MONDAY

Still working on the clearing up and cleaning out. I was delighted to find the (copied) Villanova 1922 yearbook; I Messaged Susan, my nephew's wife, that I could send it to her, but want it back.  Their oldest son is on the verge of college and may be interested in his great-grandfather's alma mater. 

Ellen called to tell me about the Law of Attraction conference she attended over the weekend. We discussed that for some time until I had to go down to lunch. She'll be here tomorrow to take me to Primary Medical, then lunch, to which I'm looking forward.  Ate with Cheryl and Mary; Linda B. joined us. Doris called yet again and talked non-stop until I fibbed by telling her I had to go out. AAGH, maybe I should have let sleeping dogs lie--or old friends stay in the past!

Back in my place, I continued my triumphant project of rearranging, separating, categorizing, and otherwise organizing all the mountains of memorabilia I've accumulated over sixty-some years. Darn, it just occurred to me I haven't even opened the chest and there's yet more in there.  

Dinner with the usuals. Some kind of Mexican stew was on the menu, but I opted for a turkey burger, which was actually pretty good. Back upstairs, I talked to Ellen, who asked if I wanted her to bring anything from the supermarket. I told her cottage cheese, avocados, and cash, which she'll do.

I still have some things to do before the picture hanger comes this afternoon, including where I want them hung, but I'll do that after breakfast. I wanted to attend bone builders at 10:30, but am not sure I want to take the time--mebbe, as the cowboys say.

SUNDAY AND CHRISTMAS

Breakfast with Keith and lunch with the regulars. In between, I spent the entire almost three hours  going through my Christmas decorations, so I could clear some out. Incredibly, when I finished, I had only one small box with six or seven items in it. I just couldn't bear to part with some of the things, although they have no sentimental value. The good part is that I consolidated a lot of things and made room for transferring some of the items in my bedroom closets to the bigger one and that was helpful.  

After lunch, I got my book, sunglasses, and straw hat and sat outside in the sun reading Being Mortal for about an hour. Called Greg, and we chatted for just a bit; we'll set up a dinner date for the three of us when Ellen gets back from the Law of Attraction conference tonight. 

When I came in, I saw that the Super Bowl party was going on in the activities room, so stopped in for a bit. Had a Margarita (looked and tasted more like Kool-Aid), a little sandwich, and some crackers with hummus, and watched as long as I could stand it, about twenty minutes. Professional football just bores the Hell out of me, so that was enough. I guess that was true of most of the residents, as there were only twelve people there. 

Dinner with Keith, Cheryl, and Mary; not sure where Kathie was. Dee joined us and I left soon after. I had brought a container because I had eaten too much at the Super Bowl thing, so had it later. Took a shower and that continues to be an annoyance, but it still felt good. I know the solution is doable and I  can work on it. 

Called Noreen and we made a date for lunch on Friday. Mary Ann won't be at T.O.P.S. this week and I'm not sure  if I'll go, either. It would be simpler not to, although I probably should. Not sure if I even want to. Decisions, decisions..

Darn, I didn't sleep well last night; got up at 3:00 for the usual and only dozed after that. The P.T. was supposed to come today, but I'm not sure and I don't know what time. I'll talk to Ellen about it.  

SATURDAY AND THE LOST AND FOUND CAT

Got up and went down the hall to put a linen wash in. Down to breakfast and Dyann (Dyan?)  next door, sat with me. Keith came shortly after and we enjoyed chatting. After eating, Keith left and Dyann and I lingered to catch up on each other. We talked for a good forty-five minutes and I learned all about her. I knew she had never married or had children, but didn't know other particulars and it was interesting.

Transferred the clothes to the dryer, did a few little chores, consolidated some of my lists and, before I knew it, it was time for lunch. Sat down with Cheryl and Mary, saw their long faces, and asked why. "Willow is missing," I was told. I was so sorry; Willow is Mary's cat the same one that just recovered from surgery. When I heard the circumstances, though, I was taken about. Mary has a porch/patio as I do, but is on the third floor. It seems she leaves both doors (a storm/screen door is included)  open at night. Willow must have gotten out that way, since the only other one is the front door that goes out to the hall. I wouldn't be surprised if she somehow found a way to climb out or down from the patio; cats are very agile. I asked if she had notified management; they sometimes use a microphone to announce happenings to residents (the sound goes into the public areas but not the residents' quarters), and she hadn't. She and Cheryl went to talk to assistant Tia who later came back with a flyer which will be posted in the elevator and elsewhere. I'm surprised she hadn't done that before. Lunch was pretty good--maple salmon, wild rice, and veggies--and I enjoyed it. 

