Post Christmas Reflections And Spilled Tea

It's hard for me to Process that the Holidays are already a Wrap now for another Year.   I enjoyed it thoroughly, but it all whizzed by me so quickly too.   The Older I get the more Time seems to Speed Up, not Slow Down, like you think it would as you Age.   I've Slowed Down but Time hasn't, it's warping by me now far too quickly it seems.  I tried to go out and buy Ice-Cream on Christmas Eve Day coz I had a Craving... there were literally no Parking Spaces anywhere and it was Crazy!  Luckily our nearest Dollar Store had One Parking Space Open and Sells a limited flavor Selection of Breyers, but, had the Praline Butter Pecan, a Strawberry Cheesecake and a Coffee Flavor Selection, I got all Three so we'll have enuf for everyone.  I've re-written this Post over too, after the Cable Tech was done Upgrading us.  Such a Nice Guy he was and a Cutie.

 I've had an uptick in Blog Readers again, but it doesn't seem suspicious this time like that other spike, which was totally unnatural.   That had to be AI related and was very evident that it couldn't have been actual Humans visiting, but Web Crawling Bots.  They were doing it to everyone, no telling what they were crawling and creeping around for tho', but it was Creepy!  *LOL*   This time, for the Holidays, it seems more actual Human folks are retreating to The Land Of Blog, perhaps for some Holiday Inspiration and camaraderie during the Season, or to decompress from Holiday Stress?  I know I find a Bloggy Freefall to be relaxing and inspirational, you all ROCK on your Blogs my Friends!!! 

When the Granddaughter took me out for Dinner Yesterday during her last Minute Holiday Shopping Marathon she needed an unpaid Uber Driver for, the Restaurant was deserted!  So much so, the Manageress had nothing to do and came to talk with us and just visit, show us pixs of her new Granddaughter and talk about her Holiday Trip back 'Home' to Chicago.  She misses Chicago but said she doesn't have to shovel Sunshine here and it was wicked Cold back there and everyone had got Sick, which doesn't happen near as often in Warmer Climates either.

When you're Old, all that matters, a lot.  Which is why you see more Old Timers in Warmer Climates, we migrate here to places like this for our Retirement Years.  This is where they put Old People out to Pasture and we come to Die.  *Winks and LOL*  Almost 20% of Arizona's Population is 65 or Older, which is a higher than average percentile, I'm a Statistics Person.   And I didn't migrate here in my Old Age, and have been living in Arizona since my Teens tho', but my Parents came here to Retire when my Dad's 27 Year Military Career was almost over, his last Assignment was at Luke AFB.  I'm so Glad my Parents chose an Arizona Retirement, I Love Arizona and have made it my permanent Home.

The Cox Tech is here, he came early on the Window of Time they gave us, which is good, doesn't mess up our whole Day.  He'll be rewiring everything and setting up all new Fiber Optic Equipment, which is smaller and mostly Wireless.  Everything should then speed up but until he's done I won't be able to do much but Type this and have it Save later when the Internet is back Up.  I can still Write the Post, just not add Photos when Internet is Down, if I still have a Post up working on it.  Before The Young Prince left to go back to New Mexico and wrap things up there, he was working on my Saguaro Cactus Mannequin that this one Inspired and I wanted on one of mine.

Mine isn't a full form Headless Mannequin like this one is, just a Vintage Mannequin Torso with Head and he wants to put Saguaro Faux Blossoms on her Head when he's finished with her.  I've tried not to peek, he likes me to wait until after he's finished with a Creation to View it and get the full effect of the Art he's Created.  He's an accomplished Artist so I think mine will look even better than this one, which is not For Sale and is this Vendor's Permanent Display for their Brand and Line of what they Specialize in Selling at an Antique Mall.   Theirs is mostly Souvenir Arizona Merch, Old Bottles, Western/Native American items that are geared towards Tourists, and Collectible Rocks.

The Granddaughter was funny when we went Shopping for her Boyfriend, she said tho' they've been together Two Years, she doesn't have any idea what he likes?  *LMAO*  Well, Men are notoriously hard to Buy for, I'll give her that.  She usually buys him things to eat, since, she knows he likes to eat at least.  *Bwahahahaha*  He's thin as a rail like her so you wouldn't know he allegedly eats like a Human Garbage Disposal, according to her.  She said he should be a Fat Guy for how much he'll eat and if she can't finish anything, she just gives it to him and he'll eat it!  *Ha ha ha*  

I only just found out his Real Name, which is very Hispanic, I think she said it was Gerardo, pronounced like it starts with a heavily Spanish accented "H".   She'd just introduced him as Rusty coz that's what he had told her his Nickname was when they met.  Who knows why, coz I guess nobody else calls him that at all tho'!  *Hilarious*  And now he wishes he hadn't thrown out some White Boy Nickname, coz now that's what we all call him and he'll forever now be Rusty and not Gerardo.  Coz, we'll stick with it now, it was hard enuf to remember to change names after 15 Years with The Young Prince Legally Changing his First Name at his Adoption. *Ha ha ha*  The Man will never be able to pronounce Rusty's Real Name, ever... he massacres anything Spanish sounding, like every Old White Man does.  *LOL*

His Mother I don't think Speaks or Understands much English.  She came over once looking for him and I had to have The Daughter converse with her in Spanish.  Which thrilled his Mom that her Son's "White" Girlfriend's Mother speaks fluent Spanish as if it's her First Language too.   Tho' she brought one of his Younger Sisters as Interpreter, just in case.  His Dad apparently is Bilingual and Princess T thinks his Dad may be American and not a Mexican National, not sure tho'.  I've not met the Dad and just know the Parents are either Separated or Divorced and the Daughters live with her, the Son with his Dad.

 The Mom definitely is a Foreign National Immigrant, we've met her and there was a communication barrier, so I won't get to know her very well.  It's funny coz she and the rest of her Boyfriend's Family thinks our Granddaughter is White and not Hispanic, and Princess T always finds it Funny when anyone assumes she's a "White Girl".   Especially since, she was Darker when she was little, as was the Young Prince, and people used to incorrectly think she was Half Black back then.  Now becoz she's lightened up, they incorrectly think she's all White.  *LOL*

I tried finding faux Saguaro Blossoms for The Young Prince's Mannequin Saguaro he's making for me and they don't Exist, so he may have to make some.  He used to make Origami Flowers out of Crepe Paper, so I think he could perhaps Create some faux Silk Fabric Saguaro Blossoms for it, using Images I took of the Blossoms like this one?   I was Surprised that Online someone isn't making faux Cactus Flowers, they make every other kind of Flowers out of Silk. 

 And even faux Saguaro Cacti, which they do have Online, aren't Blossoming.  I don't know why Saguaro/Sahuaro, is spelled Two different ways either?  *Shrugs*  Either way is acceptable spelling of that Species of Cactus and mebbe one is an English Spelling and one a Spanish Spelling, I dunno?  Most English Speakers say it with a hard G and Spanish Speakers with a soft H.

This, in Real Time, is the last Day to get Christmas Cards on Time, otherwise, they arrive after Christmas, which, doesn't make much sense to even send them if they come after the Holiday is over.  But, I know how Time slips away from us sometimes and before you know it you're crunch timed and didn't get everything done you intended to do earlier but didn't get around to.  We only got about half the Cards from those we sent them out to this Year, so there's a possibility to cut my List in Half for next Year then.  *Winks and LOL* 

 To be Fair, a lot of those of our Age Group are dying off like Flies now.  I should probably Buy more Sympathy Cards than Christmas Cards now actually.  I remember my Mom, who Lived to be 84, telling me eventually you are one of the last ones.  She only had One Friend who Outlived her and made it to 88... and an Older Brother, who made it to 90.   I don't know I wanna be one of the last ones, that's a lot of Grieving for those we Lose first.  My Dad made it to 74, which, in his Culture & Family, was pretty Old, Indigenous have a much shorter lifespan than most other Americans.  Often a Decade shorter.

 Most of my Paternal Cousins are living a bit longer than our Parent's Generation did tho', but, about half aren't and still Die Young. Some of my Paternal Cousins have already Lost some of their Children too, which is Heartbreaking and tragic, but not uncommon either.  Dad Lost Three Brothers who never made it to Adulthood.  I can't even Imagine the Grief of Losing even One Child or Grandchild.  Tho' we did Lose a Great-Grandchild of one of Princess T's Older Siblings, the Newborn Infant Died of COVID in the beginning of the Pandemic.  Which is why I got pissed off when Covidiots said it was all a Hoax.  For those of us who Lost someone, and for those who Died of it, it was no fucking Hoax and saying so is Offensive, Crass and Insensitive.

 

My Friend Kim, who Owns "Sweet Salvage" with Rocker Alice Cooper.  I've met and talked with him numerous times, he comes in to our Antique Mall with his Lovely Wife quite often, they are the Nicest Couple.  He used to be a Vendor at our Downtown Phoenix Location too.  He seemed to have quite a Collection of Vintage Watches and Sold a lot of them there.  Quite a few Celebrities live in Arizona and the Metro Phoenix area, so you do see them around.  So far, every Celeb I've ever met in Person has been personable and unpretentious, very gracious with whoever out in Public recognizes them.  To lose your Anonymity in Public must be the hardest thing about Fame.  I like my Anonymity, but it is Nice and flattering if someone remembers you and looks Glad to see you. 

Okay, so a little bit of Holiday Venting about extended Family, why not, they CAN be Fair Game.  *LOL and Winks*  So, yeah, from time to time I will put a Family Member on Blast.  Today it will be our Oldest Daughter, whose notorious for not keeping in touch.  I do hear from the Three Grandkids more regularly on Social Media, and even from our Oldest Daughter's Half-Sister, who is no biological connection to The Man at all, since it's his Ex's Child by her Husband she Married after their Divorce.  I hear from the Half-Sister a lot and know more about what's going on with her, you'd think she was OUR Child and we do Adore her and that she keeps in Touch better than her Sister, who is The Man's only Biological Child.  

So for him, I'd like her to make more of an effort.  At least send him a fucking Christmas Card or make a Call at Christmas, it's not a Big Ask.  She knows he's in bad shape and I know that can be awkward for her.  Her Stepdad, who Raised her, has Dementia too and is in Long-Term Care, he doesn't even know who his Kids even are now.  Once a Parent gets Dementia, it's hard to know what to say even if you see them every day, which the other Two Kiddos now do, since they live with us.  She hasn't seen him in like, well over 25 Years.  So, keeping in Touch over distances, yep, takes some effort.  Not ever being close to a Parent also can shape the dynamic, she was 2 when he and her Mom Divorced, until she was a Teenager she couldn't initiate Contact and his Ex didn't.   So, she was Raised by her Wonderful Stepdad.  

 

When The Man Married me, I made a Special Effort to know that side of his Family and it went well when she was a Teen and Young Adult.  I got along great with The Man's Ex, her Family, her Husband, they're Good People and they genuinely seem to Like me.  I Like his Ex, she's always gotten along with me, we showed up for the Oldest Daughter's Wedding and his Ex's Family were inclusive and Wonderful.  The Oldest Daughter has Blessed us with Three fantastic Grandkids and now she's a Gramma of Five, who are wonderful Great-Grandkids to us.  There's been no Bad Blood, none, nada, so it's a Mystery about Whatssup?

She's been notorious about not keeping in Touch, if it weren't for her Sister, and her Kids, I wouldn't know what was going on or have much, if any, contact now.  No idea Why?  Not even speculation.  And, for a moment, I considered just not bothering this Christmas with even a Card.  Coz, for Years now, no response, this Year, so far, no exception to that.  If she really doesn't want contact I'll respect that coz it actually would relieve me of trying to maintain any semblance of Relationship then, I'm okay with it.  But, I know for The Man, that would be hard, that's his Kiddo, she knows she's his only Biological Child.  Yet, he's got his Non-Biological Children and Non-Biological Grandchildren he's Raised who are much, much Closer and attentive to him and there FOR him.

They quit asking me if she's had any contact with Dad or asked how he's doing?  The G-Kid Force say she's never had contact in all the Years they've been Alive {25 and 20 Years respectively}, enuf for them to remember who she even is!  I haven't felt it's my 'place' to have a Come To Jesus with her and ask, is there something being unsaid, would you prefer NO contact with us, ever again, I just am not Sure???  I don't even require an explanation, it's not necessary unless she felt it was?   It's not even that anything amiss has ever happened, it hasn't.  I've had more contact with The Man's Ex-Wife, also a Lovely Person, as is her Husband, than I have with The Oldest Daughter in recent Years.  Luckily, she has a Wonderful Relationship with her Children and Grandchildren, so that's really important to me.  

Since The Man now has Dementia, I'm just hoping he won't remember how much Non-Contact she's had with him, or with our side of the Family?  It used to hurt him and bother him, he'd ask me if I'd heard from her via Social Media, since we were once pretty close when she was a Teen and Younger Adult?   He asks less so now that he has severe Memory Care Issues, and, sometimes has to ask me who her Kids are or the Great-Grandkids back East, coz, he's not SEEN them in Person, so it's rather abstract now he's impaired Mentally.  I'm almost relieved.   Blended Family dynamics can be complex, it didn't used to be tho', so I guess I just don't know what changed with her?   Mebbe Life got too busy and it's nothing personal?  I've given her Years of the Benefit of any Doubt now.  Now, if it weren't for her Dad, I wouldn't Care.

Yet, I dread when each Christmas Card arrives and it's not hers, will he finally Notice, and say something?   Did we get a Card from her Honey, where is it?   He likes getting the Mail and looking for those Cards from everyone and showing me who responded.  He knows I sent one, I always do.  You only drop off The List if you cease sending one and he doesn't recall that she hasn't for several Years sent one back, but, I didn't dump her off the List and make it Personal, she is our Oldest Daughter.   My own Brother isn't one to send Cards, but I always send him one and he always Calls at every Special Occasion or Holiday and when he was Well, he visited as often as he could, knowing The Man can't really Travel well and it's hard for me to take this whole Show on the Road.  *LOL* 

She used to come to Arizona on Vacations, up until her Oldest Child was Two and she was preggy with the Second one.  That was the last visit, even tho' they've coasted thru Arizona to get to other Vacations in Cali and Vegas!!!  So, it's been Weird for more than a Minute IMO.  But I try not to get too critical of The Man's side of the Family, coz, shit can be Weird for more than a Minute with any of them actually.  It can be very hit and miss with them, seems to be a Family Trait of sorts.  His Oldest Brother is perhaps the most interactive with The Man and so they've been the Closest to each other.  He Idolizes his Big Brother too.  

It's a Big Deal when he knows his Brother is coming to see him and it makes me so Happy that Bob does.  His last Visit was last Month and it went so well, tho' brief, coz he was on his way to Texas to Winter and spend the Holidays with his Daughter and Grandkids, he lives on the same Street as them half the Year.   He knows the situation with the Oldest Daughter, he has an only Child, a Daughter too, and they've had their similar Situations.  Now he's a Widower tho', his Daughter has been more connected to her Dad and that's great, I was so glad to hear it, he Needs that, he's alone now for the first time.

I have to just accept things as they are I guess and mebbe next Year, just shorten that List by her Name too?   It's not getting shorter by a lot this Year, but some, and that's less for me to send out, so, I'm okay with that actually.  Meaningful Relationships have to be Nurtured and Cultivated or they Die like anything Neglected or Abandoned.  Family is EVERYTHING to me and my side is very Close, so we don't face those Issues that The Man has had to with his.  I can't change that dynamic or attitude Families have with one another and what Works for them, or doesn't Work for them.   But, I do try to Understand it without judgment and just acceptance it's who and how they just ARE.

Mebbe some of you can relate to rather strained or estranged Family dynamics and 'different' Relationships?   I have trouble with it since it's not previously been my Experience to Deal with 'Family' in this way, so, I really am in unfamiliar Territory, my own side of the Family dynamic doesn't have that particular baggage to unpack.   Perhaps I've just be Lucky or Fortunate for that from a Biological perspective, In-Laws being a completely different kind of dynamic to navigate.   Both Marriages I've had, the In-Law dynamic was in a Word, kinda 'Strange'.  But, they probably viewed me and mine 'Strange' too.  *Winks*  We aren't your Garden Variety folks, I'll give everyone that... *Ha ha ha*

 

*******

Hope your Christmas or whatever you Celebrate, went memorably my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian

Merry Christmas Baby... Let's Hope 2026 Cuts Us A Break

I am starting this a couple Days before Christmas but it will Publish Christmas Morning.   I jazzed up our Chili to make it last a whole other Days worth of Meals for the Crew here.  I put some Vegetables and more Beans in it, so it's more a Vegetable Chili than Meat Based Chili on Day Two.  But, still has some Chorizo in it and tastes even better when simmered a whole other Day in the Crockpot, was even better Today than the Day Before actually, Nom-Nom.  

That's why I like making Chili, you can throw anything in it and make it Feed the multitudes and taste delicious and different every single time, while being nutritious and everyone Loving it.  Some of the Young folks who work with Princess T still tell me how much they enjoyed it, I think they may be fishing for Seconds?  *LOL and Winks*  Hey, I remember being Young and Living on inexpensive Top Ramen and 25 Lb. Bags of Asian Imported Rice, so any Home Cooked Meal is appreciated even if the Chef is no Culinary Jedi.  *Smiles*

I don't know if Princess T is taking me out to Eat if I Uber her Ass around to finish up her Christmas Shopping?   In Real Time it's the Day Before Christmas Eve and she wants to hit at least a Dollar Store and TARGET, which, probably both will be Madhouses right about now I suspect?  Normally I wouldn't venture near any Retail Establishment this close to Christmas.   Not even a Temptation to, since there's no Money now 'til we get Paid again anyway.  We've been at the Wire since Mid-Month. *LOL and Le Sigh* 

 Retirement should have had the Paid Off Home we had, which was The Plan and I'd attained it.   Then things would have met at the Ends.  But, shit happens, Life happens, and this Mortgage is never getting Paid Off, but it is at least only 2% Interest.  This is also Why those who Scored the record low Rates or have Paid Off Homes aren't Selling, they can't replace it now, out of reach for the Average American or Retiree now.  I wouldn't wanna try to do nor fund a Big Move now again in our Lifetime.  Hell to the No.  For what it Costs now to Hire Movers, you used to be able to Pay Cash for an actual Property!!!  My first couple of Properties didn't cost me that much and were given Time to Pay Off!

Thus, most folks can't afford to Move either.  I've told it before, but we did a Self-Move to here out of necessity coz to Hire a Moving Company, the lowest Quote, just to move a few Miles Southeast from where we were already Living, was $35,000!!!   Even those U-Boxes for small Households like The Young Prince's worldly possession from New Mexico to Phoenix, will be excessive and overpriced IMO.  The Niece backed out of driving a U-Haul Van for him, he can't Drive, someone with Schizophrenia can't drive safely, most can't even be Licensed to Drive.  So, he has to rely on Allen to fund a U-Box and get it here or leave behind everything he owns.

The Son isn't working right now so if I could afford the U-Haul and to have him Drive it there and back, help his Nephew load it, and trust he wouldn't get into a Situation with The Young Prince's Husband, I'd have him do it.   But that would be a lot of IFS, ANDS, and BUTS, so I wouldn't risk it even if I could afford it, which, we can't, so it's not even an Option actually.   Plus, The Son and The Young Prince together on such a long Interstate drive, might be like a Thelma & Louise Situation risk without a Mediator to ensure nothing goes Off Rails or into The Iconic Movie's Abyss of the Grand Canyon?  *Winks and LOL*

This Morning when I dropped Princess T off at Work it was still Dark so I drove around our Mini Farms Community to look at Lights.   Hadn't done that and didn't realize how many of our Neighbors had actually done some pretty Extreme Christmas Decorating on their Acreages.  Some of the folks in the Lakeside Subdivisions around us Decorate the Backs of their Properties that face out onto the Lakes too and that's quite Lovely if you can see it from the Road, reflecting off the Water.  We almost bought a Lakehouse in one of those Lakeside Subdivisions near where we now Live, before Buying the Villa McManse.  

It was a Short Sale and we were the Backup Buyer, but the Bank dallied with the Original Buyer, who ended up not Qualifying.  We were VA Approved and Pre-Qualified, so could have Closed quickly.  But, by then I'd JUST Signed for the McManse THAT Day when they Offered The Lakehouse to us!  Dammit, we'd waited almost a full Year, but they were a fucking Day late, Hours actually, the Ink barely dry on our Paperwork for what we ended up Buying!!!  The Man laments we didn't get that Home, but I kinda don't.  It was even bigger than the McManse, still had an HOA {tho' a better one}, needed Upgrades that were Costly, Short Sales generally have Owners in Crisis, and the Master Bedroom was Upstairs, The Man can't do Stairs.

Plus, I was still fighting The System to get The G-Kid Force Adopted and Living ON a Lake, with a Lakefront Property, might have been No Bueno with the fussy Adoption Board?  After all, they wouldn't Approve my Paid Off Historic Home coz of Lead Paint, as if a 10 Year Old and a 15 Year Old would be eating Paint Chips!   *Eye Roll*  I mean, they were Special Needs Kiddos, but not THAT kinda 'Special'... and they'd Lived in the Historic Home since their Birth and never eaten Paint Chips.  But, Social Services often makes no sense in how they structure Placements or disqualify you, whether permanent or temporary.  So, now here we are, after a lot of Hoop Jumping, they're now Grown and I don't have as many Caseworkers to pacify or up my Ass.  

But, that Lakehouse did have a Fireplace AND a Wet Sauna in the Master Bathroom and the Walk In Closet with Cherrywood Custom Cabinetry to Die For, like the Size of a Room!!!   And a MIL Suite on the Ground level with separate access.  The Ground Floor Kitchen and Den with Fireplace also looked out to the Lake View.  The View out the Master Bedroom Windows looked out onto a Rooftop Patio and The Lake.  It was a lot of House tho', bigger than the Villa McManse, but their HOA Maintained the Front Yards, or so I was told, so wasn't as inclined to Harass their Community.

 It also came with a Pontoon Boat, Pool & Spa, and was the largest Lot in the entire Lakeside Community and the largest Home there.  The Equity skyrocketed, and I could have Scored it cheaper than I paid for the McManse, which was a Deal but not as good as a Short Sale Deal.   So if I'd of Sold it, I could have Paid Cash for this Home... so... there would have been definite Upsides to it.  If only... *Ha ha ha*  But, everything Is as it Should Be, Destiny takes its turns as it just will, I'm a firm Believer in that.

I'm waffling right now on going into The She Shed to Price some Inventory coz it's still only up to 65 Degrees and it's almost 11:00 a.m. now.  Too chilly for Yours Truly even tho' that Space warms up pretty good coz it's small and has a Window to look out towards the Street, which is South Facing.   Not sure when Princess T gets out of Work, some Tuesdays they keep them Late coz the Back Room Staff didn't Work Sunday and Monday, plus Mondays are Half Price Day and that Store gets wrecked by the Crowds.  

 You'd think some of those Shoppers were fucking feral, how they act and tear shit up.   I have never made a mess in any Store or acted the Fool in one, even when I was a Small Child, I was Raised better and Knew better.   Some of these folks must have been Dragged Up, as my Mom would call it, by ignorant or unfit Parents or Guardians not up to the Job of Raising them Right?

 

Sometimes Sales are Soft yet your Space is wrecked and you're like, really, you can't even have been Shopping to Buy nothing and leave such a Mess behind in your wake.   And Honestly, when I was coming up I don't recall Stores being tore up like that, not even the Five & Dimes where Bargain Shoppers frequented, like Ben Franklin and Woolworths.  People just didn't act the Fool like they do now when they went into any Public or Retail Space, they knew how to Act. 

 Now some Act like they've lost their Minds, any Respect, and all Decorum.  I don't even wanna attract that kind of Feral Individual who can't Behave or Control their Feral Acting Spawn either.  Be Well and Be Gone, don't Shop here.  Security or Management ought to Escort them out 100% of the time so they know and Learn that they're not Welcome anywhere to Act like that.

 

I may be Old School about it, but I Believe in Public Shaming anyone whose a Grown Ass Adult who can't Act Right in Public.  If all of Society put the Pressure upon them en mass to Act Right, I think there would be a Shift in the Right Direction of more Positive Behavior.  Humans are basically Social Beings and Herd Creatures Naturally, unless they're terribly defective to where Socialization isn't possible for them.  That's Why Isolation is hard and if prolonged, makes a Human start losing their Minds, which is Why Solitary Confinement and no Human Contact is so damaging and detrimental to the Psyche.  And any Behavior Tolerated is Behavior Accepted, never forget that.

Okay, so enuf of my Bitchin' about pet peeves of Joe Public who've gone Feral and reverted to their Wild State.  *LOL*   They seem quite oblivious that Polite Society and those who know how to Act and Behave Socially, find them to be Nuisance Animals in a very Primitive State of Being like Neanderthal Humans or the Denisovans Subspecies of Humans.  Mebbe they do have too much Neanderthal or Denisovans DNA, who knows?  *Ha ha ha*  I got a Banana Box full of Inventory Priced in the She Shed, it was actually very nice out there once it cleared over 70 Degrees.   Some of the Clothing I'm taking in is pictured Below:

The Punk Denim Vest is Cute, but Princess T doesn't like Punk Genre like that so she Passed on it when I Scored it and said to just Sell it.  The Young Prince felt the same about the Devil Face Shirt, usually he'll wear something like that, but it was big on him, he's Slender and likes things to fit in a more Tailored way.  I should have no problems Selling both of these to our demographic that Buys from us now.  The Shirt still has the original Tags so it's New Old Stock.  I have another Arted Up Custom White Denim Child's Jacket that looks like a Mom made it for her Daughter by Painting on it with Fabric Paint.  But, the Art is good and has a lot of Alice In Wonderland and other Trendy Graphics Tweens like that she Painted well on it.

A lot of Vendors are Selling Trendy Stickers now and Customers are eating it up.  So, I had some very X-Large 3-D Holographic Rock & Roll, Smiley Faces, Low Rider Babes, Aliens doing Crazy Things, and Car Club Stickers that I'll only ask a Buck apiece for.  {See Below}   The Vendors at our Mall are asking much more for tiny little Modern Stickers.  Mine are Vintage from the 1990's, New Old Stock.   I have a Bulk Lot of them that I Scored from a Vending Machine and Gumball Machine Vendor that was going out of Business and Selling what the Contents of his Machines used to be back in the 1990's. 

  I think he was Retiring and I only Wish I'd also Bought Out his Vintage New Old Stock of Posters from the 1970-1990's Eras.  I did Buy a few, to Keep tho', not for Resale.  Eli fucked our Favorite one up, for some reason he did not Like that Poster and used to attack it... Odd, it's a Hand holding up a PEACE Sign Black Light Poster.  We Framed it behind Plexiglass to protect it now.

If you look at the Lefthand Bottom Corner you can see where Eli jumped up and Clawed/Shredded the shit out of it.  *Le Sigh*  He did that twice, never bothered any of her other Posters, we do not know why he disliked this one so much, the Word PEACE perhaps?  *LOL* He thought, I'll show them PIECE by Shredding it to Pieces, forget about PEACE!!!  *Bwahahahaha*  Now it hangs outside her Room in the Hallway coz we're sure he'd still try to knock it off the Wall? 

 He was just too aggravated by it and he's a Weirdo Cat that does Strange shit like that when he doesn't Like something for whatever his Reasons are.  *Le Sigh*  There was one of her Fabric Tapestries he Hated too, so she had to take it off her Wall and hang it on her Ceiling instead.  He hasn't figured out a way to jump up on the Ceiling yet.  *Ha ha ha*  He doesn't mind or bother any of her other numerous Tapestries, go figure!?

    

We dropped off the Merch at our Showroom, it was relatively busy, TARGET and the Dollar Store were Surprisingly NOT!   But, a Customer had broken about $25 of Glass and Porcelain Merchandise I'd just put in recently and didn't pay for any of the damage they caused.  I had it up high, so I know it was some Adult that did it and not a Child, and they were back far enuf of a Shelf that they weren't close to an Edge, so, somebody was being Careless or heavy handed and like a Bull in a China Shop.  Sometimes they crash into things with their Carts too, I don't know what happened to knock so much fragile Merch off a high Shelf Unit?

  Sometimes Shoppers act like they're at a Carnival and it's a Midway Game to knock shit down and break it for some Prize or sense of Satisfaction?!  *Le Sigh*  Staff had called me about it and said they don't know who did it coz after they heard the crash and breakage, whoever it was split from the scene.  I'm sure if they looked at Security Surveillance they'd see who did it tho'.  Not that it matters, one was a State Vintage 1950's Glass from Utah, almost 70 Years it stayed Mint Condition 'til that Shopper showed up and broke it to smitherines, didn't even get a chance to Sell it, only stocked it the other day!  The other was a Vintage small Chalkware Virgin Mary Statue they snapped the Head off of!  Both a total loss.

The Good and unexpected News tho' was I finished out the last Pay Period Super Strong on the very last Day of the Two Week Period my Sales were outstanding.  That would have been last Saturday, enuf that I will get a decent Check that will be SO Helpful, coz Payday is this coming Friday, right after Christmas.   I Wish we got our Checks before Christmas so I could just deposit it in our Household Account and have more Peace of Mind about having enough in there for Gas and Checks that need to Clear, without cutting it too close that it's nerve wracking.

  But, it was such a relief to finally have at least One Day of very Strong Sales during the Holidays.  Someone bought every single one of my Old WWII Magazines that focused on Military Planes of the Era mostly.  My Vendor Friend Cigar Hugh had given them to me when he closed out one of his Booths Years ago.  I had them in a Box so long in Inventory at Home, not sure if they'd languish or appeal to a Militaria Collector.

 

Everyone was glad to see Princess T with me, tho' we Share our Spaces there, I maintain it mostly now coz she's Working Full Time now and doesn't have the Time anymore.   She Treated me to Dinner at "Wildflower Bread Company" and the Manageress came and talked with us.  She'd just returned from Chicago where her 3rd Grandchild, the first Granddaughter, had just been Born.  She said everyone in the Family was down Sick with Flu, so she was the only Healthy one and spent Five Days Caring for the Newborn so her DIL could Heal from being Sick.  And nobody could hold the Baby coz they all were Sick.  She showed us Pixs, what a Pretty Baby she is, with a lot of Hair and just very lovely Features.  

  

She has Two Grandsons who are Toddlers, she has Two Sons and each Son has a Son, now One has a Daughter too.  She's the Manageress that wanted to Hire Princess T to work there for her.  Both of her Daughters, who don't have Children, work for Chase Bank and keep bugging her to Retire from the Restaurant Industry coz they think she's too Old, but she enjoys what she does.  She doesn't wanna Retire and doesn't feel too Old.  Above is a Pix of the large Gift that our Next Door Neighbors Sylvia and Tom got for us.  The Man has been chomping at the bit to Open it prematurely but I told him to wait 'til Christmas so we have something to Open.  He doesn't know he's getting Gifts from me or the Kids you see.  *Winks*

And Princess T said she was Surprised her Grandpa didn't know who the other Guy was with Matthew when they came over to get her, it was Timmy!!!   I guess she and Matthew have extended him some Grace about the remarks he made that they found offensive and Racist, it was apparently about a Van full of Mexicans and Princess T had to remind him, Hey, I'm Hispanic Timmy, I found that remark to be Offensive and she was just shocked he'd said it in her presence.   Plus, his Boyfriend is Latino.  So, I asked her, well, was what he said Racial... or Racist?  There is a difference and intent is everything too.  If what is said is meant to be hurtful or deliberately insensitive then that's one thing, perhaps no Offense was Intended? 

 She mulled that over and said perhaps, and anyway, now everything is Good between them.   And I'm glad, they've been so close since Grade School and it did seem totally out of Character to me for Timmy.  Like I mentioned before, almost all his Friends are People of Color, he's the only White Boy in their Group of Friends actually, he's only Dated Men of Color... that doesn't line up with being a Racist to me.   Anyway, they had a good time, went out for Dinner to "Olive Garden", went to The Retail Mall to Shop, and are going to First Fridays the 1st Friday of January.  That Trio always has a Big Time when they go and do anything together, they're like the Three Musketeers.  

Remember I told you about the one Neighbor in our Mini Farm Community that always did Extreme Christmas Decorating and had a Vintage Airstream he lit up too, then stopped doing it for Two Years, we thought something had happened to him?   Well, he resumed this Year, tho' he now has a Modern 5th Wheel he Lights up and I don't know what happened to the Vintage Airstream?   I'm glad to see him doing it becoz we'd thought perhaps he'd Died or become very ill, it went from this to absolutely nothing, not a single Decoration for Two Consecutive Years.  His Property is on the outskirts of our Mini Farm Community and faces a Main Road {107th Avenue} that doesn't have the Access Road in front of it like our Home does on the other Main Road of Thomas that runs on the other Side of our Community.

  I'm glad we have our Access Road with a low Block Wall, it buffers Noise and Traffic considerably and affords more Privacy and less risks of damage from Vehicle Accidents.  The Mini Farms facing 107th Avenue didn't get that from the City when Urban encroachment and Sprawl happened.   This Community has been here since 1960 and used to only be Dirt Roads around all of it on Two Sides to the West and South, and the Main Open Irrigation Canals on the other Two Sides of it, which are very Wide, like a River, to the East and North. 

 Our Home is South Facing, that Guy's Home is West Facing and a Corner Lot up against the Main Irrigation Canal on his North Side.  He has a massive Custom Home, not all of it showing in the Photo, and a Casita in the Back Acreage as well as a Barn and Commercial Sized Garage for his Vintage Car Collection.   The Guy is a Serious Collector of Big Ticket Items in Transportation, clearly.   And he drives all his Vintage Cars and Trucks and they are Primo, the Airstream was one of the largest ones, I think he still has it, but now parked out on his back Acreage.  I wanna BE that Guy when I Grow Up.  *Winks*

So, we did make it thru to Christmas intact my Friends.  Princess T had me drop her off at Work Christmas Eve Morning and then go Buy her Boyfriend Two Holiday Scratch Tickets to put in his Christmas Stocking she made up for him.  She chose the Deep Red low pile fur fuzzy one I'd bought, it looked good, he'll like it.  I didn't know they won't Sell Lottery Tickets quite that early, so hadda buy a Coffee and wait around the Convenience Store a bit 'til they'd Sell a couple of Christmas Dollar Scratch Tickets to me.  *Eye Roll*  

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So, Merry Christmas Baby, from me to you... Dawn... The Bohemian