And ,still complaining about the food!
I , at the suggestion of another resident who is frustrated over the lousy menus and food served, I sent a letter to management saying specifics on bad meals.. meat so tough I couldn't chew it, another entree so spicey we all were in tears. So far nothing has happened from that effort. It's funny, but some of the seniors are afraid to complain about anything because they are sure that will single them out and then their rent will be raised.
We all did get a 5% rental raise in January and for those of us who have been here a few years, it is starting to get very expensive. ( I'll have been here four years in July and can hardly believe that!). New people moving in are paying through the nose for apartments, too. A little studio apartment, about just the size of a bedroom and that's it, goes for close to three grand a month. I'm paying that for the largest one bedroom they have but got in on a lower rate when I moved in.. but still, boy it's a strain. If more than one person lives in the apartment they tack on another $500 to the rent. Understand that our rates are pretty much the same as other active senior living places here in Ventura county. I have friends in the pacific northwest who pay half of what I am paying. It's that old real estate word to the wise.. location, location, location.
And this is a great location. My son Lee found this place for me and noted all that was so close.. within blocks.. places like Trader Joes, Barnes and Noble, supermarkets, places to dine, drug stores ,gas stations. In a year I haven't even put 500 miles on my car. To top that off, I am five minutes from the ocean. Can't beat that.
I'm a year older since you last read me on here..
My birthday was May 2 and that fell on a weekend so that meant that all four of my kids could come here to celebrate with me. It was a drive of less than an hour for Lee, Karen and Linda, but for Tod, it was a 3 1/2 drive from Palm Springs.I was very excited to get to be with them all, but even more so to get to see Tod and his Wendy since we so rarely get to see each other now that I live here.
We all met at an Italian restaurant on the harbor in Ventura. It was a beautiful day and we ate at one large outdoor table. It was just great and I loved every minute of being with my kids.
Both Lee and Tod got me the same gift, the Tom Nolan biography on Artie Show, which had just come out. Tod told me that the man who had reviewed the book for the New York Times was one of his professors from Bennington College in Vermont. Tod told him that the author had interviewed me for a few days back in 1996 and 2006 and that "maybe" I was in the book since Artie and I were friends for more than 20 years but more important for that book was the fact I was Artie's personal assistant when he and the orchestra went out on tour in the 80's. Well, the professor said.. " Your mom is all over that book!". To top that, the professor said that he had interviewed Artie the day before the orchestra opened at The Blue Note in New York City and he remembered meeting me. Small world, huh?
There are big sections of tales about me with Artie in the book. Made it really fun to read. If you are a big band fan, or just a fan of Artie Shaw's music ,then you'll want to read the book.. or go to your library, open the book to the index and you can read some of the pages about me.
A famous author wrote to me about my book..
One day I got an email from a famous author I don't know but whoes books I have read for years. He wrote to say he had bought "Active Senior Living" and -- and this is his exact words.." I enjoyed it hugely!"
Got to tell you, that really made my day. My son Lee contacted him asking if we could use his quote on the cover of the next printing of the book but he had to decline saying he never gives out promos on books and was sorry. Well, at least I know he got the book and enjoyed it.
There are those who think I was too critical in my book of how people looked when I first moved here, saying many were fat.
Truth is, they were fat. I'd never seen that many fat elderly people all at once before. It wasn't long before I found out how they had gained all that weight. They were still hungry after the main course at dinner.. had pushed most of it away as unedible.. and then filled up on cake or pie with ice cream, too. Some would order two desserts and one set of sisters used to order three and I did write about them.
Those fat women I first met no longer live here. They have either moved on to some thing like a nursing home, assisted living, or passed away. Newer residents tend to fill up with yogurt , fruit or making a sandwich later in the evening in their apartment. Me? I eat popcorn from Trader Joe's.
Laughter is the best medicine..
I've been watching reruns of " All In The Family." Oh, how great they are. I laugh every night. The show is so much better than any of the sitcoms on now. Even the set design is such a delight.. a rotary dial telephone among the other things from way back when. So when you are watching some blood and guts or vampires on your t.v. you can picture me smiling at Edith Bunker.
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