Now That's Behind Us... Let's Continue To Move Forward

 

 

 

Princess T had her Surgery yesterday Morning and everything went well. The Nurses even suited up her fav Teddy Bear she brought with her in Scrubs!  *Smiles*  We had exceptional Care at John C. Lincoln Hospital and they made the day and a half we stayed there so much less stressful for us both.

 

 

 

 

This is her right after getting out of Surgery... she is now Home recovering, it will take about two weeks for her to fully recover and I'm Hopeful the pathology comes back okay on what was removed. For some reason Blogger Image Download has added an un-natural Yellowed Tint Wash to all the Images I took in the Hospital that even trying to Photoshop won't remove??!?? It didn't show up in the actual Images or the Facebook loads... very odd... but I didn't want you thinking I'd dyed and hi-lited her hair Blonde or that she looks this washed out and sallow now, she still has her lovely swarthy Olive complexion! *LOL*

 

They had very nice meals... so it was a shame that she could barely swallow any of it... tho' while she still had the effects of the anesthesia dulling her pain she managed to polish off half of this first meal.  So our biggest obstacle will still be keeping her hydrated and fed at Home sufficiently as she recovers.   And getting this new CPS Insurance to cover her pain meds, since for some strange reason they only want to approve and pay for half of what the Surgeon ordered!?!  WTF!?!   So we only have five days worth instead of ten, even the Pharmacist was shocked they refused to Approve the rest of the Medication!!! 

 

 

 

 

 This replacement Insurance CPS mandated is allegedly superior to our previous Insurance, which never refused to approve, cover or provide anything the Children's Doctor's ordered as necessary and we never had any problems with all these years.  So I'm not convinced the Foster Care System's Insurance IS better and not happy we had no say-so in keeping our old Insurance for them.  So, now I have to battle them Monday morning to cover the other half of the painkillers she'll need so that she can swallow, have her pain managed, stay sufficiently hydrated and not have excess swelling that could send her back into the Hospital!!!   *Grrrrrrr!!!  May I say it yet again, The System sucks!* 

 

  

 

 

But enuf of the Negs... back to the Positives of the Story.  The Hospital Staff presented her with a departure Gift for being such an Exceptional Patient.  She really was a little Trooper, but then we always knew she was and would be since she's Endured so much all her life Health and Pain wise.  And when the Staff saw that I'd brought my Diabetic Supplies, they Insisted on covering my Meals during our stay so that I wouldn't have to even leave the room or her bedside, or risk having Medical Issues of my own during our stay! 

 

 

 

 That was such an unexpected Blessing, I had been concerned about that since I'm still not feeling 100%, didn't want to have to leave her side to go eat, and was in an unfamiliar part of Town, we even got lost getting to the Hospital since I didn't know where I was going and it was still the wee hours of the Morning!  *LOL*   Their Diabetic Meals were exceptional, I felt like I was in a five-star Resort, I'm not kidding!!!  My compliments to their Chef and Dietician!  And Thank You for your Generosity and going over and above in accommodating us!

 

 

 

 

And today, when we finally got Home from the Hospital this Afternoon and I got her settled in and down for a Nap, I was able to make a quick pitstop at our Antique Mall to foof my Showrooms and see how the Big Sale Celebrating the Second Anniversary of our location was going.   And I Won one of the ten free T-Shirts an Hour they were having in the Give-Away Drawings throughout the day!  *Whoo Hoo!*  It's actually more a Violet hue than the weird download color Blogger is making it today... I sure Hope this Blogger download odd coloration situation gets fixed soon... its making my Images look like crap compared to the Originals!  *Le Sigh*  They were also serving up a Free Lunch for everyone and the Sale continues thru Tomorrow... so come on down and 'Score' 15% off your entire Purchase and get in the Drawing to Win your Free T-Shirt too!!!

 

 

 

Yes, I bought a few small Treasures since they were on Sale... this Vintage Ocelot Wrap from a New Dealer's Booth that has loads of Retro Fashions... and two 1960's Horse Show Ribbons, from my Friend Shelly's Showroom.

 

 

 

 

And this Adorable Home-Made Vintage Pincushion.  Fabric Artists can never have enough of those conveniently located around the Studio!

 

 

 

 

And Thankfully... before having to have Yul put down... and go into the Hospital for Princess T's Surgery, I had managed to re-stock my Showrooms in preparation for the Big Sale, so that they wouldn't look spartan since a lot of Inventory had turned in the preceeding weeks prior to the Sale.

 

 

Not that I don't still have mounds of Inventory in the Storage Cottage to get Priced and into Inventory mind you... but I was proud of myself for at least getting some Fresh Inventory into the Showrooms in spite of all the Personal Dramas playing out in our Lives right now that have put my little Hobby on the back burner and sorely neglected in recent weeks.   So its been Inspiring and Uplifting that Sales have still been so strong in spite of my inability to put time and effort into my Passion.

 

And for all my Loyal Customers I Promise there is more to come... I just have to get to it now that we have some of the Personal Drama behind us and can finally move forward with a bit less to have concerns about and keep me from Living the Dream!  *Smiles*

 

 



Showroom #133 still has whatever Weird and Wonderful I can Source... the Goth and Rocker Youths seem to Love that Room best...

 

 

 

 

So any Oddities, Gothic Antiquities and Vintage Rock Memorabilia always sells out fast!  This Kinder Goth Doll Sold within hours of being put up for Sale...

 

 

 

 

And Vintage Ouija Boards sell out as fast as I can Source them even without the Planchettes so I'm almost always Sold Out... I've got requests for more from some of my Regulars so I never pass one up when I can locate them.  And even incomplete Planchettes still Sell quickly.

 

 



 

 

And since the Weird and the Wonderful just happens to be more 'Full On Me' than most other Inventory, I'm SLOWLY morphing that Showroom into what I REALLY want it to be and see how that Vibe will be received?  My Vision would be for it to one day resemble an Oddities Of Phoenix with a Hippie Gypsy Twist that would give my Generation a Flashback to the Sixties.  *Winks*

 

But for now I mostly Source what the Local Demographic Desires and turns fast because I want to keep things moving and Fresh, keeping my Customers Happy and making some extra Cash.  No matter how much I Love something, if it's not Selling, I'm not buying it for Re-Sale purposes to fill my Showrooms with.  My Retail Spaces aren't Warehouses to store my Stuff that won't fit into my Home.  *LOL*  Believe me, I've seen some Vendors who are still very in Love with their Stuff and it's obvious they really aren't ready to part with it and probably don't care if they ever Sell any of it. 

 

 

Now... that said, I gotta still Love it to some degree or I won't Source or Sell it and Display it in my Showrooms, it has to Enhance my Spaces in some way... something about it has to Appeal to me at some level, I'm really anal like that.  *Winks*  There has to be some Cohesiveness to it all even if it's Eclectic in Nature.  

 

 

 

But I often do Sell what I'm not really all that 'into' myself if it looks real Cool to me.  Example: I am NOT a Doll Collector or even a Doll Person per se... though I do like and have a Collection of Creepy Antique Doll Parts at Home... but Hand Crafted OOAK Dolls, especially those with a Rustic Vibe and Tea Stained or Vintage Textiles Wardrobe do Sell very well in my Showrooms, so they've now become a staple, especially in Showroom #114 since my Customers are totally diggin' em.  And certain Collector Limited Edition Dolls also do very well.

 

This one looked Boheme' enough to go with Showroom #114's Vibe, Loving her Cut Velvet Gown and Bling in fact!  *LOL*
 

 



 

 

   One thing I've learned Selling at an Antique Mall, what Sells even ten miles down the road and is Hot with that Demographic or totally On-Trend Worldwide, might just languish in some Locales.  Every Area seems to have their specific Preferences and if you're Selling in that Locale you better have your finger on the pulse of what they Desire there.  Some Demographics follow Trends, some are more Traditional, some more Nostalgic, some more Experimental and ahead of the Curve Visionary-Wise... it just depends.   And if they tell me what they're diggin', that's what I'll keep my peepers peeled for when on the Thrill Of The Hunt!  It's kinda like being a Personal Shopper in a way, once you get a good Following that frequent your Spaces regularly and are Eager to see what you've Found for them now.

 

 



For some reason Faux Foods Sell exceedingly well and initially I just bought it for Display Purposes 'til my Customers insisted on buying any of it I could Source... who knew?   But it makes sense if someone has a nice Collection of Antique, Retro or Vintage China or Kitchenware and wants a more Realistic Vignette or is 'into' Still Life Photography.   In a fiercely Hot Climate like the Arizona Desert, Real Food just doesn't hold up that well for Photo Shoots!  *LOL*

 

 



 

 

Some Clever person Created this Faux Cake out of Rubberized Foam and Plastic Shavings... and I must say, it looks very Realistic!  I liked that it was sliced into individual servings so that you could price the Cake as Separates in case someone didn't want to purchase the entire thing. 

 

 

 

And I Confess that I kept one Faux Cake for my own Home Display and some Fabulous Faux Candy that looks so Realistic I Hope that none of the G-Kid Force or The Man takes a bite out of any of it?!?  *LOL*   {Sorry not pictured... yet!}

 

 

 

 

Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Where we have some Dramas now behind us and continue to move forward... Dawn... The Bohemian

 

A Tribute To Yul... RIP

Almost two years... that's how long you Graced us with your Presence and your big Personality Yul.  Thin from too much time on the Road and nobody to Care for you... you spent three long Months skittish and distrustful of the Adults, yet slyly Endearing yourself to the Children and the Bohemian Cat Boys... with your Plan to Adopt us and make us YOUR Family.  I tried to Resist, but who could Resist those Beautiful Bright Baby Blues with the Intent Gaze and the Handsome Siamese Boy that you are for long... not I... and so I succumbed and became your Human Mom.  The Human Mom of the Siamese King of Bohemian Valhalla... and so we named you Yul, after a Favorite Iconic King of Siam I always Admired and considered Exoticly Handsome too.

 

 

But this Morning, after our Tearful Family Meeting on what would be the best and most Humane outcome for your situation, and unanimous consensus after we Processed the Vet's diagnosis, I was looking into the Gaze of different eyes.  Tired, weary, defeated eyes, no longer Bright, reflecting back to me how much the Fight against terminal illness had taken it's toll upon you and now was so painfully evident you were rapidly succumbing to.  And I felt so Helpless to be able to do any more... except what I knew to be the Right thing by you and to say Good-Bye my Good Boy and allow you to be put to Sleep and have your Essence Change Form and Transition from Time into Eternity.  The Staff said you had been Noble, Stoic and Good Natured right up to the end... I never doubted you would be... that's how a True King behaves and Rules his World.

 

 

It's not until I look back at the Images of before... and the Images of recent times, that I recognize how much you thrived when showered with Love and Attention.  Yes, you came into your own and became that big Ole' Sassy Spoiled rotten Boy that Intimidated every other Cat around and always appeared so Healthy and Strong.   I can relate in some ways my Beloved Furry Friend, to Assuming you are Healthy and Strong by all Appearances to the World, only to discover you no longer are... it can happen to even the Best of us and usually is quite a Shock. 

 

 

 

And I guess I am Shocked because it was all so very unexpected.  Had it been now frail, Elderly Morris I might have been ready to say Good-Bye to a Good Long Run.  He too was a big Strong Old Tomcat for many years and quite the Intimidating Presence on the Ole Homestead.  But he's been around a very, very long time now and Old Age is catching up to him and leaving it's mark, as it does on everything and everyone.  And because Rusty came to us as a sickly Feral Kitten, even though he's now a big Strong Tough Old Boy, given his History and Feral ways that have always remained strong, I might have expected him to preceed you too.  I guess I always figured you'd be the last to leave us Yul and be around a long, long time.

 

 

 

 

You, who had to have your own dish and water bowl because you weren't big on Sharing anything but your Love with the Humans in your Family.   While the others had Communal meals and beds you set yourself apart voluntarily... being tolerant of those you considered minions in your World so long as they knew their place in the pecking order of the household and recognized you as Royalty.  *Smiles*

 

 

 

 

And as I said Good-Bye, stroking and Comforting you as you drifted off to Sleep, my Heart was breaking because it was one of the hardest decisions to make and I had to be the one to make it.  I had cried all Night as I wrestled with the weight of the decision... secretly Hoping that you might have been taken during the Night naturally by a Hand Greater than mine or the Vet's.  I Imagine this is one of the most difficult parts of his Job too and I appreciated the Compassionate way he explained our Options and was the Messenger of Bad News so that we didn't feel unduly pressured to decide in haste.  You had been made more comfortable and even had your favorite meal before it was time... and I really Believe you were ready... I could see it in your Eyes... the Fight was gone in you and that made is easier to bear the weight of our decision to let you go.

 

 

 

I was Surprised at the Maturity in which your Children Accepted the News and came into Agreement, especially Princess T who Adored you more than any of us, you two were thick as thieves and Best Buds.  I had thought she might Resist letting you go and be angry at me if I decided letting go was best... but she didn't.  With great Wisdom beyond her years she had told me it was Okay, you were very Sick and she didn't want to see you suffering any more and it was your Time.  She's known suffering from Infirmity well, she's known how hard it is to keep Fighting. 

 

 

 

 Since you couldn't get better she didn't want you to have to keep hanging on for any of us because we couldn't let you go.  Prince R agreed and here they were, trying to Comfort me as I wept and dreaded the task of the final say-so... of allowing Yul to enter into Eternal Slumber.  It was quick and looked very much like when you drifted off to Sleep at Home... and The Man and I took him Home and laid him to Rest in our Pet Cemetary where other Beloved Fur Babies have been interred over the years.  I was Glad that the Vet said we could bury you, we have our own Rituals and Traditions for our Dearly Departed and that was also very Important to us. 

 

 

 

 

And we can have Closure, since you stayed Strong enough to Work your way back to us to Say Good-Bye... and we will often recall the many Happy Memories and Stories of your time with us... which is your Legacy here at Bohemian Valhalla our Dear Yul... you will be Forever Missed and Eternally Loved. 

 

 

 

 

Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

 

Headless Naked Barbies In The Arm Rest ~ And Sombre Issues

Right now I'm Dealing with some very Sombre Issues indeed... it isn't easy... and keeping Stress levels down has been a particular Challenge in recent days.

 

 



And so the things that make me Smile about our World here at Bohemian Valhalla help to Lighten my Spirits.   Such things as Headless Naked Barbies in the arm rest of the Jeep on the Passenger side.

Because this is often how Princess T's dolls end up and the ones she plays with the most... she is most definitely a Wednesday Addams Type of Child, no doubt.

 



A Child scheduled to have her long awaited Surgery Tomorrow Morning... a very early wake-up call since we have to be clear across the Valley and checked in for Surgery by Six A.M.!!!  Of coarse I've been losing sleep about it, because she's recently recovering, yet again, from a chronic series of throat and ear infections that she often gets... and she had to be Well by the scheduled date... and is, but just barely.

 

 



Getting thru all the obstacles and Red Tape to get to this point has been exhausting enough, keeping a Child prone to chronic sickness Well and strong enough to have a very necessary Surgery just added to the Challenge.  It has certainly taken a toll on my own Health and Well Being, so keeping me Well has suddenly become an Issue too!  But we're almost there, just another twenty-four hours or so to go, to hopefully get this behind us and move forward with Guarded Optimism that her overall Health and Emotional State will begin to improve.

 

 



Making the grave Medical decisions for a Child not your own is an even Weightier Issue... Grammas shouldn't have to be the one to decide... but she was Entrusted to me to Raise and so I must.  Our Daughter has always Trusted our Judgment unconditionally when it comes to the G-Kid Force, because she was never Well enough to make these decisions for them herself.  

 

 

 

 

And now, after his Life altering Catastrophic Accident, The Man isn't Well enough to make his own important decisions either.  Which leaves me making many potentially Life changing decisions for several Loved ones with Profound Medical Issues, often concurrently.  You never want to make the wrong decisions... but it's not always crystal clear what the right ones might be... there are no guarantees and it can be a bit of a gamble... I've never been a Gambler, I prefer a Sure Thing.

 

 

And because we are avid Animal Lovers and have Rescued abandoned and feral Cats for years that chose to Adopt us, we are also Pet Parents.  When you have a Rescue Animal the History is a big Unknown... as is often their Age... and their cooperation at doing things Domestic Cats that have been well Cared for all their lives do willingly.  A Feral, Alley Cat or Stray has their own Trust Issues regardless of how long they are in the Family and Loved on.  They very often arrive as damaged goods and Coddling and Caring doesn't erase every bit of baggage they arrived with.  Much will remain and you cannot do anything about but Love them unconditionally and for however long they have. 

 

 



 

 

So when our Beloved Yul disappeared weeks ago and Recon Missions to find him failed... we had to just wait it out and Hope that he would come Home again one day, Safely and Well.  Sometimes they will just go away, never to be seen again... and the not knowing and acceptance of their departure isn't easy.   I Imagine it's somewhat like having a Missing Child... because to a Pet Parent, your Fur Babies are just as much Family as any Child you're Caring for.  There is no Closure when they just disappear never to be seen again, so you always Hope they're return or you'll know for sure their Fate so you can Grieve it properly.

 

 

And continue to just Dance as best you can thru the Anxieties and Issues of Life... because in this Family, they always seem to Exist and coincide with daily Living so it's become our Normal.   So... here I was preparing myself and my Family for Princess T's Surgery... and my absence for two days while she's Hospitalized, so that The Man and the Young Prince will Cope and be Okay while I'm taking care of business clear across the Valley.   And as if the logistics of that weren't enough, guess who shows up looking like a Hot Mess and Death warmed over late Yesterday Afternoon, just about the time the Vet's Office would be Closing?  Yep, Yul!!!

 

 

 

 

No time to try to locate the Pet Carrier somewhere in Storage, so I toss him in a box with a towel and give him his first ever car ride... which totally freaked him out.  Remember, Strays and Ferals don't always Enjoy the things Domestics do... so car rides, trips to the Vet, even being brought inside a Home, can be Traumatic for them and not work out well... EVER!  Believe me, over the years we've tried... often just Trusting Humans again and accepting Love maybe for the first time in their Lives, is a lengthy enough process.  Yul accepted Love and Attention, reveling in it, because he has a big Personality and Capacity to and for Love... but the other stuff us Humans wanted for him... not so much.

 

He remained ever the Nomad that he'd been accustomed to most of his Life, liking to roam, but usually not very far from Home and not for extended periods of time.   He liked extended Naps on the Porch and to play with the Children.  He never was much of a Working Cat like his bro's The Bohemian Cat Boys, Rusty and Morris, so he left the Work on the Acreage up to them.  It was his Job to just be the Character of the Family and Indulge his Humans, especially Princess T and her Posse, who often included him in their activities because he wanted to Participate.  So it has been very hard on her when he left and never came back... and she was Ecstatic yet Mortified when he finally returned, but obviously very Sick and close to Death.

 

 

 

 

I should have paid more Attention to the Spirit Orbs that surrounded him in just about every Image I took just before his departure... they had hovered close and been quite Evident... but he Appeared so Well, so Content... so I Dismissed them as being anything to be Concerned about.  Spirit showing up doesn't always indicate bad things about to happen, so I preferred to Believe it wasn't indicative of his Transition from Time into Eternity.  I was probably wrong... over Five Hundred Dollars later the Vet still had Grave News about his Condition and Prognosis... all bad and terminal.  So... as he stays Hospitalized just a day before his Princess will be... I have the weighty decision on whether to attempt to doctor him along and see if he can rally for a while before his Illness finally takes him some kind of way... or end his suffering since there is no Cure and he can never be part of his Feline Community again?

 

 

 

I know that throwing Money at the problem will not fix it, but just delay it, and finances are limited... and Caring for another who is very Sick is not something I have the Capacity for either, especially given the Needs the Vet suggests as an alternative to Euthenasia.  In my head I know what is the responsible thing to decide and do... but in my Heart I'm really Wrestling with it.  I don't like playing God, not even with the Life of an Animal... it isn't something I have a Peace about completely, though I have had to do it before. 

 

 

 

I know that Yul cannot get better and is on Borrowed Time... and we had a Family Meeting about what would be Best for him... and to prepare the Children for him probably not being able to come Home.  I'm dreading the trip to the Vet today... and the rest of our day is already so full with Pre-Surgical stuff, Parent Teacher Conferences for both G-Kids and a Home Nurse Visit for The Man.  I will be in the Hospital with the Princess on Friday and Saturday... so Today must be the decision making day for Yul... since Time and Money are running out to delay the outcome any further... and my Heart is Breaking.   I want to have Good, Happy Memories of the Time he has spent with our Family... and do the Right Thing by him, he deserves that and more... more than I can give and more than I can do for him actually.

 

 

 

 

And I already know I'm not very Good at saying Good-Bye, Letting Go and Closing the Door... so it will be hard to watch his Transition and Feel that Peace that I Hope to have.  We were Blessed to have had him come to stay with us and be part of our Family, it just wasn't nearly long enough... it never is, is it?

 

 

 

Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian