Knowledge And Wisdom... Are Priceless

 

I filled in for Mark the Retired Cop last Night at Work, Thursdays are dull and dead, it made for a long Night of hardly anything to find to do in order to keep busy and pass the time.  I took a lot of Blog Fodder Pixs at least to use in this Post.  A new Paint Vendor had a Display and I was Amused by the Paint Names, so got a few Pixs to Share.  I don't know that Bohemian Blue is particularly accurate, since, most Bohemian hues are bold Jewel Tones and this is rather sedate a Blue, I'd not be particularly drawn to it, it's dull.   And don't even get me started on the Gypsy Green below, Gypsies also known for the use of Bold Vibrant Hues, I doubt would be using a Baby Shit Green, but... whatever... the Names at least were cutesy even if the Hues were not particularly Inspiring or on Point for matching up with the Creative Names of their Paints.  *LOL*

But, Liquid Sunshine did at least match up and was a very Sunny Yellow and their Basic Black was called Little Black Dress.   There were Colors I'd be drawn to in the Line, but others that I'd never use in a Month of Sundays.   But, it was Interesting to read the Names they came up with and I liked the Hand Painted Font on the Color Discs, that had been done well.   We now have a few Paint Vendors and the Customers will be glad.  When previous ones moved out Customers would get upset that they drove all the way to the Mall only to find that their Paint Vendor was no longer Renting Space there and they had no alternatives.   Since Vendors don't have a Customer Contact List there's no way of notifying them when you Move Out or relocate.  Even switching Booths or Showrooms can be difficult to properly notify Customers of.

 

I was working alongside Two Friends that I enjoy working with, Long Tall Cristy and Sue The General.   So, we had some good Socializing when we'd done all the miscellany work we could dream up to do in order to look and keep busy.  *LOL*   I put in a lot of Miles walking the 55,000 sf Mall that Night, pacing around, and only Hope Tonight will be busier?  My regular Friday Night Shift is typically somewhat busier, but, not always.  My Sales are just okay, so, if I don't Kill it Tonight and Saturday, which is the close of the Pay Period, it will just be a mediocre Payday and not the Strong one I was hoping for.  I'm sure many Vendors will Owe and we're having some long time Vendors even Moving Out, like my Friend Wanita.   Her DH has Cancer and is not doing well, so, I'm sure she's opting to stay Home now, she gave up all her Shifts and is now giving up all her Spaces there.  She'll be missed. 

Earlier in the Day I did take The Man over to the Far East Valley to attend the Event at STUDIO 108 COLLECTIVE and also visit our Friend Nan's Antique Mall nearby it EVERYTHING GOES.   I probably took less Blog Fodder Pixs there than I did at our Antique Mall last Night tho'.  I was disappointed that Halloween was absent from the Event and the Antique Mall Vendor's Spaces, bummer.  I'd looked forward to a full blown October and Holiday Inspired Visual at each, it was missing, so, didn't stay long at either and wasn't tempted to really want or need to make purchases either, yawn.   The Holiday Inspired Visuals here are from our Vendors and tho' there's not many or much there either, at least there was some and a nod to what Season it is!!!  So, the Blog Fodder Imagery I Hoped would sustain us thru October was a Bust my Friends.

Okay, so a few of you, and you know who you are *winks*, will be relieved about that and just tell me to go more Full On with Food Porn for the Season then, so, I will.  *LOL*   And I will load up October with a smattering of good Food Porn that my Book of Faces Algorithm accurately knows I'd be salivating over, they know me well apparently.   Well, except the fact that giving me Recipes is pointless since I do not Cook or Bake.  *Bwahahahaha*   Now, this Familia does J'Adore Asparagus tho', so the above Crispy Parm Asparagus Sticks, well, we might give those a go and see if we can replicate them?   I once tried my Fried Green Beans like they used to have at "Appleby's" as an Appetizer I became addicted to, and discontinued.  I had decent results with the Online Recipe for them, but it was time consuming and I'm too lazy to ever do it again.

And now I've got you salivating too, we'll continue with the Storyline.  *Winks*  Princess T has the same Sour Stomach that I had the other Day and she hadn't eaten anything I had, so we concluded it wasn't that or my Vaxes.  Since, she didn't get Vaxxed either.  Mine only lasted a Day, but the Sulfurous Gasses was brutal that built up in you and came out, I only had the Nausea, she actually Hurled.   I consulted Dr. Google and digestive issues can be the culprit rather than any illness, like IBS and GERD, which, she could have since she's got a sensitive system, but with me, mine has typically been the constitution of a Goat.  Unless Age is altering that for me, then it might not be a chronic digestive condition for me, we'll wait and see if it becomes chronic?   Or if hers is passing too?  I really don't wanna end up not being able to eat a Laundry List of this, that and the third!

Now that I've Googled that condition tho', no doubt the Algorithm will now pick up on it and feed me all kinds of suggestions for Stomach Issues?  *Bwahahaha*  It is Amusing sometimes what Feeds I get on my Book of Faces Live Feeds, lots of Geriatric Bodybuilders at the Gym for instance!   *LOL*   Yes, it is Inspiring to see Women in their 70's who have the Bodies of a Goddess or Action Hero, but, doubtful my Trips to the Gym, mostly spent in the Sauna and on the Hydrotherapy Bed, or in the Cafe sampling Healthier Health Nut Fare, will get those kinds of results?  *LMAO*   I do watch the whole Video tho', just so I can see how those Buff Old Ladies are using the Equipment, it's like a Tutorial for me, since, I don't know how to use 99.9% of the Gym Equipment at "Lifetime Fitness" so it goes unused by me.

I thought this Pink Spider Tree was adorbs, tho' the Vendor was Selling the Tree and the Decorations separately, so, it would cost a small Fortune to replicate.   I have a Black Tree for Halloween that is shaped like a Mannequin with a Tree Skirt, but tho' it's up in The RV Garage Mahal and one day will be Decorated permanently in there, right now, it's sans it's Decorations.  The Vision I have for when everything here is Done will include permanently Decorated Trees that won't be up in the Main House, but will be in The RV Garage Mahal Spaces.  It won't mean I won't Decorate the Main House Interior for Holidays, just that I won't have to spend a lot of Time or Energy doing it annually anymore.  Plus, I want to enjoy my Collections of Holiday Decor Year Round, since, less Holidays in Front of me than Behind me now.

I Love me a good Pretzel, so this Recipe Feed got my attention, especially with the Cheese and Herb Seasoning of them... Nom-Nom.  I'm actually completely stalled out on doing Housekeeping or Decluttering here at Home since The Daughter left.  I miss her already and doing it by myself is like slogging along without desired results and I lose Interest and Motivation almost immediately.   It doesn't Help that it's still been 108 every Day and I'd rather be doing anything but Housekeeping and Decluttering.   So, I'm trying to Pace myself and just do a little bit Daily and not overwhelm completely or throw in the Towel and just not do any of it and give up, give in, or give out.   Lately my tenacity towards attaining the Victory has waned considerably and I haven't managed to get it back and rally myself.

It's Scary to me when I lose Ambition and Motivation completely and get to the place where I barely Care.   I feel Burnt Out becoz everything has been taking so long and I'm really Over It, as far as pushing past the delays, obstacles and setbacks that have plagued me in the Doing of it.  I had become Encouraged when The Daughter was my Assistant becoz we FINALLY were making visible Progress and I actually thought, we'll get this Done before Spring!!!   Now she won't be here until after the First of the Year, or beyond, depending on how much Help and Support the Grandkids need in Mexico.  I don't want to seem Selfish, they need her more than I do, but, I NEED her!  *Boo Hoo, Woe is ME and all that... Winks*  There is a wringing of Hands and gnashing of Teeth going on Daily for me now that I'm back to doing it Alone.  When The Young Prince left it was the same, he and his Mom are the only ones willing and able to dive in to it all and enjoy Helping me with it.

If I have a Helpmate I Enjoy the Doing of it, on my own, not so much.  With being Bipolar and having Adult ADHD and OCD, my Focus can be seriously interrupted by Mood Swings and Obsessive Distractable Behavior that is difficult for me to Channel successfully.   I can get a LOT Done with a tenacity and relentlessness that is hard to match, but, my Disorders do get in the way and lately my Stamina and Emotional Health has been stagnant.   My Energy levels are tapped out and my Mental Health has been all over the fucking place lately too, lots on my Mind, lots to Deal with simultaneously, all a Distraction that scatters me both Physically and Mentally.   I seem to be doing everything and nothing all at once!   It is not Ideal.  *wah!*

And, I do have rather a Love-Hate Relationship with my Stuff.   It's a lot of really Primo Stuff, but, the key Words there and the emphasis is A LOT.   And I am attempting to discern how much is Enough and how much is Too Much, which for me, is easier said than done becoz my Muchness is a Trait now that I can't just eliminate.   I've been a Minimalist and Traveled Light for the vast majority of my Life, I liked it and know I can do it, but, do I WANT to is the real Question here?   Not sure.   Some Days my Mood is such that if I Lost everything, I could be Okay with that, Problem Solved.  *Eye Roll, Yes, I have those Extreme Thoughts about What Ifs*   And other Days my Mood is such that if a Natural Disaster was eminent, I'd be conflicted about what to try to Save and meant most?   Mebbe I've watched too much of the coverage on the Florida Disaster and thought, "What would I do?"

