Another Day Of Crazy

 

The Son never received his Nutritional Assistance for January and you can never get thru on their Phone Lines or Online Sites so I had to take him in to DES.  Well, turns out they'd put his Case on Hold, he can't be notified coz he can't afford his Phone Bill and they shut it off.  They told him, after Hours of being there, that he has to start from scratch coz they needed more information, but couldn't and wouldn't specify exactly what other information that might be?  They claimed December was an Emergency Approval for partial Benefits and he has to now start over.  He raised his Voice when the Woman got snarky with him and indifferent, so Security asked him to leave.  *LOL*

So, he was fuming by the time we got out of there and luckily the Free Phone People were directly outside and sympathetic to the plight of everyone being turned away from getting Food Benefits.  I knew he'd qualify for one of the State provided Phones and Cheered him Up by applying for one and getting it withing 5 Minutes.  So, now he has a Phone at least, no Food, but can make and get Calls, which, is helpful and something, which is always better than nothing.  The Free Phone Lady said DES has slashed their personnel so much they're just overwhelmed now and the best people were Laid Off.  We know she's right about that and it shows.

So, no Food Benefits for him until he applies again Online and goes thru the same rigamarole and HOPES this time they don't lose Paperwork, coz he knows he did submit everything they had asked for.  So them saying they needed more was BS, they probably Lost some of it.  I told him I take Screen Shots or have Hard Copies of every fucking thing submitted to any Government Agency, you HAVE to.  So, it was productive even tho' it was Hours of our Life Wasted for Food Assistance that we'll never get back.  I could have taken him to a Food Bank instead, spent less time and aggravation, and at least been ensured a Box of Food for our Trouble.

He Hates that everything is on our Dime right now and he can't contribute Economically to provide any of his most basic Needs.  He's Worked hard since he was 14 Years Old, so he's not handling being Unemployed this long and not getting at least an Unemployment Check he should have been Entitled to receive after his Layoff.  That's all still on Appeal as well from his previous Employer screwing over everyone they Laid Off.  Anyway, I spent $18 on some Turkish Tobacco and 500 Rollers from a Smoke Shop nearby, so that he'd have Cigs coz I know he's stressed out to the Max.  He said his Sister doesn't know how to Roll properly and Mando has fucked up crippled Hands, so they break a lot of the Rollers trying to Roll hers.

We also stopped by the Antique Mall to pick up my little Check from last Pay Period and put more Inventory into the Showroom.  I forgot that The Son hadn't seen our New Showroom Location or Locked Case, so I showed him, he agrees it's a better Location than our other Showroom in the Back of the Mall and the Locked Case is an Ideal Location too.  He helped me put Security Tags on the Shirts so we got done in half the time.  He was getting Nostalgic seeing all the Vintage Toys I've got For Sale that he remembers were theirs as Kiddos, like the Fisher Price Medieval Castle.  I've done Well with Vintage Toys and Collectible Toys there.

For some Reason Blogger isn't letting me directly do Replies for Two Days now to Dear Readers leaving Comments.  So, to see the Replies from me now you have to come back to visit coz I have to leave them as a Comment rather than a direct Reply.   I'm hoping Blogger sorts it out and it self corrects eventually???  Every so often something glitches like that and you never get an explanation... usually it just self corrects eventually, so anymore I just roll with it.   I've had some buffering on Blogger and it's the only site I'm having buffering on.  We upgraded our Internet to Fiber Optics recently, so I think it's faster now and must be a problem with Blogger, not the Internet Provider.

I'm having a hard time staying Awake again and it's only just past Noon!!!   About every Six Hours of activity, well, then I almost need a Nap anymore to Recharge!!!   WTF?!  I'm sitting here Blogging and finding it hard to keep my Eyes Open and stay Awake without dozing off right here in my Chair!!!  Crazy!   I lay down for a couple Hours and then I'm Fine again.  I've never felt quite this fatigued before tho', but my checkups have been better than ever.  Anyway, Naptime now over, I'm good for another 10,000 Miles.  *LOL*  I found a Seller on E-Bay that had the 3 Vintage Tupperware Lids I needed at a good price and decent postage rate on a Buy-It-Now Feature. 

 Turns out the Seller is also sending me the Bowls that go with it for that price, big Surprise, it would have been a good price just for the Lids!  The description had said Lids, so I thought the Image was a Stock Photo of the Bowls with Lids to show what they fit.  Turns out, that was what the Auction was for, trio of Bowls w/Lids!  I remember I had these in the 1970-1980 Era but mine got Lost in all my Moves.   I now also have the 4th Smaller one, also in a Tangerine Color, that I got at SAVERS only Yesterday while picking the Grandchild up from Work there.  In the Eighties my Roommate was a Tupperware Dealer so she'd often Host the Tupperware Parties in our Apartment and we'd get all those Party Prizes that you couldn't Buy and I still have several of them that I use all the time still to this day.  The Citrus Peelers and the Butter-Up Thing for Corn-On-The-Cob buttering and salting.

 

I never did get more Merch Priced when I woke up and before I had to go pick the Grandchild up from Work, it stayed Colder all Day and I just didn't wanna be in the She Shed feeling chilly to sort thru Crates of Inventory.  The Showroom and Case is pretty full now anyway, so I'd be challenged to find Placement for more.  Sales this Week have been real Soft, so, after the MLK, Jr. Holiday, folks quit Buying and we mostly seem to have a lot of Shoppers who are Lookers and not Buyers.  I'm like that myself right now so I won't Judge.  *Winks and Laughs*  The Granddaughter was saying that her Uncle went to DES looking too Nice, like he has a Job or is going for a Job Interview, he should have gone looking Ghetto and from The Streets.  *LMAO, but, she's probably Right*  But we both know he'd never be caught Dead looking like that, to garner Pity, he always wants to Smell Good and Look Fly.  So, no Food for him!

 

He is Happy with his New Free Phone tho' and put his New Number in my Phone with his First Name and "Free Phone" as the Surname... I was Laughing my Ass Off, he's got a Wicked Sense of Dry Dark Humor.  He said the limited Data and Hours doesn't bother him coz he doesn't get or make a lot of Calls, he's like me, he's not one to like being on a Phone Call.  He almost always used it for Work or to Check In briefly with someone.  But to look for Work you really should have a Phone Contact Number that's your own and not using someone else's.  He still no longer has his own Transportation since his Car is still iffy on reliability and now he had to let the Insurance lapse and expire on it too.  So, he's been looking for Work closer to Home, or on Bus Routes, which limits Options.

Blogger is still Up and Down like a Yo-Yo with allowing me to respond and reply directly to Comments you all are leaving.  I don't know what's Wrong but other Bloggers have the same Issue so I don't feel like The Lone Ranger.  I quickly Copied and Pasted Replies like Mad in the brief Window it came back Up, but it quickly went Down again to buffering and not letting me.   I only have one more Dear Reader to directly Reply to when it comes back up again, so, that's almost Caught Up.  *Ha ha ha*  I'm Tech Challenged so never know how to bypass these Glitches in an effective way when they happen?  I have to just be patient and let them auto-correct, patience not being one of my Virtues.  *Smiles*

 

This is all I've had to Eat all Day, on the way to DES The Son and I saw a Hot Air Balloon advertising the Chick-fil-A and it made me hungry for some.  *Bwahahahaha*  He had McDonalds Breakfast instead but got so flustered at DES with the runaround they were giving him that he accidentally left his Full Vitamin Water behind, he'd only taken 2 sips out of it in the Four Hours he was there, so was pissed off that he forgot it.  You can't get rattled or that's what happens, you have to Maintain your Calm and Play The System becoz otherwise you'll lose your Cool and your Mind.  He said once Security approached him, and he wasn't out of Control, he'd just raised his Voice in frustration, when the Caseworker got bitchy and snarky with him when he was being Polite and trying to make her Hear him and ask legitimate Questions she refused to Answer... he just Gave Up and left. 

I won't Judge, I've had Security called on me numerous times, but usually at the VA.  *LOL*   And challenging the Big Stud Muffin Security Guards they have there to pick me up and carry my Ass out in front of God and everybody, coz I won't shut up when Advocating for my Old War Hero!   Usually they just see him right away when they know Security is gonna have to Manhandle me coz I won't Back Down or be Silenced.  I don't Care, they're not gonna neglect, ignore or abuse him on my fucking Watch, and that's just the Bottom Line and The Devil will just have to Deal with me when I'm on a Righteous Cause making a Scene for Justice.  Of coarse now, with the Goons this Cabal is Hiring, it could get you Shot, but I'm Okay with Martyrdom too, I've had a Good Run.  And the Family could file a Class Action Lawsuit and make $$$.  Especially with how Bad the PR would be for THAT Story.  I can see the Headlines now.  *LOL and Winks*

Anyway, enuf of that.  We're waiting for a Lightening Strike to smite the whole Cabal and Fry Donnie on the Spot... and like Blog Friend Ami said, Today would be Fine.  *Winks and Laughs*  If you want some Political Satire hilarity, visit a Fav Blogger MURRMURRS, you'll Laugh your Ass off, she's a Brilliant Political Satirist.  And I like a good Laugh right now, it's good for our morale.  *Smiles*  I did price some Merch when it finally Warmed up to 69 Degrees and The She Shed was comfortable enuf to Work out there in it, but then wouldn't ya know it started Raining and went really Cold again so I aborted that Mission prematurely.  I did get One Milk Crate Priced and will bring in with me to Work Tomorrow Night for that Shift I'm covering for Jackson while he's on his Tropical Cruise.

I don't have Plans for Saturday anyway and if the Weather stays inclement I don't go out in it unless I have to either.  So, I won't mind Working the Shift on a Saturday Night to offset some Rent.  It went up by about the amount I'm Comped for during a Shift, so it will offset the increased Rent at least.  Of coarse what we're Comped didn't go up at all.  If they're Raising Rents they should at least also Raise the Comped Space Rent per Hour Salary of us Unpaid Workers who are Vendors.  It's already well below Minimum Wage Earners who actually get Paid.  And that's also why they cannot attract good Workers from the Vendor Pool, nobody wants to do a good Job for far less than Minimum Wage and just some meager Comped Rent and no Check.  Everyone's Time is more Valuable than that.  But, something knocked off the Rent is Helpful when Sales are stagnant and the Economy is shitty.  Any Work to offset Costs is preferable to no Work.

Well, the Rains were brief, but big ole' Raindrops that fell so hard it was like Pebbles hitting everything, but, it wasn't Hailing... we've had Hail recently when it was Colder tho'.   I'm contemplating what to do now coz I'm a little Bored, but not Bored enuf to tackle that Diningroom Area that is the last bastion of Common Area Clutter not dealt with.  We got the other Rooms in Order before The Daughter's Medical Caseworker Visit.  I could and should work on that Diningroom so I may migrate in there and give myself 15-20 Minutes and see how I feel after I've devoted that little block of Time to it?  That's my tactic now so as not to instantly overwhelm... small increments consistently.  We got so much done before that Nurse came that I know I can make great Progress if I'm incentivized enough.  *LOL*  The Threat of could this pass a Social Services Inspection lit a Fire under my Ass.  *Ha ha ha*  Yet, she didn't assess any of the household, but, it still looked much better anyway.

Most of the time First Time Visitors are just so mesmerized by taking in all the Weird and Wonderful stuff, that they fail to see if there is any deferred Housekeeping actually.  That Distraction is Helpful.  *Winks*  So, usually, even if it's cluttered and messy, they're still telling us what a Wonderful Home we have and asking lots of Questions about various stuff or making Positive Comments.  The Nurse that came was Wowed by my Display of Bohemian Bling Jewelry that I keep Displayed everywhere when I'm not Wearing it.   She was Haitian and fell in Love with my Tribal Necklaces, most made of big Chunks of Amber and Coral, or of African Trading Beads.  I've Loved African Trading Beads since the 1960's and they were a 'Thing' back in the late 60's and early 70's, less so now.   I still have some I've owned since the Sixties.

I remember wearing Strands of them and of Love Beads all the time.  *Smiles*  I looked positively Tribal during those Eras.  *Ha ha ha*  The best ones don't come up for Auction very often and fetch a lot more than they ever used to tho', I've Scored some every once in a while at Antique Malls if the Vendor really isn't familiar with what they are or the Value and just Sell them as a Primitives Curiosity Accessory.  And I've Scored Baltic Amber worth a fortune on the Cheap when a Seller thinks it's just Plastic or Bakelite.   There's a lot of 'Created' or 'Pressed' Amber out there tho' being passed off and misrepresented as what it's not, and to the uninformed it looks as authentic as a Yag resembles a Diamond to the uninformed.  It's not fully Authentic or Quality Amber and it has been altered by Man.  There are Legal and Ethical Guidelines for Selling it but some Sellers don't abide by them.  Look for Natural Complex Inclusions and Imperfections that the 'Created' just won't have.

I'm presently missing some of my Industry Friends who I don't see anymore, most of whom moved away and live in other States now.  The Trio above were some of the Best Designers and had Primo Merch and Creations that couldn't be matched.  They still do what they do, just somewhere else now, that they preferred to live, often returning to Home States they'd moved away from.   Heidi to Montana {On the Left} and Myko to Washington State {On the Right} is where I know Two of them moved to.  Others I really don't know what happened to them or where they went, you just never see them again all of a sudden.   Social Media does help some of us keep in Touch and aware of what's going on with Old Friends who aren't around anymore.  Everyone's Journey takes them in different directions.   Heidi got Married and Myko got Divorced... and a big Change like that can change all your Life's Plans and Direction.  Myko became a Gramma for the 2nd time last Year tho', so now has a Granddaughter and a Grandson.

Princess T spends most of her time with her Boyfriend at his House now than here, so I'm kinda stuck with her Cat, Eli, who is not Happy his Human isn't around so much.   When reading Murr's Blog she recently had a Post on Cat Behavior and it appears that Kittens and Cats require and need 5 Murderous Episodes a Day to feel Centered in between their Sleep Patterns!!!   And that's why the Naughty Behavior comes in where they tear up your stuff coz their Murderous/Sleep Patterns are interrupted and not Natural to their Instinctive Behavior of being Predatory and Murderous.  When they're not Hunting and Murdering, they're Sleeping.  *LOL*  Well, that makes perfect sense and why Ole' Eli Delights so much then in Attacking Humans who come into his Space that either aren't his Girl or aren't Me.  *LMAO*  His Murderous Instincts have been activated and unfulfilled each Day.  *Smiles*

 

This was one of the numerous Saguaro Cacti, among other Cacti, at our Historic Home.  We had Desert Landscaping on half the Acreage of that Property and I Loved it.  I prefer Natural Desert Landscaping coz it's Native to a Desert and thus easier to Maintain and uses less Water.  Most of my other Arizona Properties had Xeriscape and Drought tolerant Plants, Trees and Natural Landscaping, this is the only one that doesn't and it just came like it is.   If we didn't have the huge Pine Trees out Front I'd consider putting in Desert Landscaping to the areas of the Front of our Acreage where we have to Pump the Irrigation to and in.  But, they're Old Trees, Magnificent, and need a lot of Irrigation.  The Back Pasture, since we don't Raise Livestock or Horses, may eventually be replaced with Raised Victory Gardens to grow most of our own Food and use our Irrigation to Farm instead.

I showed Mando the kind/style of Chicken Coop I'd like him to Build since he and The Daughter said their Friend Roy is giving them all his Chickens eventually.  So, now Mando and The Daughter know the Vision I have for what our Chicken Coop should look like, it's very Bougee, they will be very well Housed Chickens and Spoiled rotten ones too.  *Winks*  Our Wild Birds that come to their Feeding Station are Spoiled rotten and now I know where I can get their Gourmet Bird Feed wholesale, that are even for Exotic Birds, they are even more Spoiled and well fed.  *Smiles*  Some of it looks good enuf to eat ourselves as Trail Mix!  *Bwahahaha*  They know that every Morning is Feeding Time and now some of them wait atop The RV Garage Mahal Roof for us to Serve them.  *LOL*

 

I've been holed up in my Room in front of the Computer for the better part of the Evening now, it feels cozy and comfortable and when it's Wet and Cold Outside, I'm glad I'm Inside.   I got another one of my Meditation CD's from Deuter that I'd binge bought on E-Bay.  I've always liked Deuter and his Style of Zen Instrumental Music, so, I'd looked on Auctions at E-Bay to see what the CD's were going for and available, I Scored some good ones at decent Buy-It-Now Feature Prices, so I didn't have to enter Bids and Bid against anyone else.  I NEED Meditation Music right now, I just can't watch The News.  I'm not even trying to keep Informed right now becoz it's all too heavy, shameful and embarrassing for America.  And it's an Emotional and Mental Torment as well that I just don't Need to Torture myself with Daily, or even Once Weekly.

My Form of Escapism right now is Blogging and Music.  And I have spent more Time at the Antique Mall than usual too.  I've been fussing about with Merchandise and my Inventory, making some good Progress with it actually.  Princess T and I foofed the Showroom so it looks presentable and better Organized.   Since Marking Down some of the Bags of Small Collectible Toys I've Sold Out of all the Shopkins and most of the Fisher Price Little People and LOL Mini Dolls.  So much of it was getting Stolen, we thought better to mark it down and have it get Sold rather than The Five Finger Discount Thieves taking it without Paying for it.  That tactic has Worked quite well and put REAL Paying Customers at the Showroom constantly looking thru it all, which deters the Thieves actually too.  Criminals generally don't want Witnesses to their Dirty Deeds.

This is one of the Great-Grands with a Mani she's very Proud of.  It looks like she could be a Nail Biter and why Mommy is using Pretty Nails as a tactic to deter the Habit some?   And the Tooth Fairy will be Visiting, clearly.  *Winks*    Below is just some of what we're sorting thru in The RV Garage Mahal in the Great Edit & Purge Project.  We have too many Games and no longer have a Game Night now the Kiddos are Older, so I may only Keep a scant few and rid myself of the rest.   Games don't Sell that well, so I may just cannibalize the Game Pieces and more Interesting Boards for Displaying and chuck the rest of those I don't wanna Keep.  I've done that with SCRABBLE Tiles to make Crafts of and only Kept one Vintage Game of it that had belonged to my Parents.  I have some Specialty and very Old Monopoly Games I'll Keep as well.

As you can see I've Collected Pool Balls for a very long time.  *LOL*  I just like how they look in a Display, we don't even Own a Pool Table. *Smiles*  I've Collected Vintage Game Pieces for a long time too and Display them in Antique Canning Jars.  I've made Jewelry of some of them.   The Daughter has been trying to Organize and make some Order of the Chaos in there for me so I can see what we have a lot of in order to Purge and Edit it more effectively and Curate what I wanna Keep.  It's a Process and some Days I'm in the Right Head Space to made headway with it.  If I find I'm Waffling and holding onto things too much and not making decisions easily, and Letting Go effortlessly, I just don't do it that Day.  If you are inclined to Collecting and Hoarding you Understand that Attachments and Detachments come and go with irregularity sometimes.

There are instances where I can Let Go of an enormous amount of stuff and Feel absolutely nothing about it that is challenging to me.  Those are the Days when I Seize the Moment.  *LOL and Winks*   Detachment Days are so easy I Wish I just had more of them.   I don't even Understand the deep Psychology behind much of it.   Daily fluctuations in Mental Energy, Emotional Capacity, Physiological Factors and Stress probably play a big part in it.  It shifts fucking daily tho' and I don't know how Normal that is for most people?   So the Process becomes hindered by the shifts that are constant for me.  It seems I've been doing it so long now that I should have made more Progress than I have.  But, over the Years a lot has accumulated and I got a lot of Cargo.  *LOL*

 

With agreeing to Work Tonight I won't wipe myself out doing too much Today before Work then.  The Man is Sleeping In and that's Rare, so I'm just trying to enjoy the Peace and Solitude of a Morning without anything going on.  It's only 52 Degrees at 8:00 a.m. tho' so I'm not going out there!  *Smiles*  This means, no She Shed Activity until it Warms Up coz I'm not dragging Inventory into the House.  I've been trying to avoid cluttering up Rooms I've gotten decluttered and looking Nice again.  The Diningroom is the last bastion of Clutter and I do think I will Work on that Today after Blogging.  

It isn't that I can't get it Done in probably a couple Hours, it's doable in that Time frame actually.  It's the procrastination I have to overcome to get it Done at all.  Say la Vie.  In Retirement I became suddenly a Procrastinator, who knew!?  Just another Day of Crazy.  You suddenly get more Time and you don't wanna devote it to Working at anything.  *LOL*   Sure, when the House is completely the way I want it then I'll feel better about it and try to keep it that way.  But the getting of it that way means some Work and I've been avoiding it as if it's The Devil.  In my Head I just Overwhelm by the Sight of a lot of Chaos or Clutter and yet tackling it would be the Solution, Right?  We all know this.  And I'm the major Offender, the Family isn't, it's my Clutter, all of it!

This Great-Grandchild's Expression is how I often Feel towards my own Self-Sabotage.   You've done it again Dawn, just look at this Mess!!!  They say Creative Minds are Messy, I must then be a fucking Creative Genius!!!  *Bwahahahaha*   I do Okay for a while and then... well... you know... I don't have to explain it and lay it out there for ya, it's Visually Evident, let us just say.   My Crazy shows.   We used to feed a flock of Wild Birds, mostly Doves, in our Feeding Station, but lately a flock of Sky Rat Pigeons shows up and ran everything else off.  So, we'll have to suspend the Feeding for a while coz I don't wanna attract Nuisance Birds.  

Yes, they are God's Creatures too, but a Pigeon Problem is something I don't need, the Dove never become problematic or have a Population Explosion like Pigeons will.   And Technically Pigeons are a Dove Species there is no strict Scientific distinction between them.  The Common City Pigeon is a direct descendant of the Rock Dove.   We had a good run of several Years of no Pigeons showing up, but this small flock of them can soon become an invasive flock of them and I don't wanna encourage that by feeding them.  We feed them at the Park, but not with the expensive Bird Feed that we give to Wild Birds to help them survive an Urban Setting.  Pigeons have Adapted quite well to being Urban Dwellers.

So for now we're Suspending the Bird Feeding and may have to Retire the Practice entirely if the Sky Rats hang out in the Neighborhood trying to outlast our tactics?  *LOL*  They can be persistent and clever, Wild Doves cannot compete with them and are often chased off by them.  We have a Neighborhood Hawk that lately our Crows and Ravens have been chasing off coz it's trying to make a Meal of our Neighbors little Chihuahua when he goes out to do his business!!!  I've got to tell the Neighbor to stand out there with him and stand Guard coz the only reason he hasn't been picked off, The Son says, is coz the Crows and Ravens have Protected him!!!   Probably just being Territorial, but it's benefitted the Dog all the same.

When we lived in Rural Affluent Subdivision Hell near the Desert and Mountains, you couldn't have outdoor Pets, the Wild Predators would pick them off like a Buffet.   The Mini Farms here are surrounded by Urban Sprawl, but we still attract the Predators.   Becoz of it being an Oasis among the Urban setting and a lot of Agricultural Fields once existed around us until just recently.  Until the City allowed Rezoning and greedy Developers crammed in Subdivisions and Apartment Complexes galore to expand the Urban Sprawl that used to be Zoned Agricultural.  We'll be the last bastion of Agricultural now in our area, just our Mini Farms Subdivision and one other Mini Farm Subdivision just North of us, both established in the 1960's and 1970's.

I just watched a Special on Mel Brooks, I just Love Mel, his Humor, and all of his Movies that pushed boundaries of good taste and confronted important issues with humor and fearlessness.  He's 99 Years Old now and just as funny as ever.  He and Anne Bancroft were so good together.  I laughed thru the whole Special and it brought back such fond Memories of his Beloved outrageous Movies.   I took The Man out for a little Environmental Cleanup at a nearby Park, we got a lot of Aluminum Cans there and that's less to be Landfill bound now.  The Parks and City say they Recycle, but I see when they dump the Trash and pick it up, it all goes in the Landfill Truck, none of it is actually being Recycled at all.  I don't even know if what we sort for Recycling actually gets Recycled at all, tho' they do pick it up on a different day, than regular Trash pickup, so, I'm Hopeful they do???  They say 60%-85% does so I'm choosing to Believe them.

It did The Man good to be out in the Fresh Air and it got to 65 Degrees by Noon, so was not too Cold at the Park and didn't require Jackets.  Since he's not been feeling good at all we took it slow and easy tho', he did pretty good and seemed to enjoy himself.  He likes to do Environmental Cleanup and looks forward to it, I've always enjoyed doing it and can't remember not doing it.  Until he Married an Old Hippie I'm not sure he ever did it before tho'?  *LOL*   People do seem Surprised that we do something like that as Volunteers on a regular basis, we do get a lot of them Thanking us, but I can tell, they wouldn't do it.    And Breaking News: ICE just Shot & Killed another American Citizen.  Even Police aren't supposed to go around Executing People, but ICE has Shot Three Civilians, Killing Two, in less than a Month!!!

********

Just another Day of Crazy in the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

Each Day Has Enuf To Get Thru Without Looking Back or Forward Too Far Either

 My Dental Appointment went well, no problems.  I'm only allowed 2 Cleanings Annually on my Insurance and I really need 3 with being a Diabetic, so my Dentist is trying to figure out a way to stagger them around the turning of a New Year to get a 3rd in covered.  *LOL*  Hey, they know how Insurances are, but, I also got Good News for a change too about Prescription Coverage under my New Medicare Advantage Changes.  I get a Prescription Strength Mouthwash that usually I pay out of Pocket for coz I don't get it thru Express Scripts, coz my TriCare For Life Military Insurance doesn't cover Dental. 

 The Man gets his Dental covered via the VA but Dependent Spouses get no Coverage.  So Medicare covers my Dental now.  Well, I decided, let us just see if Humana is covering Part D, coz Medicare has Administratively taken out Money for it from my Social Security Checks I've been trying to Appeal?  Well, guess what, yeah, it did!!!  So, it was covered, and I still think it's a Mistake Medicare has bunged up, but, if it covers my Rx that I don't get thru Express Scripts/Tri-Care Coverage at no Cost to me out of Pocket, I won't Appeal that shit anymore, it's worth the $14.95 a Month.  *Winks*  I can put away my War Paint now about THAT.  *LOL*

Any temporary Prescription that I can't get thru Express Scripts or from the Base Satellite Pharmacy is usually a full Civilian Cost to me before.  Well, now I'll just use Humana Advantage and have Medicare paying for it with what they're charging me for Part D.  So, either the Laws have changed where you CAN have Tri-Care AND Part D now, or, Medicare is now so screwed up they can't find their Asses with both Hands, even on Appeals where you brought it to their Attention that it could be a Mistake?  I just don't know and now I just don't Care either.  If I'm Paying for something Monthly involuntarily now, fuck 'em, I'm using it.

So, I considered that some Good News coz that One Script would have been way more than under Fifteen Bucks to fill.  And it's something I do Need and would have paid out of Pocket for.  I'm Thankful for anything that works out in the end.  *Ha ha ha*  So, Good News is just Good News any way ya cut it my Friends.  *Smiles*  My Dental Visit must have taken it out of me tho', even tho' it was only a Cleaning and Good News that I had no Dental Issues, I Needed a Nap early Afternoon again and didn't Wake Up from it until 7:00 p.m.!!!   Yikes, I'd laid down at 3:00 p.m., that was a long Nap!  The Kids made Dinner but I wasn't Hungry for any.

I only Ate once Today too at Lunch and only about 1/3 of my delicious Mongolian Beef, none of the Rice, ate the small Eggroll, and gave the rest of it to Princess T.  I hadn't had Breakfast, didn't have Dinner, and don't feel Hungry at all either.  So, The Man isn't the only one with no Appetite I guess, I'm on the same trajectory it seems!  No idea why, perhaps us both being on Ozempic may have something to do with it tho'?  You just don't feel very hungry when taking that Medication thru Weekly Injection, so it's no Wonder you lose Weight!!!  It has stabilized the Diabetes for both of us tho', which, it's meant to.  And our A1C has lowered considerably, mine's in the 6's now.

I got another smallest of the Vintage Tupperware Bowls of the Trio I'd gotten at The Granddaughter's Chazza, when I picked her up Today from Work, and it's got it's Lid.  It's the brighter Orange Color and smaller size of the Quartet of stacking Bowls, the Two other Middle Sizes without Lids I got are Two other Orange Colors and the largest of the Set without it's Lid is Yellow.  So, I need to Source the 3 Missing Lids now and may have to do it Online.  They don't Cost much on E-Bay, but, Postage is what jacks the Price up.  I'm corresponding with one Seller right now on an Auction to clarify if it's for 1 or 3 Lids?  If it's for all 3 I'll Buy-It-Now coz it's the 3 Lids I Need and reasonable for the Trio.

Work called again and asked if I'd fill-in for Jackson on Saturday Night?  He's who I filled-in for on Wednesday Night, he's on another Tropical Cruise, it's good to be Jackson and his Wife Jeri.  *LOL*  They go on several Cruises Annually, the most Cruisin' Couple I know and they Share the Experiences on their Social Media, so you can come along vicariously.  *Smiles*  I always thought I wanted to go on a Cruise, but in Reality, I wonder if I'd have a Panic Attack on the Open Water when I couldn't see Land anymore?  I think I probably would, I don't like Flying and I don't like being on Open Water with no Sight of Land.  I like my Feet on Land I guess?  *LOL*  I had Anxiety in Hawaii on a Zodiac Raft Tour and could still see Land coz it was just off the Coast of the Island of Kauai.

Of coarse during that Tour the Wild Dolphins were excited to join beside the Raft and I didn't realize Wild Dolphins are as big as a 16 Foot Zodiac Raft!!!  And playful, which, was no Fun for Raft Riders when a 16 Foot Wild Animal comes very close beside you and wants to Play with you and your 16 Foot Raft!  *Ha ha ha*  Yeah, we had our Life Vests on, but the Coastline of Kauai is rugged and Waves near that Island are Surfer's Dreams and Gigantic.  So, smashing against Rocks of the Cliffs along the Coastline rather than landing on a Sandy Beach to get to Land was a distinct possibility.  It was an Experience but I can't say it wasn't also somewhat Terrifying for Yours Truly too.  And I was Young and half my Age now, now I'm NOT.  I'd be Fish and Shark Bait.  *LOL*

Look at this Cool Upcycle Idea using Old Rake Heads and Old Rolling Pins for Storage and Display of a Watch Collection or your Bracelets.  I'm definitely Stealing this Idea coz pretty sure I have at least One Old Rake Head and definitely have some Old Rolling Pins with Colorful Handles.  I've been going down the Rabbit Hole lately of Pinterest and such for Visual Inspiration and to Lose Myself Mentally in anything Uplifting, and do a Visual Freefall that keeps me buoyed up during these turbulent Times we're presently in.  My Dental Hygienist doing my Teeth Cleaning was a Middle Aged Woman and we candidly discussed how scary the Times are. 

 I could tell she's very Anti-MAGA too, but approached the conversation with an A-Political Stance, as did I.  Both being Mindful the subject of Politics or Religion tend to make some folks fucking Mental.  *LOL*  I guess knowing she's Cleaning the Teeth of a 68 Year Old Dreadlocked Woman with Locs down to my Ass, dressed like an Old Hippie, since I had a Colorful Grateful Dead Tie Dye T-Shirt on and Okabashi Flip Flops on, she felt Safe I wasn't MAGA?  *Bwahahahaha*  She said her 21 Year Old Son does great Donnie Two Dolls Comedic Impersonations and mine does too, so we Laughed about that.  The Son also does Spot On Impersonations of everyone actually, he's very Good and sounds just like them and exaggerates their actual Mannerisms to a Tee!

Today I did Treat myself to a Starbucks Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino.  I don't Buy them often and they've gone up in Price due to Coffee Tariffs, a Crazy Cost for a Coffee really.  So, it will remain a Rare Luxury Purchase, but it is damned good and not really a Diabetic Friendly indulgence.  But, Annually I'd say I only ever have 1-3 tops, so it's not habitual for me.  As you can see by my Black Truck, it Rained during the Night and now needs to be Washed.  Mando was gonna do it the other day for me and the Weather looked iffy again, so I told him to just wait, since, I park it Outside and not in a Garage.  Often when it Rains in the Desert you also get blowing Dust, so, Air Mud tends to be the outcome and a Black Vehicle isn't a Forgiving Color when dirty.

The next Holiday is Valentine's Day and we still have Candy from Christmas for The Man, whose a Diabetic, so I don't know I'll be getting him any Traditional Valentine's Day Gifting.  *LOL*  He's the only one in the Family with a Sweet Tooth, and half of us can't eat Chocolate, so Candy would otherwise sit around here until we gave it away or Guests ate it up.  *Smiles*  He really Loves his Snacks tho' and it's his one Guilty Indulgence he has left, so I don't deny him it in Moderation and with strict Supervision, or he'd be in a Diabetic Coma for sure.  *LMAO*  All the Candy we got at Christmastime were Gifts from Neighbors and Friends who don't know it's not something we typically partake of tho'.  I never want to seem Ungrateful for a Sincere Gift given, even if it's not appropriate for me personally. Indeed it IS the Thought that Counts.

I do hafta Price some Inventory to bring in on Saturday Night to Work, since I've picked up that Shift.  So, I'll devote myself to doing that on Friday in Real Time.  I'm still One Unpublished Post ahead so far and it will be this Post.  Mebbe.  If I get it finished in time to not be Automatically Posted instead.  *Smiles*  I have been Sleeping half my Afternoons away lately, so, not a lot is getting actually Done after Morning.  *Le Sigh*  Mornings are pretty full and busy tho', so, I'm not totally Slacking, tho' I NEED to get to The Gym with more consistency again and squeeze in an Early Morning Workout more often.  I enjoy them, but some Mornings I'm in Pain and that isn't conducive to Working Out when you Wake Up hurting Physically.  The Weather is the culprit, Cold just fucks with me in my Old Age.  And by the time it Warms Up it's Afternoon now... and I don't do Afternoon Workouts, I'm Napping.  *LOL*  I know, I'm a Hot Mess right now.

During Wednesdays Shift I did take a few Pixs, not a lot was particularly Editorial, and what was Interesting and Tempting, was Expensive.  Some Vendors still do have The Good Stuff but you're gonna hafta Stand Tall on it if you are a Buyer.  I'm not that Buyer.   I Loved the Antique Native American Doorstop in the Lead Image, the Vendor clearly Loved it more than I did tho', the Sticker Shock was a Whoa and setting it back down.  *LOL*  That Vendor has Sage Bundles at Good Prices tho' and a lot of Hippie Vibe Merch that I Like, so is probably a Kindred Spirit that I haven't yet met and is a Newer Vendor there.  I also was in Lust with that Antique Cigar Sign, authentic and the Price verified that Fact.  I'd like a Sign of that Genre for the Smoking Section on the Back Patio the Kiddos use.  The Daughter and The Son are Smokers.  I have a Black Antique Neon Sign from a Smoke Shop that says SMOKES, that we have up back there.

I'd like them to give up that Vice, not only for Health Reasons, but, coz they can't afford it.  And... I can't stand it either.  *LOL*  I have never allowed Smoking in my Home and so a lot of Friends and Family who Smoked wouldn't come to Visit coz I had that Policy.  The Man Smoked when I met him and I made it Clear that I wasn't Interested in Kissing anyone's Mouth that tasted or smelled like a Dirty Old Ashtray.  *LOL*  Plus, I had an Asthmatic Child who was Three at the time and couldn't tolerate Cigarette Smoke or he'd end up in ER.  Who knew that The Son would then grow up to become a fucking Smoker?!   He started with MJ and then went to Cigs when he was Old enuf to Buy them, Scoring Weed was easier for a Teenager I guess?  *LOL*  Coming from a Smoke Free, Alcohol Free and Drug Free Home, who knows why both Kiddos gravitated to those Vices and picked them up?  Kids!!!  And foolish forms of Rebellion I guess?

Princess T can't keep any information about herself from me so did say she once tried Alcohol and didn't like it at all so won't be picking up on that Habit.  I also know she Vapes MJ regularly, but, it helps with her Anxiety, Panic Attacks and Bipolar Moods, so, it's a Non-Issue with me and this Year she'll be Old enuf to Legally Buy it for herself rather than relying on Friends to hook her up.  *Winks*  Yeah, the Kids find a way, I'm not so Old I forget what it was like to be Young, Dumb and Broke.  *Bwahahahaha*  Plus, I Raised Two Generations of Youngsters so there's nothing they could say or do to Shock me and they know this, they've Tried, I don't even flinch.  *Winks*  And Trust & Believe, The Son and The Daughter, along with The Young Prince, have done some pretty Shocking Shit in their Crazy Lives lemme tell ya!  They got Stories.  So do I tho', and so does The Man, so, we don't pass Judgment.  Princess T is the Golden Child by comparison.  *LOL*

And she knows there's probably some Stories Gramma and Grandpa have withheld from being Told until she's over 21.  *Bwahahaha*  She knows some of the ones that can be deducted by even a Child without them being Told.   Like she knows her Grandpa was Career Military, and began that Career being a Government Assassin as a USMC Sniper Special Forces during the Vietnam Era, ergo, Body Count is high, high, high.  The Government wanted their Money's worth for the Ninety Grand or so they spent Training him to do their Dirty Deeds for them.  And that is a Sniper's Job after all, so, no Judgment or Delusions, somebody was gonna be sent to do it.  And if Ordered and given to you to carry out, it better be you or perhaps you'd be Neutralized too coz you knew too much now.   He Loves his Country but has never Trusted his Government, any of them.

And, she knows Gramma was no Saint either and when in my Turbulent Youth, ran with a very Rough Crowd.  And a lot of Career Military Crowd too, which can be on the Righteous Side of Rough as well.  *Winks*  I've known Bad Actors who were Outlaw Bikers and Serious Gang Members that were my Friends in the Old Days and had my Back more than most Good Actors would have.  I've also had a Successful Career at the DA's Office, I'm quite a contradiction and dichotomy of Lifestyle and Experiences, you might say.   I've seen the Good Side of Bad and the Downside of Up and everything In Between, as Everlast's Lyrics have said.  I've led a very Colorful Life and have no regrets about that, it's made me very well Rounded and Street Smart, you might say.  An Education that can't be Bought, it must be Survived.   *Bwahahahaha & Winks*

The Man is having a very Bad Day, he's overly Anxious and Depressed without even watching The News.  He's been feeling like the 39 Years he Served his Country and made Personal Sacrifices that nobody should have to make, protecting Freedom, Democracy and Decency, was for nothing now.  It's unraveled in 12 Months of this Cowardly Draft Dodging Senile Lunatics 2nd shot at the White House.  And none of his Cabal is any better, so he's just the Head of the Snake that must be cut off.  The Doom and Gloom I personally Feel is palpable, what's Coming is gonna be very Bad for America, you Mark my Words.  And I can't just ignore it and say nothing, or pretend all is Well, I just can't.  I see a lot of people doing that tho', as if there's no Trouble in fucking Paradise, it's Surreal to me how Checked Out most Americans seem to be and Acting like it.

I've Shared some Fluffy Imagery to take The Edge Off of not being able to Write Fluff Posts, Sorry, NOT Sorry about it, the Content expresses Truths some won't or can't Face and I don't Care really.  They'll be Dealing with it regardless of trying to Hide from it and keep Eyes Wide Shut tightly.   And that becomes part of The Problem, by it's complicity and it's Silence or indifference and ambivalence.   It reminds me of those National Geographic Nature Films where Herd Animals that are Prey seem completely oblivious and unawares of the Predators that are Stalking them and in their midst.  So will make a Meal of them as they Graze and don't pay close enuf attention to their surroundings and dangers lurking nearby and Targeting any of them.  Some will therefore not Make it.  Natural Selection at Work in it's most Basic Form.  We're not so Elevated and Enlightened as a Species that Natural Selection won't pick some of us off either.

I know, I'm not a Ray of fucking Sunshine this Day and why I Nap part of the Day away.   So I won't be a Black Cloud pissing on everyone's little Picnic as a Big Storm is coming that makes my little Black Cloud seem fucking Quaint!  And they're happily ignoring all Signs of pending Dangers and so, some won't Make it.   I can almost predict with accuracy, which ones it will be too.   I have enuf Predator and Perception in me not to be easy Prey for anyone or anything I Guess, even the Apex Predators of Society?   I can pick them out too.  It's rather Instinctual and I don't even have to Try to.   I'll be like, Yep, there's One.  Stay away from that One and keep your Eye on 'em.  *LOL*

I'm trying to Cheer Up, sometimes I even Succeed.  *Bwahahaha*  I got a Cheech and Chong Wallet for The Daughter at SAVERS while picking up her Daughter Today from Work.  I deliberately lay such things around the House to see how quickly ole' "Real Eyes" will Spy it and ask me whose it is?  *Winks*  She's got Eyes like a Rat, that one, and it's Fun and rather like a Game to me, to see how damned Fast she Notices everything brought in?  *Ha ha ha*    And she was Laughing at the one 1980's Dressed Big Troll I just Bought that's wearing an Outfit like her Brother used to Wear when he was a Kid... I thought so too... and The Son said, Yeah, he remembers wearing that exact Fishnet Tank Top with huge Cutouts at the Sleeves and similar Shorts!!!  Great for Autistic Kiddos who claim Buttons, long Pants and Sleeves "Hurt", but will pull their own fucking Fingernails off without flinching!!!   *Bwahahahaha*

I did finally eat a Burrito that The Daughter made for me, it Smelled so damned good and aromatic around the House that she coaxed me into devouring one.  *LOL*  Her Dad won't eat tho' and did confide to us all that he's having a very Bad Day and we could tell, but there's not much we can do about it to offer comfort or encouragement.  Dementia as it advances, is a very Cruel Disease for everyone involved.  As his Full Time Caregiver, it pains me to see him suffering from it like he does and as it worsens.  He's a Good Guy and it's taking him away from us in layers and it's not my First Rodeo with Caregiving for someone who has it, I Lost my Mom that way too, but she was a Decade Older than he is.  Her Onset was later in her 70's so she made it to 84 before succumbing to it. 

He's watching his "Homestead Rescue" Show, which is Reruns, but he doesn't Care, he Loves that Show.   And seeing how many foolish Families have to be Rescued who decided to Live like it's 1880 and have no Clue how to do so successfully, so have to be Rescued or risk perishing from their ignorance and pipedreams not tethered to Reality.  I can't Believe how many folks take their entire Families out like that without having the knowledge or experience to Live that way with any Measure of Success or Critical Thinking!!!  If you grew up that way, you'd have Ancestral Knowledge passed down for Generations, to Survive the Lifestyle, if not, you're taking huge Risks and don't know what you're even doing.  I therefore don't like the Show, the Rainey's in some Cases, should tell those folk to just go back to Civilization and what they Know.  Of coarse, I do often think some of those folks didn't cut it in Modern Society either and why they imagined going Off Grid would work???  *Eye Roll*

Listen, if you can't hold down a Regular Job at all, afford a Mortgage or Rent on your own, or Buy Groceries, I Guess the Fantasy of Living Wild might Appeal to you for a Minute?   Til Reality slaps you upside the Head that it's actually more difficult to Live Wild and not have the Safeguards in place of the Modernity you've been Used to and coddled with, coz it's a Hard Life.  And you really gotta Work at it, Hard and all the Time.  Constantly preparing for all the Weather, Seasons, and uncertainties of Hunting, Fishing and Growing what you will Eat, or Starve, having enuf Water, and avoid everything out there than can and will Kill you.  And if Work ain't your Jam at all, and you haven't got the Skills or Knowledge, you definitely ain't gonna Make it with Extreme Living!!!  A certainty.

Self-sufficiency is possible, but it takes a LOT of Work and that Show just annoys me coz I can tell most of them folks aren't up to it at all.  They'll need more than One Rescue an Episode parlays into Entertainment.  And probably Funded too coz they damned sure couldn't.   *LOL*  And it's "Reality TV" too, which isn't tethered to any Reality actually and we all should know this as well.   Donnie Two Dolls was a Reality TV Myth fabricated by Hollywood and not legit, too many folks bought into that fake Persona as well, thinking it to be Real.   He even bought into it, and has been so insulated and protected all his Life, so remains delusional to this day that the Myth Created for him, is actually Real.  And that he did it all on his own and is/was ever a Success Story.  How you define Success is highly subjective tho'.

I can only say I Witness that he's been a Successful Criminal and unscrupulous his whole Adult Life.   And very Privileged from Birth, so most $$$ wasn't his and was handed to him to squander and make it look like he had Success rather than Failure after Failure, epic Failures, blowing thru Billions and Bankrupting numerous times.  Screwing Over a lot of Investors, Banks, Contractors, Employees, Charities, Voters, now all of America... he's good at Screwing Over and Conning folks, he's had probably over 50 Years Plus of Practice at it, so he's Perfected THAT.  And, it has Served him Well, which is why there's been no Change in his M.O., same as it's always been, with Zero real Consequences.  The Right folks have been Paid Off and Bought along the way.  And lots of Victims too have been "Purchased", including Underaged ones, let us just say and it IS of Record BTW, not Speculation.

Anyway, this Post is coming to an End and I still don't have a Clever Title Hook for it yet... and it should Publish Tomorrow, so, I gotta come up with something.  *Bwahahahahaha*    Post Titles matter to Dear Readers, I can tell by the Stats.  *Winks*  What Hooks and Draws you In is usually the Post Title Hook more than just being a Faithful Reader of any Blog.  Even the most Faithful don't show up as often as I Blog, it would be a Full Time Job, wouldn't it?  *Bwahahahaha*  And I Purge them Post Archives harshly now, so if you don't Read it in a limited amount of Time, Poof, it's been put in the Bin already and is Old News to me and discarded.  I have no Need to Keep a Single Post after I Write it, no Attachments to it.  This is my Relaxation and when it's Done, I'm already Over it for the Purpose intended for myself.   The ADHD Adult is very much like this and Time hasn't Changed that about me.  What I did Yesterday no longer matters to me, I don't Think Hard upon Tomorrow either, I'm Living in The Moment.

Each Day has enuf to get thru without looking back or looking forward too far either.  And usually this Day is what I can Handle adequately.  Can't Change what happened in the Past, don't know for sure what will happen in the Future or how I'll Deal with it either?   When it comes, then I'll figure it out.   And so I'll just make that the long Post Title Hook I guess, why not?  *Winks*  I'm sure most of you are getting used to Living One Day at a Time now as well I suspect?   And if we can do just that, we might just Make it...

*******

So, here's to Making it my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian