Well, we'll lead off with the Trump Troll Voodoo Doll I've added to my Halloween Indoor Decor... and at his Feet all his little Troll Cult Minions. *Smiles* Infantile Gallow's Humor amuses me, what can I say? And it's the perfect Season to go Off Rails with it in Darkly Whimsical ways. If you're a sensitive Pearl Clutcher, or perhaps a Rabid MAGA World Cult Fan, then it definitely won't be for you, I wouldn't expect it to be. And you're Welcome to still Visit or to Exit Stage Left and find a Blog that resonates more with you. That's the Beauty of Free Will, you can use it whenever you want or need to. The Land of Blog and Cyberspace being vast enuf I'm sure you'll find your Niche in it somewhere. Your Vibe will attract your Tribe usually.
It was still over 100 degrees Today, but didn't get to 110 like Yesterday, still, it was 107, Humid, and, a big Monsoon Storm is moving in. If not Tonight or Tomorrow, they said Saturday for sure. We're hoping any Rain and Cloud cover does Cool things off and that no Haboob blows thru and just creates a huge Dust Storm, coz the Kiddos spent all day knocking themselves out cleaning the Back Patio for me. I'd like to have more than a single Day to enjoy it that way. I'm glad I Photographed the Front Patio Vignette for Halloween while it was all still clean and pristine, just in case. *Le Sigh* The VA Nurse will be here in the later Morning, so The Daughter deep cleaned the Kitchen for me too. Part of our Med Regimen is in the Kitchen, the other Part of The Man's is in our Bedroom by his Media Chair.
So, for sure she goes into those Two Rooms and the Livingroom, plus the Hallway leading to our Boudoir, during her Visits. We have rather an Open Floorplan in this Home. so from the Livingroom you can also see the Den and Dining Room, it's all one big Space, separated only by your Furnishings. Ergo, Panoramic View and if one Room is messy, it all looks messy. But, we've kept it really in Order, Organized and Tidied, since last Friday, well, Thursday Night, when we got it ready for Visit No. One. *LOL* When you're Elderly you know that any Caseworkers or Social Workers keep an Eye out for if you're still doing Okay living Safely and Independently, it's a Given they do make Observations. I was used to that for almost 15 Years Years when The G-Kid Force were Wards of the State and I was a Kinship Placement before the Adoption was finalized.
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CPS could literally look anywhere and everywhere in your Home including your Cupboards, Fridge, Medicine Cabinets, so, you had to be an Open Book to be in Compliance to remain in Custody of the Children if they had an Open Case and they'd allowed Kinship Placement. With The Daughter gonna always be SMI and too Unwell, so unable to have Custody or reunification, I just accepted that requirement. Then, when The Man had his TBI we did have Adult Caseworkers sporadically from the VA who came too, before they just didn't anymore if they didn't wanna Qualify you for any more Services. So it is now with this VA Qualification for some Home Nurse Help, so, it doesn't bother me, I'm used to the Drill. And, we're limited to their Help until Nov. 1st for now.
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You will never know what they're Writing down in their Notes. Which is why some Families, and some Elderly, never apply for or voluntarily ask for Help. But, I learned a long time ago, that if the Prospectus is Expensive enuf, and your Loved Ones needing the Help are jacked up enuf and very High Maintenance and a Handful, or there's simply too many of them in One Family, the Cavalry ain't never coming, they won't even ever be sent out. So, I ask for any Help I can receive and most of the time it'll take Years for it to ever be Approved, you Qualify for whatever is Parsed Out, mebbe get Lucky to Re-Qualify again and again and again, depending on Fate and limited Resources, Federal Budget Cuts, etcetera etcetera etcetera. So, if and when Help ever shows up I just ask what Hoops we're required to jump thru to remain Eligible this time? If they don't like our Performance and this Circus Act or the Flying Monkeys Situation... feel Free to find a New Ringmaster for this Shitshow, one that gets Paid, and don't Threaten me with a Good Time.
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The Man is already now having Heightened Anxiety about another Visit, and saying he doesn't Feel Good. Even tho' he liked that Nurse and I've assured him it's her coming and everything is gonna be Swell. We all liked her. He's Physically saying he's Not Well, but I think it's more Emotional and Mental than anything else, he's Wound himself up knowing they're coming again. His Meds are still in Order, so I told him it'll be easier this time than last time when shit was pretty, well, NOT in Order with his Meds, so it was Obvious we NEEDED the Present Help. *Bwahahahaha* I think he's afraid they'll take him away and put him in a Home or Institutionalize him, but, they wouldn't accept him even when he desperately Needed to be in one and we couldn't really take Care of him at his Point of Need, they sent his Ass Home and said "Good Luck with that and we Hope it all Works Out?" So, that ain't happening... only he doesn't know that really. He always Worries I won't stay Well Enuf to take Care of him or the rest of them.
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I was told flat out, Years ago, by more than One Facility, that he requires too much Care and is a very difficult Resident, so they don't have the Staff to be One on One with him. And, more importantly, he's too Expensive and we'd never Qualify for how much the State or Feds would Approve and Pay for and we couldn't afford to pay out of Pocket. I know he'd be the Resident from Hell and the last time a VA Hospital couldn't manage him they had a Staff Member Abuse him and that ain't NEVER happening again on my Watch!!! I wanted him to point that Sick Fuck out to me and Security wouldn't have gotten there fast enuf to Save that Fool... so, they Spirited his Ass off the Ward before The Man could point him out to me. I've had Security called on me a few times at the VA Hospital, when they aren't tending to my Old War Hero correctly, so, I think they may Remember me??? *Winks and LOL* I don't Care, I'll make the 10:00 News without any Shame in my Game if I have to for my Family.
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The Man would rather not have a Situation tho', and me going Off Rails on the Warpath and Mental, even if it's to Advocate for or Protect him and the rest of the Residents of The Asylum here at Bohemian Valhalla and Forever Boheme'. *Winks* If nobody gives me a reason to then I'm Chill and full of the Love of Jesus and all that. *Smiles* I think this Nurse truly liked our whole Family and we truly liked her too. My concern is she's a Temp and I have no Idea who the Permanent Home Nurse is until she shows up to take over the next visit. This Nurse is only coming this time becoz she felt The Man couldn't Transition to Two Different Nurses in the first Two Visits and she would be Right about that. He may not Transition well on Visit No. 3 if a New One shows up and he don't like whoever she is, or can't understand her, or her mannerisms are not a good fit, or, the Change is just too much for him even if she's Swell?
He will tell me that he ONLY likes ME taking Care of him... and it's hard to get him to cooperate with a replacement, even a Temporary one. Coz sometimes he won't even Behave for our Kiddos when they watch him for me, he can be a Pain in the Ass sometimes, other times he knows I'll be upset if he has been and he'll try to not get in Trouble. *Smiles* He does best for Princess T... and sometimes for The Daughter... but, is terrible for the Guys, any of them, so The Son and The Young Prince never liked having to try to take Care of him in my absence, he was difficult and unlovely with them and ornery, Male Pride Thing. Anyway, he's fussy Tonight and claiming he's Not Well but I told him we're not Cancelling her Visit, we Need this Assistance for as long as they're willing to send someone to Help Out and Qualify him for some Benefits and Services. I've waited too damned long for anyone to show up and be Approved, so, he knows I'm not having them run off this fast or easily. *Winks* Anyone whose a Caregiver and has a Loved One who runs off Help can fully appreciate that it happens more than you know.
Anyway, Mando and The Daughter managed to run some extension chords to the Front Porch to Light up some Jack O'Lanterns they just put out there that we didn't have until they cleared off the Back Patio. We'd stored some of the Biggest Jack O'Lanterns under some Folding Tables and forgotten about them. *Smiles* So, Two of them are lit up with Electric Lights and Two others with Strobe Lights that are Battery Powered and Change Colors. So hard to catch each Color but I tried, got a few of the various Colors it Strobes too but you gotta be lightening fast, which, I'm NOT anymore. *LOL* I also took a few pixs with my Flash on so you can't see them lit so well but can see them better. Love it, we don't have Outlets in the Front, which is Weird, but, we don't, so I've been wanting to rig something for Years now to Light Up the Decorations that Light Up with Lightbulbs that are Electric. Finding Battery Operated ones doesn't work for every Decoration.
Most of my Props were secondhand finds so, I don't mind if they get some Weather, same with the Costumes, all secondhand Scores. Some, like that larger faux Pumpkin on the Ground to the Left of the Vintage Motel Chair, was Found discarded at the River Bottom in the Nature Preserve, while doing Environmental Cleanup. Sadly, lots of people dump illegally rather than putting it Curbside on Bulk Garbage Day, to have it picked up for Free and every Neighborhood has that Service once a Month as part of their Trash Pickup... or pay to take it to a Landfill. The Daughter and Mando clearly had a lot of Fun with me giving them free reign to do whatever with the Holiday Exterior Decorating. They done good. It's bordering on being Extreme Halloween Decorating, No? *Bwahahahahahaha*
The Young Prince sent me the Above Meme, it's so resonating for he and I that we Laughed about it. Yep, that's 'mos def he and I, ask anybody that Knows us Well. *LOL* Back to Halloween Decorating tho'... since, right now that is my Fixation. *Winks* You'll be able to tell, by some of the Pixs I've taken at Shops, how much Halloween Decor is priced in the Stratosphere now with Tariffs, since, pretty sure most of it is made in China and Imported. And even that which is made here in America seems to be elevating their prices to match the inflated Import prices, which, Welcome to Capitalism run amok for that Tactic. If they're not paying the Tariff Tax on American Made Product there should be no reason to Jack the price up to what Importers are being gouged for by our current Administration making them Pay the Tariff to Import their Product. Certainly the Exporters aren't fucking paying it, American Businesses and American Consumers are, plain and Simple, it's not Rocket Science whose getting Hosed here. The Administration Lied about it like they have everything else. And Tariff Taxation on Importers hasn't reduced the Price of American Made Goods, won't happen, ever.
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I was quite Surprised to go into Businesses that I know Import damned near everything they have in Stock and find that they still had some Inventory, for now anyway. Perhaps the Bigger Corporations have Warehouses that were full that haven't emptied out yet and squeaked the Product in before Tariffs were imposed? Other Businesses did look lean and had lots of empty Shelves or just 1-2 of each item in Stock per Store, so it was clear they're struggling. And the prices on so much of it was beyond what I'd pay, even if they ran a Sale, it would exceed what the Cost USED to be Pre-Tariff Tax, even if they marked it down 50%! Some did that and I STILL had Sticker Shock, look further Below to see what I mean. It was perhaps the biggest Faux Pumpkin I'd ever seen, but damn, $199.99... ON SALE for $99.98, Yowsah! My Jaw nearly hit the Floor at that Markup, even Marked Down, allegedly. They only had the One, but, it will be a Hard Sell to get rid of that ONE at that Price! I'm Photographing such things as Evidence of what is Real and not Made Up, regardless of what is coming out of the White House in Spin Cycle.
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I'm just glad I already had 99.9% of my Holiday Decor and don't need to Buy another thing unless I find something Cheap secondhand at a Chazza mostly. For Young folks just starting out and perhaps Buying their First of everything, it's gonna be Spendy as fuck!!! I've been talking to Kiddos in their 20's thru 30's and they're saying they WANT to Buy their First of everything The American Dream used to get you by those Milestones, but now they realize they'll probably be in their 40's or never to be able to afford what used to be The American Dream. It makes me Sad for them, they may be the first Generations now to do worse than their Parents and Grandparents did? Most of them are having to move back in with their Parents and/or Grandparents to get by with basic Essentials like Shelter... so, many don't feel too Hopeful for their Futures. And most have nothing good to say about Government now, they Feel betrayed and NOT represented or even Heard.
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Even the Twenty-Something Year Old Guy who did my intake for the Oil Change and Tire Rotation at the Dealership, was eager to ask me what I thought about the prospect of Buying a Home now, or even Buying a Used Vehicle? He wanted to do both, but said it's worrying him he'll be able to do neither until he's much, much, Older, like, in his 40's or beyond. Which to someone in their 20's, is a Lifetime away, double or more the Age they currently are, and mebbe too Late to dare to contemplate a Future that far off? I'm just glad I'm Old and nearer the End of Life than the Beginning, that's all I have to really say, but, didn't say it to him. I want to give the Youngsters a glimmer of Hope that they even still have a Future in America... but, it ain't looking good, that's for sure, and I wouldn't patronize them either by pretending otherwise. So, we just discussed which Rates/Terms would be Best right now to consider a Major Purchase, what to Avoid, like an HOA, etcetera. And, to save up and Pay Cash for a Vehicle if he can so he doesn't have Car Loan Debt that is prohibitive.
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I mean, he's working at a huge Nissan Dealership, he can see the prices on even the Used Vehicles is about $17,000 to around $40,000 or more. And the New Ones now, Yowsah, you used to be able to Buy Real Estate for that Price and Finance it for 30 Years!!! Most of these Young Adults, if they are Renting, even a Room, let alone a whole Apartment, are paying over $1,000 a Month without Utilities already... for a fucking Room Rental Locally!!! Most have to Share Space with several Generations of their own Families or several Roommates to make Rent. And that's if they have a decent Job with a fairly decent Salary. Those making Minimum Wage cannot and will not be able to afford even the Basics unless Family or Friends take them in and hardly charge them anything. Doing Basic Math you can tell most Jobs and Retirement Incomes or Disability Incomes aren't paying enuf to afford the Basics and Essentials now.
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And when I drive by the Local Food Banks, where I did Decades of Volunteer Work Years ago, the Lines are literally around the Block now and obstructing a whole Lane of Traffic, waiting for a Turn!!! And some of them are now having to Charge for the Food Boxes and can't give them away for Free anymore. Some like St. Mary's, which are Faith Based, and run by large Denominational Churches like the Catholic Diocese, do give out Emergency Food Boxes for No Cost tho'. Some require an Application and some require Proof of Income, Family Size, or Verification you are Unemployed or not Employable or have a True Disability or Emergency requiring temporary Assistance due to Food Insecurity. Depends on the Food Bank, Church or Pantry, some are Secular, some Faith Based, each has their own Criteria. Most limit obtaining a Box to Once a Month. Some have a Workfare Program where if you Volunteer for them, they provide a Box for your Family if you want, could use it or need it.
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In a Country as Wealthy as America we shouldn't have Citizens who don't have basic Shelter and adequate access to Food IMO. Especially if they're WORKING full time Jobs and STILL can't afford Shelter and have Food Insecurities. That's exploitation of our Workforce to pay them so little they cannot afford the basics we'd provide for even Domesticated Animals, and be required by Law to, but don't for some Human Beings!!! If you weren't providing adequate Shelter and Food/Water for an Animal, be it a Pet, a Working Animal, or Livestock being used as a Food Source eventually, you'd be up on Charges. Yet, we have even Children who are Hungry and Unhoused in this Country and that's disgraceful when we do have abundance and some have all the Wealth and others live in abject Poverty. In a First World Country that has bragged at being the Greatest on Earth, we should contemplate why that is?
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And some of what the Far Right are suggesting as "Solutions" for the Homeless is nothing less than a Horrific Atrocity that I Hope they won't actually follow thru and do!?! But you never know with this Cult! In case you don't keep pace with some of the "Solutions" being tossed about by this Administration for the Problematic Population they deem The Undesirables, they've suggested Euthanizing the Homeless, or putting them in Prisons! And the Chilling part to me is that it was said out loud and publicly, on the Record, unashamedly, as a viable "Solution" to the Homeless "Problem", so, that should make every American's Blood run Cold! And when some get upset and say we should not be comparing them to Nazi Germany, I say, well, sure sounds similar and has too many fucking Chilling parallels to make me feel comfortable about where it's going. It's the basic Playbook actually, History is there for you to verify that too. And if it walks like a Duck, talks like a Duck, it's a Duck.
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Here's that Crazily Priced "Sale" Oversized Faux Pumpkin they had One of... and even the regular sized Faux Pumpkins this Year are ridiculously Priced compared to previous Years. We're making do with our Old ones that have definitely seen better days, so, now they have "Patina". *LOL* And even Real Pumpkins this Year are about double what they'd Cost last Season. So, I won't be Buying any at that Price. I still have the one Immortal Real Pumpkin from last Year that never rotted and is as pristine as it was when I bought it last September!!! Don't know it will last 'til Halloween, but, it just might since it managed to last thru this brutally Hot Summer already!? It never Dried Out like some Gourds do either, it's the same vibrant Color it always was and is an Heirloom Variety that is Green with Stripes. It is an American Tondo, Kabocha or Cushaw Variety of Heirloom Pumpkin or Squash. Some sites Online outline various Pumpkin Varieties, including Heirloom and Hybrids. The more unusual the Real Pumpkin, the more I like them. I also Save the Stems for making Fabric Pumpkins.
I was that Weird Gramma out in the Pumpkin Patch that asked if I could just pick up all the Stems laying about and carting off a Bag of them. *LOL* Nobody ever said No, coz they had no Use for them, and I'd give many to my Industry Friends who made Fabric Pumpkins and needed the Real Pumpkin Stems to use on them. You don't see so many Artisans making the Velvet Pumpkins anymore, for a while it was a Thing and I had my Favorite Artisans who Created them and I'd Buy mine from. I made some too, but I wasn't as good at it as some of the Masters who had Mastered the Art of Creating them. I've Sold a LOT of Fabric Pumpkins every Year and offer them to my Customers at the Antique Mall. I have some in Inventory right now in the Showroom. I've got more Halloween that I'm bringing in Today after the VA Home Nurse leaves.
The Daughter can't Stop herself, she's dragging out more Halloween and we're still having Fun with it, so, why not? *LOL* We made an Audrey Plant Conservatory Display in the Livingroom now. I've been Collecting any of the "Little Shop Of Horrors" Halloween Themed Decor whenever they have had it, and especially if it goes on Sale. TARGET had a great Line for a while of it and the Resale Market on it is lucrative coz each only came out for a single Season and they didn't make a slew of them. So, it was even difficult to get yours while there was still some left, let alone find them at a reasonable price for Resale. I think people were Buying them in bulk to Resell them as Vintage Lines of the Product later on and be able to charge whatever they wanted to coz folks Collected them.
I got my oversized Audrey at MICHAEL's at a deep Discount coz she was missing some Teeth from some Customer Manhandling of her. I didn't mind coz sometimes I put a Doll Limb in where her Teeth are missing. *Smiles* Couldn't find one of my Vintage/Antique Doll Arms or Legs yet to put in there, but, I might before Halloween. I got lotsa Doll Body Parts. *Bwahahaha* Some of the Audrey Plant offerings have been better than others over the Years, but the selection of different ones makes for a nice Grouping of them as my own "Little Shop Of Horrors". *Smiles and Winks* I haven't changed out some of the other background stuff yet, but, I will get around to it NOW. *Smiles*
There... Done! *LOL* The Daughter is Teasing me hyperbolically saying, since she wants to make Breakfast for everyone, but we got the Kitchen pristine for when the VA Nurse arrives, "Nobody gets to EAT until after the Government Social Worker leaves..."!!! *Bwahahahahaha, that's Funny, I don't Care who you are!* In actuality she's making Breakfast Quesadillas but I told her I want her mess cleaned up directly afterwards, coz that Gal can Trash a Kitchen in short order when she's Cooking! I'll be QC-ing the Space after Breakfast is Served. *LOL and Winks* At least the House will smell of Gold Canyon Autumn Candle Aroma and freshly Cooked Quesadillas when the Nurse arrives. *Smiles* The Man is looking very Confused this Morning but doesn't have the extreme Anxiety he had after Sundown last Night. I'm glad these Caseworkers come early before he deteriorates after Sundown.
A couple more Shares of the Great-Grandkids at Daycare, looks like they have a Big Time there while their Mama Works. She's an ER Nurse and has a very demanding Job, this time of Year particularly, the Hospitals are busier and she Works longer Hours, Single Parenting is harder when you're Working more than 40 Hours a Week. Especially when the Absentee Parent is conspicuous by their absence in the Children's Lives. Been there, done that, so I know the pressures she's under with a very demanding Career, long Hours, and Single Parenting Two small Children. I did that for over 7 Years myself before I met The Man and he stepped up to help Raise the Kiddos I already had, then took on the Responsibility of Raising Two of our Grandchildren too.
He's a Good Man and that's why my Dad really liked him, he said he was what a Man should be about when he has a Family and Responsibilities. The Man was closer to my Dad than he was to his own Father, who wasn't close to his Kids. MY FIL did a lot of what he liked to do with them, but he was very Patriarchal Society Raised... my Dad was very Matriarchal Society Raised... big difference. I only met my FIL once before he Died and he was good to me and my Children, I cannot say he wasn't, but, I don't agree with how his Parenting Style was at all and the Oppressive Religion he followed, which dominated Women as if they were like Chattel IMO. I'm not a Possession and I'm a Slave to no Man. And I'm not of the Belief my God intended me to be a Second Class Citizen either. Or not equally Respected as a Child of God as any other Human Being merely becoz of my Gender, my Ethnicity or Race, my Sexual Orientation, my Age, or Country of Origin. I think those are all Manmade constructs and interpretations that happen to suit them in order to Oppress, dehumanize and discriminate against other Human Beings.
Moving On... since this ain't meant to be one of my Rant Posts. *LOL* A big Storm is brewing and I can hear the Thunder rolling, some areas of Arizona are under intense dangerous life threatening Flooding!!! So, the News has been Warning of that potential, not good. We need the Rain, since it has been a Year of Drought, but, we don't need it all at once. We Sandbagged extensively just in case. Mando and The Daughter replaced any aging and broken Sandbags with new ones. The City was handing out the Sand but you had to fill your own Bags this time around, usually they're premade and you just pick them up, but I guess they ran out of Bags? Luckily Mando Sourced some Bags and the Kids filled them and placed them around the Property where Flooding is more apt to happen. I still need to put up some Rain Gutters across the Back Patio Roof Edging in some areas to divert the Water runoff off the Roof to the Pasture, where it won't Flood at all, coz it can hold a LOT of Irrigation Water. I wanna put Leaf Filter on Top of the Gutters tho' so we don't have to clean debris out, too dangerous to be up Ladders now.
I found some Caramel Apple flavored BRACHS shaped like Green and Red Apples, they're really good. I'm one of the Weirdos that actually likes Candy Corn. *LOL* But, this is not the Corn, it's the BRACHS Harvest Line shaped like stuff but similar taste, different Flavors tho'. And, I am not a Sugar Fiend, in fact, I prefer Savory, Sour and Spicy flavor profiles to anything Sweet, I rarely partake of Candy. It's now Raining like Hell before the Nurse arrives, it had been a pleasant Morning before this bad Storm moved in. I got our load of Laundry done this Morning and helped The Daughter finish up the Halloween Interior Decorating, so it's been a very productive Morning already and it's only 10:00 a.m.. I'm listening to Soundscapes on our TV in the Bedroom as I Blog and The Man is watching The Food Network's Holiday Baking Contests, I've already seen those Episodes.
Feels Good to have everything done so early that now I can just kick back and relax for the rest of the day and hunker down cozily while it's Storming Outside. I became more of a Homebody during the Pandemic when we were in Lockdown for almost Three Years. I got comfortable with NOT going anywhere and enjoying being Home with just Family. Some folks said that was hard for them if it wasn't their Normal, but I found it a pleasant Change from our Normal and we embraced it and made it Work for us. Now we kinda LIKE it that way still. Yes, there is the Freedom again to go anywhere, but often I choose not to. I think being a Full Time Caregiver did Help with being used to not having a lot of Freedom to come and go as I please tho' and having to stay Home due to someone else's Medical Fragility and level of Disabilities.
We found the other Skelly Hellhound to put out Front, but we still haven't found that elusive Halloween Tarp!!! Something that Big hiding where we can't Find it is just Weird. I know it's here somewhere, but, WHERE?! I know where I always kept it in The RV Garage Mahal so I know the Kiddos had to of moved it somewhere and either didn't know what it was, so they can't fathom what we're even looking for to be able to tell me where they moved it to, or, knew what it was and can't recall where they Stored it now? We looked in all the usual places it should be, but, it's not there. I am Hoping we locate it so we can use it for THIS Halloween on the Garage Door as part of our Decor?
It Rained so hard at 10:30 a.m. that we did have some Flooding on the Back Patio, even Sandbagged it crested over the Sandbags, but, didn't get into the House. We had to move some things on the Patio back more tho', luckily the Kiddos had just cleared that whole Space off to make it less likely anything got Water Damaged. We should be Okay and Mando has some Rain Guttering so said when the Storm clears he's gonna try to put that up right away since Saturday is higher risk of Storms than Today and it's been bad already Today, more than they expected actually or had forecast for Friday. So, nobody was prepared for this. I kinda was more prepared due to the News this Morning, very early, reporting on some North of the State Towns getting severe life threatening Floods from the same Storm that was heading our way from the Globe-Miami area that was hit really hard Yesterday, that was destructive with significant damage to Businesses and Homes. Worst Flooding for them in Four Years. Water was up to Vehicle Bumpers and Mudslides caused more damage.
Our VA Nurse just called to say she'll be here but running late due to the Flooding. She wanted to know if we needed or wanted to Cancel, but, we didn't, so long as she felt comfortable coming and could arrive safely? We told her that would be up to her discretion, just let us know in advance if it was too risky to get here from where ever she was coming from? Safety first. The Kiddos are Dealing with the Flooding for us and diverting the Water off the Back Patio into the Pasture now as much as they are able to. Out Front is Fine, the runoff from the Roof in Front is angled in such a way it naturally runs off into the Front Yard or down the Driveway into the Street's guttering. And I'd moved all the Halloween Decor back enuf it isn't outside of the Front Patio Roof Covering Protection. So, if the Wind doesn't blow the Rain Sideways, it should mostly stay dry enuf.
I ate the rest of Princess T's light Chantilly Cake, but the Cake The Daughter got her, which is pictured, is the kind nobody really eats, too Sweet and like a regular Birthday Cake. So, we'll probably give it away now to a Neighbor so it doesn't get wasted and just thrown out. The Desert should spring to Life after these heavy Rains tho', it's amazing how it does even with a little Rain.
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Our VA Nurse arrived and the VA was supposed to call us and let us know what Meds for him to keep taking and which to discontinue, but, they never did. They only called to ask why he'd been in the Hospital recently. So, she's going to talk to them at the VA again becoz clearly they're no following thru, she's a Subcontracted Nurse with them so she's keeping on at them to inform us directly and expecting them to. As it is they said they couldn't have sent us the Meds the Civilian Cardiologist prescribed, but, THEY DID, we got it delivered from the VA with his Primary Doc's Name on the Rx, not Dr. Singh, so this Nurse could Testify to that Fact too, saw it with her own Eyes. The misinformation can make you feel Crazy sometimes when they're telling you something can't be, but, it is!!! *LOL and an Eye Roll*
Well, his VA Nurse was proud of him on his Meds for the Week, but we now discovered he's only been pretending to take his Blood Sugar Readings! Oy Vey, the last time he bothered to use his own Kit and Write down anything was April!!! Yeah, he's often asked me to use my Kit when I'm taking my Readings and I let him, so know he has sometimes been Testing with regularity, but, he's supposed to Write them down in his Log and he's forgetting to. So, one more thing he can't be Trusted to remember to do for himself anymore, it makes him feel bad, but I told him better we know what else the rest of us need to either do FOR him now or watch him do for himself to make sure it's getting actually done?! He gets angry if you Question if he did something that he swears he did and you're just reminding him, did you? Then when he realizes he hasn't done it, he gets upset about that, so he remains in a state of confused agitation at times, resistant to being Helped, wanting to do thing for himself, but really not capable of anymore. I let him do what he can still do, but there's more now he just clearly can't.
So long as I know what to add to the Routine on his behalf, and so long as the VA does their Job without me having to remind them all the time too coz they're not doing what they should either, things should be Swell. *Eye Roll* Fun Times. The Battery is Dead in his Test Kit so I've got to buy him new Batteries and he'll just use my Test Kit in the interim, also so I can SEE him actually doing it and Writing it down like he's supposed to every Day. I don't like to micromanage Adults becoz their Pride gets in the way and he's resistant to having too much Help and it also makes him Lazy and not doing what he still could, which, isn't good for him either. It's all quite a delicate balance and I remember having to go thru that with my Parents and it was hard as they began slowly losing their ability to do things Independently and were quite resistant to being Helped tho', it Scared them to think they were losing their Independence and not making their own decisions.
You can see me in the reflection of my Black Cat Bead Art Glass taking this Pix... LOL. The Man is happily back to watching "Halloween Baking Championship" and "Halloween Wars" reruns they're looping during the Day. The New Episodes will be on at Night, Sunday for "Halloween Wars" and Monday for "Halloween Baking Championship". He can't stay up that late, nor would I want him to since he gets Sundowners so the earlier he retires for the Night the easier it is for the rest of us. He's better in the Mornings and Early Afternoons to manage the Care of and be more like himself. I'd like to go to the Antique Mall to drop off some more Halloween Inventory before the Weekend but I don't know the Weather will hold in between Storms and I don't wanna be driving in any of it. The Rain stopped and floodwaters receded off the Back Patio, but, I don't think the worst of it is yet over?
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When the Weather is so inclement the Mall is pretty deserted coz folks stay Home, as they should, so, it isn't like I need to rush in with Fresh Merch if nobody is there Buying. Tomorrow is the close of this Pay Period and I'm almost afraid I'll Owe this time unless I got some Strong Sales in the last days of it??? I haven't even called to ask becoz I don't wanna be despondent for the Weekend. *LOL* It's also why I'm listening to Soundscapes Music rather than turning on The News, it's never Good News, so, for now I don't wanna know. The Storm is messing with the Internet off and on now it's Thundering and Lightening again, fixing to give us another flooding downpour it looks like. I will have to pick Princess T up from Work around 3:30 p.m. so Hope I catch a break in the Weather when it's time?
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Where she Works isn't far from here, half a Block, but, I don't like driving in severe inclement Weather any distance, if I don't have to. We've had Two close calls recently with Crazy Drivers in Good Weather this Week, narrowly missing them causing an accident with their reckless Driving! Had I not quickly engaged in evasive Driving they would have hit us both times!!! Both on their fucking Phones and either Changing Lanes without looking, or straying into your Lane coz they're Texting and don't even have their Eyes on the Road!!! People drive even more reckless in Bad Weather, it's Crazy. I processed enuf Vehicular Homicides at the DA's Office to know people on their Phones cause more carnage on the Roads than Drunk Drivers or people Driving under the influence of Drugs!!! So, I think their Penalties for doing so should be way harsher than they are.
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It's pouring in Rain again so the Kiddos are out on the Back Patio trying to mitigate any Flooding. I'm glad I decided not to even try to go anywhere to do anything voluntarily that I could put off. *LOL* The Son is usually Home from Work by now but he's not yet, he has a very long Commute and in this Weather it's gonna be rough driving that far in it. He and his Girlfriend Marina were gonna go to The Desert Botanical Gardens this Weekend on my Guest Pass for them but I think they'll have to wait, this Weekend might not cut it if it Storms the whole time. The Guest Pass has no Expiration Date. In fact, so many of my Guest Passes for being a Member I never used up for the ones that did have an Expiration Date, so they gave me Two that didn't have one this time. I just end up misplacing the damned things before I can hand them out to Family and Friends. I will be renewing my Membership next Month when it comes due again. I can always bring One Guest with me on my usual Membership and any Kids/Grandkids under the Age of 18. Now all mine I would take who are Local, are older than that tho'.
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This Morning becoz of all the big Rain Puddles and Flooding the Neighbors Two Domestic Ducks were out playing in the Puddles Roadside. They had a Pair that do everything together, a White one and a Black & White one, so Cute, waddling around together clearly having a Big Time in those Puddles! Every time a Car came by they'd waddle over to the Grass and get out of the Street Puddles. *LOL* I Love to see the Livestock all of the Neighbors in this Community have in their Mini Farms and the noises they make, along with the Scenery of it looking Rural, it's so bucolic and like an Oasis right in the Heart of the City and close to everything, so, the best of both Worlds. I prefer Urban Living and The Man prefers Rural Living so this was the perfect compromise for us both. The Historic Property had been too since it was also on Acreage and had been there for Decades before the City that grew up around it was even Founded in 1948. So, those have been my Two Fav Properties I've owned.
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The Walk Score of the Historic Home was more Ideal, you didn't even really need a Vehicle, but, this is also close to everything with a short drive. And, you COULD Walk to many things, it's just further to than it was from my Historic Home. And this is closer to a VA Facility for The Man and closer to a large Hospital with excellent Emergency Services. And, closer to more Big Grocery Stores. The Historic Neighborhood was in an Older Barrio so had more small Indie Shops and little Indie Markets to buy Food. The Schools are similar distance, so was fine for the Kiddos. Both Properties are near Luke AFB and actually aren't all that far from one another, about a 5-7 Minute drive apart. But, this is a better Neighborhood, less Crime, less Poverty, coz the Homes are expensive ones and Police patrol it often and response times are better for all Emergencies. That's not Right, but, it is how it just is. So, Safer here to grow Older in.
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The Son had to Work Today, he usually doesn't on a Saturday. I had to Work last Night, they called me at the last Minute coz someone bailed on their Friday Night Shift and I was the only person they could call then who lives close enuf to get there by 5:00 p.m. when the Shift starts. I got there by the skin of my Teeth and really had hesitated to go out in inclement weather, we even had a Tornado/Hurricane Warning, if you can Believe that, first one EVER since I've ever lived in Arizona, which is 1974 onwards!!! My Brother even called me from Cali worried about us and our safety coz he was seeing the footage of the Storm devastation around our State and even in Metro Phoenix, it was really, really bad in some areas. We had some Flooding that crested our Sandbags, but didn't get into the House or RV Garage and tho' it almost overflowed our Pool, it didn't, whew!!! Our Pasture held most of it like it does for Irrigation, but Residential Properties aren't set up for that except in very Historic Neighborhoods that still get Irrigation, so they Flooded badly.
Neighborhoods only a few Miles away had Streets looking like Raging Rivers. People even swept away, Cars up to their Windows in Water and stalled out in the Streets, Water Rescues in places nowhere near any Rivers or Dry Washes!!! It definitely looked like very Hurricane Scene I'd ever seen on TV, or those Floods that hit Texas recently, and, a Tornado did Touch Down, which I can't remember ever happening. We get Dust Storms, Haboob sized ones, and we get Dust Devils, which are like smaller Tornadoes but start from the Ground Up, not from the Sky Down and aren't as powerful or as dangerous. This was a Funnel Cloud... and Climate Change is definitely Real coz shit is happening that has never happened in my Lifetime... and Globally. When it hits Locally tho' it's much more sobering and unsettling, we had some of the Older Ladies at Work having a Panic Attack from their Anxieties about it.
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After my Brother called me at Work to let me know of the Hurricane/Tornado Warnings that mentioned our City of Avondale, I called Home to warn the Family in case they weren't looking at The News on TV. Everyone's Phones were going off anyway with Weather Alerts constantly, so I knew it was really bad and worsening. By then I didn't have a Peace about being at Work anymore, but, was already into my Shift and felt it Safer to just stay put. We had tons of Customers, people are Crazy about going out in Bad Weather I guess and about their daily business. So, it was very busy and that was actually a nice distraction. Plus, I got a Retired Line of "Audrey" Plant of the "Hyde and Eek" Line from several Years ago for only $1.00!!! Online it Sells for $17 now and when it was a New Line at TARGET it had been $10. It's like a Rose with Vampire Teeth and planted in a Black Pumpkin, Cute, one of the smallish versions they came out with. {See Below}
Now, when the Biting Blossoms Line came out the Vampire Teeth one had Blood on the Teeth and this one doesn't so I don't know why and I could put some fake Blood on them to look like every other one I've seen Online. They were Sold Out the Year they came out and I don't usually order Online to get what the Stores have Sold Out of In Store. So, I was Jazzed to get this one and that the Vendor had no Idea what it was {by the price they Sold it at and what they called it on their Tag}, or it's Value currently. Booyah! It's the perfect weight to put on my Antique Scale. I have all the parts to that Scale that I only just now put on it, it came with everything and I got it at a GOODWILL, it has the Scoop for the one side and a couple of Weights for the other side. I Photographed this before I'd put it together, impatient as I just am. *LOL*
Princess T was Mad about Work Yesterday, so, get this, in Retaliation she's denying herself Lunch Today and not Eating! Okay then, that sounds Crazy as fuck, but, whatever, I'll take the Bait... Why, what happened to make you so upset you're not taking your Lunch Today? Well, apparently something went Wrong at Work Yesterday that hindered Production and Princess T had an Idea to remedy it and told Management but they ignored her. So, she told Madison, her BFF there who is a Darling Pretty Redhead that everyone Adores and is in the Position of being Mid-Management. So, Princess T tells Madison this Idea that Management didn't take her Seriously about, in hopes Madison could get it implemented. Well, when Madison pitched the Idea, Management acted like it was Brilliant, yet, Princess T had pitched same Idea and been ignored, so, she was pissed. The "I wanna Quit now Pissed". Ruh Roh, she's ON the Warpath now thinks I!!! This will not go Well.
Yes, it got implemented, but she didn't get Credit for it being her Idea... and was IGNORED, a Mortal Sin in her World. *Winks* This ain't a Child you can Ignore! If you do, it's at your own Peril. *Smiles* Ergo, she's NOT EATING! And THEY WILL REGRET IT!!!! Oy Vey, Yup, pretty sure they WILL regret it when she's Hangry AND Crazy. *Bwahahaha* So, she trounced off this Morning on her Hunger Strike and a Face like a Thundercloud... they will get Dark Princess T Today and not the Sweet little Sprite of The Light Princess T Today... Fun Times!!! I don't even tangle with her Pre-Demonic Side, it's just not a Wise Idea, her Crazy Friend Pamela threw a Bible at her once when she was in that Mode and The Young Prince merely deadpanned, "Well, it was the Right Book!" *Bwahahahaha* He's certifiably Crazy, as is their Mother, and even they don't tangle with her when she's in Pre-Demonic Mode... just not Wise to and us Crazies can Gauge the level of Crazy you just don't want to stand Toe to Toe with when someone is at their Darkest. *LOL*
But the Kiddos will convey to me her whole Heart when something is Wrong and get my Feedback so I can Talk her Down off the Ledge of Crazy. So we had that Conversation before I dropped her off at Work. They know she's Special Needs, I made that abundantly clear when she was still in High School and Management there kept asking me to have her come Work there after Graduation. I explained her Special Needs weren't just Medical related, but also Mental Health related, so they had no delusions about Hiring her. She's an excellent Worker and Prime Asset to any Employer, so long as they realize she ain't Right. She's very high functional and Mental Health told me she shouldn't need Medication, she smokes Weed to take the Edge Off, that I know coz she has confessed and as long as it makes her more Stable, I'm not against Medicinal MJ, works Wonders for many ailments Physical and Mental.
The only time she will not get confrontational with me, even in her Dark Mode, is if I'm in mine too. *Winks* I get real Quiet and so Calm when I'm Dark Dawn, which The Family said is Chilling coz I'm too Calm when I'm Crazy. The Young Prince has joked it's the kind of Calm of that part in the Movie "Sling Blade" {1996}, when Billy Bob Thornton's Insane but Kind Character is calmly telling the abusive Boyfriend of his Young Friend that he's gonna Kill him with a Sling Blade, and then probably go have a Sammie afterwards as if nothing here to see has happened. *LMAOROTF* And only the Crazy Eyes give it away. *Bwahahaha* And, quite Honestly, I always give a Fair and Calm Quiet Warning when I'm going Dark, so, only Fools would rush in and Test me at that juncture I figure. And if you're gonna step in my Waters that run Dark and Deep, you better be a damned Strong Swimmer, so, that's on YOU. *Maniacal Laughter* Princess T has joked that we're all Crazy, not Stupid... she would be Right.
I replaced my Fancy Vintage Canning Jar of crappy Vintage Marbles with better Vintage Marbles and will Sell the Cat's Eye Marbles I wasn't that interested in. I'll get enuf Selling them to offset the Cost of the Jar so that it will have been Free to me. *Winks* I only wanted the Jar mostly anyway and had better Antique/Vintage Marbles in my Collection of them. I've Collected Antique Marbles since I was a Young Child playing Marbles. I'd keep the Antique and Vintage ones that my Nanna and Mom taught me were the very Old kind and some of my Marble playing Friends didn't recognize as being valuable. So, I'd have cheap New Marbles and play for Old Marbles that had Collectible Value in the Marble Market. Some can fetch a lot of Money actually, especially the European ones and as a Child we lived off and on in Europe. I wasn't that interested in playing the Game as I was Hustling them out of their Antique Marbles they weren't gonna properly appreciate or take Care of. *Winks and Smiles*
Yep, our Parents Taught us to be Hustlers and Horse Traders from way back. *Winks and Smiles* I'd Hustle at the Paris Flea Markets when I was Two Years Old, I kid you not, when my Family was Stationed in France!!! *LOL* Spoke Five Languages fluently back then too! Mom would dress me up real Cute and send me out to Negotiate Deals at the Flea Markets. I often had no Money and would still come back with a bounty of Cool stuff coz the Vendors thought I was Adorable and since I was speaking to them all in their Native Tongues, they dug that too. Probably knew I was some Gypsy's Kid, coz the French Gypsies always knew, but couldn't fathom why when I spoke English it was with an American Accent? And I was Dark like my Dad when I was little, but had Blonde Hair and the Grey Eyes, so I looked not like your Garden Variety European Kid either. *Ha ha ha* All of them being Fair, except for the Algerian Kids and the Dark Roma Gypsies. So I was a Mystery Blend Ethnic Question Mark in 1950's France. *LOL* My Family Loved France.
Both of my Parents always said that if they chose not to permanently Live in America or North Wales, where my Mom was from, they'd want to reside in France. That said, most French did not like Foreigners tho', so it was the Country they Adored, not necessarily the lack of Hospitality of the French People. But, to be Fair to the French, many Countries tend to be that way about Visitors from other Countries, they want them to just spend their Money and go Home, Leave, don't Stay. And America is no different, plus, in America, we can be that way even about Visitors from other States of the United States. *Bwahahahaha* Here in Arizona we get a lot of Tourists from Abroad and from various States and we want them all to just Visit, spend Money, go back Home. So, I get it. The Locals realize their way of Life gets interrupted and too expensive when there are too many Tourists and often if creates some hardships for the Locals. So, I understand it's often a double edged Sword of Blessings and Curses to be a Touristy Destination. No judgment here then about how you Feel about Tourism in your Area. *Winks*
Right now the Tourists are beginning to swarm in to Arizona and you Feel the impact of that right away when the State switches to "Snow Bird" accommodating Mode. Locals better have ensured they locked in a lower Rental Rate with their Landlords before the temporary Tourists and Snow Birds who live here all Fall/Winter even arrive, or you won't be able to afford to Rent anything for sure. And, if you're in Business, you know you'll be able to charge more for anything and everything so most of them do, to the detriment of the Locals who know the prices just all got jacked up until Spring comes and the Visitors all leave when they can't take the Heat and Migrate back to where ever they came from. *Smiles* Only a hardy few think or imagine they can live here Year Round, if they Survive ONE Spring and Summer, then perhaps they even can relocate here Permanently? Too many Californians already have tho' and Priced the Market, especially the Real Estate Market, way the Hell UP in recent Years. Those that Migrate from Cali are the most picked on by Native Arizonans... it's not Fair, but, it's True.
For some reason, Native Arizonans or long time Residents of Arizona are much more Welcoming to East Coast Transplants than they are to West Coast Transplants. Don't ask, I don't really know Why? I personally don't differentiate, if someone has decided to permanently reside here then to me they just become part of the Community, where ever they Migrated from, be it another State or another Country. It's the Touristy Types that work my last Nerve sometimes, but not even all the times, depending upon how they Act and how they treat Residents and our State, respectfully, coz, this is our Home, not just some Vacay for us. Whenever you're a Guest anywhere, you should always be Mindful of that Fact, that's all. It's somebody's Home, you're on Vacay, but they LIVE there. Behave accordingly and respectfully and you'll be better Received.
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This should hit and publish as my first Post of October... Dawn... The Bohemian
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