Missing Government Forms... Color Me NOT Surprised

 

Today's Post is still not all Buttercups, Rainbows, Glitter and Unicorn Farts.  But, I'm trying not to be so Dark or Negative in my Blogging entries, I really am, it's just a particular Challenge with the Condition of the World right now.  I just ordered a Copy of the missing 1099-R from the Government for The Man's Military Pension.  The Young Man wasn't gonna Honor my request without a Power of Attorney, and I'm like, listen Son, we have gone thru this all the time coz this happens every Year and I don't know Why?  My Husband isn't incompetent but he does have TBI and some Dementia, and he is a 100% Disabled Veteran who Served 39 Years and I Served alongside him for most of that, all I need is a copy of this Form so I can get our Taxes done.  I can put him on the Phone if you like, but I'd rather not put him, or you, thru that.

 I don't know why they haven't sent it to us at this Address for the  past Six Years, but we have to go thru this every time and the Address on Record is where we live, so, I can't even begin to tell you why we never get it?  He couldn't tell me why either, since I verified once again, yep, that's our Address and has been all this time.  So he agreed to get a Copy Mailed within 10 Days.  Thank you Baby Jesus and all the Saints.  If you appeal to their Better Angels, usually the Representatives try to be helpful if they know the whole tragic Back Story of the Veteran involved.  And, now we'll be filing at the Wire again due to this.  I should have waded thru our paperwork earlier to realize we hadn't gotten everything we are required to receive... AGAIN!!!

Anyway, we're still getting Irrigation even tho' it's way past time coz we got Water quite late, the ditch didn't fill up by 4:00 a.m. which was our Rotation time and we're getting a shitty head of Water, so, it's taking forever.  I don't know if that means someone upstream is Stealing Water again or what?  I just know it's 7:00 a.m. and we should have gotten all of ours by about 5:45 at the latest and it's still trickling in slowly and we're not close to getting as much as we're entitled to receive yet so we're not shutting our Gates down completely even tho' we had to lift the Main Ditch One {well not us, but the Neighbor behind us, it's his responsibility to after he gets his coz we share an Irrigation Ditch}.

  So, I'm sure The Son is exhausted and I only got light Sleep off and on until it's done and until I'd ordered that missing Tax Paperwork.  The Grandson has his Chicanos Por La Causa Appointment Tomorrow Afternoon for them to help him qualify for DES Services like Arizona Healthcare, Mental Healthcare, Dental and Nutritional Assistance.  I had to get him his State ID re-issued due to his lost Wallet, coz he'll need that for the Interview, along with his Birth Certificate and Bank Statement.  So, I have to get him to the Bank Today to get a current Statement for March, coz it normally wouldn't come thru the Mail until EOM.  He's got like Six Bucks in his Savings and Twenty-Six Bucks in his Checking, and he only has that coz I put some in there for when his Monthly Service Charge is taken out so it won't overdraft.

I could have gotten him Free Checking, since the Kiddos are all tied to my preferential Corporate Account to get some Perks.  But the kind of Checking he wanted and thinks he NEEDED, has a Fifteen Buck a Month Service Fee and some of the Young think they Need whatever that type offers them.   Whatever... you have no Job and hardly any Money ever tho', so, are you gonna make sure you have Fifteen Bucks a Month for even the Fee, Child?  *Eye Roll and Le Sigh*  I mean, this is a Kid that already has lost his Wallet with all his ID in it and his new Bank Card, can't find it, then lost his Vape Pen with his Medicinal MJ in it that he Needs... luckily I found that for him coz I don't have Money to replace it... and it's one Allen got him.  Some Days he's so Mental and out of Touch with Reality, he couldn't find his Ass with both Hands.  *LOL*

At least I had a Text Message telling me where to take him and what we'll need coz what I Wrote on the Calendar I couldn't even decipher now, just that he had to be somewhere by 3:00 p.m. that Day.  *LOL*  This is where MY fucking Head is at these Days, it's all a blur most of the time who I'm taking, where, and when, or why?  *LMAO*  I recall his Caseworker Caitlin giving me her information which she said she was Writing down for my Grandson but now I don't even know where he put that?  It's not where I told him to put it for easy access should I need to call her and she was out of her Business Cards.  So, if it's now with his Lost Wallet in the Void, I don't have it now.  *Le Sigh*  The Man still takes Calls when we've told him not to, and instantly forgets whatever the Call is about, or when he got said Call, so it's always some Mystery going on around here with this Crew.  *Double Le Sigh*

Honey, don't answer the Phone if you're not gonna take Notes while you're on the Call, Okay?  But, he forgets those instructions and he sure likes answering that Phone if he can get to it first.  *Triple Le Sigh*  Luckily he doesn't move fast so sometimes we can get to it first if someone hears it in time.  Well, me or The Son anyway coz The G-Kid Force never pick up their own damned Phones when you call them, you almost have to send a threatening Text saying, if you don't respond to this, I'm not keeping your Phones on!   They're on our Plan and we get their Two Lines for Free, so they're getting fucking Free Phones, so WTF?!  *Quadruple Le Sigh*  They are glued to their Devices like it's an appendage, so it's not like they can pretend they don't know I'm trying to get hold of them.

The Son already shattered the Screen to his Free Phone the State provided for him.  What is it with Young People and breaking their devices too?   Mine wasn't broken until The Daughter borrowed it for one time and it came back to me with shattered Screen and I hadda then replace the damned thing.  I do like my new Phone but now nobody is allowed to Touch it or to 'borrow' or 'use' MY Charger, which is my original one and I don't go thru them either like these Young People do, they go thru Chargers in rapid succession... WTF are they doing to them?  Mine is here in front of my Computer and I tie it onto a set of faux Hands which hold my Phone when it's Charging.  I pity the Fool who tries to sneak off with it.  *Winks*

I also have VA Nurse Remi coming for The Man Tomorrow Morning.  So it's a Two Appointment kind of Day on Tuesday.  She had to be Cancelled last Week due to him being Hospitalized.  She's approved to come Weekly now and he really does need the closer monitoring since he's still not doing well at all, even after New Stent No. 4, or whatever number of them he now has?  I don't even know how many Arteries you have to get Stents in?  I know One of his Arteries now has Two tho', I know that much, coz it was the Artery that shut down again above the Stent that had just been put in it a few Months ago!  So, his Arterial Plumbing clearly is clogging like Hair in a Drain.  He's up already... he has no concept of Time anymore or to give you Space and some Quiet Time before he turns his damned Shows on in the same Room you might be in trying to just Relax.  He's almost Deaf so they're on loud too.

