Incongruity

I'm a "people watcher", the kind who loves to sit at an airport and watch the interesting people shuffle by.  Today I went to an Arbys for lunch and, as I approached the front door, I saw a battered old bicycle leaning against the wall with an abominably filthy pillow, blanket, and bags of clothing tied all around it.  My first thought was that it belonged to a street person who was dining at Arbys and did I want to dine in the same room with him.

I entered the restaurant, enticed by the promise of their delicious roast beef sandwich, and looked around the room.  I saw two clean cut couples at separate tables and then a lone but fat man sitting in a corner leafing through what looked like a thousand coupons.  Now, my mind stuttered a little as I tried to envision a fat street person who rode a bike and decided, no, he must be in the washroom.

I ordered my meal and walked near the lone man to get my soda and caught a whiff of terrible as I got close to him.  I didn't want to stare but my curiosity made me take note of a very filthy man in his 50's sorting through tons of coupons, some of which hung out of his t-shirt pocket.  He had two little cups of something in front of him which I assumed he'd bought there.

As I ate my sandwich and fries, feeling guilty for being able to afford them,  he began to talk and giggle a bit.  Poor man, I thought, he's so ill...then I snuck a peek to see if he was really talking to a person and saw that he was talking into a cell phone.  Street people don't use cell phones, do they? 

This continued until I finished eating and left the restaurant, still wondering what his story was.  People are so interesting!

Last Coffee Friday of the Season

Today we had the last Friday coffee morning of the season and that meant husbands were invited.  Four dared to enter our female sanctuary and I think they all enjoyed themselves.  We also had Bailey's to add to the coffee and that might have been the reason we ran out of coffee so soon but it also could be because a large lot of park friends joined us.  Next year I'll bring over one of the 100 cup urns from the clubhouse for our last get-together.

I sat and looked at the group around me and loved them all.  They are some of the nicest people in the whole darned world and they've made my senior life a full and happy one just with their presence.  It's so sad to hear them talk of leaving in the next few days or few weeks to head home just as I will but we always have high hopes for next winter when all or most of us will gather here again.

I am truly blessed to be part of this wonderful group.

Snowbirds

Now that it's the end of March, snowbirds are preparing to return to their northern homes and the air is filled with the wails of the males of the species, "It's never going to fit in the car!".

The females simply smile and reply, "I'm sure you'll be able to fit it all in.".

Silly men, they never seem to understand that there's always room for one more little item that just has to make it back up north.

As the snowbirds climb into their seriously overpacked car, a final irritating grumble erupts from Mr. Snowbird, "Now I can't see out of the damn rear window!".

Mrs. Snowird just sits in silence, happy that all her little treasures are along for the long drive home.

Same Sex Union

I don't think I'll ever accept the concept of a same sex "marriage" even though I do accept a legal union of same sex couples that would protect them much the same way as a marriage would.  Forever, in my eyes, a marriage will always consist of a man and a woman but I know that some same sex couples remain together longer than some heterosexual couples.  The whole idea causes a conflict of feelings in my mind but that may be because of my lifelong conditioning.

What I really don't understand is why same sex couples, who desperately want to be accepted without prejudice, insist on demanding to be treated exactly the same as heterosexual couples.  I truly believe the majority of the people have a great deal of trouble with this.  We, me included, want to be fair so we try to recondition ourselves to believe that gay is normal.  I tried but I can't do it.  I still believe that being gay is abnormal and those people should not be prejudiced against but there have to be certain areas that they should not enter...such as "marriage".

Civil rights belong to us all and I claim my civil right to feel that marriage is for a man and a woman.  Gay couples can still receive the same legal protection if they call their union something else. 

Words of Wisdom

Recently I wrote a few blogs with words of exquisite wisdom and, when I hit the "publish" button, they disappeared into unknown computer space never to be seen again.  I wonder where this blog will sail off to?

Note:  Apparently silliness doesn't disappear because this one was actually published and saved.  Oh, the wonders of computerland!

Present From Jan

One of the things I'm most proud of is how popular my Friday morning coffee gathering has become.  I counted 20 ladies here a couple of weeks ago but thank heavens we get fewer than that when we're forced by weather to have it inside my little trailer.  Still, some of the ladies have to sit and drink their coffee awfully close to the bathroom but no-one ever complains and they return again.

Jan brought me a wonderful gift on Friday...a plaque that says, "Girlfriends Gather Here", and I love it because it's so true.  She said her husband, Gary, saw it and told her to get it because that's what we all are...girlfriends.

In my younger years I wasn't sociable enough to have many girlfriends but now that I'm a senior there's nothing to stop me.  I gather as many as I can and enjoy the company of every one.  There are so many wonderfully kind and fun ladies here in the park that it's a blessing to all of us to have each other as friends.  We make each other laugh, cry on each other's shoulders, and remove any loneliness that might exist.  I feel so very fortunate to be here.

We're Winners

Sylvia and I, who rarely go to the clubhouse for coffee on Saturday mornings, wanted to to see who would win the Queen of Hearts draw because only 2 cards were remaining.  We bought 10 tickets between us to share because we might as well try ourselves if we were going to be there and darned if we didn't win the 50/50...we split the $180!!!  Next was the draw for the Q of H and our friend Audrey went up to choose between the 2 cards that are left but she chose the wrong one, darn it.  Sylvia and I have to sell the 50/50 tickets next Saturday morning so we have to go back again but it will be fun to see whose ticket is drawn for the Q of H because that will be a definite winner.

I think I won the 50/50 on Saturday coffee about 10 years ago and had about given up hope of ever winning it again...of course, one has to attend the Saturday coffee time to do it.

On a sad note, Florida is trying once again to close down our internet casinos and has closed at least one that is on our list.  I don't know why they insist on taking these away from us when large casinos exist with no problem at all.  Also, why not close the bars that are so instrumental in ruining people's lives instead of our little casinos? 

We have a large group from our park who will be heading up to the internet casinos tomorrow so I hope they remain open.  The one we refer to as #4 will serve us all a pizza lunch, too.  I know gambling is a vice but so are a lot of other things that can be just as damaging if not kept in check.  We are adults who have the right to spend our money as we choose and I'd rather drop it in a slot machine than lay it on a counter in exchange for whiskey.

Just think how many awful establishments exist that are completely legal and not continually harrassed by the government to close.  I really have to wonder why they are picking on our little internet casinos...could it be the large casinos are pressuring them?

Anyway, Sylvia will spend her 50/50 winnings on something sensible and I will no doubt take mine to the internet casino.  To each his own!

My Blossom

This is Blossom, one of Ty's Beanie Boos, a very nice present from Shirley who wanted to thank me for taking her to the internet casinos every week.  I hate having people buy me presents to thank me for something but I did try to be gracious about it.  I really do love Blossom and have her sitting right next to the computer so I can see her when I'm working.  She makes me smile.

Love and Pain

I watched a program on T.V. today about a young girl lost in the depths of unrequited love.  I remember feeling that kind of pain and thinking it would actually kill me because no-one could suffer such anguish and live through it, could they?  The agony was with me every waking moment and took the color out of everything around me.  That I survived from moment to moment amazed me because I honestly didn't believe I could stand one more moment feeling that way.  But I did.  And, with each passing day, the pain lessened and the world around me took on color and promise again.  My life went on and today I am a happy, satisfied, and contented old lady who remembers when...and who knows the bad times can be overcome and discarded given time.

More Slush/Card Party People

These are some of the people who make my winter in Florida as pleasurable as it is.  We usually play "65" every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings with at least most of these ladies.  Sometimes other activities take precedence but we always come back.

Slush/Card Party People

Some pictures of our slush/card party last week.

The Great Turd Toss of 2013

No pictures because my camera isn't working right!!!

Today was the great turd toss of 2013 and we had record crowds to witness it.  Mark, resplendent in his own turd hat, was our master of ceremonies and needed a microphone to amplify his voice enough to reach the masses of people lining the street.  Most were in lawn chairs but many enjoyed the comfort of their golf carts.  The weather was perfect, sunny and warm with a lovely breeze.

I did laundry this morning and noticed that people were already staking out their spots for the turd toss and positioning their lawn chairs in the most advantageous spots, midway between the toilets so they could best see who dunked the turd.  I called Sylvia so she came over with her chair and I took 3 of my folding chairs up to Easy St. for me, Gail, and Red.  It's a good thing we did because when the turd toss started at 3 P.M. we wouldn't have been able to find a spot to place them.

Jan helped Mark by keeping a list of the 52 participants who eagerly awaited their turn with the turds.  Every other year the turds have been made with nylon stockings stuffed with wet speghetti but this year the turds were made with what looked like brown flannel fabric stuffed with popcorn...much cleaner and not sickeningly sticky like the old ones.

I knew this was my year to win.  I just knew it.  But...I missed the damn toilet on both of my tries.

8 of the men and 7 of the women did dunk one turd and were allowed to enter the turd toss off where the winners, Wilf and Jan, were declared our 2013 King and Queen of the Turds because they were the only ones to dunk a turd in the toss off.

I watched in deep sadness as the Queen Turd hat was placed on Jan's head instead of mine.  Jan kindly let me wear her hat for a moment but it just wasn't the same as actually winning it.  Next year will be my year, I just know it!!

Jo's Toes

This is a picture of Jo's latest pedicure.  I'm not crazy about the green polish but the shamrock is cute.  She got it to celebrate St. Patrick's day this month.

Sylvia and I already had our pedicures for the month but plan to have some kind of flower put on our big toes when we get the next one.  It's just one more way to put a little sunshine and a giggle in our lives.  I'm thinking I want a chrysanthemum (hope I spelled that right).  I'm thinking dark rose toes with a white and yellow flower.