Computer, ID Management and Fraud Classes

 Shalimar, Fl  (Hi  73  Lo  59)    To increase size of font, do a control +  to decrease do a control -

This week was a bit different. The regular WII bowling and meditation was on the schedule. I didn't go to diamond art group or the crochet group because I had other places to go.  It sometimes gets hectic in the middle of the month with two or three things the same day and hour. 

Monday after WII bowling I went to a class on Fraud and computer scams. The lady that did the class was from the crime prevention unit at the Okaloosa sheriffs department. Her name is Ashley and she gave us an update on the latest scams and frauds that's happening in our area. It's just getting worse. She gave things to watch out for in the emails and social media.  

                                                Ashley Bailey

Tuesday is was raining really hard so I didn't go to the diamond art. I worked on the puzzle and got some thread organized. I went to meditation for an hour which I really don't want to miss. 

Thursday I skipped crochet group and went to ID Management put on by Hurlburt Air base. They deal with computer scams and phone safety. This class was a lot more involved then the last one. There's so much going on it's hard to keep up. So many of the seniors have been hacked and not know what to do or to call. We were taught "haveibeenpwned"  to check if you're information is on the web and how to clear it. First and foremost, change your passwords. I have a lot to do changing passwords. Plus do a 2 factor authentication which you can do for all your charge cards and banks. When something is charged you'll see it on your phone immediately. Another big thing is to slow down, don't click on just anything. Check it, even if it's from a friend, be sure it's them. 

Friday I got some groceries. I also did some dyed eggs with my neighbor. 

We're collecting the little bunnies that people are finding in the commons area. It was ducks, now it's bunnies. That's so fun to be aware.

Rick and Jack went to NC to see Jim's sisters.

Sharon, Jack, Rick, Robin

Last week I showed the crochet gnomes I'm making. This week it's the 2000 piece puzzle I'm doing in my spare time.

Another month is starting. I'll talk about Easter in next week's blog.

St. Patrick's Day - Council Meeting - Concert

 Shalimar, FL   (Hi  63  Lo 47)    I'VE BEEN ASKED THAT THE FONT IT TOO SMALL. JUST DO A CONTROL +  AND IT WILL ENLARGE. CONTROL   -(minus)  to make smaller.

Sunday seems like months away, but it started out this week with a party for St. Patrick's Day!  One of our gals makes great corn beef and cabbage. It was wonderful. The village pitched in with desserts and sides. (Click on photos to enlarge).

I found out I like this drink. It's like licorice.

We got to the lounge 12:30 and left at 8:15pm. 

Monday was Wii bowling, then dementia class. This class is to inform how to react to those with dementia without causing aggressive reactions. Youtube has a gal that teaches what to watch for and how to react. Teepa Snow is her name. I played cards by 5:00 along with GBM zoom at 7:30. 

Tuesday after the craft class and meditation I had my massage and chiropractor appointment. I'm having trouble with my neck because I pulled a muscle in my neck. How I have no idea how,  but woke up with a stiff neck that I couldn't move left or right. I went back to chiropractor on Thursday for more help, it's finally moving a little more, but will take awhile to get full movement.

Wednesday Wii Bowling and resident council. We heard a lot of info on what's coming up for the village in upgrades and more buildings in the future. Lots of red tape and plans to be done. They also recognized two very important people in our village. Sharon is our social worker and first responder in our villages. She's amazing with answers and assistance in anything we need. She's been here ten years.

                                            Brooks, Sharon, and Bobbie Jo

Volunteer of the year is Hilga. She has helped in the office and has been here many areas in the village. She will go to Orlando for the SE conference leading age volunteer. Congrats to Hilga.

                                                        Brooks, Hilga, and Bobbie Jo

Thursday was dentist appointment. Another cleaning, which is progressing well from six months ago. I guess another age thing with teeth, the gums get weak. I'll keep up with the cleaning so I can keep the teeth. 

Friday we're supposed to get rain this weekend, but the military still held a car wash in our village. The pollen has been really bad so I took the car over for a good cleaning. They do such a great job. I couldn't get out of the car but thought I'd take a couple pictures from inside. 

The rest of Friday was time at home. I had a zoom with the friends from North Carolina but nothing else except getting my weekly meals, making one of them and crocheting or working with the puzzle. 

To catch you up on the little things. One of the residents got a frog for our little flower garden. It's so cute. 

