U Turns & Critters

I like Wilmington. Everything is nearby: banks, doctors, grocery stores, vets, and, of course, the Atlantic Ocean. They are all within a five to ten-minute drive. The roads are wide, multiple highways intersecting, mainly because there is a lot of water, which means a lot of bridges, which means wide roads to go with the bridges. Of course, my favorite part of the road system is the U-turn at every light. Google Maps and I do not sync every time so a U-turn fixes that (usually on a daily basis) when I am out and about. Google also takes me around through different housing tracts, if you can call them that. The houses are beautiful. There are well-kept Tudors, Craftsmans, Colonials, and Ranch Styles. And you can find them on hidden streets behind Burger Ks and $trees. Sometimes, driving through these areas, I feel that the Southern version of G-Maps is introducing me to the genteel South.

The place where I now live is lovely. It is clean and decorated nicely and well lit. I have not met one employee who has been less than welcoming and, although I have only been to the dining room five times, the girls working there already know my name. We are encouraged to wear our name tag but I keep forgetting. I wish that some of the others would stop forgetting so I can see their names. Well, I guess that not forgetting should probably start with me, right?

There are supposed to be close to 200 residents here but I see the same 50 or so in the restaurant (dining room) every day. Many of them are using walkers, some wheelchairs, and I am still looking for people like me – a little more active; people who are active and who get out, maybe still drive. I am up early every morning and open my blinds to see individuals walking, at brisk paces around this huge complex. So I know they are out there. Emily told me they were out there so it must be true.

Still, I have found those I have eaten with to be fascinating individuals. The other day I had lunch with a woman who came to the U.S. with three children in tow and no money. Of course, it was a long time ago, but how scary that must have been. And people think I’m brave. The lady in the other seat had come from England, of course many years ago. Then, the third lady sitting across from me uses a walker. It looks to me like she is in pain just from walking but she informed me she daily walks the outside building around completely and sometimes twice. I haven’t done it once yet. She also has a talent for remembering names. I’m lucky to remember someone’s dog’s name. When I kiddingly challenged her she began naming every person in the restaurant. Fortunately, there were only about 20 dining at the time.

Tomorrow I am going to try a Baptist church, mainly because it is five minutes away and easy to get to (no U-turns needed). I like a church that opens the Bible, and the Baptists are pretty good for that. Then I will come back for Brunch at the restaurant. Then, I will check out the card room where they will be playing Bridge. Now that’s a “secret” society I would like to get membership into.

I work, a little, on my apartment every day but not for long stretches. All of my boxes have been unpacked (30 total) and the cardboard has been cut down and recycled, but I am not at the organized point where I can take a video and send it to my curious friends. Soon, Richard, soon. Outside my patio there is a large pot with three different plants that look like they probably won’t die on me. I also stuck two red, blue and silver whirlygigs on either side of my path out to the parking lot. When the landscapers came to do clean up work they didn’t disturb the spinning wheels so I guess I’m safe in assuming they are okay to have. There is a lovely tree just outside on my path so I have placed a birdfeeder there. It was there for three days and, just today, I noticed a lot of feeding activity. I also noticed that the squirrels are doing a happy dance at the ground below the feeder. Everybody is happy. You know who else is happy? It’s the Cicadas. You know, the insects who spend their lives under the ground only to show themselves this time of year. Well, actually, they don’t show themselves. They make their presence known. Imagine the sound of a thousand crickets but turn them into baritones. Crickets become quiet when you walk near them but Cicadas get louder when you approach. I am told I will probably never see them, but after they go “down under” again I will probably see their shells left behind, kind of like snapshots left from their visit. It’s just another one of the sounds of the South.

My mind is filled with ideas to write about but, right now, a bowl of ice cream is sitting in my freezer, calling my name.
JoJo and I are healthy and comfortable.

#lovetoy’all