Sunday

 A good day, though Sunday. Did I get done all the chores I had listed previously? No, not all, but I'm satisfied. I did, indeed, clear out a lot of "stuff"--in the kitchen, for one. I have a tendency to save things, such as plastic cottage cheese containers with lids. They're useful, being easy to store and freeze things in, but I didn't need seventeen thousand of them. Anyway, I now eat oatmeal for breakfast, so don't get the containers. I kept out one, and jettisoned the rest, along with a bunch of others that had held everything from fish to vegetables. That made space in the cabinets, which I'll fill with my wonderful little casseroles. I also used the Shark and the Dirt Devil on the hard floors and carpet, respectively, then took both to the patio to empty. 

As planned, I bused to the library after lunch. It still isn't open for browsing, damn it: You have to go up to the second floor via the parking lot, then ring for somebody. It turned out that the Kellermans are still in transit from another branch. However, they had some new books displayed outside, including one called Tangled Up In Blue: Policing The American City, which I borrowed. It's a non-fiction by a former Washington D.C. police officer; looks interesting.

Called Ellen just to chat, then made myself a yummy dinner of salmon, potatoes, broccoli, and spaghetti squash. The veggies I had prepared before and stowed in the freezer. To top it off, I slept well--that's the best news of all. 

Saturday

Cleaned up a bit in the morning and prepared for Jim, who has become my perennial Saturday luncheon guest. He came at his usual 12:30, we ate and had some good talk, with just minor disagreements. I brought the laptop into the living room to look up passport info for him. His is still valid, but he wants to renew it before it expires. Mine already expired in 2020, but I'm engaged in renewing, also. He stayed until 3:30 and I walked out with him, as usual. After, I took my cart over to Von's, as I needed milk and coffee, as well as other things I might have had  difficulty carrying. That was my Saturday, hardly exciting, but it was sunny and agreeably warm most of the day, and in my book, that beats east coast snow anytime--no contest. 

To some extent, I'm in the habit of planning out my days. That doesn't mean I won't throw over whatever if something better comes along, such as lunch with a friend. I just don't want to find myself bored and lonely, with nothing to do, staring at the wall. Today, I plan spend the morning adding to the items I'll donate to Goodwill and possibly, addressing a few "business" items. After lunch, I'll bus to town to the library to pick up the two relatively new Jonathan Kellerman books I have on hold. (I'm still reading the huge Shirley Temple auto-bio, but will try to rush through it.) I'll then stop at Ross, at the mall/transit center, to buy some small casserole dishes and drawer dividers I saw the other day. Will I do all I planned? Time will tell. 

Friday, DNA, And Catholicism

The news on the weight front was mixed, as ever. At home, I was 127.8, for a gain of a whopping 2.4. At T.O.P.S.? 126.6, up a modest .02 from last week. Oh, well. It was a long "meeting"--more like a social group just chatting--and we didn't get out of there until after 10, so I was ravenous by the time I got my oatmeal. 

I spent some time working up a new spreadsheet for our T.O.P.S. group. Nobody is very adept at that stuff and I'm sure not, but thought I'd try and it was pretty easy. Leader Lennie will be pleased, I know, and since there are so few in the group, it's no big deal to duplicate and distribute.

Wrapped the three DNA boxes, plus the dinosaur bag for Koushin. I waited until after lunch to hike to the P.O. and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as jammed as usual. The stuff for Singapore cost $62.10--ho, hum, I'll be reimbursed--and the nice guy at the P.O. showed me a kind of stiff envelope I could use for the Mr. K. gift, making postage only $7.30. 

From there, I bused to the mall and Trader Joe's to pick up some cream sherry. I like to have a glass of dessert wine when Jim is here--he usually joins me--and he's coming again for lunch today. I just hard-boiled some eggs for sandwiches, plus will serve the crystal pickles, adding cake (stowed in the freezer) with blueberries and vanilla yogurt on top. 

I was surprised to received a Facebook "friend request" from somebody named Mary Elizabeth Garapola. Who in the world was that? I was tempted to just reject it, but instead, Messaged her to ask if I knew her. It turns out that she is usually called "Mary Beth" and had graduated from Misericordia with Betty. Then I remembered her; she and Betty were good friends. I confirmed the friend thing and we exchanged a little back-and-forth. Mary Beth had eight children, then her husband died. She remarried 29 years ago and now lives in Florida.

Home by 4:00 and did this and that--I don't even remember what. I started musing about religion and something occurred to me: While Suzanne and I were talking the other day, she mentioned a friend of hers who's 97 and not in the best of shape. She remarked cheerily that she "wouldn't want to live that long." This kind of attitude always floors me and is one of the major objections I have to religion. I guess this is true of most of them, but I'm familiar only with Catholic beliefs. It's as if this life is just a little minor sojourn on the road to our real life, which is eternal. It stands to reason, then, that it senseless to try very hard for something, or put much interest in, or feel intense, about anything here. Why bother, it's over in the blink of an eye... I don't think all Catholics lean that way, but Suzanne seems to, whether she's aware of it or not. I still remember the catechism, tell us why we're put on this earth... 

Gnashing of the Teeth Note: Again, my Jersey attorney emailed that there was an omission on the deed: The notary hadn't printed her name under her signature on page 4--damn! Well, at least, he said I can just do it myself, then yet again, send it to him. Will this crapola ever end? More to the point, are my four rapscallions worth all this travail? (Oh, okay, I guess they are.)

Thursday

Well, I've had better days. It sometimes seems--at least in my life--that when one thing goes wrong, the universe tilts or something and other unrelated screw-ups follow. 

First: What I didn't mention in my last post is that I had been next door at Suzanne's for one of our occasional chats Wednesday evening. Usually, we both have a beer--she O'Doul's, I a real beer. This time, though, I poured myself some cabernet instead--half a glass, certainly no more than three ounces. We talked for twenty minutes or so, then I went home. I'm not sure how it happened, but I fell in the living room. Red wine splashed over the carpet and I got a gash on my right forearm. I immediately used my carpet cleaner, then washed my arm and put Neosporin and a bandage on it. I don't think it's too bad, as it isn't sore--it just looks ugly.

Then: Yesterday morning when I got up, I found an email from my attorney in Jersey. He said that page four of the six-page deed wasn't completed properly--I had signed as the "Grantor," but didn't realize I was supposed to sign as "Deponent," too. Also, I had to provide the last three numbers of my S.S. number, not the last four. Okay, so I trekked back to Live Scan and the notary did the new one--didn't charge me for this. Had to again scan all six pages and email them to the attorney. I HOPE this won't have some minor little thing wrong, too.

