Do You Like It Here?

Somebody asked me if I like it here. I took a long time to answer, and even then I couldn't say "yes." That caused me to think about my true feelings. No I don't like it. There are a great many benefits to living here, but they don't make me like it. 

I don't always like the food. Sometimes it's O.K. I don't like not having a car and being able to come and go as I please. I can use the transportation bus and get stuff done, but it's not always convenient or pleasing. I don't like having to use cable for TV. It's mostly a bore. 

Back to the food, I don't like the meal schedule. 8:a.m., 12:30 and 5:30 makes the meals too close together. I would like 7 a.m. 12 noon, and 6 p.m. or maybe 6:30. I'd like them spread out a little more. It seems like all there is to do is get over one meal and wait for the next one.

I am really bored by the activity schedule. Many of the activities are not attended, so I guess I'm not the only once that finds the schedule worse than boring. Some people really get into the bingo games. I'm glad for them, but bingo has never been my favorite. I'm not big on cards or dominoes either. And I don't play Texas Holdem Poker.

So there are my complaints. Given time I'll probably find more. I didn't mention that some people are not my favorite companions, but maybe that'd be getting too honest. There are many intelligent people whose conversation's I would enjoy. I guess I haven't found most of them yet. I like one gentleman whose hearing is so bad he doesn't make conversation. It is nice to sit with him and have no obligation to talk. Sometimes I've sat alone, but then people want me to sit with someone since they perceive my solitude as loneliness. I really don't like this.

Study the Bible

I am campaigning for Bible study. People who claim to be Christians should practice Bible study. They should read the Bible and examine it to understand or discuss its issues.. Many Bible themes are difficult requiring forethought before sharing them. I have heard for years that most Church member are Biblically illiterate. It's time to correct that.  

Dealing with these issues is hard especially when it involves your children. To be an example to your children, it is essential that you model studying the Bible. You have to practice the principles it teaches. You have to study it to know and understand what it says.

For your own decisions understanding the Bible is important. When you are a Christian, you are obligated to behave in ways that reflect your profession. Study the Bible to understand those ways and shape your behavior to match God's requirement. Bible study is the way to begin 

Do the Right Thing!

The Resident Council of "the home" meets today. Being a member of that noble body does not thrill me with awe and wonder. Being a member prompts two questions in my mind: Why did anybody vote for me?  and What do the residents expect us to do about the concerns?

I found out how I got elected. A friend decided I would be good on the Resident Council after she discovered I had been on the City Council and served as mayor of a very small town in East Texas. I would not have thought that my credentials would have served me well. A group of citizens took us to District Court charging some sort of malfeasance. It was no-billed, but still that doesn't sound like something I would brag about if I had wanted to be on the council. She impressed others to vote for me. It actually wasn't that many, but here I am.

All the Resident Council does is recommend action to the Manager. Well, we can, as a body address issues verbally. In the only such case so far, the offender stoutly denied that she had done anything. We were acting on the testimony of several people including members of management. We told her that her actions were inappropriate. She still denied responsibility. We couldn't send her to the principal!

The second question: What do residents expect us to do about their concerns? I'll tell you what we do. We read the complaint and then look at each other and shrug our collective shoulders. I really hate the complaints that complain that something isn't fair. We are adults and we found out that life's not fair long before we arrived at this place. That may mean that we have to make up for the deficit in other people's behavior. No, that's not fair, but it's the way life is.  

To Serve or Be Served

I joined a Church today. It isn't a highly progressive and dynamic one I don't suppose. I attended another one for three weeks trying to see where I felt like I'd like to be. 

The Church I chose may be struggling. I'm not sure, but I found a place where I can offer to serve. Somehow, I am more attracted by a Church that needs me where I have something to offer, than by one that is vibrant and growing and I might get lost in.

It could be that I am seeking to make myself important, and that is probably conceit and self-promotion. It certainly falls short of a spiritual call, but I'll see how God works and how I fit in with the Church. I don't imagine it will take long for me to know if I am able to contribute to the Church's ministry and program. I'll also find out if the Church feeds me. I've changed churches on several occasions when the one I was attending stopped nourishing me in the Word of God. 

Who Do You Want to Eat With?

Going to meals in "the home" is enlightening. When I first moved in, asking if I could sit with someone at meals was a way to get introduced. I didn't enjoy every meal companion I sat with, but it was pretty good way find out who people were and learn ut the local gossip.

The managers encourage new people to introduce themselves. They also encourage residents to make new people feel welcome so I was somewhat surprised one day last week when I sat by myself and several people commented on it. The group at the next table tried to introduce me to another group as if I was helpless. I appreciated their concern, but I'm a big girl and I can take care of myself. When I choose to eat alone, it's because I want to. Sometimes I don't want to talk to people. Sometimes I just want to sit there in the silence and think or maybe not even that--just sit there and wait.

I thought about it for a while. If I wan't to eat alone I need to take something to read. When someone is reading, they don't look alone. They look occupied, busy, even. Maybe if I want to eat alone, I should stay home and eat peanut butter.

When I eat alone, I remember what Frank would have said about the menu or the dishes. He was very critical of "tender crisp vegetables" He wanted them cooked well done. He would have griped about the desserts too. Don't they know what "sugar free" means? There have to be others in a group this large, who would like to have a sugar free dessert. Who ever told the chef that Jello is a salad? By the way, it's not dessert either.I guess this is not a meal I would enjoy. It's just a list of gripes, but there are things he would enjoy, too, and I would enjoy the visit with him. 

Food at "the home"

Most of the food at "the home" is pretty good. I mean it will sustain life, but let's face it: The food gets all the complaints. Most of the food is not cooked like I made it when I was at my house. They don't season it like I would. The menus are not selected like I would  Some of it is just not fixed to fit my taste. All that being said, it's still O.K.

Now let's get down to the real opinion. Most of it is not the way I want it done, but I want to gripe about abut some specifics. A Chicken Croquette was not something I was acquainted with. I have made and eaten Salmon Croquettes for many years--this looked like something I knew, but it was not. It had less taste and I could have been convinced that it had already been chewed. It had a lovely, deceptive brown crust, but then it fell apart. The crust was covered in a rather tasteless sauce described as Country Gravy on the menu. I have both and made and eaten Country Gravy. This was made from a mix and was even blander than the Croquette.

On to other things: The other item on the plate was labeled
 Marinated Salad. I guess marinated means it was soggy and sour. Salad is supposed to be crisp and fresh. 

Oh, yes, I forgot, there was no bread. Gravy usually means there is bread to go with it. Well, maybe the lovely crust on the Chicken thing was to go with the gravy. This meal was absolutely the worst I have encountered at "the home." It didn't taste bad, but on the other hand, it didn't taste at all. 

Maybe that's all my gripes for a while. 

Resident Counsel Delivers Justice, Sort of.\

The Bible requires accusation in the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses to find someone guilty; good old-fashioned denial is a pretty good defebse if you want to avoid penalty. 

Today I had the experience of confronting someone for inappropriate behavior, and she flatly denied knowledge of the incident. She was accused of telling a resident he could not sit at a particular table. The man is quite deaf, but he is still very intelligent and astute.  She asked for the opportunity to confront her accusers, but the people responsible for censure did not want to blow the whole thing up any bigger by inviting a public accusation. We couldn't believe she denied knowledge of the behavior or the incident. She did admit talking to the man, but she swore she did not insult or verbally abuse him.

The accused signed the paper we requested agreeing that if this behavior was repeated she would be restricted from the dining room. She felt that this implied admission. I countered with the thought that if her denial were true, there would be no tendency or temptation for the behavior to be an issue again. 

She still felt she had been unjustly accused. On the other hand, the accusations were independent and consistent. Two of the accusers were members of management. Others were residents. No one expressed a bias against her. She is a vocal and visible member of the community. I'm afraid this is not the last we will hear of it.