Nancy and Lunch

Met Nancy at the Black Angus at 1:00 and we had a nice, leisurely lunch. I had my fave, a rare burger and a Shocktop beer (next best to Blue Moon) and Nancy had a very yummy looking chicken salad and a split of champagne. That sounds so sophisticated to me: "Kindly bring me a split of champagne, Miss." Someday, I'll order it, too.
We talked and talked, Nancy just back from scattering her husband's ashes and other adventures. Parted after almost two hours; I went to the bank to pick up some dough, pleased to see my new financial arrangement has already kicked in.
Spent what I had gotten at WinCo and had a bit of a row--but courteously--with the deli manager. As many supermarkets do, they had whole cooked chickens that were in a container that read "Rotisserie Chicken." Hmm...I asked if they had a rotisserie and was told, yes, and the chickens are on spits, but it doesn't go around. Well, then--aren't they just roasted chickens? Yes, I was reluctantly told, but the containers came from "above." Presumably, that didn't mean from the Almighty, but from headquarters or something. I said that was false advertising, but I was tired of the whole thing and decided not to pursue it.
Went home to put my stuff away, then sorted out my coupons and discarded the expired. Decided to check Bed & Bath out and look at various. They had a lot of that, but nothing I was going to pay their exorbitant prices for, so I then went to Target. Happened to see a darling upholstered bedroom bench, but it was three hundred bucks, so forget that. When I got home, I looked on line and there are lots of them, many at considerably more reasonable prices. When I move to the new place, I'd like to get one.

Procedure

Ran over to T.O.P.S. just to get weighed in. I had gained a fourth of a pound, which I consider insignificant, so shrugged it off. Didn't stay for the meeting because I was waiting to get the call to pick up Ellen (she had had a common medical procedure). That came on schedule just as I was finishing breakfast and I went and got her. As with almost everyplace I have to go in Ventura, this was conveniently near by. My pal, Nancy, called to see if I was free for lunch, but because of the pickup, we instead, made a date for today.
I was pleased to get in the mail, the book Audition, which Pat R. had recommended. My students probably won't be auditioning for anything soon, but it's still very good. Started reading it and found some of it will be useful for the class. Thanks for the tip, Pat!
El is fine--no problem--and we went afterward to the Hill Street Cafe. She was hungry, of course, and got a yummy looking chicken salad on a croissant, but I had eaten a short time before and just had a beer and a few crackers. Took her home and, as I learned later, she immediately crashed into bed and slept for several hours--good.
Did some paperwork--computer work--then went to the library. From there, I drove the few blocks to municipal parking, then strolled around to a few stores. Bought nothing except a small, two-dollar container thing that some of my toiletries (fancy old name!) fit in.
El called in the evening and happily, is over the procedure.

Not Much

Walked Kimball, then stopped at the bank. That was at a few minutes before ten and oddly, BOA wasn't open, although their opening is listed at 9:00. Several people were waiting to get in, which we didn't until a minute after ten. We were told there was a system problem.
I had several transactions to make at BOA and I was there for almost an hour. However--I don't want to go into detail with this--I made some changes that are better for me financially, so I was satisfied. Didn't have breakfast until 11:30, so it really stood in for lunch. After that, I spent hours on the computer, answering various e-mails, fleshing out some of my plans for the acting course, plus filling out the documents Hans from the Adult Center sent me. Those are necessary for the course and include a tax form, an explanation of my course, and a lot of other crapola. Filled them out electronically and will send back today.
Other than all that, in addition to trips to WinCo and Goodwill (just browsing), not a whole heck of a lot went on. I was a little worried I wouldn't sleep because of my relative inactivity, but I did and soundly, too.

Lots of Goings On

A busy and interesting day. Got to the BCNN breakfast at 9:30 to find Carole, Doris, and Sue already there. They had saved a place for me and a woman named Sherry sat down with us. She seems an interesting person, has a graduate degree from a midwestern university, and we exchanged cards. Maybe we'll get together sometime.
The program had been billed as a talk by Steve, the director of SCAN, whom I've gotten to know and who is the one of the biggest stuffed in the stratosphere. Happily, he reneged at the last minute, we were told, and a rep form "Disaster Dogs" filled in.
Now, as everyone who knows me knows, I'm no animal lover, but this was actually pretty interesting. There's a place in Wheeler Canyon, not far from here, that's dedicated to training dogs to search out people who may be buried in rubble after a disaster of some kind. The talk included a video that showed some teams went to Japan after the devastating tsunami. The firefighters and dogs found several young girls under mountains of concrete, and saved them. They've been used in many disasters here, also, including Hurricane Katrina and the Oklahoma bombing.
After, Carole, Doris, and I went to the Adult Center for the three dollar lunch. Enjoyed it and met several new people. We discovered that the article on my acting class and me was in The Ventura Breeze of yesterday, and I picked up a few copies.
Back at my complex, I parked the car, then took the sweater Jennifer had left to her apartment. She answered the doorbell, took the sweater, then asked me in, but I told her I didn't have time. I'm determined to abort this relationship before it gets harder to extricate myself, especially because when I got home, I found a phone message from Jennifer. In her disjointed fashion, she said she thought she had broken her wrist--what ?--and please call me, sweetie. No, honey, I won't.
Called Ellen and asked if she wanted to go to the pool. Why, yes, she would, and I changed, then went over to her place. We first sat and chatted over yummy Margaritas, then had a lovely swim. When the air got a little cooler, we enjoyed an even lovelier soak in the bubbling spa.
How about dinner, asked El; well, sure, sez I, and we went to the Hill Street Cafe. I had liver and onions--I may be the only person left on the planet who loves them (El turned up her nose)--and a cold beer. (That totalled more alcohol than I usually have in a week.) Anyway, we had a fine time discussing the political circus.
Didn't get home until almost 7:30, did my usual before bed, and slept like a stone.

Laundry and Jennifer

Walked Kimball, then spent more than half the day doing laundry and other mundane, but necessary, work.
After lunch, went out to the store. Came back to do some stuff on the computer, when I heard my name. The woman I had met the other day, Jennifer, had stopped to see me and was talking to my neighbor, Meghan.
I wasn't one hundred percent happy to have Jennifer show up. We don't really have anything in common and she has a somewhat odd manner. She's 48 and lives with her significant other, as it used to be called, in a two-bedroom. She asked if I wanted to see her place and actually, I was interested, so went the short distance over with her.
I had had a two-bedroom, but this is a much nicer one. For one thing, it's laid out differently, so the bedrooms are on opposite sides of the living area. In addition, she has a great view of the fields next to the complex--lots of greenery and open space. Anyway, I stayed for just a few minutes, saying I had an appointment.
Jumped in the shower, then went to Jessica Nails and got my fingernails pretty in pink (actually a kind of mauve, one of my favorite colors). I was mildly irritated when I got one to see that Jennifer had left the sweater she had been carrying on my sofa. I'm going to the BCCC breakfast shortly and will drop it at her door--or something--on the way.
Ellen called and we discussed her upcoming medical procedures; had a long talk. She said I really didn't need to go with her to the one tomorrow, but I'll pick her after the Friday one.
I'm skipping my walk this morning, but will try to make it up later by walking to, and around, Thille Park near here.

Lunch And The Townehouse

Yesterday made up for pokey Sunday, which is all to the good.
Drove to Kimball and did the walk. I had intended to stop at the bank after, as I needed to transfer some funds, but realized I had forgotten something at home. Drove back and while walking up the path, saw a young(ish; maybe early forties) woman coming toward me. She stopped to say hello, then introduced herself--"Jennifer"--and we started talking. She invited me to stop in some time and I asked if she wanted my card with my contact info on it. Yes, she did, and she stopped in to get it.
Went directly from there to the bank which, as usual, was jammed with a long line and two tellers only. I happened to see the manager and as usual--it's getting to be a habit--complained about that. Dammit, BOA has all the money in the world, so why can't they hire more people? I was surprised and mollified when he agreed with me absolutely, so I simmered down and got the transaction done.
By the time I had breakfast, it was after 10:00 and the widder lunch was at noon. However, I jumped in the shower, then took off for there. I ordered only a Blue Moon and asked the waiter to bring me some crackers or something, which was fine as I was still full.
Now comes the interesting--and for me, exciting--part: Donna is another regular at Soaring Spirits (the official name of the group) and she and I are friendly. We started talking and exchanged where-we-went-to-collage stuff and she heard I had graduated from, and worked at, Rider. "My father went there!" she exclaimed. They lived in New York and her father graduated when Rider was still in Trenton. I asked how old her father is and she said--get this: ninety-one. She asked if I'd like to meet him and yes, indeed, I said--does he live with you? "No," said Donna, "he lives in The Townehouse."
Yoicks! This is where I've been going for the wine and cheese thing every Friday! I told her that and we were both amazed. Anyway, she gave me his name and suggested I contact Anne, the activities director with whom I've been in touch, and ask her to introduce us. It occurred to me I could conduct a kind of interview with Joe and maybe Rider's alumni mag would be interested in a piece on the encounter. I e-mailed Anne and hope to hear back from her soon.

Slow

A slow day. To begin with, I had a horrible time sleeping Saturday night. Don't know why, but I woke at 3:00 and just couldn't get back to sleep, except maybe intermittently. Got up at 7:30, groggy, but I didn't want to stay in bed.
After c. and c.,* I manfully--womanfully--drove to Kimball and did the walk. Felt better after and when I got home, turned my attention to financial stuff and cleared that up. Lunch, then did some household chores. Called my friend, Nancy, who's now back from scattering her late husband's ashes in Arizona. Well, that's redundant; if it wasn't her late husband's ashes, she might just have been emptying his pipe. Her children then took her to Disneyland. (Actually, I'd find the first activity more interesting than the second.) We'll get together after her daughter goes back to Seattle, where she lives.
Went to the library for the second day in a row--proof it was a boring day. However, my friend had called when I got back and when we finally connected, we had a wonderful talk. She's still in Jersey and has spent a lot of time with her boy--my handsome grandson--and his two boys. Aside from that, an evening ride to the supermarket, and reading Stephen King's relatively new book, there wasn't much.
Happily, I slept like a stone last night.
*coffee and computer