Fun Times!!! NOT!!! Living La Vida Loca

So, it's Noon on a Sabbath Sunday and already 97 Degrees and rising.  Today is The Young Prince's Little Sister's Birthday so, I'll be dropping him off at his Dad's Downtown.  I can't recall how Old she is, I'm thinking around 9 or so now... so many Grandkids... so little Memory without looking at a Calendar to verify Birthday and Ages now!  *LOL*  {The Young Prince just verified she's 8, so I was close, smiles}  I know his Little Brother is a Teenager now already.  Almost all our Grandkids are now Adults or nearing Adulthood rapidly, many are already Middle Aged... Holy crap that makes The Man and I seem Old, huh?  *Bwahahaha*  I see Ancient looking Seniors with White Hair and more Wrinkles than a Shar Pei holding the Hands of wee Toddlers and telling me those are their Grandkids.  And I'm thinking to myself, shit, I don't even have many of the Great-Grandkids that little anymore!  What happened?!

I'm glad that The Young Prince is able to see his Younger Paternal Siblings even tho' his Dad and Angie broke up.  He's not so Cool with Angie anymore, she's changed a lot and not in ways she wanted to keep a Relationship going with her Kid's Half-Brother.  Apparently she's in a Lesbian Relationship now and Happy.  He's estranged from his Aunt, whose his Dad's Younger Sister, and they had once been super close all his Life, so it's Sad.  But, she Married into Money and it changed her in not so pleasant ways that are uppity and pretentious.  Then she put his Name in her Mouth in a disparaging way that he didn't deserve.  Becoz it was fabricated or speculation on her part, and it caused a Situation.  The Young Prince isn't one to hear you put his Name in your Mouth telling Lies that tarnish his Reputation or Character, and what she implied was not Cool at all and completely False and defamation, so he confronted her about it.  

It didn't go Well for her, let us just say.  *Winks*  And now his Dad is trying to smooth things over with each of them, but, once The Young Prince is Done with you, he's DONE with you.  The Paternal Gramma Lydia is Dying, but, The Young Prince said she's in The Life again so he doesn't have anything to do with her either if she can't be Clean or Sober, and apparently since she's Dying, she doesn't Care anymore to be Clean or Sober at all.  Lydia has always been a Colorful Character anyway, her Book of Faces Pixs can look like a Seniors Escort Service and she is a good looking Sexy Older Woman.  But, no Kid wants to see his Gramma on Social Media feeling that Sexy all the time.  *Eye Roll*  He would come to me saying, "Look what Gramma Lydia just Posted...", and I could only respond, well, she's being Herself, what can I say?

Lydia and I have always gotten along Fabulously and she has with The Daughter too, she and The Daughter are very much alike.  Lydia can be a Handful and so I'd always get Invited to Family Functions on that side of the Family so that Lydia would behave.  Why?  For some reason I was the only person she was ever afraid of even tho' I've always gotten along so well with her, she knows I don't take no mess and am protective of The Grandbabies.  So, don't act the Fool and show up Drunk or High to their Birthday Parties and such or I'll have an on the fucking spot Intervention.  And if you're High or sloppy Drunk, don't think I couldn't Handle you without even spilling my Drink I'd be holding in the other Hand.  *Winks*  So, Lydia, to her Credit, always behaved around me and so The Family always wanted me there so that she would.  *LOL*

I put some Money in a Card for The Young Prince to give his Sister from all of us, always the Right Size and Right Color, Cash.  *Winks*  Never had a Grandkid complain about getting a Cash Gift ever. *Smiles*  Plus, I can't keep Pace with what they like or are into now, and the Older they get, the more expensive their likes and what they're into tends to be, so they can put what I can afford, towards getting it for themselves.  When you have a slew of Grandkids and Great-Grandkids you'd need a spread sheet and a Trust Fund to keep Pace with it all anyway.  *Winks*  I don't know how my Mother-In-Law did it coz The Man's extended Family is Huge, LDS Families always are, their Family Reunions look like a whole Village got together!  *Ha ha ha*  When we'd go to Utah my Kids thought everyone in Utah must be related to their Dad!  Many were. *Bwahahaha*

Okay, so when we first got Married none of my Friends had ever met anyone LDS, and many of The Man's Friends in the Military hadn't either, coz the Mormons used to be segregated in the Military back when he first got Drafted.   So they thought all Mormons had multiple Wives and The Man played along and I had a couple of very good looking Single Friends, Tina and Leigh, who were Single Moms of a Daughter each too.   And The Man pretended he'd Married us ALL... and taken on all our Kiddos... and you wouldn't Believe how many of his Friends and mine didn't realize it was a Joke and Believed it at first.  It was hilarious, and both Tina and Leigh played along as well, as did their Kids, we had such Fun with it.  Sadly, Leigh Died under suspicious circumstances that never got properly Investigated, when she was in her 50's, in 2011, I think she was Murdered.  She was found Drowned in her Car in the Lake of a Resort Golf Course in Sun City Retirement Community!!! 

 Leigh, Tina and I all worked for Valley National Bank and it's wholly owned Subsidiaries in our 1st Corporate Lives.  Leigh grew up in Wickenburg and apparently went back there to live.  So we lost touch even tho' Wickenburg is a short drive from Metro Phoenix and The Man & I almost bought a beautiful Property there in 2019.  I can't imagine how your Vehicle ends up in a Golf Course Lake while you were on your way to a shopping destination in the middle of the day, so I always thought the circumstances should have dived deeper Investigating it, since she had been a Missing Persons for over Two Weeks before her Body was even found.  So, the condition of her Body had to be difficult to determine if it was a Homicide or just some very Strange Accident.  Of which, I don't know how that happens coz the Lakes of Golf Courses along the Route she was taking aren't close to the Main Road to swerve into accidentally and are busy enuf during the Day it would be noticed, one would think.

