Thursday

Met Jim outside at 12:30 and we went to Jasmine Thai for lunch. They seem to have changed their menu and I was disappointed in what I ordered--can't recall what it was, but I'll go back to pad Thai. Of course, the Sapporo Japanese beer was as good as ever. 

For some reason, Jim and I started discussing marriage and divorce--he's never committed either--in a general way and he surprised me by being somewhat open about his parents' history of them. He said they were never suited for each other and that they had separate bedrooms. Good grief, for Jim that's practically like revealing every detail of one's personal life to a worldwide television audience. Anyway, it was interesting. 

After, he came back to my place and we did our crossword puzzle thing. It's pretty boring, but it beats sitting around trying to get him to put two syllables together. I talked to him again about the Access Van and he showed interest; I sent him the web site and said I'd go with him sometime. He stayed until almost 6:00, unusual for him and I walked him to his car. He thanked me several times for lunch (it was for his birthday) and I was touched. However, I'm alarmed about his increasingly evident mental confusion. It seems worse than Stella's and that's not good.

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My favorite pic from Wednesday's party--my little girl and me:

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Wednesday

Well, things are looking up. I made a decision about the 29 1/2 show on the eighteent and: no, I'm not going to participate. I emailed director Karyn with a little fib--actually, I lied in my teeth--saying I might have to be out of town that weekend.  Interestingly, I just got an email from her and Mike inviting me to their going-away party on June 1. It looks as if they're moving to Sacramento then. 

Called Little Egg Utilities Authority to be sure I was on the right track with what I pay and what my new tenants pay. I was, sent them a email to that effect and hope that's the end of it.

Went over to the office to get the lowdown on the rental insurance thing and learned I had gotten the wrong info from the other person. It's only $131 dollars, so I called the company, paid on-line, and that's the end of it. Except it isn't: Jasmine at the office asked me to send a declaration page, so I'll have to pursue that. 

Then I was ready for the party. Suzanne took me (Ellen said she was welcome to go, too, but she didn't), dropped me off at not quite 2:00, and I went to Ellen's room (the kids get out early on Wednesdays). She cleaned up a few things and we then went to what they call "the kinder outdoor area." 

What fun it was! My retirement party at Rider was nice and memorable, but quite formal, with people speaking at the dias, and so on. Of course, that's a university and this is a kinder through fourth grade school in a semi-rural area of southern California. It was so casual and warm, and I loved meeting Ellen's colleagues; of course, they all had wonderful things to say about her. I had expected maybe a few appetizers, but there was a terrific spread that made a delicious dinner. I won't write more, but will say it with pictures (and I took about twice this many). Two colleagues read tributes to Ellen:

The buffet set up and some of the attendees:

 

Ellen and Debbie, who retired last year:

A free more attendees with my girl:

I love this shirt:

Ellen and the school nurse, also retiring:

The superintendent of schools and Ellen:

This is just a sampling of the many more pictures I took of El with colleagues; 

Their school, surrounded by hills and farms, is a beautiful area where Ellen was lucky enough to educate third graders for so many years.

Tuesday

At nine, I called the Access Van to take me to Ellen's retirement party today and was horrified to learn they don't go to her school on Foothill Road outside Santa Paula. I wouldn't trust myself to try to find a bus that does, either; I know they go to SP proper, but not up on Foothill. Frantic, I rang Suzanne's bell and asked if she could take me. Happy day, she can and she will. Told Ellen and she invited Suzanne to stay for the party.

Laura picked me up at 11:30 and off we went to Cafe Nouveau. She insisted on treating, so okay, but I'll do it next time. We've gotten to be good friends and I know all about her struggles with her disturbed son. He's now in a high-security mental hospital that seems the right place for him, but it's a heartache for Lora, of course. We also talked about the house she and Todd are having built in Arizona--sounds great and she has friends there, too. She'll be missed here, but it seems a good move. When I got home, the latest edition of American Lifestyle was in my mailbox. Lora's much more attractive than she appears here and I hope she'll update that picture:

   Turning to more serious matters: I had a seafood burrito and this yummy IPA:  

                            Raging bitch? Yeah, it kinda suits me.                    

Home after, I turned my attention to yet more business items; sent what I owe Kim via Zelle, did some filing, and whatever else, I don't remember. Then I was at loose ends. Didn't feel like doing much and again, took an hour nap. I'm hoping when the weather gets warmer and I'm in town more, I'll resist the temptation. 

Cut and chopped the three big red peppers I had bought the other day and stowed them in the freezer. One of these days, I'll saute them with onions and make a stir-fry.

Call Ellen and told her Suzanne would be bringing me. Called Karyn to tell her I've decided not to participate in the 29 1/2 hour thing. Left a message, but haven't heard back, so will email. 

Monday

Washed sheets, changed the bed, showered and washed my hair before breakfast. Ate, then fussed around with this and that. I paid the water bill for my house. It's quarterly, so the billing period is from April 1 to June 1. I'll ask my tenant to add a third of the total to her rent payment since they moved in on May 1.

Left at 10:30, walked to Telephone Road, took the 11 to the Stone Fire Grille and, as I was early, stopped into Barnes & Noble to get a Mothers Day card for my daughter-in-law. (Yes, it's going to be late, but I'll send an e-card, too.) She's an artist and I think she'll like it; it's one of those pretty pop-up cards. In the same shopping center, I met the Soaring Spirits crowd at the Stone Fire Grille. There were two guys and seven gals (a common ratio of men to women, I think) and we had a great time with our free-wheeling talk and sharing after 2:00. 

On my way home, I was pleasantly surprised to get a text from Lora, asking if I was free for lunch today. Yes, indeedy, and she'll pick me up at 11:30. Wrote out my DIL's card and dropped it in the slot on campus here, then decided to go over to Great Clips even though Maria left at 3:00. Dropped in and George did my hair. Actually, it looks pretty good--maybe better than when Maria does it.

Got home and opened the mail from Verizon. To my amazement, it was a bill for $251.50. Yes, I thought they had decided to stop torturing me, but I guess not. I'm simply not going to go into the whole thing, but I called them at 4:30 and didn't hang up until 5:55. I don't want to go into the whole thing--it drives me crazy--but the upshot was that whoever I was talking to accidentally--or was it really accidental?-- dropped the call. I was so frustrated when I talked to Ellen that she took over. She's a Verizon customer and called her person to complain about the harassment of her mother. Incredibly, she was told by her person to go to the Verizon store and let them rescind it--or something. I'll be staying over at her place on Saturday, so we'll go them. If this actually resolves my problem, I'll be very much surprised, but dollars to doughnuts, it won't. 

Sunday

The Camarillo Garden Tour with Suzanne, but as it turned out, I greatly enjoyed it. We left at noon, drove to Camarillo and started at the first house of seven. I'm just going to post a few pictures, because what we did was simply--well, tour the gardens--and oh and ah over the blooms. That sounds as if I'm being sarcastic, but really not; I enjoyed it. Here are some pics:\

These are different gardens, some several miles away from each other and I probably didn't get the best shots, as I was trying to keep my balance on some of the paths, many of which had stepping stones. Refreshments were served at the last house--lemonade and cookies. 

This a stunningly beautiful 1250 acres. The owner sat down with us and I asked him when the house was built--in 1837, he said, which is practically pre-historic in California. Suzanne introduced herself because the tour was a benefit for St. John's, where she worked for 30 or so years, Interestingly, Tom is on St. John's board. He's an investment advisor and lives part of the time in San Francisco. 

Later, Suzanne texted me an obituary of Tom's father, who died in 2022 at 97. Family background is interesting, too; I looked it up and also looked Tom up. He lives part of the time in San Francisco and is gay. The house and grounds themselves can be rented for wedding receptions and so on (I assume Tom vacates when that happens) for $200 an hour, so if I get married again, I'll definitely have the reception there. 😁 Here are Suzanne and me at one of the venues:

We got a kick out of this, which illustrates my own gardening skills:

Home about 5:00. A few days ago, I had texted Rosa suggesting we get together again for lunch and promptly heard back from her. It's funny: Stella tends to call ten minutes before she wants to meet (well, I'm exaggerating, but not by much); Rosa and I agreed on next Thursday, the sixteenth, and haven't decided where. Well, I know I'll be at the Stone Fire Grille at noon today for lunch with the Soaring Spirits gang.

Saturday

Instead of taking my usual sandwich when I meet Diane for lib lunch, I made a salad. Walked over the footbridge, dropped the book off at the library, then went into the Hill Street Cafe to ask if I could take a picture of the mural I admired when I was there with Stella. It's Main Street in Ventura, which is now blocked off to traffic: 

                                                           

Met Diane at noon and we settled in for our talk/eat/imbibe sessions--very satisfying. Diane said she suddenly decided she'd like to have a gentleman friend and we discussed ways in which she might be able to meet somebody suitable. She has tried some of the dating sites--so did I a few years ago, but I had no interest whatever in the offerings--and doesn't know any eligible guys. As we all know, one of the problems is the ratio men to women; there are fewer of them and more of us. Well, she'll keep her eyes peeled. 

We parted at 2:30 and I went home to finish my salad--in front of the T.V., watching the next episode of Royal Inquest, then while getting my carbs in the form of popcorn. Then--I confess, I took a twenty-minute nap, so shoot me. Dinner was just Brussels sprouts, and so it goes.

I didn't realize the garden tour in Camarillo cost anything, but I looked it up and found it's thirty bucks. Suzanne has three tickets--did she actually shell out ninety dollars? Dunno, but I'll give her my thirty. Frankly, if I had known, I probably would have begged off, but I won't now.

But as for begging off, I've decided to withdraw from Fractured Actors' "29 1/2 Hour Playwriting Festival" on May 18th. I just don't think I can go from 9 am to 11pm. Will get in touch with director Karyn.

Friday

Weight: home down a pound to 124.4; T.O.P.S., down .03 to 125.2, so okay. The meeting was the usual: therapy session and general chat for most of it, then the program. I brought back what I had done last week (we had been timed out) and even so, I didn't finish, so I'll end up next time.

Home at 10:00, texted Suzanne that I was back, changed, then we went off to WinCo. I got a lot of items, including veggies: sweet peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, acorn squash, grapefruit, plus frozen and canned ones-- geez, I could open a produce store. By the time we got home, it was twelve and I was starved, but didn't feeling like eating my usual breakfast of oatmeal and citrus. Instead, I made a nice omelet which included veggies.

Ate, then tackled the remaining "must do" things I hadn't finished Thursday. That included a review of nephew Dave's book, some filing, and wrangling on the phone with Amazon. I won't go into the saga, but I didn't get something and they'll reimburse me $14.99.

Ellen called on her way home from work and we chatted. Her retirement party is on the eighth after school and I'll take the Access Van there, then she'll drive me home. Mike video-called and we caught up. Vivian, at school at U. of Hawaii, is going with friends to a music thing in Alabama next week. Violet, 15, is going on a school trip shortly, which will include camping overnight and long hikes. The destination? Mongolia.  (For her grandmother, coming from pokey little Ventnor, New Jersey, it boggles the mind.)

Got an email to the effect that my review of Dave's book was accepted and will appear in Amazon's rating site. I assume Dave will be notified and see it. I lent the book to Suzanne, who likes "historical fiction." I'm not sure why I don't, but I don't. Someday, I'll have to psychoanalyze myself to find out why. 

Lib lunch with Diane today--looking forward to discussed weighty matters with her, such as our social lives, our daughters-in-law, and Stella.