Pretty sure in Honor of losing ole' Chuck Norris, he'll have "Walker Texas Ranger" on all the time now?  *Snicker coz that shit is so badly done I can't help but LMAO at the Writing/Dialogue*   I remember when little Haley Joel Osment as a Kid had a part in an Episode and deadpanned, "Walker told me I have AIDS" ... I'm not making this shit up, that was an actual Line in that Episode and I can't help it, with my Dark Gallow's Humor, I almost pissed my Pants laughing every time it is aired!!!  I mean, WTF!?!   Even SNL and Late Night Talk Show wouldn't air or touch that with a 10-foot Pole!!!  *LMAOROTF*   And the Episodes with Native Americans, well, I just can't... Walker always acting like the Great White Interpreter of Native American Culture, it's just too fucking hilarious and rather Culturally offensive really... but, it was the 90's after all.  *Eye Roll*

I don't even know if my Grandson came Home from his Sister's Party last Night or not?  He has an Outdoor Entrance to his Room too so we don't always know when he's coming and going.   I just know I won't be messing with Taxes for about 10 Days until all my required Paperwork comes in from the Government and the Bank that they never got to us.  Irks me when I have to ask places to do their Job and know that they didn't do it and have the hassle of all the follow-up.  Also, applying for Assistance, they ask for more than this current Administration is gonna try to ask for to Vote, if they can get away with doing so.  It's Crazy.  If someone is Seriously too Old, too Unwell enuf Mentally, Emotionally and/or Physically enuf they require Services, it's actually ludicrous to expect them to wade thru all the Bureaucrazy required to get it.  Even with Caseworkers, you still have to provide everything for them to help you get thru it.

I'm digging up Birth Certificates, Adoption Paperwork, previous Mental Health Paperwork from Age 7, Bank Statements, Proof of Residency, School and IEP Records, Institutionalization Records, replacement ID, so on and so forth FOR him coz Lord knows if he had to do all this for his Caseworkers to get him Services, he simply couldn't or wouldn't do it.  Most of the Seriously Mentally ill couldn't or wouldn't, it's not even reasonable to expect them to IMO.   If someone were to be so Old, so Sickly, Dying, so Developmentally Disabled, so Seriously Mentally Ill, how on Earth could you or would you have a reasonable expectation they possibly could or would in order to get critical Services they desperately Need?   I just think the whole thing is ridiculously and intentionally made complicated so that most don't or wouldn't know how to.   And what if some of that paperwork and evidence doesn't exist coz... well, a great many of them do not Keep such things... some have no Housing, let alone a place to keep their stuff, if they even have any stuff!

When The Young Prince, The Son and The Daughter have been Homeless off and on, well, they had what they could basically carry around with them and wear.  They didn't even bother with procuring a Shopping Cart.  If you don't have someone willing to Store and Protect your stuff for you, then you just have to let it all Go.   So, why would any Agency figure they have all that Documentation available or with them?  Mine are just fortunate I Kept it FOR them or they wouldn't have it and wouldn't have had it for Years, and no way to really get it either.  Now you have to get most things Online or thru some Device... how many folks with nothing, not even basic Essentials to Live like Shelter or Food, carry around a Computer, or even a Cell Phone with Internet Services on it?  I'll wait.   Most of these Services/Benefits/Agencies ask them to Apply Online... as if many of them can even use a Computer or know how to if they're too impaired to figure it out!?

Anyway, we've used Chicanos Por La Causa before for The Young Prince... and Valle Del Sol... and Jewish Family Services... and Southwest Behavioral Health... and just about every Mental Health Service or Non-Profit Organization in the Valley, for both Generations needing that kind of Care over the Years.  And I try to keep a Folder for each of them on File in my Documents Cabinet with all the Old Paperwork to dredge up when it's required or asked for.  I think they figure nobody keeps that much Old Paperwork and probably they'd be Right.  But I've Learned to Keep as much of it as I possibly can drag along with us for a Lifetime on each Child and The Man.  I'll bury them in Old Paperwork and Evidence if I have to, an Avalanche of it.  Half the time they lose the Copies you make for them and you have to make duplicates and triplicates coz you know that's just gonna happen too, all the fucking time.  

Yeah, they Date Stamp them "Received", but then Staff don't keep track of any of it.  Or don't retain Employees so there's little continuity or giving anyone else the Case File to Work.   I once had an alleged CPS Caseworker for The G-Kid Force named John, we had him Assigned to us for YEARS and I never saw or spoke to the Man.  Don't even know if he was Real, so Lord knows how he followed up on any of his Clients to ensure the Safety of the Children in his Care, if he ever did?  Granted, for me that was Years of not much hassle from CPS, and my Grandkids were in a Safe Environment and thriving in their Kinship Placement thru those Years of having that negligent Caseworker Assigned to us, but what about John's other Clients who might not have been?   The whole Point of Child PROTECTIVE Services is to Protect the Children who have Mandatory Cases with them and sometimes Alternative Custodial Placements if Parental Custody or reunification isn't Safe or Possible!

I realized a lot of the Pixs I took didn't turn out with my Old Camera, I think I was shaking a lot that day, I do that sometimes.  It's Neurological, everyone in the Family say I've always done it and I'm not always aware I'm doing it.  It makes for blurry Photography tho', dammit... I don't really Care if I look bizarre shaking like I'm being electrocuted or am spastic.  *LOL*  I don't do it all the time and I don't even know what Triggers it actually?  Docs and Neurologists could never figure it out and my Parents had me to various Docs and Specialists since I was a Toddler to try to figure it out.  It was always inconclusive, even Brain Scans didn't show the Cause and it didn't limit me hardly at all, I work around it, so I've just always lived with it and figure it may in part be why I'm kinda Mental?  Brain is misfiring, Wired faulty, or something?  *Bwahahaha*   So, anyway, I'm trying to Salvage some of the Images with Photo Editing, some like the One Above cleaned up with Photoshopping decent enuf to Share, some are not Salvageable.  *Pouting Petulantly*

Anyway, this Morning I ended up not doing any of the Recreational Activities I had intended to do before it got later and Hotter.   And, I also realized if we Owe as much Taxes as last Year, or more, I didn't have enuf in Emergency Savings to cover it, so that could be problematic before April 15th???   So, let us Hope that some of the White House Promises to us Retirees wasn't all just Bullshit and blowing of Smoke up our Asses?   It probably was, I fully expect that it was, but, if it wasn't we might squeak by without not being able to pay the IRS all they're hitting us Fixed Income Folks for.  You know, coz the Billionaires aren't paying any of their fucking Taxes, so they Need our paltry amount of Money they squeeze us for, to pay for this Ego War and all he's Grifting from the American Taxpayers who are paying for it all.   The Son knows he can't pay them any of what he Owes them from the Scam of the ACA Claw Back of $1,600 he doesn't have coz he has NO Income right now.  Try to Claw Back Money from someone who has nothing... and is back living in their Aging Parent's Guest Bedroom so they won't be Homeless and unfed... makes sense, No?  *Huge Eye Roll*

We got The Young Prince's Bank Statements, ordered a replacement Debit Card, the Bank couldn't give me a 1099-DIV for Taxes either, in fact, they acted oblivious about the fact they have Stock in the Company!!!  I guess they don't advise folks on Investments anymore?  I swear Bankers now don't have to know a Quarter of what the Industry used to insist you be knowledgeable about!!!  And all the Loan Servicing now is Outsourced to 3rd World Countries where they're just reading off a Script and have Zero Knowledge of the Industry.  Anyway, got all that squared away for his Appointment Tomorrow and gathered up the rest of what he'll need to provide.  I could only afford a 50 Foot Heavy Duty Extension Cord to replace the missing one coz they were $89 for just that length and would have been close to $200 for a 100 Foot length!  I didn't have the current Budget for that outlay.

I'm hopeful that The Grandson gets some Services, coz he said then I could put less of my Budget towards Groceries and instead put that Money towards Bills that have increased in Costs.  That would be nice.  Stretching available Funds I can do, and I can Sell Off more if I have to Liquidate assets and Investments to free up some Cash if the Economy worsens further, which, I'm Predicting it will.  There are unknowns about it all that you cannot prepare for or Predict tho'.  Coz I don't even think this Administration thinks ahead or all the way thru at all or of any of the consequences of the reckless, incompetent, irresponsible and greed based actions they do Off the Cuff, without much thought about cause and effect.   With that kind of Leadership in place everything is subject to Change without any Notice at all and everyone has to just be reactive to it all, which is not ideal.  The Actions of other people that cause everyone else to suffer are the hardest things to navigate around or be adequately prepared for.

I stocked up for a few Months of the worse case scenarios I can think of.  Beyond that I really can't say what my Plan B would even be?  I had to put some Gas in the Truck, Diesel was up to just about Six Bucks a Gallon and Unleaded was hovering very close to Five Bucks a Gallon now, at $4.89 and went up to $4.99 as I was pumping my Gas!!!  That's how quickly it's going up now!!!   Most of the Appointments set up for the Family are not close by at all.   So there will be a lot of necessary commuting I did not Prepare for in advance, coz I didn't know which Offices we'd even be assigned to go to?   So I do Hope that taking the Time and spending the Money to get there has Positive results for The Man and The Young Prince, and won't be a waste of Time or Money?  You just never know tho', but it's not Optional at this juncture for either one of them, it really has to happen and Hope for the best.

How is there Money for ICE to run TSA, but not Money for TSA to run TSA?  Asking for a Friend.  *Eye Roll*   I would think it will further Tank the Morale of TSA Staff to do all the actual Work, coz they're the only ones Qualified to do it, and NOT getting Paid.  While ICE are standing around doing nothing, getting Paid, coz they're not Qualified or Trained to do the actual Work.  It's Political Theater, just like the Prez's current Late Night Lies before the Stock Market Opened, pretending he's making a Deal with the Iranian Officials, and they're saying, No, you're not.  Listen, tho' Iran is an Authoritarian Regime that is prone to Lying, they don't hold a Candle to the Lying King we got who only wants to have the Market Recover and so will desperately make up anything. 

IMO, he knows he's in over his fucking Head, is floundering, and underestimated the Adversary he's just made even more hostile towards America than they already were.  The stubborn resolve and willingness to Fight hard, not give up, and hold some Key Cards, like Controlling the Strait of Hormuz, have Russia helping them with Intelligence against America, and know this War is not popular with the American people or any of our Allies, that the Iranians have shown.  And why would they strike a Deal with a Guy who never Honors his Deals, is a Stranger to the Truth, and has bombed the shit out of them in an Illegally waged War?  And, let us not forget that Israel and it's Leadership have said they won't stop and we're clearly supporting their decisions and joined in... so Donnie Two Dolls can't Control any of this.

   The Young Prince and I were so hungry, coz we'd eaten Breakfast at like 4:00 in the Morning, so, we were one of the first one's at "In N Out Burger" when they opened, it's across the Street from the Bank and Wal-Mart we'd gone to and I had barely enuf Cash to get us the cheapest Meal each.  *LOL*  We both kinda Needed some Comfort Food so it did hit the Spot, both Physically and Emotionally.  He's Edgy due to knowing he has to go to yet another Caseworker Tomorrow and doesn't know what to expect?  And that Caseworker is only helping him to apply for DES related Benefits, so we may still have to eventually see someone from DES.  

Then we also have that Appointment for him to go to Social Security for that application for Disability Benefits and subsequent Evaluations I know they'll require him to go thru.  It's just a LOT to put someone SMI thru, especially one with Multiple Personalities and Schizophrenia.  His Mother never could go thru with it this time, it was hard enuf for her to go thru with it when she was about his Age.   She Qualified back then but getting her to gird herself to go in again to Requalify and start over, just made her go Off Rails just Thinking about it, let alone Doing it.  Coz they can go thru it all and get Denied, in fact, that's quite common and then you gotta go thru the whole Appeals Process or Lawyer Up and fight the Decision Legally.   Which isn't Cheap, generally Attorneys charge about 25% of all your Back Pay you should have Received... with a Maximum of almost Ten Grand!  

For someone getting an SSI Check, which isn't enuf to even live on, that's a LOT taken out of a little.   If you Lose you may be stuck with Case related Costs... and generally you have no Income of your own, which is why you're applying in the first place.   Right now it's about $994 a Month a person would receive to try to Live on if they've always been too ill to get a Job.  I mean, that's better than having NOTHING to Live on for the rest of your Life if you're too ill to ever be hired anywhere and cannot Work.  And Employers can Legally refuse to hire someone with Schizophrenia since it poses Liability and Performance Risks they don't have to be forced to take as dictated by the ADA.  So if you can't even get hired by a Minimum Wage Employer, and get rejected by even the Fast Food Industry or to be a Wal-Mart Greeter or something, you're basically Unemployable.   I don't even know how to Encourage him if he gets Denied and Appeals fail, and perhaps no Attorney would take the Case?

I'm concerned that now they're fucking more with our Right to Vote, especially Mail In Voting, which in Arizona is very Popular coz of how Hot it is and how vast the State is to get to Polls in many places.   The Man and I always Vote by Mail coz of his Health Issues.   Then I use a Drop Box and not risk Mailing it in, so that they get it early, coz most Mail Voting arrives earlier than doing it in Person.  So, you don't have to take Time off to do it, from anything, and it's convenient, helps encourage Voting and making it Free and Fair without Voter interference and suppression that the Regime is attempting.  They're trying to make it harder, if not impossible, for Women, Minorities and those that Disagree with them to be able to have a Voice Politically and cast our Votes.  Or Honor those Votes once we have, by claiming False accusations, that if they Win it was Free & Fair, but, if they Lose it was Rigged and Stolen.  Which doesn't Square at all.

  Coz they know they're in Trouble with Voters, especially Independent Voters who aren't Partisan. Most are Moderates and not Far Right or Far Left leaning, don't have a Loyalty to any Party, and make up the Majority of Voters now, sometimes as much as over 60% of who actually shows up to Vote.  I'm of that Camp, always have been, always will be.  I abhor Partisan Politics, it makes those devout to Party, not seem to be capable of Critical Thinking and has become quite Cultish in Modern Times of putting Party ahead of all else.  Plus America is Changing, Demographics are Changing, Life in America is Changing, Views and Points of View are Changing in various ways.  So, what used to Be just isn't anymore.  And we've mostly got Geriatrics in Political Power who are out of Touch with the Times we're living in and what most Americans are experiencing in Daily Life or what we want of our Public Servants, who should be Representing us, and are doing a piss Poor job of it.  Modern Day Poll Taxes is not Okay.

Anyway, since I've been Inside all Afternoon coz I got everything done early before it hit Triple Digits again, I have watched some of The News.  More than usual, coz some Days I won't watch it at all coz it's too depressing and Negative, it's all Bad, there's no Light at the end of this Tunnel and the Challenges of this Moment is not making us Safer or more Secure.   Gas Prices in some States have now spiked even higher than here in Arizona, to over Six Bucks a Gallon and still rising.  The West Coast, Illinois, Alaska and Hawaii have the highest prices of Gas in the Nation right now.  After I drop Princess T off at Work Tomorrow, which is her Early Day to go in, I'm stopping at the cheapest Gas Pumps I've found nearby and filling up, coz it's rising Daily and quickly and it's gonna get way worse and could for literally Months... even IF they open up the Strait of Hormuz and lift Tariffs immediately... which, isn't gonna happen.

Our Manager at Work asked me if I'd fill in for a Night Shift Wednesday, but, I've got stacked up Appointments clear thru 'til past 5:00 p.m. so I had to decline.   We have The Man's Cardiology Appointment that Morning and then our HUMANA Home Nurse coming to give him a Medical Annual Eval since he just had some Emergency Medical Situation going on and they want to see if they can provide expanded Services for him?  It would be Nice if they would, so I do wanna hear them out since we're New with HUMANA.  When we were with United Healthcare we'd been pleased with what Services they offered, including expanded Services when we needed them.  Which, if they didn't dump all Veteran Seniors and their Families in our area, we wouldn't have ever changed Providers in 2026.   But, United Healthcare and AETNA abandoned all Maricopa County Veterans on Medicare, and involuntarily dumped us unceremoniously and with little Notice, so it is what it now just is.

So far I've been on the Fence about HUMANA picking us up, but only coz they fucked up with putting me on the Wrong Plan.  Their error, not mine, and that took Months to resolve satisfactorily and caused me a lot of Stress, paperwork, phone calls, confusion and Cost that I'm only now getting reimbursed for after I Won my Appeal.   I was having to deal not only with HUMANA about all of that, but also Medicare and Social Security coz they were Penalizing me Monthly and saying it would be for a Lifetime gonna now Cost me more, for HUMANA's Mistake!   The Appeal Process was grueling, as it always is, and put the burden of Proof on me that I had always met Deadlines, given accurate information about being Retired Military on TriCare For Life too that covers my Prescription Coverage. 

And it was Government and Provider Cock Ups that forced Part D on me and Penalized me for NOT having Part D for the Four Years I was with United Healthcare.  When I'm not even Qualified to have Part D... and both Rx Coverages at the same time, coz TriCare and Part D Rx Coverage are both Federal Programs!!!   It was absolutely Crazy to me to have more knowledge about their Industry than all the Industry People and Government People I was talking to at Medicare, at Social Security and at HUMANA!!!   It was like WTF, I shouldn't be Schooling ya'll on how this Works, and correcting your Mistakes and being Penalized for your ignorance about it, Appealing Bad Decisions you made about it in Error, it's your JOB to know these things already and be the Experts, not the Recipient's!!!   But, here we are and I didn't Like it one bit.  I got it Resolved, Proving my Case with Evidence they couldn't dispute or deny, but, Holy Mother of God what a Dog and Pony Show and Ordeal it put me thru!!!

It is making me Wonder how many Veterans or their Spouses are being Penalized and just accept being extorted for Life Monthly?  With garnishments taken out of their Social Security Checks now for a Lifetime, that don't know it's a Mistake, and not their Error at all, or don't know how to Fight it successfully?   It was reminiscent of when The Man was first Medically Involuntarily Retired from the Military and DOD, and when his Disability Checks started coming, they weren't the Correct amount by a long shot!!!   And he didn't notice coz he's not into Financial Legalities and Practices, that was my forte.   I'm like Honey, this isn't the right amount they're stiffing you by a lot of Money and you're getting hosed!!!  I wasn't gonna roll over knowing they were not paying him what he was Entitled to Receive, it was way off in their Favor.

   

So, I fought it for 18 Months, and then Lawyered Up to move things along, so along with the Lifetime Membership I Paid to The Retired Enlisted Association to Represent him along with me, which normally represents Veterans of Color *Winks*, we Battled the U.S. Government.   Hey, the Government never asked to see The Man in Person to see what Ethnicity or Color he was... a Black G.I. Friend had told me who "Represents" and wouldn't Care so long as we Paid the Lifetime Membership.  And that Friend knew that I consider myself a Woman of some 'Color', being Mixed Race Indigenous/White, and my Dad was segregated in the Old Days of the Military, so was in all Black Units most of his Military Career... and, anyway, to make a Long Story Short, we Won.   And the Government then had to back Pay him a shitload of Money they Owed him.  But, how many Disabled Veterans might be getting Shorted and don't know it?

Those kinds of things make me wanna go to Battle becoz it's just Wrong and too many Entitlements and Earned Benefits are being withheld and those who are Victims of that Practice often don't even know they are.  So, they're being taken Advantage of and hosed by their Government, and that's disgraceful and inexcusable IMO.   But, Life ain't Fair or Bras wouldn't come in Sizes and you never get what you Deserve in Life, you only get what you Successfully Negotiate.  So there it is, you better be your own Best Advocate and you better be up for whatever Battles you will have to Fight to defend yourself too.   Even if I Lose a Battle, the Adversary I have will damned sure know they went to War and be willing to Die on their Hill for whatever we're Fighting about.  Most aren't willing to Die on their Hills if they have anything to Lose.  If you give me Nothing to Lose, then I'm going Balls to the Wall with it. 

Coz I will be relentless, tenacious and vicious when I go on the Warpath.  And I'll make it a Death Match if we can't find a way to Resolve the Battle in a mutually agreeable way.  I don't take any Prisoners, don't Care how many I have to Take Down or how many Heads have to Roll. And I don't Surrender, you'll Fight me all day long and probably never even See me.  If I'm going Down, for sure I'm taking as many Motherfuckers with me as I can.   So, you have to then assess, do you want to Go Down with me?  Or Work something out with me and not end up as Collateral Damage in a War waged that really isn't even about YOU, but is all about me and mine?   Coz I go Hard for me and mine and make that abundantly clear from The Jump.  The Older I get the less Fucks I have to give about how it all Ends really for you.  Give me Nothing left to Lose and see how Hard and Heartless I come for ya THEN.  Especially if it's not gonna End Well for me or mine anyway.  *Winks* 

 The Man said in Conflict he's Fought, he never wanted to Fight someone like me and my Mental Mindset.  Coz he knew the only way to Stop someone like that is to Neutralize them if there can't be Peace between both sides.  Coz they never Stop.  And he's be Right about that, which is probably why in all our 37 Years of Marriage we've never, ever, had a Big Fight.  *Bwahahahaha*  He knows if he were to want to go Toe to Toe with me, I'm not backing down, not giving in, not giving out, and if I can't Win the Battle, I'll walk away for just the Illusion you Won.  And then come at you when you least expect it, let your Guard down, aren't paying attention of forgot about it, and never see me coming.  Better Sleep with One Eye Open and watching your Back now Forever, coz that's how long it will Last if you don't Resolve shit with me.  *Cackle*  Becoz I don't LIKE Conflict, I avoid it, and I never Start it.  I'm all about Peace, Love, Harmony and Resolving Issues to the Satisfaction of both Parties if that's possible.  If it's not tho', well, then we got us a "Situation".   And I know how I am.  *Winks*

Anyway, right now all Challenges have had some amicable Resolution so I'm Good... for now.  *Winks*   We've got some Caseworker Allies now in our Corner that I really Like and are Helpful, so want to be part of the Solution and not part of the Problem, that's how I Likes it.  *Winks*  I've been giving Nurse Remi some things she can distribute to Bless either her Clients or send to Africa to help her People who haven't been able to Flee and seek Asylum from their Religious or Tribal Minority Persecution and being exterminated horribly in the most horrific ways you could Imagine, but that our News rarely reports on or gets involved in.  So, our chosen Conflicts are never about the People of those Countries, I hope you all realize that unfortunate Fact.  So, I've been trying to find some things I know I could give her that would be Helpful to other Clients she or her Church are trying to Help.

 

 I Wish I had more I know she could use, but I think I've given it all now, she said it did a lot of Good and was Needed, that was Good to hear.  There is so much unmet Need in this World still and we each should do whatever Small parts we can and not Discount any Loving Kindness and Positive differences we can make extended towards our fellow Human Beings.   We can't all do Great things, but we can all do Small things with Great Kindness and Love.   This Hurting World filled now with so much Hatred, Evil and Conflict, Needs far more of that Love in Action.   Those of us who desire for Humanity to Evolve in Positive ways and see God IN us by our Actions, Need to Act accordingly and be appropriate Representatives here in this Realm.   Only Light can illuminate Darkness.

*******

Be the Light my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian

Fun Times!!! NOT!!! Living La Vida Loca

So, it's Noon on a Sabbath Sunday and already 97 Degrees and rising.  Today is The Young Prince's Little Sister's Birthday so, I'll be dropping him off at his Dad's Downtown.  I can't recall how Old she is, I'm thinking around 9 or so now... so many Grandkids... so little Memory without looking at a Calendar to verify Birthday and Ages now!  *LOL*  {The Young Prince just verified she's 8, so I was close, smiles}  I know his Little Brother is a Teenager now already.  Almost all our Grandkids are now Adults or nearing Adulthood rapidly, many are already Middle Aged... Holy crap that makes The Man and I seem Old, huh?  *Bwahahaha*  I see Ancient looking Seniors with White Hair and more Wrinkles than a Shar Pei holding the Hands of wee Toddlers and telling me those are their Grandkids.  And I'm thinking to myself, shit, I don't even have many of the Great-Grandkids that little anymore!  What happened?!

I'm glad that The Young Prince is able to see his Younger Paternal Siblings even tho' his Dad and Angie broke up.  He's not so Cool with Angie anymore, she's changed a lot and not in ways she wanted to keep a Relationship going with her Kid's Half-Brother.  Apparently she's in a Lesbian Relationship now and Happy.  He's estranged from his Aunt, whose his Dad's Younger Sister, and they had once been super close all his Life, so it's Sad.  But, she Married into Money and it changed her in not so pleasant ways that are uppity and pretentious.  Then she put his Name in her Mouth in a disparaging way that he didn't deserve.  Becoz it was fabricated or speculation on her part, and it caused a Situation.  The Young Prince isn't one to hear you put his Name in your Mouth telling Lies that tarnish his Reputation or Character, and what she implied was not Cool at all and completely False and defamation, so he confronted her about it.  

It didn't go Well for her, let us just say.  *Winks*  And now his Dad is trying to smooth things over with each of them, but, once The Young Prince is Done with you, he's DONE with you.  The Paternal Gramma Lydia is Dying, but, The Young Prince said she's in The Life again so he doesn't have anything to do with her either if she can't be Clean or Sober, and apparently since she's Dying, she doesn't Care anymore to be Clean or Sober at all.  Lydia has always been a Colorful Character anyway, her Book of Faces Pixs can look like a Seniors Escort Service and she is a good looking Sexy Older Woman.  But, no Kid wants to see his Gramma on Social Media feeling that Sexy all the time.  *Eye Roll*  He would come to me saying, "Look what Gramma Lydia just Posted...", and I could only respond, well, she's being Herself, what can I say?

Lydia and I have always gotten along Fabulously and she has with The Daughter too, she and The Daughter are very much alike.  Lydia can be a Handful and so I'd always get Invited to Family Functions on that side of the Family so that Lydia would behave.  Why?  For some reason I was the only person she was ever afraid of even tho' I've always gotten along so well with her, she knows I don't take no mess and am protective of The Grandbabies.  So, don't act the Fool and show up Drunk or High to their Birthday Parties and such or I'll have an on the fucking spot Intervention.  And if you're High or sloppy Drunk, don't think I couldn't Handle you without even spilling my Drink I'd be holding in the other Hand.  *Winks*  So, Lydia, to her Credit, always behaved around me and so The Family always wanted me there so that she would.  *LOL*

I put some Money in a Card for The Young Prince to give his Sister from all of us, always the Right Size and Right Color, Cash.  *Winks*  Never had a Grandkid complain about getting a Cash Gift ever. *Smiles*  Plus, I can't keep Pace with what they like or are into now, and the Older they get, the more expensive their likes and what they're into tends to be, so they can put what I can afford, towards getting it for themselves.  When you have a slew of Grandkids and Great-Grandkids you'd need a spread sheet and a Trust Fund to keep Pace with it all anyway.  *Winks*  I don't know how my Mother-In-Law did it coz The Man's extended Family is Huge, LDS Families always are, their Family Reunions look like a whole Village got together!  *Ha ha ha*  When we'd go to Utah my Kids thought everyone in Utah must be related to their Dad!  Many were. *Bwahahaha*

Okay, so when we first got Married none of my Friends had ever met anyone LDS, and many of The Man's Friends in the Military hadn't either, coz the Mormons used to be segregated in the Military back when he first got Drafted.   So they thought all Mormons had multiple Wives and The Man played along and I had a couple of very good looking Single Friends, Tina and Leigh, who were Single Moms of a Daughter each too.   And The Man pretended he'd Married us ALL... and taken on all our Kiddos... and you wouldn't Believe how many of his Friends and mine didn't realize it was a Joke and Believed it at first.  It was hilarious, and both Tina and Leigh played along as well, as did their Kids, we had such Fun with it.  Sadly, Leigh Died under suspicious circumstances that never got properly Investigated, when she was in her 50's, in 2011, I think she was Murdered.  She was found Drowned in her Car in the Lake of a Resort Golf Course in Sun City Retirement Community!!! 

 Leigh, Tina and I all worked for Valley National Bank and it's wholly owned Subsidiaries in our 1st Corporate Lives.  Leigh grew up in Wickenburg and apparently went back there to live.  So we lost touch even tho' Wickenburg is a short drive from Metro Phoenix and The Man & I almost bought a beautiful Property there in 2019.  I can't imagine how your Vehicle ends up in a Golf Course Lake while you were on your way to a shopping destination in the middle of the day, so I always thought the circumstances should have dived deeper Investigating it, since she had been a Missing Persons for over Two Weeks before her Body was even found.  So, the condition of her Body had to be difficult to determine if it was a Homicide or just some very Strange Accident.  Of which, I don't know how that happens coz the Lakes of Golf Courses along the Route she was taking aren't close to the Main Road to swerve into accidentally and are busy enuf during the Day it would be noticed, one would think.

I had another Call with The Daughter and it went well this time.  We both were calmer about the subject matter and she understands my sentiments about it.   And that her Dad and I want her to be and to stay Clean and not bring anything here to our Home that she shouldn't.  Don't Shit where you Eat and if you relapse, just Own it, tell us, make other Arrangements to be somewhere else until you can obtain Sobriety again, and start over being Clean.   She's sent Money to her Oldest Daughter in Mexico for School, so, clearly she's been making some Money doing her little Jobs.  She realizes Earning our Trust back will be a Process now, even if it's the Boyfriend who brought whatever it was on to the Property, she's responsible for whoever she invited to our Home, regardless. 

 All of what I found was in the Pockets of Men's Flannel Long Sleeved Shirts, which had to be his coz he's the only Guy who had anything there, none of it was in any of her Clothing.  I threw the Shirts away with what was in the Pockets, didn't wanna touch any of it.  She shouldn't be around anyone whose Using, fastest way to lose Sobriety is to be around bad company who are in the Life.   Plus, as a Recovering Addict, even if it isn't your Contraband, nobody is gonna Believe that or know for sure it wasn't yours too, since you have a History of Using.  So, anyway, I'm glad we had the conversation.  Sometimes we do have to put Humpty Dumpty back together again when they fall off the Wall.  Her Brother relapsed once, about 5+ Years ago and spent a Year and a Half Homeless and getting Clean before he could come back and regain Trust.  He's been Clean ever since.

I took The Young Prince to his Dad's for his Little Sister's 8th Birthday Party, it's near a Chinese Restaurant called "Szechwan Kitchen", the building is an Old Asian Architectural Style that is really beautiful.  I'd never been there before, their Egg Flower Soup and Eggrolls were really good.  But The Grandson and I weren't fond of their Mongolian Beef, the Sauce was too thin and too bland, it had Heat, just not a lot of Flavor. Every Chef has their own Recipe for dishes, we weren't a Fan of this Chef's version is all.  We've had much better so we're picky when critiquing Asian Foods we eat regularly.  The Meat was Tender and a lot of it tho' and a tonnage of lovely Jasmine Sticky Rice to go with it.  So, we just had me bring the Mongolian Beef back Home and I'll jazz it up with our own Mongolian Beef Sauce that is thicker and has more Flavor.

I brought all the Rice Home and made Fried Rice for the Family with it, turned our really good.   Fried Rice is so easy to make that I never waste any Steamed Rice I get from Asian Restaurants and always bring any Home we didn't finish and make Fried Rice with it.   I had stopped by "Lee Lee's Asian Market", which is Owned by the Aunt of The Son's Cambodian Ex.  It's the biggest Asian Grocer in the Valley, but her extended Family own all the Asian Grocery Stores in the Valley.  And they have a very big Family coz her Dad was One of Fifteen Kids and Nine of them made it out of Cambodia during Pol Pot's Genocide of his own people and sought Asylum in America after spending Years in Refugee Camps abroad.  All of her Family are successful Business Owners becoz they were among the affluent and most Educated in Cambodia, which is who Pol Pot targeted to exterminate.  Her Family felt Donnie Two Dolls reminded them too much of Pol Pot.  Which is Telling.

Anyway, "Lee Lee's" had Remodeled the Store since the last time I was there and it looked really good.  I always spent about an Hour in an Asian Grocer, I ended up buying way more than I came for.  *LOL*  And I'm pretty sure her Family still recognize me, but they're Sweet about it even tho' The Son and her haven't been together now in Years.  They were together almost a Decade tho'... so I always thought of her as my DIL and think a lot of her still and miss the Kids, who were her Children from her Ex-Husband, but The Son helped her support them, coz their Dad never did anything for them and they're great Kids.  They're all Adults now, Two Graduated College and the Youngest is now in College.  I don't think any of the Girls has Married yet tho'.  And the Ex-DIL has stayed Single and I don't think is Dating anyone.

I stopped by "Curious Nature" and took a bunch of Blog Fodder Pixs and picked up a Book on Oddities Collectors and their Collections.  It's walking distance from The Grandson's Dad's Apartment Complex, so he goes there all of the time.  It's an Oddities Shop and I just Love it.  So I have Fresh Blog Fodder now for Days, since I've taken about 200 Pixs over the past Four Days after having nothing to Photograph for so long.  *LOL*  The Grandson and I always have a good time when we go out together, his Sister and I too, they're easy to hang out with and enjoy hanging out with me too, so we've always done a lot together.  Which is flattering since both of them don't like Peopling or hanging out with People... and have a very small Inner Circle of folks they even will hang out with and then only very seldom.  They're both Homebodies and prefer just staying here at Home with Family. 

Below is the Kantha Fabric Vest I got at the Event, I'd had to put it back on Thursday and it was a OOAK there, no other one, so I was thrilled it was still there when I went back on Saturday and could get it.  I plan to wear it over plain Black Tank Top and Black Capris.   I Love Kantha Fabrics and this looks really good on and is comfortable.  I felt the price was good and I'd not seen Kantha Fabric made into a Midi Length Vest before.  It's only inches from being Maxi Length since I'm Short.  *Smiles*   And below the 2 Pixs of my Vest are the 2 Pixs of some Vintage Metal Light Stands that I'm going to use as Vase Stands or to put Sculptures on to Display.  They're heavy as Boat Anchors and my Friend Big Kenny had them, he's a Fabricator so chops up a lot of Antique and Vintage items for the sum of their parts, especially if they're no longer Functional in their original Form.  These were the bottoms of Old Floor Lamps.

 

 

I'd had to put them back too on Thursday, so was Thrilled both were still there on Saturday, it was all Meant to Be I guess.  Of coarse I know I also have Quirky Tastes and Aesthetic so what I'm excited about Buying isn't for everyone and thus I don't usually have as much competition vying for it.   The irony being, once people see how I use things, then they want something like it to use in much the same way.  They just weren't catching a Vision for how something could be used until they see it used that way I guess?  A lot of Antique and Vintage hideous Old Lamps, be they Table or Floor Lamps, are actually Lovely when dismantled for the sum of their Ornate Parts to Repurpose or Fabricate into something else.  The Quality of the Workmanship was good, especially if there's Metal or Marble and Onyx used.   But, sometimes the Style of the Lamp is Era Specific and not as desirable intact, or, they just don't work anymore and would require rewiring and work, some have missing parts. 

Irrigation is coming at a ridiculous time this Morning so I've got to make sure if The Son falls Asleep, that I wake him up to go do it.  Our Neighbor, Rob, told him he'd help him do it, since they get theirs directly before we get ours, so he's lifting and closing Gates anyway and can help The Son with ours then.  The Son got to know the Young Husband who bought Laura's House behind us and helped him learn how to do Irrigation last rotation.  They get theirs directly after we get ours and if it isn't done Right it can flood both of our Properties, so Neighbors try to have each other's Backs and Help one another so that no mishaps happen when the Water comes.  There's no stopping it from coming once it's released by SRP, so you have to take on what you've been allotted.  And with the Heat Wave, all our Properties desperately need the Water.

 

This is my Friend Monica Modeling a Bag that we both thought was really Cute made out of old Burlap Sack and Material Trim Fringes.   I didn't realize she'd closed her Eyes just as I snapped the pix so it isn't the best one of her but the only one I have of the Bag, so, Forgive me Monica for still Sharing the bad Pix of you GF.   A better Pix of her with my other Adorable Friend Carol, flanking a Fav Customer of theirs, is Below.  Carol has Owned Shops in Historic Glendale for Decades so I've known her a long, long time.   Now she does Events becoz the Historic Shopping District in Glendale has sadly declined.  Due to a Chinese National Buying up most of the Historic Buildings the Businesses are in and not renewing Leases or raising Rents so high that occupants have to move out.  It laid the once vibrant Antique District, which had many Restaurants, to decay, waste and benign neglect intentionally, so he could buy more even cheaper.

Anyway, it used to be a Destination and now it isn't and doesn't have much going on.  She has Two Shops still down there in Historic Cottages, but I haven't been in either one in a long time.  It's hard to know what the Hours are for any of the few remaining Businesses down there so I just don't go anymore.  They're Closed some Days of the Week, and many also Close early or are Vacant Buildings now.  All our Fav Restaurants down there Closed down too, it was a shame, coz the Historic Buildings they were in made for great atmosphere, ambiance and a sense of the City's Rich History.   The City is trying again to revitalize, but allowing that Foreign National to Buy up so much of it and intentionally cause the Buildings to be Vacant to blight the area, they are doing too little too late.   My Chinese Doctor, who is also a Dear Friend, knew who he was and she told me about the Guy and that he was Bad News, so she Sold her Eastern Medicine Business there and Moved up North of the State. 

Big Pocket Investors don't Care if they wreck a Community.  If they make their Money off of it by making it merely a Commodity they Profit from.  To the detriment of the rest of the Community they blighted to be able to Buy Up more Cheaply and force everyone out and to be forced to Sell while they still have any Equity left.  Vacant Building attract Criminal Elements and wreck a Reputation, and in Business, that's never good when that happens.  So when too many Vacant Buildings exist, the Neighborhood declines and makes it then Cheap Real Estate for greedy Developers and Investors who just want to Buy everything for as little as possible and then redevelop it.   They've even been known to 'import' the Homeless.  Buying them New Tents to live in and putting them in areas to make Owners Sell in order to get out of there while they can get anything for their Properties and not be Victims of Crimes and Scared of what has happened to their Communities.  Nothing Tanks your Equity quite like a huge Homeless Camp by it.   And Cities pander to these Big Pocket Developers/Investors at the expense of the rest of the Community.

This is my Duckling I got at the Event too, I had Waffled on whether to get him coz I do have lots of Taxidermy already.  I had decided, well, if he's still there on Saturday, I'll get him.  The Taxidermy Chicks and Ducklings had all been Selling quickly so I fully expected they'd be Sold Out, but, guess what, my little Guy was still there even tho' most of the others had Sold Out!!!  Meant to Be.   And my Friend Michelle, who I bought him from, Gifted me with a Floral Victorian Easter Postcard to go with him as a backdrop, the one slightly showing with the Pansies.   He came with his Nest and I've put him on one of my 1800's Sterling Silver Loving Cup Trophies as an Easter Vignette.  Easter is Early this Year, April 5th already!!!   That's Two Weeks Earlier than it fell last Year due to the Paschal Full Moon on April 1st.   And Orthodox Easter Sunday will fall on April 12th this Year.  My other Designer Friend Cyndie Gifted me with an Antique Paper Mache' Easter Rabbit and an Antique War Medal with Ribbon.

Here's my little Guy again posing in the other direction and with a different Postcard with Roses.   I liked the Ex Votivo Heart Mirror behind him, but it was too spendy.  And it's a Mass produced piece, so, tho' Nice, I wouldn't spend that much unless it was a Vintage or Antique one.   All the Taxidermy with the little Angel Wings had Sold Out, I'm not Surprised, it was a Cute Idea.   All the Chicks and Ducklings were Ethically Sourced from Farms where the Mortality Rate of them is predictably rather high... ranging anywhere from 10%-70% in the first Couple Weeks of Life.   Which is why you typically can Source even Living ones so Cheaply, Taxidermy ones for quite a bit more actually.  If we do get Chickens eventually, we're getting fully Mature laying Hens.

Well, I went thru our Tax Paperwork and wouldn't ya know, for the 10th Year in a fucking row the Military didn't send The Man his 1099-R Form, Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!!!   Every Year they've done this for about a Decade now and they have all our updated information but claim they send it to an Address we haven't lived at since about 2015.  The irony being, they send every other piece of paperwork to any current address, just not that ONE Important one to file our Taxes, go figure!  That's the typical  Government inefficiency for ya!   So, it's 2:00 a.m. and we're prepping to receive our Irrigation and one of our extension cords for the Pump that send the Water to our Front Yard and small portion of the Front East Side Yard is fucking missing too!!!  Mando probably took it, not sure, we had the Four, now we only have Three and that's not long enuf so we had to borrow Rob's for now.  I didn't know if Wal-Mart is still Open 24 Hours to go get one?

So, in the Morning, well it already IS Morning, but you know what I mean... Eye Roll... the Morning being when other Normal People will be Waking Up to start their Day, I'll have to call the Military to request our 1099-R AGAIN, and make a Wal-Mart Run for a 100 Foot Extension Cord to replace the missing one.  Thankfully Monday Morning I have no Doc or Caseworker Appointments yet, that's all starting on Tuesday, stacked up like Cordwood... sometimes Two at a time on any given Day now!   We have his VA Nurse/Caseworker coming Tuesday Morning and then a Follow-Up Appointment for him later that same Day for his Specialist, well, one of them.  I have to look at the Calendar to discern which Doctors and Locations I'm even taking him to now, there's so many he's seeing!!!  Fun Times!

He popped up when he heard The Son and I getting stuff ready for Irrigation and I told him to just go back to Bed coz he'd only be in the way.  He hasn't done Irrigation really ever, either I do it or have had Help doing it by One of the Kiddos or a Neighbor or a Friend of One of the Kiddos.   The Man wanted this Property so bad and my one concern was, it's an Acre so that's considerable Pasture and Lawn Upkeep.  Oh, I'll happily do it says Himself... and... yeah, well... that never happened once we bought it.  No serious regrets, but Irrigation and Yardwork is sometimes a Pain in the Ass to Maintain as you're Aging Out.  The Home is smaller, so I can keep up and on top of that.  Couldn't at the McManse, it was too much House.  Our Historic Property was an Acre too, but not Irrigated and had Desert Landscaping.  It's Main House was about 2,400 sf like this Home, but it had 3 Cottages and several Outbuildings.  So, this Home I can manage the sf of Inside.  *LOL*

Otherwise, I do Need Staff for the Exterior, so, good thing we got Three Generations living here so I can have the Free Labor to Maintain the Exterior for me actually.   Both Neighbors on either side of us are the same, Generational Living coz the Parents are very Old, so they got their Adult Kids and Adult Grandkids helping them too and Living with them on their Properties.   Communal Living is a Thing here in the Mini Farms Community, mostly coz the majority of Neighbors are either Mexican Americans or Immigrant Families from various Countries originally, including, but not limited to, Mexico, South America, Norway, and Arabic Countries, but, even the American White Families here are also doing the Multi-Generational Living.   The Norwegian Family are a riot, they're in their late 80's and have a Wicked Sense of Humor, she still Rides her Bicycle everywhere.  They fly their Norwegian Flag with their American Flag on their Flagpole.

I remember one time we had a Resident of the Community who was known to be Stealing Water.  He wasn't paying for his Annual Irrigation but he was taking on Water during the Cycles and thinking nobody would notice.  Which meant someone who should be getting their Water was being shorted Water when they were Paying their Annual Distribution Fee.  You can and do turn them in, but the Old Norwegian Guy, whose about 88 Years Old "Handled" it.  He went to said Water Stealing Neighbor and deadpanned, "Son, this is still the Wild Wild West and a Desert, so, Stealing Water could get a Man shot and Killed, and at my Age, I have no Problem going to Prison as my Long-Term Care Plan and I'm still a mighty good shot with my Rifle."   Well, said Water Theft Neighbor immediately Ceased and Desisted.  Problem Solved, SRP didn't even have to really get involved.  *Bwahahahaha*   I Love a Neighbor like that Old Dude.  *Winks*

So, I'm trying to stay Awake 'til at least 4:00 a.m. to make sure all our Irrigation is not only done but that our Neighbor behind us also remembers to take on his so we don't both get Flooded.   He's New and Young, this might be his first 4:00 a.m. Rotation ever since moving in and buying his Property.  *Smiles*   I'm including some Imagery from our Antique Mall Locations since I was Pathologically Picture Taking for Visual Blog Fodder a lot while I was finally doing something out there in Public for a few Days.  *Smiles*  Honestly, I've been sequestering myself here at the Ole Mini Farm quite a bit lately and not venturing out much, if I don't have to.  So, except for Hospital/Doc/Dentist/Caseworker Appointments for Family Members, that's been the fullness of my Days lately.  I'm Living La Vida Loca.  *LMAOROTF*

We still have some Vendors who do a good job of Showcasing their Merch, but we've also had a lot of Move Outs at both Locations again.  Not that unusual as Summer will roll around and Sales will definitely get even Softer and Leaner when all the Tourists and Snowbirds bail and go back Home.   The Locals really aren't big spenders anymore.  Not that some ever were, but now, it's really hard to make Ends meet even during the busier Seasons when Sales should be Strong and often just aren't anymore.  The Economy is Tanking and with everything going on with this Ego War in the Middle East, likely to worsen considerably.  That's my Prediction, the Economic impact of Poor/Bad Decisions being made not only by us, but by Israel too, will be long lasting and could get very dire very quickly in the short term, prolonged Negative Economic impact in the long term.  

Not only due to disruption of Oil/Gas, but also whatever is imported Globally like Fertilizer, that Global Food Production heavily relies on and is not gonna be getting in time for Planting Season.  I'm guessing a lot of Farmers are panicking right about now and they've already had to Weather the Storms of Bad Weather due to Climate Changes and Tariffs making their Jobs harder, but now this War making it impossible to get their Fertilizer for the Growing Season.  Missing even One entire Growing Season Globally could be catastrophic for Food Production for the World.  And if Gas Prices remain stratospheric, everything transported will keep going up in price as well.  And I'm not normally a Doom & Gloom kinda Pessimist Person, but it ain't looking particularly Optimistic on the World Stage right now at all.   Our Airports are a Hot Mess already, and even a Government Partial Shutdown isn't really Helpful EVER.  The Two Parties simply can't work well together EVER anymore or share any common ground to do the Right Thing for the Country and the Public.

If Aliens do exist I think they could probably come down and do a better job of Managing the Planet?  *Winks*  We're doing a pretty Poor job of it anymore.  I would like to do away with all Partisanship Politics entirely, make them all be Independents not Loyal to a fucking Party over Country.  I'd like Age Limit Restrictions in place for all levels of Government.   Set it somewhere in the 60's range to ensure we don't have a bunch of Cognitively declined Geriatrics running things and that have no Future so they could give a Fuck about those who do have a Future.   I'd like a Flat Rate Tax on everyone, including Billionaires, take it right off the fucking Top as it's Earned, much like they do Social Security and Medicare Payments out of your Earnings.  I don't Care how Big or Small your Family is, that's your Choice, not mine.  You shouldn't be punished Economically for being Single or not having Children.  Or be encouraged to be Married and have a Litter of Children as Tax Advantages.

 Do away with the Electoral College, One Person, One Vote, Majority Wins every time.  Concentrate on Educating our Youth better and ensuring they all receive advanced Education not based on just Generational Wealth being the reason they do or don't receive the Best Education.   See... I got loads of Solutions that could be implemented and turn some shit around.   They could have State Run Free Day Care so Parents could all choose to Work, and have it Staffed by those having trouble finding Jobs.  I bet after looking after everyone's Kids for a Minute, in order to receive those Unemployment Checks or Assistance, they'd be earnestly seeking other Employment lemme tell ya.  *Winks*  Even have some Grammas and Grandpas doing Story Time and shit, part time, to help out and give them some supplemental Income for their Social Security and Pension Checks.   

Kids Love Old Folks that can fill in as surrogate Grandparent Roles some might not have.  It's good for the Kiddos, keeps the Elderly relevant and on your Toes.  I know, I Raised some Grandkids.   It either keeps you Young or Kills you off, Win-Win for Society.  *Winks, I know, I know, I got some controversial Solutions, but roll with it along with me, we're being very Creative here on Dreaming up Solutions to this Shitshow we got going on in America right now!*   Unemployed Teens, have them go to Nursing Homes and Hospice to do some Community Service for their Elders.  Hey, I made my Kids do it and they're still excellent now with the Elderly and have a Heart for them due to the Experiences it gave them interacting with those Generations near End of Life.  The Old Folks Loved them, even in the Memory Care Units, tho' we did have to make sure the Teens didn't get hurt by the more Aggressive Residents.  *Bwahahahaha*

The Son used to Joke with me after our Church Youth Group finished up in any Memory Care Unit of a Nursing Home, do you know how hard it is Mom to let some Old Person always Win, and make sure they Win, so that they don't get Angry and wanna kick your Ass in more than just a Game?  *LMAOROTF*   But, mostly the Old Folks were great with the Youths and had great Stories, Sage Advice, loads of Experiences to Share and Mentor them about.  The Son utilized a lot of what the Old Successful Residents Shared with him about how to BE a Success at your Employment and Career Paths and look for the Clues that Success always leaves behind.  It was a Free Education and to this Day he always finds an Old Mentor ready to Retire to Teach him all they know so that it won't just be Lost when they are Gone.  And he's already paying it forward now he's Middle Aged, by Sharing the same Mentorship with the Young Guns on any Job.  If you're willing to Learn, you can always be Taught and grow.

Anyway, it's getting closer to 4:00 a.m. now so I don't have to Blog like a Maniac on this prolonged Post now to try to stay awake, and will get with it to help The Son with the Irrigation now.  I'll be wading around in the Pasture up to my Calves in Cold Water in the Dark... Fun Times... *Smiles*   And I'm contemplating what I'll do for a Fine Monday after that?   Coz, Princess T doesn't Work on Mondays and I might just make a run to The Desert Botanical Gardens or do some Environmental Cleanup at the Nature Preserve, rather than go to The Gym for my Exercise, before the Heat of the Day sets in, then take a Siesta once the Triple Digits hit, don't know yet?  

Amber just messaged me, she's at the Hospital coz her Oldest Daughter just had the Baby, her 1st Grandchild, a Boy.  She's not Happy that TJ is the Father and an Old Man who doesn't treat her Daughter right, but, becoming a Grandparent is still the Best and I know she'll be a good Gramma and Adore that Baby, so will her Ex, Joe.   The Baby will really Need them to be there and they know this in advance, coz their Daughter is a Special Needs Adult.  As it turns out he was Born on the Middle Sister, Ayana's, Birthday!!!   Can't wait to see the little Guy. 

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