Comfort N Joy & The 10 Minute Christmas Tree Of 2024

 

The Man and I did go to the "Comfort N Joy" Christmas Themed Event at SWEET SALVAGE and had Breakfast first at "Snooze".  We talked with Friends of mine while in Line, and Designer Friends inside, got good Parking, took loads of Blog Fodder Imagery and left without Buying anything.  So, it was a Holiday Inspiring Day and I didn't mind that we couldn't afford to Buy anything.  Yes, I saw a few things I'd like to Own, if Budget had permit, it didn't tho', so, que sera sera.  And tho' I'll do a whole Blog Post about the Event later, since I have plenty of Images of it, this Post will concentrate on getting Home and having The Daughter already eager to put up and Decorate the Christmas Tree.  It's not a Tree you have to put together, it was already done and is smallish, tho' it can come apart in Two pieces, it's Stand is already attached to it too.  It's all Metal so you can't use Lights, I was Okay with all that this Year.  Simplicity was The Word for this Year's Tree.  My Victorian Fan was the first thing we used as Decoration on it coz it has a Golden Handle and The Look I felt I wanted.

I decided to use Antique Tin Type Photos turned into Christmas Ornaments that I'd used in 2019, the last Christmas we'd spent at Villa Boheme', the McManse.   Enough time time had passed to Cycle them again on a completely different Christmas Tree.  At The Villa, I'd used my White Tree and kept it Simple that Year coz we were Showing the House and Selling it during the Holidays.   This little Metal Golden Tree is a fav of mine but I'd never used it as my Main Tree before, it begged to be our Main Tree and turned out to be The 10 Minute Christmas Tree.  She and I had it Done in literally 10 Minutes.  Drops the Mic... Booyah!  After putting the Antique Tin Type Photo Ornaments on it, I decided the only other Ornamentation it needed was some of my Antique Black Rosaries and Antique Nun and Priest large Crucifixes.  As a Tree Topper we used an Antique Victorian Era Presidential Ribbon with Metal Fringe.  We sat the Tree up on my Vintage Metal Olive Green with Black Stripe Military Footlocker.

We put a couple of my Vintage Articulated Geese Cutouts on and beside the Footlocker and some of my Antique European Bread Boards nearby.  I still have to tie some Christmas Greens onto the Handles of the Bread Boards with some Vintage Seam Binding tho'.   I didn't have the Greens yet coz I intend to use Faux Greens, the Real Deal I could glean from our Pine Trees but they would Dry Out real fast.   Around on the Floor by the Tree and Fireplace we also arranged some Seasonal things we had handy.   The Tree Theme Evolved quickly and spontaneously and I really, really Loved how it turned out.   Not Thinking about it and just doing it as we went worked out much better than overthinking it or having it be contrived.   The Daughter had Fun doing it with me and was Surprised we got it done so fast with such Editorial Results we both really, really liked.  She thought we'd be doing it for Hours.  No way! *LOL*

I'd already made up my Mind about one thing this Year, the Quicker and Easier Decorating for Christmas and putting up that Tree would be, the Better.  Most items I threw on the Tree as Decorations were within a few Steps of where we set it up at in fact.  *LMAOROTF*  Yes, it was the Lazy Woman's Christmas Tree Theme this Year.   Easy and Quick putting up and will be just as Easy and Quick to take down and put away.  I thought about it and some of my best and most favorite Trees have been done on The Fly and without much forethought, just Spontaneous and hastily put up.   One Year my Dad had just Died right after Thanksgiving. He'd been Born on a Thanksgiving and had just Celebrated his 74th Birthday then Passed Days later in Hospice.  I wasn't in The Mood, due to actively in Raw Grief, to Decorate Wholeheartedly.   So, I put Rusty things we dragged in from the Historic Property's Acreage and Old Photos on the Tree that Year and called it a Day.  It is one of my all time Favorite Trees in how it turned out.

Of coarse every Year I Like how our Tree and Theme turns out.  It's just some Years I've spent an inordinate amount of Time and Money to do it... and other Years, like this one, Minutes and no added Expense at all, using whatever and just throwing it on there randomly.   We didn't have to rearrange much in the Sitting Room either to put it up, which was also quite Handy, so much less Work.   I never thought I'd go to Breakfast, an Event and put my Tree up all in one Morning/Afternoon!   By 1:00 p.m. we were completely done with that Trifecta of Activities and ready to make a Spaghetti Dinner for when The Son and Princess T got Home from Work at 3:00-3:30 p.m..   That too turned out great, I'd gotten some Kielbasa Sausage from "Sprouts" Deli on Sale for Two Bucks as our Sauce's Protein, had a Jar of Gourmet Sauce in the Pantry, an Italian Brand Angel Hair Pasta, and the Adult Kids made Garlic Bread.  Everyone Loved how it turned out and it was quick and easy too.

On the Political Front, the New AG Pick is probably the first Sane and Competent Choice now that the Creepy Pedo Pick resigned and withdrew his nomination, which was such a relief!!!   *Whew*  She's quite Experienced as the AG of Florida and even a Democrat AG had Positive things to say about her, since, he'd worked alongside her when she chose him to help her fight the Opiod Crisis in Florida successfully, in spite of their Political differences.  She respects the Rule of Law and has a Reputation that seems solid and she likely won't want to destroy by doing anything illegal or immoral for her Orange Boss?  So, I'm more encouraged about her being chosen and she probably will pass the litmus test in the Senate.  I don't mind any Positive Sane Changes being made to The Systems, many need some overhaul and improvements.   But we need competent, experienced, Law abiding picks in our Nation's highest Positions, not a complete Clown Car with an Insane Clown Posse aboard.  I don't know any Positive Picks he won't Cycle through if they Push Back and put Country over Party and absolute fealty to him, but, we'll see.

Even just a glimmer of Hope that some Picks might not want to burn the place down completely is somewhat encouraging at least.   Okay, so back to my Positivity Post Theme of some Comfort and Joy.  *Winks*  There wasn't the Crowds one would have expected at a most Popular Theme like the Christmas one, but, it was a respectable amount of people in line, most coming late tho'.   The Line didn't even get long until about 10 Minutes before the Doors opened and usually it would have been around the Building for at least an Hour before in previous Years.  Vendors and Designers were saying they noticed Competitors were extending the Christmas Shows like they had the Halloween Themed ones to make up for that.  In fact, the East Side locations of HIGHLAND YARD VINTAGE and STUDIO 108 COLLECTIVE are both doing more Christmas Themed Extra Events around Thanksgiving.   So, I might still get to go to the one I missed and attend the other one a 2nd time now.    

I'm glad, it gives me something Extra to look forward to doing with The Man that we're both enjoying and is a welcome distraction from The Issues Of Life.  He's doing quite a bit better handling the Sensory Overload of attending Events.  He spun around in Circles a tiny bit at this one we just attended, so I sent him out to the Warehouse Section of it to visit with Brittany the Hat Girl and Big Kenny, who both enjoy and indulge him when I've brought him along.  They weren't so busy they couldn't chat a little with him and he is getting a Hat next Month from Brittany to add to his Collection.   So, they were discussing Customized Options he might consider.  It will be my Christmas Gift to him and he's pretty jazzed about getting another one to round out his Custom Cowboy Hat she's made for him.  She always hooks us up with a Friend Special on the price, Bless her.  He reminds her of her Dearly Departed Grandpa.

Anyway, I do Hope it's a Successful Show for all of them, I know at our Antique Mall the Sales are Flat so far and it's discouraging and troubling.  I can't afford to weather too many Negative Pay Periods there where I'm not making Money.   I've weathered ups and downs before and even the Pandemic, but, this has been noticeably different and it's concerning to me.   It will be encouraging if Sales begin to Strengthen and regulate back to a normalized Holiday Season's profitable Paydays.   I haven't had such dismal Sales even during the height of Summer!!!  And we've adjusted Inventory and Price Points, changed up our Marketing Strategy and the Look of our Showroom, Targeted even Younger Customers to Buy from us... it's worked, but the Economy and Political Climate is still quite problematic and there's no controlling any of that.  I don't want to give up, give in or give out too soon tho', so have hung in there... I'm no Quitter when Times get Tough.

