Issues Of Life Heavy Topics

 

A few Bloggers have mentioned in their Posts that they're not in the best Head Space either, I'm still trying to snap out of mine.  The thing is that I don't feel Sad or Depressed, but I do feel highly Anxious and near Tears, which is out of Character for me coz I don't Cry, hardly ever.  Even when I'm really hurt or devastated Emotionally, I don't Cry, I'm a Naturally Stoic person Emotionally.  I've even been called Unemotional all my life, I'm just not displaying Emotions in Natural ways people usually are, becoz even as a Child I did not Cry or show a lot of Emotion outwardly.  So why I'd feel so close to Tears for no apparent reason is rather unsettling to me, it Feels Stupid to be that Emotionally on The Edge and not know Why?  

Moving On, since, no matter the Feeling of going to Cry, I probably won't actually Cry, I tried, it ain't happening.  *Bwahahahaha*  Yes, I TRIED to Cry, just to mebbe get it out and get it over with, but, couldn't do it and then that made me Laugh.  There I was TRYING HARD to Cry, Feeling like I was on The Edge of going to pieces and having a Cryfest, but, NOTHING!  Princess T laughed along with me, she can't ever recall seeing me Cry even when People Die or I get hurt, so she saw the Dark Comedy absurdity of it all.  She told me a lot of people at Work have been highly Emotional and even really Depressed lately, she said mebbe it's Trump?  *Bwahahaha*  Well, mebbe it is, he just won't Die, and THAT would Cheer a lot of people up, including me.  She said some of her Young Co-Workers Hate him as much as I do.  *LOL*

She joked with those Friends at Work that can't stand him, don't even mention his name to my Grandma, she's even got a Voodoo Doll of him at Home!  *Winks*   Who else does she have Voodoo Dolls of, they wanted to then know?!  Some think I might even have a Dungeon at Home?!  That's the Rumor going round that her Old Boss, Kyle, started and mused about way too often, she said.  *Bwahahaha*  The Youngsters and Administration there at her Work Adore me tho', I'm that Weirdo Grandma that they genuinely Love and they all call me Gramma Dawn now, Bless 'em.  So, my Darkness doesn't Scare them, they actually think I'm Cool... or whatever Word the Young People are using these days, which, is probably NOT the Word "Cool"?  *BwaHAHAHA*  I think the Words "Lit" and "Fire" come to mind I've heard The Grandkids use?  Which is the Polar Opposite of "Cool", so that's actually Funny!!!

I can't keep up with Slang but I am amused by it, always have been, I recall the Slang of my Generation.  I particularly like Princess T calling someone "Busted" if they look really bad and a Hot Mess.  But, it's still used also for being caught doing something Wrong.  For her, mostly it's used if someone looks really tragic physically.  And there's a lot of THAT walking around in Public lemme tell ya!!!  Lord Jesus!!!  What a Human Sideshow it often is, and they leave the House looking like that as if they don't have Mirrors at Home!!!  *Bwahahaha*  Tragically some of them actually think they're looking Fine or Fly and Believe they have Swagger, when they're actually looking Busted!  And, she will always critique it, coz she's a Fashionista and Critical of anyone out there whose a Hot Mess needing an Intervention and a Makeover.  She'll ask me, don't they have someone who Cares enuf about them to SAY something?!  *LMAOROTF*

She was Critical that I had my new Sullen Shirt on Backwards, becoz the best Graphics are on the Back and I wanted that facing Forward.  I told her it's my New Fashion Statement, and I like wearing it Backwards coz my Dreadlocks cover up the Graphics completely if they are on the Back where they're supposed to be.  *Winks*  Above is the Graphics on the Back of the Shirt, which covers the entire Shirt... Below is the small Logo Graphic where a Pocket would be and it's a nice Graphic, but very tiny... this Pix is enlarged.   It's a nice Shrunken Head, but, the Main Graphics are on the Back, my Dreadlocks totally cover it up unless I have them piled up on my Head, becoz my Dreads are down past my Waist now... and it's a shame to cover up that Art on the Shirt IMO so I wear the Shirt Backwards on purpose.  *LOL*  She. does. not. approve.   She said it looks Senile to wear my Clothes on Backwards... Oh well, just let me be Old then.  *Bwahaha*

We're getting more Bad News out of Mexico from the Oldest Grandchild there whose trying to finish Raising her Two Youngest Sisters and support them while they finish High School.  The Youngest one is a Golden Child, like the Oldest one is, both Good Girls, Excellent Students, very much like Princess T is while being Raised, they are Serious Teenagers and stay out of Trouble.  The Middle one however, is the Wild Child, has Special Needs, does poorly in School and has gotten kicked out of several Relatives Homes who tried to help Saint Maria with her when the Paternal Grandma was still Alive.  That Child had it best and was living with the Wealthiest Niece of Saint Maria in a Manse that was like a Resort, she got kicked out of there for being too much Trouble!

Well, her Sister has Messaged her Mom that she'd like her Mother to take that one and do something with her, she doesn't want the responsibility any more.  That's the one that we just sent almost $200 to get into School, Princess T Bankrolled most of it and was hesitant to, given it was the Wild Sister who gives everyone Trouble and doesn't take School Seriously.  I Bankrolled the School Uniform part but said I don't want a Wild Child here, we probably couldn't get her into the Country anyway.  The Older one is 18 now, but the Middle one is only 17 and dating Grown Men, which, is the bigger worry for her Older Sister becoz of the type of Guys her wayward Sister is drawn to and she's just a Kid, so, Stupid and Naive about things, she doesn't want her getting Pregnant.  Or mixed up with Bad Guys.  It's messy, I don't know what to say, an Out of Control Teen is a big Problem, Period.

We got other Issues playing out with extended Family already that are stressful enuf, I also have a Dear Friend right now whose Dying and just Lost a Dear Friend to Terminal Illness, so, it's been A LOT to unpack and process.  Along with The Man's Health Issues and my Side Effects from the new Medication, I guess it's no wonder my Anxiety is heightened, now that I'm Writing about some of it... not even all of it... coz some of it I just don't even wanna Write about.  Some of it I can't Write about, it's too Heavy.  Anyway, that was not Good News to wake up to this Morning, more Problems with the Prodigal Grandchild.   The Daughter knows she was my ultimate Prodigal Child, tho' I had Three out of the Four we Raised who were High Maintenance Kiddos that required Extreme Parenting, Princess T being our only Golden Child.  *LOL*  The Golden Children aren't even like being a Real Parent, they're so Easy to Raise!!!  Why can't ALL Children be Golden?  *Bwahahaha*

Well, at least we know the Prodigal Grandchild didn't get kicked out of School, yet... whew... so that Money wasn't immediately wasted.  The Daughter hasn't even been able to pay Princess T back yet, tho' Princess T isn't worried about that, she knows her Mom's barriers to being Employed due to her Serious Mental Illness.  So, she didn't expect to get Paid Back at all, The Daughter has just insisted she will, coz Princess T was the only one at the time that had enuf Money to send on such short notice.  I don't ask for paybacks if it's an Outlay for Family Emergencies and especially involving Grandchildren and something important, like the ability to go to School, Eat, keep the Lights on, pay for Medical needed.  I do what I can when I can coz it's the Right thing to do for Family. 

I know it's hard for The Daughter to even take Care of herself, she was deemed too unwell to raise her Children, which is why us Grandparents on both sides of the border did.  But the Girls in Mexico have nobody now and so they call her first, or contact me, and I don't even fluently speak or understand Spanish.  I get the gist of what they're telling me, but need a more fluent interpretation so that I'm accurately assessing what's going on?  Plus, I don't "know" those Children like the ones I Raised, so, it's difficult for me to give advice about someone I haven't spend actual time with in person to get a sense of who they are and what works for them?  I don't presume that those Three are exactly like any of the Four Children I did Raise and that what worked for one would work for all.  Children and Adults are individuals, and Teens are particularly complex as they're Maturing.  Nature and Nurture are a mixed bag with each of us.

  I'm still always figuring out how to best Deal with and Help people I know intimately and best.  I can only presume to know how to Help people I haven't had actual one on one contact with in person and who I'm related to, but don't really "know" me either.   It is different in how a long distance Relationship works, even with Family.  And, the Culture and Traditions in other Countries, I know from experience, is vastly different around the Globe, even often State to State in America.  Anyone well Traveled can testify to that fact.  Anyway, Moving On... We had gotten Two 10% Off Coupons for buying our Groceries and getting our Immunizations done at their Pharmacy, so I used that this Morning.  It mean almost Ten Bucks off my Groceries and they had most of the items on Sale too, so even more Savings.

I'm making Chili for Supper, lead Pix shows it cooking.   While I was at the Grocery Store I picked up some Mild Hatch Green Chiles to put in it.  I'd made some Vegetable and Jasmine Rice Homemade Crockpot Soup the day before and everyone liked how it turned out.  I needed to use up some Fresh Vegetables and that seemed the perfect solution to having no perishables waste.  Crockpot Meals are preferable since they can simmer all Day long or all Night long, developing the Flavor, and everyone can eat it whenever they feel like it, no set Mealtime for anyone.  Everyone's Schedules here are Wild and overlapping sometimes, with Family and any Guests coming and going, so it's just easier to feed a lot of people at various Hours with a Crockpot Meal. 

 

Mostly this Day I'm gellin' and not doing anything other than that necessary Grocery Shopping.   Next Weekend will be the kickoff of Autumnal Events and Holiday Themed ones.   I feel deeply down a Rabbit Hole of Online Imagery of Holiday Buffet Decor Ideas, so Creative and Fun.   The Prosciutto Charcuterie Board Limbs and Skulls Centerpieces are hilariously Macabre Fun for a Halloween Inspired Party.  We used to always do Halloween Costume Parties and the Adults always had as much Fun as the Kids at them.   We lived in a Neighborhood in the 1980-1990's that the whole Street would get involved and have a Halloween Costume and Decoration Party and Contest.  Trick-Or-Treaters would come from miles around to experience it, we'd all go All Out with the Decorations and Costumes too.