After we ate, I retrieved my linens, took them home, folded, and put them away. I did remarkably little else of note before I went down to dinner. Cheryl and Mary were already there and I was delighted to hear Willow had been found. She had gone out on the porch/patio and had apparently fallen or jumped off. She was found at the door of a person who lives on the ground floor. She seems not to have been hurt and is now safely back in the apartment. I assume--I hope--Mary will no longer leave the door open.

I skipped the meatball sub and had the chicken Caesar salad for dinner. It was good, but they were short-staffed and I didn't get back to my place until 7:15. That was all right--I had a free day and will have another today. 

I'm glad to report that I've been sleeping well lately; didn't get up until the alarm went off at 6:30. 

FRIDAY WITH MY FRIEND

 AAGH! I gained two pounds (to 136.2) at home and two (137.4) at T.O.P.S.; now, I'm going to have to plan my strategy or disaster awaits!

So, no breakfast and I was hungry by lunchtime. Sat with the regulars and had "Marry Me Chicken," which nobody ever heard of before, but it was  a pasta dish and pretty good. Left to go directly to the beauty salon where Caitlin washed and blow-dried my hair. It look good and even now, still does.  

After that, I was just skipping around on the Internet when, once again, my newly re-found friend, Doris, called me from Virginia. We talked for almost an hour, lighting on the topic of our parents' deaths. She told me her mother's name, but she didn't know her age, when she had died, or when she was born, and other pertinent information, such as what the malady was that killed her. She doesn't have any death certificate or obituary, either, so I told her I'd look it up. I found dozens of listings for "Alice Norton" and some obits, but none that matched any info I had. It occurred to me that Doris may actually have been mistaken at her mother's name at death--wasn't Alice Norton a character in that Jackie Gleason show?

On a cheerier note, Vickie picked me up at 5:15. I had asked her to pick the restaurant and boy, this was a great choice. We went to Enzo's in Santa Paula, a large, other-worldly place in a hotel and boy, this was a great choice. I had been there only once before, last May with Julie. I loved it then and loved it last night: 

Enzo's is Italian and we both had pasta. I had had pasta for lunch, but so what? I love the stuff and this was just superb. Maybe I shouldn't have, but I indulged myself with an IPA--heaven in a glass--and that was a delightful meal.  

My dear friend and me.

After a leisurely meal and great conversation, we went back to my place and Vickie showed me the surprise she had brought. It was a little statue set of all the U.S. Presidents, up to--if I remember correctly--Lyndon Johnson. Her mother had collected them for Vickie when she was a child and later, sent them to her. We greatly enjoyed reading their term dates, discussing their terms, and reminiscing. Here they are, along with V.:

(Note the pictures behind the couch; hanger is coming on Tuesday.)

After a thoroughly delightful evening, we said goodbye about 10:15 (practically the middle of the night for me, but I didn't care), and I went to bed without reading, T.V., or anything but Dreamland. Can't wait to see Vickie again, along with Suzanne and Kay when we celebrate their birthdays on the fifteenth.

THURSDAY

Breakfast, with Keith. We chatted for quite a while, then I gathered up my laundry and went to the laundry room to wash it, but what was this? Both washers were labeled out of order, so I went up to the third floor to use the ones there. I ran into another resident and was told there are two laundry rooms on each floor. I never knew that and will search out the second second floor one. In the meantime, I got the laundry done.

I wandered outside in the gorgeous sunshine and saw that the clubhouse doors were open and people were in there; found out that Bone Builders were meeting there and I joined them. Cheryl P., one of my friends, is a kind of assistant director, so she was there, too. I joined them for the exercises and I'll probably continue. It meets only twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I can handle that. Cheryl and I went directly from there to lunch, joining Kathy, Keith, and Mary. 

After, going up in the elevator, a woman came in who greeted me by name. This was Katherine, with whom I had been acquainted (she knows Suzanne and Vickie better) at SO-FI. I knew she was coming in on the fifth, but I've met so many people in the last six weeks, I actually forgot who she was. I said hello, but should have greeted her more warmly. 

The nurse or P.T. or O.T.--actually, she was an aide--was due between 2:30 and 4:30, so I didn't want to go out. In the meantime, I took the bubble wrap off a lot of pictures, so I can decide where the bigger ones will go when the picture hanger comes on Tuesday. I now have a dozen or more propped against the walls and so on--AAGH, I can't wait until this moving-in crapola is over!

The aide came about 3:00 and guided me through a shower. She asked if I wanted her to come back every week, but I said no--I will buy a shower chair and do it myself. 

Went down to dinner and saw newcomer Catherine again. I apologized for not recognizing her earlier and she appreciated that. I'll see her again. 

Happily, Vickie called--good thing, because I had written our dinner date on Saturday, whereas we're meeting tonight. She'll pick me up about 5:15 and I'm looking forward to it so much. She also invited me to join her, Suzanne, and Kay, on Sunday, the fifteenth, to celebrate the latter two's birthdays. Suzanne will be 78 and Kay, 80 and I was pleased to accept.

Dinner with The Four and we had lasagna, which was actually pretty good.

I had called Doris G. earlier, but had to cut it off for dinner. She called me back after and talked-talked-talkety-talked with hardly a breath. Okay, finally I lied in my teeth and told her there was something I had to do and we'll get in touch later--whew!  

WEDNESDAY AND WATER

Had breakfast with Keith, then Julie picked me up at 8:45 and we took off for the BCNN meeting. First, though, we picked up Lelo and Gerry, both of whom I had met before. As soon as she stepped in the car, Gerry started talking, all abut herself and in the most obnoxious possible way: "I was a very successful real estate agent for twenty-five years, my three children are all tops in their field, my home is a showplace, and I'm a person you should thank the universe exits, and wonderful me and I'm great, and BLUB, BLAB, BLEEP!"  

The program was about the Ojai Tortoise Preserve--mildly interesting and I'm going to tell Vera about it; she's my friend who has turtles as pets. They gave out this mag (the title reminiscent of National Geographic)  at the  meeting, called, wouldn't you know, The Tortoise: 

Interestingly, Katherine, who was with us, also has a interest in tortoises. She was married to a Costa Rican at one time and she and her family used to visit a tortoise/turtle refuge there. Here she is--they're hard to make out, but she's wearing her turtle earrings:

BTW, here's a bit of important information: All tortoises are turtles, but not all turtles are tortoises; there are dozens of varieties. Katherine took me home and I was pleased when she told me she had bought and read War Made Invisible, which I had recommended. It's great to find another pacifist.  

Home shortly before lunch and I ate with the usuals. After, I prepared as much as possible for Gus, the picture hanger, but realized I had concentrated only on the two largest. Why in the world, after almost two months, didn't I even unwrap the others, especially the next largest. As it turned out, it got to be 3:00 and then 4:00 and he still hadn't come. We gather for dinner at 4:45 and if he were here, I'd have to miss. I called him, we talked, and I told him I'd rather he waited, anyway. He agreed and we made a date for next Tuesday, the tenth, at the same time. If he's late then, I don't care, because I'll have had time to look over my pics. Then after this jammed week, I'll have a free day on Saturday; I should label that a fun day, as Vickie's going to pick me up and we're going out, just the two of us, for dinner. Can't wait!

Annoyingly, we were notified that the water will be off from 7:00 to 11:00 tonight and I filled up two potsa (I'm writing this at 7:08 pm). Think I'll go check...yep, no wa-wa...

...but now it's 6:30 A.M. on Thursday and the ordeal (no biggie) is over--full flow! 

TUESDAY

Breakfast with Keith, of course, but not Mary or Kathy. Ursula sat down with us, though, for better or worse. Back upstairs, I did this and that as I waited for Ellen, who came at nine to pick me up for the whatever-it-was radiology test. It was for the thyroid, I think, and we got back about 10:30. At 11:00, the visiting R.N., Amanda, came and did some kind of wellness check, including BP. Ellen had brought my new BP machine and Amanda took mine. It was 150/80, which is higher than it should be (140/90) but I guess no cause for alarm. She'll be back and so will Francis the nurse and the O.T., and who knows who else.

El put in my meds while I went down to lunch; ate with Kathy and Cheryl. Ellen came to say goodbye when she was finished, as she's going on to a "Law of Attraction" seminar today and I won't see her again until Monday. Boy, will I miss her, even though we don't always see eye-to-eye, she's my help and support and one of my best friends.

Went upstairs to wait for Carolyn, then Du-Lani came to do the (light) housekeeping. I don't like to be in her way while she's cleaning, so I went downstairs. Carolyn was already there and we sat in the kind of reception area to chat. I showed her around a bit, then we went up to my place. She said she just loved it and if she didn't have a family, she'd move right in. My dear niece brought me some terrific gifts; this lovely succulent that will look great on my porch/patio: 

And how I'll enjoy these, of course--a bottle of Abruzzo and six cans of hazy IPA:

But WHAT?!? This is the terrible stuff I shouldn't be drinking right?

Wrong. Note the 0.0 on the bottle; there's no alcohol in either of them.

 

After we chatted in my place, we took a walk around the grounds and Carolyn took this selfie, but jeez, I look like Old Lady Goofball:

But no matter: I had a wonderful day with the person I love most in the world after my own family. She left just at quarter of 5:00 and I went down to dinner. I sat with the only Asian woman who lives at The Orchard, Julie, who's from the Philippines, because my own group of four were seated at a table for four. Actually, I kind of like a change of dining companions now and then, although Julie tends to be a none-stop talker.  

Back upstairs, I took my BP with the new machine. I was disappointed to find it was 170/96, but am hoping it will lower tomorrow.  BCNN meeting this morning, then we may go to lunch, then the picture hanger this afternoon.