Harvest Park - and it's cast of characters.

So the apartment complex I am staying in is called the Harvest Park Apartments. I don't think you could get any more characters within a three block radius then I have already met. First there was Randy, the stressed out maintenance man of Harvest Park. Randy always walks around this place like some of the trauma surgeons do at work. He is very important to the over all function of Harvest Park. He is always in a hurry, head down, walking really fast, with some tool in his hand; or plunger a few times. Always putting out small fires. If you ask him how he is doing...he sighs, "Oh you know, it's busy around here. " The first week I was here he had to put a fresh coat of paint on my walls. He came over at like 5:30 in the evening to start the job....??? He was off work at 6. Did he really think that he was going to get it all done in 30min? Within that 30 min. he left my apartment four times...to retrieve tools or little odds and ends. Finally at 6:15, wanting a little time to myself, I suggested that he come back in the morning when I was at work to finish up the walls...."Oh that would be great! Are you sure? I can stay and finish, it's no problem." This is after he has spent the last 30 min telling me why he has been so busy today. "This old man...fell. I had to call his son. I had two toilets overflow. One girl got locked out. And my new manager has been on my ass about everything." Boy, I was really feeling for Randy. But I let him go for the evening. He came back the next day and finished the project. I wasn't home, and I guess he was going to rinse out his paint brushes in my kitchen sink and got paint on some of my pots and pans. So what did he do...he did all my dishes in the sink! When I asked him about it he just blushed..."oh well, I got some paint on your pots...and needed to clean it up." He is very nice...but a little creepy.

Then I explained Mrs. Doolittle...if you missed that entry, please re-read a few previous entries and you will know who Mrs. Doolittle is.

The next on the cast of characters is a family. This family is made up of a grandma (nana), mom (she is my age) and four children....my favorite goes by Pudgie. He is this little rolly polly three and a half year old boy. Chubby as can be. And everyone calls him Pudgie. LOL. I don't know Pudgie very well, but I do know that he is in trouble a lot, because at various hours of the day and night i hear his mother or occasionally his grandmother yell, "Pudgie! Hey Pudgie! Get back in here!!!!" This in a very thick southern accent. I was unsure of the educational status of these kids, seeming that they were at the pool during school hours. I did see them getting off a school bus yesterday. In fact, Pudgie almost got nailed by an oncoming car while waiting for his siblings to get off the bus. He is too cute! I heart Pudgie!

My final character....is my newest friend here at Harvest Park. Right after I first moved in, I was making a trip to the dumpster when I heard a loud meowing. Me being the cat lover that I am, and missing Jack, looked around for the kitty. Not seeing anything, I headed back to my apartment. The meow got louder as I got closer to my apt. Almost to my door, I looked up. There it was. A beautiful grey and white cat in the window sill of the apartment directly above me. The cat meowed again, and I began talking to the cat. "Hi buddy, aren't you pretty. What a pretty kitty." As I realized how I might look, looking up and talking to a cat in the window...I quickly stopped and headed back into my apt. About a week later, I was at the pool and started talking to these two girls about my age, both very friendly. I learned that one of the girls was a single gal, who just quite her job as a pharmaceutical rep....she had enough money to just live for a few months until she moved to Chico and start up on her pre-nursing classes. When she found out I was a nurse...it was all over. She was inquiring about what path she should take..and how she could get there. After finding out she lived directly above me, I confessed to talking to her cat. She insisted that I come up and meet Cody sometime. Thinking nothing of it, I agreed. About three weeks have gone by, and I have yet to see the woman who lives above me....until yesterday that is. Again on my way to the dumpster and then to the mall, I ran into her. She said she was just going to knock on my door and see if I wanted to come up and meet Cody. I was wishing at this point I could remember her name, I said..."Ok sure." She then launched in to, "I have a huge favor to ask of you..." I should have ran. But I didn't. "What's that?" I said. She proceeded to tell me that she was going out of town next week and was wondering if I would keep an eye on Cody. "Oh sure." I said. She then said, "I remembered that you had a cat, and if you would like, you could keep Cody down at your apartment if you want to. She is totally de-clawed, litter box trained, she really is the best cat. And she just loves to go to new places." OK...i am thinking. This is kinda weird. Is this woman trying to pawn off her cat on me? Is this woman actually moving to Chico next week, and just wants me to take her cat for good? HMMMMM. As we made our way up to her apartment I asked about her move...very nonchalantly of course. She informed me that she and her boyfriend from Chico broke up. So, no move was in her near future. WHEWW! I thought. As we entered her apartment, she began calling Cody, in a weird form of baby talk. LOL. When she saw that Cody wasn't coming...she burst out in song... "Good morning, good morning, Good morning. How are is Cody this morning? Good morning, good morning, good morning..." As she sang, I thought, "is this really happening to me? She looked so normal. But what was with the song?" I couldn't help the little chuckle that came out of me. After the second verse of the good morning song, I asked, "Do I have to sing that song to her every morning when she is with me?" LOL! I couldn't help it. I had to call her on it. LOL. That wasn't normal! LOL. She replied, "Oh no, that is something I have been doing forever with her." Oh my word. Cody finally made an appearance in the living room for a few minutes before retreating back to the bedroom. Cody wouldn't have anything to do with me. She insisted that Cody was a great cat, and when she was gone Cody would really warm up to me. We made a little small talk, exchanged numbers and I headed out to the mall....still not knowing her name. I left the mystery woman, knowing that she was going to bring the cat down sometime to meet me and see my apartment. I couldn't help but wonder if we were dealing with a cat...or an actual human. HMMMMM.

Later that night, she texted me to see if it was ok if she brought Cody down. I was very thankful when she included her name in the text....COURTNEY!!! Finally. LOL. I knew her name. She brought the cat down to check out it's temporary apartment....emphasis on temporary. LOL. Cody and Courtney came down and Cody explored the apartment while Courtney told me again how awesome of a cat Cody was. She travels by car, plane and boat with this cat. She really adapts well to new surroundings, she doesn't try to get outside....which is a good thing because she doesn't have any claws...lol. What was I getting myself into????? I was in too deep so far....I was going to have a house mate for a week, no matter what! LOL.

All kidding aside, Courtney is a very nice girl, and is very greatful for me taking her cat for the week. I really don't mind, I like cats. It not such a big deal because I really do like cats, but I just find it really weird that she asked me to keep the cat at my place...what am I a kennel? Maybe I will be able to make a little extra cash...and start a side job. I could take in animals.....keep them in my fully furnished apartments.....I could advertise a little. Each city I go to I could place ads on craigs list....I could start it off....."Need a cat sitter? I'm your gal!" I think it is a promising business!!! Who knows.

I will keep everyone posted on any new and interesting characters that I come across here at the Harvest Park Apartments....but for now....this is all I've got.

Please check back. I will make sure to include some great pictures of Cody and I enjoying our week together.

Hope you enjoyed my entry today. Thanks again for reading. I miss you all!!!

-Bev =)