Today is a grumpy day weather-wise and post condo association annual meeting-wise. Ugh! After the remarkably contentious, and at times, dramatic meeting last night, I had trouble getting to sleep, and then staying asleep. In a little while I will lie down for a bit before going to Trivia tonight. Today I worked on the church newsletter, getting the finishing touches last night via e-mail after 10:30 pm. Good thing I was still up! Jim B. sent me some info to include in the newsletter regarding a Listening Sunday planned later this month.
When I said it is a grumpy weather day, it is only because of the winds and temperature drop. No fog or overcast skies today, but the winds are causing problems for the firefighters a county or two south of here, battling roadside fires that threaten closing I-95 again. The coolness of the air surprised me this a.m. when I went upstairs to Jessica’s house with scrapbooking supplies. She is having Beckham’s birthday party this weekend and her guests will each be making a page for his scrapbook. She was just about to leave on a walk with him in his stroller and I suggested she put some shoes on his feet because it was chillier by more than 10 degrees than yesterday. It was a fake out day on Monday, I guess!
Besides the drama and bad news in our country and around the world, it comes closer to home than I would like. Last night’s meeting erupted into arm waving and filthy language being spewed, primarily by a pillar of the community, a woman, mind you! I got up and left the room, refusing to be subjected to such vulgarity and animosity in such an unexpected environment. You know, really? A condo meeting? And what exactly generated this vitriol? Someone put in casement windows rather than sash-style windows required by our documents. One person started it, and as far as I know, only this one ‘lady’ used the foul words, but many got into the accusations and personal attacks. It definitely was personal. As I told Justin’s landlady last week, I have the most wonderful neighbors, and I wish my neighbors had wonderful neighbors! Justin told Jackie that I was the hub on the wheel that kept things together but I fear that is no longer the case. All I can do is remain a good neighbor and not flood anyone again, or break the rules of the association, bringing down wrath upon myself!
E-mails and such have gone forth and back this a.m. including an ‘apology’ from the arm-waving filth spewing woman, though it was hard to find the apology in the paragraph as she further pleads her case. Ugh! If I wanted to hear language like that, I would simply have to watch the news reports coming out of my home state, the protests and squatters at the Capital. And other states where the protests are going on, the reports include much of what I witnessed last night, only with signs bearing socialist or communist slogans. Love it, right? I wonder if the news reports in other countries report that “America is on fire” like we report about them…You know, in the big picture, this window issue is extremely minor and yet, horribly upsetting!
It seems one can go nowhere without being exposed to the language of the streets. Even when dressed in gorgeous evening gowns and draped in diamonds, on the world’s stage, lovely women find these words falling from their lips. That would not happen “by accident” if it was not already part of their vocabulary. Looking classy without having any. Even the cooking shows Justin is so fond of have to do the bleep bleep bleep thing…Now, I am not all that crazy about being in the kitchen and doing cooking, but it would not occur to me to call down the Lord or use filthy words to describe my situation! Only those on the receiving end of my meals would!!!!
Monday when we were gathered around the table at Longhorn, the groups separated by a space between the booths, Twila and I were talking about current events. I told Twila about my stocking up at Winn Dixie’s 10 for 10 sale the other day. We discussed the length of shelf-life of the food stuffs we are storing and Twila remarked that even cat food would serve as food for humans if push came to shove. Our poor friend sitting next to us asked, somewhat quiveringly, “What are you talking about? Is there something I don’t know?” This lady is all about saving animals and worries about polar bears, etc., but does not really follow the news the same way others do.
“What is going on???” she asks. Some of us began recounting the events around the world, primarily in the Mideast and the oil producing nations (only last week this same lady told me she was going to gas up before the price jumped!), I mentioned about the devaluing of our currency and the inflation already affecting food prices and supplies. Others in our group jumped in with evidence of the coming distress and this lady said, “Well, I guess the ***** have it right with their stock piling, if their food is not out of date already.” One of our former members began to stockpile a year or more ago, and one could barely walk through the house due to the cases of food stacked around, so I am told. I am not that bad, and consider it my hurricane supplies, if nothing else. If I see baby wipes on special, believe me, I am stocking up. As Cliff and I discussed at church on Sunday, we know the Lord is in charge and has these matters in His control, but as faithful stewards, we are obligated to also be active participants in the world around us. And to be prepared! The good news about stockpiling incandescent light bulbs which are going away is that they are not so heavy to carry upstairs!
That's it---no more annual Owner's meetings for me this year!!!! I affects my spirit badly....Perhaps tonight we will win again at Trivia and all will be right with the world once more. Smile!
