11/20/2016

Weekly Update 11/20/2016

Not much going on this week. I went on an (unsuccessful) mission to the outlet mall to find a pair of Clarks that I could wear to DH now that it's turning too cold for my flip flops. I need a wide width, and in the whole store, there were only 5 pair, three in my size, and none that I liked. The search may continue, or I may just go to the Goodwill and find something for $4. If' I'm going to “settle”, it won't be for a $40 pair of shoes I don't want anyway.

Tuesday I attended a lecture by one of my favorite speakers. Luciano Spacher gave a talk about newspaper field artists during the Civil War. Photography was new and it was used for getting information to the public through print media for the first time in the war, but the artists were still valuable tools for allowing readers to see what was happening on the battlefield.

The Lunch Bunch met at Rancho Alegre on Wednesday. It's a Cuban Restaurant that I had not been to before. I had a wonderful frozen white sangria, and the food was good, too.  

Thursday I didn't go out. I finally wandered up to the mailbox after the football game ended, about midnight. Imagine my surprise when the gate in the fence around the pool was propped open! I went in, and no lights flashed, no sirens went off. I went up to the clubhouse door to see if anyone was in there, and I couldn't see anyone because the lights were off except for the computer room. I hadn't taken my access card, so I thought I wouldn't know if there was someone on the computers or not (it's a separate room, not visible from the door). But, I tried the door, and it wasn't locked – I walked right in. Again, no sirens, no alarms. I had been led to believe that if someone was inside the gate, or in the clubhouse, after 10 pm, the security alarms would go off. But I guess that's not true. I turned off the lights, locked the door, went out the gate and removed the trash can that had been used to prop the gate open. I emailed the Board and Management, but I'm still upset that someone could just walk right in! We have computer equipment, a tv, small kitchen appliances, all sorts of things in there that could have just been stolen in an unsecured building.

Friday, I didn't have to go to the DH because someone else wanted to work on Friday afternoon this week. That did not stop me, however, from going to The 90.

Saturday and Sunday, I was back at BC for the first time since the hurricane closed the cemetery. It's open, but only for limited hours. The gates were to be opened at 10 am and locked again at 2 pm (the usual schedule is 8 am – 5 pm, but the visitor center is only open for 10 – 4). On Saturday, when I arrived at 10, the gates were locked and I couldn't get in to set up. They opened at 10, but then I had to hurry around to get all the signs placed and the desk arranged. Sunday, expecting the same, I didn't even show up until almost 10, and the gates were open, tourists were everywhere and the BHS volunteers were patiently waiting for me on the porch. I couldn't win! I had a chance to wander through the cemetery a little, and some of it is still very sad. Not Little Gracie, however, as she greeted me with the same shy smile she always does.