Money... Power... Politics... Protracted Stagflation

 

I'm starting this Post with no particular Topic to Write about but loads of Eye Candy still compliments of cribbing fabulous Imagery from "The One Legged Rooster" in Kansas City, Missouri.  I'm kind of Obsessed right now with this Vendor and her spectacular showcasing of their Merchandise in their Vignettes.  I'm salivating over how much of the Good Stuff I'd be Jonesin' for is available there that isn't available here.  Never thought about visiting Missouri before, but judging by this, it would be a Junquers destination to add to the ole' Bucket List.  Not that I'm crossing anything off the ole' Bucket List lately, and haven't been for some time now due to personal Crisis and Caregiving, but, I am adding to the List.  And a Gal can still Dream can't she?  *Smiles*

Some deep diving thru their Archives Photos gave me insight into what they do for the various Holidays and I'm really liking what I've seen, going quite a few Seasons back for a few Years worth of Imagery.  It's all New to me even if it isn't to the Locals there who've enjoyed it for Years.  Our Antique Malls and the Staging and Quality of Inventory here just isn't this good anymore, it used to be, it just isn't anymore.  I miss that locally and can't really traverse the Country and indulge in Travel, so, I'm vicariously enjoying it all via Social Media sites.  And getting Algorithm Feeds that they accurately predict I will be interested in, and relieve me of searching the Interweb for myself, which is handy, I ain't gonna Lie.  I'd likely never have found or heard of this Vendor otherwise.  And you know I'll Share whatever I find with my Dear Readers and for your enjoyment too.  Promoting Small Businesses anywhere is what I enjoy doing.

I apologize for not being Pathologically Picture Taking myself, I do Wish I had something to offer to you, but, I don't.  Been housebound a lot, been broke as Hell, dealing with back to back Family Emergencies and near Death Crisis with Loved Ones... it's consumed me.  So, I'm very Grateful to find some wonderful Photography credited to whoever the Amazing Photographers were who Shared all of these Images Online.  Hopefully if they have Online Sales, it might promote some of their Online Business?   Free Advertising is always Welcome by any of us who aren't the Mega Corporations with unlimited Resources and Benefits made available to them that are denied to the Small Business sector.  Costs are going to go up considerably so I'm bracing for it and Thankful for any Sales we still have.  It is more Sacrificial to spend on Non-Essentials when Essentials skyrocket in cost. 

I needed a few things to do some Deep Cleaning, so when I went to Buy it on Friday, I noticed that they only had a few of each item and it was identical, but had clearly arrived in Three different shipment batches.  The Older Stock of it was priced at $1.29 for a Wooden Handle Bristle Brush, which is the one nearer the Back of the Display and I Bought.  The one in the Middle was priced at $1.99.   And the one in Front was priced at $2.19.  Which only shows how incrementally the Stock items are increasing rapidly now with each new shipment of the same damned Product!!!   I started looking at all their Inventory and noticed a similar Pattern, and you might start paying attention too!  For that little inexpensive Brush it was almost a doubling of the Price in short order of just 3 different Shipments with a pretty high turnover of product in a Big Box Store usually known for decent prices and bargains.  I made sure it rang up at the lower price on the Price Tag, it did.

I'm scaling back out of necessity and I think more Americans will have to even if they don't really want to.  Yes, we still have 1st World Problems for the most part, unless you're the most disadvantaged of our Citizenry, which, does exist, and in larger numbers than ever before.  I'm concerned we'll skid right past a Recession into a Depression actually when the whole House of Cards falls in on itself and America goes broke. From all the Corruption and staggering blatant Criminal activities going on at high levels to enrich themselves and liquidate America like they're just dismantling a Business they just took over, Bought and Asset Stripped to line their own Pockets with.  And fuck everyone in it, they don't matter... coz if you've ever seen a Business Asset Stripped, every Single Employee and Partnership doing Business with that Business gets Fucked and discarded.

I feel like with this adjudicated Rapist President he's violating and victimizing America now, and all Americans he would be willing to Fuck over for his own pleasure and dismissive views of the average American.  He consumes and uses people like they are merely objects for his use.  He certainly thinks he's above everyone and above the Law, so far he's coasted thru Life able to have that belief becoz it's worked for him with no real consequences for doing so.  And he's had his Sycophants that latched onto him regardless of how he treats them coz they are Power, Position and Money hungry too.  And when a person is that Thirsty, well, they can't get enough ever.  They know he'd throw them away when he's done with them, so they pander for as long as they can milk the whole time he hasn't lost interest or use in them.  They will humiliate, debase and degrade themselves publicly, have you seen the Spectacles of faux flattery they bestow upon him constantly, being his Lackeys and his Bitches?!  OMG, it's pathetic and sickening!!!

Anyway, enuf of that, I can't even go there this Morning.  And it is the next Morning and I'm still in my Jammies coz I got to Sleep In since The Granddaughter took a couple days off in front of her usual Two days off.  And I thought about going to The Desert Botanical Gardens to see the Springtime Blooms.  But Weekends tend to be crowded or they have Special Invitation Only Events, so even Members get turned away.  And it's too far to go and risk being turned away and using up expensive Gas driving across the City.  Plus, the Restaurant that took over "Gertrude's" is too expensive and has a pretentious Menu of overpriced Burgers and Tacos, so I've not eaten at the Gardens now since last May when they Closed the Wonderful Restaurant they used to have there from as far back as I can remember.  I knew the Manager and all her Staff and Loved their Food, it was a treat to eat there when I'm go to the Gardens.  Now I'd have to leave to go eat.

 

They changed the Gift Shop too, I miss what they used to carry and I'd often Buy, especially the Local Gourmet Desert Food Items like Prickly Pear Teabags, Desert Jams/Jellies/Syrups/Candy, Cactus Blossom Scented Perfumes, Soaps, Lotions and Candles.  They don't carry any of that anymore.  And I really don't know what Demographic they think they're catering to now?  It isn't mine, that's for sure, and with your Membership, part of the appeal is you got a Discount on Purchases, but if there's nothing you'd ever Purchase now, that's not an added Benefit anymore.  I'm reconsidering even renewing my Membership, and I've been a Member since the early 2000's consecutively, only missing the Pandemic Years when it was Closed to the Public as a Non-Essential Business/Public Space.  Now, with the changes, I haven't gone enuf times yet to make my Membership pay for itself.  And I'm waffling on whether to try to go Today or not?

I looked up the Schedule of Events and saw they're having another Weekend catering to People with Dogs.  The last time I went on a Dog Day, too many people didn't keep their Dogs up under control.  And that's as annoying as someone who can't or won't keep their Kids up under control.  Yes, they are required to have Leashes, but, a Dog without discipline will not know better than to be intrusive to a complete Strangers Space and I don't like a random Dog jumping at or on me, coming up and sniffing my Ass or wanting Attention when I'm not there to play with someone's Dog...or Kid.  And tho' I like Kids and Dogs, when I'm having a Me Day I don't want to have to Deal with YOUR Kid or Dog, that's all.  *Winks*  I'm not even what I'd call a Dog Person, I like Cats, and I like them becoz of their aloof and independent Nature.  When a Cat is around me it won't necessarily demand Attention, it really could care less about bothering you or you bothering it, and I prefer that.  I prefer that in People too actually.  *Bwahahahaha*

Listen, I LIKE People just Fine too, Adult People, Kids, Dogs, I have nothing against at all.  Most are Wonderful Adult People, Kids and Dogs.  Every so often I find some I WANT to even interact with and make pleasantries with while I'm coasting thru Life blissfully doing my Thing.  And many of those interactions are Positive and Pleasant and I don't mind at all.  Other times, a Person, Kiddo or Dog will just be a nuisance and an annoyance.  Some of them don't even seem Aware they are, some don't Care they are.   And I get so few Respites for my Own Time away from Caregiving and giving folks I Love and am Invested in a Priority, that I don't wanna give random Pets or People a Priority just coz they wanna be one to a complete Stranger and feel Entitled to it.  *LOL and Winks*   And I don't think that's Anti-Social, I just have Boundaries and some People, and even Animals, cross that Boundary, it's not Okay.  And I don't wanna Deal with it, but I will if necessary. 

 

I don't wanna have to confront random folks whose Feral Child or Pet is not up under their control and has been invasive and intrusive to my Space or become a real Annoyance.   And, let's face it, usually said Kid or Pet belongs to an equally annoying Adult Human who can't set Boundaries or follow protocol on appropriate Social Behavior in Polite Society, and that's where they get it from.  If you don't have a Service Animal... a REAL one, not a Pet you just threw a Vest on and pretend is your Emotional Support or Service Animal, and has no actual Training to BE a Legally appropriate one, that you just wanna take everywhere, it's not Okay either.  And we CAN tell the difference, everyone can.  And those Dogs "In Training" we can tell the difference with too and how a Professional Handler Training them is appropriately doing so in Public.  Yeah, I'm on a bender rant now since it's been revealed the whole fucking Weekend at the Gardens is Dog Day or Dog Weekend... dammit! 

And Yes, it's MADLY Popular and attracts huge Crowds of Dog Lovers and so I see why the Gardens do Host it.  And the Dog People get to meet and greet other Dog People and talk Dog, but not everyone there is a Dog Person or wants to be involved with participating in Doggy stuff.  It is assumed if you're haplessly there on Dog Day tho', that you will be gushing over every Canine and are... which, that's Annoying too to me.  If your Dog has now been allowed to get too close to me and is gleefully jumping up all over me and you're Smiling and saying, "Oh, he LIKES you!", rather than offering your Apologies, it's much like if you'd allowed your Innocent Child to do the same.  I can't be Mad at the poor Animal that doesn't know any better and indeed, mebbe does LIKE me and so is being just aggressively Social when I'd rather it not be.  

But, I will be Mad at you for Assuming I'm gonna respond favorably.  And if it was a One Off that would be one thing, but on Dog Day at The Gardens, those incidents are everywhere coz, a lot of Dogs, some folks bring all their Dogs!  It's Dog Palooza!  And the Dogs are as excited to be there as if they were at Dog Disneyland, which is understandable from the Dog's perspective.   One Adorable Dog I am drawn to would be enough for me in any given Day, even One Adorable Kid, but a slew of them, not so much at this Season of my Life.  I've already Raised Two Generations of my own Kids... to Adulthood... I'm rather Done now.  And I've been a Pet Owner my entire Life, both Dogs and Cats... and I never Assumed everyone should tolerate nor gush over my Kids or my Pets.  

So, I kept them all up under control out of respect for that FACT. I wasn't oblivious and didn't take Offense if you didn't even Like Kids or Pets, you have a Right to.   If you're diggin' my Kid or my Pet, great, but YOU get to initiate that interaction, it's not forced upon you by me involuntarily.  I'm deciding by the Minute NOT to make the long Pilgrimage and trek out there coz... why tempt Fate and have a pleasant Day I look forward to, compromised???  Yeah, probably not the Ideal day to go, mebbe some Monday when I'm not playing Uber Gramma and giving Rides to and from Work for the Grandchild would be a better Day to attempt it?  *Smiles*  But, at least it gave me some Blog Fodder as a potentially controversial Topic that could alienate me from sensitive Dog Lovers, No?  *Bwahahahahaha*   

 

Listen, lots of folks HATE Cats and I'm a Cat Lover, but, so long as you don't hurt Cats, I'm Okay with you NOT bonding with them as a Species.  I don't Hate Dogs, I Like them, I just don't want one anymore, ever.  When Eli goes across the Rainbow to Cat Heaven I don't want another Cat either.   I wouldn't have even gotten him and resisted replacing Miss Priss but Princess T, after a Year of No Cat, pleaded and brought Home Eli when Straight Anthony's Aunt became allergic and they had no Placement for him... and like a Sucka, well, now here we are and I mostly take Care of him, which, you Moms/Grammas know that almost always fucking happens, which is why we don't want another one that allegedly Belongs to another Family Member.  *Le Sigh and Winks*  There are days when Princess T is Over having Eli and I remind her, have a Kid or a Pet, it's for the rest of their Life or Yours, so, choose Wisely to have either!!!  Coz they are NOT an Object, they're a Living Thing you now should have the Lifetime Responsibility of, period!!!  

She doesn't want Kids and I can see Why, she barely has tolerance for a Pet who isn't a Saintly One, and he's not, he's a Rascal and punishes her constantly when he's Mad at her.  *Bwahahahaha*  So, a Kid doing that, it wouldn't go Well, since I can hear her scolding Eli all the time.  No Eli, Stop Eli, look what you've done now Eli!!!  *Bwahahahaha*  I have told her, according to Jackson Galaxy, the Cat Whisperer and Feline Behaviorist, you cannot discipline a Cat, they do not understand Punishment as a Species.  They only know you're Mad, that's all.  And I'd agree with Jackson, I've owned a lot of Cats, they can be Trained, but not by Punishments, Cats are exclusively a Rewards Species of Animal.  If you want a certain Behavior, Reward it, they understand the connection then.  Punishment they just get confused and will usually get aggressive and fuck you up, coz a Cat will not tolerate something they do not Like.  Unlike a Dog, they will react with your Anger, often with either Fear, which won't go Well for you or the Cat, or their own Defensive Stance.

Now, with Eli being a very large powerful aggressive Tomcat who will stalk and attack Humans for his own Amusement sometimes.  Or being Territorial of his Space that is his Domain, you do have to get him to Respect you tho'.   He is not what Shelters would even call a Pet Quality Cat and chances are, Anthony's Family found him as a Feral Kitten.  I have his Respect, he has mine, we mutually agree that neither of us wants to Challenge the other and if we do, I might Win, so he's not chancing that at all and defers.   He'll roll over, expose his Belly and look like he Gave Up if he even forgets himself and thinks he can Swim in my Waters, and all I gotta do is give him The Look.  *Bwahahahaha*  Anyone else besides his Girl, he will attack the moment they enter the Room coz he does need his Five Murderous Episodes a day to be Content, as is the way of Cats in their Nature.  *Smiles*  He's not that overly Friendly laid back Feline, some Breeds are, but he's not of that Tribe of Cat.

I remind his Girl, if you gave him up, he'd be as Unadoptable as the Adoption People told me your Brother was.  And then we both Laugh, coz that's the Truth!!!   Yes, Kids in The System required to be put up for Adoption, even out of Kinship long time Placement involuntarily, are Rates on a Scale of 1-4 of their Adoptability based on numerous factors such as Age, Race, Disability, History, Health, Behavior, Sexuality Identity etcetera.  With a One being a Desired Child for Adoption, a 4 being the most Undesired Child for Adoption.  When The G-Kid Force got "Rated" and Mandated they had to be put up for Adoption coz they couldn't be Reunified with Bio Parents, they pegged her at a 3, coz of Age, Race, Health Issues, Academic and Developmental Disability.   So she knows she herself was deemed Hard To Place.  Lucky for both of them I didn't want them taken from us and fought like Hell to allow us to Adopt them, but, they were Wards of the State, so I couldn't make that decision, an Adoption Board and Judges had to.

But when it came to her Brother, The Young Prince, I actually had the Adoption Board tell me, "Well, IF we had a Rating of 5!!!"  *Bwahahaha, which is Sad, yet also Gallow's Humor Funny as Hell, definitely they'd never find Placement for him anywhere else but where he already was.*   Eli would also be a 5, pretty sure.  *Smiles*  And so his Girl sympathizes with his plight of being a Beloved Cat by at least some of us, Okay, well Two of us anyway... but hardly anyone else would take his Ass in.  *Smiles*  I do Well with misfit People and Pets.  If you are a really Fucked Up Human or Animal, chances are, we'll get along just Fine even if you can't or won't get along Fine with anyone else.  I can't even tell you Why that is, I don't know?   I was told, even by my Parents, that since I was a Toddler, I always got along fabulously with Misfit People and those folks that hardly anyone else Liked or would even be Afraid of, but they'd get along fabulously with me.   And end up being part of my most Devoted Inner Circle in most Cases.  Coz if you got a Ride or Die Friend like that, they are tough to Top.

I foolishly thought I'd just have a nice relaxing Saturday until I went to ask The Young Prince if he wanted Breakfast.  Well, he wasn't Home but I made the Mistake of walking into his Space.  Well, TRYING to walk into his Space, I couldn't see the Floor at all and it looked like a scene from Hoarders and in one of the Extreme Case ways!  Immediate Anxiety and The Son came up behind me to ask if I'd need some Help making that at least Safe and Sanitary without losing my Shit completely?  He'd been doing my Yardwork all Morning coz around the 5th Wheel had become overgrown with Weeds since nobody is occupying that Space right now.  I'm Grateful for all his Help coz right now he's my only Present Help that isn't Working all Day at a Job/Career, so he can have the Time to.  He likes to keep busy and productive, me too, but The Grandson's Space was overwhelming and shows how Mentally Ill and dysfunctional he really is.

 

We pulled out 6 Laundry Baskets full of Clothing off the Floor, I couldn't tell what might be Clean or Dirty, so it's all gonna be Laundered.  It was very much what we just went thru in his Mother's Space in the 5th Wheel.  Only, he didn't have anything among it that he shouldn't have, just inability to keep Clean and Organized without a lot of Help to do so.  He always looks so well put together that it belies he can't keep his Personal Space immaculate like that too.  He Showers daily and has been better at his personal Hygiene.   But I pulled several Bowls and Utensils and empty Cans and empty Plastic Beverage Containers out of there, Snack Bags and general disarray.  I do have to do The Come To Jesus Talk with him again.  He does good for a while, then it snowballs again into what is total Chaos.  There has to be clear Pathways for Safety and Fire Code reasons, so there's no Negotiating that Standard.

I can understand why, when Allen might have come Home from Working a demanding Career at the Slaughterhouse, clear in another State, that he'd lose his Shit if their Home looked like that.   As a Caregiver, if who you're Caregiving for, requires Extreme Caregiving, it takes a Toll on the Caregiver.  Should he be in a Group Home someday, I'm thinking that might be an affirmative, or, perpetually Homeless.  After I Cross Over both are a possibility unless he finds someone willing to Cherish him enuf to that they will do it like Allen and I have done it, being Full Time Unpaid Caregivers of someone requiring Extreme Care measures.  I'm going to ask his Caseworker if he qualifies for any Services that would assist in doing his Laundry, and basic Housekeeping just in his Personal Space, for example, so it doesn't back up like that?   It's Too Much for me, it really is, along with what I'm also responsible for and who I'm also a Caregiver for that requires High Maintenance Care.

I haven't even done any of his Laundry, since, I have a Load of our own to do first.  And, our Washer may be going on the fritz, so, there's that, it sometimes leaks now, not a lot, but, that's never a good thing.  And I'm Done Todaying for Today and it's just past Noon.  No going to The Gardens after spending a couple Hours wading thru the Grandson's Chaos, his level of SMI manifested in the condition of his Room.  That's supposed to also be my Art Studio, but, Honestly, forget about that aspect and function of it completely.  I can't even try to think of how I could make that function alongside his Issues now?   And perhaps it just shouldn't.  I don't have Time for Art, Recreation, having a Social Life, even Working on the Downsizing Project in Earnest, it's all consuming at this juncture to just Care for Loved Ones Full Time.  Since Protracted Stagflation seems imminent tho', I may have even more Time here at Forever Boheme' to work it all out...

******

Well, I guess it could be worse... and it is for some Dear Souls... so we must keep perspective about it... Dawn... The Bohemian

Easter Sunday 2026

Okay, so Easter came so early this Year that it crept up on me too fast and I hadn't done anything for it that we usually do as a Tradition and Ritual to Honor it as one of our Holy Days.  I didn't buy our Hot Cross Buns by Thursday, usually you pre-order to ensure the Restaurant we buy them from has enough of them for Walk-Ins.  I didn't get a Reservation at the Greek Restaurant either that we eat our Spit Roasted Lamb Easter Dinner at, and then again on their Greek Orthodox Easter, which is April 12th this Year.  We Love going to "Dino's Restaurant" for that Spit Roasted Lamb so do it for both Easters.  I've had numerous Greek Friends so I always knew they celebrated Easter on a different Day for the Orthodox Easter.

Usually I sell all my Easter Merch but this Year it's been slow to move, so I think Easter snuck up on a lot of folks too?  I didn't even Decorate for it, I haven't even taken down my Valentine's Vignette actually and I'm Okay with that this Year.  Too much going on and I'm falling behind on keeping pace with the various Holidays this Year, let alone Decorating for them.  I always have so it's out of Character for me not to, perhaps when things aren't so hectic I can get back in the groove of Seasonal and Holiday Decorating.  In The RV Garage Mahal I do have some Seasonal Holiday Decor that is Displayed in there Year Round and it was always my intent to do that so it all gets put out and left up to enjoy all the time.  I have less Holidays and Seasons in front of me now than behind me.  So to maximize enjoying my Collections, why not?

 

I bought a couple of Cakes from "Safeway", I was just craving one of those light Mousse Cakes and they have a lovely rectangular Tiramisu Cake that I tried for the firs time.  It was good, but I prefer the Mousse Cake, which is now my fav coz I'm not big on Cakes or Pies, but Tarts and this Mousse Cake, I am addicted to those and NEED one every once in a while.  I also bought a large fresh Fruit Tray and a large fresh Fruit Bowl too.  Been craving Seasonal Fruits and this Season they've been particularly tasty, so clearly it was a good Season for growing them.   So, Below are my Two Cakes for some Food Porn.  Yes, they taste as good as they look, they do a very nice job at the "Safeway" Bakery, a lot of other Grocers don't, so I'll go out of my way to find a "Safeway" if I want Bakery items. 

And becoz we're doing fuck all coz Finances are so tight, the Cakes were my guilty indulgence splurge for April... along with the Spit Roast Easter Lamb Dinner that only The Man and I will attend this Year.  We can't afford to bring the whole Family and they're not as big on Lamb anyway.  I don't know that The Man ever ate much Lamb before meeting me.  My Family always ate it, my Mom used to make a Homemade Mint Sauce to go with it and I miss that and should have gotten her recipe for it coz I grow all kinds of Fresh Mint that I Harvest for other Cuisine we eat.   I think Mom used a White Vinegar to make it, but I don't know which Vinegar or what variety of Mint she typically used?  I'm growing Two kinds right now and have Vinegar, so I could experiment and see how it turns out, with some Lamb Chops, which should also be in Season now.

Now before anyone gets all Crazy about the ethics of eating Lamb, both my Parents Cultures ate a lot of Lamb and even Mutton, so I grew up eating it a lot and I do like it a lot.   It used to be what Poorer folks ate since Sheep are easy to Raise and provide Wool too, so a lot of Indigenous Raised them and spun the Wool and ate the Meat of them.  And a lot of Welsh do too, since, they don't have a lot of Cows, so you mostly saw herds of Sheep instead.  There are more Sheep than People in Wales, pretty sure.  *LOL*  Welsh Lamb is a renown Specialty in Wales and considered a Staple of Traditional Cuisine.   But, it was mostly eaten on Special Occasions, Mom's Family by and large were mainly Vegetarians with their Diet daily, by necessity.  Mom told tales of Foraging for Food a lot as a Child... and my Dad did the same. Dad taught us what Food we could Forage for in Nature and was edible.

When we had Desert Landscaping at some of our Properties here in Arizona, I'd Harvest the Mesquite Beans and pound them into a Sweet Flour that you can use for making Pancakes, Crepes and such.  We also Harvested some of our Cacti Nopales {edible newly formed Pads of the Prickly Pear Cacti} and the Tuna {which is what the edible Fruit are called on Prickly Pear Paddle Cactus}.  You can buy both at Spanish Markets and Grocers too in the Produce section or even Jarred Nopales and Tuna made into Cactus Candy which is very similar to Turkish Delight Candy.  I recently went to an International Market and got some various Turkish Delight Candy imported from the Middle East.  I'm the only one that eats it, the Family don't care for it.  So, I can make it last.  *Winks*

Now that the Kiddos are all Grown I do miss the Easter Egg Hunts and making up Easter Baskets, I enjoyed doing both as a Tradition and Ritual.   Now they don't even wanna bother with Dying Eggs, which, I'm not too crushed about that coz it is messy and they'd often lose Interest halfway thru the doing of it.  Tho', they ate the Hell out of those Hard Boiled Colored Eggs, so none ever went to Waste.  I Buy Heirloom Pasture Raised Eggs so they come in Natural Color variations of Brown, Tan, Grey, Pink, Blue, Green, Olive, Creme, Deep Chocolate, Speckled, and that's enuf for the Family now.  *LOL*  If we get Chickens I'd probably want to get Easter Egg Heirloom laying Hen Breeds.

As you can see these Eggs laid by various Heirloom Chicken Breeds are just as Colorful and Lovely Naturally as any you might Dye.  And if you Pasture Raise Hens the Yolks will be deep Orange and not Pale Yellow.  When we have Company they're always asking why our Eggs are so Orange Yolked when broken open and when Cooked coz they're used to less Ethically Raised Hen Eggs.  I only Buy Pasture Raised Eggs coz to be labeled as such the Hens have to be on at least 108 Square Feet of Pasture per Bird and have significant access to the Outdoors to forage for Natural Foods and have higher levels of Omega-3's and Vitamins D, A and E.  They also taste far better so are always worth paying a little more.  I am an Egg Snob, I ain't gonna Lie.  And we eat a lot of Eggs.

I kept just some of the Plastic Eggs our Kiddos used to Hunt for and we filled with Treats to hide for them, along with the Dyed Hard Boiled Eggs.  I Sold or Donated the rest and have some  in our Showroom now in see thru Plastic Egg Cartons for a Buck a Dozen, or also for a Buck for an 18-Pac.  Sometimes I just had the different see thru Egg Cartons in 12 or 18 Pacs and I just use them up to Sell the Plastic Eggs.  Another Fun thing we've always done during Environmental Cleanup around Easter time is to glean the forgotten Plastic Eggs at the big Parks where folks often do their Easter Picnics and Gatherings, Egg Hunts and Celebrations.  You'd be Surprised how many the Kids do not find, every Year we probably find over 100 Plastic Eggs left behind unfound.  *LOL*  Princess T came Home from Work Today with an Easter Bag they gave to all Employees with Candy and Plastic Eggs.

 

Our Exterminator Company just merged with another big Company, so I hope that doesn't mean their prices will increase?  They say combined they'll offer expanded services but we only have their Termite Service and don't have the other Pest Services since the prices increased significantly in 2025.  But Termites can cause a lot of damage and tho' we have mostly a Burnt Brick Adobe Home with very little Wood, it's an Older area with a lot of Stick and Stucco Homes in the Community so it's just a safeguard I want.  If neighbors get Termites it can spread exponentially if they don't take care of the problem.  Anyway, we'll see, everything seems to be going up except Wages and Pensions, they're not keeping pace with inflation, not by a long shot.  

And now this Regime wants to cut more Social Services to pay for his illegal War that's costing Taxpayers 2 Billion Daily, Services like Child Care, Medicaid, Medicare, Healthcare, Nutritional Assistance, WIC, and lots of other Social Programs that help struggling Americans.  Of coarse a lot of his Cronies and Family are getting the Government Contracts that fuel the War Machine so they're raking it in and further enriching themselves, as are the Oil Companies... and that's the real reason he started this War.  At your Expense and funneling those Funds to him and his Family and Cronies.  And it's not like the Conflicts of Interest aren't blatant as fuck, coz, they are and are easily traceable to who Profits most from these White House reckless for America decisions that make no sense, but, make sense if you're running your Grift/Con on who you're Victimizing and Playing.  Yep, he is Liquidating America and Asset Stripping it for their own Gain.

Moving On... at least Pam Bondi went under the Bus and got Fired... but, he'll only try to install another Sycophant Loyalist whose unqualified, corrupt and incompetent, that's all he knows how to do.  He isn't looking for any Qualifications, Intelligence or Experience, just, whoever covers his Ass and bends the Knee while Kissing the Ring and will take all the Falls for him at any cost to themselves.  And they're literally standing Knee deep in Line to do it.  Coz it will be a heady Power Trip and Big Grift for them while it lasts.  They'll be a wrecking ball to everything they're put in charge of, but, that's how you dismantle and corrupt the whole System in your favor.  They don't Care, it's the best Job they've ever had becoz they never could Qualify for such Positions except being Nepo Hires and Crony Hires.  

Most are just 2nd rate TV Hosts the same as this President was a 2nd rate Cheesy Reality TV 'Star' with a completely fabricated Resume' and a long History of Criminal Activities, yet paying off the right folks to get away with his Crimes... or threatening and intimidating those that could or would take him down.   His Family have a Legacy of Corruption that made them Wealthy and the Generational Wealth is mostly gained from questionable means and consummate Con Jobs, all of it.  But, his Base and those who Voted for him know he's a Criminal and totally Corrupt and a disgusting Human Being, it's well known he is and always has been, it's no Secret, but, they approve of it and thus support it.  You hear some pretty Crazy shit falling out of the Mouths of his devout Cult Following.  Tho' the MAGA Movement is showing signs of fracturing and imploding as they now turn on each other... and eventually, on him.  They will Eat their own in the end... desperate folks do desperate things.

In Real Time it's still only Thursday Night so Tomorrow Morning I'm going to see if I can get our Hot Cross Buns from "Wildflower Bread Company" and then make Reservations at "Dino's" for Easter Sunday Dinner and Orthodox Easter Dinner on the 12th.  It will be the only time we Eat Out for April, Budget being tight for indulgences this Month, so we're tightening things up.   The Son wants to go out with me to do Environmental Cleanup again, he enjoyed doing it and knows it nets us some Cash, I've got enough already again to turn in to the Recycle Center, so if we fill up another Bag full it will fill the back of my Truck Bed again.  

 

I've done it a couple times at Parks nearby and once by the River, since he'd joined me prior to that.  Busy areas are safer to do it alone, but if we do it in more remote or less busy areas I'd always do it with someone, for safety sake.   Our Weather has been Cooler the last few days too so it's pleasant when in the 70's and 80's rather than up into the Triple Digits.   I've been housebound a lot lately due to Family Medical Issues ramping up the Caregiving and also due to finances being tight, so less driving around with the current Gas prices.  Now I don't drive anywhere I don't HAVE to, coz a $100 fill up each time is ridiculous, on a fixed income especially.   And I can't help but think of what I could be buying with that amount of Money instead or saving up for that would last me longer than a tank of fucking Gas!!!

I make Mental comparisons like that all the time when I spend Money, to discern, is this really worth what I'm spending on it?  Especially since a tank of Gas doesn't last long in City Driving even if you get good MPG's like my Truck does.  Every time I turn my Truck off it gives me how many Miles per Gallon I got out of the trip so I can gauge my driving efficiency.  Anyway, so, I've been Home a lot then.  And, I've been watching You Tube Comedy Specials a lot since I Need the levity of Comedy right now to balance out and cancel all the Bad shit going on, both Personally and Globally.   One of my fav New Comedians is Matt Rife, my Kiddos are the ones that introduced me to his Comedy, I'd never heard of him, his Crowd Work is exceptional. 

So, I got a confirmation letter for The Grandson about his Social Security Disability Interview and Appointment and they stated they will also help him with SNAP applications, since, he was referred by his Caseworker he already has.  It really does help if you already have a Caseworker on your Case and Side.  The various Services and Agencies take it a lot more Seriously, I've found, than if you go in without Advocacy in place already and are winging it on your own.  Not that you can't be your own Advocate or just have Friend or Family Member Advocating for you, but a Professional Caseworker who does this for a Living is usually already Known and respected for doing what they do for their Clients.  So, a lot of the Work has already been done by your Caseworker, relieving you of that burden.  And the dovetailing of Help is then more common.  So, we may be able to cut out going to DES if Social Security is doing that part on his behalf now for Nutritional Assistance Services.  *Whew*

And it's also Helpful to have the Receipts with the Letters that New Mexico Social Services is now sending to us to prove he already was Approved and receiving good Services in another State when he was living there.   Coz the transition when you move from State to State can otherwise be challenging too.  Some States, like New Mexico, are much easier to navigate their System than Arizona is and to receive better and more Services.  Some States treat their Residents better than other States, which, shouldn't be so, but it is.   We're all Americans, so one would think it should be more consistent State to State what Services, especially Federal Ones and not just State ones, you can apply and qualify for, but, it isn't.  This is why Migrations happen shifting Demographics constantly... some States will have an Exodus and others will absorb all of that for one reason or another... and it's usually Economic or Climate related.

Arizona used to attract a lot of Retirees, now they're moving to States with a lower Cost of Living to stretch their Fixed Incomes further.  And with more of an Exodus of the Retirement Community, the Local Economy has had to shift due to that Void left by that Exodus and try to attract Newcomers of a different Demographic.  I see a big shift right now where clearly who they are attempting to attract are affluent temporary Residents the most.  We've always been heavily Tourist oriented in Arizona coz of the mild Fall and Winter Months we have and basic Year Round less inclement Weather.  So, we've always had a big Tourist Industry and Snowbirds who live here only part of the Year and have 2nd Homes here.  You don't own a 2nd Home unless you have means, most people now can't afford a 1st Home anymore.  Of coarse who they want to attract now is driving up the Cost of Living a LOT and that affects the Labor Force significantly.  Ripple effect.

There tends to be a glut now of lower paying but necessary Job positions they can't keep filled coz nobody can Live on that Salary here now anymore.   Housing is too expensive, Gas is way higher than the National Average and we don't have a great Public Transportation System for a City that is a Metropolis.   We used to grow a lot of our own Food Locally but now Agriculture has been bought up by greedy Developers and Urban Sprawl has replaced what Arizona used to produce and now doesn't.  That has driven up costs of what used to be locally Sourced and now isn't.   The West Valley where we live used to be prime Agricultural Land with Crops, Dairies, Egg Ranches, Orchards, Vineyards galore, lots of Farms and Ranches.  Now, most of those are replaced with sprawling Residential Subdivisions, enormous Apartment Complexes, or Commercial and Industrial Properties.  

 

The Industrial Complexes being built are massive too.  Amazon has SO many here and some are over 800,000 sf per Industrial Building!!!  That displaces a lot of what used to sit on that Land and if Amazon ever bailed, who the Hell would have Best Use of such a massive Space?  Oh, wait, ICE is buying up Mega Spaces like that at inflated prices beyond the Value of said Properties to Create their Human Concentration Camps!!!  And who wants a bunch of those... or Data Centers that use up all our precious Water in a Desert... in our Communities???  I'll wait...  It's changing the Landscape significantly and has ramped up considerably in recent Years with what's being built around the City. 

 I also see, across America, where the Exodus from small Town America has made virtual Ghost Towns now of other places that are becoming deserted and blighted.   The Rust Belt, as they call it, is really hurting.  And, other places that are enduring catastrophic Weather Events consistently now really have to reconsider whether rebuilding is even Wise if it will be devastated over and over again due to Climate Change and cataclysmic patterns happening constantly now with Fires, Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, prolonged Drought, Floods, etcetera.   I worry Locally that too many Migrating here are taxing the sustainability of having such massive Populations in a Desert?  Gotta get the Water from somewhere, nothing can live without Water for long.

It probably won't happen in my own Lifetime, but those who will Inherit the Future really have to figure out what has to Change so that Civilization can continue where it's at right now.  We can see from the Ancient Past that once great and large Civilizations did disappear and we don't always know why or where they even went?  Or, did they just Die off and not be able to go anywhere else in a mass Migration when their Cities were abandoned and Nature took it all back over?   Several massive advanced Civilizations no longer Exist, have vanished or collapsed.   We suspect mostly due to factors like Climate Changes, Resource depletion, Disease, or conflict.   There are conservatively about 50 entire Civilizations we know of that have vanished... and, could we be next?

Now on to less morbid Dark Topics, it's Friday in Real Time and I just bought our Hot Cross Buns and had Breakfast at "Wildflower Bread Co." with The Son.  Our Icing was melting off our Buns coz it's warm early Today, so probably gonna return to being a Hot one?   I split my Breakfast and took a little more than half Home to The Man, he gobbled it all up so must have been ravenously hungry!!!  Then we enjoyed a Hot Cross Bun each.  I'd picked up Wild Bird Seed at "Tractor Supply Company", a local Radio Station was having an "Easter Keg Hunt" from KUPD and The Son was tracking Clues, which led to there and we didn't find it, but I did find that they have Bird Seed cheaper than anywhere else, so, it's close by and will now be my Go To spot for it.   Each Keg found Wins something then there will be a Grand Prize Drawing for the 50 folks who found one of a $20,000 Grand Prize, so, quite an incentive.

 I enjoyed seeing their Live Chicks they have of various Chicken Breeds and Turkey Breeds, adorbs.  They even had a very Rare Breed available, and they say what kind of Eggs they lay and if they double duty as Meals themselves when Grown.  Some Breeds were Sexed, Females only, others were Unsexed yet, take your Chances on getting Roosters.  I would only want to ensure getting a Laying Hen, no Roosters.  Anyway, we don't have Chickens yet and no telling how Mando is gone whether we will coz he and The Daughter had the Friend who was gonna give them his Hens and they were gonna build the Chicken Coop to have them here.  I talked with her this Morning, she seems Happy to be back to a Lifestyle she's more used to, being Nomadic and basically probably Homeless, it's her preferred Normal and has been since she was 15.  Accepting that can be difficult more for the rest of us than for her.  She liked living here but the Responsibility factor was overwhelming to her.

So, these are my melting Icing Hot Cross Buns.  *LOL*  They are delicious and I get them there every Easter Season.  I was actually going to either do some Environmental Cleanup or Work in the She Shed again but it's already so Hot that I might do a Hard Pass on either.  It says it's only 75 Degrees so far but it's Humid coz we did get some Rain, and Humidity is what I can't handle, if it's a Dry Heat I do Okay even when it's searing Hot, but, Dry and Low Humidity.  Not being able to take The Man out anywhere it's best I stay Home with him and make sure he's doing alright and getting his Meds on time.  Princess T took Today and Tomorrow off and has Easter Sunday and Monday off too, so a nice Holiday Four Day Weekend for her to enjoy, so, she and Rusty made Plans together.  She has to give me her Debit Card before Monday Morning since that's when I go to do Taxes and she's covering all that, Bless her.  What a Great Kid she is.

I ran into one of our Young Fav Customers from the Antique Mall when I was at the Restaurant having Breakfast.  She's a trendy looking heavily Tattooed Young Gal from a big City back East, looks very Gangsta... and we hit it off the first time she came to our Mall with her Two Young Daughters to Shop.  She has some amazing Black and White Body Art... and a lot of it.   She approached me, hesitant at first since I wasn't Working and was out somewhere other than where we usually interact.  But, I told her I don't mind at all, it's not intrusive to me, and I had recognized her too, but decided to allow her to make any reaching out, which she did immediately.  It was her Youngest's Birthday so she said she is broke now from indulging that Child.  *Smiles*  

She misses some of the Foods of Big East Coast Cities, like the Pizza... but is finding new Fav Foods here in Arizona.  I can't recall if she moved here from Chicago or New York City tho', it's one or the other.   The Son is always Amazed that literally everywhere we go, we run into folks that Know me!  *LOL*  It's the Truth, literally we could be in the most obscure and random Location anywhere, far from Home, and we'll still run into at least One or more People who Know me and they'll always go out of their way to approach me and Talk.   He Jokes that it's no wonder I don't Need to Socialize intentionally on any given Day, coz I will inadvertently unintentionally run into Social Situations with random Folks I Know who will stop to Socialize briefly.  By pure Serendipity.  And, that's all the Socializing and Peopling I require on any given Day.  *Smiles*

I picked up more Pasture Raised Heirloom Eggs so we'll have a bunch to Hard Boil for Easter too, but won't need to Dye coz they already have come in an assortment of Natural Colors.  You can't tell very well by the Pix, but some are Pastel Blue, Green and Pink Hues.  They look Greener, Bluer and Pinker than they do in the Photo.   I like the Chocolate Brown ones too.   The Grey Hue ones are rare to get... they are Laid by the Olive Eggers and so the Hue can be anywhere from Grey to Olive and various Shades in between. {See Below}   I presently only have some of the more Green Hued ones that are paler and brighter than the darker dusky Hued ones right now.   But you can see how Lovely and varied they all Naturally are.

I didn't buy any Spring Bouquets but they sure had some lovely ones at all the Shops and good Prices too.  Anyway, it's enjoyable to see all the Spring Merch in the Shops even if I'm not Buying much of it this Season.  I filled up with Gas, still had a 10 Cent a Gallon Discount and yet it still cost me about $84 to fill up even with the Discount.  Ironically, while at the Gas Pumps there were Two Random Old, clearly affluent, White People, a very Old Lady in a White Cadillac and a Man looking to be around Retirement Age, in a Red BMW {its an area that has Geriatrics with Money}... who were discussing Politics at the Pumps while they complained about Gas Prices.  Both were clearly MAGA, so eavesdropping was a Hoot.  

Clearly they're feeling the Pinch that their Boy is Creating, yet they Stubbornly hold onto the Cult Devotion and refuse to admit Electing him was a HUGE Mistake. And so were saying, but... it's better than us becoming a bunch of Socialists, huh?  *Bwahahahahahaha, I almost couldn't contain my Laughter overhearing that shit!!!*  Yeah, let's just become a bunch of White Nationalist Supremacist Fascists instead then...???   Please.  Shut the Fuck Up!!!   When everything crashes down around them, and the Squeeze becomes really Tight for them too, due to who they Trusted and Elected, we'll see how Great America then is.  But, his Base is still out there, about holding at 39%, which tho' that's definitely not a Majority, it's still too high IMO, his Ratings should be more underwater than that by now with all he's said and done.

I have one more Crate of Inventory sitting here beside me that I haven't Priced yet and haven't Motivated myself to get around to.  Mostly coz I don't have the Space for it right now to cram into our Antique Mall Rented Space, it's pretty packed with Fresh Merch now.  A lot of Parents might be making up their own Easter Baskets this Weekend for their Kiddos so I did bring in a lot of Smalls for Children of the most Collectible little Toys that have always been madly Popular, and see thru Egg Cartons that hold a Dozen or an 18 Count of empty Plastic Eggs I put in them, for a Buck.  I also have Plastic Eggs containing a little Toy that are For Sale at a Buck each.  And Art Stamps are still briskly Selling and Paper Arts Supplies coz most of the Indie Craft Stores have Closed, even some Major ones, and others have reduced Inventory considerably, like, they could be going Under too? 

 

I was in a "Michael's" the other day and half their Shelves were almost empty, it reminded me of what happened to "JoAnne's" when it got Asset Stripped and just before they Closed their Doors forever.  Only the Hobby Lobby seems to be doing well and expanding locations and well stocked, but I know a lot of folks boycott them and I know why they do.  Them and The Chick-Fil-A have been outed for being quite Homophobic and Big Donors to Anti-Gay Rights Lobbies.   What you Support openly will always have it's consequences and in the Age of Social Media, well, once something goes Viral that you said or did, there's no taking that back and pretending it never happened.  It's biting this Administration in the Ass Daily now and they can't effectively retract or run enuf damage control behind what's already fallen out of their Mouths and been Done.  You Own it now.  Out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth always eventually Speaks.  And they've said a Mouthful and all the Quiet Parts Out Loud.

 

I dropped by the Antique Mall, foofed our Showroom and put in some more Small Collectible Toys from the 1960-1970 Era that might go well in Easter Baskets.  Remember the Colorful Plastic Cowboys and Indians Figures that were similar to Army Men of that Era?  Well, I had a huge assortment of those, some being Riders with their Horses, and Plastic Trees, Kids still Love those things and I remember countless Hours playing with such things with my Brother.  We used to line they up as if they were having a War and Bowl them down with our Shooter Marbles and keep Score of who took out the most of them down our Parent's Hallway, me at one end and him at the other end.  The Bags of Vintage Marbles I had have been Selling briskly, so Kids still Love those too.

The Mall was relatively busy but I don't know they're having a Holiday Sale this Weekend or not?  They should to draw a Crowd, especially since many places are Closed for Easter and we're not.  But you can't just rely on that access, or boredom, to draw folks in to spend Money on a Holiday.  I made our Reservations for Easter Dinner at "Dino's" for around 4:00 p.m. on Easter Sunday.  We'll pop on over to the Antique Mall afterwards since it's in the same Parking Lot, so, why not?  See how the Holiday Weekend panned out Sales wise?  This Pay Period has kinda flatlined from last Pay Period, which was fairly Strong.  So, I think all the Race Fans and Spring Training Baseball Fans have gone Home now?

*******

Happy Easter my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian