...and you know, they weren't mad at all!

One of the most lovable ladies here is Angeline. She loves to help everyone--sometimes even if that means shoving them to one side while she 'helps'.

She couldn't make it over to the drycleaners on Friday (errands on done on Thursday and Friday). So she finally made it over to the drycleaners on the next Friday. Of course, she had called the previous Friday to tell the drycleaners that she would be bringing in her raincoat.

So she had missed the first Friday but was on time for the second Friday.

"And do you know what? They weren't mad that I hadn't been in to bring my raincoat the previous Friday; they weren't mad at all!"

Imagine. But she was releaved. She still can't get over it. That they weren't mad.

Della rides again

Della lives near me in the building and she is a tiny bit of work. She is all crippled up with something that looks to the untrained eye to be severe oesteperorisis; she moves around with a little three wheeled walker and has to strain to raise her head to see you. You almost want to beg her to leave her head down, but she is too nice a lady not to look you in the eye. She is inevitably cheerful and chipper.

The other day, she fell. Actually, she falls almost every day (and most nights). But this time, it was bad enough that she had a significant gash on the top of her noggin. So, it was off to the hospital but first, she made her son take her down to the local farmers market. She wanted to see what they had to offer and she wasn't about to miss it just because she was bleeding. Besides, the bleeding had mostly stopped.

She had six staples. I talked to her tonight. They had removed the staples. I asked if she got to keep the staples. "No" she replied sadly "I was hoping, but they said 'no'."

Small house repair

Heloise lives in a nearby house; it is one of the only houses within walking distance of the New Pointe building.

I have done some light gardening for her--planted some pots, took a dead small tree away and that sort of thing. She needed a small trim piece replaced on the exterior of the house. It needed a one by three inch board about twenty feet long.

How much? She had asked me to weed a little in the spring and I had told her there would be no charge. She insisted that I had to be paid. I suggested ten dollars an hour. She thought that 'too much'. So I did the work anyway and when she asked what I should be paid, I suggested that she 'put a little more in the church plate when it came around.' That seemed to work.

But the trim piece was a bigger deal. The wood cost $20--so I said that thirty dollars would be fine.

After I was done, she pressed the money on me but had a question: "How did you paint it so well and get none of the paint on the sidewalk?"

"I bought a pre-painted white broad."

Heloise's mouth went into a perfect oval. She hadn't thought you could just go out and buy painted trim.

I am a genius, as far as she is concerned. She's right.

At 100 , you get a free pass

I was having dinner with Henrietta, when she indicated that she really didn't want a brownie for desert. I told her to tell the waitress but it was the waitress that hadn't understood her in the first place--handing her a brownie when she clearly said she wanted ice cream.

Henrietta is Old School in not wanting to create any waves. I assured her that at her age, she has 'pre-forgiveness'. "You can do anything you want, and you are pre-forgiven. Ask for some ice cream and don't worry. You are forgiven anything you do; forgiven anything that you might say. Go ahead. You've earned it."

She laughed, but stuck with the unwanted brownie.

Slyvia

Slyvia, one of the real treasures, had a replacement aorta valve put in last week. She is doing even better than expected but she is still in ICU.

The level of concern for her is touching. Everyone wants to know how she is. Paula, one of her tablemates, is a small wisp of a 94 year old woman with a wonderful way about her. I had talked to Slyvia's son and Paula wanted to know how she was. "How is she?" Then she pointed a boney finger at me and said in a stern voice "And the Truth!" Fortunately I was able to honestly give her a good report.

Health, or the lack thereof, is very important around New Pointe.

Up on the Roof

One day, the boss told the staff to be on the look-out for someone who was going up on the roof. "We found cigarette butts up there. We don't know who has been going up there but keep an eye open for it."

Henry was finished with dinner and I was walking with him in the hallway. "Come on. We're going for a walk" I said.

Henry said "But I don't have a coat."

"It ain't that cold; come on." I steered him toward an door.

"But I already went for a walk this morning" he complained.

"And another won't hurt. A short one." I had gotten us outside and on the sidewalk. We went around the corner.

"Now, Henry: no more going on the roof." I tried to sound gruff but the laughing sort of ruined the effect.

"Who ratted me out?" Henry wanted to know.

"Nobody ratted you out. You're the only one crazy enough to go up on the roof--and spry enough to make it." I threw an arm around him. "No more going up on the roof, OK?"

"OK. But I'm chiciken; I never went closer than ten feet to the edge."

"Maybe so, but no more roof walking. You might get blown off. I would miss you if you went and died."

We got back inside. You got to love the guy. I'm still not sure how he got up on the roof. And I am not sure he won't go back up. But I am sure I would miss him if he died.

To Dog food or Not to Dog Food

I have a dog here at the retirement center. That's not so unusual; there are about six dogs that I know of and about a dozen cats. My dog is bigger than all-but-one of them and frisky in spite of being blind. Several of the women--particularly the women--love my dog.

One of the residents has taken to saving some of her dinner for my dog. Her excuse is that she has a medical condition that prevents her from swallowing most foods but I think she would save something for my dog no matter. She brings the tidbits to the door and she is just tickled that the dog gets the food. It also doesn't matter that the rich food wrecks havoc on the dog's direstive system. I can't refuse her the opportunity to give the food.

So I end up eating it. It's good food. It does me no harm and I'm hungry around 9:30. The dog does not know that I am eating her food. The woman gets a warm, fuzzy feeling.