Monday

After finally falling asleep, my alarm woke me at 6:30, which was okay. After breakfast, I put in two loads of wash--colors, then whites--and they were finished by 11:00. I called Nancy and we chatted. Left a message for my new friend, Olivia, to see if she wanted to make a date for lunch near the fire pit in the middle of the complex. Speaking of which (she's the one with the germ one), I emphasized that we can easily sit six feet apart.  Later, I met her on the path and we decided to meet at 12:30 tomorrow. 

My great-grandson's mother put this picture on Facebook and I turned it into a puzzle, which I enjoyed putting together. I sent it to her in FB Messages. "T.," his little brother, made the cupcakes--not bad for a 12-year-old. I love the fact they spell out "18," J.'s age as of two days ago. 

He's a gem, all right.* 

Went to Von's for lettuce, had lunch, then was about to walk to the park when I met up with Suzanne, who was coming from work at St. John's. (She goes in only occasionally now.)  I gave her two of the four avocados Olivia had given me, then we sat out front and chatted for a half hour or so, then off I went to the park. Walked there and back, so I got three miles in. 

At my usual 8 to 9 pm viewing time, I continued watching Salem's Lot, but lost interest after twenty minutes or so. I switched to ID Go, but soon called it a day.  Slept soundly.

*Don't give me your little certified public accountant as a role model for youth, but those like him. J. has brains, a sense of humor, and creativity, but also in large measure, kindness toward others and compassion.

Semi-Mopey, But Not Too Bad

The usual Sunday. The crossword was good; it incorporated "Tom Swifties," which were fun to solve. After breakfast, I took my cart and walked to Wal-Mart for cottage cheese, lettuce, mushrooms, and other stuff.
Lunched, looked at some things on YouTube, then headed out to town. While I was waiting for the bus, Tony C. called. He said he could do the bushes and clean up the landscaping at my house for $375. Okay, go to it, I said. Texted Eileen to let her know he'll start today or tomorrow.
During the stopover at the transit center, niece Carolyn called. She said she was her way to Betty's and could she have one of the beers I left in the fridge? Well, of course, in fact, have two, they're for both of us.
Got off the bus at Chestnut and walked down Main. I didn't even go in any stores because it was already after 4:00. I enjoyed it, anyway and it was good to see so many sitting at the restaurant  "patios"--actually tables and chairs set up on the street. I wished I had somebody with me, so I could enjoy it, too.
Got the 6 bus back and home a bit before six.. I had planned to roast my tuna steak it in the oven, but instead seared it and cooked on the stove, along with two packages of mushrooms I had hastily cut up.  I heated up my spinach and spaghetti squash and had that, too--yum, a good dinner.
Darn, I woke this morning for the usual, then couldn't get back for the longest time. I made the mistake of looking at the time and it was 2:17 am! Maybe I'll take a nap today.

Mopey And Masks

After breakfast, I took the check for Bob S. to the P.O., then impulsively, the 6 bus to Oxnard. I went to Whole Foods, but wouldn't you know, once more picked a day Greg wasn't working. I left and, not interested in stopping in anywhere else, waited for the bus back. Betty called while I was there--I can't even remember exactly what we talked about. 

My brother, Larry, then called to tell me his grandson, Rudy, has CO-VID. Rudy is 20 or 21 and, yes, attended a party recently--now, several of those there have been diagnosed. I called Ellen to tell her this. 

Stopped into Von's for romaine. After lunch, when I usually go to town or walk to the park, I just didn't feel like either; I actually lay down and took a nap, unusual for me. I slept for only forty-five minutes or so.

Other than that, I didn't do much, but moped around and did this puzzle, with a kitty that looks just like El's two:

About 6:00, I thought I'd go to the mall and walked to the bus stop. While I was sitting there, though, I decided that was silly--I didn't need anything--so I just took a walk around the block. 

Here's the only notable thing that happened yesterday: My son, Mike, in Singapore, had sent me two pretty face masks my DIL had made and I got them yesterday, June 27. Why notable? Because they had been mailed on April 5. Here they are, worn by some decrepit oldster:

T.O.P.S. And Other Stuff

Cheryl picked me up at 8:40 for T.O.P.S.,  which was again held outside and was mercifully short. As noted below, I stayed the same--or lost a tiny bit, depending on how you look at it. After breakfast, I walked to the bank, then to The Market for body wash, rice cakes, and beets, so got about three miles in.
An odd thing happened at BOA: Mike had received a check for $6.02. When I emailed him to ask if I should send it, he said it wasn't worth the trouble, just throw it away. Throw it away?!? He's telling that to somebody who walks a mile out of her way to get grapes for fifty cents cheaper?  I put "deposit only," his name, and his account number (yes, I could clean him out) on the back. However, just on a whim, I asked the teller if I could have the cash instead--and he gave it to me! After he did, I pointed out that it said "deposit only," but he shrugged and said, "Oh, it's such a small amount...." Geez, when I worked at the Ventnor City National Bank sixty-five years ago, that would get you fired!
Didn't get back home until almost 2:00 and was just about to eat lunch when Olivia knocked on my door. She gave me four more beautiful avocados, saying she has a friend who grows them. I invited her in, which she declined (she's the one with the germ phobia), but we had a nice chat at the door for about a half hour. We decided we'd take our lunches some day and meet at the complex middle near the pool, where there are tables and umbrellas.
Bob Szabo called from Sunrise Bay to say he had replaced the damaged sprinkler heads, but there were three of them and it would cost $95.  I'll send it off today. Still haven't heard from Tony C. with an estimate on the shrubbery.
I got a sweet thank-you note from my darling great-grandson for the graduation gift. Also receive the book on the Washington Plantation slave family I had ordered.
Ate lunch, then took a bus to town. I got off sooner than usual and just walked up Main, which is still blocked off. There were a fair number of people at the various restaurant setups in the street and that was heartening. I just stopped into the Coalition, but didn't buy anything; caught the 6 bus home.
I didn't get in until after 5:00 and I called Ellen to tell her about the check caper and we chatted otherwise.

                                                                Weight Report

I can't even begin to figure this out and I'm not going to try. According to my scale at home, I lost .02 pounds (big whoops, as the kids used to say) since last week, but according to the T.O.P.S. scale, I stayed the same. I probably shouldn't be recording my weight three times on two different scales (obsessive and all that, you know), but I'll continue until--until I don't. 

                           Home, unclothed: 130.6 (down .02)   Clothed: 131.4 (down .02)
                           T.O.P.S.:                                                    "        132.3 (same as last week)

Slogging Through And Stephen King

Slogged through the first part of the day. Did some computer non-work, then walked over to Von's for romaine, grapes, and pretzels. It was only 11:00 when I got home--what to do now? I easily could have walked to either The Market or the park, but I didn't feel like it.  Therefore, I did something radical: I watched the second half of one of my DVDs, When A Stranger Calls IN THE DAYTIME.
This should have been at least nominated--for Worse Movie of the Century. It would have won in a walk. The beginning and end are pretty scary, but the middle is idiotic beyond belief.
After lunch, it was just more of the same, until Ellen got here at 4:30. She had her iced tea, I my beer and pretzels, and we sat out in the middle of the complex under an umbrella. Had a nice visit, as ever.
El  left a bit before 6:00 and I stopped home, dropped off my stuff, and, feeling I just had to get at least a bit of exercise in, walked to the bus stop, bused to the transit center/mall, and went to Target. I got blueberries and "Skinny" popcorn, and got home about 7:30. Had time to shower and wash my hair before I sat down to watch part of my other recent DVD purchase, Stephen King's Salem's Lot. 
This was a whole lot better than When A Stranger Calls, but that's not saying much.  It does have Rob Lowe--talk about eye candy--but the story line, since it's from a King book, is convoluted and confusing. Watched for about 45, then quit.
T.O.P.S. today.

