I remember the Bookmobile as a kid, a portable library that would come to the neighborhood encouraging kids to read. We have our own library here at the resort center where we live, although I’ve yet to visit it. It’s one of many perks that I don’t take advantage of using. We also have concerts, food vendors, classes, entertainment venues, swimming pools, fitness facilities, fire pits, dog parks, grills, and courts. Today, the blood mobile is coming for a visit and next week it’s what I like to call the cancer bus. I do take advantage of these services. Some people probably never do leave the neighborhood. However, we have a 70th birthday party to attend this afternoon that is in downtown Venice, about 15 miles away. 

Today once again feels like it should be a weekend, but it’s only Thursday. I do remember four-day Thanksgiving weekends that started on Thursday, but they were filled with many family obligations. Four-day weekends were always quite special, but now in retirement we have seven-day weekends leading into other seven-day weekends. The days run together and go by quickly. We even needed a vacation to get away from the daily routine that we naturally fall into. We only know that another week starts when we take out the trash on Sunday nights. 

I’m donating double platelets this morning, a small sacrifice to make. They are tiny cells in your blood that form clots and stop bleeding. We need them to fight cancer, traumatic diseases, and traumatic injuries. I’ll have to wait 112 days before I can do it again, but the mobile center that comes to our neighborhood makes it easy and convenient. In this case, it’s part of the Suncoast Blood Drive, and no vampires are involved. “I vant to suck your blood!”