Crimmineee. It’s only 2:00 in the afternoon, and the temp in the shade of the back porch is 104.
Welp…I had things I needed to do. But I ain’t goin’ out in that! Especially not without a car.
Should’ve gotten off my duff at 7 or 8 this morning, when the local shops opened. If they opened then. Some of them stay closed until a more traditional 10:00 a.m.
What a place! Why do I stay here????
Well, the main reason I stay in Arizona is that the kid is here.
Secondarily, I dunno where else I’d go.
Locally: Arizona just ain’t that glamorous a venue. There really isn’t anyplace else much better to live around here. Outside of AZ… back to California, maybe? Helle’s Belles! I sure can’t afford to live in the East Bay, whence my family emanated. Hate Southern California and would rather put up with Arizona’s 100-degree-plus temps than go back there.
Ya can’t win for losin’, eh?
Lately, I’ve been contemplating the possibility of moving into an old-folkerie called the Beatitudes. Very nice place. Brain-banging expensive: basically, you fork over everything you have in exchange for their promise to care for you through your last years.
It’s just down the road, though, so it’s no further from M’hijito’s place than the Funny Farm is.
But…ugh! I’ve never been into communal living. And I don’t figure I’d get used to it now. Sure don’t wanna try. 😀
Seriously: I really dislike an institutional environment!
As places to live go, Arizona is overall kinda ugly. Unless you want to live in the Grand Canyon, I guess. Mostly it’s dusty, dreary desert or shaggy, under-watered forest land. Or Southern California style urbs and suburbs.
So…no reason to move out of the city, which at least sports a few decent grocery stores.
Where WOULD I ‘druther be?
Well, the San Francisco Bay Area, I reckon.
My mother’s relatives emanated from the East Bay: Berkeley and waypoints. I did love those parts, for sure. But no way in Hell could I afford to live there these days. Or any days…
Trying to imagine what it would be like to live with Ruby in the hotel-like environment of the Beatitudes. Heh! I can tellya: that dawg would have a rabid sh!tfit every time anyone walked past in the hallway. Holyeee mackerel, would she go batsh!t in that place.
So would I. Truly, I do loathe, hate, and despise communal living.
Jeez. What a depressing day: what depressing prospects.
Ruby and I could stay here in the Funny Farm until I get to the point where I truly can’t manage it anymore. (That won’t be much longer, to tellya the truth…)
Or we could move to the Beatitudes, a secure but deeply depressing old-folkerie.
We could move into the old-folkerie where my father chose to live after my mother died, a single-story spread called Orangewood. Worst food you’ve ever had in your life…and you’re required to eat in their dining hall, so they can check you off their rolls and be sure you haven’t croaked over during your hours in your dreary little apartment.
Or…
I could sneak out and Ruby and I could run off to the backcountry of northern Arizona, maybe head up into Utah. Wonder how long we’d get away with that?
Ugh. None of these are attractive options. The least dreary, I think, is to stay right here.
And good luck with that…
SDXB moved to Sun City, where he has taken up happily enough with New Girlfriend. It’s not a bad option for an elder, especially one with stuffy tastes. My parents liked it there. I never cared for it…but then, I wasn’t an old bat at the time.
Honestly…I can’t think of anyplace much more depressing to live than a ghetto for old folks. WhatEVER, though.
Ohhhhh Freakin’ MG!!!!!
Just stumbled in from the mailbox, where I found an obese envelope full of old reports from the Mayo Clinic. Mygawd, there’s over 500 pages of this stuff!!!!!
Why in the name of hevvin did they send this crap to me?? And what on earth do they think I’m gonna do with it?
Jayzuz. Just what I needed to cheer up my afternoon.
Backcountry. Northern Arizona. Utah boondocks. Lookin’ better and better!