THURSDAY

 AAGH! I usually write up my blog entries the evening before, then just top them off in the morning, and confirm. Now it's 8:00 pm on Thursday and I'm just getting started, so this will be a quickie.

Breakfast with Keith, took a nap, then got out to the Access Van about 11:45 and was taken to Ellen's on Ojai. From there, we had an interesting day in Santa Barbara. Got there about 1:00 and went To Harry's for lunch. I had a yummy non-spicy chili with Caesar salad. The chili was served in a bread bowl and was so large I took half of it home.

From lunch, we went to the Apple store to look at watches. We saw and tried on a number of them, but the more I did, the more I wondered if I really want one. Ellen felt the same way, so we're both probably going to defer a decision. 

From there, we went to Wal-Mart for some necessary items, such as T. paper, then home. El came in to inspect my medicaiton setups--I did them okay--and fill out some paperwork. By the time we said goodbye, it was 6:30. As I had intended, I missed dinner, which was fine by me as I was still full from lunch. I ate the rest of that while watching T.V. Slept well.

I'm not looking forward to T.O.P.S. this morning, as I know that--once again, dammit--I've gainined. 

WEDNESDAY

Noreen picked me up at 11:30 and we went off to Two Trees for lunch. After, we stopped at the Dollar Tree next door so I could get wrapping paper. Got home just in time to play Dime Bingo and--yay!--I won one with a payoff of a dollar eighty! I stayed to play Jeporady, then Trivia,  and that was enough of the game world for me. 

Dinner with Kathie, Keith, and Beverlee (yes, that's how her parents spelled it), which was enjoyable. Beverlee has a masters from Columbia, as one of my sons does, is from upstate New York, and had been a physcologist for teenaged patients. She lives with Greg and an odder couple I've rarely encountered. 

Later, I went up to wrap some graduation presents and otherwise prepare for going to Ellen's today. We plan on going to Santa Barbara, where I'll look at Apple watches, and then have lunch at Harry's Restaurant, where I have a gift certificate. I also want to stop at Raine's Department strore, as I also have a gift card from there. 

TUESDAY

When I went down to breakfast--with Keith, of course--I saw Rick, the van driver, and told him I had changed my mind about going to Bocelli's in Ojai for lunch. I just felt draggy, so instead, took an hour nap. 

Lunch with Keith, Kathie, and for a change, Elaine. She's been here more than a year and, interestingly, used to live in Jersey. She also owned, with a partner, a weight-loss business in Northfield. Elaine is an "ambassador"--i.e. an unpaid worker--which most facilities like The Orchard, seem to have. Anyway, it was fun talking to her.

Went outside after and called Jeanne Painter. she's going to turn the big nine-o in a few weeks and her family will be having a party in Jersey.  

Dime Bingo at 2:00 and I had four cards, but didn't win any games. Back at my place, I did this and that, then went down at 4:00 for Trivia. That was fun and once it was over, it was time to go to the dining room for dinner. Kathie called to say she was beat, so would eat in her own place, so I sat with Keith. Put my IPA in the fridge with a note saying whoever took it would be proscecuted--ha! Dinner was actually pretty good, beef and spinach ravioli, and Keith and I had some good talk about our respective backgrounds.

Back at my place at 6:15 and I tried to text Noreen, then realized she doesn't use the Internet. She's to  pick me up today at 12:30 to go to lunch and I had suggested Cafe 126 near here, but will see if she'll go to Two Trees, instead.    

MONDAY

Breakfast with Keith, then a nap. Called Second Wave Physical Therapy to cancel today's scheduled visit, as I'm going on the Orchard excursion to Bocelli's Restaurant in Ojai. Also rescheduled the April 28th session, as I'm going to Bart's Books then.

Lunch with Kathie, as Keith sat elsewhere. She--Kathie--had an appointment with her attorney at 4:00, so I made plans with Allan and Beverly for dinner.  

After lunch, I sat outside for a bit--it was sunny, but a little cool. Called my old friend, Nancy, who lives near Ojai in Oakview and we had a good talk. I then took a walk down Wells Avenue. This is a nice residential area and across the street is a lovely view: 

I probably walked no more than a half mile in all, small potatoes in my old days of three miles there and back to Wal-Mart, but it was better than nothing.  I sent away for a list of things to eat, limit, and avoid to lower blood pressure. After that, I futzed around with this and that until dinner time. 

Ate with Beverly and Allan, plus a new resident, Frances. Incrediby, once again, my IPA was missing when I went to retreive it. Tia got me a Harp (Irish beer) from the all-purpose room, but this is getting very annoying. 

SUNDAY

 La-de-dah. After breakfast with Keith, I took a nap. I've been feeling tired lately, for some reason, maybe boredom. The weather's sunny, but a little too cool for my taste.

I did indeed go downstairs and wait at the entrance, in case what I wrote on my calendar ("be outside 11:25") was legit. I waited for twenty minutes, but nobody showed, so clearly, it was in error. I'm going to assume the same for the "lunch 11:30" note I wrote for today. Lunched with Lisa and David, as I didn't see Keith until later. 

Every once in a while, I order from Amazon, but for the first time yesterday, I ordered alcohol. Some states don't allow that, but--wouldn't you know?--California does. It comes though various sources, supermarkets and so on, and I got it from BevMo. I ordered a 12-pack of IPA and they delivered it within an hour--great. Taylor was nice enough to take it to my apartment, too. 

I had gone downstairs to tell Tia on the desk it was coming, then wandered into the multi-purpose room. Beverly and another woman were there, about to start a game of Yahtzee and I decided to join them. I did and found it a lot of fun--I even rolled a Yatzee the first time I rolled.

Dinner with Kathie and Keith--enjoyable. I was back upstairs by 6:15 and whatever I did until my daily hour of T.V., I don't even remember. 

SATURDAY

 Before breakfast--with Keith, of course--I stripped the bed and put the sheets in the wash. After, I switched them to the dryer, then put in a load of whites.  I then tried to get back into my Jewel Match Royale game with no luck. 

Lunch with Kathie--Keith was at the gym--after which I went outside and took a short walk. It was sunny, but a little cool, so I just stayed for a short time. At 2:00, I went to dime Bingo, "bought" four cards and won one game. Trivia was directly after, so I stayed for that. By the time that was over, it was dinnertime and I sat with Keith and Kathie, as usual. Martha ("Marty") joined us and, as ever, talked intermidately about her two children and how brilliant, successful, and every damn else thing they are--AAGH!

Ellen called when we were almost finished dinner, so I called her back when I got up to my place. She asked me to call the Access Van on Wednesday to get to her house on Thursday and we'll go from there to Santa Barbara so I can look at some Apple watches. We'll then go to Harry's Restaurant, as I have a gift certificate from there. 

After dinner, I showered and washed my hair, then relaxed with my hour or so of television and popcorn. Noreen called and we made a lunch date for Wednesday; she'll pick me up here and we'll go to the 126 restaurant nearby. I'm happily looking forward to that. Unfortunately, I still don't know what "be outside 11:25" on my calendar means. Guess I'll just have to be outside to find out.

FRIDAY

Good news on the weight front: 138.6 at home and 139.8 at T.O.P.S., for losses of 1.2 at both. In fact, I was the biggest loser, so got the jackpot of five bucks. Mary Ann had printed out copies of the minutes when Dr. Wally spoke a few weeks ago; I'm not interested. but took a copy to give Kathie.

Home at 10:00, after which I tried to get back on my Big Fish game--Royale Match--but didn't succeed. I called Kathie to see if she was coming to lunch, but she wasn't--her daughter was there and they were still working on the IRS crapola. Since I wasn't sure Keith was coming, either, I sat down with David and Lisa. Keith did come, though, and the four of us had good conversation.

Brother Larry called. I told him about Muckie and he'll call Carolyn. Larry's daughter, Karen, will be moving in with him shortly, so that will be good. He's now 94 and although in reasonably good shape, he does have some "issues," as the saying goes. He just had yet another great-grandchild, a little girl named Jane, courtesy of his grandson, Jimmy.

Went to Happy Hour at 2:00 and enjoyed the Dynamic Duo, whom I've seen several times before: 

One of our exhibitionist residents, Leslie, got up and danced (she always does) and this itme, the weird  Egyptian (too long and involved to explain) joineed her:

Anyway, it was a lot of fun. 

Mike texted to see if I was available for a Facetime chat after dinner and yes, indeed. He and his lady friend were about to take a walk and he leaves for Vietnam tomorrow. He called at 6:30 and we had a good talk. 

Dinner with Keith and we also had some interesting conversation which included talking over our scarlet youth and how we indulged in marijuana (Keith), nicotine (both of us), and alcohol (ditto). 

As I do morning and night, I just took my blood pressure. I'm puzzled and annoyed that it read 140/90, which I was told was my "goal," yet the machine pronounced it high, so what gives?