Then: I had a 8:00 am blood test at Quest. I got there early (it's right across the street inside Von's), and was pleased to be taken right away. Nursie asked which arm, I said left, she tried several times, but it just wasn't flowing. Said she'd have to do the right. Okay, fine. She tried and tried, but no luck--I'm bloodless in upper extremities, I guess. She finally said she's have to get it from my hand and she did. She was very nice and apologetic and I wasn't upset with her at all--the jabs weren't that painful--but it seemed to point up the fact that I'm a plaything of the powers that be--or something. 

Then: This is just puzzling: I got a Message from son Mike in Singapore, asking why I had tried to Facetime him at 2:30 am. I wrote back that I didn't, but I must had accidentally hit something on my phone, or whatever. 

Anyway, I was in low mood most of the day until Ellen called on her way home from work. I always feel better after talking to her and, as I told her my tale of woe, I realized I was over-reacting. Had one of my vegan (spaghetti squash, potatoes, peas and carrots) dinners, showered, re-dressed my wound, and am emerging nicely from my somber mood. 

 

The Rest Of The Pesky Quest...

...to find a notary, that is. I called BOA, my own bank, six times and after having it ring ten or so times, a recording came on to the effect that all "associates" were working their fingers to the bone caring for others and blah, blah, blah. Finally walked the mile and a half there to have the "greeter" ask if I had an appointment with the notary. No, so I'd have to wait. Did, for twenty minutes, until she came out to ask for the document I wanted notarized. A five-page deed? Sorry, the BOA notary only does bank related of one or two pages. After several well-chosen words, which I delivered loudly, I left to walk another mile or so to Live Scan, where, happy day, I got the deed done.

Earlier, I had made up a double batch of crystal pickles. When I got home, I added the vinegar and sugar to one and stowed it in the freezer. Had lunch, then scanned the deed and emailed to Mazzei, the Jersey attorney. Let's hope that's the end chore involving the trust. 

My brother, Larry, called from Florida, just to chat. Two of his grandsons recently had COVID for the second time, but both recovered quickly. Got a nice email from my friend, Leslie, from Sunrise Bay. She and Dennis have a place in Florida, too, and are there now.  

😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄

I couldn't resist posting the following: There's a free restoration and colorization page on Facebook. and  few months ago, I used their services for the colorization of some of my wedding pictures. I was thrilled with the result and asked if someone would doctor this one of Pat and me. I think it was taken when we were engaged, but not yet married, so about 65 years ago:

The following  is what somebody came up with and I almost laughed out loud--oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!

Who ARE these people?

Anyway, I thought it was funny.

Tuesday

Did a color wash in the morning, which included some of my tops; they get wrinkled in the drawer. I called Villa Altamar to find out if visitors are allowed. Yes, if they show proof of a negative COVID test. Well, damn, I didn't get my tests yet. I was then told they would provide one the first time I visit. Asked to speak to Betty. and talk about a downer. She was even more confused than she had been, answering simple questions with totally unrelated responses. I said I'll try to come see her next week, which I will, and she did response appropriately: "Oh, I hope so". We said we love each other, which I do and always will. 

I called Kim, the R.E. agent in Jersey, just to touch base, as my tenants' lease is up in February. Still not sure if I should sell of continue to rent. I'm leaning toward continuing, but will consult my four advisors. 

Walked to UPS near Ralph's, roughly two miles, which I was glad to get in, only to find the notary is sick and was not in. Stopped at three other places, two banks and a credit union, but they service only their own customers.  I was then directed to a place called Live Scan; wandered all over for roughly forty-five minutes before I found it. Yay, their hours are 9:00 to 3:30 and it was only 2:45. But surprise! They had a sign on the door that they closed at 2:30 yesterday. Okay, I'll go back today, but will call first. But no--it finally occurred to me that my own bank, BOA, probably has a notary and would do the deed. By the time I got home, it was too late to make an appointment, but I will today.

"Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil"

Above: the "bird girl" statue in Savannah Cemetery that was on the cover of the book. 

Changed the sheets and did a white wash, then finally tackled the pile of filing I had to do. Also, went through one bureau and took out things to donate. I still have a bit more to do, but will soon ask Julie to take me to Goodwill.

Bused to town after lunch. It was pretty empty--it was cool and weekends tend to draw crowds, not Mondays. I did buy some placemats and picked up two more DVDs. Speaking of...

I'm watching Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and greatly enjoying it. Why? Read on: The book was published in 1994, twenty-eight years ago, and it's about a famous murder. I loved it because it came out right after I had been to Savannah. I was visiting Mike and Paula, who moved there while Paula got her masters at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Boy, is that a neat place! You could tour the house where the murder took place, and we did. We also went to the well-known cemetery where the statue on the cover is on a grave. I'm still interested and think the movie is good--love seeing Savannah again.

The two DNA kits that Mike ordered arrived. He instructed me to keep one ("Health and Traits") and send the other, but not until a third shipment comes. I know that somebody--I thought it was him, but he says not--sent me a DNA kit before, but I can't seem to find it on my blog. Could I have gotten it myself? Maybe. I can't find it mentioned on this blog, which is odd; I could swear I had seen it written here. Will keep looking.

Sunday

I still get glum on Sundays, although my wakefulness wasn't too bad. I woke up about 2:00 am, but after a time, was able to go back to sleep until 5:30. The crossword? I got all but two, so okay.  Later, I was more buoyant because I had company: Nat, Johnny, Ella, Patsy, and The Pretenders, all carrying me to back to the sweet bye and bye. (But I'm not quite ready for Johnny Ray.)

Took off for The Market about ten. Happy day, they had the rice cakes I like, after having been out of them for months and I bought four packs. Walked there and bused back. 

After lunch, inexplicably, I lay down and took a three-hour nap. I think it wasn't so much I was tired as  emotionally down. I then went out and walked the circumference of the complex. I think that's a mile in total and the walk made me feel somewhat better. When Ellen called after dinner, my mood lifted more. We had a good, chatty talk about nothing in particular, and as always, it helped. Still, I'm glad Sunday is over.  

Saturday With Jim

I had one of the tangerines Suzanne gave me and it was just delicious: About twice as big as the puny things you get in the store and with a skin that practically zips off; full of juice, too.

Walked over to Von's for turkey breast and rolls and a few other things. When I got back, I met Suzanne going out and she asked to show me something. It was the faucet top, which was almost completely blocked with a hard green material. She suggested that if that happened to mine (it has in the past), I could take it off with pliers and clean it. I didn't actually say this, but I thought it: "Why in the HELL do you think I'd ever do that? Javier came over and replaced the faucet, which is a job he gets paid to do. I don't and I'll be damned if I'll take that on." What I said is, "No, I don't do things like that myself; I call the office." 

Jim came at his usual 12:30 and we had our usual interesting time. He was very concerned about needing a picture for the course he has to complete (on the college system). He asked if I'd take some and I did. I took three and and sent them to him. I guess this was the best, but it's not really that good:

Jim called after he got home and said he was concerned because he looked so old in the pictures (well, hey, he'll be 79 in three months). I thought so, too, frankly, so suggested I send him one I had taken at Jasmine Thai three years ago I did and we agreed it was the better one for his purposes:

In truth, I think the reason why Jim looks older in the picture I took yesterday is because 1. he IS older and 2.) the Apple I-11 phone/camera I have now is so superior to my little Cricket, that it takes sharper pictures--that show the wrinkles. It's amazing that anyone would consult me about anything on the Internet, but I was happy to help.

I texted Vickie to see how things are with her and Mary and, sadly, things continue to deteriorate. She has Mary on the waiting list for a facility in Santa Paula, but it's a long list. Mike messaged me and I got to say hello to Paula and the girls. Paula was making several flavors of vegetarian ice cream, which he showed me--looked yummy, which he confirmed. She makes this from scratch and not with an ice cream maker or even old-fashioned churn. 

Friday

Just four of us at T.O.P.S., but it was an okay session. I brought eight lemons from the freezer (I have many more) and Lennie took them home. I told them about my lunch with Noreen at the Black Bear and all agreed it didn't sound very promising. Jim called while I was at the meeting; I called him back when I got home and yes, invited him for lunch today. 

As for the weight: At home, I weighed 125.4 with a loss of 1.4; at T.O.P.S., I weighed in at 126.4, for a gain of .07. I can't figure that out, but I suspect there was some confusion with the calculations. It's okay by me, though, as what I call my "comfort zone" is 125 to 130. As long as I'm within those boundaries, I'm fine with my weight.

Didn't get breakfast until 10:00. After that, I cored and cut ten apples, quartered a big orange, added cinnamon and put all in the slow cooker. Suzanne came over and bought me a bag of beautiful tangerines, home grown by a colleague. I have one with breakfast every morning, and can't wait to try one of these this morning.

Bused to town after and bought Shirley Temple's auto-biography. I think I read it years ago, but I like show biz memoirs, so thought I'd enjoy it. Home at 4:15 and I made up a recipe from Heloise called "Italian chicken." It's pretty quick and easy: chicken parts (I used the leg quarters I had bought on Thursday), plus Italian dressing, with cut potatoes and onions on top. You pop them in the oven for an hour and hey, the chicken came out delicious. I had one for dinner and it was very good, about as tender and flavorful as I've ever had it. The potatoes and onions were okay, but not necessary. Next time, I'll just do the chicken.

On the sleep front: I awoke at 4:15 (bad), but went back and didn't actually get up for day until 6:00 (good, although a half-hour early than my preferred wake-up time). I'll see if I can get a walk in this morning.  

Thursday At Olivia's

On a lovely, sunshiny day (70+), I took my little cart and walked to Smart 'n' Final after breakfast. Bought apples, oranges, five pounds of chicken leg quarters (I never buy breast, as I consider dark meat much more flavorful than white), a jar of mayo, broccoli, and a few other items.  (One of these days, I'm going to screw myself up and buy more than I can get in my cart and/or that I can pull.)  Got home fine, though, and was glad to get three miles in.

As soon as I got in, I started food prep: scrubbed and cut the carrots I had bought the other day, added orange slices and cinnamon, and put them in the slow cooker; trimmed the broccoli and prepared the spaghetti squash I had already had. Some of this largess I put in the fridge (had tilapia, carrots, and broccoli for dinner), the rest in the freezer. I like to have a good stock of veggies at hand.   

After lunch, I lay down and dozed for just a short time, then took a shower. Dressed and went, as promised, to meet Olivia at 3:00 at her soon-to-be-vacated apartment. Neighbor Andy (a young guy who's with a computer company and lives upstairs from me) came, too, and I enjoyed talking to him, as ever. 

We three waited and waited and three o'clock came and went. Andy expected a business call at 3:30, so left. Finally, at about 3:20, I offered to go to the office and see what the holdup was. Did so and Aiden, the assistant, said the inspection was supposed to be at 3:30, not 3:00. Anyway, Javier and Jose came over to inspect the most pristine living space I've ever seen and didn't find anything amiss. Olivia had to take her elderly brother to the hospital, so after many thanks, left the complex for good. However, shortly thereafter, Javier knocked on my door to see if she was there because she was supposed to go to the office to sign papers. Well, she wasn't, so I said they'd just have to call her.  

Wednesday

Got an email from attorney Mazzei in Jersey, telling me he had started the new deed procedure. I replied: "Thank you. The check is in the mail." (I wonder if he got the joke.) Anyway, I actually did put the check in the mail and hope this damn trust thing is soon over.

Left at 11:30 to meet Noreen an hour later in town and just barely made it, as I hadn't checked the bus schedule. No prob, though, she picked me up on Poli Street and off we went to the newly opened Big Bear Restaurant. It was crowded, as we thought it would be, but we were seated within about ten minutes of our arrival. We both got veggie burgers and both opted for salads, a choice of sides coming with the meal.  I had intended to get a beer and Noreen a glass of wine, and we were taken aback to hear the alcohol license hadn't yet come through. Okay, we both had just water.

The place, the food, and the service were all okay, but just okay. The burger was good, but the salad was mediocre (anytime they put shredded carrots in salad, it ain't good).  Also, I was surprised at the cost. We didn't order anything extra and, with tip and no chargable drinks, the bill was $20.60 each. I'm okay with that when it's a higher level place or when I was able to get a beer with my burger, but this wasn't worth it. 

I invited Noreen back to my place for a glass of wine and she accepted; actually, she had a Margarita and I had the wine. We talked and talked for two hours--about our childhoods, her doomed marriage, sex (yep!), our children, and so on. I'm not sure why, but I assumed she was raised Catholic. Nope: She had the wishy-washy Protestant--Baptist, in fact--upbringing and still has a kind of hazy belief in something or other.  Anyway, it was refreshing to talk with no defenses up.

Olivia stopped over while Noreen was there. She would only sit down for a few minutes and wanted to show me a document she intends to present to management. Looked fine to me, but I repeated that I'm not an attorney, which she understands. Anyway, I'll be with her today at 3:00 when management comes to inspect her apartment. 

In the meantime, Suzanne called to say she had gotten four COVID tests free from the government--I'm not sure how that works--and would I like two, one for me and one for Ellen? Sure, but I wonder why she doesn't just keep them to text herself later. Also, I wonder if Ellen and I are entitled to free ones, also. Must look into that. 

Mike messaged me in the evening and--good news!--Violet will attend the camp in the hills of Ojai for a two weeks in July. Also, when he brings her here, he may--it's tentative--work here for a time. I assume he means for those two weeks--that would be wonderful, too.

Mike also guided me on how to add Facebook and Messenger to my phone using the App Store (not the Apple Store--see why I get confused?). It was easy--and free--and I'm going to explore more options there.

Note: Terrible time get back to sleep after waking at 1:30. 

Tuesday

I spent most of the morning composing a letter--a real letter, typed out--to my darling granddaughter, Violet, who's 13, who reminds me so much of myself at that age: sullen, but needy. The reason it took so long is because I added pictures of myself as a child and teenager, along with explanatory notes. Copying and transferring them from various files to the paper was a chore because I kept screwing up.

I was still at it when the carpet cleaner guy came a little after ten. I had called the office to find out how much furniture I should move. I was told "wherever you want him to clean" and found he simply came in with a rolling machine, not the big hose they use when they do the whole apartment. That was a relief, as I just moved two chairs onto the hard floors. The part that gets noticeably dirty is the path from the door to the eating area and he did a great job on cleaning that. He put heavy paper over it and told me not to walk on it for thirty minutes. 

Hey, no prob: After lunch I walked to the P.O. to mail Violet's letter, then bused to town and was gone for three hours. Bought two sweaters--now I regret one of them--two mugs, and a DVD. While I was busing home, Olivia called. She has, of course, vacated her apartment, although she's paying the rent until tomorrow. She had asked me if I wanted the entrance mat she had had and yes, I did. This is one of those large vinyl mats--it's probably three by four feet--that keeps the carpet at the door clean. She left it at my door, I put it down and I'm pleased to have it, especially since the carpet had just been cleaned a few hours before.

Put a wash in before dinner; folded and put away after.   

Cleaning Up And Squash

I was determined to at least start at going through closets and cabinets and selecting donation items. Did that for several hours in the kitchen, then in the bedroom. I even cleared out a few things from the patio--planters and so. There's a lot more both out there and inside, and I'll keep working on it.

Walked to The Market, then Wal-Mart. Still on my squash binge, I picked  up a spaghetti squash and one called Kabocha, which looked interesting:

I finally found the dish rack and drainer I like, and bought that, too. Bused home, but still got in a bit more than two miles. Speaking of two, I didn't get home until then, so had a late lunch.  I did a bit more cleaning up, then prepared my Kabocha squash in the microwave:

I left it to cool, then lay down for a nap. I set the alarm for an hour and that's how long I slept. Felt good when I got up. 

The carpet cleaners are supposed to come today and I have no idea how much of the furniture I need to move into the kitchen and hall. I'm certainly not doing the heavier pieces. Left a message for the office staff; I think they were off for MLK day, but I'll get to them this morning.

I had half of the Kabocha for dinner and it was very good: reminiscent of butternut squash, but with a creamier texture.  

Sunday

Just tidied up a bit after breakfast with the Sunday crossword. I was annoyed with this one, as a  lot of the clues seemed obscure--or maybe my brain is getting foggy. Anyway, I finished only about three quarters of it. I put the artificial tree I had acquired on the patio and it looked okay, but decided to try it in other places, too. Tidied up a bit and prepared ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches on the small rolls I had bought. I made six of them, figuring if any were left over, I'll save them for lunch today.

Jim came at his usual 12:30 and we chatted for a bit, then had lunch. As it turned out, I had two of the sandwiches and he three; I wrapped the last one for lunch today. Served cheddar chips and peanuts as sides. I had taken my homemade applesauce out of the freezer the day before, warmed it in the microwave and gave Jim that for dessert. He asked if I had any whipped cream left and yes, I did, so he put that on the applesauce. It's just amazing how much he eats, considering he's alarmingly thin. We had our usual good talk at the table and on the couch after. Jim left at 4:15 or so and I walked him out.

Moved the big tree into a corner of the dining area, but I'm not sure if I'll keep it there or not. Called Noreen after dinner and we caught up with each other's lives. Also made a date for lunch on Wednesday at the new Black Bear restaurant, its grand opening tomorrow at the harbor:

AAGH! I woke up a 1:15 and couldn't get back. It's now 4:09 and what am I doing at the laptop? Thought I'll see if this would do the trick, but so far, it's not working. Later: Went back about 5:00 and slept until the alarm went off at 6:30. I'm pretty sure the insomnia is a result of not getting my walk(s) in, as it seems to happen mostly on those days. 

Saturday

Jim called about 8:30 and we talked for twenty or so. He sounded a little better than he had, but said he's still depressed about the work situation. We discussed handling a live class of students--I'm always aghast at what he doesn't seem to know. Anyway, I invited him over for lunch today and I assume we'll explore the topic.

I spent most of the morning cleaning out and rearranging the cabinets under my bathroom vanity. It's incredible how much I had, including no fewer than five partly-used shampoo bottles and that doesn't include the two in the shower. Conditioner? Oh, yes, I had four. I couldn't get the top off three of them, but I added to the one I could. Aside from that, I removed a lot of other no longer used stuff, including artificial fingernails, rubbing alcohol (I had three bottles! But why? I don't even remember what I used them for!), unopened bags of cotton balls, six bottles of nail polish, touch-up hair dye, and a lot of other stuff. I threw much of it away, but if it was still good, I took it to the trash/recycle area, as somebody might be able to use it.   

Under a little rain, I went over to Von's for rolls, ham, and Swiss. Also went to the side of the building where I took two flattened boxes: I'll use them for the clothes I'll donate to Goodwill. Later, after the rain has stopped, I again went over to the shopping center, just to get in a walk.

Took a container of my homemade applesauce out of the freezer, and will add that to lunch today. Scrubbed and quartered about half the red potatoes, added oil and fresh dill, and roasted them. I divided the result up and put two portions in the freezer and one in the fridge for dinner.

My nephew, Wes, posted a picture on Facebook of my Aunt Maggie and several people commented on it who remembered her. In my comment, I added a picture of Aunt Maggie's mother, my great-grandmother. Carole W.C. also commented and brought up again the seven-year-old mystery of the disappearing thumb drive. If anyone's interested, the story is on this blog in entries in late October, 2016.

Had a delicious dinner of seared tilapia (which I had marinated in herb and garlic oil), broccoli, and the afore-mentioned roasted red potatoes. So darn good.  

T.O.P.S., Olivia, And Hair

 At home, I weighed in at 126.8 for a loss of 1.2 pounds, but at the meeting, the scale read 125.7, a loss of .09. Incredibly, that made me the biggest loser for the week and netted me the prize of--gasp! One dollar! I don't know who suggested the idiocy of each member chipping in a quarter, the total being awarded to the biggest loser, but we've been doing for a while. Why only a dollar? Because our group has dwindled from the fifteen or twenty who used to attend every week to just the five of us (Sharon was out and will be again next week). 

Anyhoo, I did the program, such as it was. In truth, I had spent little time on it, but a least it was a little more imaginative than most. I introduced nutrition and diet essays from MedPage, an Internet newsletter for physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals and written by the same.  (I can subscribe, but am not permitted to comment because I'm not in the profession.) A lot of it is beyond me, but I'm interested in the nutrition and Alzheimer's articles, for obvious reasons. I brought some items to the meeting, "the best diets," not only for weight loss, but for maladies like high blood pressure. Not surprisingly, the Mediterranean, heavy on fruits and vegetables, light on red meat, was adjudged the best in many categories. That happens to be more or less the regimen I follow.

Home at 10:00 and was about to have breakfast when Olivia called. She asked if I'd come down to her apartment to look and see if it was clean enough for the inspection, coming on the twentieth. I went up (she's on the second floor) and I didn't have to fudge when I saw the place. It's hard to believe anybody ever lived there, it was so perfectly, spotlessly clean. The countertops, cabinets, walls, carpets, baseboards were immaculate. There was no furniture and I knew Olivia's tenure there didn't end until the twentieth, so I was puzzled. It turns out she was staying at her sister's, so she doesn't get anything dirty. Poor Olivia is so sure the apartment owners have it in for her, she's afraid to stay there. So she'll been paying the rent for almost a month without even living here. 

I then spent an hour or more scanning the deed to my house and sending it to Richard Mazzei, the R.E. attorney in Jersey, along with a letter of explanation. After lunch, I walked to Smart 'N' Final in wonderful sunshine and was glad to get the three miles in. Got tilapia, salad dressing, and five pounds of red potatoes. 

In the evening, I started the process of renewing my passport. Completed the on-line application and will examine carefully before I send. I also have to submit a photo and I'm concerned about that because I no longer color my hair. All other personal information is the same, except the brown to gray thing. I'll have to find info on that. 

In Trust We Trust--Or Something

Well, my living trust is--alive, you might say, but all finished? Nope. 

Mike Williams, my attorney here, called me at 8:15, less than two hours before my signing appointment--to say there was a snafu with the deed. What? I had had that revised when I was in Jersey in November to reflect the fact that I'm sole owner. Yes, but it also has to include the caveat that my property in Jersey is included in the trust, which isn't in it. I'm annoyed with Mike that he didn't let me know this before less than two hours before I was to be in his office to complete the process, but I didn't want to start over. I went at 10:00, the notary came, and it was executed, I gave Mike a check and the notary one, too, of course.  

As soon as I got home, I called the Ocean County Clerk's office to be told I had to have yet a new deed which includes the house. I asked the woman I spoke to if she could suggest an attorney--she did, Richard Mazzei, of Beachwood. I called him, and we can do this by e-mail (I've already started scanning the deed), and I fervently hope the damn thing doesn't have too many more complications. Of course, he ain't going pro bono--I'll send him a check, too. 

Bused to town after lunch and enjoyed strolling down Main, although it was a bit chilly. I bought a sweater and browsed here and there. Called Ellen after lunch and we chatted. She's still tired and under a lot of stress what with absenteeism of both teachers and children, but was glad to see the end of the work week (I remember that feeling.)

As if the trust wasn't enough, fate handed me this deal, too (it's all about me, of course). The Ventura Star is dropping its Saturday edition in March, presumably without dropping its monthly charge. How they can get away with this is beyond me, but they already, as I've recorded here, omitted two Saturday editions previously, so who knows?

Squash

Julie picked me up at 10:00 and off we went to the farmers market. Here are the goodies I gathered:

That's a very large bunch of romaine and below it is a delicata squash. I like squash of all stripes (ha) and don't remember ever seeing one like it. The citrus are little mandarins, of course; I have one with my oatmeal breakfast every day. That purpley thing is called a pepito. I had never heard of it before, but it was described to me as a fruit that tastes like cantaloupe and honeydew. I love to try new foods, assuming they're not spicy, so bought it. I was told to wait until it turns mostly yellow, so I will.

After galivanting so much on Tuesday, I thought I'd better keep my nose to the everlasting grindstone and tackle the chores I've been putting off. I spent a lot of time gathering up the documents I need to take to the lawyer this morning to finally get the trust written up. My appointment's at 10:00 and I hope this finally gets the deed done.

Most of the rest of the day I reserved for food prep. I cored and quartered four pounds of apples, cut and up and added two oranges, and put them in the slow cooker with cinnamon. Prepared the lettuce I had just bought; it was so big I had some for lunch, and will get two more salad lunches out of it. Cut the squash in half, removed the seeds, then sliced into it rounds; added a little olive oil, and roasted for about 35 minutes in a hot oven. They came out like this:

I had three rounds with my vegan dinner (spinach and bean stew) and oh, mama, were they good! The flesh is creamy, with a very faint sweetness. I'll be sure to look for this squash again...

...speaking of which, I spotted this giant where I bought the pepito:

I thought it was a watermelon, but no, it's a squash. I didn't have the nerve to buy it--didn't think I could handle it, but I loved the look of it. I never thought much about squash before, but now I'm intrigued by their variety and I'll keep trying new types. 

Aiden from the office called to ask when I wanted my carpets cleaned. I told him Tuesday, but now I'm beginning to wonder if I can get everything moved into the kitchen area myself. Naturally, I won't move the sofa or TV table and the other things aren't heavy, but the problem is--will I have the space?

Tuesday And Some Ominous Signs

Mindful of the endocrinology appointment I need to schedule soon, I skipped putting sweetener in my  coffee and walked over to Quest at Von's at 7:00 for a blood test. I was taken aback to see a sign on the door saying Quest was closed until the thirteenth. Well, it's not urgent; I'll go back then.

Suzanne stopped over about 9:00 after texting me about the QAnon person who died of COVID in Camarillo. Now her supporters are charging murder and, I guess, her detractors will think she got what she deserved. It's all hogwash to me, but Suzanne, for some reason, is interested. 

After that, I walked to The Market for the rice cakes I like. They've been out out of them for several weeks, and still had none. I then went to Wal-Mart for copy paper, a three-way plug, and file tabs. I got the first two, but to my surprise, they had no tabs. In fact, I've noticed that they've been generally poorly stocked  for some time.  

Bused home, had lunch, then took the 6 to the transit center and the 11 to the Cricket store. I asked the person there to transfer the pictures from the Cricket I've had for years to my new Apple I-11. He did, in about three minutes. (Unfortunately, after initially locating them, I can't seem to pull them up smoothly now. I know there's some trick to it and I'll keep trying.)

A Bed, Bath, & Beyond is a few stores down from Cricket, so I went there to look for a new dish rack, preferably with a drainer attached. They had exactly one drainer--one--and as far as I could see, no racks that would fit it. In fact, their shelves were very sparsely stocked. 

Okay, Target is right across the shopping center, so I'll look for the drainer and rack there. They had--wait for it--NONE. There were no racks or drainers on the shelves. Could it be that some diabolical fiend is buying up all the kitchen stuff to drive people crazy? At least, there would be no problem with getting the tabs I need. But there was: They didn't have any, either. 

But all wasn't lost. Office Max (also known as Office Depot) is right across the street, and I knew I could get them there. Walked over confidentially--and saw a sign on the locked door: "Closed 1/11/22. Will reopen 1/13/22."*

Got home at 4:00 and started assembling items to take to the trust lawyer tomorrow: will, house, deed, Real I.D., and lots of other paperwork. Must remember to bring my checkbook, too, as this will total about a thou.   

Son Mike Facetimed me about 7 pm and we ranged over a lot of I-Phone stuff. I got to see Vivian (wearing an SC tee-shirt) and Violet, who was filling in the courses she wanted for next year. Mike told me I should use Facetime or Messenger, rather than texting, but I'm still not sure why. 

Damn, I slept poorly last night. Julie is picking me up for the farmers market at 10:00; I may take a nap after that.  

*It may be tempting to believe all the life changes brought about by COVID are waning and soon, we'll be back to--if not as we were, at least some kind of normalcy. Now I think it won't be soon, if ever. Even more ominous than the above, were the notices by Ventura Transit on the bus app on my phone: Several routes were suspended "due to staffing problems" and would be until further notices. Luckily for me, they aren't on my regular routes, but I feel sorry for those who have to go to work or school by bus. I noticed also that several small shops I used to see on my rounds are permanently closed. Ominous, indeed. 

Lazy Me And The Lazy Dog

I wasn't exactly lazy, but dragging in the morning, considering how poorly I slept. I signed the new lease (electronically), which took a good half-hour, as it's a densely printed sixty-four pages long. (Did I read it all? Ha.) Every page has at least one "initial" (you just agreed to click there) and many required a signature (electronic, also). Anyway, I printed out the first 18 pages, which were most pertinent to me. 

I had perked up a bit by the time Julie picked me up at noon. I brought her two lemons from Ellen's tree--I have about ten in the freezer--but asked her to please let me know if she really wanted them. She was appreciative, but said she just never used lemons and I took them back. I find that refreshing; people sometimes give me things I really don't want, but I don't want to hurt their feelings by refusing, then I have to deal with the stuff.

We got to Whole Foods in twenty minutes, saw Greg, picked up the Lutein for my eyes, then went to The Lazy Dog for lunch. We sat out on the patio, as it was a lovely 73-degree day. We both had hamburgers (as I never buy red meat and eat it at home, I enjoy it once in a while when I'm out). I insisted on treating Julie, as she's been so good taking me here and there. 

We then went to the H & M shop to browse. Julie bought a jacket and I bought an adorable dinosaur sweat shirt for grandson K. (Not sure if I'll save it for his birthday in June  or maybe make it a Valentine Day gift.) Got home about 3:30 and could hardly keep my eyes open. Took a nap and slept only an hour  but felt much better. Julie had asked if I wanted to go to the farmers market again tomorrow again and yes, I do. I need some things in Wal-Mart, too, so she'll take me there after.  

I knew I had to get some exercise in, otherwise I might have the same sleep problem, so I took a brisk walk around the complex. Ran into David W. and we stood and talked for almost an hour. Naturally, he had binoculars around his neck, as he's an ornithologist for either the county or the state. He just got back from Georgia, where he owns two houses and divides his time between here and there. We discussed the recent rent raises--his was considerably higher than mine, as he's been here a shorter time and if that makes sense, I wish somebody would explain it to me. 

Slept well and got up at 5:30, so I hope I'm back in the groove.  

Sunday

Stripped the bed, washed, dried, and re-made in between the Sunday rituals. The crossword was pretty good, although I didn't get two. Debated whether to go over to Von's for lunchmeat or just hard-boil some eggs. The hell with it, I did the latter. Cleaned up a bit, made sandwiches, and prepared for lunch with Jim. 

He came, as usual at 12:30. We also had our usual: sandwiches with wine and dessert for him, the same with beer for me. I also put out what was left of the crystal pickles and honey roasted peanuts for snacks. After we ate, we sat on the couch and had a long conversation, centering on COVID, the books we were reading, and--a constant bone of contention--the Jesuits. Jim stayed until after 4:00, then dropped me off at the mall, as I requested. I returned something at Target, got another, and picked up some Nut-Thins.

Unfortunately, for the first time in a while, I didn't sleep well. Woke at 3:00 and didn't drop off again for at least an hour, then got up at 5:00. I'm pretty sure it's because I didn't take a real walk. Don't know if I will today, either, as Julie and I are going to lunch in Oxnard. 

Saturday

Slept well and got up at 6:30. Put in a bleach wash before breakfast and spent some time afterward doing little clean-up chores. Went over to Von's for lettuce and kale. Kale? I hate kale raw, but Julie brought recipes for cooked kale to T.O.P.S. and I decided to try it sautéed. After lunch, that's what I did. 

I had anticipated telling Julie (I'll see her tomorrow) that, gee, the kale was yummy , thanks for the recipe, I'll make it often--NOT! I like to sauté various vegetables and they're usually pretty good. This isn't. It's exactly like eating wet paper--tasteless and with a peculiar and unappealing texture. I won't be getting more anytime soon. 

After that, I really just hung around doing not much except games on the laptop. At one point, I went out, thinking I'd bus somewhere, but it was chilly and windy and I just walked for a bit, then went home.  Sort of, kinda, a little low, but then Ellen called and we had a good talk. That raised my spirits and I then called Jim and invited him to lunch today, which he accepted. He said he's depressed about both his classes being cancelled (low enrollment, which I think is happening everywhere), so I hope this will help. 

Jim and I always discuss what we're reading (I'm deep into the Epstein thing) and incredibly, he's reading a Walter Winchell bio. Of all two people diametrically opposed in background, temperament, profession, and anything else you can name, Jim and Winchell are about the widest apart. However, I'm interested in that era and asked if I could borrow the book when he's finished with it. Jim reads no fiction at all, which doesn't surprise me in the least, considering his--well, background, temperament, profession, and most of all, his persona.  

 

Fri-day And A Birth-day

Things continue to buzz along. Julie picked me up at 8:30, we got to T.O.P.S., then had to wait about 20 minutes for leader Lennie to get there. Meeting was even more meandering than usual, Sharon holding forth as ever, and the rest of us chiming in. I didn't get breakfast until 10:30, poor little me.

However, I was delighted that on the way home. Julie asked what my plans were for the day and I told her I was going to Whole Foods in Oxnard to get the "eye" vitamins from Greg. She said she wasn't available yesterday, but could I go on Monday, instead, and then maybe, we could lunch at The Lazy Dog. Great idea, so that's what we'll do. 

As for the weight report, I'm puzzled. At home, I weighted 128, which was a three-pound gain over last week. But the T.O.P.S. scale put me at 126.5, only .05 higher than last time, which was two weeks ago. I'm okay with either, actually, as they're still within my comfort zone. 

After breakfast, I cored and quartered four apples, cut up the red cabbage Suzanne had given me and put them in the slow cooker with cinnamon. Then I finally tackled the late-coming gifts for Vivian to send to Singapore. Walked to the P.O. and almost collapsed when I was told the postage. Now, this is a small, lightweight package, maybe 3 by 6 inches and it couldn't weigh more than 7 or 8 ounces. But Mike wanted it Priority Express International, so that's how I sent it. Postage: $68.90. 

After lunch, I walked to Wal-Mart to return the second adapter. Incredibly, although this fit the charger, it actually sapped out the charge! Seriously, when I plugged it, it was at 41 percent; when I check in a half hour, it was at 40. The same thing happened when I tried it in another room. Okay, I've learned my lesson: I ordered the Apple adapter from Amazon.

So I got in about four miles today, which was okay. The weather wasn't wonderful--my least favorite, overcast and gloomy and, for here, chilly, as in the fifties. However, I understand it'll warm up today.

Today is this sweetie's birthday--my darling grandson Joel:   

Well, he's changed just a tad; it's his FORTIETH!

💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💖

Thursday

Suzanne and I took off for WinCo at 8:30 and got back about 10:00. I was glad to be able to buy some bulkier or heavier things, such as t. paper (I'm being coy) and Drano, and so on, without having to take the bus with my cart.  When we got home, Suzanne gave me half of the red cabbage she had bought, as she didn't think she would eat it all. 

I also bought dry red beans and chicken broth and when I got  home, put them in the slow cooker, along with seasonings and turkey bacon. I always read at meals and finished the last Kellerman book at lunch. I packed it up, along with two others, put it in my cart, and walked to the Little Lending Library in the park. It was a lovely day--in the middle and upper sixties, with plenty of that glorious California sunshine. 

The literary pickings were  disappointing, though. I got a so-so paperback and two "The Week" magazines, for some strange reasons. I almost never so much as open the T.O.P.S. mag, "Time," which Suzanne keeps giving me, or "West World." But--hoo-boy, I started the Epstein saga and that should be a lulu. 

From there, I took the bus to to Target at the mall, where I bought some underwear and five pounds of apples. Read an email from Mike while I was traveling concerning the presents for Vivian that came late to Ellen's--I'll send it today. As for El, I called her when I knew school was over and was relieved to hear she was feeling better. 

I didn't mention much about this before and I don't want to elaborate, but I'm not going to Singapore for Viv's graduation. It's not a problem and nobody's mad at anybody, but there could be all kinds of complications and we decided against it. Possibly, I'll be going another time, but we'll consider that later.

This is from David Swanson, of World Without War, with whom I've been a Facebook friend for several years. I signed it today:

Veggies, Vision, and Avarice

As promised, Julie picked me up at 9:30 and we went to the farmers' market. Here are my yummy purchases: 

We then went to Wal-Mart where I exchanged the phone adapter which didn't fit my charger, for one that did (but see later--damn!).  As soon as I got home, I spent a pleasurable hour or so prepping my goodies. I trimmed, pared, and chunked the "white" (actually kind of pink) beets, then put them in the oven; trimmed the broccoli and stowed it in the fridge. I cut up four big onions I had; julienned three and chopped two, then put them in the freezer.  Later, I took out some I had chopped before because I want to cook them up with beans and broth in the slow cooker.

Julie picked me up again at 1:15 and drove me to Miramar Ophthalmologists.  She was going to wait for me, then take me home, but I insisted she leave, as I wanted to go to the library in town to pick up the book I had requested (Perversion of Justice/The Jeffrey Epstein Story). Incredibly, although I was early and prepared to wait, I was taken early and got out of there in about forty minutes total, even having consulted the optician person.* I wasn't thrilled over the fact that I was advised to make an appointment to see the retina specialist re the macular degeneration, which I had been told about a year or so again. This doctor also recommended the vitamins for women over fifty, which contain some for vision.   

From there, I caught a bus to the library, picked up the book, then strolled around town a bit. Ellen called to say she was dropping off the Christmas package Mike had ordered for Vivian. It had come too late, so he asked if I could send it to him. Will do.

Before dinner, I noticed my phone was at 41 %, so thought I'd charge it with the new adapter. An hour later, it read 40 %! What the--? It looks as if the new one doesn't work, so I'll have to take that back, too. 

I called Ellen's fiancé, Greg, to ask about the eye drops (that's his specialty at Whole Foods) and he gave me some good info. I'll try to get over there on Friday to pick up what he recommends. 

*When I was a girl, there was a clear distinction between a physician who specialized in vision (ophthalmologist) and those who made and sold eyeglasses (optician) in a commercial venue. The medical profession is now so corrupted, it seems, that the two enterprises are combined. At least they are when you go to Miramar, a huge, state-wide conglomerate which is the only one my insurance covers. I'll repeat it: In this society, there is only one god and his name is Mammon. 

Tuesday

I'm on a roll! After breakfast, I took up the bath rugs and in-tub mat and popped them in the washer. Got the Bona components out and dusted, then mopped the hard floors. Put in an additional wash (color), then tackled the big job: sorting, categorizing, and filing the mountain of paperwork I had let accumulate. Had lunch, then swept up the patio--didn't go into much depth, as I'll wait until the weather warms up--and took two big bags to the trash area. These chores took me the entire morning and some of the afternoon, but it's a big relief to have them done.

Got a call back from the secretary at attorney Williams' office. She told me what to bring to get the trust paperwork finished and we made a date for Thursday, January 13, at 10. 

Went to Von's for supplies--I'm running low on food (ha! I have only about a month's worth in cabinet and freezer.) Carolyn called just as I got home and we had a nice chat. Happily, Wes is well again and back in Chicago and all those who had been with him here tested negative. We also discussed my (possible) trip to Singapore in May; she might know someone who'd like to go with me. 

About 5:00, I texted Suzanne to see if she wanted to sit down for a chat. She did and I went over there; for some reason, when we do this week or so, I go there rather than vice versa. No prob on my end or hers either. We talked for half an hour or so and she asked if I wanted to go to WinCo tomorrow. Yes, I do, so we'll leave at 8:30.

This morning, Julie will pick me up at 9:30 for the farmers market, then will take me to my eye doctor appointment this afternoon. 

 Note to myself: Today I accepted Amazon's credit card offer (Synchony Bank). Also ordered a phone lanyard and a "Make Coffee, Not War" poster, both free. I made a file for that and put printed letters in it. . 

 

Getting Things Done

Busy, busy day, and I got a lot accomplished. I had lists of things I wanted to do and somehow managed to pull off most of them and--well, "semi-do" the rest. 

First, I tackled the OTC benefit from my Blue Shield medical insurance. This gives subscribers ninety dollars per quarter of over the counter meds and stuff. However, I kept having big problems with the web site, called a few times, and they said they were having trouble with it, so try again later. I did and it still didn't work. This went on over several months and I just got tired of trying. In truth, I don't use anywhere near $360 a year of OTC stuff. (My two Rx drugs are already covered in full.) After a long session with one rep who couldn't help, I finally got another. She couldn't get me into the site, either, so I just decided I'd do it by phone, which is allowed. I did and managed to get the whole amount, mostly because of a particular item of which I ordered three. Anyway, I got that done. 

Also: called the Grey Law attorney to make an appointment to sew up the trust thing. He was on a recording and I asked to be called back. I was dismayed to hear his firm is moving to Camarillo in February; I want to get this done before then.

Also: Walked to The Market, then Wal-Mart and--remarkably for me, got everything on my long list, including lithium batteries for my scale. At Wal-Mart, I got an adapter for the charger on my new phone--I thought. But when I got it home and opened it, I could see it didn't fit at all--damn! However, it felt so good to walk the three plus miles, I wasn't too upset. Anyway, Julie called while I was in town, so see later. 

Also: Stopped at the bank (BOA, with which I have a love/hate relationship--mostly hate) to pick up check registers. I had gotten from Theresa, my accountant, her usual instructional printouts re taxes, with places for everything on seven pagers. She's so savvy and thorough that every year I'm reminded how lucky I am to have found her. As for the registers, I write very few checks now--most of my operations are either through automatic payments or credit cards--but want to keep track by way of the year anyway, of course. 

After lunch, I bused to town and did another mile or two. While I was there, Julie called to ask if I wanted to go to the farmers' market tomorrow. Sure thing and she'll pick me up at 9:30. She also said she'd take me to Wal-Mart to exchange the useless charger; I hope they have the right one. Plus, she insisted she wanted to take me to my eye appointment at 1:45, too. Okay, I'll let her this time.

I still have a few other things on my list, but I'll chip away at them and I'm feeling highly accomplished at this point. 

Sunday And Sleep

Finally got a newspaper and enjoyed spending time on the crossword, although it wasn't one of my better crossword days. Finished and cleaned up a bit, then walked over to Von's for chicken breast and other essentials. 

Jim came at his usual 12:30 and we had a good lunch/talk session. I've noticed recently that he has seemed down recently--probably because his two classes this semester will be cancelled. There are only two signed up for one of them, four for the other. This trend, I believe, is prevailing all over the country. Maybe the COVID thing is combining with the idea that there's no need to study psyche or whatever for four years in order to have a productive career. Anyway, we had a good visit. He had pinot noir and I, beer with lunch, then we moved over to sit on the sofa and both indulged in small glasses of port. Jim didn't leave until 4:30, after which I cleaned up, then took a nap for almost two hours. Woke up feeling fine. 

On that topic: I've developed the nighttime sleep pattern of bed at the usual time (between 9 and 10), reading a chapter or two (I'm now into Kellerman's The Conspiracy Club), easily falling asleep, then waking to feel as if I've had a full night. However, when I look at my phone, I find it's only a few hours later--often, 1:00 or 2:00 am.  When that used to happen, I'd feel wide awake and get progressively more agitated with whatever my current worry or phobia was, then be unable to go back to sleep for an hour or more. Now, I lie there comfortably for a few minutes, then drift back to sleep.  I'm not sure why this agreeable development--well, developed--but I'm happy with it. 

Saturday, 2022

I hardly stepped foot outside the door on the first day of 2022, but that was okay. I started putting away the Christmas decorations about 10 am and, aside from lunch, didn't sit down again until 3:30. I am SO glad I thought to donate a lot before I put it all up. There's plenty left, but happily, it all fits fine in the high cupboards in the hall. 

Not content with that, I also cleared out and arranged some of the full-wall closet in the bedroom. I had had a lot shoved in that that either didn't belong together or that I don't need at all. It felt good to go through it and get it into better shape.

I got some of the patio cleaned up, also, and saw Suzanne outside doing the same. We chatted for a bit and I gave her two more of Ellen's wonderful lemons. I still had about a dozen big ones, so put them in the freezer for later. I left a little note re the new year on Suzanne's and Vickie's doors and Vickie called me. We had a nice chat; she said she had been watching the Rose Bowl (she's a big football fan) and I said my husband was crazy about the Eagles. She asked if I watched and I said I had had enough of that when he was alive. I was amused when she said she and Mary were going to mass shortly and added "I guess you wouldn't want to go with us." I said, "No, Vickie, I had enough of that when I was younger," and we laughed.  

Called Jim after dinner, wished him the usual, and we chatted. His classes will--or were going to--start a week from tomorrow, but he now doubts if he'll have them. It seems there are only four signed up for one and two for the other. That's ominous news for him. I invited him for lunch today, so I guess we'll discuss it further. Knowing Jim, "discuss" doesn't mean what it does for most people, of course. I dread to think of what his childhood must have been like. 

The big news and the best news is that my Ventura County Star was on my doorstep when I got up.

THE SUN SHINES ON THE LAST DAY OF 2021--YAY!

It stopped raining! And the sun shone and the sky was blue and it was ten degrees warmer than before! That lifted my spirits so much. 

Wrapped Joel's gift and walked to the post office. Good grief, there was a long line; I can't imagine why, unless people needed to have things postmarked 2021, instead of--gulp! 2022, which it is today. Luckily, I was able to use the self-service machine and got it stamped and sent off myself. I also sent out more than thirty little somethings, including to those who read this blog and they'll arrive shortly. 

I talked back and forth with Sharon R., our T.O.P.S. Sunshine person (she sends birthday cards), in order to get another person's address. Sharon has an incredibly horrible phone, which inflicts on the users static, distortions, dropped calls, and so on. I've known her almost as long as I've lived in California (she was in both my acting classes) and that's always been the case. I can't fathom why she and her family put up with that. 

Happy to use my little cart again, I walked to The Market after lunch for various staples. Bused part of the way home, so only got about two in, but that's okay. Ellen called just to say hello and we talked. I told her I was getting a lot more comfortable with the new phone--thanks mainly to her. She goes back to school on Monday. 

I Facetimed Mike and family, who left to go back to Singapore a few hours later. They're staying on what once was Charlie Chaplin's house. All four tested negative for you-know-what.

I forgot to mention yesterday that the rag, The Ventura Star--rather their "parent company," USA Today (the evil stepmother)--sent out yet another notice that they were combining the Friday and Saturday papers in to one, to be delivered either tomorrow. How they can get away with this, I don't know.

Note: I had a riotous new year's eve: Stayed up until TEN O'CLOCK with Don Corleone, Michael, and Fredo, until Sonny got his at the toll booth. Slept well after that.