More Extended Birthday Indulgences

 In Real Time it's The Day After my Birthday... and it was such a whirlwind Day that I'm spending Today not doing much except taking The Granddaughter to her Dental Appointment at Noon and perhaps having Lunch with her, as is our Custom.  She Treats me to Lunch for taking her places she needs to go so that she doesn't have to Learn to Drive.  Her Car works well now but she still has serious Anxiety about Driving so it's best she doesn't until she feels ready, if ever, to.  She wasn't here for my Birthday so perhaps she has something Planned to Celebrate it with me Today instead, I just don't know?   She and Rusty had Bought me Pressies early for my Birthday and presented them already, so I don't expect more. 

 She was too excited to give them to me to wait until the 16th.  *LOL*  She reminds me of my Mom that way.  Mom would be chomping at the bit to give you Presents earlier than your Birthday or Christmas... or any Special Occasion actually.   She'd hint constantly, you'll never Guess what I got you?   And then, if you couldn't Guess or wouldn't Guess, she'd just HAVE to then give it to you early, becoz SHE just couldn't stand it to have to wait!  *Laughing still at how it became a Family Inside Joke*  Mom's Birthday was the 5th of July and I can't tell you how many times I got my Mid August Birthday Gift on HER Birthday coz after she got her Pressy from us, well, she had mine tucked away and I'd just say, it's Okay Mom, you can just give it to me now if you want to.  *Ha ha ha*  Mom gave Great Gifts BTW, it was her Love Language for sure.

My Love Language is Gifts of Service, pretty sure, if you do something Nice for me, it means a lot, no matter how small a gesture you thought it was.  The running Joke with me is the Kids AND their Friends vie to do something Nice for me so that I'll then say, "Now, YOU'RE my Favorite!"  *Bwahahahahaha*  And then the next Person tries to Top THAT so that THEN THEY are my Favorite, and so it goes and it Works very well for me and they all find it Fun, Amusing and Humorous as a Competition to be my Favorite for a Minute.  *Winks*   Who doesn't like to hear that YOU are their Favorite?   Even if it's done and said in Good Humor.  They're ALL my Favorites and they know it, but they enjoy Hearing it Individually all the same.   And every one of their Friends enjoys it as much as our own Kiddos do, so they try to Top my Kiddos in competition of doing stuff for me.  *LOL and Winks* 

I'm Sharing some of the Halloween Merch I trawled around various Stores to look at.  They had some enormous Decorations this Year, I don't know where folks Store something that large, probably Renting Offsite Storage for it coz it would take up a LOT of Space at Home to Store anything that enormous.  Some was inflatable, so, would deflate to Store, but you'd need Climate Controlled Space to adequately protect this kind of serious Investment, they're not cheap.   This Skeleton Horse was Lifesize, the actual Size of a Horse!!!   And I've seen full Sized Pirate Ships with Lifesize Skeletons, Inflatables that are as tall as a House!  There was an inflatable Black Cat at this Store that was bigger than a Bus and taller than a House!!!  I don't know how many of those King Sized Decorations they Sell, they take up a lot of square footage of Retail Store Space to have just any out of the Box on Display!!! 

People were diggin' the early Halloween Merch being out, even Christmas Merch is already out in force actually.  But People were Buying a lot of the Halloween Merch already and enjoying the early Autumnal Vibe.  It's been so HOT, that I'm sure we're all ready for Fall already.   Autumn and it's Holidays are my personal Favorite Season and Holidays, so I can languish and revel in it early and then late too.  I don't get tired of it, but I know many people despise Holidays rolling out too early Commercially.  But, in a shitty Economy, I say, make your Money while you can in Sales, High Five if you Sell it all and don't have to mark any down in order to get it Sold.  I don't know what Supply Chain Issues due to Import Tariffs are ever gonna do, to getting it into the Country and to the Prices?  Even tho' deemed Illegal, we know he's still imposing them and not refunding to Small Businesses or the American People for the illegality of them.  Only very Big Corporations are getting any of their Money back that everyone is actually entitled to be Refunded. 

We know the vast majority of products are not made in America, they haven't been for as long as I've been Alive.  Used to be Made In Japan mostly when I was growing up, now most is Made In China... or other various Countries where they can make it more inexpensively than we can here.   I now always look at where everything is made, 99.9% of it isn't Made In America.   So we are very reliant upon our Trade Partners, even Companies that do make their Product here in America, they Source a lot of their Supplies to make it from our Trade Partners abroad.  Farmers rely on Imported Fertilizers to grow their Crops, things like Potash that isn't Sourced locally.  Not to mention what isn't Grown here locally either and are Food Sources we receive from our Trade Partners.  And let's face it, this Administration has not been Kind nor Decent to any of our valuable Trade Partners and staunchest Allies, it's disgraceful and shameful.

All of these Halloween Props were really Cute, but so Big and so Expensive, I wouldn't be a Player, but enjoyed seeing and Photographing them for Blog Fodder.   This Haunted House one with the Ghosts, for example, was damned near as tall as me and is Resin!   I may Sell Off some of my Halloween Decor that I don't use so much anymore.  We still Decorate more for Halloween than for Christmas, especially Outside, but, there's some I'm not Decorating with and would prefer to have the Cash during the Holidays.  So, I may start bringing it in now to our Showroom and on top of my Locked Case, especially big Halloween Blow Molds.  They Sell very well and aren't that abundant, especially Vintage Halloween Decorations.  So they can fetch a really good Price.  So Scouting what is out there now also helps me know what isn't out there that would entice my Buyers.  I always try to make a small Seasonal Holiday Vignette of Products to Sell.  Some Vendors do their whole Space in Holiday Merch, which can look great but be risky if that's all you're Selling.

Princess T did take me out for Lunch at "Wildflower Bread Co." after her Dental Appointment.  She can't use her Insurance except for Dental Emergencies, AHCCCS doesn't provide preventative Dental Work for Adults 21 and over, which is ridiculous, you have to get a Dental Emergency to be covered.  But, then I remembered she couldn't get her Wisdom Tooth pulled under AHCCCS either unless it got infected.  She'll have to pay $150 for Cleanings/Exams/X-Rays but she can still go to her Pediatric Dentist, so she said she'll budget to do that twice a Year.  We had Soup at Lunch, I had the Potato Cream Cheese and she had the 12 Vegetable, with Rosemary Sea Salt Bread and Butter, and Lemonade.  Then we went to The Mall, and she bought me Two Fugglers for my Birthday and Four of my Magazine Books at "Barnes & Noble".  They had a Sale where if you bought one at Regular Price the 2nd one was 50% Off.   So I got "Where Women Create", "In Her Studio", "Daphne's Diary" and "Somerset Halloween".

These are called the Baddies Line and have Bling on their Grills and the one has a Tongue Piercing.  *LOL*   I couldn't decide which I liked best so she insisted on Buying both for me... Awwwww, she's so good to her Gramma!!!   We had a lot of Fun at The Mall, she got the Plush Anime Character below at "Spencer's" for herself and some smalls of Anime stuff at the place she got my Fugglers at, which specializes in all Japanese Import Collectibles and Snacks.  It was a larger location than the one at the bigger Mall so she's glad we went to this smaller Mall nearer Home.  We actually went coz we thought it said they'd opened a "Spirit Halloween" Store in there, but we never found it, Online it said it was Open, I think it was probably in a different location near the Mall???  There's one by the Restaurant we ate at too but it's not Opened yet.

 

I thought the Cat Butt & Balls Pillow at "Spencers" was hilariously Adorbs, but not for $29.99.  {See Below} It would have been Cuter if the Cat's Face was on the other side, but it had the Cat Butt & Balls on both sides.  She'd of got it for me if she thought I really wanted it, I didn't want her spending that much on a Pillow that my infantile sense of Humor thought was too funny.  *LOL*  She got another Playboy Bunny and Bling Belly Ring while there too.  And when we stopped by the Antique Mall to put some Merch in, a VERY VERY Handsome Guy was Staring at her with his Mouth agape, like he'd just seen the Gal of his Dreams!  *Smiles*  I noticed, she didn't, I Smiled at him and he looked embarrassed that I'd seen him Staring so hard at my Granddaughter as we walked to our Truck.  He was just getting out of his Car to go into our Antique Mall, he finally got her Attention and said, "You really are in Shape...", {He was VERY in Shape}... and she Smiled, a bit at a loss as to what to say to that, and just said Thank You.  She gets embarrassed easily if someone she doesn't know says anything to her.  He was Drop Dead Gorgeous, Tall, Dark and Handsome, Movie Star Handsome, so we talked about it inside the Truck coz he made an excuse to walk back to his Car and look at her again as we drove off.  *LOL and Winks*

She and I always have a good time going out together on our Girls Day Outs.  We Smack talk Shit about People we see and Laugh a lot, it is quite the Human Sideshow out there and Characters galore.  *Ha ha ha*   Plus, she gets a lot of Jealous Shade thrown at her by Random Females, who give her Hard Looks and then we Laugh about that too.  We don't Care, I guess some Girls would get upset about someone doing that, we find it to be hilariously insecure on the part of whose doing it.  Actually our Antique Mall and the Retail Mall were super busy for a Monday, which was really Odd.  My Sales were spectacular for the Two Days of this New Pay Period, I'd Sold some more expensive Merch and a $30 Pokemon Jiggly Puff Card out of our Locked Case.  I put in a Pokemon Plush Toy called Tapu Lele.  I actually Scored a Trio of them, New Old Stock with original Tags, so I'm putting them into Inventory one at a time. {See Below}

The Showroom, in spite of Strong Sales, wasn't tore up so there had been respectful traffic thru there Shopping.  So, we didn't have to spend any time running damage control and tidying up, which was nice, coz we had things to do and wanted to be in and out in a hurry.   We visited with a few of our Vendor Friends is all, after dropping off the little bit of Inventory I'd Priced.   I Closed last Pay Period quite Strong for Summer too and will get a decent Check.  *Whew*  It's very sporadic tho', you have hit and miss with Sales now.   I heard Strawberries will be next to be hit with High Import Tariffs and about 90% are Grown in Mexico.  There are American Suppliers who they claim were complaining they can't compete with the Importers, but, mostly they only supply a small amount of the Product and only in a way more brief Season than they grow them in Mexico. 

 So, that will only serve to drive Prices way up for them and people won't Buy what they can't afford to.   I avoid anything that has escalated in Price, I don't Need it so much to overpay for any of it.  So, then they lose my Business.  If it's Perishable, and they lose too much Business coz the Price is too jacked up high, they end up with spoilage and waste when it goes Unsold.   So, I may buy some while they're still reasonable, but will not buy any once they jack the prices up.   If every Consumer did that for things not Essential, then it would convey a strong Message.  Same with Interest Rates, while they're too high, wait for any major purchases that require financing.   If Demand is low and Supply remains too high coz nothing is getting Sold, the Price will come down.  Likewise, if Demand is too high and Supply is too low, prices go up... Economics 101.

I hadn't been to a Retail Mall in a long time, so I was Surprised that most Shops are Selling Shoes and Hats... or Urban Streetwear... so the Demographic Shopping is definitely not Middle Aged or Seniors at all.  They're conspicuous by their absence and it used to be at Malls you'd see a wider Demographic of Shoppers and of all Age Groups.   There would be few Stores at these Retail Malls I'd even walk into, and not just right by without a second look, nothing in there for me or my Demographic of Shopper.   With my Granddaughter of coarse I go into the Shops her Generation Love and we walk around and she tells me about all the Merch since I know nothing about any of it.  *LOL*   Below were some Adorbs Plush Ice-Cream Cats called MOFUSAND Ice-Cream.  They're so Cute but Expensive, Princess T doesn't Collect them so had no Interest.  Online the Price Point is even Crazier, even for a Keychain Plush of it!!!  OMG!!!

But she Schools me on these Characters so that if I see any For Sale Secondhand, at some Chazzas, I know what they are and what a Profit we can make off them Resale.  You don't know what you just don't know.  I have to confess, they're so damned Adorable, that if they were Cheap, I'd Buy some of the Keychain Plush Kittens seen Above and have a Collection of 'em.  *Smiles*   And when I Unboxed my Fugglers I realized the Pink Rabbit also has a Bellybutton Piercing!!!  OMG, Adorbs.  {See Below}   I know, I'm such a Big Child!   I still splash thru Puddles and Skip, what can I say?  *Smiles*

*******

The Extended Birthday Indulgence was fun... Dawn... The Bohemian

The Birthday Haul From The Celebrations On The 16th

 In Real Time it's still my actual Birthday but I've had enuf Fun.  *Smiles*  The Son took both his Dad and I out for Breakfast, we didn't have anyone Home to look after The Man and he was in good Spirits so it went well with him joining us and he wanted to.  We went to "First Watch" and I had the Tropical Floridian French Toast and my Gourmet Iced Coffee I always get from there.  The Man had his Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast, The Son had some Mexican Style Breakfast he always gets from there.  You can see The Son's healing Black Eye in the Pix that he got while at the Heavy Metal Concert and being too near the Mosh Pit.  The back of the Young Guys Head hitting him right in the Face. 

The Son needed a Nap after eating all of his, The Man and I took about 2/3 of ours Home for leftovers.  Then we went and did some Environmental Cleanup at the River Nature Preserve, drove around looking at the bad Storm Damage in Litchfield Park, which is a Town near us that our Roofer said he's got a ton of Roofs to repair or replace there, they really got hammered and so many huge Trees were lost and ripped right out of the ground.   Just about every other Home near the Golf Course had our Roofers Sign up in the Front Yard, so his Teams will be really busy.   I took some Pixs of the carnage to give you some idea of how fierce it was and how many huge Old Trees were lost, mostly Pines, Palo Verde, and Palms.   The Palms didn't get blown over but many had every Frond ripped off of them, that takes one helluva Wind force to do that to a Palm Tree!

Then I took The Man to "Baskin Robbins" and we had us some Birthday Ice-Cream, the Lady, when she knew it was my Birthday, gave me a 3rd Scoop for Free!  Then I dropped The Man back off at Home and The Son said he'd take Care of Dad so I could go out and have some Me Time for my Birthday.  All I did was trawl around Stores looking at the Halloween Merch, but I had such Fun doing it and taking Blog Fodder Imagery of it, I only Bought a couple used Halloween Decorations at a GOODWILL, one is a Jack O'Lantern with some Audrey Venus Flytrap Toothy Plants growing out of it, got it for only $3.99, it's so Cute.  The other was a really nice Halloween Wooden Painted Wreath with great Graphics.  The original Price Tag still on it, so it was New Old Stock from a Decor Store, I got it 90% Off the original Price.  {See Below}

Then The Daughter and Danae came in with my Birthday Cake lit up, I blew all the Candles out at once.  And my Gift, which they put in a Cute Fuzzy Purple Halloween Vampire Bat Bucket filled with all kinds of Licorice Treats, a flocked Purple Glass Skull Candle, a Spa Headband, and small Halloween Decorations.  {See Below}  The Cake was a layered Strawberry and Tiramisu Sponge Cake with Whipped Cream Icing... very light and delicious.  We had Chinese Takeout for Dinner from "Dragon Garden".  So, a very nice Birthday and memorable in the best of ways.

The Temps on my Birthday got up to 114, I Photographed the Temp when it was at 113 {See further Below}, but it did get to a Degree even Hotter a bit later, toasty!!!   And Humid coz it's still Monsoon Season so the Humidity is quite high too, it's like a Sauna out there!   So, not much was done Outside after around 10:00 a.m. so that you didn't spontaneously combust!  *LOL*  I drove around in an Air Conditioned Truck and ducked into Air Condition Buildings quickly all day long.  *Smiles*  Now I'm Home in nice AC Cooled comfort and I'm done Todaying for Today.  I wore my "In Living Color" T-Shirt with a Cartoon version of Jamie Foxx as Wanda, with White Capris, I got loads of compliments on it, even from Young People probably not familiar with the Character and the 1990's Show... the Older Folks knew exactly what it was about.  *LOL and Winks*  I Loved the Wayans Bros. Shows and Movies of that Era.

Since it was Military Discount Day at the GOODWILLs I did pick up a few good Cookbooks, hard cover, and some Shirts.  There's one location that prices their Men's T-Shirts so low they're practically giving them away before the Discount is applied.   Below is one I got for Princess T, but, if she doesn't like it I'll Resell it at the Antique Mall.   I got me a couple Tees and Paid less than $2 each for them.   And the Books at GOODWILL are good Quality and Priced so low too, the Retail Price on each of them was $25-$40 each, I Paid around $2-$3 each.

Tomorrow we'll turn in our Aluminum Cans for Cash, I'll have the back of the Truck full of Bags of them to take to the Recycle Center.   The Son had Q take a Pix of the ridiculously small Sunfish they caught and had to throw back so they could Grow Up.   His Bobber is damned near bigger than the Fish!!!  *LOL*   While we were there Today we ran into some Fishermen we see there and talk to all the time while doing our Environmental Cleanup and they said they had to throw everything back too, coz too small and too young to keep.  But the Young Fish are aggressively taking the Bait coz they're ravenously hungry and inexperienced, and there's a lot of the Young this time of Year, so it's hard to catch the Adult Game Sized Fish to Keep.   But even a Bad Day Fishing is better than a Good Day at Work, Right?  *Smiles*

 

Now for the Storm Carnage Images taken in the Litchfield Park Community on the Golf Course... and hammered all the Homes along the Golf Course too, most had lost a lot of their Roofing.   The Trees  you see laying all ripped out of the Ground are mostly 50-60 Foot Pine Trees that are probably at least 60 Years Old or more.  But Mature Palo Verde and Eucalyptus Trees were also often ripped out of the Ground, and other Trees I don't know the Names of.   Mesquite and Ironwood Trees for the most part are hard to uproot, so most of them just lost some Branches.  The Pixs don't do justice to the gut wrenching devastation of seeing Miles of huge Old Trees ripped out of the Ground like this, while it was happening it must have been terrifying coz they are all close to Residential Properties.  Many did lose their Landscaping and so many lost a large portion of their Roofing too... high end Luxury Homes, most with the Spanish Terra Cotta Tile Roofs just peeled back and thrown like projectiles thru stuff.

Below are the great Graphics on a Hawaiian Men's Shirt I didn't Buy coz it was the wrong Size for me.  If it's still there on Half Price Day tho', which is Tomorrow, I'm gonna get it anyway coz I can put it on comfortably, just can't button it, but could wear a plain Tank Top Under it and leave it unbuttoned.   I guess the GOODWILLs are having a Half Price Day Tomorrow on the 17th of August in Real Time too.  Now they only do it a few times a Year rather than every Week like they used to before Pandemic.  I just don't think they're getting the Donations anymore like they used to, is my speculation.  But, I did notice Today they are making their Stores look nicer and a lot neater and more organized, like their Competitors do.  And their Employees are being more respectful of the Merch as well and not as surly to Customers.  I prefer Shopping at Chazzas coz of the variety and pricing being better.  And whether a For Profit or Non-Profit Thrift Store, I Shop at both.

This 15th Anniversary Event at "Sweet Salvage" is having a VIP Early Entry Contest, I don't need to get in early so I'm not participating.  Lately I've been arriving just before they open the Doors on Day One of the Four Day Event becoz there's nothing I am desperate to get anymore.  *LOL*  I just enjoy going, supporting local Businesses and doing a little bit of Retail Therapy anymore.  There's nothing I want or need really and with my 5-to-1 Rule in place I'm discerning about purchases now coz for every ONE thing coming in FIVE must go out.  So, it's really gotta either be a Deal or something I'm willing to give Five things up to get it.   I don't mind just Window Shopping mostly now and covering an Event to give Free Advertising and Promoting to the Small Businesses and Friends who Sell there.

Princess T has another Dental Appointment to finish up some preventative Dental Work before she gets too Old to go to that Dentist when she turns 21.  He had told her she could still come, he's just not sure her Insurance would pay for it?  I think they will, she's on AHCCCS and they cover her Dental, so it shouldn't matter what Dentist she chooses and she's been with him since she has had Teeth.  *Smiles*  Becoz she has Social Anxiety Issues she knows the Staff and the Dentist, so is comfortable going there coz they know her so well and she's always gone there, he knows this about her.  He knows both Grands I Raised have Mental Health Issues and he's so good with them both.  The Young Prince misses going there but the Dentist actually saw him until he was 21 too.  He's a Pediatric Dentist, but, Teeth are Teeth and he's a very good Dentist and doesn't do unnecessary procedures.  He knows Princess T takes excellent Care of her Teeth too and is vigilant about her Dental Hygiene.  She's never had a Cavity.

She didn't like this Shirt I got for her, so I'll resell it.  I thought she'd think it was Cute, and she did, but she said it's not like she'd wear it around, she's discreet about Vaping her MJ to Calm her Anxiety and she's not a big Pothead.  She uses it strictly for Medicinal purposes for Mental Well Being and it is very Helpful for those with Panic Attacks and Anxiety to be Calmer and more comfortable in Public and Social Situations.  Otherwise it would be hard for her to interact and she'd be reclusive in her Room all of the time and voluntarily staying away from Peopling.  She doesn't even interact with Family very much, she's as Reclusive as her Grandpa is actually, so they're like Two Peas in a Pod.  They could go all Day without saying a Word to anyone and be quite Content Alone most of the time.  I used to Worry that it wasn't Healthy for her to spend so much time Alone, but then I realized how tense and Anxious being around People can be for her, and that was more Unhealthy for her to force herself to.  At Work she's getting better at it and they encourage her.  They know how Shy and Reclusive she is.

She is being given little bits more to do around Customers so she can get used to it and she's doing very well, her Co-Workers say that Customers really Like her, and Co-Workers really Like her too.  It's not a matter of not being Liked tho', she's always been well Liked coz she's a very Sweet Person and isn't Mean-Spirited, but, she doesn't Like People... and it's not Personal, ha ha ha... its so hard for her to be around other People.  Even her Boyfriend, sometimes she tells Rusty she NEEDS a break from him being around her.  It's hard for him coz he likes spending Time with her, but she has to spend Time with anyone in small increments, even me, and I'm her Favorite Person to spend Time with.  She used to be my Shadow when she was Younger, and she'd get Anxiety if I went anywhere without her.  She has Separation Anxiety Issues too, when it comes to me, she Worries all the time about when I will Die.  Of coarse she Worried about that all her Life.  With Grandpa when she was Toddeler Aged, she'd hold a little Compact Mirror up to his Mouth when he was Sleeping to make sure he was still Alive!!!

The other day she got very Emotional, with Tears welling up in her Eyes, and was projecting how many Years I probably only have left!  She didn't mean it in a Bad Way and I knew this, so I kept a sense of Humor about it, I know the Math and the Statistics.   The Average Lifespan for Males in the U.S. is 76.5 and 81.4 for Females, which is pretty good actually... if you're one of the Lucky few to make it that long.  So, she's done the Basic Math for both Grandpa and I, knowing he's had Fragile Health for a long time now and is probably only still among the Living coz we won't let him Die and have had him avoid Dying when he's had these very close Calls, which have been so numerous that it's all she remembers, is her Grandpa being Disabled and very Sickly.  She doesn't remember him being any other way.   Anyway, I joked our way thru the conversation coz I could tell it was laying heavy on her Heart and Mind. 

 Most especially since she'd said a couple things about her Mom that made me Laugh, but also almost Choked me up.  We were in SAVERS and her Mom came up to the Cart excited to have found Two little things and ask if I'd get them for her.  I agreed.  She ran off giddy as a Child.  Princess T deadpanned, "Well, I'm going to be YOU, Gramma, in about 10 Years... and she'll be running up to my Cart asking if I'll get things for her..."   I had to Laugh, tho' she was Serious and it was a Serious Observation that is very accurate becoz her Mom will always have the Serious Mental Illness and require being looked after by other folks ensuring she is Safe enough.  Schizophrenics have a tough row to hoe and many end up Institutionalized off and on, or for a Lifetime, she knows this about her Mom and her Older Brother, and that it is their Fate, and it Scares her that she may be all they have when I'm Gone.  It is a LOT for a 20 Year Old to have to contemplate as a Future concerning Seriously Ill/Disabled Loved Ones.

*******

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

An Everlasting Faint

 I was gonna hit the Gym Two days in a row and then I was so freakin' sore I'm second guessing whether that's a good idea or not?  *Le Sigh and LOL*  I'm not sore from the previous visit there, I'm sore from both the Arthritis in my Left Hand and Right Foot, and... I tripped over a Milk Crate that had blown over in the Storm on the back Porch... banging my Shins on it and wrenching my Back when I almost fell and caught myself enuf to stay vertical!  The Son grabbed onto me and it scared him half to Death coz he thought I was gonna take another Senior Fall, but on Cement this time and not in an Irrigated Water filled Pasture like last time I got splayed out like a Starfish!  *LOL*  So, my Shins are ridiculously sore, yet I didn't Bruise, which is very Surprising.  But, my Left Shin is very swollen.

Other than that, everything is Swell.  *Bwahahahaha*  I did kick myself into gear and go to the Gym after all.  Another big and buff looking Senior was parked beside me just arriving, and he limped out of his Vehicle same time I did, we both looked quite crippled up and were in Handicapped Parking, so he Smiled big and encouraged me by saying we'd be feeling better after we did this.  He said his Social Media algorithm keeps sending him Videos of 90 Year Olds Working Out to Shame him into going.  *LOL*  So, we both hobbled in together talking, he was a nice looking Older Black Man, I got the sense he was Retired Military or Law Enforcement, drove a nice Sports Car, very congenial but not flirty.   Many Single Older Men are Scouting for someone to look after them in their Old Age.  *Yeah, NO! Even if I WAS Single myself, LOL*

 I can't wear my Wedding Band anymore due to Arthritis swelling and malformation of that Ring Finger.  So I'm Careful of talking to Older Senior Men who strike up conversation with me, many get the wrong impression and think you're interested if you respond in a friendly manner.  *Ha ha ha*  But, this Guy wasn't like that at all, just a very nice Guy motivating himself to stay fit and Healthy in spite of obviously having some measure of Disability going on.  As fit, muscular and big as he was, like a Retired Pro Athlete, he was hobbling around worse than me and it was obvious he's got Bad Knees and Mobility challenges, walks like he's in chronic Pain.  When you hurt a lot, you can tell when other people do even if they say nothing and never complain about it.

Anyway, I had a good Workout, not as long as the Day before, kept it to One Hour.  Then I went a little ways away to the new BUC-EES.  I've heard so much Hoopla about it, never been in one, this is the 1st one in Arizona located at Bullard and the I-10.   I have to confess, I was suitably impressed, and I'm not easily impressed. It's like the Wal-Mart of Convenience Stores and enormous. Packed even that early in the Morning coz I was done with my Workout by 7:00 a.m..  I got the Family some of the Brisket & Egg Breakfast Tacos, coz I'd heard good things about their Brisket and they make their own Tortillas there too.  Folks weren't Wrong, the Brisket was excellent, fall apart tender and hearty Breakfast Tacos.  I got a bigger Breakfast Burrito for later which I'll have for Lunch.  And I got a T-Shirt with their Logo and was their Halloween Graphics T-Shirt with the Beaver Mascot, cute.  {See Below}

They had some BUC-EEs Arizona T-Shirts too, mebbe another time.  They were Cute too, with Saguaro Cacti and their Mascot in the Desert of the Cartoonish Graphics.   I should have probably Photographed that but I didn't and only Photographed my 2X Size T-Shirt once I got Home rather on their Display Mannequin there.   Since I like Halloween Merch and figured the Arizona Tees would be around longer, I opted for the Seasonal Graphics Shirt.  They had some nice Dia de los Muertos Merch too.   I Photographed some of that, I liked the Taco Party Server {Below}.  It was Metal with great Dia de los Muertos Graphics, but, I'd never use it, so I Passed on the Temptation to get one.  I enjoyed walking around, lots of people were, it seems to be a Touristy type destination.  Nice addition to the area IMO... and perhaps it will stimulate some Gas Wars too and bring some higher pricing down?  Arizona is some of the highest Gas Prices in the Nation.

I took a few Pixs, lots of people were.  I guess it's the kind of place folks wanna document in Pixs that they were at?   And, since it's just off a Major Freeway, I saw a lot of Tourists who aren't Locals.  Odd for this time of Year, but likely just passing thru AZ on their way somewhere Cooler? *LOL*  There was a whole Leather clad Motorcycle Biker Club there taking Pixs of themselves in front of the Store.  So, I wasn't the only Photographer snapping Pixs of the place, like the Weirdo I usually look like Pathologically Picture Taking everywhere I go.  *Smiles and Winks*    Then Below are Pixs taken at COLADOs of the Breakfast I had there, the Tropical Crepe and an Iced Caramel Macchiato Coffee.  Usually I have a scoop of the Tropical flavor Ice-Cream, but forgot to ask for it... usually the Cashier asks if you want the Scoop, she forgot to and so then so did I.  *Pouting*

 

 

I heard the funniest Man's Name on a Show Today that The Man was watching... Erazmus!!!  And his last Name was Trout... what a Name!   His Wife's Name was Zona.  Okay, I was chuckling for quite some time.  And she dies of what they used to call "An Everlasting Faint"... so, now I'm rolling with Laughter, that it's what they used to call Heart Attacks!   An Everlasting Faint... OMG!!!  *LMAOROTF*  And apparently ole' Erazmus was a Serial Killer who tended to have Wives who had very peculiar "Accidents" that Killed them... so, wasn't an Everlasting Faint after all his 3rd Wife had, she was Murdered, Ole' Zona.  Along with his 2nd Wife who a Brick "accidentally" fell on her Head off the Roof, killing her, what are the Odds?   And possibly his 1st Wife also met with an unfortunate yet intentional End, she just disappeared.  The Man watches some of the strangest things sometimes and I said don't get any Ideas from Ole Erazmus, he did get caught and convicted.  Plus, I don't think I'd be that Easy a Kill?  *LOL and Winks*  But, it gave me an excellent and hilarious Blog Post Title Hook and some Laughs, you can't make this shit up!!!  *Ha ha ha*

 

I should price some Merch to bring in to the Antique Mall, I have some good Quality Smalls that would be an easy Turn and good Margins of Profit.  Some are Old New Stock Star Wars Figures of Darth Maul and the Packaging is pristine.   This Week I Sold all my Law Enforcement Emblem Beanie Bears that were some Special Edition for Phoenix PD in the early 2000's.  Someone bought them all.   And I Sold my Otis O'Brien 1972 Ventriloquist Creepy Doll, he was well over $100 so I'd had him a Minute. But he made for a good Display piece in the Showroom until such time as he Sold.  Tho' the Manhandling Customers always took him down from up high to mess with him.  So, I'm glad he finally Sold so he didn't get ruined by the Asshole Shoppers who just fuck with stuff they aren't gonna buy even if it's expensive.  Someone Bought him when we had our recent 20% Off Sale if you Bought anything over $25.  The Mall will reimburse me 5% of that.

This Pay Period I did Sell some better Quality Merch, unusual for right now when folks are typically not spending much.  Today is a Saturday and the close of our Pay Period and I'm doing quite well this cycle, so should get a decent Check on Payday.  I need to, so, any discretionary income I can earn any kind of way is really helpful and appreciated.  I almost have enuf Recycled Aluminum to turn in too again.  I drove around looking at Storm damage, we were Lucky, many Homes not far from us lost almost their entire Roof of Shingles on their Primary Residence.  Enormous 60 foot Trees, mostly Pines, were ripped out of the Ground and thrown around!  I took some Storm Damage Pixs for you to see how bad it was.  Many Luxury Golf Course Homes in Litchfield Park got the worst of the damage from what I saw.  The Root Balls on some of those felled Pines was over 15-20 Foot Across and High!

There were Miles of a swath of destruction like this thru several Cities.  So the damages some folks experienced was so much worse than what we did, so I feel very fortunate now.  The Adjuster called and is coming on Thursday Morning and my Contractor will meet him here and go over what's needed with him.  Our Exterminator came Today too and bulked up our Treatment, we have them on Retainer, but mostly for Termites, since this has been a bad Year for them and we didn't want damage from those little nasty Critters, they're catastrophically destructive.  Most of our Home is Burnt Adobe Brick, but The RV Garage Mahal, the She Shed, our Pool Shed, and our Facia on the Home is Wood.  

The Son and his Lifelong Friend Q just brought Pizza home, they'd got Fishing, but didn't catch much... just Sunfish... so no Fish Dinner.  *LOL*  They said there's a lot of Cans down there so Tomorrow, on my Birthday, The Son wants to take me to Breakfast and then go glean those Can together, I guess that means he wants to spend my Birthday Morning with me?  *LOL*  I don't mind, I didn't have Plans, I was gonna wing it for the day anyway, so it was open to whatever happens.   I hadda MAKE The Man have a slice of Pizza, I'd been Napping and nobody was Home 'til the Guys got Home from Fishing, so I know he hadn't eaten, but he claims he did.  Then when I asked, well, what did you eat?  He couldn't tell me coz he hadn't eaten.  This is a pattern with him now, confusion about what he did, didn't do, thinks he did and he didn't.  He gets upset with everyone but me if they try to coax him into eating when we know he hasn't.  I just bring him the food anyway, then walk away so there's no room for argument, and he'll eat it.  *Smiles*

The Caregiving I'll want a respite from on my Birthday, so The Son asked pointedly, you want me to take you to Breakfast Solo?  I did.  He'd of sprung for his Dad too but honestly, I want a nice relaxed Breakfast without being in Caregiver Mode on my Birthday and wondering if he'll be agreeable or difficult during the Meal?   And if The Son is paying, then I want him to enjoy his Meal too and not have to worry about his Dad during it and if that will spoil the present of doing it for me?  It's just too many variables to risk bringing him along and that's a shame, but it's the reality of it, coz lately he's been in a very unlovely Mood a lot and for no apparent reason.  So, I'm glad that they'll be having Nurse Remi coming again, he really liked her visits and she was so Caring yet stern with him, like another Wife.  *Ha ha ha*  She's joke with him even, "See, it's like having Two Wives now... making sure you're okay and taking Care of you..."    And he'd Laugh, but enjoy the Attention and Care she gave while here.  He was always Agreeable with her coz she has such a Kind manner about her.

I got more Bad News from The Reservation from my Cousin DeAnna.   Her Older Sister, Wewokajanna is the one recovering from TB, and that's slow, but she's Home.   BUT, now Wewokajanna's Youngest Daughter has been diagnosed with Cancer!!!   It has spread coz it was neglected too, and she's been Hospitalized numerous times for other ailments so I don't see how they could have missed it really if they'd been thorough about Exams all the other times?  But, it is the Indian Hospital, so...   Anyway, they think that it spread to her Hip and Abdomen from her Breast.   Our Paternal Grandmother Died of Breast Cancer spreading in much the same way, living there and basically not getting the best Medical Care either.  Most Tribal folks there are quite impoverished and the work they do is menial unskilled Labor coz the Education at the Indian Schools is no better than when my Dad went.  He was put to Work, unpaid, as a Child, at the Indian Schools and it was called an "Education".

  You can be Intelligent and still be so poorly Educated that it makes a profound difference in how Life plays out for you.  Couple that with Generational Racial Oppression, and not very many of my Paternal Side have had a decent Education or good Jobs.  So, Dad joined the Military when he turned 17 and Retired after Serving 27 Years.  Many Male Paternal Relatives also Enlisted, but got too hurt during Wartime to make it a Career, they almost always got Front Line deployments during Wartime and came Home injured.  Most were Trackers, The Man had a Navajo Tracker in his Special Forces Unit when he went to Vietnam for double deployments there.  Only he and his Navajo Tracker made it out Alive during his 2nd Tour of Duty there, but both were severely injured.  The Man said many Native Americans ensured their Units in Special Forces Survived, coz they could Track an Ant thru the Jungle, were very Quiet, so you never heard them coming and the Enemy rarely even saw them coming, and had good Instincts in dangerous situations.  

I know my Cousin was a Tracker in Vietnam for a Special Forces Unit and wouldn't use a Gun, he used his Knife.  His Mantra was what all my Male Relatives told us to do, if you have an Enemy, make sure they Fight you all day long and never See you.  *Smiles and Winks, it's very effective, coz it's a Mind Fuck too, LOL*   But my Dad was in Food Service, so Luckily he managed not to get injured even during deployments to Combat Zones.  He said Food Service, Medics and Clergy didn't have Weapons in Vietnam, but he always got along with the Local Villagers near his Bases instead.   They liked American Indigenous, so they'd give him Intel as to when shit was gonna go down, and he'd pass that Intel along.  Out of his own Pay he'd bring Food into the Villages and Share it too, as is the way of his People.  It endeared him to so many Vietnamese while there that he came Home with lots of Friendship Gifts, some costing the Local Villagers a whole Month of their Wages!  That's how highly Respected and Honored he was to them.  He felt they were put in a very difficult Situation, Local Villagers during the War.  And of coarse our Country abandoned those who'd helped us when we pulled out.  There and in Afghanistan.

  But, I digress, anyway, so, the Youngest Daughter of Wewoka is the about the same Age as The Daughter, I'd say Mid to Late 40's, so still pretty Young and likely has been left too long now to recover.   DeAnna also lost her Youngest Daughter just last Year to illness left undiagnosed for too long to do anything about it, she was a very Young Adult, I don't even think she was in her 30's, but may have been.   DeAnna had quite a few Children coz she was Married off at Age 13, just like my Paternal Grandmother had been.  *I know, that's what I thought about it, even when I was 13 and hearing my Cousin had been allowed to Marry and was Pregnant at Age 13!!!*  DeAnna is my Age and that was still a Tribal practice, allowing Girls too Young to be Married and have Kids that Young.  So her Oldest Son, she had at only 13 Years Old, and her Youngest Child many, many Years later.   Below are the Parents of those Cousins, their Dad was one of my Dad's Older Brothers, their Mom was Cherokee. 

Both of my Parent's Cultures allowed Girls way too Young to be Married, usually to much Older Men.  In Mom's Day it was usually around Age 15!  She was considered an Old Maid and worrying my Grandparents that she and my Dad waited until she was 21 to Marry!  And my Dad was 23 when they got Married and his Family also thought that was too Old to wait that long!!!  And to Marry a European, oh, they didn't like that either on his side of the Family and never got over it!   But they were Fearful of my Mom coz they thought her to be a Welsh Gypsy Witch and probably a Shapeshifter who had a pact with the Dark Side.  *LOL and Winks, they thought the same of me too and still do actually.  Winks*   I'm GLAD my Parents were more Progressive than their respective upbringings tho', and very Unconventional in their ways, they didn't just comply and were very Bohemian for their Generation.  And sadly, many Cultures still do have Child Brides Globally tho'.  It's Creepy and Sexually exploits Children, it should be a Crime Globally IMO.  My Parents both thought so too... 

Tho' me waiting 'til 28 to Marry, and having had a Child Years before that, they thought was waiting a long time.  *Bwahahahaha*  I never really wanted to Marry and they knew that, so they were always trying to play Matchmaker with some Arranged Date for me.  *LMAO*  Once, Dad gave permission for an Egyptian Guy to Date me coz the Guy asked my Dad if he could, and Dad said Yes, and neither one of them had asked me!  *LOL*   He was handsome and a nice fling, but, I definitely wasn't gonna Marry him, his Culture was very objectified about Women and he found out quickly I came from a Strong Matriarchal Cultural upbringing, so would never be the subservient obedient little Woman, even tho' I was a tiny Sprite back then, I weighed about 98 Lbs. even tho' I had a Toddler at the time, coz The Daughter I'd had a couple Years earlier.  I didn't wanna Marry her Dad either.  *LOL*  Marrying The Son's Father was a huge Mistake, my Pregnancy lasted longer than the Marriage.  *Bwahahaha*   But, The Man was a Keeper and I was over 30 by then and thought, well, lets TRY Marriage to a decent fella... and so now here we are well over Three Decades later.  *Smiles* 

The Daughter has gone out with Danae, Princess T has gone out with Rusty, so only The Son and Q are Home with The Man and I.  The Young Prince and Allen couldn't get here yet coz Allen got a bad Infection at Work, I was so worried he got Screw Worm coz he is Employed at a Texas Slaughterhouse and we all know the Cattle there have been Infected and who knows if it can transfer to Humans?  The Industry doesn't exactly Protect their Workers real well that Process our Meats for consumption, just sayin'.   Allen said most of the Workers are Immigrants from Mexico, South America and Africa, very few Americans do what he does.  He grew up on his Grandpa's Cattle Ranch, so he's been doing it since he was only 14 and he's a big Corn Fed Young Man, so can do the really Physically demanding work it requires.  But even he says, in his late 20's, he can't keep Pace with the Old African Men who do that for a Living.  He said most of them are Skinny and Tiny but are like Ant Men, they're so Strong and Tough.   He does have to be Careful about being Gay tho', coz in their Cultures they tell him they Kill Gay People, and I don't doubt that either.

 *******

Well, I've gone on long enuf for this Post... Be Well my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian