It is Friday Again

The alcove where my bed resides along with my lamp and at the foot of the bed is a large double door closet.  The little box on the wall  has a string attached which you can pull if you are in trouble.   It is connected to the 'hospital' building across the way. 

My desk with computer, in front of a huge window, Christine's lovely floral sheers, my lamp which was purchased in Carson City in 1982, Pat's plant stands which double for book cases on occasion and a fan to cool me off when I get 'hot under the collar", and last but not least, one of Christine's old television sets which works great.. 

The dining area with Pam's little dinette set she no longer used.   Works great and right now has a puzzle on it.  That is my entrance door where the light is on the right of the picture.  The bath room is on the left of the entrance.

My kitchen.   The white paper on the refrigerator side is our menu for the weekly meal served upstairs in the dining area.  I can bake, fry and make meals right here.   The refrigerator is very tiny so you have to choose carefully what to put in it.  A dozen eggs, a loaf of bread, some fruit .  Left overs keep too. 

See. I do pretty good in making the treats fit.    The last of the homemade applesauce.   Blue berries in the white container and down int he drawer are muffins and bread;  food for a queen.   

As you can see from the pictures, the apartment is sizable for a studio.   I have no one over me and the apartment  under me is a special unit used for visitors.   I haven't found out much abut it or the cost yet, but I am sure it doesn't come cheap.   The building that houses the apartments is one of three with parking spaces surrounding each.   I will have to take my camera for a walk outside so you can see what it looks like.

It has been a busy week.   I am learning more names although I don't remember them all.    It will take time but I am working on it.    Yesterday I walked  along the first floor corridor to  check out the doors.  Each one has some one thing to welcome you.   I hung my Irish leprechaun and put my name on it in big black letters.    The one that caught my attention yesterday was a beautiful scene.   I stopped to look at it and Jan came out of her apartment and invited me in.   We stood by her door as she told me the picture was a scene from Alaska where she spent ten years.  She will have many interesting tales to tell and I've been invited back to visit any time.   She was very gracious and said she was very glad I came to live there.    One down, at least sixty more to go....smile.

I sat with three ladies for our dinner yesterday, two were in the mid nineties and one in her late eighties.   Two have no names yet, but Margaret was easy to remember because that is my middle name.   Association is what is needed and difficult with a cheesecloth memory.  We had delicious chili and corn bread which went down so nice, but, yep the proverbial but, the rest of the day was a reminder repeat of just how tasty it was....never again!!  The food, for the most part, is close to institution food, probably boxed or bagged similar to how they bake at Fred Meyer stores.    Pre-packaged so you really do not know what is within the confines of the box or bag.    The soups are really very tasty and the variety is great, but, there it is again, feeding folks who are on salt and sodium free diets is not in their thoughts.    Salt means taste and taste is what they  try for.   You know if they serve ham it will be followed the next day with a bean soup with ham;    if they serve beef, you can be sure you will have a beef vegetable soup the next day.   They even serve dishes with no names , some delicious, some you wouldn't eat if they paid you to, and some with the comfort food of old.  No complaints, just fun to watch...and I don't have to cook.........yeah, I miss it.

Yesterday,  Pat picked me up and we drove over to her house and watched a few more episodes of "House of Cards" on Netflick.   It has been quite a series and I am anxious to view more. We stopped at a yard sale on the way and I looked over a lot of books but am reluctant to fill the book case I brought with me;  the big one with lots of shelves.    I told the lady I had just given away boxes of books when I down sized;  there's that word again;   and the one book I did choose to buy was an antique one by Barre of  Peter Pan renown.  She smiled, and said she wanted to give the book to me to welcome me to Port Orchard  and I got a hug along with it.     Emma was happy to see me and I got lots of doggy kisses.    We had a treat, some wine, crackers and cheese as we waited for Christine to join us with a pizza for dinner.   She chose one with artichokes that was really tasty.   So my day ended in the company of my daughters where a lot of  love and hugs abound.   Yes,   I am one very lucky lady  So, if  have any complaints I'll keep them to myself  and take one day as it comes.

Meanwhile, take one second at a time and think about that one good deed you want to do today.    There is some on person in your life who needs and wants a tiny bit of your time.  They will give back what you give, so be generous and be on the receiving end of a lot of love.     Thanks for taking time to keep me company.    YOU are special, each one of you. Hugs to all.