Comfort Zone

I'm a bit out of my 'comfort zone' this week. I usually am visiting nursing homes which are part of upscale Retirement Communities. The residents are retired physicians, lawyers, senators and generals and the average age is somewhere around 85. I feel like I am in a resort for senior citizens....which I am.


This week I am in downtown Milwaukee at a three story facility which cares for residents who average in age from 45 to 65 years old and who have complicated psychological and substances abuse histories. Many have spent at least some years on the streets, homeless. Some of the residents are the more typical nursing home resident....in their 80's, but not many. I am please to say, it is an excellent facility and does a great job with a complex population. Over the three days I have been here, I have become more comfortable with the situation. The regulations are the same, regardless of the clientele.


Not to say, I haven't had some startling situations. The first day I was here, the staff recommended an area with fast food for lunch. I headed that direction and found a KFC. I thought the grilled chicken a better choice than McDonald's, so I turned into the drive through lane. I wasn't there over a minute when a homeless lady accosted my car and started beating on the driver's window and yelling at me. At that point, my discomfort won and I left. I drove around until I found a McDonald's in a different neighborhood and bought a Happy Meal (11 points on Weight Watchers).


I may not loose weight, but at least I will survive.

This and That

A crazy week I have had!

I was in Los Angeles last week and left Saturday afternoon to head back to Missouri. The one thing I learned....people who travel on week-ends are MUCH louder than people who travel during the week. The connection in Las Vegas was incredibly noisy with both children and inebriated adults.

I arrived in Kansas City at 11pm on Saturday night. I had a great day on Sunday with Molly, Hillary and family, then headed to Baltimore on Sunday evening for a conference. As usual, my taxi driver had a turban......

Lipstick on my Wine Glass

I ate at the hotel restaurant last evening and ordered a glass of wine. I had a couple of sips then noticed lipstick on the glass. The issue?? I didn't have any lipstick on and hadn't at any point all day. So I got a new glass of wine.

I completed the assignment in Santa Barbara, CA at 4:30 this afternoon and headed back to Marian's in Sherman Oaks. Should have been about a hour and half ride, but it took me 1/2 just to clear Santa Barbara. Total time was 2 1/2 hours. Thankfully, I had a pretty good book to listen to. I have avoided talking on the cell phone. Ater all, I am in Arnold's state and if Maria can't talk and drive, I probably can't either!

Eating on the Ocean

Spent the day doing a Mock Survey in Santa Barbara, CA. The Director of Nursing recommended a restaurant on the ocean, so the dietary consultant and I tried it out. It was very picturesque. To reach the restaurant I had to drive out over the ocean on a wooden pier. It was a beautiful evening and we ate outside. The food was good, but the view was spectacular. As daylight faded and the lights on the shore came on, it was even prettier.

Santa Barbara

Headed to California yesterday and spent the night with Cousin Marian. After a fun lunch at noon today, I headed to Santa Barbara where I will work the rest of the week.

It was a beautiful day to drive up the coast of California. Lots of sunshine and blue skies. The ocean was visible for a good portion of the drive and was very pretty. My hotel is right across the street from a nice shopping center I may have to check out tomorrow evening.