Wednesday

Just an okay day. I stowed some books in my little cart and walked to the park to put them in the lending library structure. Walked back, so I got in four miles before lunch.
Ellen called to ask if I was available about 4:30 today. She has to go to Ventura for various errands and suggested we sit on my patio and visit. Yes, indeed--I'm always available for her.
Bused to town about 2:30 and got off at Sanjon Street, which leads to The Promenade. I walked that for a mile or so, pleased to see that the pier and swings were open, with lots of strollers and happy children:

I went from there and down Main. Betty called to tell me about the TV shows she watches constantly. She was surprised when I told her (as I had many times) that I only watch from 8 until 9, then I go to bed. 

Stopped in Goodwill and bought two DVDs, both horror movies I just felt like seeing. Walked down past the museum and finally boarded the 6 bus, which took an age to get there. Home at 6:00, at which point, Tony C., the landscaper, called me back and said he'd be over to look at the bushes within a few days. I texted Eileen with that information.

As my friend, Pat, knows, I asked son Patrick, and his wife to take a look at her lamp to see what the characters mean and they responded, but were unable to read, as the characters are in "old Japanese." I was interested in the fact that the written language (and, I assume, some of the spoken) changed and was simplified after WWII. (If they had won,  maybe ours would have). 

This is so interesting to  me, as I'm now in the middle of, and absorbed by, Bill Bryson's Made In America: An Informal History of the English Language In The United States.  This isn't to be confused with his English And How It Got That Way, for which I've put in a request at the library.

As for Pat's lamp, I think it's a real treasure: 

Maybe Pat will elaborate a bit in comments on how she acquired it...

Tuesday

As mentioned, I was awakened at 5:48 by several text messages from Jersey.  (It wasn't a big deal for me, as I get up at 6:30 anyway, but I think my friend, Pat, might have been somewhat perturbed.)
After I poured my coffee, I got back to them, including "Chilly Willy," to whom I gave Eileen's phone number. I also called the other outfit Eileen had found, but they wouldn't be able to come until Thursday or Friday. Anyhoo--upshot was that Willy got there, found the problem (no refrigerant), called me, said he would add it for $450, I said go ahead, he did, and now all is cool, literally and figuratively...
...except: Willy said if it kept losing the stuff, the whole system would probably have to be replaced and we're talking thousands of dollars here. Well, let's hope and anyway, the crisis if over for now...
...except: Eileen also informed me that one of the sprinkler heads is shooting water ten feet in the air AND the bushes on the side are encroaching on the soffit, whatever that is. She said she called Bob Szabo to deal with that. I called and left a message for Tony C., the landscaper who had done similar work for me last year. I hope that's the end of my housing woes.
I spent most of the morning on food prep: chunked three pounds of tomatoes and some large onions, oiled, vinegared, and seasoned, then roasted. Chopped three other onions and stowed in freezer. Did the same with two bananas. Cleaned and trimmed Brussels sprouts and sliced the nice green pepper Ellen had given me.
Lunch, then it was off to town and the library. As I came up to the outside area where they bring your books, I saw a stylish (very thin, with sharp features and short, wavy, grey hair that looked like a million bucks) and who was it but my former Kimball Park walking semi-pal, Carolyn S. She had her ugly little dog, Hazel, with her and we happily got reacquainted. She left her car and I left my books and we walked together a mile or so down Main. I took her to the little park near the museum, which she hadn't seen before.
It was enjoyable seeing her again, although we actually have little in common. She and Robert are kind of society types, or whatever you call them nowadays, and I just don't relate. (She was amazed and seemed to think it was very daring of me to join the BLM protest.) However, they had come to see me at the Maritime Museum and I appreciated that. She asked if she could take me home, but I refused with thanks, saying my daughter really didn't like me getting into cars. The fact is, I would have let her if I had wanted to continue chatting, but I didn't.
Incidentally, Betty called me four times during the day with a confused (as ever) problem about her lunch not being left at her door. It's just too long and involved to explain the situation, but I think--hope--it's resolved. Caught the 16 bus and was home at 5:00.