The Townehouse and Jeanne

Went to T.O.P.S. in the morning and was surprised to be declared the biggest loser. That's not too impressive, though, as I lost only 1.4 pounds, but hey, I'll take it. I picked from the goodie box a pretty little yellow pitcher which will look nice with a sprig of flowers in it. I was also surprised that Sharon and Lydia had both brought me a number of paperbacks for the prisoners. There must be twenty of them and I started to wonder how much the postage would be. Hmm....
By the time I got home and had breakfast, it was after 10:00, so I decided to skip the Adult Center lunch and just go there and get copies of The Silver Tsunami. Did so, stopping on the way to drop off hairdresser Amanda's tip, which the computer wouldn't accept on Thursday.
Also stopped at the post office to get some info on the least expensive rate for the books. Wow, a bit more than a pound would be more than three bucks, so what will what I send cost? On the way home, I decided I'd ask Carole is the Friends of the Ventura Library might pick up some or all of the cost.
Changed and prettied up a bit to go to The Townehouse. Gave Anne H., the activities director, the newsletter copies, plus a program from when I had my "students" perform after "graduating" from the acting class. She was pleased, then asked if I'd like to see the room on the seventh floor where the show would be. Sure and we went up. It's a large room, big enough for two pianos, which were facing each other, and almost entirely glass from floor to ceiling; the view is spectacular.
After, I attended the wine and music thing. Chatted with some residents and enjoyed the wine and cheese. After, one of the women I had talked to, asked if I'd like to see her apartment,also on the seventh floor. Sure thing, and I accompanied her up on the elevator.
We exchanged names--hers is Betty--and filled each other in. She comes from Connecticut and has Parkinson's (I noticed she uses a walker), but she really doesn't seem very restricted. She has two children and several grandchild, an ordinary family, but her birth family is anything but: She told me she has twelve sisters and four brother--yoicks!
Her apartment, which is actually two studios she had modified with doors between, is just lovely. It's nicely decorated and quite spacious, with two bathrooms and a wonderful deck that stretches all the way across both rooms. I happen to know apartments on the sixth and seventh floors carry an extra charge (besides the basic one for the living space) of four hundred a month, so this must cost a bundle.
Got a call from Jeanne Dollard P. in the evening. I always have to ask where she is--now, it's Lake George, which she and John alternate with Florida and her apartment in Jersey. She also spends time at one of her daughters in Connecticut. Irrepressible Jeanne is much older than I am (ha!), having turned eighty in May, but is fit, healthy, and attractive. She calls every few months or so; says she likes NY, but it's getting a little boring.