Generosity Of Strangers

 

I took The Man out for a Drive and I did a bit of Environmental Cleanup while it was still Overcast and Cooler this Morning.  Then I took him out for Breakfast at a new Restaurant called POCA MADRE that we'd never been to before.  I felt like splurging just a bit.  It was on the more expensive side but the Food was good and the atmosphere very nice.  An Eastern European Family, Mother, Daughter and 10 Month Old Grandson, were at the Table by us.  The Mom Thanked The Man profusely for his Service, she had a very thick accent, I would think Ukrainian or Russian.  She had told us she had her Children quite late in life, in her Mid-40's, so she never thought she'd get a Grandchild, her Son didn't want Children and she was delighted when her Daughter gave her this First and only Grandbaby.  He was adorable and for some reason was fascinated by me.  His Gramma said usually he doesn't like someone he doesn't know that much.  Well, I'm adorable too, what can I say?  *LOL and Winks*   We both had the Chile Relleno Breakfast, I chose Seasoned Potatoes as my Side, The Man had Beans & Rice.  Both came with a stack of Freshly made Corn Tortillas.

 I had the Horchata Special Iced Drink, which has Two Espresso Shots, Whipped Cream sprinkled with Cinnamon & Nutmeg.  When we went to pay for our Meal, our Waiter said it was already covered and had been taken Care Of!!!   What!!!  It had been about a $50 Meal and after they'd left, he discreetly said they had been the ones who covered it for us!   They had wanted to do it Anonymously so he didn't say anything while they were still there.  OMG.  They had driven off in a new Lexus, and had been dressed very nicely, and were such Nice and openly Friendly people.  But, still, what a generous gesture, it was not a cheap Gifting to give to some complete Strangers in more than a Thank You to a Veteran for his Service!  It really Touched us deeply.  We have a lot of Ukrainians who moved here when the War in their Country started and they were displaced, and most of the Women are here without their Menfolk, who stayed behind to Fight the invading forces of Putin.  I couldn't even Imagine moving to a new Country as a Refugee and without your Husbands or Adult Sons, who are having to stay to Fight for an indefinite period of time.  It breaks my Heart for them, displaced for so long.

The News has moved on mostly, past Ukraine and Gaza's War coverage, which we rarely hear of now, since now we've been embroiled in our own War in Iran due to this President and his numerous distractions and Fuckery.  And far too many Civilian Americans are more concerned about the price of Gas than they would be about Lives Lost due to these Wars anyway.  It can be very abstract and too distant to them if it's not on our Soil and they're insulated from it if not Serving in our Military and making any Sacrifices.  I remember even during Vietnam, the average Civilian didn't wanna talk about that War or hear about it and didn't treat our Military Loved Ones well when they came back from Fighting over there.  The Man was spat on and called a Baby Killer... they pretty much all were treated like that and why so many of them never talked of their Service over there at all.  None of the Middle Eastern Wars have been well supported either and were highly Unpopular as well. The Man Fought in them all too.  This War is even way more unpopular than Vietnam ever was, I'm so glad he's not involved in this one.  *Whew*  So I just Pray our Civilian sector doesn't treat our Veterans that badly who have to Serve in this one and blame them for what this Administration is having them to do?  

The Government Contracts the whole tRump Family is benefitting from due to starting this War is the ONLY reason they started it.  It's a War For Profit coz everything is Transactional to them making Money for themselves, as much as they can, any way that they can, illegally or otherwise, and regardless of Cost to Americans or Lives Lost.  And now they can't get out of it coz they never had any Exit Strategy, real or truthful Mission Statement for being there, or permission by Congress to be there in the 1st place.  And now it's become a complete Cluster Fuck of epic proportions Negatively impacting the Globe as even more disastrous consequences for his Fuckery and Stupidity.  Don't expect Gas Prices to go down anytime soon... and our Stockpile of very expensive Military Grade Weapons is dwindling coz he's wasted so much of it on this Iranian Fiasco and it's costing Billions Daily just to keep funding it.  He's put our National Security at grave Risk to enrich himself and his Spawn.   And he doesn't Care about our Military, or our Veterans, or those who've Died Serving our Country, or their Loved Ones... he's called them all Suckers and Losers openly and with nothing but contempt.  He himself dodged the Draft several times and is a Coward.

Anyway, enuf of that, just mentioning him at all leaves a Bad Taste in my Mouth.  He can't FOAD soon enuf, so the World will be less One more Evil POS.  While out we stopped by The River Preserve, it was running fast and high.  Gleaned a lot of Aluminum Cans cleaning up around where piggish folks had been Fishing and doing Recreational activities without taking their Trash with them, too Lazy and Environmentally Unconscious to pack it out empty.   I don't Care how often we go to do the Volunteer Cleanup, you can never keep on top of it.  But, every little bit is Helpful coz some of it has sat out there for over 50 Years otherwise.  I'm not being hyperbolic, I've picked up Cans that had the detachable Pull Tabs from the 1970's!!!   So those Cans did indeed sit out in Nature as discarded Trash just that long and nobody had picked them up before I did!!!  And, being I take all my Aluminum to be Recycled for sure, at least they don't end up in some Landfill either.  About 90% of Aluminum used is already Recycled, so it's important to Recycle as much as we can so we don't have to create more of it.

I've been "Green" long before it was a Popular Movement and a Tree Hugger Environmentalist my entire Life without apology.  My Dad was for his entire Life before me, I Hope my Children and Grandchildren continue to follow our Example and carry it on into their Futures as well.  They know I always have done it, so in the Doing of anything Positive that leaves every place better than you Found it, and better for you having been there making an Intentional Positive Difference, you set the Best Example of how to Live Life Right and do the Right Thing, not just the Easy Thing.  I enjoy doing it and it's good exercise too, since I haven't been getting to The Gym early enuf, most Mornings I don't have it in me and by later in the day I'm too Tired.  I've got to get back into going consistently tho' coz I'm paying for a Membership.  

And I like my Gym a lot and I like going there once I get motivated to get there.  *Smiles*  And I feel better after a Workout and time spent on the Hydrotherapy Bed and the Steam Sauna, and a nice Shower there.  I did do one more Crate in The She Shed too, but it's so Humid and Hot now, that's all I could do before Tapping Out.   I didn't mind since I don't wanna do a lot of Work now, I did all my Todaying for Today already before Noon.  *Smiles*  Now I'm gonna Read some Blogs and get caught up on what' ya'll are up to?  *Winks*   Well, I got thru my Blog Roll on my Sidebar and caught up, some of you had been prolific at your Blogging so I did a Deep Dive into unread Archived Posts too.  Most of you have been up to more than I have.   Then I took a Siesta, as has been my Summertime Habit to escape the Heat of each Day.  *Smiles*

And while Napping a Clever Blog Post Title Hook came to me, which was just Weird that I was Blogging in my Sleep, but I was. Which means Life must really be shit if that's what I'm Dreaming about now?!  *Ha ha ha* And when I Awoke, I Wrote it down coz it isn't often a Clever one comes to Mind, even when Awake, let alone, Asleep!  *LOL*  So, the very next Post, that'll be the Clever Title Hook I speak of.  *Winks*  The damned Landline House Phone had kept ringing incessantly while I was Napping, so it wasn't a blissful uninterrupted Siesta anyway.  Most were likely Spam and Scan Callers, but one was The Niece and I probably would have and should have taken that one since she's supposed to be coming for a visit soon.  But, The Niece, Bless her, goes long on Phone Calls {like I do while Blogging}... and I just can't right when I Wake Up, be that engaging on a Call.  So, I'll try to remember to Call her later when I have ample time to be on a Call. 

Some folks LIVE on their Phone, I never have, never will, I think of it like a Leash that I'd rather not have on at all frankly.  I use my Phone mostly for Emergencies or in case I have one actually.  I am prone to even purposefully not having it with me if I don't want to be doing something and get interrupted with a Phone Call from anyone for any reason.  The Family Hates that... what if we have an Emergency, they wail and be all Dramatic that I didn't have my Phone with me?!  Then what the Hell are you calling ME for, Call 9-1-1!!!  *Smiles Wickedly*  Mostly I find that if you're not physically available, folks will Call you becoz they NEED something that they want YOU to DO FOR THEM... and so, no Device Leash, no Favors or Special Requests coming in like I'm the "Make A Wish" Foundation.  And that works Swell for me when I'm out doing something else.  Coz I Guard that Time and I am doing something else, so I don't wanna Take nor be Interrupted by Phone Calls.  *Smiles*  I don't get many Calls coz I don't give my Number out hardly at all unless you're in my Inner Circle.

Even most Businesses won't get my Cellphone Number, only the Landline.   Tho' those Smart Phones Spy on us and Listen to every fucking conversation going on, so you will get the Algorithm Feed about your last Conversation Topic.  So specific you know your Phone was Eavesdropping and I don't like that one bit actually, it's intrusive and too "Big Brother" for me.  My Conversations are Private even if they're of the mundane.   If I'm NOT Talking to you, then I don't particularly want or like the idea of you Listening In like you're some International Spook for the CIA or FBI gathering Intel on me and whoever I'm having Conversations with.   And I don't think anything I have to say warrants constant surveillance.  It barely warrants a Blog Post.  And yet, here we are!!!  *Ha ha ha*

I like really Weird shit and should have Bought the above Cased Metal Fillings Dental Teeth Model, or whatever it was, but I didn't and I don't even recall where I ever saw them at, or when exactly, it's an Old Pix.  *Le Sigh*   I was surfing thru a Deep Dive of my Photo Archives and it was one worth Re-Sharing, if I ever used it before, which, is doubtful.  I turn Photos used before in a Post, Sideways in their Archived Folder, so I'll know better it's been Shared, and this one wasn't turned.   Not that I haven't recirculated favorite Photos numerous time before, I have and I will.  But I do so enjoy my Deep Dives into the Archived Visuals, coz many times I've long forgotten what I've Photographed, the People, the Places, the Things, and that's like my actual Memory Storage Backup for my Memory Care Issues obviously Purging a lot of actual Memories from my Brain's Data Banks now. 

  Tho' I do possess a phenomenal Memory for what happened in the distant Past, it can be eerie sometimes the trivial inconsequential shit I remember.  Like the Lyrics to damned near every Old Song I ever Heard, mebbe haven't heard in 50 Years, 'til it Plays again and I Sing along, even if I never like the Song!  *LOL*  The Kiddos find it Amusing that I can Name That Song so quickly it blows their Minds when one comes on and I'm listening to some Oldies Station like "The Seventies On 7" and recall every damned Song they're Playing on there.  Coz to them, the 70's is like such Ancient History and they know if they asked me what I had for Breakfast or did I take my Medicine this Morning, I couldn't say for Sure, or if I even had Breakfast, or was it the Day Before that I did???  *Bwahahahaha* 

And speaking of Dredged up Pixs, here's an Old Pandemic Era Photo.  *LOL*  I kept all my Favorite Masks and keep them by the Front Door... you know, for the next Pandemic.   Since this Clown Show already has so much going Wrong and totally Sideways, with all the Cuts they've made in Firing the most competent and skilled in all our Agencies, Inspecting our Foods and other Safety measures... running with Conspiracy Theorists and Extremist Viewpoints, so much is already so contaminated now it's a virtual Laundry List of things you have to avoid due to the Risks now of consuming any of it!!!  Each Day it's yet another Warning being rolled out coz they're dropping the Ball on keeping us Safe or Healthy!!!  Clearly a lot of Companies are self regulating appropriately so require checks and balances to make sure they're not supplying the Public with dangerous Products with contaminants and cutting corners or improper practices we wouldn't necessarily even know about without Inspectors and requirements to keep things Safe and Sanitary.

I got Great News from my Vendor Friend Amy, her 33 Year Old Son had that lengthy Emergency Surgery to remove the Cancer Doctor's found and it was successful.  They did have to take several feet of his Intestine, but, they think they got it all and he's out of the Hospital now and doing well.  *Whew*  Such a Relief!!!   I'm sure they'll now monitor him closely to ensure he remains in remission and it doesn't re-occur, but, seems like they may have caught it in time to remove it all and have it be contained enuf to do so.   She's already has such a tough Year with her Dear Husband's Health and her own, serious Health Issues and Emergencies, more than we've had and just about as constant.  This Son came back Home to live with his Parents and help them out thru their own Medical Crisis, so he didn't even know he was as seriously ill and in as much danger as he was with his own Health and Life!!!  He and his Parents are very close, his Older Brother isn't and is the Prodigal Child of the Family.  His Two Older Sisters are in the Military and Active Duty, so they can't just drop everything to be there for the Parents.  So Amy affectionately calls him "The Good Son".  *LOL*  And he is the Baby of the Family.

I'm enjoying Pixs I have of various Friends, most of them are Industry Friends and I do still see them fairly regularly, once a Month or so, which, for me is regularly.  *LOL*  I don't get out much and have been waning therefore in my Pathological Picture taking for Blog Fodder.  So, I'm glad when either Friends get in front of my Lens voluntarily and are Good Sports about me Sharing Pixs of them, or, send me good Pixs of themselves that we Share with each other on Social Media.  Some have even gotten me in front of The Lens for a change, which doesn't happen very often and I take hideous Selfies, so gave up trying to learn the Art Of The Selfie.  The Grandkids tried to show me how they always get such exceptional Selfies, but, I think in part, it's the Subject matter, you know?  How can they NOT look Cute!?!  When you're already Adorbs, you almost can't take a Bad Selfie!  *LOL*   And most of the Family and my Friends are so damned Photogenic, so they always take great Pixs that turn out really good and won't embarrass anyone, coz you can't Hate a good Pix of yourself.

Adorable Minnie I don't think has ever taken a Bad Pix in her whole Life... and she's got such Style and is a tiny little Sprite like Princess T is.  So they look Cute in almost anything they wear too.   Princess T joked that Miss Minnie is so Ageless that pretty soon in Years to come, she's gonna look Younger than my Granddaughter when they take Pixs together!!!  And that might be True, coz I've got Pixs of Minnie before Princess T was even Born and she looks exactly the same as she does right now, even is the exact same Size as well as Ageless, as my Granddaughter we be at turning 21 next Month!!!   And Minnie's own Grown Daughters look like they could be her Sisters and not her Kids.  She hardly wears any Makeup and is just Naturally Radiant, in Personality too, everyone Loves Minnie.

And my Vendor Friend at BAAM, Sarah, with her Dear Husband.  Their Booths used to be right by my Old Showroom when I had Room #114 in the Back of the Antique Mall.  They still have those Spaces and you can find everything 1950's Retro in them coz Sarah Lives and Breathes that Era 24-7 and 365 and is like a 1950's Pinup Gal.   She too is a tiny little Sprite but she said she didn't always used to be that way.  She is a Living Testimony of successful extreme Weight Loss and keeping it off, since, at one time she was Morbidly Obese and has dealt with chronic Depression.   But you'd never have known it if she didn't share her Story and she's kept it off and has such a bubbly buoyant Personality that you would not think she battles chronic Depression.   She and I candidly talk openly about Mental Health and feel it should be discussed without shame, embarrassment, fear or condemnation or bias more.  Society struggles to accept that the Brain is just another complex Body Part that sometimes has been afflicted with Illness or Disability too.

 

With the Heat I've been sequestering Indoors before Noon onwards now until we get us some Fall temperatures, it's just too Hot.  So, even going to my Events, I try to get Home before Noon now and don't stay all that long, the Commute almost takes me longer to get Downtown where they're at.  I haven't been to the Desert Botanical Gardens much this Year either so my Membership for 2026 has hardly been worth the expenditure, I may not even bother to renew for 2027.  I Love going there and Supporting the Gardens, but with rising costs of everything, I just am re-assessing what to spend Money on and how much I use what I would spend it on. 

  Gas isn't going down much and keeps rising dramatically, so commuting Costs are now a huge part of the Budget.  And City driving in a Metropolis is just expensive by the very nature of heavier Traffic and distance... since the Metro Phoenix area spans a lot of Miles across now.  Roughly 50-60 Miles from East to West and 30-40 from North to South... covering 14,500 Square Miles.  Maricopa County spans 137 Miles East to West and 102 Miles North to South.  The City of Phoenix alone, not counting the huge Sister Cities banking up against it that make up the Metro Area, is 517.9 Square Miles.   You have to factor all of that in, and density of Traffic, when commuting anywhere in the Valley to get to any destination.   I'm pretty good at calculating the Time it takes, for the most part, depending on Traffic and any Detours or Accidents.  But, the Cost factor keeps rising to do any of it now.

In Real Time and way before this Post will Publish, it's not even my Birthday yet, Four actual Days to go, but I'm calculating Costs to do whatever I wanna do for that day and assessing how much of it to outlay for, or just not do?   It will be a Me Day to do as I please and falls on a day when none of the Kiddos has to Work, which is handy since I'm everyone's form of Transportation to and from Work.   But, Budget is tight and that damned Roof Cost to repair the Storm Damage is still a big ole' Question Mark and the Roof Guy never did show up yet and it's getting Late so I'm doubting he will now.   Mebbe his Office did remind him I'd Cancelled, tho' he'd called again after that to say he was still coming by, mebbe he reconsidered it being a waste of time?  Who knows?   And I realize most Roofing Companies are more Salesman pitch to upsell Replacements rather than any Repairs, than what the Job should be anymore.   And I dislike that tactic immensely, it pisses me off and then I would never do Business with a Company that deploys those Tactics.

Above are my Dear Industry Friends Aliyah and Cyndie.  I'll be seeing them just after my Birthday.   The Event they'll be Working, "Sweet Salvage", is Celebrating a Birthday too, 15 Years!!!   So, the Theme is going to be "Time Well Spent".   Aliyah used to work at our Antique Mall when she was a Teenager and before she got Married and started her Family.   Below is her with the Mini Me she has at Home, who looks just like Mama.  She's a Modern Hippie so we've always gotten along fabulously coz we share a similar Vibe even tho' we're Two Generations apart in Age.   She used to be a Model and a Female Body Builder who Competed in that Industry, so she's always been very Health conscious and fit Young Woman, she's the one that turned me on to some tasty Vegan Foods that I now like enuf to eat regularly, since I do like Veggies, Fruits and things eaten Raw and Natural, more than Meat anyway.  And Cyndie is a very Talented Jewelry Designer, she Marries Antiquities with Modern Elements to make Jewelry of them and I've Collected her Creations for Years and Years now.  So I have quite an extensive Collection of Cyndie's Work. 

 

I'm gonna have a Sick Kid Home Today coz Princess T has an upset Stomach and will be Calling In to Work Sick.  Her Cat is yowling for his Wet Food like he's starving to death at 5:30 in the Morning, coz he knows I'm up and just came in from dropping The Son off at Work.  *Eye Roll*  I think I may go to The Gym early then, nobody will be there at this Hour and I can use all the Equipment... but, then, I remembered, they're Cleaning both the Steam Saunas and the Showers this early so you can't use them... so, scratch that bright idea.  *LOL*   I like doing both more than exercising.  *Ha ha ha*  And there's no way I'd spent over Two Hours exercising until they open up the Saunas and the Showers at 7:00 a.m..  I wouldn't last that long coz my Bones ache when it's Rainy, and it has been.

In fact, we got Water in The RV Garage Mahal, but Thankfully it's not coming from the Roof.  I think it came in under the Doors due to the Sideways Rains, but it got a lot of stuff Wet that now I have to try to dry out.   One is a Native American Navajo Wool Rug, which smells like a Wet Dog when it gets Wet... so I'll have to Hand Wash it and then Dry it out when the Sun gets really Hot by Midafternoon.  It got saturated coz it's a large Runner sized Rug, but it sopped up a lot of the Water that otherwise would have gotten elsewhere, so, that was fortunate really that it worked like a Sponge barrier.  I'm nervous about the Roof damage since we're having so much catastrophic Rain.  Even our Sandbags didn't hold up to last Night's Rain so it came all the way up to the House. 

 Luckily, coz we have Irrigation, our Home's Foundation is Raised up by about 6 inches so it didn't get Inside the House.  *Whew*  And we'd also Raised everything on the Back Porch up on Bricks so that helped them not get Wet.  It doesn't look great to have everything raised up but it stop it getting Flood damaged.  They were showing on The News the Storms Wind and Flood damage, we're among the Luckier ones from the devastation some folks experienced to their Property.  Big Trees were uprooted and tossed around onto Houses and Vehicles.  Some Roofs were literally ripped completely off exposing the Interior of Buildings, so everything Inside got Flood Damaged.   Our City got the 84 mph Winds, but most got around 65 mph Winds, which still is no Joke.  We saw some areas where every Tree was ripped out of the ground, and Street Signs were also ripped out of the ground, like a Tornado had whipped thru.  I'm getting concerned if we get too many of these incidents, Hazard Insurance will stop covering our Communities.  That's happened in some States.

Anyway, other than all that, everything is Swell.  *Eye Roll and Sighs* I've been watching a Japanese Movie, with English dubbing, about their Nuclear Disaster in 2011, it's really good in spite of being a Foreign Film.  The Acting is exaggerated, and Cultural nuances evident, but the content of the Movie is based on a True Story and has been done quite well in a Series Type Movie, so it's pretty long and I'm only about halfway thru it.  The NetFlix Series overall have been worth watching and we're still getting Amazon Prime coz Allen is paying for it.  Our Cellphone Carrier is providing the other Cable Channels on our Plan, we hadn't even known that for a long time so had been paying for something for Months that we get with our Carrier as a Bonus!!!  Anyway, I don't watch much TV but it has made getting stuck inside due to Weather worthwhile to have something to relax and do.  The Man won't watch the good things provided, he is content with his Reruns of his Shows.  *Shrugs*

The other day The Son noticed his Dad had been "watching" a Screen Saver for over an Hour!!!   He got very concerned and talked to me about it and gently told his Dad, hey, Dad, this isn't a Show, it's just your Screen Saver Scenes, let me Help you put it on your Shows Okay?  His Dad let him, but, of coarse it made The Son Emotional that his Dad had been thinking the changing Screen Savers was an actual Show to watch for an Hour and not realize what it was!!!  He's doing things like that and I know it's a progression of his Demential related illness, but, it does kinda break your Heart.  I try to see the Dark Gallow's Sic Humor in it, or I'd probably not Cope with it well either.  But I can't Stop it, and I'm only Serving to slightly slow the progression down with some of the Exercises I have him doing to stimulate his Brain a bit, like we did with the TBI.  The Dementia is different tho', so not responsive to the same things that Healed some of the Traumatic Brain Injury and regained a lot of Function for him in spite of TBI.  His Brain is going to mush more with the Dementia and not Rewiring itself.  After my Stroke I worked tirelessly on Rewiring my Brain and it was real Helpful to.  Coz I could tell my Brain was Glitching.

*******

Very unusually Wet tidings from a Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

Keep On Truckin' ~ Aftermath Of Catastrophic Monsoon Weather

 I'm frustrated with The Man still answering Spam and Scam Calls, no matter how often I tell him not to, he jumps on every Phone Call.  Then he can't remember what it was about, who it was, or what he agreed to, so it's messy for me to clean up behind him taking calls he shouldn't have.  The Niece said her Dad with Dementia does the same thing now and she's constantly cleaning up messes he's made for himself by agreeing to shit he shouldn't have and being the Target of Senior Exploitation.  *Le Sigh*  She's his Caregiver too and she feels he's reached a point where he should no longer make any decisions on his own, but he's stubbornly resistant.  The Man just forgets, then gets defensive, coz he then knows he just did something again that he shouldn't have and was told not to do.  But, he'll just do it again next time.  *Le Sigh*  Trying to maintain a Sense of Humor about it is a Challenge.

Anyway, Blogging Helps, it really does, coz I can Vent it in a Post and then Move On.  *Smiles*  I've got the Roof Estimate Guy coming in about Half an Hour, then I'll have more of an idea of Cost of the Job and if I can swing it or not?   I'm feeling rather overwhelmed with expenses piling up on things that just can't be avoided and you've got to try to find Money for some kind of way.  I'm very Budget conscious and careful with Finances, so I don't like to be pressed above measure with Expenses that can't be predicted or adequately Planned for that are large.  I don't sweat the Small Stuff coz that isn't too sacrificial to manage on The Fly, but big Expenses are.  I have an Emergency Savings coz I always set aside 10% of all Income for that.  But it gets depleted if  you have too many Crisis or Emergencies, which, we have, one right after another it seems.   And on a Fixed Income, and with so few Household Members having Money, yet Six of us in the Household, it can be tight all of the time now.

Anyway, Keep On Truckin' is all you can do.  I'm very achy too with the Storms, my Bones feel the Weather and I have a high tolerance for Pain, but it is really challenging at times when so much of you hurts and you cannot Mentally Override it all or enough.   The Storms and high Humidity have really made me hurt a lot and it actually makes it hard to do things when it's so Painful to do it.   But you have to do it and so you do it in Pain.  I think in part it's why I require the Naps, to recuperate from pressing thru the Pain to do what has to get done.  The Pain level does wear you out after a short while.  I've had Osteo Arthritis for a very long time and Docs really have never had Solutions.  I have some Topicals I use but they only reduce some of the Pain enuf to press thru it not being as excruciating.  I know it's just the Normal aches and pains of an Aging Body getting worn out.  If I had a Machine this Old I wouldn't even expect it to still be operational!  *LOL* 

Well, I just sent the Roof Guys packing, without even sending their Drone up to look, they estimated the Job at $15,000!!!  And I'm like Whoah, Repairs, not total Replacement Dude!!!  I suspected this would be the ploy.  And my initial impression of this Young White Guy was he was gonna be like a Used Car Salesman!  He started trying to hard Sell and Upsell me on filing a big Insurance Claim, so we could spend as much as we wanted to and he could get Big Money out of it, and we'd get a whole new Roof out of the Storm... yeah, No, forget about it.  That's the problem with most Roofing Companies around here, they hard Sell replacements when all you need is a repair.  Coz they wanna milk as much Money out of a Job as they can and file Claims that are not really necessary if they priced a Job right and fairly.  Nope, not happening.

  I got another Guy coming on Wednesday, and it's a Hispanic Crew that Princess T said she liked better and didn't seem to be just working some Hustle or trying to exploit an Old Man when they talked to her Grandpa.  She said it was not some Smooth Talking White Boy... I had to Laugh.  Coz, she's not Wrong.  That Guy is also Licensed, Bonded and Insured, so, we'll see what his Quote is and give him a chance.  Otherwise, this is gonna be another DIY for The Son and our Neighbors again.  I don't see our Insurance or an Adjuster getting convinced into a New Roof being necessary either from this Storm's Damage, I really don't.  I'd be pleasantly Surprised if they did, but then, Rates would likely get jacked up too to compensate on excessive Claim payouts.  So you have to weigh the benefits of filing any Claims unless you absolutely must.  Dealing with Insurances is yet another Pain in the Ass to get Settlements or not get Dropped once you cost them too much and are considered no longer Profitable to Insure.  Already went thru that with United Healthcare Medicare Advantage dropping all Veterans in Maricopa County, don't need our Hazard Insurance Company doing it too!

Rob and TJ have done Roofing a lot and said most of these Companies price gouge and they are absolutely Right.  Same with some of the Tree Services.  We Paid an Arborist to try to Save our Big Pine Tree that got the Blight a few Years ago.  They charged us a Fortune and the Tree Died anyway.  They had subcontracted a Hispanic Crew.  And after the Tree Died anyway the Head Crew leader came back and told me he felt bad that the Company who Subcontracted him to do the Work had overcharged us, but he couldn't say anything then.  He told me how much they only gave his Crew to do the Job, so they got exploited too.  He has done Work directly for us since then and the prices are always Fair and no Price Gouging.   We now bypass the Bigger Company that is charging people too much and exploiting Subcontractors to do their work anyway, they don't even DO the Work.  You can Hire that Crew direct, even paying them more than the Contractor would and still save yourself a lot of inflated Predatory Pricing or having to File excessive Insurance Claims and risk being dropped and ending up on Forced Place Coverage by your Mortgage Lender.

The Son, TJ and Rob have all spent their Adult Lives in The Trades, so I run everything by them too and they tell me when they feel an Estimate is ridiculous, even if I think it is, it validates that it is.  The Son said that Quote was excessive and they're exploiting that this Storm did a lot of damage and Tonight's Storm might do even more.  Lots of Trees were down, Power Lines were down, some whole Subdivisions had extensive Roof Damage where they Lost damned near their entire Roofs.  The Guy giving the Quote said they don't make our Shingles anymore, and I have Three Boxes of New ones for that Roof in The RV Garage Mahal and said so, he looked embarrassed when I Called Bullshit.  I think it was Bullshit, thinking I wouldn't know you can still Buy those Shingles, coz I have, within the past 24 Months.  So, clearly they are still being made and Sold.  Anyone who Lies to me I wouldn't Hire anyway. be Truthful or be Gone.  If I can't Trust you to even tell me the Truth, why would I Trust you do do any of the Work or even give me a Solid Estimate you bind yourself to and not try to jack it up later Mid-Job?

So, anyway, Wednesday the Hispanic Owned Roofing Company is coming back out and we'll see whatssup with them?   See if there is any consistency to Estimates for the Job?   The Son said if it's still Inflated and Exaggerated what's needed, he'll just ask TJ or Rob to help him and they'll do it for me and I'll just throw them some Money for their Work, knowing they'll do me Right, coz I know where they all Live.  *Winks*  Anyway, Crews were out in force all over the City doing cleanup and cutting up felled big Trees and Limbs, mostly.   And Utility Companies were out in force coz around 60,000 folks were without Power for over Six Hours during Last Night's Storm, so at least we didn't endure that added Crisis.  It's still well over 106 at Night so that would be miserable and you risk all your Food and Medicines that need Refrigeration Spoiling if they can't get Power back on before everything risks not being Cold or Frozen enuf anymore.  If you have folks in Fragile Conditions, it could even be Deadly.

I took a long Siesta, didn't even Wake Up 'til past 9:30 p.m., I felt Stressed Out from the Storm damage and what it might cost, and Wiped Out from doing Irrigation and Cleanup of all the Storm's debris that was everywhere on the Property.  It's not how I expected to spend an entire Monday Morning.  Then The Young Prince called saying he accidentally ordered something and had it shipped here instead of there, so could I ship it to them!?   I told him I can't be wasting Money right now on airheaded things like that, so don't do that again or I won't pay for Postage coz he is being Careless with ordering stuff and where to send it.  I think what happened is he ordered it thinking he'd be back in Phoenix by his Birthday to receive it and of coarse that didn't happen.  It's a small package that arrived just this day so it shouldn't be that much to send it to New Mexico in new packaging.  And I have another smaller Package that came for him Months ago I'll just put in with it.   

The Cashier at The Son's Work saw Princess T and I when we picked him up from Work this day too and said, isn't that T and her Gramma?   The Son said, yeah, it's my Mom and my Niece!  Why, you know them?  Turns out she's Timmy's Cousin and has known our Granddaughter for Years due to Timmy and her being so close since we moved here.  Princess T had told me while we were there, that Cashier is Timmy's Cousin, Gramma, but I forgot to tell The Son, it slipped my Mind.  Small World.  I'm thinking she's the Daughter of one of Timmy's Older Aunts. Coz his Uncle got Murdered, and his Uncle's Two Daughters are Young and his Grandparents are now stuck Raising them too.  They Raised Timmy already, the Grandparents, tho' his Younger Half-Brother lives with his Mom, coz she's still with the Father of that Child, and as far as I know, still a Train Wreck and active Drug User.  This Cousin seems to have turned out alright and didn't go Haywire.

I'm having some 2014-2015 Sweet Nostalgia about my Old Art Studio Cottage at the Historic Homestead.  So many Projects were Created there and I miss having a functional Art Studio Space to Create and Decorate Full On Me in how it looks and feels.  Each Property we have Bought since then had a Space that should have been my Art Studio, that was the Intention.  Then I had to give it up to House extended Family who found themselves Homeless and unable to afford local Rents.  I did there too, off and on that Art Studio Cottage also Housed Friends and Family who needed somewhere to Live, but, about half the time it was my Happy Place to retreat to and just be Creative and Lost in that Process, Feeding my Soul.  I do miss that.  I've now given up on having it again, not enough Space here, the Downsizing didn't work out when so much Family had to move back in with all their Worldly Possessions.  Que sera sera and all that.  Moving On.  Life happens, shit happens.

The Storm Tonight, at least so far, hasn't been as fierce and I'm hopeful it won't be so I can get that fucking damaged Roof fixed before any more Major Weather makes a Bad Situation even worse!   It's stressful.  It creates more Hardship and we're already at the breaking point of weathering too much more Hardship to get thru continuously.  Well, I am anyway, I know my limits have been reached on how much more I can get thru without it being a collapsing House of Cards.   I'm resourceful and adaptive, but it's been more than ridiculous the past Decade with this Political Nightmare wrecking functional Society as we once had and I am questioning whether we'll ever have again now?  I want to remain Guardedly Optimistic, but it ain't looking so good IMO.  And more Pessimism is creeping in and usually I'm a Glass Half Full kinda Gal... but this Regime has knocked the fucking Glass over again and again and again.  Hard to keep a Glass even Half Full with that going on constantly and what to fill it back up with getting scarcer and scarcer.

 

I've Started Over more than a few times in Life, it can be done, I've done it.  I could probably do it again but at this Season of Life I don't wanna, you know?  Tick fucking Tock and all that... the Hourglass is running out of Sand now.  You start calculating the maximum Time you MIGHT have left once you are at Geriatric Levels of Life and it's not a lot of Time any way you cut it.   So I just wanna enjoy whatever remnant is left, I feel we've Earned it after a Lifetime of Working our Asses off to be able to Retire in relative comfort and a modicum of Security.   I started Working when I was 13, coz in Europe you could go to Work that Young.  The Man was Drafted before he even finished High School and sent to Vietnam to be a Special Forces Sniper, coming Home with a High Body Count coz he's very good at any Job he's ever done. 

 Which, that kind of Work pretty much Wrecks your Psyche for the rest of your Life when you've been just Trained to be a Killing Machine for your Government with assigned specific Targets to Neutralize that are actual other Human Beings.  I don't think he's been 'Right' ever since frankly, I know I probably wouldn't have been either.  I don't think anybody would... especially being a Teenager doing it.  Don't forget, the Average Age of a Vietnam Veteran was only 19, and he was a couple Years Younger than that.  So was my Dad when he was Recruited off the Rez and Enlisted at 17.   And these Modern Politicians are still sending our Children out to do their Dirty Work for them and right now they're deployed around the World, and not just in Iran, and not just the places we're even supposed to be either, and that's not "New".  Lest you think it is.  Half The Man's Military Career was being in places we Never Were and doing things we Never Did.  *Eye Roll*

I remember us watching a Special on TV about Sammy "The Bull" Gravano, who of coarse was the Mob Hit Man for John Gotti.  He lives right here locally still, where he was sent during the Witness Protection Program.  The Daughter actually knew some of the Family back in the Day of her wayward spent Youth when she was Buck Wild and out of Control Crazy as a Mad Hatter.   She even Dated a few Mobsters in fact, on both sides of the Border, she got some Hairy Stories of her Vida Loca Days.  Dangerous Men tend to like us Crazy Bitches, that's all I can say about that.  *LOL and Winks*  But, I digress.  Anyway, The Man and I have zero Judgment about Sammy, coz like The Man said, the only difference between him and Sammy was, different Employer, same Job.  In fact, the Mob didn't have Sammy Neutralize as many of their Targets actually as the U.S. Government did require The Man to.  And all Governments are like that without exception.   It's why The Man says he Loves his Country, but he doesn't Trust his, or any other, Government, period.

The other Bad Storm hit at 1:00 in the Morning and was just about as bad as the one the Night before, Flooding, but our Sandbags seemed to have held most of it back enough.  Luckily I don't see any more Shingle Loss off the Roof of The RV Garage Mahal either.  *Whew*  Becoz I'd Napped most of the day I could be up all Night to check on things during it, didn't see any further damage on our Property, but more Street Flooding that the Night before's Storm, so probably more Rain fell in the 2nd Storm and our Front Yard looked Irrigated again coz it was holding just that much Water!  I was relieved we weathered that Storm better at least but don't know how much more catastrophic Weather is coming?  And, won't know until the Roofer that comes Tomorrow gives a 2nd Estimate, how much damage they will assess the Roof at?  Will it be in line with the 1st Quote, which seemed like a whole Roof Estimate, or will it seem more like a Repair Estimate we could do without filing an Insurance Claim?  I'd rather not file a Claim for a whole Roof, but we'll also see what TJ or Rob thinks about it, I Trust their Honest Opinions.

And The Daughter had a Point, with back to back catastrophic known Storms documented, Insurance might not even balk about a Claim that high and it might be beneficial if they don't to get a whole New Roof done?  It might hold up better to subsequent Storms if this is gonna be the New Normal in Weather severity?   She has a valid Point that I did consider as I watched Disaster Movies and Grim Documentaries, which seems to be what's on at 1:00 to 3:00 in the Morning during Bad Storms.  *LOL*   It does remind you that things could be way worse.  *Winks*  The Thunder was so loud and the Lightening so bright that it woke Princess T and The Daughter up, you'd have to Sleep like the Dead not to have it wake you... and both The Man and The Son apparently were in that kind of REM Sleep coz they Slept thru it.  *Smiles*  I've got a 4 Ft. Rain Barrel filled to capacity and overflowing Poolside, that came off the Roof.

They had clocked Winds at 84 mph which is Category 1 Hurricane Force... or Force 12 on Beaufort Wind Scale... both considered Hurricane Force, very unusual inland in a Desert.  They like to call them Gusts when they're Inland and not an actual Hurricane if you're not near Water.  But honestly, no Gusting, it was constantly at that Force and Rain was not coming Down, it was coming Sideways and feeling like Daggers and a Storm like that is considered Highly Dangerous!  It was debated whether it would be considered a Derecho or not?   It was widespread and long lived and a Straight Line Windstorm from what I saw of it, so I don't need it to be debated.   Was the Wind Damage Path Officially 240 Miles, hard to say Unofficially, but I know it stretched from Buckeye and tore thru Goodyear, Avondale, Litchfield Park and Glendale into West Phoenix, so it could have?   I don't Care about the Semantics really.

I know damned near a whole Post on Weather is probably boring, unless you're the one going thru it, but, it required some Venting about it.  *LOL and Winks*   Becoz of all the Fires, we did need a lot of Rain to saturate everything, would have been better moderately spread out instead of a Noah's Ark kind of Situation tho'.  Coz I just don't prepare for nor anticipate Hurricanes in the Middle of the Desert and this far Inland, that's all.  *LOL*   The News will probably cover any widespread damage incurred.  I Plan to go to the Nature Preserve and see how high the Rivers are running in the Tres Rios Preserve where the Three Rivers converge?  So, after I get both Kiddos to Work, that's my Plans, it's noticeably Cooler and very Overcast still, so I can do some Environmental Cleanup and make me some Can Money.  I did get my Stock Dividend Check and it was higher than usual, my Bank Stock is doing well, even tho' nothing else is. 

 Of coarse our Prez got 100 or so of his Accounts recently shut down by Capital One for suspicion of Money Laundering... in total, since 2021, over 300 of his Accounts had to be Closed by them due to Anti-Money Laundering Reviews, let that sink in for a Minute.   Of coarse he and his Family Spin that it's Politically motivated, but Federal Banking Guidelines are Specific and if specific transaction patterns exist and get flagged... well, all I can say is if it walks like a Duck, talks like a Duck, acts like a Duck, it's probably a fucking Duck.   And given all his other Laundry List of very Serious Crimes, and Career Criminal Activities and well known Corruption since the 1970's, would we even be Surprised he's deeply involved in Money Laundering too?  No, I didn't think so.  And this should make Major News, but with him, it's a blip on the Radar of him Flooding the Zone with Crimes too numerous to Focus on for long before he's committing yet another.  And his Fans don't seem to Care, so, there's that.  We're way past Voters clutching their Pearls and having the Vapors over a Prez just wearing a Tan Suit!  *Eye Roll*  I personally Hope Obama wears it to the Funeral, I really do.  *Winks*

I should go to The Gym Today but I know I don't have the Bandwidth for that so I probably won't.  There's lotsa things I should be doing or could be doing that are not gonna remotely have me doing with the way I just Feel on a Physical and Emotional level.   LATER the same Morning:  It was so Cool Outside and Breezy, that The Daughter and I worked The She Shed for over an Hour, sitting Outside and sorting thru Crates of what would be Donated or Sold.  We've got Two full Banana Boxes full of Donations to drop off at SAVERS when I pick Princess T up from Work later on.  Now I have more Curated Inventory to Price and Sell at the Antique Mall and we plowed thru a considerable amount of the Crates on One whole Wall of The She Shed.  So, we both felt quite accomplished and she set aside things for her next Yard Sale to try to Sell cheaply, if it doesn't Sell we'll Donate all of what doesn't and be rid of that.  We have Plans now to keep doing that with consistency to get thru everything in both The She Shed and eventually The RV Garage Mahal too.

We calculated that if we Work it Together with consistency, we actually could and might get thru it by end of Winter of 2026, which would be in range of the original Goal of being Done with it this Year.  It's a lofty Goal but we can see how close we can get to attaining it?   She sees that when I have someone with me doing it, I get enormous amounts actually Done without fading out or getting Overwhelmed.  I don't know Why that is, just that it's how I am.  Even if the person helping me isn't doing all that much, it just matters that they are there and talking me thru some stuff when I seem to get Fixated or Stuck inside my Head.  In my Corporate Lives I could make Unemotional Decisions Lightening fast that were very valuable to my Employers.  But when I have any Emotional Attachment to what I'm doing is when I get bogged down with more indecisiveness when lots of Decisions have to be made and relatively quickly, unemotionally and efficiently.  Mebbe that's Normal, I wouldn't know.  *LOL*

I just know we got so much done in just an Hour that only the Weather coming in fast shut the Project Down for the Day real early, by 9:30 a.m..  It looks like a big Storm is coming earlier than this Evening, mebbe even before Noon?!   LATER:  The Storm didn't hit during the Day, don't know about later Tonight tho', they've been hitting in the early Morning Hours just after Midnight usually.  The Young Prince might be here by the Weekend, I don't know yet when The Niece can get away with the complications she was having with her Dad?  He was making a lot of bad decisions for himself that she was now having to run a lot of damage control behind.  She may have to involuntarily have his competence assessed for his own good but she knows that will cause Estrangement and her Two Younger Sisters, who don't look after him, always oppose whatever she's trying to do for his own good.  They aren't there with him so either don't acknowledge his decline or are in denial.  

I called my Best Friend in Texas, she and I have been Besties since we were Tweens in England, we lived next door to each other in the American Projects off Base in a Town called Thetford.  Her Dad was Stationed at Lakenheath, mine was Stationed at Mildenhall, we both went to Lakenheath High School and have been like Sisters our whole Adult lives.  She's Two Years Older than me so is like my Big Sister.  She's a Caregiver for her Disabled Younger Brother who was Born with Spina Bifida, so he's severely Developmentally Disabled and is my Age.  He kind of stalled out Developmentally at a 14 Year Old level even tho' he's almost 70.   Anyway, we had such a nice Talk even tho' she knows I'm not one to often make Phone Calls, but she'd sent me a Birthday Card that was lovely, and a hand-written Letter.  She and I used to Write Letters to each other, epic ones, all of the time.  She joked that it's been so many Years since she Wrote in Cursive, she wasn't even sure it would be legible?  *LOL*  It was as nice as her Handwriting has always been, she's a Leftie so she Writes straight up and down and it's very legible.  It was so exciting to get a LETTER!  It's been YEARS since I got one!

I should knuckle down and Hand Write her one too and Surprise her with it.  We had resorted to Typing Letters on Word, many Years ago, but now I don't have a Printer and neither does she.  And we Instant Message each other infrequently and she's not a Blogger or a Blog Reader, tho' we keep in Touch some on Facebook.  But, like me, we mostly do Pixs on The Book Of Faces Feed and not much Writing.  She's doing better with her Health, which I was glad to hear, we've both Lost so many Friends now that we often feel like The Last Of The Mohicans.   Her Brother isn't doing well, he's been in decline for Years now and usually someone with his Condition doesn't even live as long as he's managed to.   She has One Son and Raised him mostly as a Single Parent after her Divorce from his Dad... and she'd had him very late in Life, so he's much Younger than my Kiddos are.   I bought some Tie Dyed various colored Lined Stationery Online, Free Shipping, and decided, that's it, I'll Write her a Letter on it.   Who knows, we might resurrect the Practice, but just for each other.  She joked that she'd only do this for me.  Coz we both have Arthritic Hands now.  Well, Arthritic everything.  *Smiles*

 It was good to catch up even tho' we talked just about trifles and nothing all that Serious.   We each know we've both got Tough Rows to Hoe being Full Time Unpaid Caregivers and she only Retired this Year, so is getting into the swing of the Transition of not Working Outside of the Home.   We had a lot of Laughs during the Call, she's always been so effortless to be Friends with.  And we're totally Opposites in every way you could Imagine, so it's not like we had a lot in common ever, we just hit it off like Family from when we first met.   And we've shared so much Life History now that it just got more effortless over Time and never was complicated, no falling outs ever, no lapses in the Friendship ever.  She's the easiest Person I've ever met to just be close to like a Sister and we've never had any Secrets from each other.  I told her I was able to Score some Old Yearbooks from the very early 1970's of our Old High School in England.  She said hers got Lost in a Home that got Sold and were never returned to her, which is unfortunate.   It's Rare to find any from our American High School in England.  The High School I Graduated from here in Phoenix it's easy to find Old Yearbooks For Sale.

Well, I finished that British Series about the Lockerbie Pan Am Flight bombing set in Scotland, the Brogue of most Actors was so thick you almost needed subtitles.  *LOL*  Mom's Country speaks a Gaelic Tongue so it's the same in Wales, and in Ireland, even when they can speak fluent English, hard to understand it with the Brogue Accent their 1st Language created.  The Man never could understand my Mom or my Welsh Uncle.  So I'd interpret for him even tho' they were both speaking English, but, I had to do that a lot here in America my whole Childhood.  And my Mom was used to it.  My Uncle often got offended coz he worked so hard to learn English and then thought, what was the point, these bloody Americans don't even understand me when I speak their Language!  *Bwahahahaha*  To be Fair, as a Teen, I didn't understand my own Welsh Relatives at first either, their Brogue so thick and their English not very good.   

 

I only learned the profanity in Welsh coz when Mom got Mad at us she'd forget English entirely and not realize she'd converted back to speaking Welsh!  *Ha ha ha*   And, she never taught us much Welsh coz she didn't want us to have an Accent, life was difficult enuf without one for Kids of an Interracial/Intercultural Union and one 1st Generation Immigrant Parent and a Native American Parent.   I'd always wished she had Taught us her Language tho', coz it's not a Written one and is a dying one, just like most Indigenous Tribal Languages are too, so you have to Learn it by just speaking it from Childhood.   It's not like I could take Welsh Class in High School... or a Tribal Language Class being Taught, they simply never Teach the Dying Languages anywhere.   Mom had an East Indian Doctor and Dr. Satapathy had a thick East Indian Accent, so I'd have to translate for both of them even tho' everyone in the Exam Room was speaking English.  But he didn't understand her Accent and she didn't understand his... so I still had to be Translator for them BOTH!  *LOL*

Once Mom got the Dementia, she began losing her English and began only Speaking Welsh again.  At her Hospice they thought she'd reverted to gibberish and I had to tell them that No, it was her Original Language of her Country, not babble, and that's why she was lashing out and getting so Mad and Violent with them.  Once they understood it got better for her and for them, since most of them were Dear Immigrant Caregivers and Nurses there too, so English wasn't even their 1st Language and they had a Point of Reference of how frustrating it must be for her, and not just more complicated with the Dementia.   Oddly, I understood most of the Welsh she was Speaking to me there at The End.  I didn't know how or why I could, it was like a Gift from God to suddenly be able to understand her 1st Tongue, and I still don't know Why or how I did?  

 But I highly Suspect that when I was very little, perhaps she Spoke it to me so she could converse in even a Monologue, in her own Language with anyone... coz nobody in America spoke it or understood it.  And she never met another Immigrant from North Wales in all the Years she lived here.  I never realized how Isolating it had been for both of my Parents to be not around anyone of their Culture for so many Years.   Tho' my Dad learned enuf Welsh to endear himself to her People while Stationed in Wales.   Perhaps that got resurrected out of my Subconscious then from very early Childhood, I just dunno?   One of the last things Mom said to me in Welsh was that they thought she wasn't all here, and she pointed to her Head, but I am... 

   *******

Today we should be getting that 2nd Estimate on replacing Roof damaged... Dawn... The Bohemian