To Frustration and Back

Damn! I was so excited and happy about getting my bureau--really chest of drawers--and I decided to unpack it. This isn't as easy as it sounds. The box was shipped whole, not in pieces, for which I was pleased--clearly, all I had to do was screw on the pulls. However, the box itself was formidable. It was almost as tall as I am and very heavy-duty cardboard. I had to use a box cutter AND long knife, plus rip, tear, pull off, remove foam panels and so on--took me a good 20 minutes and lots of elbow grease. Finally, though, I was able to get the back of the box off. Happy day! I pulled the bureau out a little and--AAGH! Saw a large, ugly gash right on the front top edge!
I had ordered it through Amazon from an outfit named Lang Furniture in Wisconsin. Called Amazon and after this, that, and the other, was told I'd have to re-box and UPS would send it back. But I couldn't repackage it by myself. I called Ellen, who came over after picking up more tape. Happily, she was able to repack it, with just a little help from me. Called UPS and they're supposed to come today between 9 and noon. Oh, and I was promoised a replacement within two weeks. Guess I'll have to continue to put my fine plans for the apartment on hold.
In between all this, I got dressed and went to the Aging Well thing. It was okay--not great--but I saw Suze Montgomery, the mover and shaker of all things senior in Ventura--I'll explain that some day. I had sent her an e-mail telling her I'd like to help in some way on a subcommittee--we'll see after I talk to her.
Lunch was donated by Rotary and consisted of hot dogs and hamburgers, overdone to shoe leather, plus condiments, boxed, truly dreadful "macaroni salad" (pasta slathered with mayo and nothing else), bottled water, and cookies. But so what? If it wasn't gourmet, it was edible (I'm tempted to add "barely"). I saw Carol and Doris from the SCAN gatherings and told them I'd see them at the next one this afternoon.
The two woman I sat with, Donna and Norma, both intend to vote for Trump. The latter lady, especially, seemed to the right of the aforementioned gentleman, and assured me Obama is a Muslim. She proudly announced she gets all her information from Fox News; aside from that organization, God is her guide (it was unclear which she trusts most). Donna seemed more intelligent and was certainly more articulate. She said she's in a little older women's group that meets at The Cave (Ventura Wine Co.) Friday evenings. I'm considering going, but I don't have a lot in common with the two I mentioned, so do I really want to? Not sure, but will decide later.
I am looking forward to the doctor's talk at SCAN this afternoon. The two I met last week, Carol and Doris, seem more simpatico to me. But that's just it: Do I want to restrict myself to those whose ideas and beliefs reflect mine or do I want a variety? We all give lip service to the idea of respecting those different from ourselves, but in actual practice, we really like to hang with those like ourselves. Human nature, I guess.