A Sentimental Journey

 So, The Daughter is Petsitting Julissa's Kitten becoz her Grandma and Grandpa said she has to try to find a new Home for it.  Her Grandpa has a big German Shepherd Dog and it broke a Window trying to get at the Kitten!   I've told the Girls that we aren't gonna have said Kitten dumped on us, that's how we ended up with Eli, when Anthony's Aunt became allergic and he had to get rid of him as a Kitten.  Luckily Julissa's Kitten is still very Young, Small and Adorbs, she's a Tortoiseshell Short Hair, Litterbox Trained and very mellow, likes being handled, so perhaps they can find a permanent Home for her very soon?  Julissa got her without permission, she's 24 but living with her Grandparents, so, shouldn't have snuck the Kitten into the Household and try to hide that she had it.

Julissa is one of Amber's Three Grown Children and has Special Needs.  So, she's 24 but very immature, a Pretty Girl but slow and has Issues.  I highly suspect she is on the Autism Spectrum, as, her Mom is too.  They're very clever and almost savant about some things, and lag behaviorally, emotionally and intellectually in other things.  They don't do so well Socially since they don't pick up on Cues.  When Julissa comes over for a visit, it's hard to get her to go Home, she doesn't pick up on Cues when she's outstayed her Welcome as a House Guest.   And, she'll act like she just lives here, which can come across as intrusive and without Social Filters that are appropriate, if you're not used to Autistic Behaviors that are typical on the Spectrum.

So, anyway, I told The Daughter the Kitten must stay in the 5th Wheel and I don't want it here very long, they have to figure something out, it's not our Problem and I'm not having them make it one.   I do not want a menagerie and a Pet is a long term Commitment, they become an integral part of the Family and I already got enuf Family here.  *LOL*  We're not Adopting any more Family or picking up Strays and Discarded Sentient Beings.  *Smiles*   Since a lot of our Neighbors have Livestock and Barns, perhaps they'd want a Working Cat?   I don't know how good a Huntress she might be or could be as she grows up?   I know our Tortoiseshell Short Hair, Miss Priss, was an excellent Huntress and mellow Pet as well as a good Working Cat.  What Worries me is this Kitten LOOKS too much like the Beloved Miss Priss, so I don't want my Kiddos getting attached to a Miss Priss Reincarnate?!  *LOL*

I watched a NetFlix Movie "Bird Box" {2018} with Sandra Bullock and John Malkovich.  It was a Horror Suspense Sci-Fi End Of Times Movie, pretty good, I enjoyed it.  There were others I tried to watch but didn't captivate me and if I'm 10-15 Minutes in and lose Interest, chances are I'm wasting my Time watching them any further.   The only thing worse than wasting a Quarter of an Hour watching a Bad Movie is watching more of a Bad Movie and realizing you completely Wasted your time.  *LOL*   I'm just glad we're Streaming, I can only Imagine the people who Paid to watch it at a Theater and realizing, this was a total Waste!  The sad thing is, now, even quality Actors are taking crap Movie roles, probably just a Money Grab, but it fools the Audience into thinking it's a Quality Movie if it had well known popular Actors in it.

The Man is already having Anxiety about his VA Hospital Appointment Tomorrow, so, it's gonna be a long Night of him being Wound Up and not really wanting to go.  His Feet Healed fine from when he nicked a Toe and it got infected badly for trying to cut his own Toenails.   But, now they want him seeing Podiatrists regularly for Foot Care and I think that's a good Idea.   And, at least the VA hooked him up with one without a Year Long Wait, which is their usual when the Veterans need to see a Specialist.  Either that or they have to go straight Civilian with a referral that often isn't fully Paid for with their Earned Benefits.  So, we'll see how good the VA Hospital Podiatrist is or if it's the usual Cattle Call?

I'm keeping an Open Mind, and remain Hopeful this will be a good Specialist he'll be seeing regularly and getting good Care from.  We'll see, and I'm going to try to make it an enjoyable Day otherwise, as an incentive and bribe, to help him want to be on Board with going.  It's hard coz another one of those "Missing" Payments that got Lost or Delayed in the Mail during that Hurricane just cleared, overdrawing again, so... had to play Whack a Mole with Bank Accounts again and incur another Penalty for my Bank covering that wayward Check.  A Stop Payment would have cost me just as much as the Overdraft, and, it would have hit anyway and incurred the Overdraft on top of the Stop Payment Fee, so... it is what it just is, a Pain in the Ass.  Since it was a whole Truck Payment, it wasn't Small.  So, it really challenged the Budget badly.  *Le Sigh*

 

On a Fluff of Life Note, I thought this Altered Art Tray with Knife Handles soldered together to imitate a Saguaro Cactus Centerpiece was Clever.  It was expensive, so, I'm not a Player, but I can appreciate it.  I've wanted to learn how to Solder and it's something I still want to see if I'd enjoy doing.   Back when Altered Art Bottles were a Thing I really wanted to take some Classes, but Caregiving always got in the way of being able to commit to taking a Class when they'd be available.  That's usually my biggest barrier and obstacle to doing most things I'd like to do.  It's often why I don't make it to the Gym as often as I'd like to be able to and since at the first of 2024 they restricted the Hours Seniors could attend Lifetime Fitness, it inhibited my options even moreso.  If I could go way earlier or way later, it would gel with my Schedule.   So, it can become complicated to have the Free Time and coverage at Home.

I'm still enjoying some Autumnal Vibes and was glad to see some Autumn and Thanksgiving Decor still out in the Shops and available.  I haven't been Shopping hardly at all and won't be, but, still nice to see what's being Merchandised.   I still have Autumn in the Showroom and will switch it to a Christmas Vibe on Black Friday before my Shift.  Our Mall never does a damned thing for Black Friday, which I've always argued is a huge Marketing Mistake and enormous Missed Opportunity.  But, Management Stubbornly refuses to do anything for Black Friday except let the JC Penney long Pre-Black Friday Lines come in early to use our Bathrooms?  Just WTF?   It's not like they come back to Shop, since, no incentive to when every other place is having Big Sales and we aren't, so why would they waste their Opportunities available everywhere else coming in to our Mall and paying Full Prices?   So, they just take a quick shit and a piss, then leave.  What's the Point I ask you of Management thinking that's an incentive for a Shopper to stay and Buy?  *Eye Roll*

Anyway, so, I don't expect Black Friday to have Strong Sales at our Antique Mall, it never does.  Usually it's Flat Sales becoz Shoppers are everywhere else that is enticing them to Shop there instead.  The same thing happened for Halloween, they completely missed another Opportunity to entice Shoppers in that Day and Night, by making it a Destination and Event to Celebrate that Holiday.  Every other place did and they were Killing it, we weren't, and it wasn't surprising Why.  And missed Golden Opportunities are Flatlining what could have been our biggest and Strongest of Sales days.   They wait too long to even do anything Special for Christmas.  By the time they do anything, most people have already finished their Christmas Shopping and only the 11th Hour Shoppers remain who are basically Panic Buying or just picking up Gift Certificates to other Businesses as an Easy Answer.

I had this little Art Tag that I really liked and got.  It's one of the inexpensive Smalls I Bought, from a Favorite Paper Arts Vendor at our other Antique Mall.   She's one of the few that still Sells some Tim Holtz Line Swag Packs and she had recently made some to Stock her Booth with.  I would have liked to have gotten more, but used restraint becoz really I don't NEED any more Craft Supplies.  And those who also Love Crafts and Paper Arts know what I'm talking about.  *Winks*  The Issue for me is, a lot of a Line gets discontinued, so if you really dig it, you better get yours while there's still some left and they don't Retire it or the Line doesn't just quit being Sold Locally.  Tim Holtz used to be Sold in "Michael's" Craft Stores for example and isn't now due to the Loss Prevention Issues they had with it.   They were having more Stolen than Bought, so, they ceased to carry it.   Shoplifters do Negatively impact all Honest Consumers and Retailers... so it's not a Victimless Crime that shouldn't be taken Seriously by Police.

Most Police don't wanna be bothered with responding to Thefts, Shoplifting or Burglaries anymore and that's why it's rampant.  And Ordering Online isn't the Answer to protect the Consumer or Sellers, becoz of Porch Pirates, which now is a whole other new Crime Spree not being taken Seriously by Police either.   And another 'New' Crime Wave is the Targeting of Famous Celebrities, especially Sports Celebs, who are getting ripped off by Organized Crime Rings now.  It's making the News, but, whether it's being taken Seriously will remain to be seen.  I know when we've had Thefts, Vandalism, Break-Ins, in the Past, the response by Policing Agencies is abysmal and they act irritated that they even have to respond or sympathize with Victims of these Crimes or Protect them in any way.  And that disgusts me.  Especially since I spent a whole Career in Criminal Law at our DA's Office.   And if a Policing Agency doesn't do a good Job or take a Crime Seriously, it's difficult to successfully Prosecute any Case against those Criminals.

And while on my Mini Rant, 45-47 obtaining his Get Out Of Jail Free and remain Above The Law Cards... is a disgrace.  But, his Voters made it so... along with the Supreme Court Justices who Granted his Immunity... and even the U.S. Attorney General, Merrick Garland, delaying the Process too long when he could have been Prosecuted.  The whole System failed and eroded confidence that it works properly to bring Justice and consequence to anyone who doesn't respect the Rule of Law and commits some of the most Serious Crimes, while at the top of the Food Chain and abusing that Power, Trust and Authority.   Some are saying it failed the American People, I disagree, it only failed those of us who expected Justice to be Served and not give him Carte Blanche to commit any Crime he wanted to then... and now... without fear of any consequences like everyone else would surely face.  He has shown he IS above the Law... blatantly and unapologetically so.  Perhaps some Americans think that's fantastic, it's NOT... it's a slippery fucking slope and very dangerous precedent.

LATER: We're FINALLY back from the VA Hospital, they were running real far behind schedule so we were there Hours after our Scheduled Appointment, but all Staff were exceptional this Day.  And here we were at the Foot Doctor and I was so embarrassed and mortified when The Man took off his Socks and his Feet were absolutely filthy like a Homeless Man!  OMG!  He'd told me he'd just taken a Shower that Morning so I took him at his Word since I'd heard someone in the Shower, but, it sure wasn't him!  *LOL and yet So Humiliating*   The Two Doctors were so good Humor about it and said his weren't the worst they'd seen and I'm like, "OMG, I'm so Sorry for you then!", and we all Laughed.  I explained he has TBI and sometimes he thinks he JUST did something and clearly, it was a while ago!  I had neglected to check him before he put his Socks and Shoes on since we were running late.  Getting this Show on the Road is another challenge, he moves in Slo' Mo' and is constantly distracted!

  

We went and did the Survey they wanted him to do as well.  They've got a new comprehensive Program for Specializing by what Theaters of Operations Vets were Deployed in so that Ailments associated with Wartime exposure aren't neglected or misdiagnosed.  This way the Primary Physicians aren't thinking something is no cause for concern and perhaps it is, depending upon what the Patient was Exposed to during different Wars.  The Man has been exposed to everything from Agent Orange in Vietnam to Chemical Warfare in the Middle East.   He's had Chemical Burns on his Skin and down his Throat and it's also scarred his Lungs, among other War related damage and injuries to his Body, inside and out.   So now they'll be referring Guys like him who've seen a lot of Combat, to Specialists more often to pinpoint more serious conditions related to all the exposure he's had.   Better late than never.   We really Liked all his Doctors Today and he'll be seeing these ones every 3 Months now.

So, that all went very well, except for the long Waits.  But, clearly they're overworked there and demand is very high.   The Cafeteria at the VA Hospital isn't as good as Civilian Hospitals Cafeterias are so we didn't eat there.  After all his Appointments were a Wrap I took him to "5 & Diner" for Lunch, we'd completely missed Breakfast by the time we got out of the Hospital.   We both had the Meatloaf and there was enough there for Three Meals for each of us.   I was Mad Hungry by then and since Tuesdays is when I also take my Weekly Trulicity Injection, as well as Daily Lantus Injection, so you can't go without eating since on an empty Stomach, you're gonna Feel dreadful!!!   The Man takes his Weekly Ozempic Injection on Tuesdays too so we were both fading by the time we got to eat.  *LOL*  We ate about 1/4 of the Meal and Saved the rest for another set of Meals.   I just can't eat much anymore.

Food still tastes good to me but I just fill up fast now and don't need to eat very much to feel satiated.  It's regulated my Blood Sugars well and helped me lose Weight, I do attribute the change to having used GOLO, I don't even need to take it anymore.   Anyway, the Weather is Perfect Today so it was nice to be out and about in it.  Traffic was terrible tho', so it took us way longer to commute to the VA Hospital Downtown than I expected, damned near Two Hours each way!   Gridlocked most of the way... so I am glad I don't have need to drive into the Heart of the City too often anymore and Deal with all that.   The Man gets Passenger Road Rage, one would think he was behind the Wheel.  *Bwahahahaha*  I have my Spa Music Station on so I'm Riding all Zen and don't let it bother me, tho' it is annoying to try to get anyplace on Time.   We Lucked Out and got the last Handicapped Parking Space at the VA Hospital, that's like Winning the Lottery, I kid you not!  *Whew*

The Young Prince let me know he won't be able to think about getting here now until after the New Year.  We were hopeful he could be here for the Holidays, but, that's not gonna happen.   I don't know if it's due to his Knee injury or Finances, he's reliant on Allen making it happen, so, I just don't wanna pry.   I know he dislocated his Knee moving some heavy things and was told to allow it time to Heal.  I don't know how long an injury like that takes to completely Heal?   He'd thought about Six Weeks or so, which would make it hard to be here before the first of the Year actually.  So, I'd rather he take it easy and Heal properly.  I have a Knee Problem on my Right Leg so I know how Painful that can be.  Anyway, he doesn't seem distraught and I do know he said Allen got on Medication, which must be helping too, to get along even tho' they're rather estranged relationally and seem to be going thru with agreeing to get Divorced.

Princess T has gone out Tonight with some of her Friends, she's more outgoing since she's begun Working and making Friends of some of her Co-Workers.  A nice bunch of Young People, most are Older than her but she's very Mature for her Age, so, fits right in with those in their 20's and early 30's.  She's been an Old Soul since she was a Toddler.   Plus, she grew up being Raised by Grandparents and having her Uncle they were Raised with too.  He's always been more like a Big Brother than an Uncle, since, he was only 13 when The Young Prince was Born and he'd always help me with his Niece and Nephew while they were growing up.  So, they also do often fuss at each other like Siblings.  *LOL*   He often joked that Princess T was a Mini Me of her Mother.  *LMAOROTF*  Now that she's gotten to know her Mom and The Daughter is living here too, they are often like Peas in a Pod and notice their similarities.  *Smiles* 

The Daughter is making such headway in The RV Garage Mahal now that's it cooled off to be able to work in there more of the Day, it's really coming together quickly now.   I know when her Son arrives, he'll delve into it too becoz he was doing a lot like she now is, when he and Allen were living here with us.   The Daughter and The Young Prince Love to root thru the Hoard of Lovelies.  *Winks*   And, they both Love Styling and Decorating so I'm letting her do whatever she wants to in there and have Fun with it.  Keeps her occupied, helps me out tremendously, and she's got a good Eye for Styling things in a way that's pleasing to me.  In fact, she set up and Decorated my Halloween Tree and I like what she did with it better than what I was gonna do with it as a Year Round Halloween Tree!!!

Turned out Cute, No?  *Winks*  I picked that Tree up at a Chazza a few Years ago and always intended to put it up around Halloween in the Main House.  But, now I can just keep it up Year Round in The RV Garage Mahal, along with a few other Year Round Christmas Trees and perhaps a Valentine's Day Tree.   At The Villa Boheme' McManse I used to Decorate a Year Round Tree for the various Holidays and it was set up in the Dining Room Area where we often ate Holiday Meals when we'd have larger Family gatherings.  I must say that enormous Manse did lend itself well to Hosting big gatherings effortlessly.  There are things I miss about every single Home I've ever Owned tho', each had it's particular Memories and Merits that were Priceless.   So, when we get everything Done here I can't wait to just relax and have all Useable Functional Space again.  It's been close to Six Years coming now.

And now a Blast from the early 1980's Past... Mom, my Aunty Mo, The Daughter and Myself.  I had never seen this Pix before and it was in some I Inherited from Boxes we got from my Brother that had been my Mom's.   He's a Retired Professional Photographer but isn't attached to Photos, so he always sends them to me, since I'm the Keeper Of The Past in the Family, especially of Photos.   Always so Nostalgic to see Photos from Way Back that you've never seen before and so are New to you.   I think this is probably some my Aunty Mo had that her Husband, my Uncle Al, sent to us after she Passed.  The Daughter is currently Organizing all our Photographs coz she will eventually become the Keep of the Past and carry it forward, since, she's the most Nostalgic of her Generation.   I remember when Cabbage Patch Kids were all the Rage and you couldn't find or get them anywhere, my Aunty Mo got one in Cali and sent it to The Daughter.   One of her Grandkids is related to Frank Sinatra, so, she had connections.  *Winks*

The Son came Home with a Turkey they gave to him from Work, a 20 Pounder, but we're keeping it Frozen and will wait 'til The Grandson moves back in and then have a big Celebratory New Year's Meal together.  Finances by then might be more solid and straightened out.  Good News was that this last Pay Period, I must have pulled it out of my Ass on the final Day and had Strong Sales coz I am getting a decent Check!   And that's after paying what I owed them from the previous Pay Period where I was $38 in the Red.   So, that was a nice Surprise and also I've started this Pay Period out Strong, which is a Relief too.  Let us Hope it Holds and improves thruout the Holidays now?   I'm glad his Employer didn't act like he's brand new and wasn't entitled to the Turkey they usually give each Employee at Thanksgiving.  They usually also have a Thanksgiving Party with Door Prizes closer to Thanksgiving and he has Won a couple Years in a row.

 

TJ has been helping The Daughter there in The RV Garage Mahal with heavier lifting so that she doesn't have to ask me to do it with her.  I appreciate that, I can still do heavy lifting, but, he's Younger and Stronger so... *Winks*   He's also Volunteered to help her install the Cast Iron Shelf Bracket Feet on all my Architectural Salvaged Doors that we'll be then standing up to use as Room Dividers.  They've carried about half my Stash of Old Doors Outside onto the RV Garage Mahal Patio Slab now to do that Project.  Then they'll haul out the other half and install the Feet on them too.  Both of them couldn't Believe how heavy some of those Antique Doors are!!!  *Winks... they don't Build 'em like that anymore, that's for sure!*   Intentional Obsolescence, as I said in a previous Post, is Real and why they deliberately Manufacture things to be disposable and need constant replacement these days for added Profits and obscene Colonialism Waste that isn't necessary nor Environmentally responsible.

So, here's my new Old Altered Art Show Ribbon on the Christmas Tree.  And I Sourced some incredible looking Asian Gourd Ornaments that I'm going to do a Smaller Tree with.   I'll Photograph them when I get that Tree Done, I'm on a Roll now with wanting to Decorate and Style for Christmas.  *Smiles*   Below is a tiny Tree I picked up for Four Bucks to put Outside our Entrance.   I Decorate that Vintage Suitcase Table for the Seasons.   I liked the Rustic Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Look that it had.   So I may put a Single Red Christmas Ball Ornament on it.  Pretty sure Princess T has one in her Stash of Christmas Ornaments.  She's been on a Roll with wanting to Repaint everything, the Walls of her Room, now her Furniture... AGAIN... she had it White, now it's Black... now she wants to go back to White again becoz it doesn't show the Dust as much.  *Bwahahaha*  Plus, she's kinda moved out of her Dark Gloomy Teen Angst Phase of wanting everything Black.   So, she's coming back into the Light she says. *Winks*

She took me out for Pho', her Treat, at the Vietnamese Restaurant and I had the Wonton Pho' this time.  {Below}   She's enjoying Treating her Grandpa and I to Meals Out now that she has her own Money/Income.  Yes, she always Sold stuff at the Antique Mall, but it really only Bought her some of what she needed or wanted and wasn't adding up like having a Real Paying Job and full time Employment.  The Antique Mall Sales is discretionary Money, I've said it before, I don't know how anyone makes a Living out of doing that?   It would be way too precarious an existence for me personally and not at all like having a Good Job or a Career.   I'm not being Bougee, I just don't know how someone pays their Bills on The Regular with an Irregular Income?   Anyway, now she has both Streams of Income from what she Sells Off in our Showroom and what she's making at her Job.   Plus, she's Dreaming Up ways to make other Side Incomes.

She's a lot like I was as a Kid, like me, she's been Working a Hustle to make Money since she was about Two Years Old, I kid you not!   That's Why I always knew that in spite of her having Academic Special Needs, she'd be alright and do just Fine, her Gifts would make Room for her in this Journey.   There are a lot of Academics that don't know how to Hustle and make Bank nor how to Manage their Finances.   Trust and Believe I Foreclosed on more Academics and those who had good Careers and made Money but spent it recklessly, but never on someone who was Working but had Low Income... those Folks always made sure their Mortgage was Paid.   My First Corporate Life revealed a lot to me about People and their Priorities lemme tell ya.  And my Second Corporate Life revealed a lot to me about the depravity of some Human Beings.

So, The Daughter and her Friend Amber's Oldest Daughter, Ayana, dressed alike Today.   It was Cute, and tho' I've not thought Amber's Girls looked anything like her, in this Pix I can see a resemblance to her Mom when her Mom was in her Teens and early 20's.   The Black & White Pix is The Daughter and Amber when they were about 16.  Now all their Kids are Grown Adults, my how Time flies.  And while I was wading thru Years and Decades of Photo Archives I really got quite Emotional about all of the Memories, People, Places and Things.  I had to take a Break actually, it was Nostalgic in a very good, yet Emotional way.  And I'm very Sentimental, sappy in fact about Sentimental Things.  A Sentimental Journey in fact will choke me up like nothing else can... usually I'm Stoic and Unemotional... but when I look at Old Pixs, WOW, can I suddenly tap into a Well of Emotion!!!   It's Crazy!!!   *Smiles*

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Here's to People, Places and Things... may it all take you on your own Sentimental Journeys my Friends... Happy Thanksgiving from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian