Thursday Morning Joe

It's late, it's almost 930 time for, Thursday morning coffee. It's not mandatory but you don't go people know. It's really not that big a deal actually but sometimes I wonder. On days when I've got enough sleep I look forward to going to the Thursday morning coffee group. Like everything there is a core and that core comes every week without fail then there are those that show up periodically. This morning Stephen from upstairs showed up. You remember Stephen, the guy who is kind of frail and a little odd in that Mormon survivalist sort of way. In some ways he reminds me a lot of my aunt Elaine. Both of these individuals eat to live and not live to eat. Anyway, a couple of the regulars are gone but there is some semi-new faces who joined the group. Over the summer we've lost a number of residents here at Plymouth you so new blood.

I'm kind of thinking of discontinuing my attendance at Thursday morning coffee, many times I leave the group feeling a little bit unfulfilled in just a little used. Like I said it's not like this is therapy and is not like records are being kept (I hope not) other than the fact that the organization offers a social outlet for residents. I'm not afraid that people will talk about me if I don't show up or stop showing up. There is a little gossip at the function but the coordinator/social worker is there to kind of referee. I could see how, without restraints, things could get out of hand very quickly. Most of the chatter is benign and at times kind of pathetic as the hierarchy tries to maintain itself. I'm always amazed at how quickly people begin to drift away from the meeting. The group is supposed to be at 9:30 AM but usually starts more at around 9:15 AM. Rarely have I seen the group last past 10:30 AM. Janet always has to leave early because she meets a guy to go walking, Trish invariably has some sort of medical appointment she has to leave for. Lois has a job she has to get ready for and Pat, who knows Pat has except Pat and Pat this lets everyone know how important it is and how it can't be done without her. Katie has to get ready for Temple and the rest have to go check the mail which usually has just been delivered. Most wait until Irene reads her jokes of the week– – some of which are somewhat off-color and kind of even makes me uncomfortable. I doubt that I'm going to give up going to Thursday morning coffee. It's certainly not the highlight of my Thursday but like I said, when I get enough sleep, but I feel like entering in to some of the banter, have my coffee – – and today Irene made biscuits and gravy along with her cookies and donuts – – Irene always takes by leftover coffee pours it into a to go cup and send them my way. Why would I give this up?

It was cold last night the temperature dropped below freezing. Halloween decorations came down and Thanksgiving decorations went up. I noticed the leaves on my tree across the driveway have increased its rate of leaf loss and so begins November.