the two don’t have common sense — not seeing a body occupying the space, it just did not compute to them that the water bottle, et al, meant someone was sitting there. They asked the organizers to take it away and evidently the organizers can’t put two and two together either, as they did as requested, took it all away.

On the other hand, it just might be the two old biddies thought they could just do what they wanted to do, and whoever had planned to sit there would just quietly let it be.

Like I said, I’m on edge, now is not the time to push me.

When I walked right up and confronted the two of them, they realized I was royally pissed, began grabbing their stuff to get up and move, but I said "Never mind. I’ll find somewhere else to sit".

I ended up joining Di at a table in the back corner, which meant I had to get up and walk further to take photos of players as they won.

It took me a while to get back to center, and call it Karma when neither of the two won a game — and one of the two is usually lucky, always wins at least the two game limit and then sometimes the Blackout game. She's just lucky but to my enjoyment, not this time.

On the other hand, I won — Game 7 and chose another oven mitt as my prize, this one came with a potholder.

Actually, I won two games — Game 7 and Game 9, but did not call bingo on Game 9 because there was nothing else on the prize table I wanted or needed.

I doubt I’ll be in a better frame of mind Friday after next, so there will be hell to pay if my setup is messed with yet again.

On the other hand, it might give me the excuse I need to get out of the bingo responsibility — turn around, walk out in a huff, refuse to participate again.

My luck, things will go smoothly next time.

You readers might recall Manager telling Red Light that she didn’t want her coming around here. Told Activity Director to not let Red Light participate in activities.

Well, Red Light is bold as brass defying Manager. She joined us for bingo today.

Manager has no control over who can and who cannot participate in activities the residents themselves have organized. The only way she can stop Red Light from participating in our activities is to threaten the organizers that she will no longer allow us to use the Community Room for bingo or anything else.

She’s petty enough to go that route if she can’t get Corporate’s permission to formally ban Red Light from the property.

Stay tuned.

Dropout

Yesterday was the 5k I so enjoyed challenging myself on year after year ─ Mission Inn Run/Walk.

According to last year’s stats (if they were correct, which I still doubt I did that well), I finished 49th out of 481 in the male and female all ages category and, breaking it down to just women all ages, I was reported as 39th out of 348.

Since then, there’s not been a lot of training, due to the endless heat and lack of motivation. So, knowing I was not in shape for that course, I did not register this year.

Trainer kept encouraging me, said he thought I could do it, but the words of Dirty Harry were ringing in my ears, with a slight modification ... "A woman’s got to know her limitations".

It’s Trainer’s job to encourage, instill confidence so, to prove to me I could do it, a week or so ago, he set the treadmill at a steep incline for four minutes.

I almost died.

When I left the studio that day, my left ankle and right hip felt out of kilter, and I'd only lasted 2 minutes out of the 4.

I always snap back pretty quick and did, after a good soak in Epsom salt and a day to rest before the next training session.

So that particular 5k was a definite no for this year.

Maybe next year.

In other news, I asked around about the Community Meeting and learned it had been cancelled.

Hmmmmm????

I’m having buyer’s remorse over these Mitts, purchased at Disneyland.

I don’t know what I was thinking, as they don’t go with my Minnie Mouse Halloween costume.

They're cute though, so I'll pass them on to the great grandbabies to play with or use as pillows.

These Nightmare Before Christmas ears also don't go with my costume, but I love the half Halloween half Christmas ears — a Disney gift from the kids, and maybe I can build a costume around them in the future.

They're reversable.

14,115 Steps and Missed Opportunity

Me at Disneyland, August 1980, with my girls (Twin 1 and Twin 2).

Twin 1 on the left, Twin 2 on the right would have been 12 years old at the time.

Me at Disneyland, October 17, 2024 with Twin 1's baby girl (my granddaughter), granddaughter's husband (GrandSIL), granddaughter's babies (the great grands to me), and a Great Granddaughter I never knew I had until recently (long story ……… progeny of a family member on a long prodigal journey through life, and the reason I put myself on Ancestry, so children of that prodigal granddaughter can find their people when they grow up and go looking).

With all the walking and picture taking (over 100 pics), I didn’t think to recreate the 1980 photo — arm around granddaughter as I did with her mom, until I was on the road headed home.

Missed Opportunity there.

Walking down Main Street, we caught the band marching in to perform.

I could have listened to the band forever, but GrandSIL wanted to head for Fantasyland, so the babies could see Small World.

Small World was my favorite as well back in the day, and I just so happened to have a photo of me, circa 1980, looking mesmerized by the singing dolls.

Small World is still a favorite, so I was looking forward to revisiting.

We made it to Fantasyland, but unfortunately found Small World to be closed/under repairs, so we let the great grandson burn off some energy in the Play Yard, where I heard the tent set up for the kids calling to me.

I convinced my new relative to camp out with me and though it wasn't easy to get down on the ground, crawl my big arse in, turn around to pose, I managed to do so, then crawled out and got out on my own. Call it the magic of CrossFit, three times a week for four years.

"That's not Goofy", I was informed by granddaughter when I said, "Oh look, there's Goofy".

"No grandma, that's his son Max".

"I didn't know Goofy had a son. Didn't know he was married", said I.

"He's a single dad", said she.

Who knew?

I loved Star Wars Land, where first great grandbaby girl somehow got in trouble with a Stormtrooper, and then I and my new relative saved the world by joining in the battle against the First Order in Rise of the Resistance ……… took positions as Engineers on the Millennium Falcon.

As the pilots careened through space, and the gunners fired, my job (and new relative's job) as Engineers was to ……… when the ship was hit and something was broken, fix what was broken.

We saved the world, and landed safely.

You're welcome.

But then there was a flurry of activity, Chewbacca the Wookie showed up, began running around and we heard it was because ……… now I don't know if it was the Pilots who messed up or the Engineers, but whoever it was, in one of the ships that followed, caused their ship to crash.

Oh well, we did our job.

After Chewbacca sorted out the responsible parties, he gathered men from the crowd to participate in a "Who can make the best Wookie sound".

GrandSIL was selected ……… probably because of his beard, and got robbed.

He clearly made the better sound, but the other guy had more family members rooting for him.

I call foul, but GrandSIL did later get a photo with Chewbacca, so that was a win.

The girls (granddaughter and new relative) were anxious to find a character they kept referring to as Tiana.

Do you know who that is? I didn't, but was informed Tiana is from the animated film The Princess and the Frog AND is Disney's First Black Princess.

Again ……… who knew?

Fortunately, we walked right up on her and she was uber gracious. Took time to address individually the baby, granddaughter and my new relative.

The girls were thrilled, and meeting the First Black Princess was so emotional for granddaughter that she cried after.

I gave her a hug and said, "If you get this emotional over Disney's First Black Princess, how are you going to handle the First Female President being Black?"

What we did after that was a blur of lunch, more walking, not being able to get into Dumbo because the lines were long, same when I wanted to ride one of the merry-go-round horses, so on and so forth ……… the waits were 45 minutes to an hour on everything. The only reason we made it onto the Millennium Falcon, was because we signed up as single riders and were matched with groups who'd been waiting in long lines and needed us to fill the crew.

So anyway, no amount of CrossFit could stop the bottom of my feet from aching from so much walking. So, a little after 4:00, I tapped out, headed for the hotel, checked in, relaxed, while the others did the park until dark.

Upon checking out this morning, we made sure to take photos at the Great Mickey Mouse Pumpkin.

And there you have my fun but exhausting adventure with the kids.

My step count was off the chart, but I survived to tell the tale.