So, I picked up the Friday Night Shift permanently, the Woman I was filling in for this Friday Night said she'd be unable to return, so, the Manager offered the Friday Night Shift to me if I wanted it. I accepted, I'd wanted One permanent Shift, but Midweek and not on the Weekends. I did also agree to Work Tonight from 4-8 p.m. for another Co-Worker who has Saturday Nights and can't make it in, she's Sick. Fridays I'll be working alongside Two Friends of mine, Richard and Judith, so, I don't mind that Shift at all and Friday Nights are busy so the time goes by fast. It wasn't Payday but I'd forgotten to pick up my last Paycheck last Friday so, I did get Paid. *LOL* And, it will also mean another Check this coming Friday, Sweet... and just on time. *Whew* My Sales are Stronger and the Mall is busier, people are Holiday spending some.
If I can supplement our income with more Hobby Money it won't be so strained for the Holidays, so, I'm really focused on generating discretionary income right now. My Food Porn of the above Espresso Coffee infused French Toast tasted as good as it looks, it was my Brunch before the Halloween Event. I screwed up my Coffee Whipped Creme topping by raking my Wrist over it while Photographing The Man's Biscuits and Gravy first {below}... dammit! So there I was trying to put the Whipped Topping back on it to be Editorial enuf that you might not notice I'd dragged my Wrist over it screwing up the Presentation, which had been perfect before I was so clumsy and careless. *LOL* The Man was Laughing becoz I'm taking the Whipped Creme off my Wrist and trying to carefully arrange it back on the mound of it on my French Toast... I think I did a Masterful camouflage, don'tcha think? *Winks*
I used our Can Money for our Brunch at Tipsy Egg, which is our fav Breakfast Haunt on the way in to the Chandler Event location. It's in Old Town Chandler on their Main Street, which is Quaint and Charming, filled with Old Historic Commercial Buildings, Cafes, Restaurants, tiny Shops, Bars and Indie Breweries, Boutiques, plus they always have small Farmers Markets and Art Events going on most Weekends. I enjoy the Historic parts of all the Cities around us and spend more time there than anywhere else and Support all the Businesses that keep Old Town sections vibrant and relevant. Heritage Tourism is big now, but I sure Wish more of our Cities had Preserved their Historic sections better. Maricopa County was late to the Party of Preservation and Restoration so much was Lost to development. Since I moved here in the early 1970's I remember how it was before so much of it was razed.
We had a Customer last Night that was Buying Stemmed Eclectic selection of Colorful Retro Glassware Goblets for her Wedding Place Settings. She spent over $600 on a Colorful Collection of different Glass Goblets and will give them to the Guests to Keep. She was telling me how she was Planning it all and it sounded really Fun, I could tell she was having a Big Time choosing the Goblets in Bold Colors like Ruby Red, Amber, Emerald Green, Cobalt Blue, Turquoise, Orange, Yellow, Opalescent Glass, Milk Glass, Deep Purple, Jade Green, Light Blue, Lavender, Pale Pink, Cranberry... a virtual Rainbow looking much like the Image above, very Pretty, very Mid-Century Designs too. Mid-Century Mod Merch is really Hot right now and Trending, so, I Buy any I come across even tho' I don't Decorate with it anymore. I did in the 1960-1970's, Loved it then, it's Timeless and stood the Test of Time as a Genre even Today.
Princess T and I have been trawling the Halloween Aisles and Halloween Specialty Shops. Her Mom is Sad that once again she won't be able to be with us during the Holidays and spend it with this Daughter, since, she'll be in Mexico. They had planned to do some stuff together and planning their Costumes, but, Princess T knows that it's necessary for her Mom to take care of business South of the Border for her Younger Sisters, so, she's not resentful. She just thinks the Situation there might not be resolved again, and I have to agree, it's complicated and how we'll get around the complexities and corruption in Two Countries is gonna be a tall order. Immigration is broken and so long as it's something the Alt Right wanna Run on Politically as a Problem, it's not in their best Political Interest to find Solutions and will Obstruct what could improve it all. They like to run on The Border Issues and Problems to exploit it, and their Racist White Nationalist Agenda, so, they're not interested in Solutions.
Loved this Death Tool Necklace they had at Wal-Mart for Four and a Half Bucks, I got it, they only had One left. A lot of the Big Box Stores don't have much of a Halloween selection this year so I wonder if they didn't have Supply Chain Issues? Even what they got in, they only got one or just a few in of, which, for Big Box Stores that carry mass produced Merch, that's odd. This was the only Necklace they had like this and they'd just put the Displays out, but, not a lot of any particular thing. It was 114 Yesterday and 117 Today, which is ridiculous for the end of September! It beat the Old Record by a whopping 21 Degrees and all Week will continue to break Records with Temps of 111-114 for the rest of the Week!!! It's still triple digits at 10:30 at Night! LATER: I was filling in for Submarine Lady at Work, the Saturday Night Shift has a lot more Co-Workers so you don't have to work as hard, lots of coverage, so, even when busy, it wasn't exhausting.
So, the Fund Raising for The Daughter went well, everyone she knew contributed what they could, our Neighbor Rob paid for her Bus Ticket, and she Pawned a Gold Bracelet... all of which was enough to reach the Goal amount she felt she'd need for being there 3 Months and returning after her Oldest one there in Mexico turns 18. *Whew* Her Ride fell thru tho', at the last Minute and you can't leave something like this to Chance, she's snagged the very last Seat on the Bus, already Paid for a Non-Refundable Ticket and then Andrase didn't show up this Morning to give her the Ride to the Bus Station! I was the backup Ride so there we were in a rough Barrio of downtown just before Sunrise, very sketchy Neighborhood the Mexican Bus Station is in, Two Weta Gals, luckily The Daughter is fluent in Spanish coz they weren't doing announcements Bilingually. *Whew*
She was an Emotional and Mental Wreck with everything being at the 11th Hour and being let down with the Ride. Andrase hadn't been the first one to offer a Ride, one of our Neighbors Friends had, but, then left when he thought she now had one. So, I was actually the 3rd Backup and she was pissed that Andrase didn't come thru after telling the other Ride that he wasn't needed!!! So, by the Skin of our Teeth we arrived, she'd packed the Bags too heavy so TJ helped us load them in the Truck and a random young Hispanic Stud Muffin helped unload them when he saw us struggling with them at the Bus Station, Bless him. Anything over 80 lbs. should have cost more, but since here we were, only Two Weta Women English Speakers in the whole Bus Station, they took pity on us and didn't charge Extra. *LOL* I'm sure the Wheels will come off my nice and Fav Suitcase I loaned her, she loaded it up heavy for The Children. *Le Sigh and Smiles*
She knows the Kiddos there have very little, so she brought Shoes and Clothing for each of the Three, and Hygiene Products for her and all of them too, just in case. She has no idea what condition the House is in and only has Tonight {Sunday Night in Real Time} to get it shipshape before Child Protective Services shows up to Inspect it and ascertain the Kids have a Responsible Adult there. Well, she's gonna try to Pass as being a Responsible Adult anyway, we'll see how that goes? *Eye Roll and LMAOROTF* Mebbe they don't 'know' her... and she can Clean Up Well enuf to seem Sane at times, and... she's all those Kids have got there. Except mebbe Diana's Sister, no Blood Relation, it's the Sister of her Ex's New Wife, who has been Raising the Youngest One as her own and will Keep her IF Child Services allows a Non-Relative to? She's Officially the SIL of the Father, so perhaps that will suffice and the Youngest can stay put in their Home then, which is a good Placement.
And the Oldest one has Two Jobs and goes to College, turns 18 on December 13th and wants to remain in Mexico and take Care of the Grandmother's Home that was bequeathed to them. So, it's only the Middle one that we have to figure out Placement for. Her Older Sister isn't sure she can Manage her since she is at Work or College all the time and can't really provide structure, Supervision and that one is the Wilder Child of the Trio too behaviorally speaking and is Learning Disabled as well. She wants to stay dropped out of School now and Sell Home-Made Chorizo as a Job. Well, there she could do that and the Aunt said if we can't manage to get her across the Border, she'll ensure that the Middle One Works at doing something if she won't re-enroll in School. She's a Special Ed Student and doesn't do well in her Studies, like Princess T, it's always been a struggle for her too and she's way far behind due to it. She looks Normal and Healthy Physically, but, clearly is Special Needs Emotionally and Mentally.
There is just a helluva lot to Unpack there and I don't have all the Answers nor any viable Solutions to how complex it all is. We're keeping all Body Parts Crossed that their Child Protective Services really won't want the responsibility nor the liability of Placement of Dual Citizenship Teen Children that could cause an International Incident should they get it Wrong? Which, would happen if Heaven Forbid anything happened to any of those Kids on their Watch and they wouldn't just turn over Custody to American Family who were willing to take them in!!! I don't want to cause problems since all Three Kids want to be able to come and go to Mexico to either Live or visit Paternal Family and their Friends they've known all their lives... so... I'd rather everyone just do what's in the best interest of those Children and not be corrupt or try extortion like last time to make Money off of a Family's Crisis becoz they assume all Americans are Rich and can be Shaken Down!
And I'm not Blaming or Shaming JUST the Mexican Authorities becoz our side is just as corrupted and Shaking people Down too, Trust and Believe. The American side was what prevented the last attempt to get the Kids here... The Mexican Side wasn't as much of the Problem and The Daughter also had sway there that we didn't have here. So, we'll just have to see what Shakes Out... in a Perfect World all the Kids can just be where they WANT to Be and have it all work out for the very best. That they have a Vision for spending their Lives where, with whom, and doing what they can make work out for the best as well. I'm not thinking we're Idyllic Placement actually, lots of barriers, not the least of which is they've never even been to America, don't speak or understand the Language and it's a big Cultural adjustment.
Two are still School aged and need to finish their Education where it will be most possible for them to. The Oldest has Two good Jobs already and Scholarships for her Higher Education there. Plus, Saint Maria's Home is Paid Off and is now theirs. They WANT to be able to stay there, whether they can and The System leaves them to be, remains to be seen. Anyway, Downtown at the break of Day in that Neighborhood was quite the Human Sideshow lemme tell ya. Looked like most Street People had quite the Saturday Night and were like Zombies just winding down and trying to Score for Today's Fixes. So as soon as I got The Daughter successfully loaded onto the right Bus, I got the Hell outta there post haste. *LOL*
A Young Guy blocked my Truck from getting out of the Parking Space, with his Car, so initially I was leery, thinking, shit... Hope this doesn't mean he's preventing an Escape and is gonna try and Rob me now!? I never carry Cash so he wouldn't have gotten squat, still... a 6:00 a.m. attempted Robbery would be no way to start a Sunday Morning, Right? Or have a Robber get pissed becoz he picked the Wrong Mark! *LOL* But, turns out he was just unloading the Suitcases for whoever was leaving for Mexico that he was the Ride for, he apologized, and got out of my way so I could leave. *Whew* An Old Hag was Panhandling and Cozying Up, saying she needed the International Bus Fare. I told her we'd had to Fund Raise ourselves to get The Daughter her Bus Ticket, so, NO, didn't have ANY Cash to Fund her Bus Ticket... get Lost. There's always the Hard Luck Stories Downtown, rife with the Homeless, Panhandlers, Junkies and Drunks trying to Fund something they say they Need and have no Money for.
We "Give" to Charity and Street Ministries that actually do the Work on the Streets and I just tell the Street People where they should go to receive that legitimate Help. Then it's on them to go about it the right way. Not all the folks out there Panhandling and Robbing folks are Down and Out either, lots of them are running their Grifts and looking for Easy Marks and Easy Money, just like 45, it's how they've gotten by all their Lives... being Career Criminals, Con Artists and Predators, preying on everyone else. The Man and I did some Environmental Cleanup at the Nature Preserve this Morning, since, we were up so early anyway to get The Daughter ready for her Trip to Mexico. We found some unopened Medical Boxes, lots of them, holding Adult Diapers and Senior Protein Drinks that someone dumped in a huge pile by the River. Environmental Services Ranger had showed up and we told him we'd haul as much of it away as possible in my Truck. The Senior Protein Drinks were all Vanilla and they are Rx Quality and expensive.
We brought Home Cases of them and it's good for when I can't get The Man to eat Food, I used to get those for my Parents so I know how prohibitive the Cost is. They don't need refrigerating until you open them and come in single Serving size. I loaded up the Truck and we'll go back Tomorrow to Salvage more, the Ranger was appreciative, who knows what Medical Company just dumped them out there rather than delivering them? They all had a late 2025 Expiration Date, so weren't Expired Product and I suspect some lazy Delivery Driver just didn't want to bother delivering his load somewhere? We managed to get about half of what was dumped, the Delivery Driver must have had a Van or Commercial size Truck, coz I can haul a lot in mine and filled it! I drank one of the Protein Drinks while working at it and it is like a nice Vanilla Milkshake and was still Cool, so, hadn't been long dumped! Above is a Med Practice Dummy the size of a 3 Year Old Toddler too, Retail they're almost $500 Online, even Used they're over $250!!! Waste, Waste, Waste...
We also pulled about 40 lbs. of Cans out of the Nature Preserve and the Ranger said he's got a Group of people from Out of State he's giving a Tour of Tres Rios Nature Preserve next Week, so he's Grateful for our Hours of Volunteer Environmental Cleanup and Salvaging efforts to clean up around the Preserve. I know we don't make much of a dent behind the Environmentally Unconscious, which outnumber Environmentally Responsible Volunteers, but, every little bit Helps. It certainly gave us a Morning Workout, but we called it a Day once it got up to 108 this Morning, which was by 10:00 a.m.!!! It's expected to break Heat Records all Week and by a LOT, so Today it's expected to be 114 or higher... ugh. We had plenty of Ice Cold Beverages with us and I popped The Man in a Shower once we got back Home... he'll Sleep well Tonight. *Winks* When I looked up those Boxed Dozen Protein Drinks, Online that Brand Sells for $100 a Box!!! OMG, we already brought Home a Dozen Boxes and will go back for more Tomorrow Morning!
TJ got the John Deere working so that Saved us paying a Mechanic, he's been cutting the Pasture, it needs the new Wheel and an Oil Change as soon as I get the Money saved up for that necessity. Funding The Daughter for the Emergency with the Kids in Mexico Tapped us all Out again, but we Raised a lot in less than 48 Hours... it should sustain her for the 90 Days she needs for it to there, we Hope. She'll be on the Bus about 11 Hours and will let me know when she safely arrives at her destination in Central Mexico. I know the Kiddos are eager to see and spend time with her and have her Help with this Social Services Situation that someone turned them in for being Alone. What irks me is those Kids have been Alone for damned near a Year and only after Saint Maria Died, who they were Full Time Caregivers of, not the other way around, is when someone suddenly pretended to be 'concerned' about them being Alone... Bullshit. It was last Holiday Season The Daughter could be there with them for as long as she could Legally stay on her Visa.
Anyway, Social Services won't say who it was that informed them, which, they won't do here either, so no idea. But we have our suspicions, and it's the ones most interested in Maria's House who have shown their Hand IMO. More interested in what's gonna happen with the House than what's gonna happen with those Children, is a Dead Giveaway IMO. Anyway, when Deaths happen that's not so unusual anywhere, is it? You see what Humans are like Vultures when someone is recently Deceased. They simply can't contain their Greed and Insensitivity to whoever is actually Grieving and not thinking about mere Stuff, Inheritance or Money before the Decedent is even Cold, you know? I know when my FIL Died, my MIL was sitting in the Livingroom after the Funeral, Grief Stricken, and some of The Man's Siblings and their Spouses were hauling shit out the Door as if she wasn't still above Dirt! I was appalled and disgusted and said so out loud. My Brother and I weren't like that when each Parent Passed, The Man isn't like that either.
But, I know when my Dad's Sister Died, she was living with him, as is the Custom of his Culture if a Sister becomes a Widow, any Brothers then take on the Responsibility of provision for her. Well, her Daughter came to Arizona from the Rez in Oklahoma where they're all from, and brought other Cousins with her. They too were hauling shit out of the House as if my Dad wasn't still above dirt and as if the Funeral hadn't JUST been held for her Mom! His Sister had JUST Died, so, he wasn't thinking about stuff... hers or his... and I suspected they were hauling out more than just my Aunt's possessions. So, I told them all that if even ONE thing of my Dad's was in that fucking U-Haul, it would never make it back to Oklahoma, it'd be set on Fire! Well, Believe it or not, halfway back to Oklahoma the U-Haul did catch on Fire and everything was a total loss and burnt up with it!!! *LOL* My Native American Relatives always thought me and my Mom to be Welsh Didi Kai Gypsy Witches anyway and it terrified them all. And yeah, I fucking put a Curse on that U-Haul if they had anything of my Dad's in there... *Winks*
My Mom was still Alive then too and asked me if I'd Cursed the U-Haul, since, she said they'd all been pressuring her to ask for a lot of my Dad's possessions IF HE DIED TOO... and not just my Aunt's, who'd JUST Died! I didn't know that, my Dad Lived for Years after his Sister Died, and when he did, they all knew better then to ask for a fucking thing. *Bwahahaha* And I'd told my Mom what I had said to them all and I had Predicted would happen if they'd snuck any of Dad's stuff onto that U-Haul without our or his Permission, even just a Single Thing. She just nodded knowingly and said, "Well, then we KNOW they had, don't we now... since, it came to Pass... as it should have and as it was Spoken." My Cousins did tell Mom I'd Cursed them and she had no pity. They told everyone back Home in Oklahoma too on the Rez, I didn't Care, it was many Moons before they ever made contact with me again and I was Fine with that. Not like I ever go back to the Reservation, it's depressing and impoverished, so I feel no ties there at all now Dad and all his Siblings are finally Gone.
It's not as if any of the earlier Generations of my Tribal Ancestors had any Photographs or Sentimental items for me to be a Keeper of the Past of. There's NO Photos of my Dad before he joined the Air Force, or of any of his Brothers and Sisters or my Grandparents as Young People. I have scant few I even took, coz my Grandma was Superstitious about having her Photo taken, she thought it to be a Soul Stealer, so there's not a lot of Photos of her and even less of my Dad's Father, and my Grandma looked so deadly Serious in the few Photos of her. Mom's Family didn't have many Photos either, and growing up neither did we, which probably is why I'm a Pathological Picture Taker, I dunno? Princess T wanted me to take her to our Antique Mall, she wanted to let everyone know she has a Job, they were all proud of her, just about everyone has known her since she was in Kindergarten and watched her Grow Up and help me with my Spaces all those Years. The Daughter will have her Birthday again in Mexico, since, it's October 14th.
We were going to do Lunch together but where she wanted to go was mysteriously Closed, they're never Closed, they're usually Open Seven Days a Week, so, no Idea why, no Sign saying the reason? I looked at their Website and they still have the Normal Hours Posted for every Day of the Week, so, I Hope nothing unforetold has happened? The Business is Family Owned but the Owner Died of Cancer last Year and her Kids and Grandson took over. Most of their Employees have worked there for Years. It was The Son's first job shelling Shrimp there when he was about 14 and it is walking distance from our Historic Home we Sold. Anyway, we ended up going to "Wildflower Bread Company", Princess T's 2nd choice and then they didn't have the Soup she likes on the Soup Menu and they had Sold Out of the Rosemary Sea Salt Bread she also likes, so, she was petulantly moody and ratchet thru the Meal. *Eye Roll and Le Sigh* She's a fussy eater, but, did finally eat what I ordered FOR her, since, when she's Moody she shuts down. She and her Mom were Texting, which helped, I know part of her Mood is Worry and Anxiety about THAT whole Situation.
Plus, I guess Rusty's Birthday is coming up and she was making him something and doesn't have all the Supplies and everywhere she thought they'd have what she needed to finish it, they didn't have it. And, becoz he really Showed Out for what he got her recently for her Birthday, she's getting Panicky about doing something Awesome for him. *Eye Roll again and Le Sigh* I couldn't get Home fast enuf and end the whole Togetherness thing that was NOT going Well. *LOL* I had made suggestions and she shot every single one of them down, so I'm like... Forget about it, I'm done trying to be Helpful, I'm exiting this Loop now Stage Left, she'll just have to figure it out on her own! *Bwahaha* Teenagers are often so Angst and Hormone filled that almost anything can Tank their Mood. Pick a Mood, any Mood, and just Stick with it a Minute will ya?!!!! *Winks*
So, I did get this Porcelain Gothic Noir Doll Head and Metal Halloween Candelabra Votive Holder from Spirit Store. The Stores don't actually carry them, it's an Online Order Only, but, someone had bought it Online and then Returned it, so, it was a One Off and I Scored it. Nothing Wrong with it and it's well made, so, don't know why they Returned it... don't Care... their Loss is my Gain, I Love it!!! I was disappointed that the 2nd location was smaller and didn't have Props set up as the larger locations do. They always Rent abandoned Vacant Shops where ever they can temporarily Lease them for just 8 Weeks tho', so... sometimes they get larger Space and sometimes it's smaller Spaces available in certain locales. Last Year some of the Indoor large Malls Rented them Temp Space, but I haven't seen any of the Big Indoor Malls doing that this Year.
Since everything Autumnal and Halloween is front and center tho' I'm very busy savoring it all and it really fills up my Days and gives me plenty of Blog Fodder and Seasonal Eye Candy options to Share and Photograph or glean from Online Shares Family and Friends have Shared. Below are some Creative Genius Pumpkins that my Online Friend Binky Created out of Spools of String, Old Doilies and Pumpkin Stems. I haven't seen anything like this done before to Create faux Pumpkins and I really J'Adore them. She has a Space in an Antique Mall in Texas that she Sells her Wares from, I've Admired her Work for Years and we became Online Friends via me Buying some of her Creations and then finding out we both Blogged. She quit Blogging in 2014, which is a pity since her Binky La Faye Blog was one of my favs from 2009-2014 and she is Friends with some other fav Amazing Designers/Artists from the Texas Hill Country like Carol Hicks-Bolton... and Robin Brown of Magnolia Pearl.
If she was Selling some of these Online I'd Buy some, but, since she's not, I do have the raw supplies to make some and I think they'd be quicker than Creating Fabric Pumpkins actually. The Balls of String already have the Shape needed and I have loads of various Vintage Balls of White, Sepia and Brown String in all kinds of sizes... Jute and Brown Yarn, an abundance of Tea Stained Doilies and Lace, and a bunch of Real Pumpkin Stems too. It would be a Fun Craft Project to do with Family too. I'm enjoying the Real Pumpkins and Gourds now making it into the Stores, I grew some one Year but this Year has been too Hot and what I started, didn't make it, since, they burnt up in the Pots they were growing in. Usually I do Ground Plantings at previous Properties, but, as of yet I haven't put in a Ground Victory Garden and have been growing everything here in Talavera or Terra Cotta Pots so far. I just haven't had the Time to devote to a proper Victory Garden yet.
As it is I'm so disappointed that The Daughter is going to be gone for ALL of Autumn, since, we were making such progress in The RV Garage Mahal, She Shed, Back Patio and Art Studio Projects and transformations of those Spaces that are unfinished. Shit!!! We had Hoped to be done by Spring and now that is looking less likely to reach Goal with her being gone for One of the Two Seasons best suited to get it done. Of coarse, it's NOT Cooling Off for Autumn, so that's been a huge hindrance this Year too. I had looked forward to Fall arriving with it's usual Cooling Off and balmier Weather we used to get. That way I could begin in earnest what's needed in the Non-Climate Controlled Spaces and spend time Outdoors more as well. With high Record Breaking Triple Digits prevailing that are over 20+ Degrees above Normal and over 20 Degrees past the Old Record Breaking High Temps, well, Fall has failed to give me the Coolness necessary to do a lot of Physical Work in Non-Climate Controlled areas of the Property. Dammit!!!
It's going to be 106-111 Degrees thru the First Week of October, so, next Month isn't looking so Promising either... double Dammit!!! This gives me precious little time in Fall to get what I had intended to do actually done!!! Plus, our Utility Bill will also remain High, straining the Budget more. Usually by October you can turn the Air Conditioners Off and not need to turn the Heat on yet either. But, that's not possible yet, not even close, so we're still paying Summer Higher Utility Bills clear thru Autumn now it seems... no bueno... makes it hard to catch up or reduce Costs around the Holidays. With Groceries also still high, the only break we've gotten lately is Gas came down some to just over Three Bucks a Gallon now. We're still way higher than most States since Arizona uses Cali Refineries, which are high priced. Wish we'd use Refineries that are more competitive for Arizona to receive Fuel. Nationally $2.66 a Gallon for Regular is the Average and even with reductions, ours is still Averaging $3.14 a Gallon for Regular.
Anyway, I got consumed watching my "Halloween Wars", this Season is very good, exceptional Talent, but, they no longer have Guest Judges like previous Seasons. I was trying to invest myself in the "Outrageous Pumpkins" Show Season 5, but, it just lost my Interest. Tho' "Halloween Baking Championship" has piqued my Interest again and I'm still enjoying it. There's a few New ones on the Food Channel for Halloween like "Last Bite Hotel", which, I just found to be too Cheesy and trying too hard, couldn't really engage with it at all. And the Kids Halloween Baking Championships, well, I can't get into the Kiddie Baking Shows, where do they even find these Kids? *LOL* It just reminds me too much of those Kiddie Beauty Pageants and it's abnormal to me and I just have this suspicion it's the Parents that push these Children into Mini Adult Roles that seem a bit perverse really and not Normal for Children of that Age Group. A Kid might like to play with Food or enjoy helping Mom in the Kitchen, but these Kids are so Young and already taking on Adult Roles in the Kitchen, and using Culinary Language and Knowledge, that for their Ages, seems inappropriate to a degree I'm not convinced it was their Idea.
I remember when my Kiddos were active and passionate about Sports and other Extra Curricular Activities that we Supported so long as it was their Idea and Desire to do it, there were the Parents that were Living Vicariously thru their Kids and pushing it on them. The Pressure some of those Children were under to Perform and be like Mini Adult Professionals too Young, becoz the Parent had a Dream of them becoming Pros, was Heart wrenching! The Kids felt like Failures if they didn't live up to ridiculously high Standards and those types of Parents took it all way too Seriously and often got Mad or overly Confrontational with Judge or Coaches, as well as with their poor Kids. I didn't like it and it was difficult to Witness and not say anything about... to me, it was like a form of Child Abuse... just like I feel it is when a Parent allows their Young Child to over-eat to the point of Morbid Childhood Obesity that surely negatively impacts the Child's Emotional and Physical Health.
Some of the Kids are so Overscheduled with all the Practices and things their Parents are pushing on them, that they have no Time to just be a Kid and Carefree. They'll have the rest of their Lives to be an Adult, let them enjoy Childhood for Chrissakes. They don't have to be exceptional at everything just becoz the Adults in their Lives didn't realize all of their own Dreams or accomplish the Goals they had, so need to try to Live it vicariously thru the Children. Some Kiddos are very Naturally Good at some things, but, it might not be THEIR Passion to do it. The Son was an exceptional Athlete, but, it's not what he wanted to do after a while. Coaches kept trying to have us convince him to join their Teams, but, he didn't want to, and we Supported that Choice too if he chose NOT to join and lost Interest in any Activity, even if he was really Good at it. I was actually very Athletic too, so was The Man, but neither of us had the Passion to pursue Sports, so, we didn't, and I'm glad we were given that Choice by our Families.
Anyway, I did enjoy the Shows I was invested in and just didn't waste time with the ones I was not and felt restless even trying to watch. *LOL* I have so much to do and try to accomplish that needs doing, that I don't have a lot of Free Time to just Waste doing anything that isn't worthy of spending the Hours doing. We did wrap up our Series WENTWORTH before The Daughter had to leave for Mexico, it was important to her to finish the Series before leaving. I liked how it ended. I'm trying not to get engrossed in and hooked on another Series for now. *Smiles* The Binge Watching needs to be Moderated. *LOL* I did spend some more Time in our Showroom and Princess T helped with it. The beginning of the Pay Period is always on every other Sunday and this one started out Strong, so, let's Hope that Holds? The last Pay Period ended pretty Strong, so my next Check is decent after expenses. *Whew* Some of the bigger Spenders are trailing in now, it's usually the Out of State Visitors on Vacation, Snow Birds who Winter here, and Canadians that come and spend more. The more affluent and privileged can still Travel extensively and drop more discretionary Money.
But inflation and the Economy being difficult for Average Working Middle Class and lower Income folks makes it so they're still barely making the ends meet. I also think the Election is scaring a lot of people who realize what's at stake and feel the uncertainty of it all, it just doesn't give one a sense of Security when the Political Climate is so dire and so Polarized as it currently is. If the Alt Right Wins we're Screwed for SURE, but, if they Lose they will continue with Obstruction so nothing Positive gets done, so it doesn't feel like there's a Winning Strategy for Positive Forward Movement or Momentum that will Solve Problems and help the Average Citizen or those who are in Crisis. I think that is why a lot of the Young say they have zero confidence in our Political System as it stands and won't even bother to Vote. They feel their Vote doesn't really Count for much when the Archaic Electoral College System designed during Slavery, is still being used, and no longer has any Benefit.
And let us not Forget that IQ 45 has had Nine Years now to come up with more than a fucking Concept and really has NO Policy whatsoever. Just whatever Crazy shit he makes up and thinks of on the Fly, no matter how Outrageous, False or Mental it is. And of coarse no actual Details, which is why he refuses to talk about how he'd do any of it. Since, it will never be anything but the Bullshit he makes up for News Cycle Attention or some Demented Wet Dream he's having at the time that has no Substance and no Benefits to anyone but himself. Did The Wall ever get built, and did Mexico pay for any of the small amount that did... *Huge Eye Roll* COVID certainly could have been handled better. And, NO, we were NOT better off during his Term, it was just absolute Chaos, a Cluster Fuck of epic proportions that everyone in his Inner Circle now admits was disastrous and Quit or got Indicted. And installation of The Big Grift where he installed more incompetent Nepotism Hires and engaged in more Conflicts of Interest while President, than anyone in American History!!!
I just have to hold out Hope that enuf of the Lunatic Fringe won't Vote either, since, he's losing his Luster and even they can't manage to sit thru his protracted Insane Rallies and imbalanced Ramblings anymore. They might still Buy his ridiculous Gear he's hawking, since, there clearly is a Sucker Born every Minute and you can hawk them damned near anything it seems. It's comical the shit he's out there hawking now at ridiculous price points that are even more ridiculous than the Product. And SNL sure has Comedic Fodder for Days with these Politics and List of Characters to do Parodies of... I almost Wet my Pants Laughing so hard at the SNL Skit they just had of all the Candidates, OMG, hilarious!!! It was like the Good Old Days of SNL. Reality being much Stranger than Fiction sometimes. And the Impersonations were so On Point... if you didn't get to watch it, Google it... and Thank me later!
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Happy Autumn Vibes my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian
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