I've got to Price some Inventory Today to bring in with me Tonight for my usual Friday Night Shift.   I've got more Starbucks Cities of America Line Mugs to Let Go of and bring in.  I've drastically downsized my Starbucks Collection to make some extra Money, they are a Quick Turn and I can easily underprice many other Vendors who Sell them there.  Too many of the Vendors want that End of the Rainbow Customer who will pay Top Dollar.  I would never Buy from them at those prices and so I figure most Customers won't want to either and want to feel like they at least got a reasonably priced Collectible that is affordable and a bit of a Deal.   I'm underselling what Starbucks would charge them or what the high priced Vendors want to charge them, so, I Sell a lot of these Mugs and still make great Margins on the Sale.   So long as you're making Money you're not losing Money is my Mantra and Business Model.

The Daughter is gonna do some Yard Sales and Sell everything for a Buck of what I'd normally be Donating and won't Sell at my Showroom.  If it doesn't Sell then she said we'll Donate it.   I make good Donations to Charities but know my Kiddo needs the Money more than any Charitable Organization does.   This might at least keep her in Cigs and Mike's Hard Lemonades while she struggles to find enuf odd Jobs to have any Money of her own now. *Winks and LOL*  Living here and being Fed she Works tirelessly Helping me with Housekeeping, Caregiving, whatever I ask of her that I Need doing, which is Priceless to me.  In Mexico she said it's much easier to Work a Hustle to make Money and in America it's so much harder.   And, Community Helps each other out more there and are more Charitable, so, she got used to that and said America is much less Compassionate to their Neighbors and the most vulnerable of Society now.  True that. 

 

Plus, in Mexico she didn't need as much Money to Survive, here she said it's damned near impossible if you have a Disability that makes you Unemployable and you can't Qualify for any Social Services or get stiff Restrictions on how long you can receive any.  With the incoming Administration she said she knows folks like her are definitely on the Let Them Die Program for Hair Furor's Nazi Approach to those he deems The Undesirables.   The Hitleresque approach seems to be what his Voters wanted too, so it's not like they didn't Support those Draconian Objectives, they clearly Voted for him becoz of them in most cases.  And that says Volumes about us as a Collective and what we've devolved as and started to Become.  Not all of us, but at the very least more than Half if the Polls and the last Election Outcome are to be taken Seriously.  The Meme Below says it quite well, so I Saved it and Shared it.

If folks are Comfortable with that Reflection on themselves, then they've Become something they're perfectly Okay with without any Conviction.  I'm Okay with my own Reflection, my own Moral Compass and Code, but I see many folks who could definitely use some Conviction staring and Reflecting back at them.  I Condemn Cruelty and Hatred in all it's forms, it has no place in any Healthy Society that will remain Functional and be Great.   When any Nation ceased to be Good, it will also cease to be Great.   And what I've personally Witnessed of MAGA is the antithesis of making America Great or Good.  Cruelty and Hatred seems to be the dominant features of how it's been projected and exhibited.  Mostly towards other Human Beings they feel some kind of way about and only want to exclude and not be inclusive or live in Harmony with at all.  

But, also, in support of Fascism, Authoritarianism and Theocracy over Democracy.  I'm not Down with any of that and never will be, nor will I make Excuses for any of it, it's abhorrent to me... so, I'll always be The Resistance.   And it has so much less to do with Politics to me, personally, if you are a decent Human with a different Point of View I can Respect that and still coexist around you.  But, once you become an indecent Human, then your way of Being creates a barrier that probably can't be transcended for me to find tolerance for.   There are things Society should NOT Tolerate and make it abundantly clear that we will have Intolerance for it as a Collective and Push Back against it being Dominant within our Society.   If someone is Violent, Abusive, Cruel, Hateful, lacks Compassion or Humanity, do you really expect Tolerance for any of that?  I don't.   Nope, I have a Zero Tolerance Policy for it in fact, there is never a Good Excuse for Bad Behavior.  Behavior Tolerated is Behavior Accepted.

 

I don't Call anyone to Perfection, we're all Imperfect Beings, but, we should have Standards and an intact Moral Compass that isn't so broken or absent we become Inhumane and Predatory in our ways.   And I see far too many Americans devolving into lowering the Bar to where it's scraping bottom now and trying to Normalize that will never BE Normal, it's Abnormal and Abhorrent, and it always will be.   And any Person of alleged Faith who pretends it's Godly, is Perverting Godliness, and is becoming an Abomination, regardless of what Religion they ascribe to.  The Meme my Friend Robert Shared says it best and reflects my own Spiritual take on what my Creator expects of me while I'm inhabiting this Realm and being a Person of Faith Called to Reflect Godliness as best I can as a mere Mortal walking out this Journey of Life:

I've been Collecting some Profound Quotes and some Humorous ones lately to insert into my Blog Posts and Share on my Book of Faces Feed.  I think we all can use some Reminders sometimes and Work on ourselves, I'm always a Work In Progress and I know that and acknowledge I could do better and strive to Daily.   So, I did find the Meme Below particularly Humorous and perhaps you will too *Winks*, so that I don't have to Work Harder on MYSELF ...*LOL*:

And One more before we get to Today's Food Porn:

I mean, you know... it could be True, Right?  *Bwahahahaha*   So, anyway, I had the In Signature Flight Trio of Pancakes at "Snooze", you can pick any Three of their Gourmet Pancakes and I went with this Trifecta Choice, even tho' the Seasonal Pumpkin Pecan Pie Pancake was one I did waffle on and didn't get this time around:

So, Below is the Strawberry Shortcake one:

And then there is the Cinnamon Roll Pancake Below {which Won Out and replaced me choosing the Pecan Pumpkin Pie one} decisions, decisions:

And the Pineapple Upside Down Pancake Below:

They were so Light and Airy, which is the only way I like a Pancake to be.  I do not like heavy Pancakes that end up filling my Stomach like Lead.   Which is Why usually I won't order Pancakes at most places and opt for French Toast or Crepe Selections instead.  But, "Snooze" knows how to make a Light Airy Excellent Pancake that is like eating a Cloud.  I also had the Bacon But Different, which is the BEST Bacon EVER and something they're known for too.   It's Thick Cut Bacon rubbed with Brown Sugar, Cayenne, Chili Flakes and drizzled with House Made Snooze Sriracha Maple Syrup... Divine... I swear I hear Angelic Heavenly Hosts Singing when I eat that shit!!!   I am determined to try to replicate it at Home some day!!!  *Bwahahahaha*

This Old Bear I've waffled on Selling for Years now and will probably end up Keeping him.  It seems like he was Hand-Made and he's articulated too and seems stuffed with Horsehair or something similar, don't know how Old he is and he's probably not a Steiff Bear coz no Button on the Ear, tho' he reminds me of one from the 1920's Era of Steiff Bears I've seen.   He was a Chazza Score for a Couple Bucks and he's Darker Brown than he looks in the Pixs, a deep Chocolate Brown and looks to be Old tho' he's in excellent condition for what I Believe his Age might be.  I still have my Childhood Teddy Bear that my Nanna bought me as an Infant, mine is in less than excellent condition and rather Velveteen Rabbit Skin Horse Loved half to Death.  *Bwahahaha*   I don't Collect Teddy Bears per se, but when I see a really Special One, I have Kept those and Sold Off any others I've Scored, they Sell well.  This One begged to be Kept and so I have resisted Selling him.

Originally I did Buy him with Intent to Sell, sometimes it happens that I do reconsider and then waffle on Letting Go of some pieces I didn't initially Intend to become a bit Attached to.  *Le Sigh*   I know, that's not supposed to be the Mission Statement and Point, but, it happens.  *LOL*   Anyway, he does look mighty Cute sitting on the Military Footlocker under the 10 Minute Christmas Tree of 2024.   I Photographed said Tree half to Death becoz it did turn out to be way more Editorial than I thought it would be for such a hasty set up of Christmas Present.  *LOL*   I may drag in one of my Vintage Industrial Lights that has an Art Deco Look to it and Shine it on said Tree.  Since I couldn't string Lights on a Metal Tree without risk of Electrocution... which, wouldn't make Christmas 2024 Memorable in a Good Way.  *Bwahahaha*  I have several such Lights in The RV Garage Mahal and could even put a Colored Lightbulb in one... I'm thinking an Amber Light might work nicely for a Warm Glow reflecting off of and enhancing the Gold Aluminum Branches?

 

This Tree is different than the Tinsel Trees that you can string Lights on and often come Prelit, this is like the Old Aluminum Pom-Pom Trees of the Sixties that you required a Color Wheel to Illuminate.  So, I have thought about trying to Source one of those Old Color Wheels too, but, they're usually quite spendy when you can even find one.   This is gonna be a Ghetto Christmas Season due to budget constraints.  *LOL*  Tho', my Social Security Check and State Pension did finally roll in and hit, tho' 4-5 Days Late and still don't know what was Up with THAT?!   Usually it hits on the 16th of the Month and not the 21st!   That delay was a Pain in the Ass and a Hardship, so was the 4 Day Delay in Emergency Fund Transfer from Savings due to New Policy of requiring fucking Apps for Immediate Wire Transfer now, just WTF is going on?!  Coupled with the Hurricane on the East Coast delaying the Mail and the receipt of Bills/Debt Payments on Time, it Cost me dearly.

The one thing I would like to Score from the Event is the front Round European Antique Bread Board with Copper Mending.   I plan to tie some Greens and put some Primitive Bead Necklaces on the ones I already have at Home.   The Kiddos are asking me what I would like for Christmas and if they take up a Collection, I could put it towards Buying something like this that I do want and would Like to have, but don't Need.  So, no Big Deal if I don't get it, you know?   *Smiles*   Antique European Bread Boards are spendy and the Collection I already own is a Trio that I Sold Off some Modern American Pizza Bread Boards I Sourced in a Box Lot from a Restaurant Closure to Fund the Purchase of.  

It was easy to Sell Off the American Bread Boards coz they were Commercially used for a long time and had The Look, so, if someone wasn't a Purist and just wanted The Look, they were easily affordable for the Price Point I set for each of them.  I Sold them all and Bought my Antique European Bread Boards with Metal Mending with the proceeds.   Win-Win, didn't even have to Tap the Budget.   Kim Imported these from Europe and they're large and what I want for my own personal Collection.   So I kind of put my Mojo all over this one in Hopes nobody else Buys MY Antique European Round Bread Board patiently waiting for me?   They'll WANT it but be unable to Purchase it and they just won't know WHY?!   I've had Vendor Friends who said there was something great they had been unable to Sell for sometimes YEARS and couldn't understand Why, and I had to Confess it was something I Wanted and couldn't get, so had put my Mojo on it until I could Claim it.   They told me to STOP THAT!!!  *Bwahahahahahaha, that's not Hyperbole either, I do it and that's a True Story!!!*

There was even once an Antique Still Life Oil Painting of Cabbage Roses, Unframed, that I desperately Wanted and couldn't afford, I Lusted after it for Years in a Fav Shop.   My Friend Gail got to it when the Vendor was Closing her Store and reduced it to affordable price.  *Dammit*  I put my Mojo on that Painting anyway, fast Forward Five Years later and Gail must have decided to Let it Go and it turned up in another Antique Mall Space, THE Painting, coz it had OOAK flaws to it, very Old, a bit of Canvas Damage that was unmistakable.   Yep, you Guessed it, the Vendor had it at an even much lower Price than Gail had gotten it for On Sale Years before and now it was MINE.    It had Waited Patiently for me for close to a Decade and the Laws of Attraction had come Full Circle.  Anything worth Having is worth Waiting for my Friends.   I can Outlast most people when it comes to certain things I'm Determined to have, I'm like a Dog with a Bone that way.  *Smiles*

I don't do much on Friday Mornings and Afternoons so as not to be too Tired to Work my Shift on Friday Nights.  We haven't been busy, but, I've felt Tired doing practically nothing before even here at Home.  *LOL*   We're gonna renew our NetFlix Account, since, it expires Tomorrow and we decided to do the One Month Twenty Dollar Renewal which is doable for now.  I just finished watching Jim Gaffigan's NetFlix Special "Obsessed", I really like him and find his Humor hilarious.  It balances out the heaviness of everything to watch a little Comedy.  It's only in the Lower 40's Outside Today all Morning and in the higher 50's by Late Morning, so I'm feeling too Cold to be Outside doing anything.  If it Warms up into the 60's or 70's it'll be Delightful tho', so, all Body Parts Crossed that it does.   

We did have to finally turn the Heat on in the House, but for a few Weeks we didn't have anything turned on and so my latest Utility Bill was way lower.  I'm still paying down those High Stratospheric Utility Bills from Summer when our Unit was on the Fritz and before the Ductwork/Insulation Upgrade to fix what was Wrong.   Of coarse that Cost me Thirty Five Grand of Home Improvements that we couldn't avoid and had to Finance, which busted Budget considerably.  I recall when I could Buy a Home for that much and Finance it much longer to make it affordable!!!   I know, us Dinosaurs are annoying like that when we bring up what Essentials used to cost and now are mostly unattainable or a Financial Hardship for the majority of us these days.  I keep readjusting the Budget to make it go further, but there's only so much you can stretch it.  I'm at maximum stretching capacity now and am running out of Options and Creativity to make it have the Ends Meet.

The Son said he's not sure if he'll Qualify for the Complimentary Turkey at Work this Year since he was Laid Off for a couple Weeks?   I'm not counting on him getting one, so, if he does, it's a nice Bonus to the Holidays and Thanksgiving.  If not, it's Okay, we'll figure something else out, probably Turkey TV Dinners for all Five of us.  *Winks*  Hey, I don't mind the Swanson Turkey TV Dinners, it's got everything we'd need with less expense and Work than usual.  *Smiles*  Plus, The Son and Princess T don't really like Thanksgiving Traditional Feast Foods and might decide to choose a different TV Dinner, so then everyone is happy, even the fussier ones.   You know, the ones that squeak when being Served Turkey or Stuffing, Yams or Cranberry Sauce.   I've had Princess T ask for Spaghetti for Thanksgiving Dinner before!!!   And The Young Prince convinced himself in his early 20's that suddenly, and for no apparent actual reason, he was "Allergic" to Ham Products.  *LOL*

I just finished watching the NetFlix Comedy Special of Shane Gillis, he's really good.  You Laugh about things you don't really wanna Laugh about becoz he's so deliberately inappropriate, but his Delivery is so exceptional, you can't help yourself.   And that's really the Point of Comedy, to be able to see Humor in anything and everything, even the Dark stuff.   I did go back and finish up the Grocery Shopping since The Daughter had given me a New List when I got Home and since I needed to go back and get the NetFlix Renewal Gift Card, I didn't mind.  I also got the Turkey TV Dinners tho' Oddly "Fry's" doesn't carry Swanson so I got Hungry Man and Banquet instead.   The Banquet are smaller for the Family Members that might want less food and they were on Sale too, so, even if nobody wants them for Thanksgiving, they may want them to bring for Lunch at Work.   They also had Bison Burgers on Sale and New York Strip Steak on Sale... so, the Freezer is now full of Quality Proteins.

It didn't look like a lot of people were Grocery Shopping for Thanksgiving yet and it's getting pretty close, so, that was Odd.   Either they're gonna do it last Minute or not at all?   They had all the usual Fixings and Holiday Fare like Turkeys and Hams on Sale, just, nobody seeming to be Buying it yet.   The good thing was they had a Sale on Sodas where you bought 2 Twelve pacs and got 3 Free.  We drink a lot of Bottled Water, Sodas and Teas, so when it's on Sale I stock up.  And I enjoy doing my own Grocery Shopping, but I do see where Grocery Pick-Up is now a big thing.   Most of the Major Retailers now probably do half their business having their Employees doing the Shopping for Pick-Up Customers... so they've Modified their Stores accordingly and their Parking Lots.  It's like Drive-Thru Fast Food Grocery Shopping now.  They even Load it for the Customers just Driving Up for Pickup, they don't even have to get out of their Vehicles. *LOL*

And I'm sure there's just as many who don't leave Home at all and have it Delivered.   Which is a good thing for Shut-ins and those who lack their own Transportation or don't/can't Drive... or some Celebrity that is too Famous they can't go anywhere under the cover of Anonymity anymore without needing Security or being mobbed.   But, for everyone else, how Crazy does your Life get to where you can't even spend the Time to do your own Shopping ever?  *LOL*   And tho' I do spend a lot of Time Online Blogging, I'm not so tied to my Technology or so Lazy that I can't part from it long enough to do some things myself.  Or have all I Need Delivered to me, so that I don't have to bother with putting Pants on or something.  *Winks*   No Wonder Americans are more Obese and basically more Unhealthy than most other Nations, too many now do nothing Physical at all during any given Day if they can't do it Online, it won't get Done.

 

I was watching a Report that came out saying that out of all First World Developed Nations, our Life expectancy is a good 10 Years Shorter than all the others becoz of that!!!  And we've Traveled to and Lived in other First World Developed Nations and I must say their Old People especially, are in much better Shape than ours, at any Age overall.   My Uncle in Wales lived to be 90 and was still actively Riding his Bicycle everywhere, did his own Shopping and Home Improvements, Lived Independently and was totally in his Right Mind when he Died.  Many of my Mom's Relatives that remained in Wales were like that and the vast majority lived to be in their late 80's thru Age 99 for my Great Aunty Ivy, my Nanna's Youngest Sister.   Aunty Ivy was still wearing High Heel Shoes and putting her Makeup on and doing her Hair, the Ultimate Fashionista clear thru Age 99.  My Uncle used to Joke that he'd seen Aunty Ivy tottering around on her High Heels with her War Paint on.  *Bwahaha*

Another thing I noticed about my Mom's Relatives and my Dad's Relatives was that NONE of them ever got Fat, not a one of them!  They all stayed Slender their entire lives except for my Mom and I, WTF?!  *Le Sigh*  Mom was like me tho', very Skinny until her Hysterectomy too, so I do attribute it doing something Negative to our Natural Metabolism.  And our Surgeons warned us of that, but having Cancer would have been worse, so... we had the Surgery to avoid that.   Becoz Mom didn't overeat, didn't eat Fast Food or Junk Food, didn't drink Soda or Alcohol, and she was a Vegetarian the majority of her Life.  My Dad was the Ultimate Naturalist when it came to Diet and so he weighed the same his entire Adult Life.  My Dad at 74 was exactly the same Size as he'd been at 21 thru 74!!!   I would venture to Guess he never was within 5 lbs. difference from his late Teens until the day he Died.  And he was a Master Chef and a Culinary Jedi who Loved preparing Food.  I should have been so Lucky... Alas...  *Le Sigh*

I did put out my newest Trio of Christmas Creepy Dolls, I'll have to look for the other Two Christmas ones I bought Last Year.  I'm pretty sure they're in the Christmas Storage Closet somewhere.   I'm also strongly considering Downsizing more of my Seasonal Christmas Decor and Selling Off the Collectible ones at the Antique Mall.  Especially the Hallmark Ornaments, which I've Collected since I was only 13 and have more of than I need for just any One Tree now.   So, I wouldn't mind wading thru the Vintage Hallmark Ornaments and Purging my least Favorite ones to Sell Off.  Vintage Christmas does Sell very well, and pretty much, Year Round, not just during or before the Holidays.  Some Vendors Specialize in just having entire Christmas Merch in their Spaces all the time and they seem to be able to stay Solvent doing just that.  I'm not that Into the Christmas Decor to be able to do an entire Showroom or Booth with it all the time, or even during the Holidays. 

Sometimes I'm pretty damned sure that as much of a Maximalist as I confess to be, and how much Downsizing I want and need to still do, I must not have nearly a fraction as much Inventory as so many other Vendors have!!!???!   I mean, Seriously, they must have loads of Storage necessary for the volume of Inventory they seem to have all the time!!!   And if they're Paying for Offsite Storage of it, then it must be Costing them a Small Fortune and really cutting into their Margins, unless they Own a Warehouse?   I Own a huge Warehouse sized RV Garage and now a She Shed too, but I can't hold a Candle to how much Merch so many of them seem to have on Hand for Resale!!!   I just couldn't even Imagine that much Outlay for Resale Merch Purposes!

*******

Blessings, Love and Light from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian