The System Can Be Very Dark & Ominous

 So, my Roofer showed up early, but the Adjuster hasn't shown up on Time, natch, he said they always keep you Waiting.  I know he's got a lot of Work to do so I'm sure that Frosts him, but he's a Chill Guy and I like him as a Person, and he's very forthright about the Job, he's not the Bullshit Artist Salesman some Companies hire to Sell Product but don't know much about the actual Industry or the Work, coz they aren't the Roofers.  He is a Roofer, he does the Work, he's done it for a while, and thus he's getting a lot of the Work that the Con Artists in the Biz aren't if you see thru their Sales Pitches and Bullshitting.  With having lotsa Family and Friends in The Trades, we're not ignorant nor naive.  And we surround ourselves with People who know more than we do, to consult before hiring anyone.

Anyway, if this Adjuster isn't timely then I won't be getting to my Event in a timely manner either, dammit!  I was talking to our Roofer and he said the Big Storm we had last Night really hammered the East Valley this time, they got hammered last time too.  We had strong Winds last Night and I was Praying we didn't have more damage or catastrophic Situations like big Tree fall.  There was, but thankfully not on our Property, our Palms lost a few dead Fronds is all, and they dropped without hitting or damaging anything like a deadly trajectory.  A Palm Frond is heavy and serrated so can be like a Toothy Edged Razor Sharp Javelin being thrown. *Whew*  One Neighbor to the East of us just had Two very Beautiful large Old Date Palms Cut down.  They were Alive and Healthy, but I suspect some folks are getting worried about Mature Landscaping becoming deadly or dangerous.   Many Residents with large Old Trees are having them thinned of Branches so they won't catch so much Wind and it can blow thru the Branches easier or take the Tree down.  It's been scary Weather.

The Adjuster just showed up, I forgot his Name already but he seemed pleasant and asked me the Right Questions I felt, so did our Roofer.  So, perhaps he's a decent one who knows what he's doing, you just never know how competent their Inspectors/Adjusters really are in the Industry of Contractor Work... and not just Insurance Claim Mitigation.  This is why my Contractor wanted to be here with the Inspection, to ensure whoever they send did what they're supposed to do and didn't do a Bullshit Inspection or fake the extent of damage being more Minimal than it truly is to Save on paying out what should be Paid Out to replace and not do just a half-assed Repair.  Since the damned Deductibles are now 1% of Property Value per Claim, which is outrageous Extortion in my opinion, I want everything done fucking Right the first time, and only time!  I don't want future Claims playing out coz they didn't approve the Job that should have been done.  Once is more than Enough hassle and expense.  I made it clear that if that Roof doesn't Hold with the damages being significant and presently unrepaired, the Claim will be WAY higher.

Now that it's after 9:00 a.m. I know I won't get to my Event and get good Parking before the Doors Open, shit.  Princess T said she'd ask her Boyfriend to pick her up from Work so I can go later and not worry about getting back Home early for her sake.  So, that's Helpful.  Tho' if I get far off Parking it's gonna be painful to do that much Walking, since it's also been Stormy, damp and humid, so my Bones are aching like a Toothache right now already, doing nothing!   The problematic Foot and Knee on my Right Side is something I've got to consult my Primary Doc about coz the Pain level is becoming very problematic to my Mobility and powering thru the constant Pain is tiring.  I have a very high threshold for Pain, I'm not a pill popper so I rarely take even Aspirin for a Headache, I don't like Drugs of any kind.  I only take my Diabetic Meds reluctantly to manage that damned Disease. 

 I have a faulty Pancreas and always have, you can't get a New one, so I have to just limp this one along.   I had low Blood Sugar problems since Childhood, then high Blood Sugar after gaining the excess Weight after a Hysterectomy in my 50's.  I used to be painfully Thin when I had low Blood Sugar and my Lady Plumbing intact.  Now, even taking Ozempic for the Diabetic Maintenance, I haven't lost hardly any weight on it at all.  Those Celebs that got Skeletal on it, not my problem at all on it.  *LOL but Le Sigh coz dropping some excess Weight would have been a nice Bonus of having to take it for Diabetes Control.*   The Man takes Ozempic for the same reasons, he's an Insulin Diabetic, hereditary in his Family unfortunately, he hasn't lost any weight on it either, just didn't do that for either of us as a Side Bonus.  But, we haven't had any of the Negative Side Effects of the Drug either, which, I'm glad of coz it is Managing the Diabetes and stabilized it, which is WHY we take it.  As Active as I am, how I eat, my Lifestyle focusing on Health and Well Being, has had no impact on losing much Weight.  Very frustrating.

I changed what and when I eat, I've built Muscle, and improved my daily recovery, reduced Insulin levels, to try to reduce Insulin-Resistant Fat.  It should have helped my Cells to respond to Insulin again better, but, it's been so fucking slow to see any real progress, that I really can't do much else.  I've done everything they tell me should Work... and just isn't.  So the Docs said my Pancreas is faulty, I Fast every so often, so my Pancreas can Rest and Calm Down.  I don't have much Belly Pain from it Luckily, which can happen when it's not functioning well.  I don't have Gallstones either, which can happen and cause blockages.  I don't Smoke or Drink.  I eat small frequent Meals.  I should be in better shape dammit!  *Le Sigh*

I got to the Event just before they Opened and still got good Parking, it didn't get busy 'til after they Opened the Doors.  They were Selling strong, even larger expensive pieces, unusual for a Summer Crowd actually.  I visited with my Friends coz the Checkout Line was really long and stayed long.  So, I went over to "The Indian Fry Bread House" and had Lunch, came back, the Line wasn't any shorter than when I left to go eat, so I just stood in it to get the few little Smalls I picked up.  Mostly ornate Antique Escutcheons {Decorative protective Metal Plates for Skeleton Keyholes} for Antique Doors, from my Friend Big Kenny, he had them for only $1-$2-$3 each so I got 11 of them to do Restoration on some of my Old Doors missing them.  The Hardware of a lot of Antique Doors can be missing or damaged over Time.  Architectural Salvage is my Jam and is Big Kenny's Jam too.  He's a Fabricator, he once Bought 49 Antique Doors from me when I was at the Historic Home.  *LOL*  The Above Taxidermy Bird was from France.

I got a tiny Vintage Fancy Diner Creamer from my Friend Michelle.  That's all I got, but I took loads of Pixs for Blog Fodder.   I try never to get Shoppers in Frame but that one Lady seemed to be everywhere in the Background and would linger so long, so, couldn't avoid it. And as you can see then it just kept getting busier with other people now in Frame, so I thought, fuck it, they're way in the background. *Ha ha ha*  I can only wait so long before I lose patience with someone lingering too long when I'm trying patiently to Photograph something, respectful of them Shopping... and they see that and just hang around for a prolonged period that seems excessive, whether intentionally or just oblivious and in their own Bubble.  *LOL*   A lot of folks are in their own insulated Bubble and Tune Out everything around them.   I do it myself sometimes, but I apologize if I've gotten in the way of someone else while in my own little Trance and World.  It happens.  *Smiles*

Since Rusty was picking Princess T up from Work I got to linger longer myself at the Event and stayed a couple Hours instead of just One.  Not becoz I was doing much actual Shopping, I was just having such a good time being there.  Several Friends and even some Customers Wished me a belated Happy Birthday.  One Customer was having her Birthday that day.  They had a lot of 1st time Visitors to the Event and they asked me how it goes.  I meet a lot of good people and kindred Spirits when I attend... some have started out as Strangers and become Friends and we meet up there every Month.  I'm not very actively Socially, so that kind of Situational Friendship suits me best right now actually.  It's like Blog Friendships, we meet up here and it's Nice and I can fit it in to my Life easily.   

Big Kenny has lost even more Weight and is in even better Shape, he's been Inspirational and has been telling me the tips on how he's done it and maintains it.  He's only got 15 lbs. more to go to reach his Goal Weight and level of Fitness on this Journey he's been on now 3 Years.  He eats mostly Veggies and Lean Meat Proteins like Chicken & Turkey.  Lots of Eggs.  He cut out all Dairy and Soft Drinks, drinks only Water and lots of it.  And he eats frequently and has everything between 11:00 a.m. and before 6:00 p.m..   He's never Hungry and craves the things he now only eats, has had no withdrawal from anything he cut out of his Diet.  He doesn't eat Fried Foods or overly processed Foods, not a lot of Carbs so rarely has Breads, Pasta, Rice, Potatoes.  He said it was only ever hard the first Couple Weeks, then it was easy, now it's a Life Change he's just stuck with and very seldom backslid coz he feels better, looks better, all his previous ailments completely disappeared, and he had a lot of them.

Of coarse my Indian Fry Bread wouldn't have been on Big Kenny's List of things to eat, but I so seldom have it and it's so filling and tasty.  I don't eat a lot of Fried things and limit my Carb intake too, so this was a rare indulgence.  It's a Tohono O'odham Tribe Member Owned Business and won a James Beard Award.  Their Mom founded the business and she passed away in 2024 and now her Son and Daughter run it.  Their Family Fry Bread Recipe has been handed down for Generations.  Their Tribal Name means "Desert People".  They are Descendants of the ancient Hohokam Civilization of South Central Arizona and Northern Mexico.   There are Four segments of their Reservation South of Phoenix and West of Tucson and borders Mexico, there are only about 37,000 Registered Tribal Members left and only about 14,000 live on the Rez, most live Off-Rez now, and in Mexico too. 

  Fry Bread is not a Traditional Native American Food, it's how Indigenous Tribes learned to make do with the meager rations the U.S. Government gave them of Salt, Flour and Baking Powder.  When they were herded on to Reservations and couldn't produce or Hunt their Traditional Food Sources of their Natural Diet or have access to it, so that they didn't all Starve.  My Dad ate some really Crazy stuff growing up on Reservation Government Rations and Food Insecurities were constant and often still are to this day.   Growing up we ate some of those Crazy things just becoz it was incorporated in his Diet for so long that it became a Staple he'd always eaten and Survived on.  I didn't even realize most American Families didn't eat Crazy food combinations like that, out of necessity or ever heard of having to eat it. 

  So Friends would come over and we'd be eating something like Saltine Crackers with Warm Milk and Brown Sugar for Dinner, and they'd be like WTF, that's some Crazy Shit you're eating?!  *LOL*  Dad said the Govt. gave them a lot of Saltine Crackers as a Food Source and they hadda Learn to do something with 'em for Nutrition.  It's actually quite good, like a Poor Person's Porridge.  So was any Pasta with Warm Milk and Brown Sugar, another thing we grew up eating quite often.   What Weird Foods did you eat growing up that you didn't know most Families probably never heard of eating?  Or mebbe were a Local type Food not eaten everywhere else?  Some Local Foods around the Country I think sound pretty Crazy too.  But I'll try anything once, twice if I like it. *LOL*

I fell Asleep very early after my Event, when I got Home from it.  Around 4:30 p.m. actually, and it wasn't a Nap coz I didn't ever wake up from it until the next Morning.  *LOL*  Sometimes now when I do anything I have to Sleep to Recover from the Activity, it's kinda pathetic really.  All I did was spend a couple Hours at an Event and a couple Hours commuting to and from it.  Then we had Company, the Kiddos long time Friend, Glitch, who's a Computer Programmer and Genius, but looks like an Outlaw Biker.  He'd worked for Amazon in Cyber Security for over 7 Years and Amazon has screwed over a lot of their AI Developers like him and laid them off about 6 Months ago with shitty Severance Packages, that to me, were Insulting.  I'm glad they're getting Sued.  May the Litigation and what's Awarded their Victims be very expensive. 

 I felt they exploited them all along coz his Salary was not ever what it should have been for all of what he Developed for them.  But he said they notoriously underpay and exploit all of their Workforce, most Top American Companies do.  He's gotten better Offers from the Chinese, I told him I'd consider it.   Amazon threw away their most Valuable Assets, so, Fuck them... go to their fiercest Competitors who are Smarter and not Cheaping Out to Save a Buck, when they are Obscenely so Rich they could easily Invest in you, but won't... Payback is the ultimate Bitch.  I don't Like the Corporate Grind nor their Posturing and Politics, it's always been very Fucked Up and Messy IMO.  But, it's a Game they Play and so either you Play it Well or you don't.  If I'm Invited to Play, then Dark Dawn will usually be whose Playing.  *Winks*  They very rarely will get Dawn Of The Light in Executive Decisions, that side of me would be too Soft to Play Hardball, which is usually their Game of Choice, not mine.

Listen, in my Corporate Banking Career I switched Teams from Working for American Banks to Working for European Owned ones who Paid me much, much more.  I gave my American Employers chances to Counter offer, they Cheaped Out and didn't.  Their Competitors Head Hunters will always come knocking to make Offers in a fiercely Competitive Global Economy.  I go to the highest Bidder... coz sometimes no American Company is looking out for you and yours and I refuse to be Exploited or Taken for Granted.  Nobody Owns me.  You either pay me what I know I'm worth and Valued at, or I go to who will, it's just that Simple to me from a Money Angle.   And I keep my Mind on my Money.  *Smiles*

 And Trust me when I say Corruption runs Wide and fucking Deep in anything that involved Money, especially lots of Money, so don't Feel Sorry for any of them, they won't Feel Sorry for you and yours, Trust and Believe.  You won't be Dealing with Saints.  And if I gotta Deal with some Devils, then they will have to Deal with Dark Dawn too, it's only how it can be even a remotely level Playing Field filled with Apex Predatory Types who can Smell even a drop of Blood in their Waters and eat you Alive.  The System can be very Dark.   Ideally it wouldn't be... but it just is mostly and generally.   Capitalism has run amok now and isn't Working very well for a lot of folks.   Which is why they're getting wooed by dangerous Options presented to them in Tricky ways that Dress it Up to look more Hopeful and Offer them The Fantasy they so would like to Believe it is or would be for them.  It isn't.  But, that's a whole other Post.  Let us just Deal with One Reality at a Time, One Day at a Time.  *Eye Roll and Winks*

 And if I'm not doing Volunteer Work as a Ministry to Serve Community and God, I expect to get Paid and use my Expertise as Leverage.  Either you'll Purchase that Leverage for your Company's benefit and financial gains to have an Edge on whatever Industry it is, or someone else will.  Mebbe a Foreign Entity willing to Pay their Employees what they're actually Worth?  That may sound Unpatriotic to some, but America can be and sometimes has been Stupid about what or who they Invest in or fuck over.  Right now they're being incredibly Stupid and the Foreign Competitors on Top of their Game know this and are Hiring our Best and Brightest away when American Companies are screwing them over.  Touche', Clever Move on the Chess Board of Global Dominance.  Right now the Winning isn't on our Side, coz we got Stupid Incompetent Leadership and Greedy folks Shafting everyone who is or was Employed and adds Value.  So, Fuck 'em.

 We have an Idiot at our Helm, mebbe our Competitors don't.  I don't suffer Fools well and Idiots can cause too much collateral damage and get everyone spiraling Downwards.  I don't go all the way to the Basement in someone else's follies.  Donnie Two Dolls and his Billionaire Buddies just wanna enrich themselves while screwing over everyone in the process, that is Bad Karma that eventually catches up to you.  Be Nice to everyone on your way Up, coz you never know when you're gonna meet them on your way Down.  The Paradigm Shift always comes eventually.   Our Friend said Bezos doesn't even own the Company anymore, he's a 51% Shareholder, and the current Owner is moving everything to Nashville to cut Costs and is doing what the Company claimed they never would do.  While firing a lot of the Developers  who have made them Billions, thinking AI will replace what they do, so there's currently Lawsuits in process.  Sounds messy.  Everyone was under a 3 Year NDA they had to Sign too, fuuuuck!  I Feel bad for who got Screwed and did good Work for those Fuckers.  But, am I Surprised, No.

  I've never liked Amazon anyway and don't do Business with them and won't.  What they've paid their AI Developers, to me, was blatant Exploitation, and I told our Friend that.  The Niece is a Tech Guru and Genius and I told her the same thing, she was being Exploited and underpaid for what she was bringing to the Table of a Company that made their Money off her and discarded her too.   I was making just slightly less than either of them in my 1st Corporate Life in the fucking 1980's!   Anyway, I've told both of them, if the Chinese are making you a Deal you can't refuse, with minimal Contingencies you'd have to Agree to that lock you in and inhibit your Options, like American Companies have tied them up with, consider it.  I never agreed to Contingencies that weren't in MY Best Interests, either you got me on MY Terms or I Walked and went to a higher Bidder with the Respect of allowing me my Options to remain intact and fluid.

  I like Options, I like Leverage, I wasn't looking for a Job when I found any that came looking for me and fell into my Lap.  Your Gifts always make Room for you, but you have to recognize your own Value.  And Preserve your Good Reputation in any Industry that you Added Value to.  And know that in EVERY aspect of Life, Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Absolutely Corrupts, with practically no exceptions.  So, you look out for YOU, coz those in Power will NOT, you're merely a Commodity to them, not even a Person.  And you never get in Life what you Deserve, only what you Successfully Negotiate in YOUR Favor.   If they look at me as merely a Commodity, I look at them as merely a way to get as much out of THEM as I can Successfully Negotiate in MY Favor and for ONLY as long as I wanna put up with them, it's not Personal, it's just Business. 

 I keep my Business separate from what's Personal and I Care about.  I don't give a Fuck about your Business if you don't give a Fuck about your Employees... you get what you give.   Treat me Right, I'll treat you Right and Fix any Problems you have me to try to Solve for you, for the Right Price.  It's all Transactional.  Don't think that your Employer is your 'Friend'... and I don't Need them to be... I'm all Friended Up when I come to Work for you.   We just have an Arrangement.  And when that Arrangement no longer Works for ME, Bye-Bye-Bye.  On to the next Arrangement that does. *Winks*   Hey, Relationships of any kind sometimes Work out and sometimes they just don't.  It happens.  Things Work until they don't anymore.  The only Constant being Change.  And some Change is Good... and some is Bad.

  It didn't always used to be that way, I remember when it was Better than all this and I had some Long Term Loyal Connections Corporately, that Treated me quite Well.  No Complaints and it worked out Well for a long time, what Arrangements we had in place as Employee and Employer.  Some folks even stayed Cradle to Grave in those days, not me, but some.  *Ha ha ha*   Mutually Beneficial and not so much Corruption as I see now, you could Earn good Pensions, Profit Sharing, Stock Options, generous Bonuses for exemplary Work, and everything.  Not Ideal, but not quite so Dark, Lawless and blatantly, shamelessly Corrupt and Toxic anyway.   You could, back then, manage to Keep Clean Hands and your Moral Compass intact without it costing you your Career, or some Revenge and Retribution directed at you for not getting Dirty too or being coerced into doing anything Illegal and Immoral to keep Employed.

 Now it's Otra Cosa.  The Trajectory is definitely Downwards now in a very steep Decline that seems to have no Bottom to how Low it can and will go.  And the Corruption is all the way to the very Top of the Food Chain and trickles down to those who will do the Bidding of the Apex Predators so they don't just get eaten or torn to shreds.  But that's just how it now is and I accepted that's how Corporate America now Works and you Adapt, Improvise, Work it in YOUR Favor if and when you can for as long as you can.  Or, be an Entrepreneur if that's your Bandwidth to do whatever that will take, and be your own Boss and be your own Shot Caller and Refine your Hustle.  And, you better have a Hustle.  Coz Darker Times lie ahead is my Prediction.  Wish it wasn't, but... it's what I Foresee unfortunately.

 

*******

I would prefer to be a Ray of fucking Sunshine, but, not Today I'm afraid... oh well... mebbe Tomorrow... Dawn... The Bohemian 

You Can Thank Me Later... You're Welcome... Manic Blogging

 We had Company Today, The Nephew/Cousin of our Next Door Neighbors.  His name is Jason, great Old Guy, but terribly physically disabled and crippled up, but Mentally sharp as a tack.  The Daughter does a lot of work for him on his Mini Farm and he adores her, she's really good to him.  He's good to have conversations with, we talk about the darndest things, this day it was UFO's.  The Man was watching "Skinwalker Ranch" that a Billionaire bought to study strange happenings on it with a Scientific Team, the U.S. Government owned it for 25 Years and did similar Studies, it's interesting and quite an anomalous piece of Property of 512 Acres in the Uinta Basin of Utah.  Lots of Paranormal Events, strange sightings and strange Creatures reported for over 200 Years there.  With a Billionaires deep Pockets they can conduct intensive Scientific Studies, so it holds our Interest. 

Brandon Fugal is the Owner and Entrepreneur and has authorized large scale Experiments on the Property.  Dr. Travis Taylor is an Astrophysicist and Aerospace Engineer with a NASA background.  Erik Baird is a Chief Scientist and a principal Investigator who is in charge of a lot of the Tech Stuff.   And there's an Operation and Support Team on Staff along with various Experts they Hire to come in with their areas of Expertise.  They have also had some Tribal Elders of the local Indigenous population, who've known about and seen the anomalous things that go on there for Generations going way, way back.  So they don't doubt any of it and the Native American Ute Tribe feel it is a Portal Location.  They have always viewed it with deep caution and Multi-Generational Unease.   As I do when I watch the Show.  I wouldn't participate in any of what they're doing, tho' from a Scientific standpoint, and perhaps for Financial Motivation, I see why they're spending so much time, energy and Money to study it.  {My Temp Gauge actually got to 121 on Tuesday, I captured a Pix of it at 120, ugh!}

Jason told us about his Paranormal UFO experience he had as a Child that just stuck with him.  He said he doesn't tell too many people becoz a lot of Skeptics would think you're making it up or Mental.  He was a Child, so he wasn't even sure what he was seeing or why, his experience gave me chills, it happened in the early 1960's and his experience is very similar to one my own Mom had in the early 1960's, she was a Young Adult and never could explain her experience away either, her recount of it remained consistent her whole life, so I never doubted it happened.  But, like Jason, she didn't often Share it for the same reasons.  I saw my 1st UFO's as a Child on a Cape Cod Beach in broad Daylight with probably Hundreds of other Witnesses.  They came up out of the Atlantic Ocean and flew off.  I saw The Phoenix Lights in Spring of 1997, a lot of Locals saw it and it's well Documented. 

 And The Man and I saw something so similar to the Phoenix Lights over the White Tank Mountains just a few Years ago.  We pulled over off the Freeway to stop and look at it, don't know how many saw it but it was so close to Luke AFB Air Space they had to of been tracking it.   During the 1990's Phoenix Lights Episodes I remember seeing Jets from Luke scrambling but they couldn't catch up with how fast whatever it was took off after they came near, but the Base consistently denied it.  Whatever the Phoenix Lights were then, and over White Tanks, was moving slowly so long as it was left alone, and stuck around long enuf to be documented by those in the 1990's who had something to Record it with.  Who knows why the Military have covered up so much of what we suspect they know and have had involvement with? 

 More is coming out over Time tho' to validate this stuff exists Worldwide and Governments have known about them a long time.  There are allegedly Four Species of Visitors known about that Whistleblowers of Government said is documented but not released:  Greys, Nordics, Mantis Insect Types, and Reptilian Types.  That part was very Surprising and these are People high up in their Career Fields who would gain nothing by coming forward, and risk everything of their Reputations.  And many of them had access and now are Retired and no longer want to remain Silent about what they know and what they saw that has been covered up and not released to the Public.  They said what has been released is paltry compared to what should and could be released and folks should know about.  They don't feel that now it would cause Panic, since far too many people now are Open Minded about the existence of Life beyond our Planet and Curious to know why we get visits and what Technology we've reverse Engineered from what we've recovered or already had exposure to?

Anyway, we had a good visit with Jason and The Daughter met up with us with Jason at the Recycle Center and she gave us half the Money she'd made helping him with his Recycling.  So, I took The Man out for Breakfast and we went to the Post Office, I got some Route 66 Stamps, then we went to do more Environmental Cleanup and to see more of the Storm damage.  At Estrella Park near the Estrella Mountains they got hammered and over 50% of their Old Mesquite and Eucalyptus Trees got damaged, it was absolute carnage so most of the Park was Closed.  Some had fallen on the Bathroom Buildings, in over 50 Years I've never seen that much Storm damage there before, it will cost a lot to clean that all up.  We went to the White Tanks Mountains Park, it had less Storm damage and is near our Villa McManse, so we drove by the previous Home we Owned too.  They've painted it again, twice since we Sold it.  A Paint Job on a Villa that large is over $35,000.  It was White when we Owned it, they painted it Off White, now it's Tan.

I think the HOA is easing up, perhaps even being negligent now, coz a lot of properties had Dead landscaping, that never would have been able to happen before.  So, now it's looking run down and I suspect a lot of Out of State Investors Buying up those Luxury Homes for Air B&B Party Houses is the reason Why?  That and Vacant Properties, half the Properties there, or more, aren't Occupied most of the Year and are Vacation Properties for wealthy people who live somewhere else and mebbe spent a Week or Two at these enormous Vacation Homes they bought in Arizona.  If your Vacay 2nd Home that you only spend a couple Weekends a Year at  is 4,500-7,500 sf, no telling what your Primary Residence is like?!   But some Elite have more Money than they know what to do with or how to waste frivolously.   While most Americans are struggling to afford necessities, to me it's obscene that the Elite are so Rich and so Wasteful with it, and yet are given preferential Treatment and Welfare for the Wealthy by our Government.

Anyway, tons of development out there near the Villa McManse, mostly massive Industrial complexes going in, and Data Centers, which doesn't do anything Positive for Residential Property Values or the Environment.  That's why their Equity and Home Value has tanked and stagnated for all these Years out there.   Anyway, we filled up a whole Bag with Aluminum Cans just doing Two Parks, it was Breezy but very Hot so I brought him Home by 1:00 p.m., he's clearly had enuf Fun for the Day.  *Smiles*  But, he clearly enjoyed himself and was in a good Mood the whole time, even walked around a bit with his Walker, tho' he is having trouble Walking and so needs to practice more and ride his stationary Bike more to strengthen his Legs.  So, I'm glad they are asking to resume his OT and PT at Home again.  When the Young Stud Muffins come and do the Exercises with him, he wants to Show Off for them.  *Winks*  You know how Old Marines are, they're not gonna be shown up by some Young Stud Muffin even if the Youngsters are in their Prime!  *LOL* 

I watched a 2016 Movie on Amazon Prime called "Cell" with Samuel L. Jackson and John Cusack, I liked it, but for some reason John Cusack's Hair really bothered me.  I was glad when he put a Beanie on for most of the Movie coz his Hair just looked Crazy and not on Purpose, just like he's had a Bad Hair Transplant done or was wearing a Bad Toupe'.  Google pretends like it's his real Hair, but, it is not a Good Look at all, whether his real Hair or just Bad Fake Hair or an atrocious transplant.  I was so fixated on how Crazy it looked that I couldn't pay attention to anything else until he put that Beanie on.  *Bwahahahaha*  And it's a shame coz he's Aged pretty Gracefully otherwise, and is a good Actor, but that Hair!!!   Samuel L. Jackson is one of my Fav Actors of all time, he's so diverse with his Characters and he was of coarse really good in it.  Then I watched another NetFlix Horror flick from 2019 called "The Silence" with Stanley Tucci, which had some excellent Monsters in it.  I forget Stanley also Acts, coz he's on so many Food Network Shows now.  *LOL* 

Then I watched an Old Stephen King's 1980 Book, adapted version Horror Movie from 2007 called "The Mist", with Thomas Jane, which I'd seen a long time ago, but was worth watching again.  As you can see, I was in Horror Movie Mode and enjoyed watching a good trifecta of them after everyone else had gone to bed.  *Smiles*  Hadn't ever seen the first Two before, I don't watch much TV or go to the Movies, so, a lot of older ones are new to me.  I popped some Orville Redenbachers Pour Over Butter Microwave Popcorn and made a Night of it.  *Smiles*  I can only ever find the Pour Over Butter at Wal-Marts now, but it's the best.  It only comes in a Two Pac, but you can Thank me later if you've never tried it before, you're Welcome.  *Winks*  When I go to Wal-Mart I usually buy all of them in Stock they have, coz usually it's less than 5-6 Boxes.  *LOL*

Above is a piece of Altered Art that is one that Got Away way back in 2013 and I have Non-Buyers Remorse about to this day!   It was Photographed right around my Birthday of that Year and I could have and should have Bought it for myself, but that was the August that The Man had his Catastrophic Accident that was damned near Fatal, ON The Young Prince's 13th Birthday, which is just 8 Days before my Birthday, so the Accident ruined both of those Celebrations and the rest of 2013's Holidays for that Year, since The Man spent 10 Months Hospitalized and not expected to Live or to Recover from his catastrophic injuries.  He spent over 3 Months in a Level One Trauma Hospital ICU, another 3+ Months in a Neurological Hospital who gave up on him getting any better, and sent him Home to Die, I couldn't take Care of him in the condition they discharged him and had a difficult time finding any Placement that would even take him.  Finally after the VA Nursing Homes refused him, a Civilian one took pity on The Grandkids and I, coz I was crying in their Lobby... and accepted him for the time Medicare would cover him being in their Facility for another 3 Months.

  

At the time I blew thru all our Savings, around $30,000 for Medical Expenses, owed damned near a Million more than the Insurances, all Three that he had, wouldn't pay for... and so most of our Resources were spent trying to just keep him above dirt that Year.  There was no Money for much else, luckily my Historic Homestead was paid for, but my paid off Truck was the one he was in and it got totaled in the Accident.  But, being in that Truck saved his Life and usually he didn't borrow my Vehicle coz he had a brand new Jeep that he'd only owned 4 Days at the time, but he needed to go to U-Haul and Rent a Dolly to move a Fridge, so that's why he had my Truck.   Anyway, so this piece of Art I had intended to Buy for my Birthday, I couldn't, and to this day I Wished I could have, the Vendor left soon afterwards and tho' I had her Business Card, I never even found her Online again to Buy from her or ask if she still had this piece.  I'd bought other Assemblage Art from her that I still Love and Cherish to this day, but this one I had a particular Obsession to Own... and, alas, couldn't, due to Circumstances.

But, that Year my Friend Angie asked me to give her one of my Favorite T-Shirts coz she wanted to do something Special with it for my Birthday, and Below is the Marilyn Monroe Tee she altered for me and I still have that and it's a Favorite, I usually wear it with a plain Black or plain White Wife-Beater Tank Top under it.  Angie used to make the Coolest Lines of Wearable Art, Accessories, Decor and Jewelry.   I Wish she still was in the Industry but she's been MIA now for Years and doesn't use Social Media much to be able to stay in touch with anyone anymore.  She hasn't even done a FB Post since Spring of 2024... and even then, it was her Cousin who did the Post of Angie with her little Niece.  So, I don't even know how she's doing and I do miss her, such a wonderful Person, so generous, and so Talented.  She bestowed me with OOAK Friendship Gifts she Created that I Cherish to this day.  I'd do Fabric Art Bag alterations for her, since, at the time, she Loved my Carpet Bag Creations and I told her I could alter some of her Vintage Bags in that Style, so I did, as a Friendship Gift to her.

I got so Mad at Two Locations of The Golden Arches.  We wanted a quick Cheap Breakfast and they had a new Honey Butter Biscuit Sammie on their Menu, so, thought I'd try that with my Caramel Macchiato from there.  The Man likes McDonalds, usually I don't, except for that drink.  And I HATE the lack of Customer Service and those damned Kiosks that never function properly, fuck up the Orders {along with the Staff who do}, and I have trouble using and figuring out how they even Work!  Anyway, at Location No. 1, long lines at both Kiosks, giddy giggly High School Girls taking Selfies while they Order from the Kiosks in spite of seeing long lines behind them waiting for our turn.  We FINALLY get our turn and that Location is out of everything we wanted to Order!!!  Dammit!   That's Half an Hour of our Lives we'll never get back... so, we decided on our way to White Tanks we'd just stop at another Location.

There was a brand new one just by where our Villa McManse is outside of White Tanks Park, so we stop there.  Hardly anyone in there, but no Cash Register at all, only Two Kiosks and Human Staff conspicuous by their very absence.  Okay, so I figure out how to Order, pay, the Kiosk claimed everything was fine and available, not Sold Out.  But when they bring us our Order, mine was Wrong.  Instead of the Honey Butter Biscuit which is an upcharge of almost $7 for the damned thing, I get their $3 Meal Deal cheap Ass $1.99 substitution of some Biscuit I didn't even order nor want.  I tell the Girl, this is Wrong.  She insists it's Right, as if I'm an Idiot/Moron and can't tell it's so NOT what I  Ordered and Paid for!   So I go up and yell for someone in charge, who reluctantly then comes over and tells me, well, we don't have the Honey Butter Biscuit, so we substituted.  Yeah, with something less than half the price of what I Paid for and Ordered!!!

Without missing a beat, she says, oh, so you want something extra then?  Well, fuck Yeah, I just paid double what this damned thing Costs and this isn't what I ordered and it's not what I want!  So, she reaches under the Counter, I kid you not, and hands me Two small Packets of Honey and walks away!!!   I almost fucking imploded, but The Man was like, Honey, let's just eat it, at least they weren't out of your Caramel Macchiato too {coz in the past you pay Extra for that and if they're out they try to rip you off by Substituting a $1.99 plain Iced Coffee instead and think that's a Fair Substitution also!!!}.   And I decided, he's Right, I'm not gonna allow a Fast Food joint I dislike anyway to ruin my Morning... consider the Source... exploited Help, too much reliance on Non-Human Machines doing the Work so they don't have to hire Humans, and poorly Educated Young People who probably can't even Read or Write even tho' they got Graduated.  {Whole other Ranty Post could come out of that Fact, Teachers are shitting Kittens that their Seniors can't Read or Write!  And we've got a Generation of Functional Illiterates!}

So, I have no idea what their Honey Butter Biscuit even tastes like, but beware if you order one and they try to pass something else off to you as a Fair Substitution, that Costs way less than what you Paid for, when they don't have it!  McDonalds put on Blast.  *Winks*  BTW: What they gave me, even slathered with the small Honey Packets, wasn't tasty at all, Gak!   Note to Self: Never order a Breakfast from the Golden Arches... I doubt it's even really Food!?  *LOL*   In a couple Hours we'll have Chili for Dinner, I forgot to put it on in the Crockpot this Morning so it could Simmer a long time, so it's In-A-Hurry Two Hour Chili instead now.  *LOL*   If I'd remembered that's what I intended to make I could have asked The Daughter to start it when she got Home, coz she got Home much earlier than her Dad and I did.   So did The Son... and even Princess T got out of Work early Today by 2:30 p.m..  Even all we had Today was our crappy McD Breakfast that was all Wrong and not what I Ordered... I don't feel particularly Hungry.

Everyone likes my various Chili concoctions tho' so they're Happy we're having that Tonight regardless that it didn't Simmer all Day to enhance the Flavor.   I did harvest some of the fresh Herbs off the front Porch that have managed to survive this brutal Summer... I still had some Oregano, Marjoram and Thyme.  The Leaves are very tiny of what's still growing, so I didn't even have to mince them up.  This Year only a few Herbs that were real hardy survived this Summer's intensity which Fried everything else.   So, anyway, an effortless Dinner, I Love Crockpots.  For those of us who aren't Culinary Jedi's, they're a Godsend.  *Smiles*  I also used a good Bone Broth and Medium Canned Chili Starter, Tony Chachere's Chili Seasoning Mix, Fire Roasted Corn, Canned Diced Tomatoes that had Oregano and Garlic in them, Three types of Beans, and about a Pound and a Half of Hamburger Meat extra Lean.  And it turned out excellent, topped with Grated Taco Blend Cheeses, Onion and Fresh Cilantro.  And Savory Garlic Bread Knots.

   

We made the Garlic Savory Bread Knots to go with it, they're really good, come ready made in a Bag you actually Bake them in, got them in Two flavors at Wal-Mart.  Never had them before but would definitely get them both again, they taste like Homemade Bread and are Seasoned Beautifully.  Bake up quickly in the Oven IN the Bag they come in and are produced by "Marketside".   If you've never tried them, I'd recommend it for a quick Bread that tastes Homemade and is inexpensive.  You can Thank me later, you're Welcome again.  *Winks*  So, it was a good day all around, Tomorrow in Real Time is the Event I'm going to after the Roofer and Insurance Adjuster leave, which is Celebrating their 15th Anniversary.  The sneak peeks Online haven't shown me too much of what the Theme is?   It's called "Time Well Spent" and I don't know if they'll have some items on Sale, or Giveaways, in the Past they have on each Anniversary.  They do have a Contest for a VIP Early Entry, which I didn't enter, I can't get there earlier due to the Storm Damage being assessed that Morning.

There were some Images Shared in one area that intrigued me coz of the Old Cabinet in it, huge piece, I have no room for anything that large, but it's magnificent.   It looks like possibly it was a Commercial Piece a long time ago?  It displays Vintage and Antique White Pottery, Dinnerware and other Kitchenware nicely, since the Cabinet is White.  Very Urban Farmhouse Style.  I would have had room for such a piece at the Villa McManse's Dining Room, but you'd need a very large Home with very high Ceilings, to have it be to Scale and not overwhelm a Space.  And a large expanse of Wall as well.  But I sure can Admire a Statement Piece like that which is really OOAK and difficult to Source.  So, I'd be interested in the Back Story of where it was Found and what type of use and History it had?   I'm always fascinated by the Stories and History of these Treasures, as much as with the Piece itself... if the provenance is known?   So, if it's a Designer/Vendor I know, I will ask where they Sourced it and what it's Story is?

I don't have any Budget for even a Modest Purchase this Month, so I don't plan on Buying anything at all, just enjoying the Event and taking Blog Fodder Coverage of it to Share.  Which is Enough, I don't Need another thing and there's probably not another thing I simply can't Live without.  *Smiles*  I'm Content these days to have Lustfests with items I have absolutely no intentions of Owning or Buying, but can just enjoy Photographing and Lusting over without Needing to have it and possess it.  That's progress when you reach a certain Season in your Life where you're more Focused on ridding yourself of Possessions than expanding the accumulation of them.  It's not that I don't find some things to still Own and Buy, but there's no Need and I can resist easily now, even if it's Primo and would be great to Own.   I'm even Selling Off things that I still Love and Cherish, but, can Let Go of.

I was waffling on whether to go to my Event on Opening Day due to having to be here the same Morning for the Insurance Adjuster and my Contractor, not knowing how long they'll take?   I'm having wicked pain in my Right Foot so need to park close to the Event and if you don't arrive somewhat early, that's not happening.  I don't wanna walk in from the lower forty if I arrive and there's no decent parking and be in pain before I even enjoy doing anything and get in the Door.  I got dressed for the Event anyway when I first woke up to try to force myself to go now.  *LOL and Winks*  It's not what I'd wear if I just stayed Home.  *Smiles*   Do you ever try to Psyche yourself Out like that to motivate what you should do and are threatening to waffle on at the last Minute?  We'll see if this tactic works or not?   Otherwise I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go.  *Ha ha ha*

I guess this is gonna be one of my longer Posts coz I just don't wanna start another one.  I got a lot already pending to Publish and need to slow down in the Unpublished Post Situation I got going on.  I've clearly been Manic Blogging.  And once on a Manic Bender I just can't Stop, it's not as easy as that.  *Le Sigh*  I keep going and going and going and going... no matter what it is that I'm being Obsessive about at the time.  Right now it's been Blogging, it could be worse things, to be sure.  *LOL*  If I don't slow down tho' I'll have Posts Queued Up until October already... and we're not out of August yet!  *Smiles*  I'm about ready to take Princess T to Work and then wait for the whole Roofing Thing.  I'm Anxious about this Claim going the way it should and getting Paid Out before more Storm damage occurs if they dally and I incur content damages if the Roof fails and leaks onto the inside of The RV Garage Mahal ruining what's inside.  I'm very nervous about that.  Since it's not where people are living they may not give it the highest priority?  But it holds a massive amount of possessions worth more than I know they'd ever pay out for.

And some items you can't put a Price on if they are ruined.  So, it's pay now or pay more later if they dally and I have to add to this Claim for their delays that causes extensively more damage to my Property.  I'm no Fan of any Insurance Companies coz I know they try to get away with undercutting the Insured and saving themselves Money.  People actually Die when Medical Insurers balk at paying out or deny Claims or Procedures and Medical Attention and Treatments.  I honestly think it's why so many of the Public championed what happened to the United Healthcare CEO even tho' it was a horrendous Assassination.  They felt vindicated in some warped way for how their Medical Insurances have treated them, if they can even afford Medical Insurance or are grossly Underinsured and Uninsured and suffer for it.   If people suffer too much or endure too much at the hands of an unjust System, Revolution tends to happen eventually.

 I recently watched a show on the French Revolution of 1789 when they'd had enuf of the Elite.   So had a major uprising against the Ruling Elite, and began a murderous rampage against them. Targeting the absolute Monarchy, the Privileged Nobility and the Catholic Clergy.  It wasn't Pretty.   Commoners and the ambitious Middle Class fought back against their heavy Taxes, extreme inequality, food shortages, completely dismantling the French old Feudal System.   And when injustices and extreme inequality exist in any System, expect an uprising eventually, it's bound to happen once the oppressed population, which is usually in the Majority, have had enuf. 

 I see America tipping into this very dangerous territory with the widening gap between the Haves and the Haves Not, with a President who has a Marie Antoinette Mentality and is totally out of touch with the People he's supposed to be Serving as the Leader of the Nation.  If he makes their/our Situation worse enuf... he could have his Marie Antoinette Moment, along with his Sycophants that have enabled him and his Billionaire Buddies exploiting the People.  The likes of Elon and Bezos better Hope they can get to and Live on Mars if the People turn on them all.  When it all drops I wouldn't wanna be any of them that the Mobs will then be after and Anarchy breaks out.

This Beautiful Downtown Mural of Marilyn Monroe used to be on a Downtown Building occupied by Wazoodeals.  When they vacated and another Business took over they sadly painted over the Mural with more Black Paint... Why?   I'm glad I preserved it in a couple of Images. Sometimes I don't understand some People, do they prefer Ugliness and being Culturally Deprived?  It has happened to a few Beautiful Murals painted by well known Artists in our City too.  One in particular the New Owner of the Building used a poor Quality Reddish Paint to wreck a gorgeous Mural by painting over it with their cheap Paint, so now the Building looks atrocious, where before, it had Curb Appeal and Artistic Beauty.   Some folks just seem to feel the Need to destroy anything Beautiful or Aesthetically or Naturally significant.  Donnie Two Dolls being a Prime Example of a Classless Tacky Being who has a lot of Money, but couldn't Buy himself any Class, Taste, Intelligence, or a Moral Compass.  So he Gilds everything or makes it bigger, thinking that makes it Classy and Special, but it ends up just Tacky, Grotesque, Gauche, and Crude.  *Eye Roll* 

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I'll spare you more ranting for now, smiles... Dawn... The Bohemian