A Halfway Decent Morning

It's about 11:15 a.m. and I've been up for 5 hours already.  I'd love to be able to "sleep in" but my hip refuses. I had my morning cup of coffee (that's usually all I need) and a bran muffin. Then I read the PDN online (nothing there but the Pickles cartoon), surfed Facebook, and did the crossword. Breakfast arrived and while the muffin had kind of filled me up, I ate the scrambled eggs and bacon. Will keep their muffin and apricots for later. Lunch maybe. Then I took off to run my errands.

First stop was to sign up with a new pharmacist and arrange to have my prescriptions transferred from Rite Aid in Port Angeles. Glad to be rid of them too!  I saw Yvonne Starkey and the sister of my neighbor here at the apartments. They were out walking and I was jealous.  I'd LOVE to be able to walk this town on foot. But until my sciatica eases up, it just ain't gonna happen.  I haven't ridden my bike in years and I still miss it. It was the one exercise I looked forward to daily for years and years.

From there I went across the street to Penny Saver and pick up a ten-draw lotto ticket. I still have visions of living in luxury or at least being able to give money to my 3 daughters.  Then I drove to North Beach. I've been wanting to get some rocks for painting but I knew it was going to be tricky as my back was being especially rotten today.  But I did it. I used my two walking sticks and maneuvered carefully, retrieving about 20 rocks. They're soaking in bleach water now and I may pull out the paints tomorrow and get to work.  As usual, the parking lot was wall-to-wall cars. I did take a couple camera shots before making my way to the beach.

 Not sure what kind of birds these are. I should have zoomed in more.

I barely made it back to my car but then I knew it was going to be a real fast rock hunt.  I drove slowly past two cousins' houses kind of hoping they'd be in the yard but no such luck. Next time Bill and Lee.  I drove down to Safeway gas pumps as I was below a quarter of a tank.  Know what pumps not to use next time. The people trying to back out of the little store there all seemed to have trouble maneuvering out and missing my car. I suppose I could have parked closer to the pumps but I still can't judge parking that car of mine. Even when I pull into straight in parking spots, I always have to look and see if I managed to get in straight and between the lines.  As I was getting my receipt, I noticed a ton of pollen all over my car and windows.  Probably those trees out front. I decided to use their squeegy thingie to clean them off. Can you believe that was my first time ever cleaning my wind shield at a gas station? I really need to get out more!

When I was coming back into the apartment house, the guy who lives two doors down (in my dad's old apartment) was coming out and I asked him if he had any problem with door slamming noise in his apartment. He said he didn't now but the last apartment he was in (down the hall and around the corner) was a real challenge putting up with the door slams from the apartment below him. He said he knew exactly what I was going through as he couldn't believe how loud those door slams disturbed the peace in his apartment.  It must be the way this building is constructed as I've been here six weeks and I still can't adjust. Probably because it's wakened me from naps and my recliner actually shakes when I'm sitting in it. Sooner or later I'm going to have to ask the lady below me to see if she can't close the door quieter. I so hate approaching her as she's super nice and as been very friendly and open to me. But I'll worry about that another day.

Mary showed me how to use the Zoom program on my laptop yesterday and that was really cool. Now I have to figure out how to connect with my sister  in prison back in PA. They're on lockdown because of the virus but are allowing virtual visits.  The letter I got from her last week was sure interesting.  She wrote:

We have an inmate on our unit who was a pediatrician. She shot at her girlfriend but I don't think she killed her. Anyway, this "doctor" is taking hormone supplements to become a man. A few years back she cut her nipples off with nail clippers and she's walking around here with no mask on so her girl friend doesn't wear one either. This girlfriend is a sociopath, she's been here since she was a teenager. She brutally killed another teenage girl. This girl is a real Manson type and she gets away with a lot because the C.O.s feel sorry for her. She's very good at manipulating people. I have a "gift" for seeing through people like her. It's really frightening. I personally wish I could wear a mask all the time because a lot of these people spray when they talk. Some do it deliberately as this is a prison psycho ward. What a life. I hope I get out of here.

Our dinner last night was sure tasty. Fried chicken, corn on the cob, baked beans, cole slaw, and a choc. chip cookie.  Tonight is salmon and baked potato.
I called my bank this morning because ever since I changed my password, it doesn't recognize me when I go online and I have to type it over again. The clerk said it was a computer setting and she couldn't help me. And I don't know how to fix my setting for that so I guess I'm out of luck. It's a nuisance.

When my kids were young, I used to do this question and answer thing with them (like what's your favorite flower, food, etc.)  Mary does that with Jake now and his latest answers are hilarious. She said I could share:   He's SIX.

1. If you won a million dollars, what would you buy?   Hundreds of Nerf guns.

2. How long does it take to get to Germany?

Four hours.  No seriously, I’ve been on a plane to Germany that took four hours.

3. What do I always say to you?  You love me.  

4. What job would you like to do when you grow up?   Army

5. What is the capital of America?   The United States

6. Where do babies come from?  Mom’s tummies

7. At what age do you become an adult?  12

8. If you could change one rule your family has, what would it be?  You have to play Nerf guns with me every day  (Truth: we play Nerf guns with him plenty. Just not enough, in his opinion)

9. If you could be a superhero, what superpower would you have?  Flash

10. What would you do to save the planet?

Kill bad guys  (Mom sighs)

11. If you could eat one thing for the rest of  your life, what would it be?  Ice cream

12. How much does it cost to buy a house?

Probably like $289,000  (so specific?)

13. Why do you think we should be nice to others?   Maybe because it’s kind?

14. What does love mean to you?  Playing with me. You hug me. Playing basketball and getting scraped up

15. What are you scared of?  Nothing.

16. What is so important to you?  Nerf guns and playing army guys. 

Well, that's it for now. Somebody left a New Yorker magazine on the hall table so I took it on my way back to my apartment. Will have that for entertainment later. Plus two more episodes of Ozark.  Gonna set up a jigsaw later this afternoon.

The only other picture I took today is a repeat but I will always remember Del's Grocery the way it used to be.