This picture is from one of the chatters on a train in NY. Six guys after a basketball game went up in the luggage racks for their rid home. Three on each side.  Of course they're all on their phones. 

I am trying to make gnomes and several other little things for the August 17 craft fair here on campus. Here's what I've made so far. I'm working on different holidays or months. St. Patrick's day is first with the beer mug and shamrocks.

This is May, but more to come with different colors heads and tiny lady bug or butterfly on top.

Easter bunnies with different heads.

There's a lot more to be made.  

Saturday I made a couple meals, did some housework and went to a concert. https://www.mulligansband.net/    

I went with my neighbor Anne and it was great.

A bunch of old guys doing fantastic singing from the 60 and 70's with an audience of the same age. They were doing a benefit for the kids that are placed in foster homes.  

It was in Ft Walton center,We sat nice and close.

There were several from the Villages that we knew. Anyone could dance in front of the stage. 

I'll see you next week. Thank you for reading.

No WIFI - Painting - Yard Cleanup - Pensacola

 Shalimar, FL  (Hi 79   Lo 61) 

We changed to daylight savings time on Sunday. Moving up an hour doesn't bother me as much as moving back an hour in the fall. It's now lighter later and great to sit outside longer in the evenings. 

Tuesday was an eye opener on what happens when you have no internet or TV. It's like being back in the 40's. Gals were walking around with nothing to do and no one even the office didn't have phones to call in or out for emergencies. They had to use back up phones for emergencies.  I couldn't do my games and look up stuff like I do for questions the gals ask. How did we get along before computers. It was 24 hours before we got it back and it was taken down (hear say) that another phone company cut the lines putting in fiber optic for a new construction site. 

The week went as usual except Wednesday. I had my massage and chiropractor appointment. I changed to another massage therapist that was a lot easier on my body and I love her. I now have a permanent gal to go to and the chiropractor and I figured out another way to keep my hip from slipping out of  place for longer. I did realize one day last week whenever I stand I lean on the left hip. That's the bad one, now I try to stand straight and no leaning. I hope that helps.

Thursday was also different. I went to the crochet group. I left early to go to Sip and Paint at the commons. There weren't many of us but we had a good time trying to paint a picture. I do my own thing, but I'm the one that looks at it. (Click photos to enlarge). This is my picture. 

         The whole group 

My picture

   Working on my picture. 

Friday I worked on my puzzle. At 1:00 I had the team from the base called "honey doers" help me with the yard. It was a mess with weeds and down small branches from our storm the other night. They did a marvelous job. 

                                   Final cleanup.  It won't stay long, but sure looks good for now.

Then I went to happy hour at 3:00. It was a really good time. They had meatballs, potato skins, pretzel bites with cheese dip and veggies, (carrots, peppers, cauliflower bites).  The beer was green and so was the whiskey. There was  Karaoke but mainly music for dancing. The party was from 3 to 5:00. 

Our village one people.

Other villages

I normally have nothing to do on Friday and Saturday. This week both days I was busy. Saturday I went to Pensacola to get wine. I got a case of wine I can't get around here. I should be ok now for six months.

Special Visitor - Mini Horse

 Shalimar, FL (Hi  76  Lo  50)

What an interesting week! 

The week started out with normal activities. Monday was Wii bowling and I made a couple meals from Hello Fresh. I played cards in the evening then had the GBM group zoom and we had four new gals in because their husbands died with GBM (like Jim). So sad they can't get a handle on the cancer.

Tuesday I had a special visitor. Shelly was our kids babysitter. We've stayed in touch all these years and she came for a visit to see the complex plus checking out the Hawthorn House for her mom. That's another building here when you no longer can take care of yourself. It's not a nursing home, just a  retirement place. The wait is a year and she wanted to check it out. She loves where I am and understands why I like it. She left in the evening to get back to Panama City. She's on vacation. 

                            

Wednesday is my really busy day. I'm at bowling by 10:00am then 15 minutes to eat lunch and over to Village five to play hand, knee and foot. Actually it's my favorite day. I have 20 minutes to get dinner then to the normal nightly cards game of 31. What fun.

Thursday I went to the activities meeting to see what's in store for the whole month of March and they had some of April laid out for us. I'm going to have to make decisions on which activity I want to do more. There's several things I want to do on the same day at the same time. I went to crochet group by 1:00 and got some details on what gnomes I should sell in August at the craft fair. I'm excited they're doing one of those. I have fourteen made already and when I'm on zoom at night I crochet. I can usually do two in four hours before bed. One of the gals is making fingerless gloves. I've never seen it done. It's really neat. 

This is my latest gnome. I won't bore you with all the ones I make till they're all done. I'm making  holiday gnomes. This one is Easter. I have patterns for some of them and others I'm creating as I go. I do a lot of "frogging" tearing out what I do and remake it. 

Friday was another out of the blue surprise. While I was at Hawthorn House I noticed the mini horse was scheduled for today. I came over and watched the little horse being petted and loved by the gals, including me. His name is Elmer and he's well trained to just stand still for everyone.

I noticed the bag for his backend, how neat. 

I loved his hooves. Looks like special shoes for him. 

I had a busy week and it's all good. We had some severe storms on Friday night, but no damage. We did get a lot of rain and wind. It's getting into the bad time of the year, weather wise. 

Saturday I made meals and had social hour at 4:00.  Sunday was hand and foot at our village at 1:00.  We also changed time to one hour ahead. I wish it would stop changing.

One Year Anniversary - Stove

 Shalimar, Fl    (Hi  66  Lo  60)

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY is tomorrow, Sunday March 3. What a ride! It's the best decision I could have made and so glad to be at Bob Hope Village. I have no complaints. It's right for me and so glad the kids helped me get here. At times, I feel like I've been here five years, and other times it feels like yesterday. I've learned so much. 

I seldom talk about Sundays, I don't do anything but cards (Hand and Foot) and cards (31) at night. I also do laundry and clean up the place (if needed).

So we'll start out every week with Monday's activities. First is Wii bowling, which the first game wasn't a bad score 209. It went downhill from there. The next thing was a seminar or meeting, talk whatever you want to call it about what happens when you call 911. It's very interesting. The firetrucks come first normally when it's a fall or something minor. They assess the situation then call ambulance and if further assistance needed the police are called. Very interesting one and half our talk with the emergency supervisor. I had just enough time to get dinner and go play cards, then into the GBM group zoom and on to zoom for normal nightly chat with the same people from 2007. I can't believe there's some people sticking around.  If you're free about 8:00pm central time join us on zoom. 

https://us04web.zoom.us/s/72512080635?pwd=e5pqxaHuqIQxCkHuXHFzyoCkpIBcyg.1%20Meeting%20ID:%20725%201208%200635%20Passcode:%20eD328y#success

Meeting ID: 725 1208 0635      Passcode: eD328y

Tuesday:  I went to diamond art and I finally finished the gnome bunnies. I'm so glad to have it done way before Easter. It's really vibrant colors in person. 

I went to meditation at1:00, then home to make a couple meals for the neighbor with Hello Fresh. They only take about 45 minutes so no big deal. I also started the 2000 piece puzzle turning over the pieces. I think I'll be busy for a few months.

Wednesday started with Wii bowling. Not as high scores as on Monday. I wish I was more consistent. I had just enough time to grab a sandwich then head to Village 5 for hand, knee and foot. Then dinner and cards. 

Thursday I got my stove fixed. I made out a work order last night (Wednesday) for my burners on the stove. They haven't worked well since I got here and two of the big burners didn't even heat up water. It was not going to be feasible making meals without a full working stove. The maintenance guy was here by 9:00 and put in four new burners. They work great and I'm so thankful.  So far everything that's gone wrong has been fixed same day or next day. I went to the crochet group in Village six. Back to cards after some dinner. Tuesday to Thursday are quick turnaround days.  It's great to have something to do and so far it's working for me. I do go to other things and get sidetracked every once in awhile, but I go with the flow.

Friday is a down day and this time I went to Culver's for lunch. I haven't been there since I left Illinois. I always get a tenderloin but the gals said their fish is excellent and they're right. I worked on the puzzle most of the afternoon after making a meal. This weeks meals came in so I sorted them and will make them between now and Tuesday. 

Saturday was the monthly meeting for our village. Not a whole lot going on in the village. I had a zoom meeting then made a meal for neighbor and I.  Our social hour is at 4:00 to whenever we decide it's enough. It's a time we meet people in our village and we have some new people coming in so that's way to meet and learn who needs help. 

One year, wow. It's unbelievable.