Food P*rn Galore And Something To Celebrate

 

So, we're back from The Son's 40th Birthday Bash Buffet at "Crab 99".  We ordered a Feast and got the Free Pound of Shrimp Boil we'd Won last Visit, you can get it in any flavor and we chose the Butter Garlic, Sublime and the Shrimp are Huge and meaty, we got them Headless and Deveined, which is also your Option at no Cost.   The Son and I both ordered the Fried Catfish Basket which comes with Cajun Fries and Seven Pieces of Catfish.  The Man ordered Fried Scallops and Clam Chowder.   Princess T ordered the Steak.  The Daughter ordered the Korean BBQ Ribs.  And we got the Two Flavors of Buffalo Wings they have on Special for the World Cup Celebrations.  We have a tonnage of Leftovers.  The Daughter got a Tequila Sunrise and The Son got a Bloody Mary... The Man, Princess T and I got Sodas.  Our Spin on the way out Princess T did for us and Won us another Pound of Shrimp Boil for the next Visit!!!  Yay!!!  Loved the Pix taken Above of The Son and his Sister, they're both gonna use it as their new FB Profile Pix.

 

Initially Princess T was gonna Opt Out coz she's not feeling too good, she has a lot of Stomach Issues and had spent all day in Bed 'til almost Noon.  But, she relented and came along, tho' couldn't eat much due to her Gut Issues, plus, she's a very picky Eater and so her Mom and Uncle will likely have her leftovers later.  It's Okay, she chipped in for the Tab, insisting she wanted to help me pay for it as her Gift to her Uncle, which was Sweet.  For as much as we got, plus what was generously Comped that we'd Won, the Tab was very reasonable tho', much less than I expected, even with a generous Tip for our Sweet Young Waitress.  The Kiddos tell me their Bartender makes a mean Cocktail too, well worth the price, knows what they're doing and doesn't Cheap Out on the Alcohol content like some places do.   They play good Trendy Music that the Kiddos all liked too and said they Wished their Employers Played that Soundtrack at Work.

So, it went off really well, a good time was had by all, everyone was in a Positive Uplifted Mood, I'm glad we could do something together for his Birthday, as that had been his only Desire and Request.   He said it's so difficult for him to get any of his Friends together to do anything anymore.  Everyone has their Schedules, Families, and Obligations, so they seldom get together for anything, even if advance notice is given to make room for whatever it is.   And since The Son is Childless and Single, he has more Freedom than any of his Friends who have Wives, Husbands, Kids or even Dating someone Seriously.  And I have found that Married Couples or Dating Couples do Socialize differently than Single Adults, Divorcees or Widowed Adults.  So he's in that Limbo of being practically the only one his Age now whose unattached and not looking to get attached either.   The Daughter has more Single Friends so her Socializing is quite different.  Quite a few of her Friends have Kids, mostly Grown now, and have never been Married and don't intend to be.

Before we'd left for the Restaurant The Man had some Bleeding on his Left Leg, didn't know how he'd done it, I checked to make sure his Skin wasn't splitting open again, it wasn't.  He'd dinged himself somehow and didn't feel it.  Then, we get Home, I'm talking to my Brother in Cali on the Phone and The Man interrupts me again and shows me his Foot, and now he's got a Wound on his Left fucking Foot and doesn't know how he got it!!!   He's like a Small Child now, getting hurt all the damned time doing Lord knows what, and then coming to show me his Owie!  Which, he Needs to, coz we have to treat it Seriously even if it's a small Wound, he's an Insulin Dependent Diabetic.  And coz he doesn't Heal worth a shit and that's why he required Home Help in the first place, which, now we don't have anymore so he can get on with Cardiac Rehab.  Christ on a Bike!!!  

 It is one thing after another with him and it gets exhaustive to keep him semi-healthy and not having some kind of Medical Crisis perpetually now!!!  I can't go do anything coz I almost always get interrupted with a Call from Home that it's something else with him now!  It's why the Kiddos all get nervous being a fill-in Caregiver coz they don't want something going sideways with him on their Watch, I completely understand and they wouldn't know what to do.  But, I do require the respites and to be able to go do Shopping or Errands without him in tow coz taking this Show on the Road is a challenge logistically and Medically now too.  We've got Medical Equipment, even getting his Shoes on now is an Ordeal.  I've got Three different Shoe Sizes we have to try on to get a Pair that fit coz his Feet swell, un-swell, and some days he's less ambulatory than other days.  Plus, he can interrupt you constantly when you're on a Phone Call or finally trying to unwind and relax... like RIGHT NOW!  *Le Sigh and an Eye Roll*

He's crashed in here with his Walker now Three fucking times in less than 15 Minutes!!!   First to show me his Owie.  Then to ask me to help him with Band-aide application after the Wound was cleaned. {He can do it himself and I try to make him do what he can still do for himself or he'd not do a damned thing for himself now.}  And then to "Show me his Socks????", Yes, Honey, they're your Socks, why are you Showing me your Socks?   Just go put them on to protect your Feet more.  I guess he couldn't remember why he was holding a Pair of Socks, or to prove to me he had Socks to put on?  I really don't fucking know?!  *Eye Roll*  Instead of just Chillin' in his Media Chair in the Livingroom and watching his Shows after having had that Nice Meal Out Celebrating The Son's Birthday!!!  Finally, I'm like, Honey, I'm trying to Unwind and Relax here, so I'd like to have some Quiet Time, Okay.   Other times he doesn't want anyone to be around him all day, and gets agitated and annoyed that you are.  So, you just never know the level of Attention he's requiring nor expecting?

But I've done Irrigation damage control when we had problems with it this Morning, taken The Son to Work after that, Medicated The Man and got him his Breakfast with The Daughter's Help, done some Yard Work and Housekeeping, did some Environmental Cleanup, did the Birthday Thing.  All without a Nap Today, so now I just require a little bit of Time to myself, coz it's only 3:00 p.m. and I'm Tired already and still not Feeling 100% myself.   Until I am 100% I'm trying to make him aware that I can't be going at a breakneck pace 24-7 and 365 now, and it's not all about him all of the time.   I'm on Doc's Orders to take it easier 'til they know what's going on with my own Health, so I'm not too worn out should I require Surgery or some other Medical intervention that might be necessary where you Need your Strength.  I can't be depleted Physically, Emotionally or Mentally right now, so he can't be demanding so much that I don't have in me to Give right now.   The Kids are reminding him that Mom/Gramma Needs to catch a Break, so, Behave.

He was pretty good all Morning, but, after 2:00 p.m. you really Need to have him just Home and Settled in coz the Sundowners starts and he begins to Act Up, predictably now.   He either gets Childish and becomes a Nuisance for the Attention, or he gets Agitated and Angry over Nothing and making much ado about Nothing.  Just your very Existence could then bother him.  *Bwahahahahaha*  I will sometimes tell him, when he gets ridiculously Mad at one of the Kiddos over Nothing at all, coz they haven't done a damned thing, Hey, Knock it Off, you're being Unlovely and they're just Breathing... you KNOW they have to Breathe... so, Lighten Up!!!  *Bwahahahaha*   The Kids get a Kick out of it and sometimes I'll use the Levity of Satire and tell them Sternly, will you just stop Breathing, it's Annoying your Father/Grandpa!!!  *LMAOROTF*  Then he'll Settle Down and Lighten Up when confronted with how ridiculous and Silly he's being over Nothing.  

Coz I will sometimes counter with, if he's being a real difficult Pain in the Ass towards the Family... Listen, I could GIVE you Something to really be Upset about, do you want me to DO THAT?!  *Winks, No, NO, he most def does NOT! Smiles*   And the Kids will Giggle and quietly Whisper, Mom/Gramma, STOP it!  *Bwahahahaha*   Hey, don't Threaten me with a Good Time, I could quit being Long Suffering and come completely out of the Bag on your Ass... you choose which Dawn you're getting!?  I start out every Single Day with Dawn Of The Light being Dominant, it's better for everyone concerned that you don't Invite Dark Dawn out to Play and switch to the Dominant side of me you'll then get and will not Like.  *Winks*   So don't ruin a perfectly Great Day for yourself and risk the consequences of Testing me.  I have never professed to be a Mentally Well Woman.  *Smiles and Winks*  I Love him with all of my Heart and Soul, but a little bit of him lately can go a long fucking way!  *LOL*

The Son was Joking with his Dad recently when he could see his Dad was being really difficult and Testing me, and I was starting to reach my End of Patience, Endurance, and Loving Kindness with him.  He's saying, "Dad, you don't wanna end up in Hand to Hand Combat with Mom do ya, that's not the Hill you wanna Die on, Man.  Not after Surviving so many Theaters of War in Combat after 39 Years, it would be tragic to Lose you like that!  If she goes on the Warpath and Full On Geronimo!"   And then we all started Laughing, coz, hey, that's hyperbolic and Funny, I don't Care who you are!!!  *Smiles*   The Kiddos have all said I often get my "Geronimo Face" and "Crazy Eyes"... they're pretty sure that would have been my Indian Tribal Nickname, "Crazy Eyes".  *Bwahahahaha*  Either that or "Postal Yet Calm".  *Winks*

Geronimo 1886, Chiricahua Apache Bedonkohe Band, may he R.I.P.

My Dad right around Circa 1976 or Before, may he R.I.P.

My Cousin D.A., may he R.I.P., in Traditional Tribal Attire, he too was in the Marines in Vietnam, his Dad {My Dad's Oldest Brother} also Served {See my Uncle Below}

My Uncle Dwight, may he R.I.P.

Now, tho' my Dad was almost always Smiling, coz he was a very Pleasant and Agreeable Man, tho' one of few Words, his Eyes could Chill you to the Bone in spite of a Smile.  If you were to Cross him or be Stupid and Foolish about how you Behaved in his Presence, no matter who you were, he only Need give you a Look, it was always Enough.  He never would show Anger visibly, or Fear ever, he didn't Need to, he'd just give you a Look and if you were Acting Up, it was a pretty good Time to then Wise Up, Straighten Up, Lighten Up, and just not GO there... it was Unspoken and no Words were ever Needed.   I think I developed or inherited that Trait from him, coz if I am getting Angry I will rarely visibly Show it and will be steely Calm in fact.  The Calmer I am the Angrier I probably am getting.   And I certainly won't use Words if you've taken me there.  But the Eyes will definitely convey that I'm not Playing either, and my Family have often told me that's what Scares People.  And I'm not even Trying to BE Scary.

Dad never had to discipline us, he'd snap his Fingers to get your Attention and just Look at you... even if he was deep in Conversation with someone else, that's all it ever took and he wouldn't even stop mid Sentence.   Never heard him Raise his Voice, disrupt his Calm, or lose Control.  I remember his G.I. Friends he Served in Vietnam with said when their Base got overrun sometimes, everyone would be in a Fearful Panic except for my Dad, who stayed completely Calm and very Strategic.  And becoz he was Food Service, Food Service and Clergy Positions didn't even carry a Weapon.   The Local Population of South Vietnamese Locals who Worked with the Americans greatly Respected him and many of them gave him expensive Friendship Gifts when his Tour of Duty was up, that cost them a Month's Wages!  Coz they felt that Highly of him and related to him so well, coz he wasn't like most Americans they had encountered.  I'm pretty sure most Indigenous American Servicemen were not like what anyone had encountered, and the same was said about my Native American Uncles and Cousins who Served in the Military.  They are still Fierce Warriors and not Afraid of a Fight.

So, anyway, after bothering me too many times after we got Home, and pushing his Luck, The Man finally Calmed Down and Stayed Put, since I told him I wasn't Feeling very Relaxed.  And that wouldn't End Well. *Winks*   I don't know what's going on with the U.S. Postal Service, tho' I do know this Administration is messing with all Federal Employees and gutting Agencies, so that could be responsible for the Post Office ineptitude to get Mail anywhere on time lately.  I sent a Bill in that the Clearinghouse is only in Los Angeles, we're in Phoenix, it took 20 Days to get there!!!   WTF?!  You could Walk to L.A. from Phoenix in 20 Days, and it ended up assessing me a Late Charge even tho' I sent the Bill in way before the Due Date and well before any Late Charge would be assessed.  I called the Creditor coz my July Statement was saying it was delinquent too and wasn't Crediting me the amount I knew I'd Paid and had Cleared my Bank, coz I checked to make sure before calling.  

That's when I found out it had taken so fucking long to get there.  I don't make Auto Payments coz you're Agreeing to Access to your Account and they could charge you anything they want with that permission structure.   I once had a Mortgage Company, Years ago take out Two Mortgage Payments instead of one becoz I had the Account on Auto Pay, so ever since then I refuse to allow Creditor Access to any of my Accounts, don't Trust them, know that they are fallible and can fuck up and cause you a load of problems getting any Administrative Errors corrected then or reversed if they duplicated a Charge.  That can throw your Budget all out of whack and our Budget is strained as it is in this shitty Economy this Regime has caused America unnecessarily while enriching themselves handsomely at our Expense.   So, anyway, at least I did get confirmation, Yes, they Credited the June Payment but after the new Statement generated.  

They weren't willing to waive the Late Charge of $29 even tho' I've never been late ever before, so they can see my Payment History is exemplary.  Most Companies don't appreciate your Business and Nickle and Dime Customers now, it's why I have no Company/Business Loyalty anymore either.   And of coarse it isn't their fault that the Post Office took over Two Weeks to get a Payment Mailed from Phoenix to L.A., it would have been a Customer Courtesy to Waive it, she wasn't willing to, tho', she was Polite Customer Service.  I don't think they give their Customer Call Center Reps much Authority to do anything anymore and you're probably not even speaking to an American in this Country.  She sounded like she was Filipina and didn't speak great English.  They Outsource everything Cheaply in other Countries they can pay even lower Wages to exploit an International Workforce, usually in some 3rd World disadvantaged Country.  

We also then had to calculate what my Minimum Payment would now be? Since they wanted more than double on the Statement, due to saying they never received a June Payment, which, they did actually receive.  I always send way more than any Minimum Payment anyway, coz I pay all Debts/Loans off early if there's no Prepayment Penalty assessed, but won't send Double or more.   I hate to have to spend time on Phone Calls every Month tho' due to some error not caused by me, and every Month it's something else lately.  You have to bypass the Bots, if you do finally get a Human, often they're Reading off a Script and don't have a good grasp on the English Language.  So, they may or may not even be able to Help you Solve whatever Problem you're calling about coz they know Zip about whatever Industry they're even in and got Hired for.  Most Loan Servicing is no longer done in America, it's all Outsourced and they have Zero Loan Servicing Knowledge, Experience or Education.  

I'm usually telling them how to do their Jobs coz I ran their types of Departments for Major Financial Institutions as a Bank Executive many Moons ago when we did it here and your Employees had to know the damned Business.   It's Crazy to me how unqualified and incompetent most people are now doing the Jobs they got Hired for.  And this Administration is some of the worst EVER at Nepo and Croney Hires, who have no Qualifications, Experience, Knowledge, Training, Credentials, or Education to be put in some of the highest and most crucial Positions of Government and risk our National Security coz they don't know what the Hell they're doing.   Not a Clue, but they have Fealty to this Prez, do whatever he says, regardless of how illegal, immoral, or damaging to the Country and the rest of the World, and that's the only thing he considers at all when choosing them.   And why we're having such absolute Fuckery and Chaos Nationally, everything getting fucked up and gutted... mass Firings of Qualified Employees and Career Public Servants and Military, who won't commit Illegal Criminal and Immoral Acts for him.

Anyway, The Son bought himself a Concert Ticket for Tuesday Night and his Ride backed out and didn't secure their Ticket, so now I have to take him and pick him up or he's out Fifty Bucks.  Most Concerts now worth going to aren't close by, but, it is what he wanted to do for himself for his Birthday so I'll oblige.  But I've told the whole Family, don't crowd out my Calendar with too much of your stuff coz I may have stuff of my own Medically to have to Pencil in there on Short Notice.   We just don't know yet and it won't be able to be ignored or not be a Priority.  Period.  This is what happens when everyone has a lot going on and no Transportation of their own.   As it is 35 Visits to Cardiac Rehab scheduled for The Man is a shitload of Commitment to just his Rehabilitation to be Calendared and set time aside for 'til it's Done.  And he's never Done.  He hasn't been Done for Decades with his Medical stuff, it's a Constant.  But, it has kept him Piping along, you just can't afford to get Sick or require Care of your own as his Caregiver tho'.  Whaddya gonna do?  It's why most Caregivers Drop Dead before who they're looking after... nobody is taking Care of us... and taking Care of Yourself when you're a Full Time Caregiver is easier Said than actually Done.

*******

Caregiver Burnout is constantly trying to be staved off and avoided... Dawn... The Bohemian

So, How Old Is Too Old?

 Irrigation had it's hitches this rotation, not just coz it came at like 3:30 in the Morning, but, coz I forgot to Wake Up and help The Daughter, she did her best doing it alone and in the pitch dark.  But, the debris floating downstream clogged up again at where our next door Neighbor Omar has his Ditch covered, so The Son had to Snake that before he went to Work coz it was flooding our Pasture.  But, the Front Yard where the Pump feeds Water on the East Side of the Front and the very Front where our Pine Trees are, didn't get enuf Water before The Daughter got Tired, unplugged the Pump and went to Bed to get some Sleep.  So, I had to turn it on again for 1.5 Hours to get enuf Water for that portion of the Property and the amount of Water we are supposed to take on so we don't Flood Neighbors downstream of us by not taking on all our Water assigned to us.  We did get it resolved tho' by 7:00 a.m..  *Whew*  It can sometimes get complicated depending upon what happens unexpectedly.

In Real Time it's The Son's 40th Birthday and a Monday, we'll be taking him out for a Birthday Luncheon at "Crab 99" after he gets off Work at Noon.  We have that Pound of Free Shrimp Won last time, we'll get a bucket of more of their dual flavor of Buffalo Wings... and then whatever each of the Family wants to order.  With his Birthday falling at EOM when we're most financially Tapped Out, it's all we can do for his Birthday as a Family.  But, he's okay with that.  His Midlife Crisis is easing up some as he wraps his Head around turning another Decade Older.  I think if things were going better for him it would have been a non-issue.  But, he lost his Career due to the Owner of the Company Dying and the Widow deciding to Sell it to an Asset Stripper and lay everyone off.  He's living with his Elderly Parents coz Rent isn't affordable.  He doesn't have an operational Vehicle and his License has some restrictions due to a DUI he got a few Years ago.  He's satisfying all the Court's Terms and didn't catch a Felony Charge at least. 

  But he's Single and not Dating right now coz he said who wants to Date a Guy whose 40 and has nothing to offer?  Plus, tho' he's liking his new Job and grateful to finally get one after a Six Month Unemployment Crisis coz nobody was really Hiring, it's only part time and minimum Wage at a Dollar Store, so, he's Underemployed.  That's the American dilemma for a lot of Working Folks right now, not Unemployment, but, Underemployment and yet nobody is Talking about it and they should be.  Americans shouldn't have to be taking on 2-3 Jobs to make a Livable Wage to afford just the Essentials, plus doing Gig Work on the Side too.  I see so many Working Folks the Ages of my Adult Children and Adult Grandchildren being Uber Drivers and Delivery Drivers just to get by.  I even see a fair amount of Seniors doing that or having to take on Minimum Wage Jobs to supplement a Fixed Income just to afford Essentials or their Medical Bills and Medications, they'll have to Work now 'til they Die.

I know our Ends barely meet now so I have to be Creative and Work my Hustle to ensure everything is Paid, on Time, and with something left over to enjoy Quality of Life and not just Exist barely.  You don't wanna run out of Money in your Old Age, but that's a distinct possibility for a lot of Seniors now, their Retirement isn't gonna sustain them if they Live too long and outlive the Retirement Income they set up for when they couldn't Work anymore or didn't want to and thought they'd get to Enjoy their Retirement Years and do stuff they had on their Bucket Lists.  To be sure, some folks are.  I know Retirees who are going on their 60th Cruise and take several a Year, Traveling the World in Style.  Their Health has held up and they either did well when they were Working, or, and, they have a Side Hustle that works out really well for them.  The Cruising Couple Breeds a Miniature Pedigree Breed of Dogs.   They seem to Breed their Dogs a lot, I feel somewhat conflicted about Dog Breeders doing it for maximum Profit, coz there's so many unwanted Dogs desperately needing Adoption at Shelters and being euthanized.

I don't know what Ethical Standards are used and enforced for Breeding Pets for Profit?  Thus I remain conflicted about the Practice... how often is too often to make a Dog produce Offspring if you're making a lot of Money off of it?  At what point is it a Puppy Mill?  They have a steady stream of Puppies they've bred and can charge Thousands per Pup for.  If you have the desired Trending Breeds of Pedigree Dog, it's very lucrative.  Folks will spend $5,000-$10,000+ for a single Puppy!!!  I know, that's insane to me, but if it's Elite Quality Lines of Dogs, and high demand, I guess you have that Client Base willing to shell out that much!  And I know the Cruising Couple gets about 5+ Pups per Litter and have more than One Breeding Female, so the Math adds up quick!!!  But I don't presume to know anything about Dog Breeding or the Ethics of it.

  They seem like Responsible folks and they are Vendors at our Antique Mall who Sell high Quality Merch, and she does Hair, he is an accomplished Silversmith and Sings in a C&W Band, so they've got their Side Hustles in Retirement going Strong and I wanna be them when I Grow Up.  *Bwahahahaha*   But, sans the Dog Breeding coz a part of me thinks it's marginally ethical, perhaps even unethical, to Breed any Animal that much just to Profit off of it.  We do it to Livestock for Food Sources, but for Pets, it just seems so unnecessary and a Production Line of Living Beings.  Many Streams of Income can have you living your Best Life, for sure.  Of coarse 60 Cruises to me sounds like an excess, but mebbe it's like Vegas where the Frequent Gamblers get Comped about as much as they wanna accept, from the Casinos that know they're Whales?

  Mebbe Cruise Lines do the same thing, with Loyalty and/or Casino Programs earning you Freebies and even Complimentary Trips, I dunno, never been on a single One.   And a lot of the Cruise Lines lately have had some major setbacks with Epidemics breaking out on Ship, serious accidents like people falling overboard, and equipment failures or fires on Ships, severe Weather damage, Wildlife Strike Investigations, Food Borne Illnesses, it makes the News a lot lately.  Even some Murders and Deaths of Passengers have happened, whether on Ship or at Ports visited and on Excursions.  Viking, Virgin and Crystal Cruise Lines have the best Safety, Personal Security and Cleanliness Records to date.   The Budget Lines have the worst Records... which, I guess you get what you pay for... and, some of the Lines that have 5,000+ Passengers I've heard can be chaotic, coz, that is just a lot of folks in one Space Sharing Services and keeping up with the demands of.  Most people I know who are Cruise Addicts having nothing but Good to say and Share about their Experiences tho'.

We did have other Birthdays this Month, this Great-Granddaughter who lives in Pittsburgh, turned Seven, my how Time Flies!   We've got Middle Aged Grandkids and Great-Grandkids now attaining a speeding maturity that I can't quite keep up with or keep tabs on.   I'd need a Spreadsheet to keep track of all the Birthdays now.   With the Great-Grandkids I don't know all their Birthdays, or even all their Names, until I'm reminded by the Grandkids, it was enuf to keep track of Grandkid's Birthdays and Names once you get a certain amount of them.  *LOL and Winks*  This one's Name I do remember coz it's unusual and I'd never heard it before, tho' perhaps it's popular for her Generation coming up?  Her Younger Sister got Named after a Dead Great-Great Grandmother, so has an Old Lady Name. 

 And Honestly, I felt really Bad saying to The Man, when that Great-Granddaughter was Born, Why did they give her such an Old Lady Name, Honey?  I haven't heard anyone with that Name under the Age of 80 or 90!!!  *Smiles & baffled*  Well, then when he said it was the recently departed Maternal side's Great-Great Grandma of the Newborn of the Granddaughter who just had said Child, I felt Guilty and Awful for saying what I did!  It was his Ex's Mother's Name, his previous MIL!  *Oooops!*  It is an Old Lady Name tho' and the Great-Grandchild whose named after the Departed Old Lady is only just Graduated from Kindergarten.  Of coarse I don't think any of her peers EVER will have that Name... that Name fell out of Popularity in the 1920-1930 Era!  And I'm not certain it was all that Popular even back then?!?  *Smiles*  Above is said Little One Carrying and Saddled with an Antique Name for Life.  It might make her Tough, who knows?  *Bwahahahaha*

The one that just turned Seven looks SO MUCH like our Oldest Daughter when she was this Age, that it's like she's been Cloned!!!   None of our Oldest Daughter's Three Girls looks this much like her, so it skipped a Generation and now she's got a Clone in this Grandchild.  *Smiles*  The one with the Old Lady Name looks exactly like our Granddaughter did at that Age tho', so she's her Mama's Clone.  Their Little Brother, whose the Youngest in the Family, looks more like his Oldest Sister.  Once The Granddaughter got The Son they wanted, she and Hubby shut the Baby Factory Down... so no more!  *Smiles*  They are Middle Aged tho' so it was the right time to, you don't wanna be still having Children as you near 40 or you'll be that Senior Citizen Aged Parent at the High School Graduation.  *Bwahahahaha*  

 And as Grandparents who were that Age and Raising a 2nd Generation of some of our Grandkids, it's not 'Natural' to be still Raising Kids when you get that Old and why Old Women are no longer Breeding.  Now, Old Men on the other hand...  *Huge Eye Roll*    But you better have that much Younger Trophy Wife bearing them for ya, coz an Aging Woman don't wanna be still having and Raising Children close to Menopause.  I was 28 when I had my Youngest, The Son, and I felt that was too damned Old and shut the Baby Factory Down!!!  *Ha ha ha and an Eye Roll*   And an appropriate Size of Family is highly subjective and can even be controversial one way or the other.  I've known people who choose to remain Childless getting pressured to have Kids... and people who have a very large Family be condemned for having too many.  And just coz you can have Kids doesn't mean you should, some folks aren't up to the Job of Parenting.  To me it's personal and none of my business how many Kids someone does or does not have.  So long as I'm not expected to Raise them... *Winks*

*******

And we may have a difference of Opinion, but, so, how Old is Too Old for some things my Friends?

Dawn... The Bohemian

World Cup Attendees Remind Us Why America Is Wonderful

 You know why I'm liking that the World Cup being Hosted here is bringing in so many People from around the World who are Soccer Fans?  Becoz World Cup Attendees remind us why America is Wonderful... that's why!  Now, I know we got our problems, for sure.  I Rant about what I don't like a lot, but, I've also been a World Traveler and know that I Love America more than any other Country I've ever visited or lived in.  And some of them have been really nice places, don't get me wrong, but, I was always Homesick to return Home to the U.S.A, the Country that is mine and that I Love more than anywhere else in the World.  I'm so fortunate to be an American, even tho' in this Political Climate I'm also frustrated to be one, Two things can be True at the same time. 

And I'm glad that people who've heard a lot of Bad things about America and are coming here for the 1st time ever, are raving about us in a Positive way, and having a great experience during their visit.  They're in Awe of things we Americans take for granted.  And becoz we're so used to it, don't even realize nobody else has it in the World!  And I always watch Bill Maher coz I just LOVE Bill and his Show.  He always has Guests on that I want to see him interact with and interview.  This Night he had J.D. Vance on... and Raphael Warnock.  Now, I knew I'd like Warnock, I'd like Raphael to be President actually, I think he's a good Man and an excellent Politician... so few of those around that I can say that about.  But, my Surprise was, that I liked J.D. in his Interview with Bill, not expecting that at all!!!  *Gasp! Yeah, I know!!!*  How did that happen?! 

 He came across not so much like a Bullshit Artist, tho' I know he can be one and usually is.  On Bill's Interview he seemed more Authentic.  And my Spidey Senses spiked and I thought to myself, humnnn... seems to me like J.D. be Gaming the Game and the fame... Playing the Player with Donnie Two Dolls to usurp him and replace him???  Gave me a different angle of how he's Playing the Game Politically.  I mean, at one time he did compare Donnie to Hitler, and so when Orange Hitler chose him as his V.P. you couldn't be more Surprised than I was, given how much Smack Talk and Shade J.D. had done against Heil MAGA Cult Messiah.  I do think Donnie may be catching on and why he's got Rubio so far up his Ass now, scheming to replace J.D. and why Donnie is trying to throw J.D. under the Bus now and discard him as a handy Scapegoat.  But, the Interview with Maher did reveal some stuff about Ole' J.D. that was in a Word... veeeeeery Interesting... as they used to say on "Laugh In" as Arte Johnson's Satirical German WWII Character.  *Winks*

Of coarse Bill had also Interviewed Mike Pence, so he's killing it with getting Vice Presidents to be on his Show.   And Honestly, even Cyborg Pence came across a lot more Human during his Interview too.  What bothers me is that Bill can never get the Democrats high up the Food Chain to come on... he's tried... they won't do it.  I have to wonder Why, since, really... if the ReTrumplicans are Game and Brave enuf to face Bill and be in the Hotseat on his Show, it at least shows that they are willing to take some punches and state their case, whatever it may be, and whether or not I agree with it, I can Respect that with whoever the Guest is.  Even if I loathe their current Political Party's way of doing everything.  But I tell you what, as much as I loathe everything MAGA stands for... I'm not liking where the Extremist Democratic Left is heading with the Democrat Socialists.  It's like the Left's version of MAGA, which is disturbing, sans the constant Lying and making things up.  So far anyway.

Have you heard some of these People, like Darializa Avila Chevalier, who was just Elected in NY?!  Christ on a Bike... she's OUT there in Extremist Far Left Field, isn't she!!?  Fuuuuck!  If that's where the Democrats are going, my Vote is really in Question and up in the Air now!!!  Being very Anti-Partisan I don't LIKE either Party anyway, been disenchanted with damned near all of them for a long, long time.   But 2016 and The Cult of MAGA along with their Orange Jesus, who I knew was exactly what he's always been and attracts Weird and Extremists in a way like nobody else probably ever, did make me Vote Blue No Matter Who, coz... well... would have no part of that Insanity and Fuckery.  But, these Democratic Socialist Extremists, swing from one Extreme to yet another, also want no part of that Insanity and potential Fuckery either.   I don't think Socialism is a dirty Word or particularly scary to me, Socialized Medicine for example I'm completely On Board with, as most Progressive 1st World Nations have had it a long time for their People, we're the only ones who don't.

Most of what Bernie Sanders says makes Sense to me and to most Young People I've talked to actually, and Bernie is an Independent, not a Democrat, and I'm an Independent, just more Moderate leaning than Ole' Bernie.  *LOL*  He's the longest Serving Independent Member of Congress in U.S. History and that Staying Power speaks for itself, Bernie has some Common Sense Policies, which if passed and implemented, would Solve and be Solutions to a lot of Problems in sensible ways that are not the least bit Extreme, even tho' he's quite the Socialist.  I didn't Vote for Bernie when he ran for Prez, coz I would have preferred Andrew Yang and was part of the Yang Gang, Andrew left the Democratic Party in 2021 to become an Independent, he's also very Smart, very Common Sense in Policies that would be very Helpful to Solving American Problems. 

 He's more comfortable trying to Fix The System than being a part of it, I Like that.  That's my Tribe of peeps in Politics.  I have zero Hang Ups about an Intelligent Asian Man being President, but I knew far too many Americans would so he'd never Win.   Any more than a Woman would... especially a Woman of Color, so tho' I Voted for Kamala and thought she'd make a Fine President, I knew she would not Win.  I think she came closer to Winning than I thought... and against Donnie Two Dolls she should have Won, but, his abysmal 1st Term had not Taught his Supporters a damned thing.  And of coarse I was Right and she didn't and I do Believe it had more to do with Gender and Race than any other reason and nobody could convince me otherwise.  It stuck in the craw of too many Americans that she was even VP coz she was a Woman AND Black.  I know how biased Racially and how Patriarchal America still is and it won't change in my Lifetime unfortunately.  I always held out Hope it would tho', but, it hasn't and it won't before I'm Toes Up.  We got a tonnage of Evolution and Evolving to go...  *Le Sigh* 

But, back to my Point of this Post, that America is, as a Country, still Wonderful and there's nowhere else like it in the whole World.  It's why so many from all over the Globe flock here and want to become Americans and be a part of the American Dream.  Yes, that Dream is wobbly, but, compared to most other parts of the Globe, it still has the Promise that many other places don't have at all, to do anything and be anyone you want to be.  Sure, some Poor will stay Poor, but some Poor have Made It and Prospered too in America.  My Dad was a Fine Example of a Man with very limited Education and almost no Opportunity, who still made himself a good Life with a successful and Honorable Military Career spanning 27 Years and was also a Master Chef in Civilian Life. He told me I could do anything I wanted to do and be anything I wanted to be, I just had to work harder than any Man or White Person to attain it, so, I did, and he was Right.  

 

  I was an Assistant Vice President of a Bank before turning 23 Years Old. In an Era where it was a Good Ole' Boy Network and the vast majority of other Bank Executives were Old White Men wearing Power Ties with complete disdain for Females in positions of Authority.   And there is a lot still Wrong, and stuff that won't get Fixed, mebbe ever and certainly not in my Lifetime.  But I do think most of America will stand on the Right Side of History and those who stand on the Wrong Side of History will be accountable for it, one way or another.   Karma does have a way of evening things out in The End.  And I just think Public Pressure will go a long way when the Majority get Fed Up and Resist strongly.  There are very few folks I know who want constant Chaos, Drama, Headaches in their Daily Lives that could be avoided and are caused by outside influences that disrupt their way of Life and cause Hardships for them.  And America is still the best Country in the World to Live in IMO.  I try to be Mindful and Grateful of that even when I'm Bitching about our current Political Fuckery and Woes.

Speaking of Resistance, I watched a really good Movie on NetFlix Tonight called "One Battle After Another" {2025} starring an All Star Cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Benicio del Toro, and Sean Penn, well worth watching, it's an Activism Inspired Drama, but also rather a Dark Comedy.  With that Cast I knew it would be good and they play well off one another's Characters.  I enjoyed each Actor's Character Portrayal.  I haven't seen Penn in anything in a long time coz I know he works behind the Scenes in Hollywood now Producing and Directing, I always Loved his Body of Work.  DiCaprio and Benicio also are some of my favorite Actors.  It does have an Activism Theme to it relevant to Today's messy World and Injustices abounding.   Penn is well known for his Humanitarian Activism and he's very hands-on and doesn't mind being Controversial when doing it.  I applaud him for that, it can be risky.

The Daughter Works Noon to Four in Chandler Today, The Son finished all the Yardwork in prep for Irrigation coming at a ridiculous time Monday Morning again.  We've had shitty Rotation Hours the past few times, wee Hours of the Morning where he has to be Asleep to get enuf Rest for Work, since he Works Early Shifts starting at 5:00 a.m., so he can't stay up 'til 2-3 in the Morning to do Irrigation for us.  So, The Daughter and I have had to do it instead and she gets Scared at Night about Scorpions and Paranoid about what might 'get' us as we're wading around in the pitch Black Darkness.  Our Mini Farm Community is very Rural Dark after Sunset even tho' we're in the Heart of the City.  So you can't see your Hands in front of your Face after Dark.

Well, we're back from The Daughter's Gig, while waiting on her to finish the Work I found a GOODWILL Clearance Center in the East Valley.  It's got AC, the West Valley Location in a Warehouse is bigger but doesn't have AC.  You pay by the Pound, like $2.18 a Lb. and they had really nice Brand Name Clothing and Shoes there, so I got some for each Family Member, including a T-Shirt by Versace and a Gay Pride Pair of Overalls.   I had 9 Lbs. worth of Clothing and Shoes, very pleased with my Haul from there and it's near the Antique Mall I always go to there in Chandler.  Also next door to the Clearance Center was a "Dollar General" that was Closing so they had everything marked 30%-50% Off.  I got Eli his Food, Treats and Litter.  I got the Colorful Cheerful Wreath Below for the Front Door for Summer from SAVERS and got some more Fiesta Ware Vintage Coffee Mugs.  Someone must have Donated their whole Fiesta Ware Collection to that Location the Granddaughter Works at?!

One of the Shirts I got at the Clearance Center in The Daughter's Size is Below, Loved the Graphics and what it says, she did too.   And I got me a 2XL John Lewis Good Trouble T-Shirt too.  I got so many good quality and Brand Name T-Shirts at that Eastside Clearance Center even tho' they have a lot of Pickers there who clearly are Resalers.  But, they weren't vying for the Product I wanted, they were all Young Men heavily Tattooed with really nice Trendy Black and Grey Flash full Sleeves, and dressed very Trendy too, you could Imagine them in a Rock Band.  They seemed to all be together but mebbe they just all knew each other, seemed they were Regulars there.  Some Older Senior Ladies were Regulars there too and knew one another, they too looked to be Pickers for Resale of what they were Buying in bulk.

 

Below was my Brunch from "Tipsy Egg", the Manager there now feels like he Knows me and always comes up and talks with me, nice Guy.  He said, you're here late Today, coz it was past Breakfast and damned near Lunchtime becoz her Work Hours were later this time.  I told him I'd gotten to Sleep In and The Daughter had a later Gig.  He'd been there since 6:00 a.m. and I told him usually I keep those kinds of Hours now myself, so it was a Luxury to "Sleep In" until 8:00 a.m. and not have to get a Kiddo to Work until Noon.  *Smiles*  I don't think a lot of folks would consider rolling out of Bed at 8:00 a.m. as "Sleeping In" tho'.  Especially Retired Folk.  *LOL*  He Laughed at that Truth.  He probably came up to talk to me Three different times coz it was thinning out by Brunch coz they Close after Lunchtime, they don't do Dinner there, it's strictly a Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch Restaurant in Old Town Chandler's Main Street.

I had the Acai Bowl, which has Fresh Yogurt, their House Made Granola, Fresh Fruit and drizzled with Honey, with an Acai Sorbet... delicious and refreshing on a very Hot Morning-Afternoon.  I also got another Side of Fruit and an Iced Caramel Coffee.   I sat up at the Bar, it's a Trendy Spot so a lot of Young People go there and it's a good place to People Watch.  They have Seating on both sides of the Bar and the one side is Open to the Outside, I sat on the Inside section of the Bar facing Main Street.  I also went to the Antique Mall again, didn't Buy anything but looked around, they were having a very busy Weekend of Sales.  I didn't Need nor Want anything.  I did take a scant few Pixs for Blog Fodder.  It hadn't been that long ago I was there so I'd taken a lot of the Pixs the last time.

They won't be having their Monthly Event at "Highland Yard Vintage" again until Fall.  They Close it for the Summer Months.  It's in a huge Warehouse Space behind the Antique Mall and perhaps it's not Economical to Cool that thruout the Summer?  A lot of Businesses Close for the Summer Months due to the Heat and the fact Visitors and Snowbirds have left by late Spring, sometimes even early Spring, depending on how Hot it gets early on now.   With Climate Change we're Heating Up even during Fall and Winter Months now.  They'd done their 250th Anniversary Patriotic Themed Event before Closing for the Summer and it was really good and a nice way to Close Out for the Season.   Their Antique Mall does more Theme Decorating Seasonally and for Holidays than our Mall's Vendors do.  I've yet to go to the newest Antique Mall that Opened recently, a lot of my Vendor Friends have Rented Space there already.  So, I'll have to make a Pilgrimage there and check out the Competition.  *Winks*

It's called "America's Antique Mall" and is at 2820 West Dunlap, so, closer to our other Downtown Phoenix Antique Mall's Location than ours.  They Opened in early May.   It's large, 45,000 sf and we're 55,000 sf, our Downtown Location is 45,000 sf so it rivals that one but is 10,000 sf smaller than our Location.   I'm glad it Opened tho' coz we've lost a lot of Antique Stores, Malls and Specialty Shops.   I prefer Shopping for Vintage items and Salvage, so those are the places I become a Regular Customer and like to trawl.  I'm not one to often go to Big Box Stores unless I specifically Need something they have that's Essential.  And I don't tend to look around much at any place that only Sells Mass Produced Merch, it's not Interesting to me, there are no "Deals", and Mass Produced Product has no real Value, so is no Investment Vehicle on the Buy of it.

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I do Hope you're having a Great Summer my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian