When Posed The Question Once Again... What ARE You?

 I've got only One Unpublished Post ahead, and just finished my Supper of Corned Beef, Cabbage, Baby New Potatoes & Veggies.  It turned out really good and I started it early enuf this Morning that it was ready to Eat by Noon.  Lately The Man will eat well before Sundown, when he gets Sundowners badly by Late Afternoon, and everything deteriorates then, his Mood, his Mental State, his Physical Condition.  So, I try to make Meals early for him and make them in such a way that the rest of the Family can partake of it thruout the Day, at the times they'd want to be eating it.  I try to eat well before or well after The Man does, so I can help him with his, but, still enjoy mine properly and not in Extreme Caregiver Mode.

For those of you who've had Kids, it's similar to when they were so Young that you would not get a Hot, or even Lukewarm Meal of your own, due to tending to the Children's Needs.  *LOL*  So, you work around it when you're a Caregiver of an Adult too.  The Man will sometimes play with his Food and spend more time Organizing things rather than eating, if you don't just give him all the time in the World to get thru a Meal at his Pace now and remind him to actually EAT what's in front of him.  He gets too distracted with his Napkin, his Utensils, moving his Food around like it's some Art Project... so Meals can become an Ordeal.  I also have to ensure none of it he can choke on, so you prep it like you would for a Toddler.  And don't give him a Salt Shaker now, or he'll empty damned near all of it on his Food before even Tasting it!

I've given to taking plenty of those individual Salt and Pepper Packets at Restaurants and giving him One of each to use with a Meal.  That's all the Salt you Need, Honey, and all the Pepper.  He's on a Heart Healthy and Diabetic Friendly Diet mostly, but he's Stubborn about following it as Religiously as I do.  And, since he's 74 now with lots going on, I just remember what my Dear Dad said near The End.  Dad Crossed Over just after his 74th Birthday, within Days of it actually.  He always told me, when I'd fuss at him for not behaving, "Sweetheart, you gotta Die OF SOMETHING!"  He wasn't Wrong and so he Ate what he wanted, becoz what was going Wrong with him, they couldn't do anything about anyway, just like The Man.  So, I don't limit The Man too much, I would rather he be Happy at this Juncture and Enjoy what he Eats.

He really likes Corned Beef and Cabbage, so he'll probably want 2nds or have it for another Meal just Fine.  It did turn out really good and I got the Corned Beef and the Cabbage on Sale at "Sprouts".  They're having a big Sale so I have stocked up the New Freezer with some of the Meats they had at great Prices and some of the BOGO going on too, which is an excellent Deal.  I got some expensive Irish Ice-Cream BOGO, it's called "Emerald", and it's excellent.  I got the Irish Coffee and the Salted Caramel Flavors, better than any brand of Ice-Cream I've previously thought was Primo!  So, even if it wasn't at Buy-One-Get-One-Free, I'd splurge on it now every once in a while as an indulgence.  It's worth the Extra IMO for a most decadent Dessert.

I Love Coffee Ice-Cream and have had about every other type of Coffee Ice-Cream on the Market for comparisons sake.   Theirs was by far the Best I've had, so I was blown away.  Don't mind paying double for something that is just that good, since I don't eat a lot of it anyway at a sitting or that often either.  So, I rather Buy the Best that I can afford and while they still have BOGO on the Brand, I think I'm gonna go back and Buy a couple more of the Flavors like the Irish Whiskey and perhaps the Atlantic Sea Salt.   They don't have a lot of Flavors, but so far I'm a Fan now of the Two I've already tried.   The Salted Caramel was exceptional too, that's another Flavor I happen to like enuf I've bought many Brands of that Flavor to compare it to.  It's Bougee and it is for Ice-Cream Snobs, Yes, but, you can Thank me Later when you give it a go.   You're Welcome in advance.  *Winks* 

Princess T was cracking up when I picked her up at Work coz we were Inside Shopping together and an Older Black Woman stopped us in one of the Aisles and asks me where I'm "From"?   I said Arizona.  And she says, No, I mean WHAT ARE You, and which Island are you From?  Then it dawned on me, she thought I was a Light Skinned Black Woman from the Caribbean Islands!!!  *LMAO*  I get that a LOT, not only from most Black People who've often thought I was a Bright Skinned Black and from "The Islands", but also from White People who often ask me the same thing and think I'm a Mulatto too.  *LOL*  My Kids and Grandkids think it's hilarious, especially since just this Week, it's happened several times and Scored me a Free Brownie Pizza at "Dominoes" from the Older Black Man who works there and was flirting with me.  So now The Man jokes and asks me if I can Score us another Free Pizza from my "New Boyfriend" at "Dominoes"?!  He likes Brownies you see.  *Bwahahaha*

The Lady looked very confused and said, well, I'm SURE you're "Ethnic", you definitely LOOK Ethnic.  I could have just responded by saying my Dad was Ethnic and Indigenous First Nations Ancestry.  But, Princess T just interjected and said, "No, my Gramma's a White Lady with Dreads."  She wasn't Born before my Dad Died, so even tho' she's seen Photos of her Great-Grand-Dad and clearly he wasn't White, she's always thought of me as being a White Lady.  And that's Okay coz I do Identify as "White" and usually just check that Box on Forms coz by Law, I am White and not with Ancestry of a Federally Recognized Tribe.  The Woman, after Princess T said I was White, just said, "Well, you don't LOOK White, you LOOK Ethnic."   She didn't say it in a Bad or Offensive way so I just said, "Thank You."  Becoz I consider anytime someone says that, as a Compliment and not as an Offense taken.  Even IF someone might have meant it as one. 

 And, I can't say for Sure of coarse what someone is Thinking, but I am pretty good at Reading folks and what remains Unsaid.  And, after she said what she said at the end of the Conversation, I got the impression she thought I was "Passing" as White.   And, in many ways, she'd be Right becoz I am not White, really, but I realize I have the Privilege and Entitlements that are afforded me by looking "White Enough".  And I'm Aware of that.  And some people do Feel some kind of way about that, all my Dad's Family do actually, it's resented.  And tho' it's very Weird, my Dad was always considered an Indian and treated like all Indigenous are Treated, had all of the Discrimination with none of the Federal Benefits, but, becoz East Coast Tribes mostly were not Federally ever Recognized, they're I guess considered "White By Law", then, I dunno really?  I just know nobody ever thought my Dad was White... and since most never saw a Native American either, they thought he was Asian most of the time, even other Asian People did.  *LOL*

  

Anyway, it was an Interesting unexpected conversation with a complete Stranger, who still looked skeptical that I was White.  *Bwahahaha*  Her Young Granddaughter was with her, a Beautiful Child and clearly was Mixed Race.   And as a Mixed Race Person myself, I realize that the vast majority of folks Feel you MUST CHOOSE a Race and deny what else you are if you're Mixed Race.  And if they don't LIKE what you Identify as, they can get Testy about it.  I'm as Proud of all that I am Ancestrally, but if I Identified as Native American, I Guarantee some folks would get upset about that too.  I've flat out had a White Woman at Work once tell me I COULDN'T BE Indian becoz I have Grey Eyes!   And tell my Friend Brett, who I was talking to about our Relatives on respective Reservations, he couldn't be Indian either, and his Grandmother is Full Blood Blackfoot!  She Presumed to tell us WHAT we are, we found it hilarious rather than Offensive actually.  *LOL* 

 

And some will get upset if I Identify as White, whaddya gonna do then?  And tell me, like this Woman did, you're NOT White, or you don't LOOK White.  *Smiles and Shrugs... Who fucking Cares?!   I don't, Racism and making things Racial all the time is just absurd and unnecessary IMO.*  I don't Agree with that, but it's how Society operates.  And to me, the Identity of Half Breed was always used as a derogatory Term and Racial Slur for Indigenous mixed with something else.   So I don't use it or say that's what I am either, but, if someone calls me it, I won't Take the Offense either.  How you Identify, whether Racially or Sexually, shouldn't be the concern of anyone else in Society IMO. 

 

What does it matter to them?  And WHY does it matter to them?   And Who is it "Hurting"?  I'm so used to it tho' that it's not "New" to me... except I don't think I particularly look part Black either... and it's one Race I don't think I have Ancestry of that we know of?  But, with Ancestry DNA coming back 21% "Other Of Undetermined Origin", who knows for sure, Ancestry Dot Com sure couldn't.  *Bwahahahahaha*  The Son, when we talked about the interaction at SAVERS said he gets asked all the time, are you a White Boy?  Are you an Indian?  Are you a Mexican?  People are never sure what Ethnicity he is, and most consider him Native American if they were to take a Wild Guess.  Even his Navajo Girlfriend assumed he was also Tribal.  He said he just let's people choose one FOR him... and just says, "Yes".... coz he is all of the Above aforementioned, so, Pick whatever One YOU want me to BE?  *Winks*

THEN Late April 2018

Oh, how Funny, I JUST Found this Old Pix from The Villa McManse Circa about April of 2018 when that Fridge was New!!!   We bought it when we bought the McManse, becoz the Sale didn't convey with a Refrigerator, or a Washer or Dryer.  We still have that Fridge in The RV Garage Mahal as our Backup Fridge and mostly now for Refreshments and the extra Freezer Space.  Our Buyers had bought a New Fridge of their own and didn't want it.   It's lasted 8 Years, but we had trouble with the Freezer Handle always coming loose and the exterior Ice-Maker and Water Dispenser going on the fritz.  That's why I didn't buy one with an exterior Ice-Maker or Water Dispenser this time.  But, we Loved the Middle pull out Drawer so much on this Model that we insisted on one when we bought this Newest Model too, we use it a LOT for our Drinks.  Saves opening the Main Door of the Fridge all the time.

NOW: Early May 2026

I hadn't even realized that both Fridge Purchases happened the same time of Year within Weeks of each other!!!  The McManse Fridge being bought on the 25th of April and this Fridge being bought on about May 9th!   I prefer the newer Features the 2026 Fridge has in Styling improvements.   And as I recall, the McManse Fridge cost me a couple Grand too, but this New one had $1,500 Off or it would have cost me over $4,000.   So, if it hadn't been on Sale for Mother's Day promotion it is showing that Higher End Major Appliances have about doubled since 2018.   Nobody's Incomes have Doubled since 2018 tho'.   So, it's actually then costing you way more of your disposable Income to make the Purchase for a necessity like a Major Appliance when one goes out and needs replacing.

Since our Night Manager had called me to tell me Customers had tore up our Showroom terribly and I needed to come in and fix it up, The Daughter had just got off a Cleaning Job near there and helped me do it after I picked her up.  It was tore up all to Hell, Feral Humans had absolutely trashed the Showroom, it was ridiculous!!!  Took us both over an Hour to get everything picked up off the Floor and put right, luckily nothing was broken.  There was even someone's Motorcycle Helmet in there and I don't even think it was Inventory of another Vendor, I think someone just forgot their Motorcycle Helmet!!!   My Friend Crazy Ed was working, so he was asking how things were going, both personally and there at the Mall.  So we had quite the conversation.  My Friend Judith was there and she was being Testy, she's pretty Old and lately has been Moody to the point she's confrontational.  I Hope she's not sliding into Dementia?

 

She became a Widow fairly recently and that's a big transition and Grief Process, so I try to be Kind and not let her Test my last Raw Nerve when she just goes too far with being abrasive and unlovely.  We've been Friends a long time and she helped us even move, in Heels no less, she's a Beautiful Woman and looks about 30+ Years Younger than she is, she's kept herself Top Shelf and Classy looking.  She's a Retired Corporate Bank Executive too, and a very Intelligent Woman, so it's a shame that her personality is deteriorating to where she's not tolerated well now.  She's too Serious all the time and thinks she can Boss everyone around and she's not in Charge of anything, so it's like, Calm Down and Chill.  Crazy Ed is Easy Going, but is Bipolar like me, and so when he's had enuf, he can go Dark too... and she was Testing him, I could tell.  He stayed Easy Going and we Joked about it, whaddya gonna do??

 

Anyway, The Daughter had got Paid and she gave me half of what she'd Earned as my Belated Mother's Day Pressy from her, awwwww, Money... always the Right Size and Right Color.  *Winks*   She bought a Denim Patchwork Cropped Style Jacket there at the Antique Mall and we used a Credit I'd built up to reduce the low price even more, it's really Cute and looked good on her.   She's worked tirelessly tidying our Showroom, she didn't want me seeing how it looked until she got at least half of it done coz she thought I'd Melt Down?  *LOL*   To be sure, I feel Customers who don't have Control of their Children or themselves should be asked to leave the Mall.  Just tearing stuff up or acting the Fool, or turning your Feral Children loose like it's a Playground is NOT Okay in an Antique Mall or any Retail Establishment for that matter.  Things get mauled, manhandled and broken or ruined that they have no intention of paying for to compensate for the damages they've caused.  It's Vandalism.

 

We've got Victor from Physical Therapy coming Tomorrow Morning for The Man's PT.  He says he's been here before so now I'm wondering if he's that Guy that came while I wasn't Home and wasn't Scheduled?  Coz I know that The Man said whoever came he had never seen before and I don't remember anyone named Victor.  We had Wendell, we had John, and the Young American Male Black Nurse who was from the South originally, he'd introduced himself to the Family before I entered the Room so I didn't catch his Name.  So, perhaps HE is Victor, I won't know until Victor shows up and I see if he looks familiar or not to me?  *LOL*  I liked the Young Southern Guy, he was really good with The Man and very personable, so I do Hope it's him?

  

Anyway, I did get to see my Printout from the Mother's Day Weekend's Sales, when we had everything in the Mall 15% Off.  I didn't do squat for that Sale, it was a Bust as far as I was concerned, nitnoid stuff Sold and then it was already low cost and now had another 15% Off the low price, so, Margins on inexpensive Smalls aren't good during a Sale like that.  I wanna Sell The Good Stuff and higher Dollar items during a Sale, but, only One higher end piece Sold AFTER the Sale was over, for full price, so, that was good and the only thing making this Pay Period not be a total Bust so far.  It was a relatively spendy Designer Purse/Bag I'd had and never used, so decided to just Sell it.  I still really liked it, but decided the Money reselling it would be better Served.  Anyway, everyone was saying Sales were Soft for Mother's Day Sales for them.  It had looked Busy that Day but apparently not a lot of actual Dollars spent?

Someone might have bought that Designer Bag for their Mom, but everything else I Sold was less expensive Collectible Toys for Kids so far.  I Sold a fair amount of the Pokemon Cards for example, easy Sell and Quick Turn, but not a big Margin until I Sell a lot of them, the the overall Margins are great coz I bought them as a Bagged Lot inexpensively.  But Selling one here and one there, trickles the Profits in slowly.   It's merely a Hobby, coz you couldn't make a Living of it there, some have tried to, all have failed to.  Some even fail to profit at all, the Economy is just too stagnant and the Collectibles Market too random these days.  Things that used to have Value have Lost in Value by a lot. If you didn't Sell in the Peak of Value, you Lost Money on what you could have gotten before.

 I enjoy that part in "Antiques Roadshow" where they make different Year comparisons to what something was worth then and is worth now.  Sure, some go up, some hold steady, which means they're actually still worth less now than then when the Money would Buy more.  But, most go way down even of the Best of the Best Stuff.  And often by Thousands less.   If something could have gotten you $100,000 then, but now only gets you $30,000, you're still kicking yourself in the Ass even if you're still getting more for it than you Paid for it, just as an Example of something much Higher End.   We have to Remember what things used to Cost and keep re-assessing Values, which fluctuate Wildly.  Anything is only Worth what someone is willing to pay for it in actuality.  Not whatever you Think or Say it's Value or Worth is.  If it's never getting Sold coz nobody wants it, it's pretty much Worthless as an Investment Tool to you.

 And I always keep in Mind that what I Bought for even a Bargain Forty Years ago, what I Paid then was considered more outlay than that same amount would be considered now.  I remember when Gas was Fifty Cents a Gallon in Arizona in 1974, but Minimum Wage then was only $2 an Hour too.  Gas now is $4.92 average in Metro Phoenix, $5.70 for Diesel and Minimum Wage is $15.15 an Hour... comparisons.  I'm a Numbers, Odds and Statistics Person.  I'm calculating that shit all the time in my Head automatically even when I don't have to.  I guess it's an OCD Thing in part, and an intrusive Though Processes I involuntarily do, that just happens to sometime be quite beneficial?  *LOL*   Which is Why I was good in some very specific Careers where that is beneficial and came Easy to me.  *Smiles*

Statistically things aren't looking so Good, but the Spin being put on them for the American Public is completely false and fabricated now, and shamelessly so.  You see what you see but they're telling you not to Trust and Believe your own Eyes, and give you some bullshit "Alternate Reality" you're to Trust and Believe instead, just coz they told you it's so.  And, some are, I'd say it's a lower percentile now, but the fact some will Believe and Trust anything, no matter how outrageous and obviously a Lie, is an Interesting delve into the Psychology.  Of Why you can manipulate some people that easily and effectively, and maintain their loyalty, no matter what you do to them that harms them and isn't at all in their best interests. 

People often Believe implausible things due to combinations of cognitive shortcuts, Emotional Needs, and Social Pressures... more often than a lack of Intelligence.  That's why some Intelligent folks can still be vulnerable to being manipulated, and of coarse the Uneducated or Undereducated are even more vulnerable to Intelligent manipulation that is too clever for them to even detect happening.   Things like Illusory Truth Effect, since repeating something makes it easier to process, causing Belief it's True regardless of Accuracy.  Confirmation Bias, since folks Naturally Favor that which confirms their existing Views, ignoring contradicting Facts. {That's if you have Factual contradicting Statements and can Discern that too for Accuracy if you might be prone to even Question if your existing Views could be changed by persuasion?}

Then there's Motivated Reasoning, we often use Fears, Hopes and Emotions to justify acceptance of information we WANT to Believe, even if it's illogical.  Lack of Critical Thinking Training, if you've been Conditioned to accept Authority Figures without Questioning.  Magical Thinking and a Need for Control since Conspiracies and Strange Beliefs can come from a Need to make Sense of the chaos in the World around you and make you Feel Safer.  Cognitive Dissonance Reduction since we don't necessarily Like holding conflicting Beliefs and so we may adopt irrational, reinforcing Beliefs to restore consistency and our comfort level.    And Social Influence and Identity since most Humans have a Need to Belong to a Group to maintain a consistent Self-Image.  

 I hope I didn't go too Deep into the Weeds there, but it's fascinating to me and Interesting to delve into the Psychology of what I see people doing... and why they might be doing it.  It's not really so Random and Manipulators and Predatory folk know that and study their Prey.  And, in actuality, in Life, mostly you're gonna be one or the other, Predator or Prey when it comes down to it.  Survival Rate for those who are 100% Prey all the time is pretty low, and an Apex Predator generally doesn't have a lot that Preys upon them except perhaps another and more successful Apex Predator that takes them out or asserts dominance over them.   Any Situation I find myself in I'm Mentally Assessing whether I'm potentially the Prey, or can hold my own against any Predatory Type in that Space with me, who could be Hungry, let us just say?  Silence about this isn't Golden my Friends.

Being in close proximity to any dangerous Apex Predator if they aren't Hungry isn't so unsettling as when they ARE.   And what concerns me is we've got Rouge Predators in our Highest Positions of Authority now who are insatiable and never Full no matter they have Excess, they want MORE, they want it ALL, and they'll do anything and everything to get it.  A Rouge Predator is particularly dangerous coz their carnage almost becomes a Sport and not born out of necessity anymore.  They enjoy devouring Prey or stockpiling what they can't even consume becoz it's Too Much already.  But the spree continues until everything around them is wiped out and devastated, they've greedily consumed all Resources already like a Plague of Locusts.   We definitely Need to watch our Backs and Keep our Heads on the Swivel, with at least One Eye Open at all times my Friends.   And I say this with Guarded Pessimism, Guarded Optimism I no longer even can muster.  We are presently being Consumed by Beasts with an Endless Appetite and no Protection.

All Protections are being stripped away and rapidly.  We're being Pillaged by our Own and Sold Out to our Adversaries simultaneously as the Spoils.  And now our Lead Predator In Chief is making Deals with China and I not only don't Trust him, but I feel China already owns too much of America and is buying it right out from underneath us.  What they're Investing is gonna Pay Off to them some kind of way that won't be beneficial to America, that's for damned sure.  We have a Chinese National that has bought up more than half of Old Town Glendale and decimated what once thrived and he either didn't renew Leases or made Rents so high on what he bought that they all moved out and blighted the area so he could buy more and cheaply.  It's not been good for that City's Economy to have an Adversarial Nation's Foreign National Buying up so much of their Commercial Real Estate and leaving most of it Vacant and the area being laid to Waste and Neglect, Blighted due to it.

 And Donnie Two Dolls wants to allow another Trillion in Chinese "Investments" to flow in... that's deeply concerning coz they're already infiltrated and overwhelming our ability to Track them and what they're up to.  So that Trip with all the High Tech Bro's as the Entourage to China, who are The Billionaire Boys Club, alarmed me.  Their culminative Investment so far are around Two Hundred Billion.  A Trillion more Scares me.   We've been a top Recipient of Chinese Investment already.  And their ownership of our American Farmland has soared... that's our Food Source, that should concern you that they control so much of it and keep almost tripling purchases and control of it.  Especially when American Farmers are in Crisis due to Policy in place and need Bailouts to stay Solvent... and Food Prices are soaring along with Gas Prices so it's getting less affordable for most Americans.   Gordon Chang has a New Book out worth reading about it called "Plan Red: China's Project To Destroy America.  Just sayin'.... I don't like where it's Heading and I personally Believe Chang is Right.   And, I'll Stop now with being this Ray of fucking Sunshine...

 

*******

Let's watch our Backs America and keep our Heads on the Swivel... Dawn... The Bohemian 

The Prez Just Said Out Loud He Never Thinks About The American People!!!

 

The VA Delivery of the Wheelchair was on time, it's a nice narrow one but still a tight fit thru most of the House, but, it will work.  This is just a Vintage Home and everything was narrower back then, not as narrow as Historic Home Floorplans and Doorways tho'.  He's not gonna need or use it all the time for now, just on Days when he is feeling Weak or having more Mobility Issues.  I'll probably use it more for when we go to Shop anywhere and rather than try to Walk around a Store or Mall, I just Wheel him around for convenience and ease for both of us.  That way he can get out more now. 

 It takes up too much space while not folded up to keep it in any Room all the time, it would always be in the way.  This is not the most Wheelchair Accessible Home or Property.  As his World get Smaller tho', I know limitations will increase and we're just preparing for that continued deterioration and Physical or Mental decline.  We're just trying to slow it down since we cannot stop it.  And he's embracing some of his Medical Equipment usage now.  Which means he's realizing he really needs it and so isn't as resistant as he used to be, stubbornly refusing to use any of it before, no matter how hard he knew I Fought for him to get it.  

So, his cooperation now is an improvement.  When someone is resistant and being very stubborn and non-cooperative, it's just hard to meet them at the actual Point of Need appropriately.  You can Fight Hard to get them all the Help and Equipment in the World, but if they're not On Board, you're wasting your Time, Resources and Energy going Hard for it all on their behalf.  I've wasted YEARS of Time, Resources and Energy in the Past.  Fighting to be able to get him Services and Equipment or Medical Treatments, that then, when I got it for him finally, he would end up not using, refusing, or pretending he'd cooperate with, and then balk and be totally resistant to it.  I don't mind Fighting Hard for someone I Love, but not for nothing.  So, dammit, tell me in advance we're wasting my Time, Energy and Money, so I just won't bother!

I did go to the Gym after dropping Princess T off at Work on Tuesday Morning, I also did some Environmental Cleanup, all before it got Hot.  And it got HOT, it got to 114 Degrees, which blew past and was even higher than the Record Breaking Prediction they had of it going to be 109 again for the 2nd Day in a row!  I ventured out in the Heat tho' and bought us some Ice-Cream and Ice-Cream Sandwiches for the Family, since we now have a totally operational New Fridge/Freezer.  When our Old Fridge went on the fritz, it was the Freezer Section that totally went out and we lost half our Frozen Food.  Including, but not limited to, every bit of our Ice-Cream, Ice-Cream Sandwiches, and Popsicles I'd JUST bought, in preparation for record breaking Heat returning.

And as you can see by the Lead Tease Food Porn Pixs, they had Covered Strawberries on Sale since Mother's Day is over and they had to clear the overage out.  So they were 50% Off and they only had one Heart Shaped container full of them covered in White Yoghurt, which, I can eat.  The rest were various Chocolate covered ones I can't eat... or had the White Yoghurt Coating but drizzled in Dark Chocolate, which, nixes them from me eating them too.  I also treated myself to a belated Mother's Day Breakfast at "First Watch", on Mother's Day they were slammed and had long lines waiting for a Table, plus, The Son had made me a little Breakfast in Bed at Home that Morning, which was Sweet.

I'd also wanted the "First Watch" Cookbook, so I bought it too.  Not that I Cook, but I do Collect and have an Obsession to Hoard Books, Decor and Cookbooks in particular, the more Pictures, the better.  When you're Obsessed with something, there doesn't have to be logic or reason to it.  *LOL and Winks*   I Love Books, I have a vast Library of them that rivals any Major Bookstore or Bookseller.  And that's not hyperbole, I literally have more Decor Books than any of them now.  And, my Cookbook section rivals theirs too.  I Love sitting and looking thru them no matter how many Years I've had them.  I have Culled my Library systematically too when I no longer want to keep a Book, or find I had a duplicate or find a better condition Copy to replace a Beloved Book.

I am finding to be Housebound mostly due to Gas Prices being crazy more annoying than being Housebound for the reasons of the Pandemic.  The Pandemic made sense for going nowhere, it was necessary to mitigate Spread.  This was entirely preventable and makes no sense, so, it's highly annoying and infuriating.  I know the purpose of this illegal War is to enrich themselves and their Cronies, it's making them very Wealthy.   Donnie Two Dolls just said out loud that he doesn't even think about the Financial situations or hardships of the American People!!!  Just, Wow, a Stunning Admission... in case anyone had delusions that he does or even Cares one iota.  Well, at least he said out loud what I already knew and have always known, so that nobody can be in complete Denial about it.  Out of the abundance of the Heart, the Mouth speaks.  Every so often he slips up and tells the Truth... oops.

 

Politically Fired FBI Agents who are highly Respected and illegally Fired, who have done so much for our Country, and aren't being Legally Protected by our corrupted Justice System, are now spilling the Tea in Interviews, I'm Glad.  It's disgraceful what was done to all of them, the FBI is not supposed to be Political.  Firing them for Political Reasons, robbing them of their Careers and their Retirements and Benefits when they did absolutely nothing Wrong and had exemplary performance, sometimes for Decades and were sometimes just a few Years from being able to Retire, is Punitive, Revenge, and 100% Political by Kash Patel, the raging incompetent Alcoholic unqualified for FBI Leadership, nobody in the FBI Respects him!!!  Why not spill the Tea then, they did nothing Wrong... but, they've lost their Pensions, or forced to take Early Retirement if eligible to, lost their Healthcare, been Politically Targeted, persecuted and had revenge and retribution exacted for just doing their Job properly and with integrity.  Or won't follow Illegal Orders or be Political, which, the Job requires them NOT to be. 

 

They have Lawsuits, as they should, and I Pray they prevail and Justice is Served, and they are compensated from what was illegally done to them.   We've got Unqualified, Incompetent, Alcoholics and Podcast Bros in the highest Positions of the Military and FBI indiscriminately, maliciously, and without just Cause, Firing the best of the best of our Military and FBI.  It's not only Unjust to those Public Servants who are Devoted, the best of the best, and Sacrificed so much for Country, it's a National Security Risk.  And I'm sure Morale couldn't be worse and it won't attract Good People with a Moral Compass to making our Military, FBI, or any Public Servant Career a consideration, seeing what's going on.  We have a President that Out Loud, and I Believe Truthfully, just said HE NEVER THINKS ABOUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE!!!

It's still 109 Degrees at almost 7:00 p.m. Tonight, Toasty.  I was doing a light Grocery Run when it was 114 at 3:00 p.m., don't know if it got even Hotter.  I don't go by Official Temps coz they're always lower than actual Temps all across the Cities and Metro area.  But even the "Official" Temps, however skewed to reflect temperatures are lower than they actually are almost everywhere, are still Breaking Records.   I have a very Green and Shaded by very Old Mature Trees Property and my Temperature Gauge registered 114.  So, could have been higher where there's more Density, less Greenery, than here at the Mini Farms where everyone has at least 1-3 Acres each, and most have lots of Pasture and very Mature Old Growth Landscaping.

 

  

The Son's Store Manager likes his Work already so much she's been calling him in to ask if he'll work more Hours.  Except for his Court Day, which couldn't be Cancelled, he has told her he can, she knew why he couldn't that day, but asked anyway.  He had to decline that day but generally won't even on short notice.  He'd like more notice, but Employers these days often don't give any, so, you do what you can to not turn down Shifts offered beyond your usual Schedule and commitment to the Company.   

He'd prefer to go on Full Time rather than Part Time eventually anyway, coz it's only a Minimum Wage Job, which, he hasn't had to Work for that low a Wage since his Teens and he's almost 40 now.  So, its quite humbling and with humility he accepted Work without a liveable Wage.  About $25+ an Hour in Arizona is considered liveable Wage, but, truly, that isn't enuf for even covering Rent anymore.  In Metro Phoenix you Need at least $42 an Hour for just bare Essentials like Shelter, Food, Transportation to get to Work.  Even in The Trades, with all his Years of Experience, nobody was Paying even close to that much.  In Arizona Minimum Wage is $15.15 an Hour and usually only given Part Time Hours and no Benefits.

Anyone not Earning at least triple digit Income, or is Retired on a Fixed Income, will struggle Financially with the current Economic Trends.  And like Donnie Two Dolls just announced shamelessly, he NEVER even THINKS about the American People and their Financial Situations!!!  And he Ran On that Platform of Lower Cost of Living and Improving the Economy and Jobs Market... so, it all was a farce and Long Con.  The only Improvement of Economic Gain he had in Mind was for himself, his Family, his obscenely Wealthy Elite Friends, to enrich themselves further so they have more Billions, and Rob Americans Blind 'til they Bankrupt the Nation and Take all you've got left.  MAGAts better get that Revelation real fucking fast!

So, it's good anyway he's already shown out with his strong Work Ethic and skills to add Value and impress who Hired him.  He really likes working there and for him, it's easier work and less stress at work than he's ever had anywhere.  So, that's Priceless really, even if the Salary doesn't cut it.  Right now we've got so many personal stressors going on he Needs to have less stress where ever he's Employed.  Hearing his Uncle {my Brother} and his Dad {The Man} are both having extreme Heart Failure at the same time has been devastating News for us all.  You never wanna Risk the Loss of One Loved One, let alone Two, potentially at any time soon.

I try not to think about it, tho' your own Mortality looms ever larger at a certain Season of Life near the National Life Expectancy Average.  My Dad's Ancestry Line is not very long lived, my Mom's is, so I got mebbe a 50-50 chance of getting much Older???  The Son said he forgets I'm almost 69 becoz I can still do anything he can do and at the pace he can do it, so I don't seem that Old and nobody else thinks of me as that Age.  That's flattering, but, I accept the Age I am means shit is slowing down for me and sometimes getting harder.  I do Strength, Flexibility and Stamina Training all of the time, it does Help.  I challenge myself Daily and push past any Pain... whether it be Physical, Mental or Emotional.

At The Gym I do see folks that at least LOOK Older than me in their Faces, but have a Banging Body, so perhaps they're Geriatrics too beating back Father Time, but, you cannot always tell.  I've seen some truly Busted Looking 30 and 40 Something Year Olds I thought were my Age and been fucking Shocked that they're Young enuf to be my Kids!   *LOL*  So, I will never try to Guess someone's Age by Appearance, I could be way off and offend someone rather than flatter them.  *LOL*  And with Old Folks, it gets difficult to gauge, for me at least, what someone 60-70-80 SHOULD Look like?  Old generally just Looks Old at a certain point, with not a whole lot of differentiation.  *Ha ha ha*   I don't know how flattered I'd still be if I'm 80 and someone says they only thought I was in my 60's, tho', it IS still a compliment?  *LMAO*

Who am I Kidding, if I fucking MAKE IT to 80 I'll be flattered that I'm still ALIVE!  *Bwahahaha*  I will fully have expected that my Vanity better have diminished to the point I'm not being ridiculous about it!  I never thought my Mom looked to be in her 80's tho', she had such a Youthful Spirit that she just never SEEMED OLD to me... and she certainly didn't LOOK her Age, so everyone was shocked when she'd give her Real Age.  She tended to like to ADD a Decade to it for the absolute certainty of Compliments and the look on People's Faces tho'.  She always said Women Lied about their Age in the Wrong Direction, she was Right. *Smiles and Winks... try it, you'll Agree!*

So, anyway, I'm up at 4:00 a.m. coz The Son has to be at Work before 5:00 a.m., but it's about a 2 Minute Drive there.  Princess T has to be at her Work by 7:00 a.m. and lately I TRY to get dressed and out of my Jammies by then to hit The Gym more consistently and then go do some Environmental Cleanup for about an Hour too before the Heat of the Day kicks in to where it wouldn't be Wise to.  I do Need to drop off my Recycling of Aluminum again, I got a full Truckload too already.  People have been drinking heavily and discarding that Aluminum more than usual now it's Spring and Heating up!  By Summer it tapers off coz folks drink more Water in Plastic Bottles than Soda or Alcoholic Beverages in Aluminum Cans.

Since I have to be up early for the Adult Kiddos anyway to get them to Work, I'm trying to become a Morning Person and flip it to where I'm developing a Routine and Regimen for Early Morning Exercising and being out in Nature to set the Tone for my Day.  I know it will have Positive Benefits and start each day on the right footing and be Mood enhancing and stabilizing.  With so much stress and Bad News all the time it can deplete you if you're not Careful about recharging and renewing yourself.  I did stock up on what we Need for if and when the Bottom falls out, which, I'm Predicting it will.  It's already well on the way.  And I'm not usually a Pessimist or Doomsday Prepper by any means, but even Guarded Optimism now is hard to muster with what I'm just Observing and Witnessing playing out in America, and Globally. 

So, Eat, Drink and Be Merry, for Tomorrow we may Die, is kind of my Attitude and Outlook right now.  And I don't think I'm the Lone Ranger in that grim Assessment by any means either.  If you're even paying any Attention you see that things are FUBAR {ie: Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition}, and worsening Daily now.   At least now Polling is showing over 70% Disapproval Rating, should be at 100%, you know, but, we have to account for Stupidity and those in the Deepest of Denial.  Along with the Elite Select Few who IT IS better for them, they're killing it becoming even more Obscenely Wealthy actually.  So it is indeed their Golden Age of America, they've never had it so good or so easy to Loot, Rape, Pillage and be Legally Immune from consequences... he's got THEIR Backs and his own as the Supreme Looter, Rapist and Pillager.

It's not mutually exclusive to be the Worst of Times for the Many and the Best of Times for the Few.   And we each KNOW which side of that we're standing on right now, it's no Mystery and the Why of it is also KNOWN.  LATER:  Before 10:00 a.m. I'd already dropped both Kiddos off at Work, gone to The Gym, did Environmental Cleanup at Two Parks and the Nature Preserve, went to the Recycle Center and traded in my Aluminum, and gone Grocery Shopping at Two different locations.  I'm making Corned Beef, Cabbage, Baby New Potatoes and Mixed Veggies in Bone Broth in the Crockpot for Supper.  So, I got a lot done and it's only just turned 11:00 now!  Wow!  When you get up real early it makes a big difference in what you get done and you still have the whole day to yourself afterwards.  I may indeed LIKE becoming a Morning Person.  *LOL and Winks*

I was Surprised how many folks are at The Gym at 5:00 a.m., usually I'm not there quite that early.  But, after dropping The Son off at his Job I went to The Gym before it was time to then take The Granddaughter to her Job at 7:00 a.m..  I got to use all my Equipment with no waiting since folks that go to a Gym at 5:00 a.m. tend to be the dedicated Buff Gym Rats who look like they Live there and Breathe Exercising.  So, LOTS of Guys who were Easy on the Eyes.  *Smiles and Winks*  The Women also are Toned, Bodies Banging, but sometimes some of them, they've had 'Work' done on their Faces that doesn't look Natural or even Attractive, and a great many clearly have fake Body Parts as well.  The fake Titties I'm used to seeing everywhere now.  But those fake Asses look ridiculous, often grotesquely disproportionate, like if you go too far for the End of the Alphabet sized fake Tits!  *LOL*

 

I'd had a light Breakfast before I left the House this Morning of Deli Greek Yoghurt with fresh Multi-Seed Granola and Whole Berries in it {Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries}.  Some Million Dollar Bacon left over from my Breakfast at "First Watch" the Day before, and some Pineapple Chunks with Coconut Meat.   And some Cranberry Juice.  Breakfast is my favorite Meal of the entire day and if I have a good one, I usually only then Need one more Meal for the rest of the day and Refreshments to keep hydrated when it's so Hot.  I'm not a big Eater, never have been. 

 My excess Weight is more from Hormonal disruption when I had the Hysterectomy.  Prior to that Surgery that I'd had after Age 50, I'd only ever Weighed between 98-130 Lbs. my whole Life and always eaten Light.  I just don't require a lot of fuel I guess?  But having the Surgery packed 60+ extra Lbs. on me and it's been a Yo-Yo since to keep it Off... I'd Lose it... Gain it back... Lose it again.  With the Weight Gain then came Type II Diabetes.  Above is Today's Crockpot full of Corned Beef, Cabbage, Baby New Potatoes, Two Kinds of Squash, Baby Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower and Beef Bone Broth... not yet stirred so you can't see all the ingredients yet.

On the Maternal Side my Mom and Welsh Nanna had to have the same Surgery for the same Reason and also Gained over Sixty Pounds, they'd both been Super Skinny their whole Lives too beforehand.  Then they also got the Type II Diabetes.  But, had any or all of the Three of us NOT had the Surgery, we definitely would have Risked Cancer instead.  As it was, Mom got her Hysterectomy becoz they didn't catch it in the Pre-Cancerous Phase like me and my Nanna, and so her Hysterectomy also included other things removed to Save her Life.   She spent Months in the Base Hospital at Luke AFB during the time she had Cancer and her Major Surgery due to it.

 Above is Mom directly recovering from her Major Cancer Surgery back then, with me Visiting her.  She didn't really wanna be Photographed coz she always wanted to look like a Million Bucks for Photos, and Bless her, she'd been thru A LOT and it showed!!!  Her Odds were negligible to even Survive.  I thought we were gonna lose her prematurely.  She had what looked like an Autopsy Scar, from her Breastbone all the way down to her Pelvic Bone!!!  She beat Cancer and Lived to be 84, but, Advanced Dementia finally did her in.  My Welsh Nanna also got Dementia in her Eighties and I'm Guessing it's what finally did her in as well?   Dad's Side I don't think anyone ever made it into their Eighties and a great many Died in Middle Age.  Native Americans have a much Lower Life Expectancy than any other Americans, often more than a Decade less.

 

Anyway, at The Gym the Early Birds were mostly Youngsters, and the few Seniors there were so Fit you know Exercise is something they take very Seriously.   Some Seniors always talk to me when I'm there now, they've been very Nice, some have been quite Humorous with a great sense of Humor, I know I'd Like them, but, not there to Socialize.  So, I keep it Moving and Socially Polite for now.  It's not that I'm all Friended Up really since now most of my Inner Circle has either Moved Away or Passed Away.  But, with the Caregiving consuming me, I just don't have a Social Life and couldn't fit one in either.  And I do protect my Time and my Privacy, since, I enjoy Solitude and Family Time more than I enjoy Social Activities all the time.  I just never know how much a Friendship that is New will demand or require of me to Invest in someone?

And... tho' the Kiddos have their Friends dropping in all of the time,  so I usually have Guests, I don't have to Entertain them.   I can Visit a bit... or just say Hi and not have it intrude on whatever I was doing, or not doing, without seeming Rude, coz it's THEIR Friends.  *LOL*  I Like all of their Friends and both Generations of them always interact with me when here a bit if I'm up to it, but they don't expect me to hang out with them either.  I Like that.  *Bwahahahaha*  I Love my Kids and my Grandkids too, with all my Heart and Soul, but, do I wanna always hang out with them?  No, I do not.  *LOL*   I enjoy it when we do, coz they're all Fun to hang out with, so are their Friends, but I'm one of those folks who Needs the Right Balance of Togetherness and Apartness.  *Smiles*  Plus Generation Gap exists in what I enjoy and what they enjoy... or for how long.

I'm not even gonna Pretend that if we go to an Event, or The Mall, Socialize, or engage in some Recreational Pursuit, each of the Three Generations are gonna wanna do it for exactly the same amount of time, we don't.  Sometimes they have had enuf Fun first, sometimes I have, I've found that the Adult Middle Aged Kids tend to Tap Out more often than the Grandkids or even I... which, is Surprising.  The Daughter is very Social however, the rest of us Five, not so much.  We all have Friends, but unlike her, we don't wanna be around our Friends all of the time or without breaks in Social Activities.   And she has an abundance of Friends, the other Five of us have a smaller Inner Circle.  I don't think that The Daughter has ever met a Stranger.  *LOL*  She'll sometimes introduce someone as her "Friend" and then turn and ask them, "What was your Name?"  *Bwahahahahaha, True Story, I'm not making that up!"

Often, in Mexico, she was Homeless and just stayed here, there, everywhere, from one place to the next, staying with various people.  So, she never had her own Phone there.  So when she'd call me from Mexico I'd ask whose Phone she was on this time?  And once, she said, "Oh, my Friend's Phone.", and then she turned to the Guy and said, "What was your Name?", so that she could tell me the Name of this "Friend", it was fucking hilarious!!!   And sure enuf, he did become her Friend, once people meet her they almost always Like her and become Friends with her.  She Invests herself in people and their Lives.  She'll usually know more about you within Hours of meeting you, than most people might know who you've been around for Years!!!  She's very easy to talk to and confide in I guess... coz people open up to her, Rando folks who JUST met her, will often tell her their whole Life Story!!! 

She's very much an Open Book herself.   She's not at all a Private Person.  Either you are or you aren't.  I'm more Private in Real Life than I am as a Blogger, don't ask me Why, I just don't know Why???  It's not that I don't like to Talk, I'm a Talker, but I usually will Talk about more random stuff than my Life or my Personal Business.  And most of the time, I may go all day without saying a Word to anyone either.  And I don't Need to nor want to converse on those days.   Silence is preferred then.   I did once try the Wordless Post tho', thinking it would be just as easy for me as Not Talking... it wasn't.  I Sucked at both the Wordless Post and a Post with only a certain amount of Words used in it.  It made Blogging NOT Fun for me so I ditched it and went back to my Excess Writing in my Posts... and my Excess Photo Dumps in them too.  *LOL* 

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Blessings, Love and Light from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian