Morning started great. Saw my chiropractor, than had breakfast with my daughter. She has a week off before she begins an internship. She is training to be medical transcriber. She already has a small job, but when classes are finished she may want more hours. Kids are all in school. Papa's around to help out. We all love it. We talked this morning about me getting a job. However, it appears that the complex I'm in will take more rent from any increases I get. It may not be worth it. Besides I would miss out on the gossip and fun stuff.
Rhonda had a hair appointment at 11:00 right across the street so we came back and worked on a puzzle until her time came. While we were there I saw a woman with a very large dog go into the main building. The puzzle area is on the second floor and overlooks the main entrance to the main building. A few moments latter she came back out. I thought nothing of it. Assumed it was someone looking for rental information. I knew her dog was too large if she planned to be a potential resident. We only take dogs under 25 pounds. Not really true. There are a couple very large and fat 25 pounders in the other building.
Rhonda left for her appointment and Chas came up the elevator and told me the manager threw the lady with the dog out of the building. We have posted rules saying only resident dogs are allowed. That didn't stop complainer #1 from having a hissy fit. When I found out who it was, I was not surprised. She yelled at the manager as the woman was only coming to see her. She could visit, but not the dog. Oh, yeah! And the complainer immediately threatened to go over the managers head. That is the first tactic of nearly everyone here who does not get their own way. You can't believe the grief that causes Rita. Well, maybe you can.
There is a sign posted right outside the front door. Rita got flustered and could not remember where the sign was at the time. Anyway, Chas and I headed to the main building for coffee. We both actually went to see if Rita was OK. She has been under a great deal of attack lately and the head office management has not always backed her up even when the original order came from those Idiots. Her feelings were hurt and her emotions were a little frayed. We listened, but obviously could do nothing except catch up on what happened (Maybe I will write book on senior homes). Naw!
This same lady has run directly into me twice. The last once lead to her not talking to me for 8-9 months. The first issue was over noise at a bar about a block away. When our windows are open in the summer they are going strong until about 2:00 am. She planned to bring up the issue at our next community meeting and make the Manor management make them stop. I did not want her to embarrass herself and tried to tell her they would have no ability to control another establishment. Yes they can and they need to make them stop. I lost and she brought it up only to face a room that snickered and whispered jokes and for her be told they could do nothing. The management then pointed out that we lived in an area without a noise ordinance. Didn't know such a place existed. But it's here!
Out second conflict was over terminology. She was having a fit that there was only one choice for TV reception in the area. True, if you are only taking about the Manor. But she was not addressing the Manor, but the area. In the area there are three providers. Two satellite and one cable. The complex only has the cable. It is the most expensive option of the three. I even met with the district manager to see what it would take to get a lower fee. The company would have to buy it for all their complexes and the cable would be paid even when the apartments are empty. That would never happen, but I asked anyway. NO! I figured out my own personal plan for TV. I hook it up in the fall when the new shows come on and shut it off in May when the spring season is over. That means I get the introductory deal for three months in the fall - pay full price in the spring and cancel for the summer. Makes me get out more. Also, I can see anything I want on my computer. Am still considering that full time - don't know yet.
Anyway, the argument got out of hand. I was joking, but she got angry. When I realized what was happening I backed off. She told me she was going to prove I was wrong and I agreed. My big mistake occurred the next morning when I asked about her proof. That did not end well and communication stopped.
She returned gradually to acknowledging my existence, but little more. Hi was about as far as we could get. Not much more happened until last week when she asked me if I knew what time "Alice in Wonderland" was showing (I see a lot of movies). I did happen to know as I had just taken my grand kids a few days ago. I gave her the time and it was later than she wanted to go. I also gave her the price and it was more than she wanted to pay. She wanted to know the earliest show in the other theater (we only have two). I said it was only showing in the Regal cinema. No it's not. It's in both theaters! I'm sorry, but it is not. It's in both. I said it was not likely as the theaters are competitors and never have the same movies. I'll prove it to you she says with authority. And she leaves to get the paper. She leaves, I laugh and can hardly wait for what she has to show me. She comes back with the weekly county paper and it is indeed playing at not two but three theaters in the county, but only one in our town. It was all I could do to bite my tongue and keep my mouth shut. We nearly had another melt down.
Later Rita, complex manager, and I talked about a fall craft fair that has fallen in my lap. Fallen is the right word. I was not part of the original discussion. Chas appears to be the center of it all. Anyway, he received the permission necessary to hold the event and then came to my apartment to say, "I've done my part, now the rest is your job. I'm done." WHAT? What is my job. Coordinate the fair and make it happen. I can't believe I agreed. I'm an idiot.
No, we cannot have it here. Why not, we have the perfect place? Security. Other residents might be fearful for their lives if strangers are let in. But the commons room can be a perfectly controlled and a secure spot. Well after searching nearly every available rental space in the area, we can't afford any of them. So, back to square one. I have been hesitant to push this any harder until we have secured a place. So, today I will draw a layout of the room and design a security plan. Planning LIFE conferences was not this much trouble. Oh, well. What else do I have to do. It will ruin my afternoon nap or the continuation of reading my book. Maybe even a walk to the park (four blocks away). Such sacrifices. Keeping the space secure is really easy, but I may not be able to work around the paranoia.
I'm hungry. What happened? Yikes, it's an hour after I normally eat. Good-bye.
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