Settling In

Settling into life here in the new apartments. Meeting more people and losing some I like. 

First, there's my new next-door neighbor, whom we'll call The Talker. She is a chatterbox, but very sweet and a pleasant neighbor. There has been so much discussion at the Talk Table about management's actions that I have been hesitant to take any action that might be against the rules. Not The Talker. She is making this place her home with plants and outdoor furniture. So, I decided to put my two folding chairs outside beside her setup, and if Management complained, they would think it was her. I did tell her that too, but she said Don't worry.

Next, there is The Chef. He is the one who invited me, the Prom King and Queen to supper recently. He cooked enchiladas, and they were excellent. I really like him. Nice Guy, but he is moving next month because they tried to evict him when Management lost his rent check, but still wanted him to pay a late fee.  I wish he weren't going, I'll miss him. An interesting story about him is that he has never missed a day of work in 24 years. Wow. 

There is also a great guy in a wheelchair. We'll call him Roger's Dad because he has the sweetest dog, Roger, who Bonnie Rae loves, and the great sidewalks in our courtyard allow him plenty of access to come to the Talk Table or just wheel around with his dog. An interesting thing about him is that he has lived here for 20 years. He said he moved in when they first opened.  He invited me over to have coffee any morning, but since I don't get up until 10:30 or so, most of the folks at his impromptu coffee meetups are past coffee and head towards lunch.  Still, it is nice to be included. 

Another nice guy, but pretty quiet, we'll call The Opera Singer because he has a similar name. I don't know a lot about him yet, but we were discussing games at the Talk Table one evening, and I mentioned that I was looking for a dominoes partner. He told me recently that he had found someone, and I gave him my number to share with them. I'm looking forward to that. 

I met a lady yesterday who was at the Talk Table with the Prom Queen. She had her new cat with her in a carrier, much like the ones you take along for babies to sleep in. What was so amazing was that the top was totally open, but the cat never tried to get out, and we were there at least an hour. 

I haven't seen much of the Prom King. I guess we've been on different schedules. I understand he has a girlfriend in one of the other courtyards who is quite a bit younger than he, being around 20-30 years his junior, to his 83. I don't care. More power to them, but he has been bringing up politics at the Talk Table a little too much for my liking, as he is a Trump supporter. As far as I know, I am the token Democrat, at least in our courtyard, so I try to slip away before I open my mouth on those occasions.  Democrats, like domino players, seem to be in short supply at this senior complex.

One of my upstairs neighbors shares the same name as one of my sisters, so we'll refer to her as Sister2. She has a medium-sized dog also named Bonnie. Her Bonnie is Bonnie Louise, but her dog doesn't like female dogs. So we don't share the sidewalks when they are out, but since she is a smoker, we often see her coming or going to the smoking area, and she'll join us at the Talk Table. She is one of those who has told me about Management. 

Now for my Bonnie Rae. She is doing great. Adapting so well.  Still startles at sounds, but now she will walk past the AC units on the way to the dog park without being carried. She knows to sit by the front door if she wants out, but if she doesn't want to walk, she will stay in her bed and refuse to come. She still never barks, which I love after my old barker Buddy.

 

More later ...

A Dirty Little Laugh

 A man boarded an airplane and took his seat. As he settled in, he glanced up and saw the most beautiful woman boarding the plane. He soon realized she was heading straight towards his seat. As fate would have it, she took the seat right beside his:

Eager to strike up a conversation, he blurted out. "Business trip or pleasure?"

She turned, smiled, and said. "Business. I’m going to the Annual Nymphomaniacs of America Convention in Boston."

He swallowed hard. Here was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen sitting next to him, and she was going to a meeting of nymphomaniacs!

Struggling to maintain his composure, he calmly asked. “What’s your Business at this convention?"

“Lecturer." She responded. "I use information that I have learned from my Personal experiences to debunk some of the popular myths about sexuality."

“Really?” He said. “And what kind of myths are there?”

“Well.” She explained. “One popular myth is that African-American men are the most well-endowed of all men, when in fact it is the Native American Indian who is most likely to possess that trait. Another popular myth is that Frenchmen are the best lovers, when actually it is men of Mexican Descent who are the best. I have also discovered that the lover with absolutely the best stamina is the Southern Redneck."

Suddenly, the woman became a little uncomfortable and blushed.. "I’m Sorry." She said, “I shouldn't really be discussing all of this with you. I don’t even know your name."

"Tonto." The man said. "Tonto Gonzales, but my friends call me Bubba.

#Margaret #Rick

Making Friends

Making friends, as an adult, is just as difficult, uncomfortable, yet as desirable as when we were young. 

I've told you about the Prom King and Queen, who are so friendly. The Prom Queen especially makes it her business to introduce everyone who stops by the evening talk table to each other. I appreciate this so much. They are both so friendly and welcoming that they know almost everyone I have seen walk by.  I'm fortunate because I'm not that outgoing, and making friends would be slower. Also, because I tend to be an introvert, if it weren't for meeting up at the table in the evening, I would rarely venture out. The table: 

One of the neighbors I met last night loves to cook, and they were discussing the meals they had shared at the table.  He decided it was time for another get-together and invited the three of us to dinner Sunday evening.  How nice. 

I was also introduced to the man who parks next to me.  We had waved before, but had not been properly introduced.  Apparently, he is a super mechanic, and we discussed the non-working air conditioner in my car.  I had just put it in the shop again that day, but if it isn't fixed right this time, I'm going to give him a try. By the way, as an attestation to his skill, he has over 600,000 miles on his BMW, and he does all the work.  Wow!

Bonnie Rae had her first official vet check-up, and it went great. She has a dermatitis, which I knew, but I was worried about parasites, etc., that she might have been exposed to. They ran extra gut tests, and she was clear. They thought she just had a bit of a nervous stomach getting used to her new life.  She never barked once at the vets, and several dogs were waiting.  My girl. Yay. 

 More later ... 

The Rain in Texas

It's raining again today. We have had lovely soft rain on and off each day for about two weeks.  I have enjoyed it as only a retired person can.  My plants are looking beautiful, and I don't have to fill my bird bath each day.  The Doves are enjoying it. 

I won't discuss what the rain did in the Hill Country and the resulting loss of life.  It is too horrible to think about. My son took his family on vacation to Galveston over the 4th, but he had looked for an Airbnb in the general flood area and couldn't find one that fit his needs.  So grateful. It is a warning, though, that we have organizations in place to protect the public for a reason, even if they don't seem to serve a purpose every day. Had the Weather Station been fully staffed, word would still not have reached most of the people in danger because it was the middle of the night, but it might have reached a few. So, so sad.  

On to happier subjects. Bonnie Rae is still scared all the time. Since we don't know anything about her previous life, being scared is just something we will have to work through. We have just about finalized the feeding and outside schedules. She goes to her first vet visit this week, finally. I guess the 4th made everybody's schedules crazy, and I couldn't get an appointment without a long wait.   

Sad news for J&M. They took their older rescue cat in for a teeth cleaning, and she died under sedation. Since Buddy had so much trouble with his teeth, J&M were being extra cautious with their pets. She had been in for her shots and check-up not long ago, so it was a shock, but we know this can happen. 

I thought I won a trip for my daughter last week. An announcement on the website said a person with a very similar name had won.  I kept waiting for a confirmation email, but it never came. Darn. I was so excited. 

J wants me to make some more tie-dye bandanas for her so she can use them to make curtains for their new/old camper. Glad to use up the rest of my supplies so I can have more room in my extra closet. You can expect to see bandana photos in the near future. However, I confess that my left thumb joint has become so painful that tying the bandanas up with multiple little rubber bands before dying has become very difficult. It may be my last tie-dying project.  

In the meantime, I've finished another scarf and started on the next one.  You'll notice I'm using very short needles. These are the needles I bought for the artist Grand Girl, who wanted to be able to knit with Nana. It was too hard for her at the time, but the needles work great if you are sitting in your recliner watching TV. LOL. 

More later ... 

Bonnie Rae

I have a new best friend, Bonnie Rae, named after singer/songwriter Bonnie Raitt. One of her big hits was Something to Talk About, which is true of this little lady. She is 4 years old, designated as a Chihuahua, but I think she looks like a Whippet-Chihuahua mix. Holy Moly, what a combo.

Something to Talk About Video.  I love the couples of every age dancing in this video. 

She loved me from the first moment I picked her up. Just licking me and trying to climb up on me. I, on the other hand, was having a bit of a rough time. 

I left for the dog adoption site with trepidation. When I walked in the door, I knew I wasn't ready.  All those dogs looking longingly at you.  I started crying, and by the time I reached the back, where the small dogs were, I completely lost it and had to leave.  I got all the way home, and I told myself, Just go back and look.  

I drove back to the site and, since I had learned the shortcut on my previous trip, went straight to the small dogs.  I looked at one really cute black dog with spotted socks, but then realized he was 4 months old.  No.  No puppy for me.  Then I saw Bonnie Rae, and as soon as I saw how quiet and calm she was, but alert and wanting my attention so badly, I decided to take her into one of the visitor rooms.  

I knew she was a diamond in the rough, but I was still hurting so badly for Buddy and feeling guilty about getting another dog.  However, I bit the bullet and, because I was one of the first 15, I received a free adoption. Yay.  

So, we got home, and she just wants to be right next to me all the time.  I am lucky. J&M love her. My son came over, but she took two days before giving him a chance, which is surprising because all dogs love him. So we expect that there might have been some mistreatment by a male.  

She's not puppy pad trained I don't think but she did pee on the pad today. Usually, when I start putting on my shoes, she runs for the door.  The harness is strange to her. However, she goes straight out to the grass and does her thing, so I'm not sure exactly what her previous environment was.  

I'm feeling less guilty with each passing day.  She is fun, and I think I will enjoy her a lot. 

More later ...