Tag Archives: Brookdale Imperial Plaza

15

Oct. ’17

The World’s Spinning Faster

Thinking about the fiasco surrounding the NFL; the kneeling situation. I am dissolving my cheering for my NFL team, the Dallas Cowboys. Why, you may be wondering? It’s not what the team did, kneeling during the national anthem, it’s Dallas’ owner who is in the president’s pocket by saying the team will stand or not play. He was one of the president’s largest contributors which is also a mark against him. Strike two.

While in the military, I told the men that worked for me- in a baseball game there are three strikes before you are out. In my game you have two strikes and you are out. Mess up once, the strike is on me. Mess up twice and you are out. Jerry Jones have two strikes. I love the team but not the owner, especially what he is standing for.

Kneeling was never against the flag but against inequality. Against everything except the dishonoring the flag. Not once have anyone said anything about the flag or anthem, they wanted to have their voice heard, to unify. But, someone, somehow twisted the message and that was heard loudest. This will free-up time on Thursday, Sunday and Monday.

Also, bundled into this is the thought of burning, throwing away or rendering unwearable all the team gear that was collected over the years. Many have already sacrificed all the gear they have but the NFL and the team already have the money, what’s the point. I’ll keep mine but I’ll stop cheering.

Did you know that the president is so knowledgeable and have so much respect for the flag that he did not know what the music was before lowering or raising the flag or what it was for? Nor did he know what was to be done when the music was heard, etc. But, he is down on everyone about respecting the flag yet, in the beginning, he did not know it was never about the flag. What is to be done to the people that burn or stomp on the flag? I wonder.

As for the retiree/senior citizen, have you heard that the president have signed a proclamation to suspend funds to supplement healthcare for low income people? That it will mean is either higher cost for healthcare or higher cost of health insurance or both? As of yet, I am not affected yet because I am a military retiree but I am holding my breathe because this president may have other tricks up his ?/&**$# sleeve. I don’t trust him, don’t believe him nor have I ever. Any and everything touched by President Obama will be stricken, regardless what it is or whether it hurt people or not.

Moving on to my travels, a retiree’s privilege. This time my wife and I took the Sunshine bus tour to Cass, West Virginia. We stopped at the observatory and had lunch before going to Cass, WV. From a distance I took pictures of the large dish and the small dish but other than that there wasn’t much to see. Then on to the train.

This was a small locomotive that ran up and down the mountain pulling four open sided cars (from Cass to the tourist station at the top) and while at the top another train arrived from the other direction. It was interesting as well as fun. A good day and that was last week.

This week, Brookdale Imperial Plaza took the weekly outing to Charlestown, West Virginia, the Charlestown Casino/Racetrack. This was an overnight trip because the horse racing is always in the evening. I did okay in the casino but lost my shirt on the horses. It is all about having fun and spend only what you can afford to lose. Never go to the casino expecting to win because you may win a little but the odds are against you. My wife and I had a good time and in two weeks we will be at the casino in Delaware before continuing on to Connecticut for the casinos there. We have not been in either place in a while but now is the time to go, this is before our next cruise which will be in December. Therefore, in two weeks one or both blogs may not be uploaded. Fun first.

Get out the house, get out of town and have fun. You may be here today but tomorrow is not promised. See ya!!!

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17

Feb. ’17

ROMEO

Remember the acronym ROMEO I refer to from time to time? The group of men from Brookdale Imperial Plaza? Well, I guess all of you could tell from my writings that I really loved being out once a month with the guys. There are only around a dozen of us that do this and we really enjoy eating and drinking together. All men with jibs on each other and language to boot. I’ve been here a little over three years and have been on thirty nine out of forty outings.

ROMEO…Retired Old Men Eating Out. Before now, the only two men that were not old nor retired were the bus driver and the Activities Guide. That was before the last two. The last two have had a woman or two and a non-resident young male. RETIRED OLD MEN EATING OUT. It was great saying what you wanted to say, the way you wanted to say it and everyone understood and did not get offended. They understood the old way of speaking and how to rib someone. No explanation necessary. Cursing was not a no-no because no one but us guys were there.

The last two outings had women. The first one was from the Activities Dept. because she said she always wanted to eat at that particular place. The last time was because our normal man, from the Activities Dept., had to drive the bus (short of bus drivers) therefore a female from the Activities Dept. was selected because that is all there is. In the past, the activities guy driving the bus had been the driver, tour guide and aide all rolled into one. That was then but not this time. Then, when we get there the other female joins us. Then in walks her boyfriend. We had to make room for him.

The only place to make room was beside me therefore I was jammed in beside them and small talk was made with them. The usual banter with light jibs was never made and, it seem to me, tense. We ate, got on the bus and returned to Imperial Plaza. By the time I got home (I stopped outside for a while to smoke a cigar) my wife knew I was sitting with the women. That was not a problem, considering who the women were. The wives always kidded us about the time we returned. It was a standing joke that we needed a written excuse to get into the house if we were running late that evening. Most times we were late but it was always the usual laughable joke. Never who we were with or what we talked about.

The group’s name is ROMEO and I will drop out until it comes back to an all male group. That is what I signed up for. I did not sign up for a mixed group. I can do that with my wife and have even more pleasure. There will not be any telling of what I did or that I was sitting with the women because she is with me. I can stay as long as I like because she is with me. I can go back to being a loner and not the point of speculation. Good-bye ROMEO! Or is it now PEO People Eating Out?

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06

Feb. ’17

Alarm Clock

It is great to have an alarm clock, but here at Imperial Plaza I don’t think I need one for the normal getting up in the morning. It is normal at around 7:30am, Monday through Friday, to hear a leaf blower cleaning the sidewalks and streets. Therefore, for that time of morning I do not need a manual alarm clock, only for very early appointments. Even with the windows closed I can still hear the leaf blower and I am on the seventh floor. It is still loud.

Then between 8am and 8:30am the trash truck comes to pick up from the dumpster. I hear the beep, beep, beep of the backup alarm and I hear the hydraulics of the truck raising the dumpster. Then I hear the clanging of the trash being dumped from the dumpster into the truck. The next thing I hear, which really gets to me, is the truck backing up, loudly beeping all the way. And all of this noise is from the building beside mine. The truck then comes to my building and the noise starts all over again, only closer. I don’t need an alarm clock with all of this going on.

I am well aware that all of this is necessary. I am also acutely aware of how immaculate our lawns and streets are. The trash rarely fills to overflowing, except on a long holiday weekend or someone moving in or out. Who can complain about that? With me and my wife always going to bed late I guess we will have to put up with the morning noise. It’s a small price to pay for the enjoyment that we get afterward. I will never complain about it because I do not want Brookdale Imperial Plaza’s Management making drastic changes and mess up the good thing that we are having. Retirement is beautiful and I want to keep it that way.

I remember when I had my house I had to do all of the work myself. Once or twice a week I had to drag my trash cans from the back of the house and put it on the edge of the curb for trash pickup. When he came to lawn care, I did all of it including the bushes and hedges. How can I gripe about having it all done for me at no cost. My grandmother and my mother used to constantly say “do not look a gift horse in the mouth”. This is truly a gift horse and I’m trying hard not to look at it and pout. I am thankful for what I have and don’t want to mess it up for anything.

Thinking about timing, it is ironic, while trying to get this done, testing of the fire alarm was being done. There wasn’t a notice that this was to occur where usually we would have some type of warning. Then again, the warning that was usually given was inadequate. We usually have a testing once a month at 10am in the morning. The notice for the morning test is usually put out the day before, or it should be but, I have been complaining ever since I’ve been here, that notice usually go out in the wee hours of the morning (night?). Everyone is asleep when the notice comes out and, if you don’t check your message box in front of your door when you wake up early, you will not get the notice. When the alarm sounds you will be wondering if it is real or not. I usually look out my door into the hallway to see if a notice is in my message box. If a message is not there, then the alarm is real. If a message is there, then it is a test. I am usually already up and messing about because the leaf blower and the trash truck have already sounded an alarm (LOL).

So, here at if Imperial Plaza, there are all sorts of alarm clocks. This have only been three out of a few others I can think of. However, it is better than when I had a house and had to do all of this myself. Now, as I have a cup of coffee and look out my window, I can say those were the days when I had to do all of that myself. I smile as I reminisce. (slurp…aaahhh)

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13

Mar. ’16

It’s That Time Of Year Again

Aah, spring is right around the corner and the heat is on. Not too hot and not too cool but just right. I love this time of year. What is even better is the fact the fish are getting ready for me. They are just waiting for me to come for them and to bring them home. Aah, my time of year. Plus, I love retirement and all that it brings. The problem is I don’t have enough time. There are not enough hours in the day for me to do all the things I want to do. Fish, bike, walk, travel, gamble, read, write and other things I just can’t say at the moment. Hell, looking at the list, that’s a lot. No wonder I don’t have time for anything. I didn’t even include sleep or The Might Pen Project (themightypenproject.org) (or go to the Virginia War Memorial web site). The MPP is keeping me very busy in itself but it is a good organization and more vets should try it. Not because it is free but simply try it and let the inter self flow.

Besides my fishing, I have quite a few trips planned. There is so much to do and not enough time to do it and work my part-time job also. First on the list is to Charlestown, W.V for two days at the casino. Next on the agenda is Puerto Rico for a few days. June is the ten day cruise, sponsored by Brookdale Imperial Plaza. July is my grandson’s wedding in Colorado. I’m not sure about August but September is the jazz fest in Hampton Coliseum (not The Hampton Jazz Festival). This should be three days of great music and fun and it’s only an hour away. I’ve already booked my tickets and hotel space (can’t be driving home drunk on I-64 ). This is as far as I’ve gotten, so far, and the year is covered except for August. At least, I don’t remember what will happen in August. I’m sure there’s something. Oh yeah…there is a family reunion in Penn. coming up. Forgot about that. Oh, well!!!

What I really want to do is go back to Europe next year. My wife have never been (like I’ve never been to Puerto Rico, where she is from) to Europe. I want to show her Germany, Holland, Austria and then England before returning home. I may stop by France but that would be a side trip while we are there. Most of the time will be in Germany and Austria. That is only a plan at the moment.

Retirement is great and I’ve worked all my life to enjoy my waning days. Just as well spend what I have because I can’t take it with me when it’s my time to move on out of here. When it’s that time, I can’t say wait, give me more time because I want to do this or that. And, years have been spent working to do this.

So, all of you out there, have the fun I am planning to have. Don’t let grass grow under your feet. Move!! Have fun!! Go places, do things!! Life is short and will not wait on you. And, if my blog is late getting out or it’s not out at all, you now have an idea why. Don’t hold it against me and, on second thought, join me. We can have fun together and just live it up.

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08

Nov. ’15

Elderly and Writing

Cool weather is upon us and we must prepare for the up coming cold winter air. Don’t wait because it will be upon us before we know it. Winter, like summer, is no joke, especially if you are among the elderly. Things we used to do when we were younger is no longer true now. The heat or coldness we used to endure is fatal now. The getting up at the crack of dawn is gone. Swiftness in our step is slowing if not already slowed. Soon it will come to a stop; we all must meet that fate. It’s no fun getting up in age; we all must meet that fate also. We are human and not infallible and must watch what we say, do and react to. Infallibility certainly come with age and we get older, not younger.

Have patience with those that are older than we are. Those that move slower. Those that are slower in wit (some didn’t get it with age but was there most of their lives). Not only does the body deteriorate with age, so does the mind (few exceptions allowed). Be helpful and understand. One day we all will be in the same position. How would we want to be treated?

On a lighter note…My wife and I attended the Annual Meeting (and luncheon) of The Virginia Writers Club on the 7th and it was grand, although there wasn’t as many attendees as I thought there would be. We bought a couple of books (the book I’m writing is not finished yet) and had them autographed. My wife won a prize, a book. The main speaker was great and the food was out of this world. The event was held at The Embassy Suites Hotel and the hotel have a botanical garden area that Lewis Ginter Gardens would surely love to have. It was wonderful to tour the floras and running water (all indoors, of course). We even accidentally met the keeper of the gardens. It was a great day. Now I must buckle down and write in earnest. I’ll tell you why…

The Mighty Pen is a project presented (hosted) by the Virginia War Memorial. I am in the second class of writers that are coached (taught, instructed) by some highly powered people. The class was an idea of author David Robbins and he taught the first class and drops in on the second class, my class, which have two more weeks left of a ten week course. My class is instructed by Dr. David Coogan, author and professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. There are only twelve people at each class but two have dropped out of mine. As can be expected, the writings are all about the military, fact or fiction (great majority is fact). It is a great course and I would have never forgiven myself if I had passed on the opportunity to attend (it was my wife that showed me the article about the class). I’m glad I am attending and I have learned a lot as well as rubbed elbows with a lot of influential people. I hope the younger class members realize what an opportunity it is to be there.

Mr. David Robbins is also the co-founder of the James River Writers Club and asked me to check into them and, hopefully, join. I am looking into them as soon as I can and, if they are as good as The Virginia Writers Club, I will join. These clubs, in the future, may be a help to me in my writings and will look good on my resume, when submitted to a publisher. Wish me luck.

There was suppose to be a writing course started here at Imperial Plaza. I signed up for the course about three months ago but have not heard anything yet. I heard, a couple of weeks ago, that they were looking for people to take the course but my name and number have been on the sign-up sheet for a long time. Oh well, no contact, no sweat. I’ll wait because I have plenty of other things on my plate, not counting my writings.

Remember, prepare for winter and keep a sharp mind. Be mindful of others and, as it was said in days of yore, “keep on keeping on”. And, as I used to close all my radio programs, “be kind to your neighbors, because you’ll never know when you’ll need them. Also, ensure your words are soft and sweet, because you’ll never know when you’ll have to eat them”. Bye-bye!!!

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