Tuesday With Lora

Lora picked me up at noon and off we went to lunch. She suggested Outback Steakhouse in Oxnard for their coconut shrimp and that sounded fine to me, so that's where we went. 

The shrimp was excellent, but even better was the conversation. Lora is very open and honest about her family problems and told me about her mentally ill son, who is in a facility about an hour away. She recently visited him and it's a difficult road she has to walk. Her daughter isn't exactly Little Miss Conventional, but she has gifted Lora with a nine-year-old grandson and adorable six-month-old Joy. Lora, a travel agent, is trying to persuade me to go on a tour to Turkey and Croatia in September, 2025. I'm actually sort of considering it--will see if Ellen might want to go, too.

Got home a little after two and immediately took off for town. Why? Partly because  had succumbed to temptation at lunch and had a slice of cheesecake with raspberry sauce. I rarely eat sugar and I could have kicked myself after, so I wanted to get some exercise in. It was quiet and pleasant in town and I just stopped in the library, plus a few shops, but had a good walk. 

On my way back from the bus, I saw this display in front of a tree:

These are all carefully arranged, not just tossed there. I assume it's a memorial to the woman pictured, but it seem an odd place right on a main street. It made me wonder about her life. What is the book about? Was that her purse? What is in the labelled box in the middle? It couldn't be her ashes, could it? I think I'll look again today.

Monday With Stella

Being kind of at loose ends, I called Stella and asked if she could meet for lunch. Yes, but she had physical therapy first, then wanted to stop at Walmart. She said she'd call me from there, but instead, I took the bus. I had suggested the Chinese restaurant in that shopping center, but she wanted to go to Andrea's at the harbor, which was okay with me; I had clam chowder in a bread bowl.  We then took a short walk along the harbor, as it was a beautiful day. Next to Brophy Brothers, we saw this:

That's Stella in front. She took one of me with my camera, too, but managed to cut off the sides:

Anyway, I'd like to find the make, model, and year of the car. Will try to look it up.

After lunch, we went to WinCo, where I was glad to get a bag of grapefruit and four 16-ounch containers of blueberries, my two addictions. Stella then dropped me off at the transit center and I took the 6 home.

I can never decide if I enjoy being with Stella or consider it more a fate worse than death. She is so very picky and particular, slow as molasses, set in her ways, and utterly lacking in humor. She doesn't use email or the Internet at all, although she does text. I guess I can stand her once in a while, but only just. 

Mike Messaged that Violet got back home to Singapore all right and he sent pics of her settling in. Lora texted to let me know The Cliffhouse is closed on Tuesdays, so to pick another venue for today. Think I'll go for Lure.

Cheryl called in reference to my offer to take her to lunch as just a token thank-you for her picking me up every Friday for T.O.P.S. We decided on tomorrow and at her request, will go to The Boathouse, also at the harbor. Diane emailed to ask if I was free for a library lunch on Thursday. Gee, that means I'll have gone out to lunch five days. I'm afraid the result will be a gain at T.O.P.S., but hey, you only live once (twice if you believe the religionists) and what could be better than lunching out?

Sunday

Showered and washed my hair before breakfast; and put in a white wash. Crossword was again annoyingly obscure, but I did a fair amount of it. Ellen called to let me know she and darling granddaughter, Violet, would be over by noon, which they were. Before that, her Dad, Mike, facetimed me and we chatted. He'll be picking Violet up at the airport in Singapore; he wasn't sure if her mother would be there or not. 

When they got here, El and I chatted for a bit while Violet, a typical 16-year-old. conferred with her phone:

We then went to B & N, where Violet got two books. Here she is with poor Ellen and her ailing knee:

Lunch at the Black Angus followed. It's not one of my favorite places, but since I was with two of my favorite people, it was enjoyable. After that, it was Target for snacks to keep Violet nourished during the long, long (16 hours in the air) trip back to Singapore. They came back to my place just for a few minutes, as it was after 4:00 by that time and they had to drive to L.A. We took some pics:

Who is that asylum escapee in the middle? 

I was nervous about them drive to L.A., but I told El she didn't have to call me when she got home because it would be so late. However, that dear girl did call--it was only about 8:00 and she was in Camarillo, not too far away--for which I was grateful.   

Saturday

Over to Von's after breakfast for this and that. Jim came at his usual 12:30 for lunch and he had no problem getting in the gate. I didn't go to much trouble--just rustled up some cheese and tomato sandwiches, plus crystal pickles, and served the chocolate eclairs for dessert. They were store-bought, I'm afraid. One of these days I'll revert back to being a proper hostess and make my own. I used to do that a lot and they're really delicious.

We talked a bit about Jim's various ailments. I knew he had gone to the doctor on Friday, but he actually couldn't quite remember which one. His confusion and evident lapses of memory are alarming, as is his weight: I had my new scale out and he weighed himself. Good grief, he weights 121 pounds! That's with all his clothes on, including his shoes and jacket. That would be somewhat thin for me at five foot two (I weigh 125.8) and he's about five eleven. 

We did have a pleasant enough visit. It's still difficult to keep up a conversation, but after lunch, I pulled out the crossword puzzle book and we did that. As ever, he asked the clues, I answered, and he wrote them in. I asked if he wanted to go to the Fractured Actors "Prom Night" show and yes, he does. I'll have to look at a good time for both of us.

Jim left at 4:00 and shortly after, Mike facetimed me. He's looking forward to Violet's arrival home--although it will be a new home for her--and I, of course, am looking forward to seeing her today. 

Friday

 Weighed in at 125.8 at home; which I think was down a bit, but since I didn't have a working scale last week, I'm not sure. At T.O.P.S., I was down a half pound to 126.9,so that was okay. The meeting was one of our therapy sessions with family problems being the main topic. Didn't get breakfast until 10:30 and did a color wash after.

Packed lunch and took off for town about 1:00. Ate at my usual place across from the mission and mosey around the shops, but didn't buy anything. I stopped into The Coalition and saw Owen. Chatted with him a bit and he told me he and Cassie had had COVID and she may or may not be able to be in the upcoming Fractured Actors show. Darn, now I regret not taking Jeff up on his proposal for me to participate, but I just felt too overwhelmed by various happenings at the time.

Home at 4:00 and followed what's come to be my usual pattern: Watch T.V. for 45 or so, then take a short (yesterday only about twenty minutes) nap, then tidy up a bit.  

My tenant, Lori, texted to say the bank would issue the security deposit check on August 19, then she'll send it. Finally, at long last, that will be done and I hope my problems over the house will be over. 

Jim coming for lunch today--I should be canonized for inviting him. 😁

Thursday

Jim called and yes, he can come for lunch tomorrow, instead of Sunday, when Ellen and Violet will be here.

Met Diane at the hospital at 11:30, a little surprised to see her sitting outside on the veranda. Incredibly,  she was told by an employee that the cafeteria is for staff and visitors only. Well, we're visitors, aren't we? After all, we don't live there. Of course, she meant those visiting patients, but good grief, it's a big place and you'd think they'd be a little more flexible. .

Anyway, no big deal, as the weather was okay--overcast, but warm. We sat, ate, and talked, going over dozens of  topics, as always. Unfortunately, Diane has been feeling low lately and no wonder: her neuropathy is worsening and she's experiencing increasing fatigue. Considering what she has to deal with, I'm amazed at her fortitude and what she is able to do. Usually, we walk together from the hospital to the transit center, only about a half mile, but yesterday, she called the access van to take her home.

We said goodbye at 2:30 and I walked to the mall. Went to Target for a few items, then took the 6 bus home. I watched T.V. for an hour, then took a short--about twenty minutes--nap on the couch.   

So very proud of my granddaughter, Vivian, who completed her internship by presenting at the Boyce Institute of Cornell University. The topic: phenotypes and their role in the water efficiency of maize:

WIDER: It's been some time since I've commented on the national scene, but I just can't ignore the current furor surrounding the prez hoopla. On the demented side, we have an aged moneybags and his pretend poor boy from the sticks (worth five million) and their fundamentalist cult. Representing the Dems' death wish, there's a kind of blackish Barbie doll and The Guy Next Door. It doesn't take a whole lot of smarts to imagine the reasoning of the focus groups for the latter: "We gotta pick a just-plain-folks cohort to appeal to the ignoramuses who vote for personality, not content." Of course, the "content" of both parties is  identical: Smash and plunder throughout the world and don't worry about that three-year-old screaming in the corner with her arm torn off.       

Wednesday

Julie picked me up at 9:00 for the BCNN meeting. She had her neighbor, Noella, a new member, with her and we got acquainted. Got to the the yacht club early and socialized with several people I was glad to see. And then there was Sherry, a goofy goof who had been a thorn in my side in my acting group. On the other hand, there was Susan S., co-president of the club, and one of my favorites in BCNN. She  introduced the speaker, who was from Road Scholar. Susan is an excellent speaker--intelligent, articulate, but not stuffy--and the program was very good. In fact, I'm interested in exploring some of the trip offerings.

Lunch after the meeting is always scheduled at a nearby restaurant, but Julie wasn't going, so I hitched a ride with Susan. It was on the water, at a place called Seabridge, and was fun, but quirky, to say the least. There were about twenty-seven of us and only one server, a kind of dotty middle-aged woman. Besides the usual food, the place offers "Hawaiian pancakes" and even has a special menu for them. I got a cheeseburger, but a lot of people went for the pancakes and there were all kinds of snafus. Susan and I didn't get ours until most of the others were halfway finished and Judy had all kinds of problems with hers--so many, she wasn't charged. Oddly for me, I didn't get all annoyed--I found it funny. I had some good lunch companions, including Laurie, who's one of the club officers. She's interesting and fun and we had a good getting-to-know you session.  

Susan dropped me off and I looked at Facebook for a time, then took off for Wal-Mart, a place I heartily dislike, but it's only a mile and a quarter and I needed some stuff. Bused home and did this and that until dinner. 

Called Jim and invited him to lunch on Sunday, but later Ellen called and reminded me that she'd be picking up Violet from camp in Ojai and they'd come here for lunch. After, El will drive to LAX for Violet to take the long, long trip back to Singapore.  Will call Jim to switch to Saturday. Unfortunately, he seems terribly confused and lost, much worse than he had been.

Lunch with Diane today.