LIFE AT THE HOME

INTERLUDE 1
These last two days have been eye openers around here. First, I have decided to change how I think about Maria. When I walk into an area where she is, she immediately leaves. I have considered that she just doesn’t like me and will not share space with me. Now I choose to believe she is afraid of me and is running for her life. That may not be true, but I feel more powerful.

She is driving many people crazy and casting a depressed feeling over the whole unit. My only consolation about how she feels about me is that there are a few extra seats in the bus when we go places because she and a couple of her friends do not come. One of her friends would love to make some trips with us, but doesn’t want to hurt Maria’s feelings. I will never understand that.

There is a meeting on Thursday morning for those who want to have a garden space. People are not waiting for the meeting they have begun garden wars already. Two women are already plotting to take away Chas’ flowerbed. He has had that same bed for the past five years. Because he is in a wheelchair, he needs a bed that is raised. He has the one directly in front of our building. Admittedly he does not keep the bed absolutely free of weeds, but it always looks nice. One of his mortal enemies has a fit when she sees even one weed. You would think the world was coming to an end. She is determined to either get his flowerbed or get him kicked out of the complex. Sounds like the war is going to get even bitterer than last year. I plan to go to the meeting to see what happens.

The snow woke me during the night. I suspect it was hail. There was a nice layer of snow this morning and I wondered if it would affect our shopping trip. By time to go it was all slushy, so I got the bus ready and we had a great time at Fred Meyers. In case you don’t know, voters in Washington threw out government run liquor stores so every grocery store in the state is remodeling to make room for hard liquor.  The store was a mess. Now you will be able to get drunk while you shop.

On the way home, the “need gas light” went on. I had barely left the store when it happened. The company credit card is for Shell and I had no idea where there was one except back by The Home. Well I made it and it was a good thing. I had not brought the information on how to use the card. It is not a simple process. You must enter enough numbers to match the full numerical value of pie. I knew most numbers, but not the order.

When I got back I was exhausted. I had hurt my back so sent an email to the manager to explain that I am going to rest a while and then get the tank filled up and clean up the bus. I sent the note incase the bus was needed before I got done. That set off a firestorm. I was just trying to be helpful. They went after the last driver for not filling up the gas tank, and told me that there was a staff man responsible for keeping the van clean not me. I didn’t l know that. I had used the van and was going to clean it. It ran out of gas on my watch, I was going to fill the tank (not with my money, but with the company credit card). It is not my responsibility. So what. It was no big deal to me. Why couldn’t I help out?

Strange world. Don’t do it if it isn’t in your job description. Stupid. Why can’t a person see what needs to be done and just do it? But by the end f the day I was informed that the man in charge of bus clean up could not do it before we go out to eat on Thursday. I think I will sweep the bus out before we go. But I’m not going to tell anyone.