One Year The Man dressed as a Hooded Medieval Executioner and our Neighbor Friend Dino dressed as Dracula and the Guys even built a Coffin for Dino to lay in and jump out of at the Kids, and The Man had a big  Medieval Executioner's double sided Axe, they Loved it!   But, when we bought our legit Haunted Historic Home a few miles from there, people were much more Afraid of the actual Property and most wouldn't even walk on the same side of the Street Halloween Night or would run past!  So, we had to tone it way down and just do a whimsical Harvest Theme on the Exterior or we would have gotten NO Trick-Or-Treaters.  *LOL*   Here we do Lifesize Skeletons dressed up with a different Theme each Year, the Clown Theme being the most Popular, people are more afraid of Clowns than Dead People, it turns out.  *Smiles*

I LOVED this Pumpkin Carving Idea so much I want to try it this Year when we carve our Jack O'Lanterns!!!   Believe it or not I still have one Heirloom Pumpkin on the front Porch from last Halloween that isn't even rotten or dried out yet!!!   I'm wondering if it will manage to last until this Halloween?  We didn't Carve our Pumpkins last Year, the Real ones, and mostly we use the faux ones if the price of Real Pumpkins is too high or we don't like the Selections offered.  The Heirloom last the longest and are more like Gourds in their longevity.  Since the Family aren't Fans of Pumpkin or Pumpkin Spice flavored Foods we don't usually do anything with them culinary wise.   One Year at the Historic Home we grew our own, that's a Labor of Love with little Reward, but the Vines are Lovely even if the Harvest is skimpy.  Our Vines were robust but we only ended up with a meager Harvest of Heirloom Pumpkins.  The pure White ones did best.

With Donnie Two Dolls looking so bad lately I've been thinking his Inner Circle might do a Weekend At Bernie's with him and lo and behold, after mentioning that, Below is an Image I got in my Algorithm Feed!   Hilarious!  The Web Crawlers indeed pay attention to what we say, don't they?  *Bwahahahahaha*   The Trolling of him has been exemplary and I'm Loving it!!!  And you KNOW he sees it and it's getting under his Skin, which, BTW, is looking pretty bad lately and hard to disguise with the Bad Makeup Coverups they're doing.  One would think when you're the President of the United States, your Handlers and Publicists, could and would do a better job of matching your Skin Tone than that piss poor Job they're doing!!!

Granted, I'm not as Old as him and my own Skin is like Crepe Paper and can Bruise Up for nothing I recall even doing!  I've even had Blood running down my Arms and Freak the Kiddos Out and don't even know what the Hell happened to cause the injuries?!   But, he's looking really bad and one can only Hope he's on his way Out one way or another.  JD even had a Freudian Slip recently about it... Ooops!   I think the last couple of Geriatric Presidents they haven't been forthright about the Health of with the Public, and we do have a Right to know if Physically or Mentally they are not up to the Job and it compromises their ability to adequately Lead and make decisions for us all.  I think there should be an Age Limit for all Politicians, and a Term Limit too, especially for the Supreme Court Judges... who end up looking like Crypt Keepers!

 

A lot of this kind of Trolling of him is all over the Web too and they need to keep the Pressure up.  Actually there are very Old Court Documents of him being accused as a Co-Defendant, with Epstein, of some Pedophile Charges, so, it's not been exactly a closely guarded Secret.  Robin Williams even Roasted him over a Decade ago for Owning so many Beauty Pageants and said it was akin to Michael Vick owning a Series of Pet Stores, it's like a Catch And Release Program for him!   And also Called him Out for Calling his own Daughter "Hot", among other inappropriate Comments he's said about his own Female Children that is really Incestuously Creepy as Fuck!!!  The things he's said about his own Daughters makes my Skin Crawl and makes him highly Suspect at not just being a Sex Offender of Grown Women, actually most Sex Crimes, and I worked a lot of them at the DA's Office, are not committed against Adults statistically... so no telling what he's said or even done to anyone else's Children?

*******

May your Issues of Life not be too heavy my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian

CDC Gutted... No COVID Vaccines... Fun Times Ahead!!!

 The CDC is a Hot Mess, just before the Season when Vaccines will be critical, seems this Regime is intent on destruction of the Agency.  Loads of Firings and Resignations of important experienced skilled Staff that really are irreplaceable.  The American people will suffer and some will even Die due to this Anti-Vaxxer Anti-Science Agenda of those in Power now with whacko Extremist Ideology about Health and Care.  To deny people adequate Care and force Snake Oil Ideology upon the Country is dangerous Policy being implemented and quite Draconian.  It goes hand in hand with the abolishing of Female Reproductive Care being available and legal, so that Women control their own Bodies and not the Government or some Fundamentalist Religious viewpoints that aren't their own.

Photo says to me:  "Look Great-Grandma, a Pig's Ass!!!"  *LOL*  And that's how I Feel about this President... he's as Grotesquely filthy and as Useless to us as a Pig's Ass.  *Smiles*  Anyway, this is where we now are as a Nation and restoring Trust and repairing what carnage has been done will be a very long and expensive Journey too.  Either the American People or the Hand of God will eventually eliminate this President, but the aftermath left in his wake will still be very messy.  I'm gonna try to get our Vaccines this Fall like we always have, and while perhaps our Coverage will be honored by Medicare and TriCare For Life?   The Man can get his thru the VA even if we can't get his thru Civilian means and he's more Medically complex than I am and cannot afford to get deadly contagions due to his high risk factors and coupled with advanced Age.  He's Six Years Older than I am.

I have been unable to get thru to his Cardiologist's Office, they're not answering their Phones, which is Weird, I expected to at least get a Voice Message of if they're just Closed on certain days or what?  I needed to find out if I can take him in to get his Vaccines before his Surgery or should I wait until afterwards?   But, if I can't get a response then he just wants to go get them so we don't end up with the Flu or COVID, which, I'm leaning towards that decision too.   If he comes down with something Serious it would delay having his 2nd Heart Surgery anyway.   We go to SAFEWAY's Pharmacy to get our Vaxxes, we like their System there and so far they've taken our Insurances and covered it all in the past.

And of coarse we've had another mass Shooting, at a Parochial School this time, Two small Children massacred by Gun Violence while at Mass. More emphasis has been put upon the Shooter being Trans this time than the Topics that should be addressed.  It keeps reoccurring and nothing is being done at all, nothing... absolutely nothing.  And I doubt it ever will be, since the Love of Weaponry in America seems to supercede our Love of protecting our Children or the General Public from the type of Weapons that shouldn't be on the Market at all.  Weapons used for Wartime don't need to be in the Hands of Civilians.  It's easier to get a Gun than it is to get Cigarettes, Alcohol, a Driver's License, or qualify for Medical or Mental Health Services.  Why is that?

  The Mental Health Issue is also never being addressed, in fact, Cuts are still being made to Services that once were available!  When Families and Friends of those suffering from Serious Mental Illness seek help for the afflicted, you don't get it, or it's woefully inadequate and too expensive or parsed out too sparingly.  The same rhetoric coming out of Administrations hasn't solved or resolved a damned thing either with this problem.  There's a lot of individuals out among us who aren't Well, or are struggling Mentally or Emotionally, it can happen to anyone actually, just like any other Illness can happen to any of us.  Nobody is Immune from becoming Sick, whether Physically or Mentally, or both.  And just becoz you desperately Need Services doesn't mean you'll get them... I've dealt with The System for Years, it's no better Four Generations later!

 Since, receiving Care is very selective isn't it?  Often you have to either be Flavor of the Month or have the Money to buy the best Care or Coverage.  Cuts by this Administration also being made drastically to reduce Millions of Americans from having any Coverage at all isn't going to be Helpful.  And, the Gun Lobby is a very Powerful and well Funded one, so Administrations have always sided with the NRA and not with the Victims of Gun Violence.   None of these mass Shootings is being done with Weaponry that you'd use for Home Protection or Hunting.  So, Calm Down anyone who'd profess that it would take away your Right to Bear Arms, it wouldn't.  If you are wanting the Right Arms that is, and not Weaponry you'd need if you were a Soldier during Wartime!!! 

 And, some people SHOULDN'T own a Weapon if they'd misuse it.  If you have a long Criminal History, are Seriously Mentally Unwell, or have Red Flags when you go to Buy one, chances are, you shouldn't be able to Buy one.  And perhaps have a Waiting Period and thorough Background Checks first, only Sell Weapons that aren't designed for Killing as many People are efficiently as possible... just fucking Sensible things!   Yes, there will still be Illegal Weaponry that folks will Buy thru Illegal means, but justifying doing nothing becoz some Criminals will still find a way, makes no Sense at all. 

 Plus, most of these Shooters that commit these kinds of Crimes don't just do it out of the Blue, so I have to think somebody knew they had Issues and should have said something.  But, mebbe they did and nobody took it or them seriously?  It happens.  And, even if they have Extremist & Radicalized Hateful Views and everyone knows it, it's not like we're rounding people up who are Hateful, Extremists or Radicals either... this whole Regime and it's Base are in fact.  I haven't met a MAGAt yet that isn't spewing some pretty disturbing and Hateful stuff and who knows if they'd follow thru with any of it with Actions and not just disturbing unhinged Rhetoric?  So the See Something Say Something, well, how would that Work really then?  There's a whole lotta Crazy and Unhinged out there these days, it would be impossible to round them all up "Just In Case".  The Home Grown Extremists and Radicals, and this Fascist Regime, are a bigger Threat to America's National Security than any Immigrant, Illegal or Legal.

Anyway, we got our Flu Shot at SAFEWAY but the Pharmacist said with this new Administration they aren't giving them the COVID Vaccines and you now must get an Authorization from your Doctor in order to even get one!  Well, if I have to do that, might as well ask my Doctor to give me the damned Booster for COVID then!  The Pharmacist said this isn't gonna work out and will overwhelm the Medical System, be a Pain in the Ass to both Patients and Doctors, plus, most people won't then bother to get the Vaccine and we'll thus have another preventable Pandemic!!!  He agreed the whole thing is absurd, and he's not even sure Insurance will Cover the COVID Vaxxes anymore either?!  And we already know the CDC has been gutted by this Regime.   Fun Times ahead!!!

So, after we got our Flu Shot and before my Arm got sore, we went to the Antique Mall for me to spruce up my Showroom and make a Halloween Themed Vignette.   It took me about Two Hours, but everything looks Swell now, and Sales are in the shitter for this Pay Period, which ends Tomorrow, so, I better Kill it in Sales Today and Tomorrow then!!!   Sometimes you can pull it out of your Ass on the last couple Days of a 14 Day Pay Period, so, all Body Parts are Crossed I can?  The Mall was busy, but, not a lot of Sales going on, sometimes folks are just cruising around becoz they need something to do but aren't Buying... I do it too.  At least our Showroom looks Fresh now for the Weekend. 

They apparently got someone named Susan to Work the Friday Night Shift.  I was talking to my good Friend Deb, who Works the 1-5 Shift on Fridays, she said Richard had been back for some time, but only working a couple Hours to see if he could handle it, at first.   She agreed that Management should have said something to me tho' and not deceived me about him never returning to Friday Nights.   I moved things around in the Showroom and re-organized all the T-Shirts by Color.  So I have a whole Rack of Black Tees with Specialty and Band Graphics, a whole Rack of Tie-Dye Tees some of which have Graphics, and then Two Racks of various Solid Color and White Tees with Specialty and Band Graphics. I Displayed any Tees that have Halloween or Horror Theme Graphics and any Satirical Political Theme Graphics.

I have a Bernie Sanders Tee, a McDonnie Clown Tee, a Notorious RBG Tee, the Political Satire Merch Sells fast and I'm the only one Selling the Anti-MAGA Merch, so I have great turnover of it.   We do have some MAGA Vendors Hawking his shit, it's not Selling so well anymore.  And at Chazzas I see a lot of it Donated too.  Princess T said they often throw it away and won't Sell the MAGA Merch Donated at their Stores... but I notice it at the GOODWILL Stores who aren't so selective.  And I always see it at the Closeout Color Tags since clearly nobody is Buying it or wearing it like they used to.  They ought to just throw it in the Trash where it belongs or burn it.

So, I didn't take any Pixs of the Showroom coz my Phone was Dead, The Daughter had used it last and forgot to put it on the Charger, so it was at 0%... dammit!   I took The Man to "Appleby's" for Lunch and used his Phone to Photograph our Appetizer Platters, which, they had a new Sale on, any 3 Appetizers plus 3 Dips for $14.99.   I got the Boneless Hot Wings and Two Orders of the Wonton Tacos with Ranch Dips & Celery.  The Man got Mozzarella Sticks, Double Crispy Shrimp and Onion Rings with 3 different Dips.   The Man's Phone takes decent Pixs but I had a hard time figuring out how to transfer them to my Phone, The Daughter had to help me, I'm so Tech Challenged and why I don't Upgrade Phones either to have to Learn a New One.  *LOL*  

He has lotsa leftovers coz he picked at his and barely ate.  Which, since the Dementia, is common for him to just move his Food around and fiddle with it without eating it, unless you make him and remind him that's what you do with it.  *Le Sigh*   He Loves the Idea of Eating Out, but mostly we end up giving his to one of the Kiddos to eat that we had to just take Home after I give him about an Hour to consume what little bit I got him to actually eat.   I'll be done and he's mebbe taken One or Two bites and spend the rest of the time arranging shit like it's an Art Project and not a Meal!!!   It is a nice Visual of Food Porn, I will admit.

I screwed up a Pre-Scheduled Post and rather than setting it to Publish on September 7th, I accidentally did it for August 7th... had to then convert it back to Draft Form, and move it forward to August 29th, which was the Real Time Date I could then switch it to.  It made for an out of sequence Post and a Two-Fer Post kinda day for that Date, oh well.  I'm still 9 Pre-Scheduled Posts ahead and that will be the only one out of sequence that I Wrote last but then Pre-Scheduled a Month Wrong.  *LOL*  Hard to Believe it's almost September tho', Time is warping by so fast this Year!  I am so ready for Autumn tho', it's been a very hard and very Hot Summer, expenses were so high and financially it was tight as Hell for us.  I Hope Social Security for September comes on Time, so I don't have to play Economic Whack-A-Mole again?

We don't Own a Dog but our Grandkids and many of our Friends do and send me Pixs of their Adorable Fur Babies and I just have to Share some of them.  Animals and Children take the best Candid Photos.   The previous Bulldog Pix is the Fur Baby of one of my Granddaughters in Pittsburgh, all Three of those Granddaughters, and our Oldest Daughter back there, own Bulldogs now.   The above Fur Baby belongs to my Industry Friend Robert and his Husband... their Dogs are their "Babies".  A lot of my Industry Friends are busy putting together their 1st Autumn and Halloween Event of the Season, so I've Cribbed some of their Sneak Peek Imagery to Share for Blog Fodder here to get you into an Autumnal Mood early.  *Winks*  I Welcome ushering Autumn in, it's been so damned Hot this Summer we're ready for a respite from it!!!  I heard Reno, NV just had Catastrophic Monsoon Flash Flooding like Texas did!

Metro Phoenix has come close already and tho' the Monsoons came way Late, they're now here with a vengeance and we've had Two HUGE Haboobs already... and some Moderate Flooding and considerable Storm Damage around the Metro Cities.   Mando and The Daughter have Sandbagged the Hell outta the Back Patio to prevent Flooding, that's where Water holds most coz of drainage off the Roof there, but we're gonna install Rain Guttering and hopefully be able to afford Leaf Filter on top of the Rain Guttering so we don't have to clean it of debris.  I have to Call for Estimates on that part, Mando is doing the installation of the rest and using Scrap Guttering he gets from his Recycle Scrap Metal Source.

 

I'm Hopeful there will be an uptick in Sales for the kickoff of the Holiday Season, which is Why I wanted to ready our Showroom for it early.  I usually do quite Well with Holiday Merch, whether it's Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter Merch.   People seem to spend more on their Holidays than other times of the Year.  Especially Decorating for them.   I Love the Shirt Below "Bat Shit Crazy", we should each have one in this Family, but I bet they don't have my Size... dammit.  That Vendor always has the Best Tees but never in my Size, she kind of stops at Large and it's a Chinese Large... so, not very Large at all for the Average American Size Large.  *LOL*   If she had it in XXL I'd Buy one tho'.  I like my Shirts loose and baggy these days so they're most comfortable. 

I Cribbed enuf Imagery to last at least a couple Posts, since, I'm not getting out much to Pathologically Picture Take lately.  Tho' attending next Month's Autumnal and Halloween Events will remedy that and fill the Void.   Really there has been an Industry Void and it's made me Nostalgic for the Past, when the Industry and Economy were Strong and Vibrant, instead of the Shell they now are, and Failing miserably.  A SIZZLER Restaurant that has been in the same Location since 1974 just Closed.  I'd been there just the Month before too and it had looked Solid... but, clearly no Business is Solid anymore.   I do wonder if even the Employees had any Fair Warning of the Closures?   SIZZLER did File for Chapter 11 in 2020, but emerged in January of 2023 and is undergoing a Brand Reintroduction, the Phoenix Location Closed in July of 2025.  I ran Bankruptcy Departments for Major Financial Institutions for many Years in my First Corporate Life.

I'm sad to see that Location Close since I'd eaten there since 1974.  I have a lot of fond Memories of Gatherings we had there for Work and for Church, where we'd have the entire Banquet Room Reserved.  And of coarse many, many Family Meals too over the Years.  Their Lobster were some of the biggest and best, at the most reasonable Price Point too.  Their Salad, Soup and Dessert Bar was exceptional.   The Building was still very 1970's Style but it was Nostalgic Mid-Century Architecture that didn't really Need any Updating.   Some Older Buildings Need to be left As Is as remnants of Past Eras, not everything requires a Remodel.

I don't know if they'll tear the Building down now or not, that whole area it's in has Jumped the Shark and had a lot of Vacancies of Businesses that went under that had been there for Decades.   Urban Blight hit that particular part of West Phoenix badly and it shows.  And it's likely why even Solvent Businesses have pulled out and not renewed their Leases.  Gentrification and Revitalization is not likely happening there either IMO.  It's on a continuous downwards trajectory and it's not the only one, the Cities of Peoria and Glendale, also part of the Metro Phoenix Complex, are in serious decline.   I could have bought some Historic Buildings in Historic Glendale and am glad now that I didn't.  A Chinese National bought up most of the Historic Downtown area and blighted it intentionally, kicking out Tenants so everything would be Vacant and reduce Property Values so he could Buy up even more, cheaply.

I miss how it used to be, filled with Antique Stores, Bistros, Restaurants, Specialty Stores, Boutiques, and lots of vibrant Annual Events... now it's not a Destination and I don't go there at all.   One of my long time Industry Friends has occupied a couple Historic Buildings with her Boutiques for over 30 Years and had to Close one and said the other isn't thriving now either.   She now does Events elsewhere, but is having a lot of Import Issues with Tariffs, so a lot of her Holiday Merch got turned back from whence it came and won't even be Delivered, they just Cancelled her Orders!!!  She's not even sure they'll want to do business with Americans anymore either?   That's put her in a jam for the Holidays, her busiest and most lucrative Season usually.   Even if she could get the Product, most of it would have to be Price Increased by as much as 50%!!!   And she had Higher End Quality Merch to begin with.  She's not a Crap Hawker.

Anyway, I'm highly suspicious of the Motives of this Administration, what they're doing to vital Agencies by gutting them and making them either Loyalists or destroying their Function.   With the Vaccines I really am not certain they're going to only authorize who they want to protect to get them, and withhold them from anyone they don't want to protect?  I'm extremely suspicious of how they're handling it all and I must say the Medical Professionals I've talked to seem very Worried about it all and have grave concerns already.  They know they'll be on the Front Lines when everything goes terribly Wrong and Sideways.  They couldn't keep pace with the last Pandemic... to sabotage the Vaccines that make another one preventable is Sinister stuff and clearly they are alarmed about what consequences that will surely have.

I don't know what's going on in every State, just what seems to be going on in ours, which isn't looking good for Citizens to be protected who are willing to be Vaccinated but might be unable to be?   It's one thing to be an Anti-Vaxxer and choose to assume that Risk, it's quite another to withhold life saving Vaccines, or Medical Coverage, from the rest of us, for whatever Sinister reasons this Administration might have for doing so?   I don't Trust them.  They've given us no reason to.  I'm checking with my Doctor's Office and the VA Clinic on Monday in Real Time, to see if the COVID Boosters are available directly from them and the Docs who already know each Patient's Medical History and Risk factors.  Stay Tuned.

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Distrustful in the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

Drama And A Headache

Since we had torrential Rains it Cooled everything down and I should get back out in it and go get some more River Rock for the Mosaic Project early.  I'm procrastinating tho' to jump start my Day after dropping the Grandchild off at work, and can't get my motor running it seems to kick myself into gear.  *Le Sigh*  Some days are like that more often than not now.  Everything is very Green from the recent Rains, the Monsoons finally came, with a vengeance, making up for being so late, it's dumping a lot of Water on the Desert fast.  We had to Sandbag areas to avoid Water build up and potential Flooding.

We did Environmental Cleanup near the White Tanks Mountain Park this Morning when I finally kicked my Ass into gear.  It was Humid but not high Temps, stayed in the 80's and 90's, which, for August, is Cool in the Desert.  Plus, when it's Humid you don't also want it to be triple digit Temps either.  By 10:00 a.m. it was time to Tap Out tho', we'd gleaned a lot of Aluminum Cans out of the Natural Desert and found some nice River Stones in the Dry Washes too.  So it felt productive and gave us a Cardio Workout in the Fresh Air, which was refreshing.  We stopped at a little Western Old General Store and had Indian Fry Bread and Fresh Mixed Fruit for Breakfast. 

They mostly Sell Tack and Feed for Ranchers and Farmers around there, but have a tiny Diner area and pretty good Food on their limited Menu.  I also bought some Lottery Tickets since it's up over 800 Million now and the Drawing is Tonight.  We don't usually do the Lottery unless the Jackpot numbers are way up there, it's only $2 a Play so I bought $6 worth, you can only tell we're not Gamblers.  *Bwahahaha*  The Man had been hinting at how high it was so I knew he wanted to give it a go, why not?  Just having the Fantasy of what you'd do Winning over 800 Million is worth Six Bucks, Right?  *Winks*

We came Home exhausted but envigored, it does us good to get out and do something Physical that we enjoy out in Nature and the Fresh Air each Morning.  The Man always enjoys getting out, he's always been an avid Outdoorsman and used to Hunt, Fish and go Camping a lot when he was Well and had his Independence, so I know he really misses all of that.  He could Survive in the Wilderness back when he was Well, he's got great Survivalist Skills, whether it was in Tropical Jungles, Forests or the Desert.  He was Scuba Trained too and probably jumped out of more Aircraft than he landed in any.  *LOL*  This is Eli patiently waiting for his Girl to come Home from Work and looking out her Bedroom Window for her.  You can see where she trims his Ear Tufts of Hair behind his Ears coz she thinks it looks Crazy.  Well he IS Crazy, so why shouldn't he LOOK Crazy too?  *Smiles*

We probably hauled about 25 Lbs. of Aluminum out of the Desert and Roadside of it this day, just on the stretch of Road leading up to the White Tanks.  We didn't go into the Park this day tho' we do have an Annual Pass to.  We'd had enuf Fun and called it a day, brought the River Stones Home, Two Buckets full.  The Daughter is making great progress on the Mosaic Project.   It will look much tidier than Gravel, and invasive Grass & Weeds having to be pulled and killed all the time.  I can always set Talavera Pots of my African Daisies, in Season, on top of the Wall Posts instead of growing them along the Front of the Wall as I have in the past.  The past Two Years they haven't done all that well out there probably due to all the Weed Killer and Grass Killer that was necessary to put down.  

So, I was just Over pulling Weeds and Grass that wasn't supposed to be in the Gravel to keep it looking manicured and tidy, I'm gonna like the River Rock Mosaic better.   She's putting a layer of Sand down first and then some Cement mixed with it to harden some and keep the Rocks in tighter.  She's having Fun with it so I'm letting her just do what she wants.   She already did a small section near the Pool, pictured Below, some Sand shifted over some Stones when it Flooded out there but it's fine, you can Sweep it back around the Stones.  This area too had been a failed Gravel mess the previous Owners had put down and was just too High Maintenance.

I steamed some Summer Squashes and some Corn-On-The-Cob.  I'd had to throw out half my Corn-On-The-Cob becoz I hadn't noticed when I bought one Package of them, husked, that the ends had some Mold on them!  Ewww!   I should have kept my receipt so I could have taken them back and not wasted $7.99, but, I had tossed it and the Recycle Garbage had already come this Morning.  *Le Sigh*  I try to be vigilant when buying perishable Groceries to ensure the best Freshness, but, really, how do we know how Fresh it really is by the time it's being Sold?  This happens more in Chain Store Grocers than I'm happy with.  This is why I do prefer Farmer's Markets getting Produce and Fruits directly from the Sources who grow it and just harvested it.  Or, grow it myself. Yes, you pay more, but, throwing away Food that wasn't all that Fresh and becomes questionable before you can even eat it, isn't a bargain either!!!

As a Flower Child from way, way back, I liked this I found on another Blog, it's Fun.  So, this Day I was Sweet Moon Wanderer.  *Smiles*  Anyway, I digress, the Squash was really good and I ate so much of it that I wasn't hungry for the Corn-On-The-Cob.  I just made Veggies coz I was only Cooking for Princess T, The Man and I, we only wanted steamed Veggies.  Later, Rusty is coming over and the Granddaughter said he'd eat whatever we were having, he hardly ever gets anything Home Cooked at Home.  Their Bachelor Pad arrangement is falling apart tho' and Princess T is worried about it.  Rusty had been paying Rent to live at Home in his Dad's House, which is a nice Home in an HOA Community nearby.  They Rented out other Rooms to a couple other Single Adult Men.

His Parents are either Divorced or Separated and the Ex has a Home too that she was Sharing with all her Daughters, one of which was Grown and apparently paying part of the Rent.  Well, that Daughter moved in with her Boyfriend now and Princess T isn't even sure Rusty's Mom even Works and has relied on her Ex-Husband and Adult Daughter to cover the Rent all this time?  Becoz now she wants to Rent out that Home to Air B&B People to make the Payment part her Daughter once covered, and wants to move herself and the Minor Children into the Dad's Home and have him move out!!!   Rusty isn't sure his Mom won't expect him to pay more than his Dad has?  He also hasn't lived with his Mom, just his Sisters have.  Princess T thinks this is a disaster waiting to happen.  The Sisters are excited to be moving to this Home that the Dad owns, I guess it's nicer or bigger?  

  

So, anyway, it's stressing her Boyfriend out coz he doesn't earn enuf, like most Young Adults, to afford his own Place and live alone.  So, he'll either have to make it Work with the Mom... and I have no idea where the Dad is moving to now he's being kicked out of his own House so the Ex and his Minor Aged Children can live there while the Ex Rents Out to Tourists, the Home she had!!!   Princess T thinks the Ex has a Pipedream of how an Air B&B Works and the Maintenance Costs and the Home being Wrecked by Strangers is gonna be more than she'll make, I agree.  My Brother-In-Law did the Air B&B Rental thing of a few of his Properties, since he splits time between Texas and Alaska.  So, while not living at one he'd Rent it out to Tourists, and live in the other one.  They always wrecked the place and Maintenance Costs made it not very profitable.  Plus, you can't leave any of your valuables behind.

 

Princess T has been spending the Weekends at Rusty's, so she doesn't know how the Mom will Feel about that?   I don't think she likes the Mom very much, but, since the Mom doesn't Speak or Understand English, she said at least she doesn't have to talk to her ever.  *LOL*  The Dad is Bilingual, as is Rusty and his Sisters, why The Mom never picked up some English living here over 20+ Years, quite the Mystery.   Princess T likes the Dad, but isn't fond of the Sisters either, she said they're very Spoiled and Rude, and unlike Rusty, whose a really Good Kid, Mature, Responsible, and never been in Trouble, the Sisters have had less discipline or structure having been Raised by The Mom, who, apparently isn't Home a lot.  If she doesn't Work, I don't know why she isn't Home a lot then, but, until now, it didn't matter much.  But, if she and those Younger Kids move in, Princess T is worried a lot of the Parenting and Providing Financially is gonna fall on Rusty?  He's already taking Care of his Sisters Kittens! 

He Works hard and long Hours, I doubt when he gets Home from Work he's gonna wanna be the Live-In Babysitter for Younger Siblings and to help with their Homework and such.  Princess T said The Mom is already "taking over" the House before she even gets Moved In, so, Rusty doesn't even wanna be there, so, he's glad to spend more time here with her and away from all that Drama and a Headache manifesting at Home.  It's hard enuf on Kids, even if they're Adults, to handle their Parents breakup and whatever Post-Marital Drama that creates between Two Exes.  Sounds to me like the Marriage was never a good or Happy one and the Guys were doing Fine living by themselves until now.  The Male Roommates already Moved Out coz they didn't think it appropriate if Younger Females would now be living there... Wise Move.  So that was the Spilled Tea and she doesn't know what to say to her Boyfriend really, it sounds too complicated to Weigh-In on.

 

Anyway, I hope the Kid doesn't end up Unhoused if it doesn't Work Out with The Mom and whatever she intends to exploit him for Economically?  Sounds to me like she's perhaps been a Kept Woman and has that expectation even as a now Single Woman living Independently and yet not Financially Independent at all?   Still relying on someone else to pay for everything or not able to Support herself without Help?  I don't know the Family so I'm only speculating based on what my Grandchild has gleaned and told me from what she's Witnessed in the Two Years she and the Boyfriend have been a Couple.  Anyway, it's not like his Stress isn't her Stress becoz they are Boyfriend/Girlfriend and she Cares what happens to him and realizes he's in a bad Situation now that he did not expect at all.  Moving On from other People's Issues...

You can only tell that a certain Teenage Girl's Room was where I Scored my Blog Fodder Imagery this Post.  *Smiles*  Her Boyfriend built her Computer System, that Young Man is handy and can make or fix damned near anything!!!   You can't tell coz it's turned off while she's at Work, but it lights up like a Disco!!!   All of it is multi-colored Light Systems built in to the Computer System... don't even ask... I have no idea how you do that... or build a Computer?   But it is Cool to have it light up in Colors of the Rainbow while she's using it.   Even her Cat Ear Headphones have multi-colored Lights in them!!!   She funded the Project and told Rusty how she wanted it built, and he built it!  He's been a good Boyfriend to her and they're quite simpatico, both are Shy and Introverted Souls, Quiet and keep to themselves, they don't like Drama and anyone being a Headache.   And People can be such Drama and a Headache, can't they?  *Eye Roll*

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May your most important Relationships not be Drama or a Headache my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian