I'll Begin On A Positive Note... But It Might Go Downhill From There...

We'll start this Post with Great-Grandbaby Imagery, to begin on a Positive Note.  It might go Downhill from there... but... whatever.  *LOL*  Tomorrow is both Bulk Garbage pickup Day, done only once a Month, and Regular Garbage Day, for usual Weekly Non-Recycle Trash Pickup.   So, I was busy getting both ready to be Curbside, coz both come very early in the Morning, usually before anyone wakes up, so doing it the Night or Day beforehand is crucial.   One of The Daughter's long time Childhood Friends unexpectedly showed up today unannounced looking for her.  They aren't that close anymore, and haven't been for a long time now, since this person has shown she can't be Trusted and is always Thirsty for Attention, like J-Lo {Jennifer Lopez}.   And I don't Trust Thirsty folk, I just don't.  *LOL*

 I have never thought she could be Trusted and have always said so, Gut Instinct about her, even tho' she's been nothing but nice and respectful to me personally, something about seemed disingenuous about her and never Lined Up with me.  But we got confirmation from very reliable Sources some time ago that my Gut Instincts about her had been Right.  So, The Daughter has distanced herself and not had this Gal coming around for a very long time, feeling betrayed.  For her to show up out of the Blue asking for The Daughter was Odd and Suspect, so The Man just sent her away.  The Daughter wasn't here anyway and was with Friends she is still close to.  Nobody Needs anyone who even Smells like Drama and a Headache around.

 I don't even plan to say this Gal came around looking for her, motives being unclear as to why?  This Gal IMO can be Major Drama and a Headache, she Creates a lot of her own Drama, Online as well as in Person.  She is very Immature for a Woman in her Forties, often still acting like a Teenager, when she's got Kids older than that.  She is overly Thirsty to be the Center of Attention, the look at and notice me type, and since she can't keep a Man, tends to go after other folk's Guys.   So none of the Guys we know want her around coz they know she's trouble and tries to make trouble in other people's relationships.  Not many folks want someone around who can't be Trusted or is Deceitful.

Anyway, The Man didn't even remember who she was so just said The Daughter isn't here.  Then came and told me who she said her Name was.  She hadn't been around in so long, I didn't initially even know who it had been, but then, there's only One Person by that Name that it could have been, so deducted it had been her.  The Son agreed, don't even mention it to his Sister, coz this Person, tho' he's also known her most of their Lives, he doesn't want around either and I'd told her some time ago not to be here.   She'd often show up unannounced and with people we didn't know, I don't like that.  Nobody I don't know is Invited here or Welcome unannounced particularly on our Property, so don't even bring Randoms around.  

I don't Care if you know them, if I don't, then don't have them in tow.  We're all Friended Up and even most folks I do know don't come to my Home unless specifically Invited.   And if I can't or don't even Trust YOU, then why would I Trust anyone Random you know?  Exactly.  The Daughter knows how cynical I am and that if someone makes a bad impression on me, it's damn hard to shake it and change my opinion.  Even if I didn't initially have that impression, once you do or say something that Red Flags my Spidey Senses, don't come around anymore.  And I have never particularly even Liked this Girl, let alone don't Trust her and never have.

So, while The Son and I were Working Outside getting everything to the Curb, we were making sure she wasn't still in the Neighborhood hanging around.   The Daughter won't be coming Home for a while, but, still, I don't want this Gal hanging around or showing up on my Property uninvited and unannounced no more, I'm suspicious of her, and it's why I mentioned it here on the Ole' Blog... it was Note Worthy, let us just say.   Just in case something comes up with this Gal?  *Winks*  Some Coincidences are everything but...    Anyway, it was another 116 Degree Day, mebbe Hotter, once my Temp Gauge showed 116, I just didn't go out any more in it.   I did pick up Wild Bird Seed, seems the pricing went way up everywhere, so perhaps there at the Discount Grocer, that was a reasonable price now?  Who knew?  Well, everything's going way up, so, can't say I'm even mildly Surprised anymore now.

 

The Son hadda be in Work by 5:00 a.m., so walked there so he didn't have to wake me up, since, his Niece doesn't work on Mondays so I can Sleep in if I don't take him to Work.  He doesn't mind walking when it's still Dark and Cooler out there and it's not even a Quarter of a Block away, I can see his Store from where we Live if I go stand in the Access Road in front of our Property and look Southwest of us.  Very convenient and handy.  He wants his Sister to apply for a part time Job there and thinks she could Stock Shelves and be an asset, in spite of her Disability.  There's not much contact with other people doing what he does and he knows she's an excellent Worker.  Part Time she could mebbe handle... mebbe... and she needs the steadier income until and unless she Qualifies to get back on SSI after a 20+ Year period of being off of it due to being out of the Country during that time?

I Plan to make an inquiry to The Grandson's Social Security Caseworker about it since, why not, Briana seems like a nice younger Woman and one of the Good Ones as far as Caseworkers go.  I can tell instantly now if we got a Good One or a Bad One.  *LOL and an Eye Roll, since, you shouldn't have that much Experience Dealing with Caseworkers of Social Service Programs and Government Agencies galore, but I fucking do!*  When you obtain and get Assigned a Good One, you really utilize that Person to your Advantage as much as you can coz the Good Ones generally Burn Out and don't last long in those Professions.  They become as overwhelmed and despondent as their Clients about The System.  Most are overworked and underpaid, and definitely not appreciated by their Employer, The Federal Government.  Most, especially under this Administration, of the Best of them, are bailing like the Ship is already sinking and going Down.

To be sure, the very Best of every form of Government, like the FBI, CIA, Military, VA, EPA, CDC, Politics, IRS, FDA, all Social Service Agencies, DOJ, etcetera, are either Retiring Early, Quitting, or being Ousted involuntarily and Targeted for Revenge and Retribution, possibly Prosecution, and definitely Persecution, by this Regime.  They've Purged any Resistance to what they intend to do and who would Protect or Defend the American Public and the Nation from them or whatever their insidious Agendas are.   See, I told you my Positive Post might go Downhill from the initial intent of it, into the Abyss of current Negativity abounding out there in the World, and America in particular.  *LOL but Le Sigh and a Sob*    We've still got ambivalent, oblivious, ignorant or indifferent Americans out there tho'... and of coarse those of the 30% or less, of the Population, who are the Die Hard Staunchest Supporters of it all and always will be.  They be the ones to keep an Eye on.  Coz if they aren't thrown under the Bus and get run over, they're definitely ON the Bus and for the whole Ride.

 

One of my BFF's and previous Roommates, when we were Young Adults and first time Single Moms, has a Brother whose gone Balls Out Extreme MAGA.  I asked her if her Brother has gone completely Mental, and what's Wrong with him now?  He is around 67 now and could be in cognitive decline as a vulnerable Adult?  Coz he's Retired Military, very Intelligent and Successful during his Career Years, used to be a Normal Acting Guy, used to be enormously Popular, I always thought highly of him... but now, just OMG!!!  WTF Bosco, has happened to you Dude?!  Christ on a Bike and all the Saints, his Social Media is totally Mental now and I don't know he has any Friends left who aren't Radicalized anymore?  He's Confrontational and even Cruel or Combative to anyone with differences of Opinion, disagree with him, or who are still Rational Human Beings.  It's Scary and deeply disturbing.  And he's not the only one I know who it's happened to either.  You do have to distance yourself from them by necessity and due to still having a Moral Compass and Basic Humanity!

  

She said nobody knows, he just went Off Rails like that in 2016 and now nobody wants to be around him or interact with him.  Coz he's absolutely Obsessed and Radicalized with his Extreme Political Views and Support and Justification of this Regime.  It is like he joined a Cult or a Domestic Terrorist Organization or Whacko Militia, and they've been unable to run any Intervention or Deprogram him.  He has a Family, so I Wonder if the Wife, Kids, Grandkids, all got on Board The Crazy Train or Bus that is going Wheels Off... or just him?   I knew his Wife, tho' she and I were never Friends, I even went to their Wedding, but he got Re-Assigned in the 1990's and I didn't keep in Touch, just with his Sister.  His Wife seemed to be the type so insecure her Husband couldn't still have his long time Female Friends, mebbe she didn't Trust him, or Imagined shit was happening that wasn't, I dunno, so I bowed out of their Lives.  

 He had a very meteoric rise in the Military well Earned, highly Respected, very Patriotic in a NORMAL way.   So, nothing to have concerns about, so, on FB he reached out, long before 2016 and wanted to reconnect.  He knew I still had long time Contact with his Sister and had been very Close with his Brother-In-Law, who was a Friend of mine before his Sister even Married Mike.   Sadly Mike was blown up in Iraq, so his Widowed Sister really has had a tough time of it since.   So, anyway, he reached out, and I accepted a Friend Request from an Old Friend I did Value the Long Time Friendship of and to catch up with one another.  Everything seemed good, for the most part, we had meaningful exchanges of how our Kids were doing, how many Grandkids we now had, how Retirement was going, Travels, reminiscing, the Usual Stuff.   And slightly after 2016, I had to Unfriend him, HAD to.   Before 2016 it had been Normal, like an Old Friendship with lots of History can be, and catching up with him and The Family was enjoyable... 'til it just wasn't, when he got so Radical and deeply Politically Partisan and Unhinged as fuck.

His Obsession with it was at the exclusion of all else, it's ALL he now talked of and it was Sick... really detached from all Reality and like an incurable Sickness, Defensive to an Extreme, Accusatory of anyone not in The Cult, Hostile, deeply Disturbing.   And that's what the 29%ers, as I now call the Devout MAGAts, have become.  After all that has now transpired, if you're still On Board, you're really quite Sick and it's become like an Illness or even a Deadly Contagion or Zombie Apocalypse of sorts.  You can and will try to Infect or Destroy those who are still Well by any Exposure to you IMO.  I used to think those proliferation of Zombie Movies and huge Populations going Brain Dead was fantastical and could never really happen, unless some Viral Infection mebbe caused it.  Well, MAGA has been like a Viral Infection to the Population and some succumbed to it and few Recovered from the Exposure to it.  It will Destroy the Nation if it spreads too far and wide successfully doing it's damage to the whole System.  It has spread Fear and even Death, like all dangerous Contagions tend to. 

Anyway, mebbe one day they'll make a Zombie Apocalypse or Dystopian Type Movie about it, I dunno, IF we Survive it?   Don't know whether they'd make it a Documentary or a Horror Movie?   *Eye Roll*   People like to be Scared when shit is Pretend, but when it's Real, and Fear is palpable, most folks don't like sustained Fear, it's not Healthy.  Fear is a Normal Response, but sustained Fears are extremely Stressful and detrimental to Well Being.   I guess I'm fortunate that I Shut Down my Fear Responses most of the time and prefer to Feel Nothing.  So that I can remain highly Functional and Adaptive to Situations, whatever they may be, in spite of Scary Shit that might be happening all around me and on a sustained basis I have little, to no, Control over.  As a Problem Solver by Nature, I will find Solutions to overcome anything I'm up against, in whatever ways Work advantageously to me and mine, my and our continued Survival, thru whatever shit becomes unavoidable and just IS the way it just IS.

*******

I do Hope most of you manage to get thru this too without being collateral damage, victims, and expected casualties of some very Bad History playing out in Real Time... Dawn... The Bohemian

Retail Therapy Hauls And More Food P*rn

 

So, The Daughter and Danae got Dolled Up to go out and did a Selfie first.  It turned out so Cute and is a really good one of them both.  Danae does Make-Up and an exceptional Natural Look, to make you appear flawless, brings out the best of your Features, but is very Natural and not overly Made-Up.  It's definitely an Art Form and Hollywood Level Make-Up Artistry.  It actually takes a lot of Skill to look this Natural when you're doing a Makeover.  Same with Decorating, the Skill it takes to make something look effortless, downplayed and Simple when you're Styling a Space, is not as easy as you'd think.   For a couple of Gals in their Forties, who have Adult Kids, they still look pretty Hawt and Youthful.

I took The Man out for Brunch, we were gonna go to "Snooze" but it was a Sunday and too busy, so we went to "5 & Diner" instead and had their Cadillac Meatloaf Dinner, which is exceptional.  So the Food Porn for this Post will be too.  *Winks*  We have plenty of leftovers for Lunch later now too.  The ambiance at the place is very 1950's inspired and it's one of those Silver Bullet Airstream Restaurants.  They have the Individual Jukeboxes on each Table with 1950's Selections of Music, and everything, including the Menu Selections, is Nostalgic Old School Diner.  I couldn't get The Man to eat his Veggies, so he always gives them to me.

 I don't mind, I Love my Veggies, and their Mixed Veggies are the best too, with Pearl Onions, Green Beans, Carrots, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, and Red Bell Peppers.   I should have waited and Photographed mine with the other Veggies in a Bowl he gave me to eat.  It also comes with delicious Garlic Toast, Crispy Fried Onions and Sauteed Mushrooms with the Meatloaf Topping, Mashed Taters with the Skins left on and smothered in a pleasantly rich Salty Dark Gravy you could Bathe in.  Nom-Nom.  The Meatloaf is great on a Sammie later on, Hot or Cold.  The Older Hispanic Waitress there always remembers us, no matter how long it's been since our last visit, she's a Sweetheart.  And they give Military Discounts even tho' it's way Downtown in the Inner City, not near any Military Base.

At Night they have it lit up with Neon, but usually we're there during the day, earlier, around Breakfast or Lunchtime, when they're busiest.  In the Evenings they're less busy even tho' they have great Dinners, which, you can Order anytime, they serve any type of Menu Meal at any time and I like that about the place.  Sometimes I might want Breakfast fare for Dinner, or Dinner for Lunch, you know?  I'm a Food Rebel like that.  And, I rarely keep Normal Hours anyway either.  *LOL and Winks*  So, if I were to want Lunch at 1:00 in the Morning, I like a place that won't balk at letting me order it that way and give me no flack about it being the Wrong time of the Day for that particular Meal.   I've been Grown a long time... I wanna to Eat what I wanna Eat when I wanna Eat it, dammit!  *Smiles*  I can at a place like this with no Restrictions on what to order or when you can order it.

We also stopped at One GOODWILL Downtown and nearby, it's Senior Day and tho' the Seasonal Merch isn't discounted, I still wanted to peruse their Halloween Merch.  They had a good selection of it, I got a Medium New Old Stock Fabric Pumpkin with Bling on it.  Two Smaller Child Sized Vintage Metal Halloween Pails with great Graphics and Lids. Some more Halloween Paper Plates and Napkins.  A couple of Cookbooks.  A Commercial Female Fabric and Metal Dress Form Mannequin Torso on a Commercial Heavy Metal Stand.  Two Sets of identical 1950's S&P Shakers with textured Pressed Glass and Retro Red Bakelite Lids.  A Halloween Coffee Mug.  And a "Boss Lady" Coffee Scented Candle that was called "Hustle & Caffeine" and Scented up the entire Truck with a lovely Aroma of freshly Brewed Coffee on the ride Home.  Most are pictured Below with some more Diner Pixs thrown in.

The Retail Therapy was enjoyable and I got everything at Bargain Basement prices.  The Older Navajo Cashier was doing everything by herself and apologizing for the long line.  She'd not called for Backup coz she said there was no Backup, everyone had Called In Sick or just not bothered to show up for Work without even Calling In!   It happens everywhere now and we get it a lot at the Antique Mall too.   It makes reliable Employees and Good Workers have to Work harder and more due to the inconsiderate unreliable ones who don't Honor their Commitments and Deal with angry Customers who aren't happy with waiting.  It's one thing if someone is legitimately ill or has an Emergency, it happens, but the Cashier told me her Co-Workers do this all of the time and it upsets Customers coz there's only One Cashier, also answering the Phones, and things back up, especially on Sale Days.  Sundays are a Sale Day for Military and for Students to get 25% Off, so it's busier.

 

The Cashier was Senior Citizen Aged and handled it all Calmly, unruffled and Politely, in True Native American Fashion that Tribal Elders always exhibit.  It's hard to fluster them, have them show any Emotional Stress, or disturb their Calm. *Smiles*  She had Beautiful Tribal Silversmith Jewelry on from her Tribe and had her Hair done in Traditional Navajo Style Beavertail Tsiiye'e'l.  In spite of being overworked and overwhelmed by the long line of Customers, she was pleasant and apologetic with us all, which kept everyone Calm that was in a ridiculously long line.  Everyone could see she was doing the very best she could, so, luckily nobody got snarky or ill tempered for the wait.  I had too much Good Stuff to bail on my Purchase *Smiles*, so I patiently waited my turn and then she and I conversed about the Situation while she was ringing me up.  Most of us in Line were Seniors too and commiserated with her plight.

I see more Seniors than Teenagers working Minimum Wage Jobs now... and a fair amount of Middle Aged folks too, which shows how shitty this Economy truly is.  Yes, there are Jobs, but, are they Full Time, do they have any Benefits, are they paying a Livable Wage?   Chances are the Answer to all of that is No, No, and No.   And the reason you're seeing Older People having to take said Jobs is becoz they can't make the ends meet on their Pensions and/or they are grossly Underemployed coz there are not as many, if any, Good Jobs with Full Time Hours, Benefits, and a decent Salary to Live on comfortably.   I know more folks with more Degrees than a Thermometer that are Underemployed or even Unemployed and not Hired for what they got their Degrees for and cannot find Work in those Fields.  A lot of those Skilled Workers in The Trades, with loads of Experience and exemplary Work History, also are not always finding Work, as The Son is a prime Example of.

The Niece said when she comes out to Visit from Texas, she's gonna do Gig Work while here, mostly doing Uber Delivery Work for various big Companies, doing their Deliveries.  She'll have The Daughter help her and Share in the profits they make.   She is a Tech Guru and Computer Programmer and Designer of Web/I.T. related stuff... all way over my Head, coz she's a legit Tech Genius.   But she's been either Unemployed or Underemployed lately and said she thinks A.I. is gonna eliminate a lot of what people like her do.  She's so against A.I. she's even more vehemently opposed to it than I am, and she went back to School to Learn about it and thought she'd migrate into Developing it, but said it's so Dark, so Foreboding, she didn't want to be complicit to any of it or any part of it and dropped out even tho' she was getting excellent Grades and could have made Money exploiting the whole A.I. Bubble that is shoring up the Economy and Stock Market right now.  We both agreed that a lot of the Stocks now seem Juiced... artificially pumped up and boosted, in case you're unfamiliar with the lingo. 

She's doing some Stock Trading, just to make Fast Money at it on a relatively small low risk scale, just to exploit what she sees happening.  So we talk of that fairly often, she knows I've been getting regular Stock Dividends off my Investments for over Fifty Plus Years and mine have performed just Fine and reliably, so I don't Trade a lot.  The Passive Income Flow from it suits me just Fine and is reliable enuf for over half a Century, that I can't complain, coz I got all mine in lieu of Bonuses back when I had Corporate Lives and the Money is as regular as Clockwork.  Anyway, she's hanging in there which is all the Regular Folk who aren't independently Wealthy and Billionaires can do when the Economy is in the shitter and looks not to be Promising of getting better anytime soon and with such Poor Leadership and Corrupt Grifters and Career Criminals at the helm making it what it is.  So long as they make it massively Profitable for them, they Care not who else or what else it destroys.

I deliberately give myself several Days at a time now without turning on The News coz I know it's all Bad.   I want to keep Informed Enough, but not too much, coz, damn, it's so Fucked Up and the level of Fuckery being allowed and left unchecked is unprecedented in our History.  The consequences of which will be far reaching and long lasting, Trust and Believe... likely for Generations to come.   There is still the Lunatic Fringe and Extremists out there too... on BOTH Sides of the Aisle now.  Coz I must say some of the Far Left is looking just as whack and Fucked Up to me as the MAGA ever was.   And if the Democrats allow their Party to be hijacked like the Republicans did, well, we better either have a 3rd and better Option, or my Vote is in Play for Real.  And I don't mean I'd Vote for either Side of the Extremes... and I really do Hate to throw my Vote away and have it mean nothing at all coz there's nothing NOT Extreme and Crazy, to even Vote FOR with the existing Two Party System that's getting more and more Fucked Up on both Sides now!!!

Anyway, enuf of the Political Scene which is FUBAR as Hell.  Let us instead enjoy some of my Retail Therapy in Images now, shall we?  *Winks*  That's way more Uplifting.  Above is my Fabric and Bling Medium sized Pumpkin, still had it's Retail Tags on it from a Big Box Decor Store.   It's a Terry Towel kind of Material and weighted.  I almost Waffled at Buying it coz sometimes I get ridiculously Stupid about what I'll Pay at a Chazza... even if it's really still a Good Deal.  *LOL and Winks*   Finally I knew I'd have Non-Buyer's Remorse if I didn't get it coz it was actually not a Bad Price, just not almost a Giveaway and practically nothing.  *Ha ha ha*   I knew it was New Old Stock from a Good Quality Store and the Retail Price had been High, High, High, so it would have been Stubborn Stupidity to Pass on it at the Price the GOODWILL wanted, even tho' slightly higher than usual for Used Merch that is Donated and not New Old Stock given to them by Major Retailers who clearly are Sponsors of the Organization.

My Pails were my Fav Score coz I Love Vintage Halloween and the Graphics and you don't find it very often, if at all, even In Season.  Plus they were 99 Cents Each, come on, that was almost Free IMO compared to their Value as a Vintage Halloween Collectible in decent Shape.   All of the Halloween and Fall Napkins and Paper Plates I've been Buying and Squirrelling away have been big Bagged Lots at a pittance Price Point, so... No-Brainer to scoop up any and all of them they have so that I don't have to Wash Dishes or Buy Paper Towels, Paper Plates or Napkins at Retail Prices for a long while.  Plus, how Fun is it to eat off of Halloween Graphics all the time?  *Winks*

Here's my Mannequin Dress Form, heavy as a Boat Anchor she is and Commercial Grade.   I Buy any Industrial or Commercial Pieces like this anytime I see them Cheaply Prices secondhand coz whether I Keep them for Display or Sell them, there's no Downside to as many as I can get my Hands on.   As you can see, our Faux Pumpkins never made it off the Front Porch since last Season and why bother putting them away now when in September we'd be setting them up again?  *LMAO*   Below are the Two Sets of Retro S&P Shakers.  They actually had a 3rd Identical Set but the Red Bakelite Top was missing off one of the Shakers so I didn't Buy that Set.   That Downtown GOODWILL always has a lot of Vintage and Antique Donations but I don't get way down there very often.  Since, I'm not Buying much for Resale, I usually just Sell Off what we already have and are Downsizing our Possessions of.  So I don't have current Outlay for much I'm doing Resale on, I Bought mine Decades ago, so my Margins are excellent.

Below is the Candle, I got for only 99 Cents, and it was New, has a very large Wick and Smells Sublime!   And how Cute is the Whimsical Name and Packaging of the Brand?  We were depleting my Cache' of Gold Canyon {now out of Business}, and Votivo {Expensive} Candles quickly, so now when I see any good Quality Candles secondhand at a Chazza, and they Smell Good, and are a Bargain, I snap them up.  Coz we almost always have a Candle or Incense Burning in our Home becoz we Love to have a Zen Atmosphere and lovely Aroma to our Living Spaces.   My Cache' of Incense is still respectable, but the Candle Cache' was dwindling to where I knew I better Scout for and Source some more.

Below is my Halloween Coffee Mug.  Not that I Needed any more Mugs in this Lifetime, I have more than any Sane Woman should ever Own.  But, I don't profess to be Sane and I am a Mug Hoarder, what can I say?  I Sell a lot of them, I use them all of the time {well, most of them, some are Display Collectibles I won't risk damaging with use}, and I just Love them and they make me Happy.  So... whatever... whenever I see another one I simply MUST have and it's the Right Price, it comes Home with me.  With my 5-to-1 Rule in place, anytime 1 thing comes IN, then a minimum of 5 things must go OUT, so that keeps me accountable.  Tho' it does somewhat slow down the Great Edit and Purge continuously to have any ONE thing still coming in, so, there's THAT pesky detail.  *Winks*

Anyway, I Loved everything about the Mug and The Daughter had recently broken one of my Fav Halloween Mugs.  *Le Sigh, it happens when they're used a lot and when doing Dishes sometimes*   So, I justified it's Purchase since I'd had to throw out a Beloved Halloween Mug that was a recent casualty and I can't replace with one just like it, dammit.  *Boo Hoo and Sob*   This is why my most Collectible STARBUCKS Mugs that have some Value to them don't get used coz the Kiddos would surely damage or break them or wear the Graphics out. Plus, use does Devalue them as a Collectible and stains them, and I have some of the REAL coveted Collectible ones that can fetch a LOT at Resale now.  You wouldn't Believe what some folks are Paying for the most coveted ones Issued!!!   So, did you have Fun going Shopping vicariously with me my Friends?  *Winks and Smiles*  I was impressed with Today's Haul and it didn't cost me very much at all... well within Modest Budget.

*******

Anxiously awaiting the arrival of Fall now... Dawn... The Bohemian

Growing Old Disgracefully And Meltdowns

 I had a whole Post done and deleted it, on Purpose... sometimes I just need to bang something out that's on my Mind, but no Need to Publish it.  It was one of THOSE Posts.  I went to the Discount Grocer and got $10 Off with my Coupon plus a 15% Senior Discount on top of that, so quite a Savings.  We're stocked up on Non-Perishable Essentials now.  The only thing they didn't have that I needed was Wild Bird Seed at a price point I'd pay.  They only had the very expensive kind and I wasn't paying that for Wild Bird Feeding.  I often get them Gourmet Seed if it's on a Sale, otherwise they get the Cheaper stuff.  *Smiles*  Well, it's the 1st of August already in Real Time.  We have Three Birthdays, mine, The Young Prince's, and his Female Cousin, whose a Year Younger than he is, they will be 26 {him} and 25 {her}.  All the Grandkids are getting pretty Old now, half are already Middle Aged, how did that happen!?!   Me, I'm intent on Growing Old Disgracefully and with no Apologies for it.  *LOL*

I stocked up on those individual bottled servings of different Fruit flavored blended Ocean Spray Cranberry Drinks while the Discount Grocer still had them.  They are delicious, refreshing, and The Man will drink those, good for his Kidneys.  It was already 113 at Noon, Toasty!!!  So, except to pick up Princess T, I won't be going out in it anymore Today.  Danae already brought The Daughter Home coz I had a fit about the condition of the 5th Wheel, so they both set to Cleaning it.  I told her we're not doing that level of Crazy, it has to be Safe, Clean and Sanitary or she can't stay in it anymore.  I don't want it looking like she's gone so Off the Rails that she requires Involuntary Institutionalization.  I hated to ask him, but The Son had to help me in there and our Neighbor Rob heard my Meltdown about it!

The Son had put on Gloves and wrapped a Towel around his Mouth and Nose, he said he really needed a Hazmat Suit... yeah... it was Mental.  I hadn't realized she's unraveled in the 3 Days I hadn't been in there!  It was Fine only 3 Days prior!   Think of one of the worse Episodes you've seen of Hoarders... and... incapsulate it in the square footage of a 5th Wheel, condensed version of Hoarders most Extreme Episodes.  He took Pixs coz he told his Sister, next time it's like this, even if Mom doesn't, I'm calling the Crisis Mental Health Hotline to come get you!   Coz clearly you're NOT Okay and you need Help!  Princess T even agreed with her Uncle, that her Mom and her Brother could likely end up in a Mental Institution permanently one day.  She said her Uncle has never been that level of Crazy Mentally, and even when he was Using... and that is The Truth.

Now, I'm sure she and Danae whipped it into Shape coz Danae is a good Friend to her and understood my Concerns and why I was so Upset.  I mostly get Mad coz it's Fear in Disguise, when I see that Three out of the Six of us here are so unraveled half the time, that Caregiving is Extreme and I worry about how they'll fare in the not so distant Future?  The Man, The Daughter, and The Young Prince... are Far Side of Caregiving when they're Off the Rails with their Conditions.  And... that's just a LOT to Manage or to Emotionally Process sometimes.   The Son actually threw up coz he said the Odor, plus how concerned he was about his Sister being oblivious it was that Bad, just made him Physically Ill.  He's been in Mental Institutions and said he doesn't like to think his Sister and his Nephew are like the worst Residents in those Facilities.  But, they can be.

The irony being, she had been over at Old Jason's Home all Day Cleaning and Sanitizing his Living Space, and even doing ours here in the Main House, while hers was like that!!!  I can't even wrap my Mind around it actually.   So, I had the Come To Jesus Talk with her, much like I'd done with her Son, about we have to do Quality Control and Inspections more often to ensure it doesn't ever get that Bad again for either of them.  I'm the Caregiver and tho' I wanna Respect their Privacy as Adults who have a Private Living Space here, I can't let it go unchecked often, clearly.  And since that had happened in less than 3 Days, I may have to do a Welfare Check on each of them every other Day and Inspect their Spaces for adequate Safety and Sanitation concerns?  Huge Le Sigh.  She's in a Good Head Space and Mood right now, she took it Well actually, tho' to her it "Wasn't THAT Bad...", which Speaks Volumes right there!!!  Coz, it FUCKING WAS!!!

Anyway, now she's happily eating Carne Asada Fries that her Brother bought for them both.  She had me Inspect the 5th Wheel, she'd miraculously transformed it.  Sanitary and Safe now.  *Whew*  I'd brought Home a little Chicken Snack Wrap from SONIC for The Man.  Being out in the Heat killed my Appetite completely, I just kept well hydrated.   I do Need to Price more Inventory to take in, mostly Smalls that Sell well like the Pokemon Cards and other Small Toy Collectibles.   I can Price them all Inside in Climate Control, just have to get motivated enuf to do it.  And, I must Confess, that isn't happening right now.  *LOL*   Yes, for the Weekend Sales I should knuckle down and get more Priced and in there, coz Sales have been abysmal this Pay Period again.  It's like we have a 2-Week Pay Period every other one that is Strong, and every other one that is Weak.  I should call Today and get my Total since it's the very last Day of the Pay Period and by 9:00 p.m. Tonight {a Saturday in Real Time}, it's a Wrap for this one.  I will have some Comped Space Rent this time to help a bit to defer Overhead Costs

I have to put away the Two Banana Boxes full of Groceries I just bought at the Discount Grocer.  The Ocean Spray Drinks come in 18 and 24 Pacs so we just stacked those.  We had gotten down to just one 24 Pac left so I was glad they still had them in Stock.  With Six in the Household, and any Guests, a 24 Pac doesn't last long of liquid Refreshments when it's over 110 every Day now and creeping closer to 120 actually!!!  I'm so glad we got the New Fridge just in time, so it functions well and makes 10 Lbs. of Ice Daily and refills a full Pitcher of Ice Water in the Inside Door as well.  Those were Features that were a Must Have, along with that Middle Pull Out Drawer that we keep Bottled and Canned drinks in so you don't have to open a Door of the Fridge to get one.  I LOVE that Feature.  I'm happy that the whole Family are keeping everything nice in that New Fridge too, it's a thing of Beauty when it's so Organized and Orderly.  No Waste happens and nothing is 'hidden' to where you forget it's even in there.  *LOL*

I have Six Glass Dairy Milk Bottles to turn in for Credit at "Sprouts".  So I will be going there next to pick up some Perishables and use that Credit, which is around $2-$3 per Bottle that were a Deposit.  Only half of them were mine, The Daughter brings Home any she finds or people give her. Knowing that you get a Deposit back if you return them, coz Danzeisen Dairy Locally reuses their Glass Bottles so would prefer you don't just throw them away.   And often they have Specialty Bottle Designs Screen Printed on their Bottles for Special Occasions, like the 250th Birthday, so they are Collectible too.  I put those Foam little Balls in those so it looks like faux Milk and then Sell them at the Antique Mall, coz I can get way more as a Collectible than for a Deposit by taking it back.  I had some with Local Iconic Rock Star Alice Coopers Face on them, and some with Spring Wildflowers printed on the Glass too.  I have an assortment of the 3 Sizes, the Gallon, Quart and small Cream Bottles.  I Keep all my Lids.

Princess T thought she'd be getting off Work earlier but hasn't called yet, so I don't think that's happening, she'll be bummed too.  She has Sundays and Mondays off, so looks forward to getting out of there earlier on a Saturday.   The Son had gone to "Talking Stick Resort" Casino on the Rez to see a Concert recently, I don't know which one it was.  I've not used any of the Arizona Reservation Casinos or Resorts, tho' I did walk around one to see if it's similar to Vegas, it is.  We have a lot of them here coz we have a lot of Reservations.  So, if you're a Gambler there is no Need to go to Vegas and your Odds at these Casinos I hear are far better for Winning.   I'm not a Gambler so I don't Care, we mostly went to Vegas and got a Time Share there for 20 Years back in the 1980's and 1990's becoz we liked to visit Friends Stationed at the Military Base there and eat at the Buffets and watch some Shows.  Three Days of Vegas is all I can ever Stomach, no Appeal longer than that.  Our Time Share was for a Week at a time but we usually stayed 3 Days.

We had our Time Share at the SAHARA coz back in the 1980's it was the only Debt Free Casino on The Strip and Freemont Street had gone real Seedy, it had been better in the 1970's on Freemont Street.  Back in the 1970's I knew a lot of Made Men who were Italians and Sicilians here in Phoenix who were part Owners of some of the Older Casinos there like the "4 Queens" and "The Golden Nugget".  Of coarse in the 1970's Vegas, Phoenix and Tucson were all Mobbed Up Cities and everyone knew this and which Mafia Families ran each.   My Visits to Vegas were enjoyable tho' every time I ever went, so no complaints at all.  The Man and I Eloped and actually got Married there at the Old "Silver Bells" Wedding Chapel on The Strip.  Some Crazy Memories of Vegas too.  *Winks*  And when they made it Family Friendly for a Minute, in the late 1980's to early 1990's, which really was a Big Mistake for Vegas, we took our Kids, who were Children back then.  

I remember The Son was about 3 Years Old the 1st time we went as a Family and he didn't Care about the Kid Friendly Themes of "Excalibur" and "Treasure Island", he was all about the Pretty Girls in the Scanty Outfits!  *LOL*   Who thought he was just Precious and would Pose with him for Pixs and he'd have this shit-eating Grin on his Face flanked by Two or more Hawt scantily clad Showgirls.  *LMAOROTF*  And his Sister was 7 and she thought some of the Stunt Men at "Treasure Island" were Handsome, so got them to pose with her too!  *LOL*   Yeah, we had incorrigible Kids for sure, The Man said.  *Smiles, he wasn't Wrong!*  Back then "MGM Grand", "Luxor", "El Mirage", "Circus Circus", "Venetian", appealed to Families visiting too, so we'd hit all of those and do the Theme Parks with the Kiddos.   Above is me and my Brother, I was Two and a Half, he was just a few Months Old, mebbe 6 Month, and Weighed more than me!  *LOL*  He was Peaches & Cream Complexion like our Mom and with Blue Black Hair like both our Parents, I was very Swarthy like our Dad but Light Hair and Eyes.

 But, back to Vintage Vegas... they were tearing down and Closing many of the Older Casinos back then like "Sands", "El Rancho", "Aladdin", "Dunes", "Landmark", and much later and more recently... "Tropicana" and "Riviera".  We were there when they were shooting the Nicolas Cage Movie "Con Air" {1997}, but they must have shot it in 1996 coz they imploded the Casino in November of 1996 and the Movie didn't come out 'til the next Year.  We saw it when the Plane was sticking out of "The Sands", they were apparently shooting the Movie and I remember getting some Pixs from across the Street and while the Casino was still Standing but with that Plane sticking out of the Lobby.   I was Saddened that so many Iconic Historic Casinos were Razed, but Vegas is all about Modernity and the next Best Thing and making Money.  Most Visitors could Care Less about it's History or the Preservation of it really.  They'll instead Complain about how "Dated" a Historic Accommodation is.  Duh.  Fucking Idiots.  Book something Modern then Fool!!!

I must say it is a Pet Peeve of mine to Read some Idiot's YELP Review where they Booked something in a Historic or Vintage Building and then Complained it was "Dated".   If the Hotel was say, built in 1911, or the Casino in 1946, the Charm of it will be that they didn't molest it and call it a "Restoration", by Modernizing the damned thing to Death and ruining it.  If I want Modern digs, I'll fucking Rent a Modern place, becoz I'm not an Imbecile and I have realistic expectations of what I'm getting!!!  I dunno, there's a lot of Stupid out there in Public and you can't Fix Stupid, and Ignorance isn't Bliss, it's just Ignorance.   Mini Rant now over.  *Winks and Smiles*   You can't change how some people just are and learning to co-exist with the ones who are Triggering in their behaviors is Life's Challenge for us all.  I'm sure I drive some people Nuts too with what I do or say that is their Pet Peeve.  *Winks*

Above, a Road Trip taken to Disneyland, back in the 1970's.  I went with Three Male G.I. Friends of mine who were Stationed at Luke AFB, one of which became a Lifetime Friend and we remained Besties, he only Passed Away last Month and I really Miss Mike.   Mike had grown up in Cali, so wanted to show us all the Sights, since the Three of us had never been to any of them before.  This was long before my Brother moved to Cali and has remained there ever since.  The other Two Friends, I lost Touch with over the Years, when they got Re-Assigned to other Bases.  Except Al, pictured with me here, who I did manage to re-connect with via FB many Years later, coz he stayed in Touch with our mutual Friend Mike.   But now he's dropped off FB and frankly, I don't know if he's still among the Living or not?  He got to go to Bora Bora many times, it's still No. One on my Bucket List and he'd taunt me with Pixs of him in Bora Bora and other Exotic Locales living the Good Life coz he was still Single, always The Player, and had remained Childless, so could Self Indulge shamelessly.  *LOL*

Anyway, after Transforming her Space, now The Daughter has been in a Cleaning Frenzy and Deep Cleaned and Organized the whole Back Patio/Porch Area.  We discovered a huge Black Bag of Good T-Shirts back there, some of which I've been looking for a really long time.  Have no idea how they ended up Bagged and on the Back Patio over near The Man's Workbench, I'd of never looked there for anything of mine.  About half of it is For Sale, some are Fav Shirts I'll Keep for myself, and several The Daughter and The Son wanted so I gave them.  It was like Christmas in August to find them, all neatly folded too, but we had to throw it all in the Laundry to Wash it since it's clearly been out there a very long time now.  Nothing was damaged Thankfully.  The only explanation I have is it may have all been in the Art Studio Space back when Allen and The Young Prince were occupying it and they bagged it up and set it out there coz they did put a lot of my things on that Back Patio so they could move their things in.  Mystery Solved now of the Missing T-Shirts.  *LOL*  We found that some Pecans had been Stored up by a Critter back there and disposed of them. 

 I have a Milk Crate full of some I'll now Sell too, so that's good also.  Only a scant few will be Donation bound, coz they were solid color Tees none of us wanted or wouldn't fit anyone.  I don't bother to Sell anything but Specialty and Band T-Shirts.   And we do Sell a lot of them and my Demographic of Customer to the Showroom now are Teens thru Young Adults in their 20's or 30's.   And they are the ones spending Money now so I don't even try to appeal to a Demographic that isn't.   People my Age are a bust to Sell to, so are Older Adults with Families to Support and more financial obligations than disposable income.  I know my Target Customer now and that's all I concentrate on appealing to.  And I'm enjoying that Customer Base too, I meet a lot of them when they're Shopping in our Showroom and they really dig our Vibe and Aesthetic, so I know we're doing something Right in there.  It's just Sales are hit and miss lately, but it is Summertime and Sales are Soft when it's real Hot and lots of folks leave for Cooler Climates.

States with inclement Weather have folks leaving for Warmer Climates like ours in the Fall and Winter Months, here it's the Spring and Summer Months that we get a population shift and mass Exodus.   I think Vendors are Eager to put out their Fall and Autumnal Vibe and Holiday Merch early so that we're all feeling less Stressed during the Summer... it got to 118 Today Unofficially, searingly Hot.  So, Yeah, I've been diggin' trawling all the Shops that have the Fall Merch and Halloween Merch Displayed and longing for Autumn already.  I have picked up some great Vintage Halloween Merch and even an Interesting Metal and very sharp Creepy Cool Bladed Skull contraption for The Man's Knife Collection for only Four Bucks at the GOODWILL mixed in with the Halloween Merch.  {See Below}

It has a Handle on the Back of it that you put around your Hand like Brass Knuckles, very lethal contraption this would be in the Wrong Hands!!!  Or some very Skilled Hands.  *Ha ha ha and Winks*   Let us just say any Home Invader would get quite the Surprise with the Weaponry Collection and set of Skills that The Man has and his Natural Instincts to fiercely Protect his Family at any Age.  Looks like a Harmless Old Man, but never underestimate your Opponent.  He once had a big Young Thug at a Convenience Store Gas Station talk some smack about the Marines and then try to Assault him for some reason.  We don't know if the Guy was gonna try to Rob him or just violently attack an Elderly Marine?  Some Thugs will Target Seniors purposely, but he'd picked the Wrong Senior Citizen for that.  *Winks*  I don't even know why the Guy thought an Old Marine with a slew of High Honor Decoration Medals on his Cap would be an Easy Mark?  *Eye Roll*  Even an Old Bad Ass will put The Serious Hurt on you.  *Winks*

So, The Man had to beat the shit out of him in self defense, and then put him right thru the Windshield of the Guy's own Vehicle!!!  He said it took all his restraint to do it without Lethality, becoz efficiently Neutralizing a Threat is what his Training was for, so that you didn't Die for your Country, but make the other Guy Die for his.  His form of Martial Arts is Japanese Street Fighting, which he says isn't so much the Art of Self Defense, it is the Art of Killing. And there's no single Formal Form.  It's  Learning how many ways you can Kill someone efficiently and with the least amount of effort and energy expended when Mortal Combat is necessary.  Of coarse the Guy limped off in his Vehicle, terribly hurt, and big hole in his Windshield which put him right into his Front Seat without going thru a Door.  *LOL*  So he'd need ER Services for sure.  We called the Police, Circle K had it all on Surveillance, The Man only had broken Sunglasses and slight injury to his Face, that's all the Guy had managed to do with the 1st Move... The Man will give any ignorant Civilian a 1st Move, after that you're Finished.

Alas, those kind of Skills and Training is why most places won't take him with TBI and Dementia and probably so many Veterans who were in Special Forces.   If they put him in Restraints then he assumes he's a POW and will do anything to Escape... and that could end up deadly, so I do completely understand the concerns.  But, sometimes I'd like more Side Help with the Caregiving.   He's a Good Man, a Kind Man, and he deserves the level of Care he's Earned the Right to from Veteran's Services after 39 Years of Service and Sacrifice to Country.  I don't Care how difficult or expensive it is, he's EARNED it, MORE than Earned it actually, it caused him his 100% Disability Status, even way before he ever got TBI and Dementia.  Those came AFTER he was involuntarily Medically Retired due to extent of Service Related Disability and put out to Pasture!  I don't dispute it was Time for him to be Retired, but, don't deny him Services due to extent of his Disability, and the Training the Military gave him for their Purposes, that's just Wrong.  Another Mini Rant now over.  *Winks*

Speaking of Himself, he was having a very rough day Emotionally.  So I took him out for a nice Meal, which is always a handy distraction when he's not doing so well and giving me the Stink Eye over just about anything.  *Ha ha ha*  Even if he just played with it, which he mostly did, then I wouldn't have to Cook for him later and just serve it up again at Home to get it into him.  He doesn't Care if his Meals look Editorial or a Hot Mess that's been Toyed with.  *Smiles*   He gets Moody, it was earlier than usual for a Sundowners Episode, and I didn't wanna have to go all Dark Dawn on him to get compliance or make MY Statement that we weren't Going There and going to Battle.  I prefer that you Fight me all day long and never See me, coz then you'll be so worn down you won't have the Energy when I finally come for you to finish you off in a Surprise Final Ambush Attack you never saw coming.  *Bwahahahaha*

  So, a Chicken Penne Meal with a nice Herbed Breadstick was choosing my Battle Wisely and Strategically.  *Winks*  I didn't have to go on the Warpath and he didn't have to Fight to the Death and nobody had to Die on a Stupid Hill not worth Fighting Over... Win-Win.  *LOL*  His Older Brother, Bob, who he Adores, and is a Wealthy Man, Generous to a Fault, but used to having his own way all the time and is the Poster Child for the Patriarchy... used to foolishly go to Battle with me in the Earlier Years.  The Man finally convinced his Big Brother, listen, she's like a Female Great White Shark and if there's One Drop of your Blood in her Waters that you foolishly stepped into, you're a Goner, so, just leave her Alone and stay out of her Waters Bob.  Now Bob and I get along just Fine.  *Winks*  I actually LIKE Bob, and The Man's Younger Brother, both are Great Guys, their Mom Raised Three Good Sons and Two Good Daughters.  I got the Pick of the Litter tho' IMO.  *Winks*  Here was my Meal {Pictured Above and Below}, which I Shared half of with The Son when I brought it Home.  Coz it was past time to get The Man back Home before he deteriorated further and we might risk getting Banned from "Applebees".  *Bwahahahahaha*

*******

No longer melted down, i'm all ice queened up again... dawn... the bohemian