Sun’s Up

Yesterday, the day before yesterday and the day before that was all day all night unrelenting this ...

Today there was a break.

Not at all sure how long it would be before the universe once again expressed its displeasure with the state of the union, first on my to-do list was that long over-due bloodwork ─ but only because I’d run out of a floss color, knew there was a craft store in the area of the medical center and determined the errand an opportune time to kill two birds with one stone.

But for the floss, I would have kept to local errands and put off bloodwork to another day.

I signed into the lab at 10:45.

It’s a numbering system ─ served in order of arrival.

My number was 31.

The number being served was 13.

At 10:55, the number being served was still 13.

Interesting, thought I. My number 31 is 13 backwards but for heaven’s sake! … How long does it take to draw blood and call in the next number?

At the rate things were going, I estimated at least an hour and a half wait.

I didn’t bring a book to read or needlepoint to work on and life is too short to sit idly by, so I headed back to the receptionist and asked for a refund of the $35 lab fee or a rain check.

No problem. Whichever I preferred.

I took the raincheck, headed for the craft store, loaded up on avocados and almond butter at Sprouts, salmon and veggies at Stater Bros, and was back at the complex before outside turned bad again.

The Stater Bros I dropped into was the one near where the new senior complex is scheduled to be built, a hop skip jump from the fire department. When I patronize this store, it's not unusual to see fire personnel. And so it was today that four very handsome well-built young men in uniform walked in. Of course, I went gaga, and remarked to the cashier how fortunate she was to see that kind of eye candy coming in on a regular basis. “I'm married”, said she. “So I hardly notice”.

“Are you married?” she asked. 

“No. I've been very happily divorced for 50 years.”

“Oh, no wonder you notice them”.

ROFLMAO.

Guilty. I do like eye candy, but the encounter got me to thinking .... I hadn't realized it's been 50 years divorced. I escaped my ex when the twins were six months old. They're 51 now, so wow!

I've had gentlemen friends of course, even been engaged a couple times. But I had no intention of ever remarrying. I just said yes because it was easier to say yes and then not than it was to say no and deal with attitude. Besides, my saying yes was a trap, a test of sort. Because I found that when a guy thought he had me locked in, he relaxed, the mask came off and the real him began to show. Which real him gave me the excuse I needed for kicking him to the curb six months to a year later.

One of the gold chains I wear was a goodbye gift, when I left a job, from a group of girls I'd worked with. It has a pendant that says, "Special and Single". Now that I realize it's been 50 years unmarried, I'm thinking I should have one made that says, "Single because I'm Special".

Friends, Neighbors, PokéStops

When classes are in session at the nearby University, it’s impossible to find a place to park on campus. Student parking passes are required and strictly enforced by campus security. So, when I realized this was a 3-Day Weekend with classes suspended, campus security not caring who parks where, I thought I’d aim for getting to the campus early, beat the heat, and load up on game items all three days.

So far so good this Day 1.

Leaving the complex with 31 PokéBalls, I returned with 112.

The 1.40 miles of slow walking also netted:
107 Potions — medicine for treating wounds of pokémon injured in battle
62 Revives — medicine to revive fainted pokémon
36 Razz Berries — sweet treat to make pokémon easier to capture

I did not call the young woman who wants to team up, to see if she wanted to join me for “safety in numbers”. Instead, I put a jogger’s taser in one pocket, pepper spray in another, and took my chances.

Campus was completely deserted. I did not see a single soul, but felt safe as I could pretty much see what might be coming from every direction.

It was peaceful, quiet, and some of the PokéStops were interesting.

The buildings were locked up tight so, not being able to get inside for eyes on the actual structures, I settled for standing close enough to load. Except this stop’s structure was outdoors, so I was able to capture a photo in real time.

A half hour in, a handful of people began popping up here/there. Fortunately, none of those people was new friend.

That would have been awkward.

How do you tell someone you don’t want to hang out with them?

In the three years our paths have crossed, new friend has come across as friendly, outgoing, and terribly interesting.

Born in the United Kingdom, she’s a wife, mother, anthropologist, has traveled the world, enjoys cosplay, is a Walking Dead enthusiast (like myself) and, unlike myself, is a Star Trek aficionado. She’s super intelligent and can spout facts up the wazoo.

From photos posted to facebook, I see she also has a dad who lives in the area of the Blue Cut Fire, very near my coworker friend's cabin.

Dad is cute, single, his photo piqued my interest ... and my interest is not easily piqued.

If it worked out with new friend, I might have met her dad in person but it's not going to work out. There was a facebook conversation on her page which gave me pause, and alerted me she's too far back on the path, spiritually speaking, to hang with me.

A close friendship with her would require my walking on eggshells, keeping my mouth shut, and I promised myself in an earlier post I was done with having to do that.

So no.

Would you believe, however, I did run into someone I knew?

It was the dumpster diving neighbor – the woman who lost her income of caring for her mother when family took mother away and put mom in a care facility.

Mother has since passed away – sadly, they usually do rather quickly once taken away from family and placed in a facility. Having no income to speak of, dumpster diving neighbor has somehow been able to get the financial help she needs to remain a tenant.

After giving her a hug and asking how she felt about Nurse Ratched's departure (it was thumbs up), since Dumpster Diving Neighbor doesn’t drive, I asked “How did you get here?”

“I take the bus.”

There is a stop right at the entrance to the university. I guess, since neighbor got in trouble for dumpster diving at the complex, she does her diving at the university.

So that's it for Day 1. Unless the Universe sends me in another direction, the plan for tomorrow is to explore and collect from a different area of the university.

Meet, Ooh La La, Learn, Overhear

I checked into the Community Room this morning, looking for the resident who worked with the former Activities Manager in arranging bus trips to the casino. She’s a walker, so I thought to alert her (and her walking buddy) to the 5K coming up in the area.

While there, I met a new resident (two weeks). She’s a published author -- Christian literature and an entrepreneur -- researching ways to market a white sauce she’s come up with for pasta.

Interesting woman. I suggested she give us a taste at the next potluck.

I also officially met a new resident I recalled seeing at the Pool Party -- tall, extremely handsome, fit Hispanic gentleman. He seemed a bit challenged in the English language and his accent was so thick that I had difficulty understanding what he was saying but who cares because, when he shook my hand, he felt warm and electric.

Finally, some eye candy around here. But I’m no fool. A good looking guy like that … no way is he not married and living here with a wife.

Also while in the Community Room, I learned yet another Activities Director has been hired (third in the four years I’ve lived here), that monthly Bingo is back on (September 14) as are the casino trips (September 8).

Yes for me to bingo; No to the casino – unless I see Tall, Handsome, Fit has signed up and he’s alone <wink>.

Just before heading back to my unit, in walks the senior I’d come across in distress on the 18^th.

Me: Hi, how are you?

“Still dizzy and fainting, but I’m okay.”

“Did your son ever show up?”

“No. He was here but said he can’t come all the time. It’s a long drive."

First she said “no” the son did not come. Then she said “he was here”, so she’s dizzy, faint and still having problems with confusion. If you will recall, when I’d driven her back to the complex, she knew which building she lived in, but could not remember which unit. Bless her heart.

The senior went on to announce, “Ladies, next week is my birthday. I’ll be 93.”

There was clapping, congratulations, oohs and aahs at having reached such a milestone.

Then, Younger Sister asked, “What day?”

“October 3^rd.”

“Next week is September. You mean September 3^rd.”

“Yes, next week, October 3^rd.”

“But next week is September.”

“Yes, September 3^rd.”

“Oh, you mean September not October?”

“Yes, October 3^rd.”

“September 3^rd or October 3^rd?”

“Oh, I don’t know.”

Younger Sister is just turning 50, and doesn't yet get us old folks have these moments of confusion. So, to end the back, forth, clue Younger Sister in, I said to the senior, "Bless your heart."

Younger Sister caught what I was trying to transmit and ended it with, "Ohhhh … yes … bless your heart.”