I have Lost everything before, more than once actually, starting over I know I can do and actually Coped well in the doing of, all things considered.   I've been Homeless, I've lived in a Luxury Home, I've had virtually nothing and I've had virtually everything.   Either way Life was pretty Good and just different, you adjust, you adapt, you improvise, you do Life on the terms of the Hand Dealt at the time and place you're just at.   Right now I know Simplifying Life would be better, less Work, and more Play, so, that's why I guess I'm feeling Conflicted about HOW to get there and reach a Goal that has a meaningful impact and yet, retains some of what I've spent a Lifetime acquiring and enjoy?  Delicate Balance sometimes, the Downsizing Process when you reach this Season of Life.  You know none of this is going to the Grave with you, so, you put things in perspective as to how much of it to Let Go of in the Here and Now?

And, Financially, things are Tough for most everyone right now, unexpected expenses, the Economy in general, the Changes in Weather, haven't been Kind to most of us on Fixed Incomes or Lower Wages.   I've always been very Budget conscious and Lived within my Means, but, lately, shit, so much has had to be done that was expensive, and mostly unavoidable and unexpected, that I do feel the pressure and it's not comfortable to me.   TJ had just done Maintenance on the John Deere and put Two New Tires on it that I Bankrolled, and now a fucking Belt broke on it... WTF!   He did get all the Yardwork done before it happened... but... still!!!   We'd replaced a Belt recently, so I'm like, how many Belts does this Fucker have TJ?!   Or is the New Belt now broken?! *LOL*  At least I got a Neighbor who knows how to fix the damned thing, I'm ready to light it on Fire!  *Winks*

Bless him, he couldn't even tell me in Person, he sent Word via The Son, who reluctantly told me that now The John Deere needs THIS replaced that has failed on it!   We did Price a New One and they're prohibitively expensive and I don't wanna Finance another damned thing that is costly, so, we're stuck just limping this one along and repairing whatever fails next on it!?   I thought John Deere were sturdier than this... I mean, it is a Fifteen Thousand Dollar Tractor!  Besides, we've had Neighbors doing preventative maintenance on it since Day One so it's not as if we haven't taken Care of it either, and they took Care of it for the Previous Owner who Bought it.   They have one too and said with Farm Equipment and Acreage, stuff just wears out and needs Maintenance.  And, I suppose since I've never been a Farmer, and previous Acreage was Desert Landscaped, I had no Idea.   It makes sense, but... still... chronic financial drain bummer.

Nothing is Built to Last or not Break Down constantly now and it's expensive to keep repairing and replacing essential equipment that is prohibitively costly to replace or to repair.   I may be a Dinosaur, but I remember when shit lasted and didn't break down constantly either.  It can be done but it isn't being done when they Manufacture stuff now.  It's intentionally made now to be disposable and needing repairs or replacement all the damned time, so you never get out from under the Debt load of it.  I get irritated coz I always Save Up and Buy Top of the Line Products, so I do have an expectation of Quality and Endurance of them.  Otherwise I'd just Buy the Cheapest POS since it hardly seems to matter anymore!   Rant over.  *Winks*

We released my Striped Bass Babies from the Aquarium back into the River.  There were Schools of them at the Release site and I was thrilled to see mine join them happily.  Being with a School of their own Species they will reintegrate easily back to their Wild Natural Habitat.  They had grown too big to keep in the Aquarium and were almost at the size they could have begun consuming the smaller Native Species of Gila River Topminnows I'm Raising.  Those are endangered so I want to let those Breed and then re-release back into the Natural Habitat when they're grown and Breeding Aged.  It's been Fun to watch them grow up, they were all so minuscule when I caught them, the Bass originally I thought to be Sunfish but they got large fast and clearly started looking like the Striped Bass Species they were.  

A good Game Fish when they grow up, there were a LOT of the size of the ones I Released and the River was high, the Dams must be releasing water.  The River was higher than I've seen it since the big Floods this past Spring.  And, it is Spawning Season so lots of Young Fish swarming, I was so happy to let mine go back from whence they came and have a better chance of survival, only Two of the Three Bass I Raised survived, we don't know what happened to the 3rd one?  It must have Died and the Snails consumed it quickly coz no Fish Corpse was ever found inside or outside the Tank and no Fish looked sickly at all, just one day we couldn't see that one.   Online Reading did show the average Mortality Rate of Juvenile Striped Bass to be around 30%, so, successfully Raising 2 of my 3 was a good Stat, in the Wild the Success Rate wouldn't have been much better.

After we released my Fish we did some Canning and ended up pulling 33 Lbs. of Aluminum Cans out of and around the Nature Preserve this Morning.  We turned them in to the Recycling Center and then went to Lunch at a fav Family Owned Mexican Restaurant in the Old Barrio near our Historic Home we Sold, Zamora's, bringing some Chips and Salsa Home for the Kiddos.  Princess T and The Son get off early on Fridays and look forward to having some Days Off, he has Saturday and Sunday Off and she has Sunday and Monday Off.   I'm only officially Working a Permanent Friday Night Shift now if they don't ask me to fill in for absentee Co-Workers.   Which, I'd rather work fill in Shifts than have any more permanent Shifts actually.  I don't want that kind of a regular Commitment I have to Honor while allegedly being Retired.  *LOL*

The Daughter did a Video Chat with us, she's Homesick already and so wanting to be back Home already.   She has a Friend whose going to pay for an Immigration Attorney to sort out the situation with the Grandkids being able to come and go easily across the Border, as they should be able to do being they have a Parent from each Country.   So, we'll see how that goes.  The Oldest and Youngest likely will remain in Mexico, it's the Middle Child that most needs the ability to move since she doesn't have Placement really and no Responsible Adult willing to finish Raising her except us.   Her Older Sister will be an Adult in Mid-December, but Works Two Jobs and goes to University under a Scholarship, so, she's just got too much going on to finish Raising her Sister whose only a little over a Year Younger than she is.  The Youngest one has Placement with the Sister of her Stepmom, they've help Raise her, along with Saint Maria.  Now she lives with them permanently.

That Aunt has no actual biological connection, she's just Salvador's Sister-In-Law by this Marriage he has.  But so long as Bio Family aren't opposed to the Youngest living with her, she is well Cared for, Beloved by them, and has permanent good Placement we don't want to disrupt.  We've often sent that Aunt Money to help with the Child's expenses and she knows when she needs Help, she can contact us and we'll do whatever we can.  Our Granddaughter does Love the Family she's with and has a strong Bond with them, that's Priceless, whether someone is biologically connected to you or not.   She's in her same School System while living with them too and she's a good Student, like her Older Sister was.   It's only the Middle One of that Trio that has similar Special Needs as their Older Sister, Princess T.   Tho' Princess T never had the Behavioral Issues that one has, which is why extended Family won't take her, she is Behaviorally Challenged, but, a Good Kid who is just higher Maintenance.

I mean, that is the Kid who threw herself prostrate across her Five Year Old Half-Sister when the Bad Actors came in on the Home Invasion, Shot and Abducted their Father, and even pointed the Guns at the Children!!!  Her Strength and Fearlessness under such Danger must have impressed the Mobsters coz they left them Alive, while the Adult Stepmother hid to Save herself.  That Granddaughter fiercely protected her Baby Sister and also is the one that dropped out of School to be a Full Time Caregiver to her ailing and dying Grandmother, Saint Maria.  Who required extreme Caregiving since she was 90 and also had advanced Dementia.  So, this Kid has just had a tough Hand Dealt and is not a delinquent Child at all, she's been thru and done more Adulting and shouldered more Responsibilities at a Tender Age than most Adults I know.  We won't forsake her and she knows this.

Now, The Daughter has had the Conversation with her that if she does choose to come back with her Mom to America and finish being Raised by her Gramma Dawn, she WILL Behave.  *Winks*   She's been told that all she will need to do is MEET me and KNOW that I'm stricter than her Abuelita Saint Maria was when she was still Well enuf to be Raising Grandkids.  *Smiles*  Saint Maria was very Old School in Child Rearing and a strong Matriarchal Figure for as long as she could be, Bless her and God Rest her Soul.   It's not as if I haven't Raised Behaviorally Challenged and/or Special Needs Kiddos before, I'm Seasoned and Experienced, as they would say.   This ain't my First Rodeo by any means.   And I got 'em all Raised and whatever doesn't Kill you does indeed make you Stronger, I can give Testimony!  Can I get an Amen?!  *LOL and Eye Roll*

Princess T got off about 45 Minutes early, so, I can relax some before I leave for Work now.  I don't have any Inventory to bring in, tho' I did Source Two large Antique English Toby Mugs where she works that I can easily Sell for Forty Bucks or more each.   We have a Customer that comes in Regularly whose an avid Collector of them and Schooled me on the most desirable ones.  He's a very unpleasant Man, but for some reason he always got along fabulously with me and so I'd always be the one to wait on him.  I don't know why he was so difficult and mean Spirited for everyone else, he never was with me at all.   We talked about English Antiquities a lot, he was quite knowledgeable and a consummate Collector.  We don't get many of those coming in regularly.  I liked the Guy and he spent a lot of Money at our Mall, but, nobody but me liked having to deal with him.

Anyway, even if he doesn't come in to Buy them, I'm sure they'll Sell, great condition for their Age and Online they Sell for over Fifty apiece.  I don't Source a lot of stuff for Resale anymore, but every so often when I know the Value is there and it's Primo Merch, plus the Margins are fantastic, I can't help myself still.  *Eye Roll*  I know I'd regret Passing on Primo Antiques at ridiculously low Price Points becoz clearly, they had no Idea what it was, or, didn't Care.   I personally think Toby Mugs are hideous and rather grotesque looking Character Mugs, so, I have never been Tempted to Own any, just have picked the occasional Older and best Quality ones for Resale.   The Two I Sourced are larger, Marked, older, desirable and quite hideous, one looks like an Evil Leprechaun.   The other has a Name on his Cap, so was easy to look up Online. 

The only Two Toby Mugs I wouldn't mind Owning are The Witch {above} and The Wizard {below}, but their value is $695 each and Rare, so, the Odds of Sourcing one secondhand cheaply, would be like Winning the Lottery.  *Winks, but, you never know!*   Even these are grotesque and hideous, but in a Cabinet Of Curiosities Weird, Odd and Wonderful kinda way that I would Possess and Display.  *Winks*   The Two I Sourced, Ugly and not Keepers.  *Ha ha ha*   I just instantly knew what they were and at Five Bucks each, well, No-Brainer to snag for Resale purposes.   Those are the kinds of things that Heirs, when they Inherit, and know nothing about, don't even bother trying to find out if it would profit them to Resell it or Pawn it, or, they surely would rather than Donating it to a Chazza.   This is Why I Teach my Heirs what things I have are worth as an Inheritance, so they can Profit off it rather than foolishly trashing it or giving it away.  

Throwing Money away happens a lot if Heirs aren't left actual Cash and have no Knowledge about Valuables that are worth more than just a pile of Cash.   Nobody would just toss almost Seven Hundred Bucks or Donate it, but, if they weren't aware the Above Mugs are worth that much each, they often ignorantly consider them a worthless Inheritance.  I probably told the Story about my Parents receiving a Monet as a Wedding Gift from an Eccentric Old Welsh Aunt who was Wealthy.  Rather than find anything out about the Painting, they didn't like it, thought it Ugly, didn't wanna be Rude about the Gift, so pretended to like it.  Which since they were very Young struggling Newlyweds, they thought was a Strange worthless Gift a Rich Eccentric Aunt gave to them and they didn't appreciate at all, they'd thought she'd give them Money.  *LOL*

 

So, they left it behind in their first Apartment!!!  *Gasp!*  Only Years later when my Nanna asked them what they'd done with the Valuable Monet Painting that Aunt Gifted them with, did they kick themselves in the Ass!  It was probably the most expensive Gift they'd ever receive in this Lifetime... and squandered it for lack of Knowledge!   Some of his Painting have literally Sold for Millions!   All my Parents remembered about the Painting is it was a smallish Still Life of a Vase of Flowers... and they didn't even want to hang it up, but thought perhaps that Aunt might come over and ask Why, but, when they Moved, they just left it hanging there!   Who knows what became of it or if New Renters or the Landlord recognized it was Valuable or not?!   Perhaps this is Why after that, my Parents Schooled themselves on Valuable Antiquities and gained Knowledge and Wisdom?  *Smiles*

*******

Knowledge and Wisdom are indeed Priceless my Friends and Ignorance isn't always Bliss... Dawn... The Bohemian