Keeping Sane, Balanced & Centered

I went to The Gym very early on Tuesday Morning coz Princess T goes in to Work an Hour Earlier on Tuesdays.  So, it was devoid of crowds and I got an excellent undisturbed Workout in, 40 Minutes longer than usual, I may have overdone it actually?  *Bwahahahahaha*  So, then Princess T Texts me that she's getting off Work a lot Earlier too, by 1:00 p.m. and could we have a Girl's Day Out?!  Yikes, I'd Worked Out so hard that I felt rather like a Broke Dick Dog, but, after we got her from Work, she took Grandpa and I out for a nice Chinese Luncheon, her Treat, and then we dropped him off at Home and we had The Girl's Day Out... and... I Lasted!   Sore as Hell now, but... I Lasted... so the Stamina is improving. *Winks*  Below was my Mongolian Beef which I Shared with her coz it was more than enough for both of us.

He'd enjoyed having the Luncheon with us Gals, and we do have some good Family Time when it's just the Three of us.  Her Girl's Day Out was suggested coz she's having Bad Anxiety and needed a Wingman for the Shopping she needed to do for her Boyfriend.  She's making a Gift Basket up for both Valentine's Day and their 2nd Anniversary of being a Couple.  Apparently both are close together, and she gives me her Debit Card so that I make the Register Transactions and she doesn't have to Deal with anybody Face to Face.  Her Social Anxieties can be pretty rough some Days and she'd rather not be around or have to Deal with People.  Just being out of her Room sometimes is hard for her, for a 20 Year Old she's a Solid Homebody... and... so is her Boyfriend, Two Peas in a Pod they are!  But, they're too Similar to go out in and brave Public most of the time, so, she chooses me instead to do those things with.  *LOL*

They'd both be a couple of Social Recluses holed up Inside 24-7 otherwise.  So, I Laughed coz she was Joking that she's Buying all the things for him that SHE LIKES... what she Likes him to Wear, Smell like, Scent his Vehicle and his Bedroom like.   *Bwahahahahaha*   He's a really good Sport about it, if she Buys it, he'll Wear it and use it and say it's Great.  On the other Hand, what he Buys for her is ALSO WHAT SHE LIKES... so, he's a Wise Young Man and "Knows" this Girl!  *Winks*  He rarely Shops for himself coz of his own Social Anxieties, so she said he often wears out the Basics of what he Needs to replace.  

 The Man is very much like that too, he knows if Mama is Happy, Everyone is Happy.  *LOL*  And he never Shops for himself either.  His Wardrobe, all of it, would be threadbare and worn out if I didn't replace it FOR him and I guess Rusty is the same.  Plus, Ms. Fashionista wants him to LOOK a certain presentable and Swag way, so, she makes sure she Dresses him to meet HER Standards and sense of Style.  *Ha ha ha*   The difference being, Rusty likes to Buy the Gifts for Princess T and spend all his Money on her, but Surprising her with the indulgences.  The Man just gives me the Money and says to go Buy something really Good FROM Him that I want, then he'll ask me, what Great Things did HE get me?  *Winks*  It Works for both of us that way.  *Smiles*

So, while on this Shopping Spree with Princess T I did Score some more After Christmas Sale items, now marked down even more, from TARGET of those Food Gift Sets.   The Family had devoured what I'd bought for Christmas and now it was all marked another 25%-50% Off from the previous Markdown, so, I got the last of what they had of my favorite Food Gift Boxed items.  Plus a few things we didn't Score for Christmas, like a Hickory Farms Set that had been too expensive at full price, but now, drastically reduced and the last one, I Scored.  And I got some Fudge Bites I didn't even see before, it's excellent and is a White Chocolate, Salted Caramel and Mini Marshmallow "Smores" with no Dark Chocolate that I wouldn't be able to Eat.  Delicious!!!  And in tiny Bites Sized, like a Caramel, so, perfect amount for a Diabetic to ration herself.  *Winks*

The Stores had already moved on Strong to both Valentine's Day AND Easter!!!  *LMAO*   So, while she was Buying for Rusty for the Valentine's Day pre-buy while Selection was great, she strongly hinted she sure would like and wanted this... {see Above}.  And so, I took the Bait, and since she's notoriously hard to Buy for I got it for her now and just said, "Happy Valentine's Day from Grandpa and I."  *Winks, One and now Done*   She wanted it coz those particular Characters she remembers from her early Childhood and she always Adored them and this Valentine's Day Plushie Bouquet had them, so, I bought her back some of her Nostalgic Childhood and she's Delighted.  *Smiles*

She was Buying Rusty some Scented Candles and I'm inquiring, your Boyfriend likes to receive Candles as a Gift?   She Laughed and threw her Head back, saying, well, Hell No Gramma, but he won't say so, coz it's far better to accept my Gift Candles and use them, than to tell him I don't like how his Room smells without them!!!   She bought some Scented Air Fresheners for his Vehicle too... so... well... now I'm Laughing my Ass off... coz, isn't that just like a Man to kind of be Nose Blind about such things usually, no matter his Age?  From Childhood thru their Old Age, if a Woman didn't remind them about Odors, I think they'd be oblivious to the unpleasant ones, and do nothing about it, I really do!?! 

 I'm very blunt and lack Tact, if around any Man whose a Loved One, and it Smells like a Men's Gym Locker!   Loudly proclaiming, "It Smells like Ass, do something about it!"   She's more subtle and Buys Candles FOR a Guy.  *Bwahahaha*  I'd be mortified if I thought I or my Spaces I occupy smelled foul!!!   I have Candles and Room Deodorizer Sprays Galore in all our Bathrooms too, I don't wanna Smell what you just did in there!!!   Or have it wafting thru the whole House either!!!   And if you're a Man, you better have damned good Aim in my Bathrooms and put that fucking Toilet Seat Down, and not throw your Wet Towels and Banana Hammocks all over the Floor in there.  I don't like Nasty behaviors, in communal Spaces especially, that you know are and have to be Shared.

I have yet to take any of Christmas down, and I don't even have it in me yet to take even One Ornament a Day off the Tree in preparation to take it completely down!   It's not unusual for us to keep it up this long at all, but usually I feel the inclination to start putting things away.  At this Rate it might be Valentine's Day and we'll still look like Christmas around here?!  *LOL*  The Showroom needs a transition first, to prepare Customers to Buy for the next upcoming Holidays.  I do have some Easter and Valentine's Day Merch to price and get ready to go in already.  It's never too early to pre-empt a Holiday when your are relying on Retail discretionary Income.

I ain't gonna Lie, I rather enjoyed seeing the Valentine's Day and even some Easter Merch out already, keeping things Festive and something Positive to look forward to.  A little bit of continuous Escapism right now might be keeping a lot of folks Sane, Balanced and Centered.  No easy feat with all the Fuckery and Negativity going on continuously that we really cannot totally escape nor ignore completely.  Indulging in some Visual Escapism when we visit the Stores is Uplifting and Energizing Emotionally, I enjoy Holidays, all of them.   We never do much for Valentine's Day actually and tho' I have some Vintage Valentine's Day Cards I sometimes Decorate with, I don't know exactly where I put them to lay Hands on them right now?

And, to be Honest, in recent Years particularly, I tend to get so stuck between Holidays!  So that I don't even have one taken down entirely and not bleeding in to the next one!   We usually now kind of end up with a blended Halloween-Thanksgiving-Christmas, followed up by a blended Christmas-New Year's-Valentine's Day-Easter!  *LOL*  Any other Holiday Blend Offenders out there?  Oh, I'm the only one?  *Bwahahahaha*  "Highland Yard Vintage" is having a Spring Market Jan. 18-22.  I need to pop those Dates on the Calendar.   And Jan. 15-18 is "Sweet Salvage" Themed Event called "Refresh".

In the Morning I have my Primary Doc follow-up Appointment, first one I'll have with the new Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance thru Humana.  She'll be renewing my Diabetic Meds and telling me if I'm in a holding pattern for Managing the Disease?   Last Visit I had an A1C in the 6's which was great, and good Readings too.  But, then the Holidays were upon us and I wasn't absolutely sure I wouldn't elevate just a bit due to what you consume that isn't in your usual Diet except during Holiday revelry?   I try to behave and don't have a Sweet Tooth, but Holidays Meals are usually more indulgent, aren't they, overall?   And Stressors during Holidays tend to elevate as well, it can be a difficult time for many folks to move thru the Holiday Seasons.

I'm still mashing up Imagery of a blend of Holiday Pixs, coz, Honestly, they'll all probably blend together for me this Year, I see it coming to play out like that.  *Smiles*  I've been overwhelmed about the Editing and Purging Process, it stalled, mostly due to Weather... and it never really jump started during the Holidays, which became what we concentrated on instead.   And now, I know I have to knuckle down and do it before Spring rushes in and Temperatures rise again, making it virtually impossible to work in Non-Climate Controlled Spaces much of it is in.   But, I NEED to Focus more upon it to get it completed, FINALLY, becoz it's dragging on too long since Moving here.   By now, at every other Property, we'd of had it Done by the 5th or 6th Year of Occupying a Space/Property.   I'm slowing way down and it's showing.

That can be discouraging even tho' it's an explanation, I don't want to make it become an excuse, you know?   Yep, getting Older and Slower, but, I don't really have to become less Ambitious or less Motivated.  Yet, here we now are, no Ambition, no Motivation.  *Bwahaha & Le Sigh*  Got to get my Mojo back somehow!  Once I'm on a roll I know things will start getting done again.  The Daughter also faded, so it might be a Cycle we're both moving thru?  You know, you are pressing hard and then, you just need to not press anymore for a while and recharge your Batteries.   She and Mando still keep busy, it's just that the focus is split now with what we're all doing and not so concentrated on The Garage Mahal or Art Studio Projects now.  The Art Studio seems pointless to fixate on since if and when The Young Prince returns he'll occupy it and undo anything we've done, negating the effort.

I still don't know where the fuck we'll put all his Worldly possessions since there's no room for them really.  He's the one that would come with the most Cargo in tow, Allen was the Minimalist.  So, I don't even know how big of a U-Haul he'd be migrating back with once he leaves Allen?  I doubt he's leaving much behind if he can help it or afford not to.  Which is understandable, everything he has comes with Sentiment to him and is mostly his Art, which he lives and breathes to Create.  So, occupying my Art Studio Space is rather ideal for him, not so much for me, but, he's active as an Artist and I haven't been for so long now, and jump starting that has been iffy.  I Love Creating, don't get me wrong, but, fitting it in now is logistically challenging.  IF everything else was covered or got Done, THEN I could refocus on my Art.

And I think that's where Burnout has come in for me, so many Years of the Treadmill of starting over, getting everything in Order and Done, then Moving again to only have to Rinse and Repeat.  *Le Sigh*  After a while you feel like it's a never ending Cycle and you just start bothering less to put the hard Work into it then.   It all seems futile to, even tho' THIS time, all Body Parts Crossed, I won't be doing a Do Over again???  I just want Rest, for everything to be Done, no more Loved Ones to have to Work it all around that Need me to Sacrifice Space and make Room for here... it's been a LOT to find extra Personal Space for when none exists as you kept Downsizing livable Space for Retirement Years.  Then, everyone kept coming back and now I think that's permanent?  

 

I don't see America improving in my Lifetime enough to make it Affordable again for the Two Generations behind us to live Independently without Help?    I don't even know if I should have put a Question Mark and not an Exclamation Point behind that Sentence?  *Le Sigh*   If any of them were 100% 'Well' and/or had high paying Careers that were Solid, I might think they could make it without any Leg Up, but, that's not their Reality, none of them.  And Services for those in Need, I think, if this Regime isn't changed out, will be nonexistent very soon.  It's not just about Revenge and Retribution anymore for this Cabal, it's about Purging America of who THEY deem "undesirables", just like Hitler's Vision, or, very close to it from my Observations of the direction it's heading, and on a fast track to.  I'm not even gonna waste Time, Effort or Energy Ranting about it.  It just needs to be Overthrown and Shut Down, the sooner, the better.

As a Person of actual Faith and Deep Spirituality, rather than this Far Right Fundy hypocrisy of extremist Religion that supports all he's doing, I have to maintain Hope that those of us on the Right Side of History and Good will prevail eventually.   The Devils among us right now are doing what Devils do, Devils be Devilish, they don't know how to Be any other way, it's Who and What they just are.   And What they Serve ain't Godly no matter how they try to claim it is and Twist what that means in Actions they can't disguise as coming from God.   I would Like for God to be Dealing with them though.  Since, they're misrepresenting Him, that would be preferable and make the World a much better place for the rest of Humanity and all of it's Sentient Beings on this Planet, no Doubt about it.  

 Mebbe He's just done with our Species, sometimes I consider that our Time is just up, we are a failure, given too many Chances not to be, fucked up once too many times now, and we should be Extinct?  Like the Dinosaurs.  Then Mother Earth could recover from us having been here.  I saw how Mother Earth bounced back and Recovered Miraculously during the Pandemic, remember that?  Shit, when we all, across the whole Planet, got stopped Dead in our Tracks and put on Lockdown, Nature then had a Field Day of Recovery and Rejuvenation, it was Glorious.  It showed me how fast Nature could Move On, Be Well, without us fucking it all up constantly, like a Bad Parasitic Organism She has to Deal with all the fucking time.  

Yeah, some of us have tried to be Harmonious and Protective of the Planet and it's Creatures.   But some Humans can't even be Harmonious and Protective of other fucking Humans, let alone the rest of the Planet and it's Inhabitants!   And there seems too few of us to matter enough now, to negate the ones who could give a fuck and keep fucking it all up, with intention to, it's not even accidental, it's on purpose and they won't Change.  Not that I never have fucked up, we all have fucked up to varying degrees to not be the best Versions of our Species that we can be, but, I try consistently to Be Better at it.   And I know Dear Readers, you're probably among that Tribe of us who want to make Positive differences, Positive Change, Fix what's Wrong and make it Right to the best of our Abilities to.  So, I don't wanna Indict us all, but, we'll all suffer the consequences of being an "Invasive Species" to this Earth, Trust and Believe.

Invasive Species are in the Wrong Place and eventually make whatever Space they're in unsustainable and eventually uninhabitable... even for them.   I see it in small Microcosms happening right in my own Back Yard, so to speak.   The Migration of so many of our Species to a Desert, which is a very Fragile Environment to sustain too large Populations that use as much Water as our Species does... and Wastes... as if they will always have Enough of it... in a fucking Desert!!!   Phoenix shouldn't even Exist, Environmentally speaking.  Wrong Space for Five Million Humans, and growing exponentially at a rate not Sustainable for long at this tipping point, the Paradigm Shift is looming.  Yet, they keep coming, like Locusts. 

And I acknowledge that being here myself, tho' I have been here since 1974, when it wasn't as much of a problem, I'm part of the problem too.  But I Love Arizona and am Mindful it's a Desert and a fragile Ecosystem, so I work in Harmony with that.   Most other States I'd rather move to than most, are unaffordable.  Or having catastrophic Natural Disasters now, and therefore, not even optional or preferable either.  And most of the Exodus that's come, have come to Escape all of that, while there was still somewhere to Escape to.  So, if America collapses, there will be no place to go really, other parts of the Globe won't be Welcoming after he's destroyed International Relations between us.

Sorry, Bad Weather moved in and tho' I had a most Excellent Doc Report and don't have to get Labs 'til around Valentine's Day or see her until Summer now, I am feeling Physically a bit dreadful.  It's Cold, it's Wet, it's Steel Grey Skies, and my Head is hurting like Crazy, as are my Bones.  Likely Allergies and how Bad Weather affects a lot of us Old Folks deep in our Bones.   Oh, I can Predict the Weather by my fucking Bones better than any Arizona Weatherman!  They're often dead Wrong, I've never been when Bad Weather is coming and not yet announced formally.  *LOL and Le Sigh*  I'd told The Man before even looking Outside or Being Outside, Honey, the Weather is gonna Change and go really Bad, I Feel it.  And, it did.  He Consults me about Weather, not the Weather Channel or the Local News.  *ha ha ha*

When I Feel like shit I take to the Bed, and so they woke me up when Princess T needed picking up from Work.  I'd slept straight thru from this Morning after my Appointment, 'til after 2:00 p.m., it's the only way I Recover and get thru Feeling Dreadful... I Sleep it Off.  The Man will be like, why don't you Take something... and I'll be like, Nope, I'll just Sleep it Off.   Me not relying on taking shit and Sleeping whatever it is Off instead, just Works for me and I bounce back better than those Taking something usually.   I can then choose to remain Awake while they become dependent upon whatever they have to Take to get over whatever and whenever it happens time and time again.   I think both Sleep and Laughter, as well as Eating the Right Foods, are like a Good Medicine and better than any Pharma available.

I did decide if I Slept all Day tho', I'd be up all Night and Wreck my Internal Clock, so, I'm forcing myself to Stay Up and Blog.  Gets my Mind off the Headache and distracting Pain Works for me, then I just don't Feel it anymore.   Anyway, so where were we on Positive Topics?  *Winks*  Oh, Yeah, Valentine's Day.  Hey, remember when Candy came in Fabulous Boxes like these Vintage ones?  They command a lot of Money now at Resale, so I Wish I'd kept my Collection of them, but, I Sold them.  And I had a chance to Buy some back Years ago at our Antique Mall when my Vendor Friend Myko was getting rid of hers {See pixs of them Above and Below}, and didn't.  

  

So, now I have Zero of them and only One Fancy Altered Art one Created by Blog Friend Binky, who is an Amazing Artisan out of Texas.  Hers I Kept and won't get rid of, I keep it Displayed all of the time. {See it in Pix Below}  Binky had several For Sale Years ago and I bought just the One, but, should have bought all Four in hindsight.   I kept her Listing Pixs of them for Inspiration but never got around to that Art Project either of covering some Modern Heart Shaped Valentine's Day Boxes with Vintage and Antique Fabrics and Millinery.  So, eventually, Sold the Modern Boxes, which, easily Sell Well too.  Sometimes Buyers just want the Boxes to present other Valentine's Day Gifts with or to Display in Vignettes for the Holiday.  I still kick myself in the Ass for not Buying at least the Blue Box Myko had for Sale... dammit.  Okay, and the Red one too.  *Bwahahaha, double dammit!*

And of coarse being the Mad as a Hatter OCD Collector that I am, you know that sent me right down a fucking deep Rabbit Hole didn'tya?  *Le Sigh and Laughs*   So, I'm Googling Vintage Valentine's Boxes For Sale to see what Offerings this Season has?  And to snag me some Cribbed handy Blog Fodder as well, coz those Vintage Boxes are Beautes anytime you see them.  This Year's Offerings didn't disappoint, tho' they started in Price at around $28 and Being Bid Up, to well into the Stratosphere of what an empty Box of Chocolates should be able to fetch.  *LMAO*  But, hey, throw something at the Wall as a Seller to see if it will Stick I guess, is the Logic?  *Shrugs*  Or, perhaps it's their "I really don't wanna Sell it Price"?  A lot of reluctantly Downsizing Collectors that can't Let Go do that, I see it all the time at the Antique Mall.   It's way past looking for the End of the Rainbow Buyer, the price they slapped on their Stuff they can't bear to really part with.

So, without further adieu, here's what I dredged up off E-Bay and Etsy Visually for a Vintage Valentine's Presentation for 2026:

 

This Seller definitely went all Pro in Showcasing their Box, which comes with the Original BRACHS Presentation of it Box too, Super Rare, in their Presentation of it at Auction.  I appreciate that, my Favorite Sellers always do that.  The Set Up of Merchandising Well is an Art Form that some excel at and Hooks the potential Buyers right in.  It's the Window Dressing of the Piece that Hooks... Baits... ummm makes folks wanna Buy it more now.  *Winks and Giggle*   I give this Seller a Two Snaps Up in a Circle... Wayans Brothers flamboyant "Men On Films" Style Critique.  *LOL See Below if you're not familiar with the Vintage Sketch Comedy Nostalgia from "In Living Color", with Damon Wayans and David Alan Grier, 1990-1994, which was always Hilarious Gay-ity, and with a Snap!!!*   The Blaine Edwards Character in particular {Damon} always had me rolling, David's Character was Antoine Merriweather and excellent too.

If you've never seen the "Men On Football" Vintage Sketch, it's still up Online and you can Thank me later.   It's as Funny now as it was in the Nineties, "In Living Color" was one of my all time Favorite Comedy Shows and I Wish they ran it on Nostalgia TV.  I'd watch it all, every Episode, all over again.  Of coarse now everyone is so sensitive and wanting to be so PC that Yesterdays Humor could get anyone Cancelled if someone takes an Offense, even if none was offered to them to receive.  You can never predict by the Past, what, in the Future is suddenly deemed too Offensive and Taboo now, can't be said or even inferred.  Yes, insensitivities happen, but Comedy is a Joke, it's usually imaginary Characterization or just Satirical for a fucking Laugh.  

So, lighten up, those that watch or listen intentionally to what will be Offensive to them, just don't listen or watch it if you're fragile and overly Sensitive and subject yourself to the exposure of what upsets you.  I feel the same way about my Social Media Pages, including this Blog.  If you Visit and find it is NOT for you, becoz you don't Like what I have to say, share, or the Imagery, just feel free NOT to visit anymore, it's Fine.  We won't miss you and you'll be better off not getting yourself Twisted by your voluntary actions to visit sites you don't approve of or have taken an Offense not even Offered or Intended.   Especially if you're some Rando Individual, I have no Idea who you are, what you Like or Dislike, how easily Offended you may be in Real Life, let alone diving into a diverse Online Community who are not all like you.  

That's the Risk you assume when you come Online and View anything.  You have complete Control of your Mouse and Keyboard.  So, just use discernment FOR YOURSELF and don't project your Emotional Fragility on unsuspecting Strangers you never knew and YOU chose to connect with on your Computer.   It's not all about you all of the time in Life, that's just the Reality of it.   If you've Clutched Your Pearls, chances are, you just went to the Wrong place Online, TV, whatever, just quietly then leave and go where you are Welcome and jive with the Community there.  And, go find your own People and Tribe you can interact with in harmony, without being a disruptor.  I do think some folks LIKE to be Offended tho' since they're Drama Queens and want anything to be Angry about and will Create Drama to feed that Need.

And while Writing this Post, my Headache finally subsiding, wouldn't ya know I'd Restored my Calm and Centered myself, only to then get a Collection call from our Internet/Cable/Landline Phone Provider, Cox, saying I owed them a ridiculous amount of Money!!!  It was just an AI Bot, so, I won't even engage with Artificial Intelligence, it solves nothing and often is dumber than any Human they could possibly Hire.  AI will make up shit if it doesn't know the answer so you can't Trust anything it says, since, it's not as accurate as it should be when it's making stuff up off the cuff that's false information a Bot is somehow able to dream up?  Crazy.  Anyway, I called a Human and got Brandon, after a 40 Minute Muzak Hold.  

Turns out it was a simple fix, I didn't even owe half as much as the Bot had claimed I did, and the only reason I owed anything is they neglected to send me a Paper Billing Statement AGAIN for Month Three in a row, as requested by me way back in August!!!  When they went to Paperless Billing, but my E-Mail Account is Closed now and I don't want to be on Paperless Billing, so Opted Out, Bill me the Old School way by Mail if you wanna get Paid and on time.    And the Bot was asking for January's Payment and it's only the 7th and I'm set up to Pay at EOM.  Yes, the Upgrade to Fiber Optics we just had done, with replacement Equipment, was on Christmas Eve Day and we got the Installation Charges Waived, but Monthly, Fiber Optics is more expensive.  But, it would be Mandatory by 2030 anyway, so, I just Opted In early before the Rush everyone will Need if they want to keep their Cable and Internet Services.

I do not Like all these Federal Mandates forcing the Public to Upgrade and Pay More, but I can't Control any of that after they do away with what Used To Be.   TV's did the same thing... so did Lightbulbs... Phones... well, fuck... everything actually.  I still remember when Cox Cable was Eight Bucks a Month, shows how long I've been with them!  *LOL*   I also remember when Phones had to be Rented and weren't Owned and Ma Bell was the Monopoly and you got Charged extra for Long Distance, so, not all Changes have been Bad or Negative.  I also remember when the Bank I Worked for had a 13th Floor that Housed their Computer, the whole 13th Floor, coz Computers were just that large back then, in the Beginning!!!

And Yes, I remember when Valentine Candy came in Boxes like these and tho' I couldn't eat Chocolate, I'd have Family who did Save the Boxes for me.  I never got Valentine's Day Candy coz I couldn't eat it, but, I was Fine getting the Empty Chocolate Boxes that were this Fine way back when.  Now they're shit, the Packaging... and I don't know why they don't do some Throwback Packaging like these Boxes of Old, I think they'd be a big hit, No?   I'd buy them then just for the fucking Box and toss the Chocolates if I had no-one to unload them on who digs Chocolate.  *Bwahahahahaha*   I've actually bought some Imported Products JUST for the spectacular Packaging many Countries and Cultures still use to Package their Products, with great Graphics and the Packaging being the reason I Bought it!  *LOL*  East Indian and Asian Product Packaging are some of my Favorites.

The Daughter is now down Sick, I don't know what with, but Mando told me last Night she was really Sick and I haven't seen her all Day Today.  If she isn't much better I may be taking another Family Member to Urgent Care again?  *Le Sigh*  I just had some Caldo de Pollo Today {Mexican Chicken Soup}, that's all, at Lunchtime, no Breakfast, no Dinner, don't feel the least bit Hungry either.   I'm very close to being under 200 lbs. just 1.5 lbs. away now, my Doctor was very Happy about that and my Diabetic A1C and Numbers, which have been right around 6.5 for the A1C and 90-110 for my Diabetic Readings lately on Ozempic.  The Bonus is Weight Loss, the downside is, Constipation, both kinds, either you can't shit or the opposite, common with that Med as a Side Effect.  TMI, sorry... but I will push you out of the way if I gotta go, to make sure I don't shit myself... just sayin'!  *LOL*   And, let's end on that Visual... shall we... Bwahahahahahahaha!!!

*******

I don't even know what Holiday to Wish you now... so, Happy Christmas-New Year-Valentine's Day-Easter?

Dawn... The Bohemian

Looking Back Long & Sentimentally While Moving Forward

 I am going deep into Nostalgia thru many Seasons of Life here in Arizona for this Lookback Sentimental Post.   I got The Family some Pizza from "Barro's", I think they have the best Pizzas, more expensive, but, worth it, and very X-Large.  I got a Pepperoni and their White Pizza, which is my fav and like what is usually called a Margherita Pizza... sans the fresh Basil, they use Garlic instead.  We did a Leaf Burning at our Firepit, Bulk Garbage Pickup was this Morning, but we'd run out of Bags to put Curbside for pickup of Yard Debris so we just put some by the Firepit to burn.   I'm such a Pyro at Heart, have been since I was little.  *LOL*  Everyone is Surprised that the big Wood Burning Fireplace we have here in the Sitting Room, I've not yet burnt a Fire in so far!!!  Gasp, yeah, I know!  

Something is soothing to me about sitting in front of a nice Fire, especially a Firepit or Campfire Outside or a nice Fireplace Inside.  Ours is a large one with a huge Adobe Burnt Brick Chimney.  It was a Selling Point for this Home, even tho' I'd looked at other Great possibilities that had as many as Five Indoor and Outdoor Fireplaces.  Like the Pueblo Home out on a Mesa, with a To Die For View for Miles, in Wickenburg, that had Five Fireplaces and was a spectacular Custom Home on 5+ Acres of Pristine Natural Desert.  {See Below}  We'd of never tired of that View and the Privacy.

 

Long time Readers will recall we got all the way to Signing and I recognized there wasn't a Clear Title to that Property, so it couldn't actually be Sold!  Even the fucking Title Company and Seller's Realtor had missed it!  Nobody had said anything about a 3rd Owner on the Note, who now had Dementia and only a Medical Power of Attorney!  I'm like, who the Hell is Marion, when I got the Loan Documents to review and they wanted us to Sign, along with the Sellers, who were an Older Couple I thought were the only ones Titled?

 

Marion, as it turns out, was the Male Sellers Mother and had Co-Signed for the Couple.  She had lived Upstairs in the separate Unit built on the 2nd Floor of this Two Story Pueblo Home.  So had Title in her Name still as a Co-Owner, who now was Non Compos Mentis with advanced Dementia and in a Nursing Home!  Ruh Roh.  Huge Problem.  No Solution, since, even if Dear Marion Died, it would then be tied up in Probate!  With Four other warring factions of the Guy's estranged Siblings, of this Couple trying to Sell it!   It would be part of their Inheritance too and oh, it was gonna get Nasty, Messy and complicated.

Coz, they couldn't Sell it, or afford to Keep the Home with Marion's Nursing Home Costs.  And she'd been paying part of the Mortgage so they could afford this Custom Home and why they required a Co-Signer.  Now they wanted to Retire, but couldn't until they Cashed Out on the Equity and got out from underneath the existing Mortgage.  My understanding is that Home hasn't been able to be Sold to this Day!  If they don't lose it defaulting eventually and going to Foreclosure, they're stuck with it and won't be able to Retire. 

 The Man to this Day is upset the Sellers couldn't perform and transfer a Clear Title so we could Buy it.  We'd pre-qualified, Negotiated a Deal, were literally there ready to fucking Sign when I found and revealed the Cloud on the Title everyone else had missed {Bonus of being a Retired Bank Executive handling distressed Real Property for Lenders} and Questioned the legitimacy of the Sale being Clean!?  Sometimes you just have to Walk Away.   They were a Lovely Couple about our Age, all I could tell them was I couldn't give them Legal Advice, but, I'd Lawyer Up right away if I was them.  And see what Legal Remedies might be an Option... it was gonna be expensive tho', complicated and lengthy, so I don't know if they sought Legal Counsel and they HAD to pull the Listing.  

They weren't the only Sellers who couldn't perform, on Sweet Properties we wanted to Buy.   We had to back out of several Sales of Properties we wanted and could easily Close on if the Sellers had of been able to perform.  But, when so many Sellers are unable to perform, which to me was Crazy, frustrating and unexpected, there's no Sale to be had!!!   No Clean Transfer of Title.  We got this Home becoz FIVE Buyers couldn't perform, which at least was a switch that the Sellers were Solid!!!  They'd all outbid us in the Bidding War for this Property, so we were the 5th Backup Buyers, but then they ALL couldn't Qualify and perform... and we could Close in less than 48 Hours.  So we were offered it again Months after Viewing it and throwing our Hat in the Ring for it.   Then Walking Away and looking at other Options.

  Our Sellers of this Property were so relieved and Grateful, after Four failed Sales to the highest Bidders ahead of us, they gave us the ultimate Deal and threw in an unexpected Thirty Grand or so of Extras.   And we'd Sold the Villa McManse so Quickly, to a Cash Investor from Cali, who Closed in a Day, we had to be out of the Home we were Selling ASAP, so we were Relieved too.   I'd never wanna be under that much pressure and chaos again in my Lifetime.   It was nerve racking and I thought we might be living in Motels in between Properties and keeping our Possessions in Storage 'til we Bought something and had somewhere to Live that we wanted to be a Forever Home!?  We had to back out of a Century Old Historic Estate on Acreage, with Two Story Guest House, Tennis Court, Citrus Orchard and Pool House, in Mesa, coz the Seller also couldn't perform. {See Below} Then, The Lake House nearby, coz the Short Sale dragged on and we were only the Backup Buyer at first.

 Which, is quite an outlay to keep all our Cargo in Storage, if I hadn't worked out a Hood Hookup with the Manager of U-Haul, so I didn't pay for my Storage Spaces.  Which would have been $700 a Month, we did a 'Trade' instead.  *Winks*  I'd always previously Owned Paid Off Properties so the Villa McManse was the only Home I'd Sold that I still Owed and a Lender was still toting the Note on.  When you Own Property Free and Clear, you can take your Sweet Time moving out of it, putting it up For Sale while you Buy and Move In to another, and Selling it.  I like Cash Investors and have always Sold to someone paying Cash, no Lender or Qualifying hassles for that Buyer.  It all Worked Out in the End, as one and many Doors Closed, the Right one eventually Opened.   And now here we are, Living the Dream.  *Winks*

Sure, I kept the Pixs of all the potential Homes we wanted to Buy but it just didn't happen and I had to Walk Away.  There was the Contemporary Mid-Century Mini Farm near a Big Mall that we called The Marilyn Monroe House coz it looked very Old Retro Hollywood in Architecture.  Backed out coz OUR Inspectors found serious Plumbing and Black Mold Issues after the Sales Inspector missed all of that and said all was Well.  Which is Why I always Hire my own People too, best $500 you'll ever spend to avoid Buying Lipstick put on a Pig.  That Home had been meticulously Remodeled in Urban Farmhouse Style, Lovely and Cosmetically Top Shelf.  But leaked like a Sieve, had faulty Wiring, Black Mold, and the Seller, who was also a Realtor and Home Flipper, had covered up the serious Issues he was bound by Law to disclose.  So I cancelled our Deal and our Realtor Reported him.  

Then there was the McManse Estate on Acreage from the 1970's which had been Vacant for 50 Years.  Massive and completely Remodeled, I called it The Murder House coz in the Seventies a Triple Homicide, Drug Related, had been committed there.  They no longer have to disclose such information like they used to when I was in Banking, so that was a Surprise, neither our Realtor nor the Sellers even knew about the History and why it had sat Vacant so long?!   Oddly, it didn't have a Creepy or Dark Vibe or Energy whatsoever.  But you could tell it had once been a very Upscale Cartel Custom Drug House coz there were Secret Compartments and Passages everywhere!!!  *LOL*  {The Leaky Black Moldy Marilyn Monroe House is pictured Below}

  I didn't back out coz of the Murders, it had a Flat Roof that was Original and been made to be an Outdoor Living Space.  You could walk out onto it from the Upstairs Master Suite, spectacular View of the Mountains and West Valley.  It felt spongy to me, Bad Roof, no Thanks, another Lipstick on a Pig scenario by the Investor who Owned it & did Cosmetic Remodel but not a proper Restoration.   And, Princess T was very worried it might be Haunted.  Not in a Good Way like our Historic Homestead Property had been, but in a Bad Way due to the Violent Deaths that happened Execution Style there in the early 1970's.  She could have been Right.  Blog Friend Shirley likened the Interior to the Home on "Scarface", it was very Cartel Chic, and Mausoleum like, I ain't gonna Lie.  Half the Home was built Underground!!!  {The Murder House pictured Below:}

It took the Seller a long time to Sell this Home, it is a ridiculous sized Home and they finally had to do some Exterior improvements to Sell it.  They had to replace an entire Retaining Wall, since the Lot beside it is several Feet higher, it's a Hillside topography and part of that Wall collapsed shortly after we backed out of the Sale due to the Roof Issues.  They did some major Landscaping, bringing in about 18 huge Mature Date Trees now lining the Front of the Property and it looks Gorgeous. {See directly Below a recent Satellite shot looking down on the Acreage}

In the Pix directly Above you can see the half of the Master Suite that goes out thru those Arcadia Sliding Doors to the Rooftop, which wraps around the entire Roof of the First Floor of the Home.  The Master Suite and En Suite Upstairs are like a Triangular Turret on top of the First Floor, also Triangular in Shape Architecturally.  And part of the First Floor is Underground with a huge Patio and Garden Area dug out and about 10 Feet Below Ground level.  It's a very unusual Home and I remember when it was being built in the early 1970's, it took a long time for the Custom Build, I watched it being built.  The only Owners had been the previously Murdered Family of Three Adults Executed.  Their Children found the Bodies when they came Home from School... it made all the Papers.  The Killers were never Found, but they were sure it was an Organized Crime Hit that was Drug related or a Turf War of the Top Players vying for Control.  Remember, in the 70s Phoenix and Tucson were very Mobbed Up Cities, with Italian, Sicilian and South of the Border Mobs vying for Control all the time. 

And not many current Dear Readers were around when we owned our Beloved Historic Home, which, I never Wanted to have to Sell.  It was meant to always be our Forever Home, but then, Life happened.  Shit happened.  We ended up Raising another Generation and had to Adopt and the Home wasn't suitable for the Adoption Board to approve it in their Opinion.  The Man's Health was tanking badly and he had Mobility Issues after his Catastrophic Accident and Brain Injury.  A Victorian Era Home just wasn't suited for Wheelchairs and Walkers, large Medical Equipment... there was a LOT going on. 

 But, I still look Back long and Sentimentally while Moving Forward, of what used to be, what could have been, what now isn't.  {Below and Above, are a few Images of the Original Bohemian Valhalla Old Historic Homestead...}   Interiors of it's various Buildings on the Property, including the Art Studio Cottage, Main House, and other Cottages on the Back half of the Acreage.  It was legitimately Haunted, but not in a Bad Way, we co-existed for over 15 Years Harmoniously with whatever Spirits were tied or attached to that Property.  I highly Suspect, when I transition from Time into Eternity, I might be tied enuf and definitely attached enuf to show up in Spirit there myself.  *Smiles*

I definitely felt a Connection to that Property like I never have with any other and probably never will again.  Yes, Love Forever Boheme' and it's the Right Space to Own and finish out our Lives in this Community, for a whole lotta reasons.  Yet, if I could Buy back the Old House, I would, and so would any Member of my Family.  It's the only thing I have ever had constant regret about Selling.   And I miss it a lot, but have the Photos and Memories of being the Steward of it for that time we were there.  And it still Exists due to those efforts and Selling it to a Preservationist who Loves it was much as we did and has it occupied once again.

It was the longest Good-Bye ever as I didn't even put it on the Market for over a Year after we Moved and were in the Villa McManse.  It was Paid for, so there was no urgency and I didn't want to Sell.  But, Vacant Properties in Historic Barrios are subject to being broken into, vandalized, and Squatters, so, after Eleven of that kind of nonsense, I knew I had to get it Sold and someone into it to finish the restoration I had begun back in 1998.   Mr. Avila is slowly doing remodeling and restoration in the Years he's now Owned it and we've become Friends over those Years.  If he takes any of the Architecture down that is Original and Salvages it, he gives me to me, which I appreciate.

There's little things about it that I wanted to remember forever so I Photographed them, like the Original Wallpaper from the turn of the Century Circa either late 1910's to early 1920's.   And the Cool Hardware and Architectural Salvage from razed 1800's Buildings, including an Old Courthouse, that the Original Owner Built all of the Property out of.  It was the Wild, Wild West back then and the only Homestead in the area for well over 20+ Years before it was Founded as a City in 1948 and was just a Stage Stop called Coldwater Station becoz of the nearby Agua Fria River.   An Outlaw actually was the most famous Citizen.  This Property had so many Escape Doors, even in the smallest Rooms, and Secret Compartments and Hiding Spaces for Escaping Indian Raids and Outlaw Cowboys, that it was so Interesting in a Historic Sense and worth Preserving!  It was as Quirky and Funky as Yours Truly, so it suited me.

Now it's doubtful there would be any more Moves except to a Cemetery.  I'd fantasized about owning another Historic Home, but either the Price Point is too High if the Location is Right, or the Location too sketchy if it's affordable now to consider when you're Old and more vulnerable to be potentially Victimized.   It's a small percentile of problem people, the Neighbors we had there were by and large good hard working folks.  But a small percentage of chronically problem people can and do ruin the peace, safety and well being of many in any community, and commit the most Crime in older and lower income Neighborhoods especially.  And as you get Older, you don't wanna Deal with those types of Issues that can create risks of being victimized.   In Cities the Urban Issues in some areas are notorious and people who can Move, then will.

 

Another Blast from the Past of myself, a Friend, and one of her Customers who looked so much like The Queen it was a running Joke.  Lovely Lady she was, this Customer, and a good Sport about looking like Queen Elizabeth II.  I'm sure she got that a lot from people, hey, you know who you look like?  *Smiles*   And my Friend Photoshopped this Pix and it still makes me Smile.  This is also my Friend who was a Blog Follower first and then was my 1st Customer who made the 1st Sale at our Antique Mall when we were both moving in!!!   They didn't even have the POS System up and running yet when she bought a Retro Kitchen Stool/Stepladder from me as I was bringing it in before our Grand Opening.   She started out with a Showroom and Maintaining the Mall's Online Media Sites.   I started out with a Small Booth.  She later went on to Own several Paper Arts Stores, Teaching Art Classes, and an Online Business.  She's still at our Downtown Antique Mall Location, but Closed her Shops, due to the Pandemic mostly. 

Brief Dreadlock update, I've let them Congo from the original 60+ now, down to 15 more stronger and manageable Dreads, now that they've become so long and so heavy.  I didn't initially expect to narrow them down to so few, but it becomes necessary with the Maturity and thickness of them and the Maturity of me.  I'm an Older Dreadhead and Senior Hair Issues are unavoidable, with Hair Thinning and my Hair lightening as I Age.  Hair follicles shrink, slow down, and generally produce Finer, Shorter Hairs and some follicles stop producing entirely.  Hormonal shifts happen, reduction of Collagen {so I take supplements of Collagen for Skin, Hair and Nails}, and slower Cell Regeneration and sometimes Androgenetic Alopecia or Traction Alopecia {which I now suffer from on some areas of Top and Front Hairline of Scalp}.  

 So, in the last Decade I've noticed less robust Hair on parts of the top of my Scalp and front Hairline, of a Female type of pattern balding after Menopause, that I can't entirely remedy, even with Dreadlocks.   And I have to take Meds that can cause considerable Hair Loss as a Side Effect.  My Dreads are very long and heavier too, they grow pretty fast and are stronger than if I didn't have Dreadlocked Hair tho'.  So, overall it's been beneficial and I'm now in my 8th Year of having them.  I've cut them fairly often if they aren't too thick to.  Cutting the really Phat ones, I don't even know what you'd use, they are like cutting thru actual Hemp Rope!!!   Sometimes you lose the ends of some too, with thinning in an area from wear and tear or breakage.  I don't get too much of that the thicker they become, but any thinner ones can have fragile areas.  I began with Microdreads that were the size of a piece of Yarn, but I erroneous Imagined they'd stay that way, now some are the size of a Cuban Cigar!  *LOL*  Letting them Congo {grow together} can cause that but sometimes they just grow bigger as they grow out of your Head!

I still get a lot of people admire them and ask questions, mostly if they are considering it themselves, or didn't have good Luck with theirs.  If you get bad Advice it's Negatively going to impact the Health of your Dreadlocks.  Luckily, before I ever got mine I had Friends who'd had Dreadlocks for 10-30 Years.  Some were Rastafarians and never Cut theirs due to their Beliefs.  So, my Friend Bobby, had Dreadlocks literally down to the Floor.  I've gotten Advice from Dreadheads with Experience, of all Races and Hair Types and did my Due Diligence for about a Year asking my vital Questions before ever getting Dreads.  So that I'd know how best to Care for them and what to avoid doing.  The Best Advice by far from Experienced long-term Dreadheads of the Community was to just Keep 'em Clean and Keep 'em Separated. 

 And you don't have to do the latter if you don't want to once they mature and get less inclined to Congo Naturally.   And, use a good Dreadlock Product Shampoo that doesn't have Residues.  I use and prefer the "Dollylocks" Brand, Liquid and Bar Shampoo, and other Products they make for Dreadlock Maintenance.  I've not had hardly any problem with itchy Scalp, but if you do, there are some good Product to ease that coz you can't 'Brush' Dreadlocks.  That's a Bonus, as far as I'm concerned, it's the lowest Maintenance Hairstyle I've ever had in my Life!!!   So, I'll never go back to not having them. 

 And, No, I don't bother with Palm Rolling mine, I'm Old, I have Arthritis, and, it doesn't really make much difference for all that Effort/Work, Trust me.  And I leave the Ends alone, some Blunt Naturally, some Paintbrush End Naturally, I don't Care.  And each will morph over time, I just let 'em.  I never use Waxes and don't Root Flip, No-No's Advice from Mature Experienced Dreadheads about that.  Avoid Tight Styles and frequent Retwisting.   Most Dreadlock damage comes from improper Care.  And some Issues are not avoidable and have Hereditary Genetic Factors you'll just have to accept.  

 I've had Thin, Fine Hair my entire Life and a high Forehead, so the density of my Hair, is what it just is to Work with.  And I've always had sparse or absent Body Hair due to Ethnicity factors.  I had Light Hair in my Childhood, it Darkened in Adulthood, and now is Lightening again in my Old Age, but not Greying fast or prematurely like Mom's Side of the Family.  Dad's side mostly Died with their Lifelong Color of Blue Black Hair.  My Hair is still mostly my Lifelong Light to Dark and Light again Brunette Color.  I have some Silver, but not very much of it to have replaced my Original Color, mebbe I never will?  I don't Dye my Hair, I let it be it's Natural Color, whatever it decides to be.

Now, a Final Blast from the Past of me, Circa Early 1970's.   And Sadly, I Sold Off my Vintage Elves on a Shelf pictured and now I kinda do have regret about that and am looking to find some replacements.  It happens... Looking Back Long and Sentimentally while Moving Forward, will have some Regrets.   I've had a few Regrets, but, mostly not...

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Happy New Year, live 2026 with few Regrets my Friends... and don't linger too long in the Past... or you'll miss too much of the Present... Dawn... The Bohemian