I had another Call with The Daughter and it went well this time.  We both were calmer about the subject matter and she understands my sentiments about it.   And that her Dad and I want her to be and to stay Clean and not bring anything here to our Home that she shouldn't.  Don't Shit where you Eat and if you relapse, just Own it, tell us, make other Arrangements to be somewhere else until you can obtain Sobriety again, and start over being Clean.   She's sent Money to her Oldest Daughter in Mexico for School, so, clearly she's been making some Money doing her little Jobs.  She realizes Earning our Trust back will be a Process now, even if it's the Boyfriend who brought whatever it was on to the Property, she's responsible for whoever she invited to our Home, regardless. 

 All of what I found was in the Pockets of Men's Flannel Long Sleeved Shirts, which had to be his coz he's the only Guy who had anything there, none of it was in any of her Clothing.  I threw the Shirts away with what was in the Pockets, didn't wanna touch any of it.  She shouldn't be around anyone whose Using, fastest way to lose Sobriety is to be around bad company who are in the Life.   Plus, as a Recovering Addict, even if it isn't your Contraband, nobody is gonna Believe that or know for sure it wasn't yours too, since you have a History of Using.  So, anyway, I'm glad we had the conversation.  Sometimes we do have to put Humpty Dumpty back together again when they fall off the Wall.  Her Brother relapsed once, about 5+ Years ago and spent a Year and a Half Homeless and getting Clean before he could come back and regain Trust.  He's been Clean ever since.

I took The Young Prince to his Dad's for his Little Sister's 8th Birthday Party, it's near a Chinese Restaurant called "Szechwan Kitchen", the building is an Old Asian Architectural Style that is really beautiful.  I'd never been there before, their Egg Flower Soup and Eggrolls were really good.  But The Grandson and I weren't fond of their Mongolian Beef, the Sauce was too thin and too bland, it had Heat, just not a lot of Flavor. Every Chef has their own Recipe for dishes, we weren't a Fan of this Chef's version is all.  We've had much better so we're picky when critiquing Asian Foods we eat regularly.  The Meat was Tender and a lot of it tho' and a tonnage of lovely Jasmine Sticky Rice to go with it.  So, we just had me bring the Mongolian Beef back Home and I'll jazz it up with our own Mongolian Beef Sauce that is thicker and has more Flavor.

I brought all the Rice Home and made Fried Rice for the Family with it, turned our really good.   Fried Rice is so easy to make that I never waste any Steamed Rice I get from Asian Restaurants and always bring any Home we didn't finish and make Fried Rice with it.   I had stopped by "Lee Lee's Asian Market", which is Owned by the Aunt of The Son's Cambodian Ex.  It's the biggest Asian Grocer in the Valley, but her extended Family own all the Asian Grocery Stores in the Valley.  And they have a very big Family coz her Dad was One of Fifteen Kids and Nine of them made it out of Cambodia during Pol Pot's Genocide of his own people and sought Asylum in America after spending Years in Refugee Camps abroad.  All of her Family are successful Business Owners becoz they were among the affluent and most Educated in Cambodia, which is who Pol Pot targeted to exterminate.  Her Family felt Donnie Two Dolls reminded them too much of Pol Pot.  Which is Telling.

Anyway, "Lee Lee's" had Remodeled the Store since the last time I was there and it looked really good.  I always spent about an Hour in an Asian Grocer, I ended up buying way more than I came for.  *LOL*  And I'm pretty sure her Family still recognize me, but they're Sweet about it even tho' The Son and her haven't been together now in Years.  They were together almost a Decade tho'... so I always thought of her as my DIL and think a lot of her still and miss the Kids, who were her Children from her Ex-Husband, but The Son helped her support them, coz their Dad never did anything for them and they're great Kids.  They're all Adults now, Two Graduated College and the Youngest is now in College.  I don't think any of the Girls has Married yet tho'.  And the Ex-DIL has stayed Single and I don't think is Dating anyone.

I stopped by "Curious Nature" and took a bunch of Blog Fodder Pixs and picked up a Book on Oddities Collectors and their Collections.  It's walking distance from The Grandson's Dad's Apartment Complex, so he goes there all of the time.  It's an Oddities Shop and I just Love it.  So I have Fresh Blog Fodder now for Days, since I've taken about 200 Pixs over the past Four Days after having nothing to Photograph for so long.  *LOL*  The Grandson and I always have a good time when we go out together, his Sister and I too, they're easy to hang out with and enjoy hanging out with me too, so we've always done a lot together.  Which is flattering since both of them don't like Peopling or hanging out with People... and have a very small Inner Circle of folks they even will hang out with and then only very seldom.  They're both Homebodies and prefer just staying here at Home with Family. 

Below is the Kantha Fabric Vest I got at the Event, I'd had to put it back on Thursday and it was a OOAK there, no other one, so I was thrilled it was still there when I went back on Saturday and could get it.  I plan to wear it over plain Black Tank Top and Black Capris.   I Love Kantha Fabrics and this looks really good on and is comfortable.  I felt the price was good and I'd not seen Kantha Fabric made into a Midi Length Vest before.  It's only inches from being Maxi Length since I'm Short.  *Smiles*   And below the 2 Pixs of my Vest are the 2 Pixs of some Vintage Metal Light Stands that I'm going to use as Vase Stands or to put Sculptures on to Display.  They're heavy as Boat Anchors and my Friend Big Kenny had them, he's a Fabricator so chops up a lot of Antique and Vintage items for the sum of their parts, especially if they're no longer Functional in their original Form.  These were the bottoms of Old Floor Lamps.

 

 

I'd had to put them back too on Thursday, so was Thrilled both were still there on Saturday, it was all Meant to Be I guess.  Of coarse I know I also have Quirky Tastes and Aesthetic so what I'm excited about Buying isn't for everyone and thus I don't usually have as much competition vying for it.   The irony being, once people see how I use things, then they want something like it to use in much the same way.  They just weren't catching a Vision for how something could be used until they see it used that way I guess?  A lot of Antique and Vintage hideous Old Lamps, be they Table or Floor Lamps, are actually Lovely when dismantled for the sum of their Ornate Parts to Repurpose or Fabricate into something else.  The Quality of the Workmanship was good, especially if there's Metal or Marble and Onyx used.   But, sometimes the Style of the Lamp is Era Specific and not as desirable intact, or, they just don't work anymore and would require rewiring and work, some have missing parts. 

Irrigation is coming at a ridiculous time this Morning so I've got to make sure if The Son falls Asleep, that I wake him up to go do it.  Our Neighbor, Rob, told him he'd help him do it, since they get theirs directly before we get ours, so he's lifting and closing Gates anyway and can help The Son with ours then.  The Son got to know the Young Husband who bought Laura's House behind us and helped him learn how to do Irrigation last rotation.  They get theirs directly after we get ours and if it isn't done Right it can flood both of our Properties, so Neighbors try to have each other's Backs and Help one another so that no mishaps happen when the Water comes.  There's no stopping it from coming once it's released by SRP, so you have to take on what you've been allotted.  And with the Heat Wave, all our Properties desperately need the Water.

 

This is my Friend Monica Modeling a Bag that we both thought was really Cute made out of old Burlap Sack and Material Trim Fringes.   I didn't realize she'd closed her Eyes just as I snapped the pix so it isn't the best one of her but the only one I have of the Bag, so, Forgive me Monica for still Sharing the bad Pix of you GF.   A better Pix of her with my other Adorable Friend Carol, flanking a Fav Customer of theirs, is Below.  Carol has Owned Shops in Historic Glendale for Decades so I've known her a long, long time.   Now she does Events becoz the Historic Shopping District in Glendale has sadly declined.  Due to a Chinese National Buying up most of the Historic Buildings the Businesses are in and not renewing Leases or raising Rents so high that occupants have to move out.  It laid the once vibrant Antique District, which had many Restaurants, to decay, waste and benign neglect intentionally, so he could buy more even cheaper.

Anyway, it used to be a Destination and now it isn't and doesn't have much going on.  She has Two Shops still down there in Historic Cottages, but I haven't been in either one in a long time.  It's hard to know what the Hours are for any of the few remaining Businesses down there so I just don't go anymore.  They're Closed some Days of the Week, and many also Close early or are Vacant Buildings now.  All our Fav Restaurants down there Closed down too, it was a shame, coz the Historic Buildings they were in made for great atmosphere, ambiance and a sense of the City's Rich History.   The City is trying again to revitalize, but allowing that Foreign National to Buy up so much of it and intentionally cause the Buildings to be Vacant to blight the area, they are doing too little too late.   My Chinese Doctor, who is also a Dear Friend, knew who he was and she told me about the Guy and that he was Bad News, so she Sold her Eastern Medicine Business there and Moved up North of the State. 

Big Pocket Investors don't Care if they wreck a Community.  If they make their Money off of it by making it merely a Commodity they Profit from.  To the detriment of the rest of the Community they blighted to be able to Buy Up more Cheaply and force everyone out and to be forced to Sell while they still have any Equity left.  Vacant Building attract Criminal Elements and wreck a Reputation, and in Business, that's never good when that happens.  So when too many Vacant Buildings exist, the Neighborhood declines and makes it then Cheap Real Estate for greedy Developers and Investors who just want to Buy everything for as little as possible and then redevelop it.   They've even been known to 'import' the Homeless.  Buying them New Tents to live in and putting them in areas to make Owners Sell in order to get out of there while they can get anything for their Properties and not be Victims of Crimes and Scared of what has happened to their Communities.  Nothing Tanks your Equity quite like a huge Homeless Camp by it.   And Cities pander to these Big Pocket Developers/Investors at the expense of the rest of the Community.

This is my Duckling I got at the Event too, I had Waffled on whether to get him coz I do have lots of Taxidermy already.  I had decided, well, if he's still there on Saturday, I'll get him.  The Taxidermy Chicks and Ducklings had all been Selling quickly so I fully expected they'd be Sold Out, but, guess what, my little Guy was still there even tho' most of the others had Sold Out!!!  Meant to Be.   And my Friend Michelle, who I bought him from, Gifted me with a Floral Victorian Easter Postcard to go with him as a backdrop, the one slightly showing with the Pansies.   He came with his Nest and I've put him on one of my 1800's Sterling Silver Loving Cup Trophies as an Easter Vignette.  Easter is Early this Year, April 5th already!!!   That's Two Weeks Earlier than it fell last Year due to the Paschal Full Moon on April 1st.   And Orthodox Easter Sunday will fall on April 12th this Year.  My other Designer Friend Cyndie Gifted me with an Antique Paper Mache' Easter Rabbit and an Antique War Medal with Ribbon.

Here's my little Guy again posing in the other direction and with a different Postcard with Roses.   I liked the Ex Votivo Heart Mirror behind him, but it was too spendy.  And it's a Mass produced piece, so, tho' Nice, I wouldn't spend that much unless it was a Vintage or Antique one.   All the Taxidermy with the little Angel Wings had Sold Out, I'm not Surprised, it was a Cute Idea.   All the Chicks and Ducklings were Ethically Sourced from Farms where the Mortality Rate of them is predictably rather high... ranging anywhere from 10%-70% in the first Couple Weeks of Life.   Which is why you typically can Source even Living ones so Cheaply, Taxidermy ones for quite a bit more actually.  If we do get Chickens eventually, we're getting fully Mature laying Hens.

Well, I went thru our Tax Paperwork and wouldn't ya know, for the 10th Year in a fucking row the Military didn't send The Man his 1099-R Form, Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!!!   Every Year they've done this for about a Decade now and they have all our updated information but claim they send it to an Address we haven't lived at since about 2015.  The irony being, they send every other piece of paperwork to any current address, just not that ONE Important one to file our Taxes, go figure!  That's the typical  Government inefficiency for ya!   So, it's 2:00 a.m. and we're prepping to receive our Irrigation and one of our extension cords for the Pump that send the Water to our Front Yard and small portion of the Front East Side Yard is fucking missing too!!!  Mando probably took it, not sure, we had the Four, now we only have Three and that's not long enuf so we had to borrow Rob's for now.  I didn't know if Wal-Mart is still Open 24 Hours to go get one?

So, in the Morning, well it already IS Morning, but you know what I mean... Eye Roll... the Morning being when other Normal People will be Waking Up to start their Day, I'll have to call the Military to request our 1099-R AGAIN, and make a Wal-Mart Run for a 100 Foot Extension Cord to replace the missing one.  Thankfully Monday Morning I have no Doc or Caseworker Appointments yet, that's all starting on Tuesday, stacked up like Cordwood... sometimes Two at a time on any given Day now!   We have his VA Nurse/Caseworker coming Tuesday Morning and then a Follow-Up Appointment for him later that same Day for his Specialist, well, one of them.  I have to look at the Calendar to discern which Doctors and Locations I'm even taking him to now, there's so many he's seeing!!!  Fun Times!

He popped up when he heard The Son and I getting stuff ready for Irrigation and I told him to just go back to Bed coz he'd only be in the way.  He hasn't done Irrigation really ever, either I do it or have had Help doing it by One of the Kiddos or a Neighbor or a Friend of One of the Kiddos.   The Man wanted this Property so bad and my one concern was, it's an Acre so that's considerable Pasture and Lawn Upkeep.  Oh, I'll happily do it says Himself... and... yeah, well... that never happened once we bought it.  No serious regrets, but Irrigation and Yardwork is sometimes a Pain in the Ass to Maintain as you're Aging Out.  The Home is smaller, so I can keep up and on top of that.  Couldn't at the McManse, it was too much House.  Our Historic Property was an Acre too, but not Irrigated and had Desert Landscaping.  It's Main House was about 2,400 sf like this Home, but it had 3 Cottages and several Outbuildings.  So, this Home I can manage the sf of Inside.  *LOL*

Otherwise, I do Need Staff for the Exterior, so, good thing we got Three Generations living here so I can have the Free Labor to Maintain the Exterior for me actually.   Both Neighbors on either side of us are the same, Generational Living coz the Parents are very Old, so they got their Adult Kids and Adult Grandkids helping them too and Living with them on their Properties.   Communal Living is a Thing here in the Mini Farms Community, mostly coz the majority of Neighbors are either Mexican Americans or Immigrant Families from various Countries originally, including, but not limited to, Mexico, South America, Norway, and Arabic Countries, but, even the American White Families here are also doing the Multi-Generational Living.   The Norwegian Family are a riot, they're in their late 80's and have a Wicked Sense of Humor, she still Rides her Bicycle everywhere.  They fly their Norwegian Flag with their American Flag on their Flagpole.

I remember one time we had a Resident of the Community who was known to be Stealing Water.  He wasn't paying for his Annual Irrigation but he was taking on Water during the Cycles and thinking nobody would notice.  Which meant someone who should be getting their Water was being shorted Water when they were Paying their Annual Distribution Fee.  You can and do turn them in, but the Old Norwegian Guy, whose about 88 Years Old "Handled" it.  He went to said Water Stealing Neighbor and deadpanned, "Son, this is still the Wild Wild West and a Desert, so, Stealing Water could get a Man shot and Killed, and at my Age, I have no Problem going to Prison as my Long-Term Care Plan and I'm still a mighty good shot with my Rifle."   Well, said Water Theft Neighbor immediately Ceased and Desisted.  Problem Solved, SRP didn't even have to really get involved.  *Bwahahahaha*   I Love a Neighbor like that Old Dude.  *Winks*

So, I'm trying to stay Awake 'til at least 4:00 a.m. to make sure all our Irrigation is not only done but that our Neighbor behind us also remembers to take on his so we don't both get Flooded.   He's New and Young, this might be his first 4:00 a.m. Rotation ever since moving in and buying his Property.  *Smiles*   I'm including some Imagery from our Antique Mall Locations since I was Pathologically Picture Taking for Visual Blog Fodder a lot while I was finally doing something out there in Public for a few Days.  *Smiles*  Honestly, I've been sequestering myself here at the Ole Mini Farm quite a bit lately and not venturing out much, if I don't have to.  So, except for Hospital/Doc/Dentist/Caseworker Appointments for Family Members, that's been the fullness of my Days lately.  I'm Living La Vida Loca.  *LMAOROTF*

We still have some Vendors who do a good job of Showcasing their Merch, but we've also had a lot of Move Outs at both Locations again.  Not that unusual as Summer will roll around and Sales will definitely get even Softer and Leaner when all the Tourists and Snowbirds bail and go back Home.   The Locals really aren't big spenders anymore.  Not that some ever were, but now, it's really hard to make Ends meet even during the busier Seasons when Sales should be Strong and often just aren't anymore.  The Economy is Tanking and with everything going on with this Ego War in the Middle East, likely to worsen considerably.  That's my Prediction, the Economic impact of Poor/Bad Decisions being made not only by us, but by Israel too, will be long lasting and could get very dire very quickly in the short term, prolonged Negative Economic impact in the long term.  

Not only due to disruption of Oil/Gas, but also whatever is imported Globally like Fertilizer, that Global Food Production heavily relies on and is not gonna be getting in time for Planting Season.  I'm guessing a lot of Farmers are panicking right about now and they've already had to Weather the Storms of Bad Weather due to Climate Changes and Tariffs making their Jobs harder, but now this War making it impossible to get their Fertilizer for the Growing Season.  Missing even One entire Growing Season Globally could be catastrophic for Food Production for the World.  And if Gas Prices remain stratospheric, everything transported will keep going up in price as well.  And I'm not normally a Doom & Gloom kinda Pessimist Person, but it ain't looking particularly Optimistic on the World Stage right now at all.   Our Airports are a Hot Mess already, and even a Government Partial Shutdown isn't really Helpful EVER.  The Two Parties simply can't work well together EVER anymore or share any common ground to do the Right Thing for the Country and the Public.

If Aliens do exist I think they could probably come down and do a better job of Managing the Planet?  *Winks*  We're doing a pretty Poor job of it anymore.  I would like to do away with all Partisanship Politics entirely, make them all be Independents not Loyal to a fucking Party over Country.  I'd like Age Limit Restrictions in place for all levels of Government.   Set it somewhere in the 60's range to ensure we don't have a bunch of Cognitively declined Geriatrics running things and that have no Future so they could give a Fuck about those who do have a Future.   I'd like a Flat Rate Tax on everyone, including Billionaires, take it right off the fucking Top as it's Earned, much like they do Social Security and Medicare Payments out of your Earnings.  I don't Care how Big or Small your Family is, that's your Choice, not mine.  You shouldn't be punished Economically for being Single or not having Children.  Or be encouraged to be Married and have a Litter of Children as Tax Advantages.

 Do away with the Electoral College, One Person, One Vote, Majority Wins every time.  Concentrate on Educating our Youth better and ensuring they all receive advanced Education not based on just Generational Wealth being the reason they do or don't receive the Best Education.   See... I got loads of Solutions that could be implemented and turn some shit around.   They could have State Run Free Day Care so Parents could all choose to Work, and have it Staffed by those having trouble finding Jobs.  I bet after looking after everyone's Kids for a Minute, in order to receive those Unemployment Checks or Assistance, they'd be earnestly seeking other Employment lemme tell ya.  *Winks*  Even have some Grammas and Grandpas doing Story Time and shit, part time, to help out and give them some supplemental Income for their Social Security and Pension Checks.   

Kids Love Old Folks that can fill in as surrogate Grandparent Roles some might not have.  It's good for the Kiddos, keeps the Elderly relevant and on your Toes.  I know, I Raised some Grandkids.   It either keeps you Young or Kills you off, Win-Win for Society.  *Winks, I know, I know, I got some controversial Solutions, but roll with it along with me, we're being very Creative here on Dreaming up Solutions to this Shitshow we got going on in America right now!*   Unemployed Teens, have them go to Nursing Homes and Hospice to do some Community Service for their Elders.  Hey, I made my Kids do it and they're still excellent now with the Elderly and have a Heart for them due to the Experiences it gave them interacting with those Generations near End of Life.  The Old Folks Loved them, even in the Memory Care Units, tho' we did have to make sure the Teens didn't get hurt by the more Aggressive Residents.  *Bwahahahaha*

The Son used to Joke with me after our Church Youth Group finished up in any Memory Care Unit of a Nursing Home, do you know how hard it is Mom to let some Old Person always Win, and make sure they Win, so that they don't get Angry and wanna kick your Ass in more than just a Game?  *LMAOROTF*   But, mostly the Old Folks were great with the Youths and had great Stories, Sage Advice, loads of Experiences to Share and Mentor them about.  The Son utilized a lot of what the Old Successful Residents Shared with him about how to BE a Success at your Employment and Career Paths and look for the Clues that Success always leaves behind.  It was a Free Education and to this Day he always finds an Old Mentor ready to Retire to Teach him all they know so that it won't just be Lost when they are Gone.  And he's already paying it forward now he's Middle Aged, by Sharing the same Mentorship with the Young Guns on any Job.  If you're willing to Learn, you can always be Taught and grow.

Anyway, it's getting closer to 4:00 a.m. now so I don't have to Blog like a Maniac on this prolonged Post now to try to stay awake, and will get with it to help The Son with the Irrigation now.  I'll be wading around in the Pasture up to my Calves in Cold Water in the Dark... Fun Times... *Smiles*   And I'm contemplating what I'll do for a Fine Monday after that?   Coz, Princess T doesn't Work on Mondays and I might just make a run to The Desert Botanical Gardens or do some Environmental Cleanup at the Nature Preserve, rather than go to The Gym for my Exercise, before the Heat of the Day sets in, then take a Siesta once the Triple Digits hit, don't know yet?  

Amber just messaged me, she's at the Hospital coz her Oldest Daughter just had the Baby, her 1st Grandchild, a Boy.  She's not Happy that TJ is the Father and an Old Man who doesn't treat her Daughter right, but, becoming a Grandparent is still the Best and I know she'll be a good Gramma and Adore that Baby, so will her Ex, Joe.   The Baby will really Need them to be there and they know this in advance, coz their Daughter is a Special Needs Adult.  As it turns out he was Born on the Middle Sister, Ayana's, Birthday!!!   Can't wait to see the little Guy. 

*******

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

Triple Ugh... Another Not So Positive Post

 

Today I should gather my Tax Paperwork together and organize it to take in to our CPA and get that part over with.   So much is pending, I just need to bite the Bullet and at least get Taxes out of the way and be done with it.  Ugh.  No idea whether we'll still Owe... since, who knows what this Regime has or hasn't changed, they talk a lot of Bullshit to string the other 98% along who actually pay Taxes.  The Weather Advisory already has a Heat Warning in effect and it's barely past 7:00 in the Morning!  Another Ugh.  It will likely be another staying Inside kinda day then.  And with Gas nearing Five to Six Bucks a Gallon all around Metro Phoenix here in these parts, there will also be many staying at Home kinda days as well.  Triple Ugh.

I know, another not so Positive Post, sorry.  The Young Prince was really Sick when he got Home from his Dad's, more Stomach Problems.  He's having as many as his Sister did before she saw a Specialist for it.  But, he doesn't have Insurance yet, so we'll have to wait 'til they push it thru with his Caseworker's help, coz he still owes too many places Money right now.  I'm running out of new places to take him, coz, they all wanna get paid, you know?   We're spread too thin now to cover any more expenses for Grown Children or Grown Grandchildren who have no means of support or paying for their Emergencies.  I suspect many Americans, Millions in fact, are now in the same predicament? 

 Once the Nation has been Bankrupted by Donnie Two Dolls, like he's Bankrupted everything else he's touched, I have grave concerns about how much of American Infrastructure will just crumble and fall apart?!  We're now spending TWO BILLION a Day, and that's just on Military expenses... not counting everything else... that is not sustainable.  There's only so many Tax Dollars and we know the Billionaires aren't contributing to keep any of that solvent.  But their Grifting and Looting The System sure is paying off for them.  They got quite the Racket going on now and nobody is stopping them.  The System, as it stands in any form of Opposition, said they're Writing Letters and preparing Lawsuits... swell... WTF?!

They're overwhelmingly Winning Lawsuits, yet, is any Restitution actually being Paid?  No.  Is anyone actually being Imprisoned?  No.  They talk about Impeaching a Guy they've already Impeached Twice!  Nothing Happened.   Since, he's still there, the Impeachments were completely Impotent and Useless that they did before, so how's a 3rd Impeachment gonna Work for us?   I'll wait...  That's like saying STOP!  Or, I'll say STOP again!!!  As your Threat... and that's not something you can take Seriously.  And I'm not taking any of the Political Opposition all that Seriously becoz it's been completely ineffective and completely Impotent so far.  It's so Limp Dick in fact, that I don't even think they can get it Up anymore?   It's a flaccid bunch just telling an Adjudicated Rapist, quit Raping... and... he's not.  And telling them boldly, I'll Rape anyone and anytime I want to... and he therefore does... becoz he's found he can.

The Epstein Files, since, that Statement took us there, didn't it?  Now we know that the FBI never did anything from way back.  Several Administrations back in fact, so clearly he's not the only Problem, not that I ever thought he was, not even close, to tell you the Truth.  And mebbe becoz Women and Children really aren't Valued by The System that Claims... ooops, I meant used to Claim... that they actually Cared about us.  Oh, and not just us, I forgot to add all People of Color, all LGBTQ+, all the Disabled, the Poor, the Aged, all the Marginalized and Disadvantaged of our Society.  Let's just cast that Big fucking Net of not actually Caring that is now so evident.  Nobody can really dispute it or pretend anymore that they ever did Care in the first place.

Yeah, I got a lot to do this Morning and here I sit instead banging out another not so Positive Post.  *Le Sigh*  I'm getting to where my Fucks to give are running out and Dark Dawn has become more apt to tell Dawn Of The Light, shut the Fuck up Bitch!  Becoz I really just am not the One to pretend shit is not going on when it's all really just hitting the Fan full on and the Shitfest and Fuckery is Knee Deep already and flying everywhere.  Not just from my little Vantage Point of Reference, but, everywhere, Locally, Nationally, Globally... it is quite the Shitfest and I can't Feel Good about it or put a Positive Spin on that, I. Just. Can't!  The Guarded Optimism I'd like to hang on to, well, it's grown Wings and has flown off like my Fucks to Give have.  Will it fly back?  I dunno?

So, now that I have no more Fucks to give, well, that's actually a little bit Liberating coz Dark Dawn generally has better Survival Instincts anyway.  It's the more Savage Feral unpredictable side when Dominant and Fronting, so, we'll see how that goes?   Since, apparently this Fucker and his whole Posse have a Hard On for War.  They're Lovin' it coz it's not like they've ever Fought one in their Lives, nor their Kids, nor will their Grandkids... No, they always send the other 98% to Fight their Battles and risk being maimed and killed.  To Defend WHAT this time tho'?  We used to say Freedom, Democracy, the Righteous Thing, to Protect the American People and way of Life, to Free the Oppressed in the World.  But, now that all of that would be total Bullshit and not what we're going to War for and being sent to do under this Regime... what EXACTLY is the Mission Statement and for Whom?  I'll wait...

I think the Enemy this time is within and that's what we ought to be Fighting Against and not For.   I know... I know... Peaceful Old Hippie that I am, that goes against my Core Beliefs that Peace, Love, Light and Harmony are what we should strive for and preserve.  And, I still Believe that, but sometimes it's time to roll up the Doormat and make it a Club and add a little Go Fuck Yourself... and not have your Adversaries mistake your Kindness for Weakness and just Bend Over and be Fucked... Raped if you will... would be a better term of what he and his Posse are doing to America.  Picture the Statue of Liberty, our Visual Mascot, just being his next Victim, of many Victims, and absolutely no consequences whatsoever having ever been actually meted out.  Follow the Money... and the ones who wouldn't be Paid Off who just happened to be Offed... there were sure a lot of alleged Suicides of those Victims who wouldn't be Bought again or Shut the Fuck up.   But our FBI did none of that and ya have to Wonder Why?

We'll Open an Investigation.  Well, Holy Mother of God we got so many going on now that haven't done a fucking thing no matter how much Proof, Evidence, final Investigation either turned up a whole Helluva LOT.  Or, in the Case of some of the more ridiculous Investigations into things that never existed in the first place, like Election Fraud, turned up Nothing coz there was never anything in the first place, all fabricated.  You can't even, stretching your Imagination as far as it might go, truly Believe that when he Won in 2016 and 2024 we had NO Fraud, but every other Election, HUGE Fraud.   Coz the same Fucking Public are Voting, it's not like we got New Public who didn't also Elect a President in 2016 and 2024 that was completely different than the Public that Elected someone else!!!  Come On, get fucking Real.   Yes, lots of F-Bombs will be dropped Today, brace yourselves for it, I Swear a lot.

 If he Wins it isn't Rigged, if he Loses it's definitely Rigged... hey that is a Win-Win then, huh?  I'd like them Odds when I play the Lottery... if I Win I Win... but if I Lose I Won too, now give me the fucking Money!  Imagine if Life just Worked like that for the rest of us and we insisted that it did or we play the Victim Card too and waste everyone else's Money pursuing that End.  That's what he's doing, all the time... and has been his Pattern and M.O. {Modus Operandi} since forever actually, it's not New.   It's the specific behavior Patterns, Methods, and Habits a Criminal uses to commit a Crime... and... if they've gotten away with enough Crimes, especially over Time, they get sloppy with it.  He's at the sloppy phase now coz he feels quite untouchable and immune from any consequences.

Okay, enuf of Politics and my Bad Head Space.  I will try harder to let Dawn Of The Light come forth now and Salvage this Post.  Otherwise Dark Dawn could get really Dark, you have no idea.  To a Scary Dark Space and Place, that can be difficult to Hold.  *Bwahaha*   Becoz I was in a shitty Head Space I knew I had to do a "Me Day" again, but this time, with no Time constraints.  It worked out perfectly coz Princess T got off Work at 11:00 a.m.!   Earliest ever, so that left the rest of the Day for me footloose and fancy free.  No obligations, no Appointments yet, on a Saturday Morning!!!   Whoop Whoop!!   I knew I was gonna get in Trouble... coz... I was in Need of an Emotional Release of epic proportions to come back to Center and keep the Wheels from coming off.  *Winks*

I decided to go back to "Sweet Salvage", it's Day No. 3 now of the 4 Day Event, but, it was still Mad busy.   So I hadda Park in the Lower 40 and Hike in.  It was 109 Today BTW {See Evidence Below on my Vehicle Temperate Gauge, which is ridiculous for March 21st!}, not Hiking Weather, but I's a Soldier!  *Winks and Smiles*  I got the things I had to abort and just ditch on Opening Day, they were all still there, so, it was meant to be.  I thought I went a bit over Budget there in Retail Therapy with my Four items.  But, it was nothing compared to what I was gonna do next.  I decided to go to another Event not too far away, and at "Rusty Saturday", a fav Vendor/Fabricator's Booth, and another fav Vendor's Booth, I got a Primo item from each.  Some major Retail Therapy but I'll have no Buyer's Remorse, if I don't deserve it, who does?  *Winks*

So, yeah, the Budget is busted, but I had a really good time and it was therapeutic in a way that only Good Retail Therapy can be.  I got to visit with all my Friends and most know me well enuf to know what's been going on in my Personal Life that Sucks.  So, a couple of my Designer Friends Surprised me with Generous Gifts!!!  It was Moving me to Tears I had to fight back, coz it was so unexpected and Three items I'd admired, but resisted, and they insisted I just be Gifted with them!!!  OMG, I can't even tell you how much that meant to me!!!   They didn't have to do that and they wouldn't let me refuse, so, Thank You Michelle and Cyndie!!!  "Rusty Saturday" gave me a Discount too on the spendy item I purchased.  I've been Buying from them a very long time and built up quite a Collection of their Assemblage Art Display Pieces.

And I finally decided to Spring on the other spendy piece which was a Vintage Carnival Midway item I'd been Admiring for Months and finally thought, Fuck it, I'm getting it!!!   You know those 1920-1930 Era Carnival Games where they had the faux heavy Metal Milk Bottles Trio and some Colorful Gypsy Painted Baseballs to throw at them to knock them down?   I did Photograph my Set, but the 2nd Ball wasn't in Frame coz they had it off to the side and I forgot to put it in Frame... but Above my Set is a similar set being Sold on E-Bay for more than Double what I Paid.   And their Balls aren't as Cool and Gypsy Painted Colorful as mine and my Trio of Weighted Metal Milk Bottles has more Paint left on them, and I got mine less than Half the Price any Online are, so, I knew it was a Deal even tho' it was spendy.  And when will I find another one, Locally, Right?   They're heavy as little Boat Anchors so Shipping would be a Bitch Cost too.

I'd had my Lunch at a fav Thai Restaurant near the Event called "Thai Longan" and tried something new on their Menu they had on Special called Avocado Curry.  Never had it before, but the Owner said I'd like it, I've been going there so long now she knows my preferences, so I gave it a whirl and LOVED it!  It's a Green Curry and I opted for no Meats and just the Veggie version of it with the Sliced Avocado, Carrots, Broccoli, Bok Choy, Cilantro, Bamboo Shoots, Lime, Eggplant, Coconut Milk, Green Peppers, Shallots, Garlic & Ginger Base.   You can spoon it over your Jasmine Sticky Rice but I preferred to eat mine like a Soup, coz the Curry of it is quite thin like a nice Soup.  {See Above}   

I get mine Medium Hot, which is Hotter than most Anglo Customers usually get theirs coz I've always eaten Spicy Foods and have a Stomach like a Goat.  But, I'd know better than to get it Thai Hot.  I've had many Thai Friends and their Stomachs are way more sturdy than a Goat's!   My Butt would Pucker if I got mine Thai Hot.  *LOL*  I'd order this Avocado Curry again for sure. And I always get the Thai Eggrolls, which there are a Vegetarian Eggroll and Lovely, with a Sweet/Spicy Dipping Sauce.  It was busy in the tiny Restaurant this day and a couple of Young Handsome East Indian Guys were sitting at the Table in front of me.  I was intrigued coz the Guy facing in my direction was doing most of the talking and he was Drop Dead Gorgeous in a Bollywood Movie Star kind of way.  *Winks*  I'd guess he was the Age of my Grandson or thereabouts. 

 The most Handsome one, wearing a Blue Patka, and facing me, was complaining about his Traditional Parents not liking his choices of Career or his Work Ethic being too Laid Back, like an American Hippie.  *LMAO coz he did look very Granola Guy, Smiles, but in a very Handsome attractive Cool New Age Hippie way!*  He was typically Americanized 2nd Generation, no accent, and the Culture Wars at Home were definitely causing problems.  *LOL*   I wasn't sure if he still lived at Home or not, but most Immigrant Families are very tight and close even if you're not still living at Home.  But, it's not like they'd kick you out when you turn 18 either, we don't do that... that's a very Americanized Thing.  And our Tables were close enuf you couldn't help but overhear the Venting Session going on between him and his Buddy.  Who was the kind of Friend you really Need when you are having your Bohemian Rants. 

 *Not Unlike you Guys... Winks*

I did Buy the 2001 "Team Tony" Breakfast Bowl Set, New Old Stock, and I got all Four for $32 so I couldn't resist, great Display pieces, and who doesn't Love some New Old Stock in Original Packaging in great condition?   They weren't ever meant to still be pristine and unpackaged like that all these Years later... and especially as a whole Set of Cereal Premiums!   I got those at our other Antique Mall Location since I did swing by there too while I was in the City and talked to my Friends.  My Friend Ross just became a Father again, to another Baby Girl.  {See precious one Below}  It's his 2nd Child, last time he was a Dad was 10 Years ago and he Raised his Oldest Daughter as a Single Parent and then got Married in 2025 to a Wonderful Young Woman and so now they have this Baby together.

  He said he thought it would be like riding a Bike, but after so long he was afraid to even hold the Baby!  *LOL*  He's been a great Single Dad Raising his Oldest Daughter.  He'd let her Paint his Fingernails and all the Things that The Man would let Princess T do when she was little and we were Raising the Grandkids.    His Oldest is Platinum Blonde and Adorable, but so is this New Baby, she is a very Pretty Newborn.  I'm so Happy for him, he's such a Good Guy and is in Management at our other Antique Mall Location.   I'd say he's about the Age of our Older Grandkids.   I've gotten along fabulously with all of the Young People who work at both of our Antique Mall Locations.  They are so Sweet to often tell me they don't think of me as a "Boomer", coz I'm not at all like all the other Old Ladies they know or who are Vendors... so they never think of me as "Old", coz I'm so Lit/Fire... which is like saying I'm Cool, in my Era Slang... ha ha ha... awwwww, ain't that so Flattering?

 Okay, so, back to Retail Therapy, I also got the Retro S&P Shakers below coz they're huge and in this House we used so much Salt and Pepper that our Shakers have to be refilled all the damned time.  So, I thought, these will hold more and last longer between refills.  *Winks*  Plus, the Vendor had a ridiculously low Price on them so, hadda have 'em, they MAKE you Buy something when they Price it so low for what it is!  *Smiles*  In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a S&P Set so Big before, so that kinda fascinated me too.  And for their Age they were in great Shape.   They were being Sold Online for Three Times what I paid and not in as good a shape {Mine are pictured Above and a Set for 3 x the amount are pictured Below them}.

The one thing I really Love best about Technology is that now I can Google something in Real Time before deciding on a Purchase to get current Price Points of Value.  To discern how good a Deal... or not... what someone is asking for it really is?   I can be swayed when clearly it's an even better Deal than I suspected it was.  Anyway, I Love a Retro Kitchen look and I still have a 1950's Retro Kitchen Dining Set in The RV Garage Mahal that we sit at near the Big RV Door that when Opened, is a perfect spot to be inside the RV Garage Mahal, yet, look out towards our Front of the Property and the Street, watching Life go by, bucolic and feeling Rural, yet also Urban, coz we're in the City, so, the best of both Worlds combined and melded together.  I feel quite Blessed to have Scored this Property, it's a rarity now, a lot of the Properties with Acreage have been gobbled up by Urban Development.

The Daughter tried to Call me Today but I didn't take the Call coz I'd fallen Asleep on the Sectional, and so didn't catch the Call on my Cellphone but it woke me while ringing.  Then she Called the House and apparently her Dad then picked up the Call, so I just let him take it.  I wasn't quite ready yet to speak with her again, since our last Call had gone quite Sideways and she hung up on me, knowing how upset she'd made me.  I know she'll apologize for that, sincerely, coz none of my Kids or Grandkids ever wants to make me Upset or Angry at them, and I never wanna stay Upset or Angry at them either.  That's not how our Relationship has ever gone no matter what has happened that isn't good and has been sometimes really bad in fact with Choices they've made that has impacted all of us.   A relapse was fairly predictable, how she handled her relapse was the more upsetting part for and to me, she knows this, don't Shit where you Eat tho'... Bad decision, never Okay.  Never disrespect me that way or Lie to me either.

Anyway, Moving On... all that will get resolved, over Time.  I didn't give up on her for over 25 Years so I won't start to now.  I just worry about her, you can't punish your Body so much and not have it do collateral damage to you or risk a fatality eventually from the abuse.   And that part always Scares the Shit out of me.   Her Serious Mental Illness does impair her decision making process considerably and she always has had to self-medicate to Deal with her Mental Torment from Schizophrenia.  It usually meant a reasonable amount of Drinking, which, I could roll with, even if she used Medicinal MJ, it's Legal in Arizona now, no problem with that either.  Dispensaries abound and it and Wellbutrin is how her Son manages his Schizophrenia and it works well and is regulated and much Safer.   She's already on AHCCCS so could get Rx Meds and MJ is very reasonably priced now at Dispensaries.  I'd rather she consider that instead of self-medicating with Illegal Street Drugs, or even Alcohol.

Anyway, we'll have a more reasonable Come To Jesus about it when I'm not so Emotionally Raw and she's not so defensive and Owns her shit and just comes Clean about it.   Everybody now knows, so there's no use denying the proof and evidence against her now.  Moving On...  I got some Incense from my Friend Nancy, who just got some in and had Nag Champa Base to a lot of other different incredible Scents like Palo Santo, Frankincense & Myrrh, White Sage, and various others.  I picked up a few Boxes of it, so my Truck smelled Divine on the Ride Home.  *Smiles*  And now it's Scenting up my Livingroom, which I keep all my Incenses handy in there by the TV in a Box for The G-Kid Force to use anytime too.  We all burn a lot of Incense and Scented Candles daily.  No Home or Space should ever not have to smell Sublime IMO.

I did drop some Inventory off at our Antique Mall on Friday, in preparation for the Weekend.  Our other Location was very busy too, so our Heatwave has not yet run off all the Snowbirds and Tourists yet, which is rather Surprising now it's already reached 109 this early in the Season... first time ever in Recorded History of Triple Digit Temps being this early and this fucking Hot already!  It's even Scaring the Locals about what that could mean for Late Spring and Summer?   We can't be 22 Degrees above those fucking Average Temps coz 118 is Typical, but 140 would be Deadly as fuck to all Living Things, probably bring the Grid Down, and Cook everyone, plus all the Wildlife too and the Plants.  We've had Cacti exploding for Two Years now with the increased Heat they can't sustain, even the Ancient Saguaro are dying off in record numbers due to Climate Change of just a few degrees above Average, 22 Degrees above Average, not sustainable for Life.

*******

Trying to stay Cool in the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian