R.I.P.

We’ve lost some legendary and famous people this week including Ted Kennedy and DJ AM. The tenants of Admiral Manor also suffered a tough loss this week…the pool.

A few weeks ago my husband came home from paying rent to tell me the pool (which had been locked up for over a month), was closed due to a leak that they couldn’t afford to fix. I was understandably upset since I was not only losing a place to catch Washington’s limited rays, but I was losing inspiration for this blog.

This week proved to be the final hurrah for the once great pool. Tuesday morning I was rocked, quite literally, by the sound and vibrations of a jackhammer. I looked out the window expecting to see a construction crew working on the side street, but was instead greeted by our building’s handyman using a jackhammer on the pool.

After further investigation I discovered not only the handyman plowing away at the concrete, but my neighbor, Mr. P, bailing the remaining water out of the pool with a small bucket better suited for a sandbox. Intrigued, I went to check the mail so I could get a better look at the situation. That is when I noticed Doc Holiday sitting in a lawn chair, smoking, and pealing off the privacy plastic that covered the fence surrounding the pool. Come to find out the management was giving residents a discount on rent if they helped with the pool demolition.

The next morning I was relieved to get notification from management that a professional crew would be coming in on Monday morning to fill the pool with concrete. I didn’t want Meth-head Mama driving a concrete truck or Doc Holiday working a blow torch.

The Power Outage

When you live in a half-way-house (a.k.a. Admiral Manor Apartments), there are certain basic necessities that the sober folk must have to make it “one day at a time.” Such necessities include smokes, red bull, ramen noodles, public transportation, television, and rap music. The last two has something in common: they require electricity. So when the power went out at 5:30 on a Sunday night, I knew the “wagon” just got a little wobbly.

I was a little surprised when the T.V. suddenly went black. I thought we had blown a fuse or something because the kitchen light and microwave clock didn’t go off. But soon I knew it was more than just limited to our apartment. It took all of 45 seconds before the neighbors started hollering out their door.

“Hey, did anyone else lose power?”

“Uh, my T.V. just went off but my fridge is running!”

“My bathroom light works!”

“Oh I didn’t check my bathroom yet, I will go now!”

After about five minutes, the yelling died down. I had figured out that a hodge-podge of outlets had lost power throughout each apartment. It soon became apparent that those outlets were home to most of the television sets.

Soon doors began opening and I started hearing the pitter-patter of feet (or the dragging of flip flops). This was followed by the continuous flicking of cigarettes lighters and the smell of tobacco smoke wafting through my window. And that is when I started hearing the anxiety in their voices.

“How long you think it will be out?”

“The electric company has to come out and fix it tonight, right?”

“Man, what if we don’t have T.V. all night?”

This talking, pacing and smoking continued for the next three hours until the power was restored to all outlets in the complex. I didn’t hear much of what the neighbors said after that. I was too busy watching a movie on my television set. Instead of smoking and complaining, I pulled out the extension cord and plugged that TV into a working outlet. Duh.

A Softball First

I have played softball on and off for about 14 years (which makes me feel rather old), so I have seen just about everything. Tonight, though, I had a first.

First, I will give you a little background for those of you who aren’t military types. On military bases they raise the American Flag at sunrise and sunset, no surprise there (they call this “Colours”). And when they raise the flag they play music over the loud speakers (National Anthem at sunrise, tune called “sunset” at, well, sunset). The cool thing is that when Colours occurs, everything outside on the base stops. If you’re driving, you stop. If you’re walking, you stop and stand at attention. It is very cool to watch.

So tonight we had a softball game that went into extra innings. With two outs, I stroke a single up the middle (because I rock). Our next batter bloops a can of corn into right field. As I am running to second base the music starts and Colours begins. The umpire yells “stop where you are” and everyone freezes, turns toward the sunset and stands at attention (non-military just stand with our arms at our sides). Once the song was over, play continued, and I took the last few steps to second base.

A total first for me. Love it.

--Oh and we lost the game because boys are stupid and throw the ball around when they should just hold it and call time out.

A Diet Update

So it has been three weeks since I have been trying to eat “real” food and do away with processed nonsense. I am happy to say that I have lost 5 pounds and haven’t really felt too deprived.

I am a little disappointed in myself though. In the past when I try to watch what I eat I tend to get into gourmet ruts, eating the same thing day to day. And it looks like I have done it again. After exploring some organic options, I found a handful of things that I like and that is all I eat. No more exploration for me.

So I am on the hunt for some recipes that will expand my horizons. I mean, I don’t want to come home with a bushel of veggies that will just rot in my fridge. I have talked with some friends who are going to send me some of their favorites, so I am hopeful.

I also need to make a trip to Whole Foods, but the nearest one will involved a Ferry ride and a 40 minute walk. I could make a day of it, but making it a regular stop while I am here in Washington, doesn’t seem very realistic.

Okay, enough with the pity party. I can only do what I can do. I am pumped and will continue on!

Top Ten List Of The Week

Laura’s Top Ten Lifetime Movies

10. Long Island Lolita (staring Alyssa Milano)—story of Amy Fischer who falls for Joey Butafucco and shoots his wife in the face.
9. No One Would Tell (staring Fred Savage and Candace Cameron Bure)—Fred and Candace star as high school sweethearts involved in an abusive relationship that their small town ignores until Candance turns up missing (um, she's dead).
8. Friends till the End (staring Jason London and Shannen Doherty)—Shannen befriends a seemingly innocent blonde who ends up trying to steal her life (boyfriend, band, etc.). The highlight (not) is that Shannen is the lead singer of a band and sings throughout.
7. A Face to Die For (staring Yasmine Bleeth)—Yasmine has a disfigured face and gets sent to jail for a crime her low-down hubby committed. But she gets amazing plastic surgery and becomes a stunning beauty hell bent of getting revenge!
6. If Someone Had Known (staring Kellie Martin, Ivan Sergei)—Typical abusive husband story well acted by Kellie Martin (dated the HIV-positive guy on the TV show Life Goes On...you know, the one with Corkey!)
5. She Woke Up Pregnant (staring Lynda Carter and Michele Greene)—A loyal housewife ends up pregnant even though her husband is infertile (the dentist drugged and impregnated her).
4. Co-Ed Call Girl (staring Tori Spelling)—Tori stars as a shy, co-ed who gets pulled into a world of high end call girls and eventually murder!
3. Dying to Belong (staring Sarah Chalke, Hilary Swank, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Jenna Von Oy)—Sorority drama featuring a fatal hazing incident (Six from old TV show Blossom falls off a building after trying to hang a banner) and the subsequent cover-up.
2. The Burning Bed (staring Farah Fawcet)— Originally a Made-for-TV movie that debuted on NBC. One of the first abusive husband story to make it to TV, this movie features Farah as an abused wife who sets her husband on fire while he sleeps.
1. Mother may I Sleep with Danger? (staring Tori Spelling)—Tori is a co-ed again in this movie, but this time she falls for a psycho boyfriend who tries to control her life and kills anyone in his way!

Funny Things I’ve Heard this Week

• "You’d better be careful or that prosecutor will throw another charge your way"
• "Your right is on the right side of your right"
• "I don’t want to play softball today, I want to stay home and have sex"
• "I have had a long day, I’ve walked to the laundry room like four times"
• "I’m not ready for the whole Bolivian Army"
• "You’re upsetting my rabbit"

Tonight

I played softball tonight in the rain and could see my breath. And let me remind you, it is August.

I have nothing more to say.