So, Other Than All That... Everything Is Swell...

 Turns out at Princess T's first Pot Luck at Work they had a good spread and a good time.  But, she has to be so careful about what she eats, since she's intolerant to a lot of Foods and she had to Work the next Day, so didn't wanna risk getting ill, so she just ate some Pickles and Cupcakes!  *LOL*  Needless to say that meant she was famished when she got Home, it would have been better if she'd brought her own Lunch, but, she didn't wanna seem like a Weirdo or someone snubbing the Team Building Event.  It is tough when someone has Medical problems that make Eating a challenge... especially Eating Out.  I'm glad she didn't feel pressured into eating anything that would make her Sick.

Compare this Year's 19th Halloween Costume with her very First One when she was just Weeks Old, she was an Angel... of coarse.  *Winks*   I remember Wishing the Photographer had put her nestled in another Color of Flowers since she was a very Redskinned Baby when she was an Infant, and so Pink was just not the Color to balance that out well.  *LOL*  She was not Happy and wouldn't fall Asleep either, so they just had to finally do the Photo Session with her Awake and with her Mad Face.  That Kid could give you Resting Bitch Face since Birth!   And, she's still showing her Navel to this Day!  *Smiles*  She really did not like that little Floral Halo, and I still have it, being Modeled now by one of our Taxidermy Mounts.

And, since you can't do one Angel Child without doing the other here, well, here's The Young Prince when he was a Newborn.   Also as an Angel as his First Halloween Costume, I wasn't very Creative really with Newborn Costumes, clearly.  *LOL*   He was a Fairer Baby and not as swarthy, so the Blue Flowers were just fine against his Skintone.  He was also about a Month Older by Halloween than his Sister had been, since he was Born in early August of 2000 and she in late September of 2005.  He was much Happier at his Photo Session than she had been.  Things reversed as they got a bit Older, and she became the Hambone Diva in front of the Lens and he was extremely adverse to having Photos taken of him.  *Shrugs*  Back in those Days I had Professional Pixs done every once in a while of Kiddos coz I lacked a decent Camera until about 2009.

This was the Fabulous Sunrise we woke up to the Day After Halloween, so, Princess T and I were snapping Photos of it on her way to Work before we left the House.   Then I trawled the Stores for the After Holiday Markdown Sales and Scored some Halloween Size Snacks mostly for everyone to take to Work and some more Halloween Candy that are Favs of the Family.  At 30%-50% Off, why not?  And I hit the closest SPIRIT Store and picked up a couple of Accessory Smalls like Halloween Fabric Patches and a Hologram Tarot Deck at 25%-50% Off.  Today everything will be at 50% and Sunday is their last Day, but selection was already scant, so, I chose the first day of the Closeout Sale.  That way I ensured that I got what I was going for while they still had some left and not make a wasted trip.

Some places like Wal-Mart were confusing Customers by having all Halloween in a Markdown Specific Area with Signs of it being 50% Off and then most of the Snacks were NOT on Sale, WTF?  So, it was a Cluster Fuck at the Registers, becoz they all got held up with people getting Price Checks as to Why their Halloween was ringing up at Full Price, sneaky tactic IMO if you ask me.   So, we all had flats of the 24 Mini Sized Pringles Cans for example, with Halloween Packaging, ringing up at Full Price.  I loudly demanded they take the whole Pringles Display away from the Sales area if they weren't gonna Honor it with the Discounts Posted right where it was at.  I was irritated but wasn't as contentious as the Average Person Of Wal-Mart, lemme tell ya, that Location is in Da Hood!  *Bwahahaha*

 Then I waved my Hand dramatically at about 10 of us who had them and were deciding not to then Buy them, holding up Service.  "Do you want to be doing this all day?", I asked?  They promptly sent a Floor Associate to removed the Pringles.  *Winks*  Some Customers were demanding they receive the Discount due to the Store Error, so it was getting contentious.   And I'm SURE the Minimum Wage Employees, most of whom don't even get Benefits, didn't want to Deal with THAT all damned day either.   And that's not counting the folks who weren't paying attention when scanning and realize AFTER they Pay, that they got conned into a Halloween item at Full Price anyway that they had gotten out of the 50% Off area.   I'm sure Returns would be busy as Fuck when those start coming back in for Refunds.  Don't be deceptive is a good Rule of Thumb in Retail.

So, for First Fridays, Princess T's Bad Bunny White Ensemble turned into Slutty Bunny's Black Ensemble.  *LMAOROTF*  Slutty Bunny was Edgier than the more Innocent LOOKING Bad Bunny had been, even tho' she was actually covered up more.  Our Wednesday Addams Child went predictable Dark.  *Ha ha ha*  Most of that tho' was due to the Temps dipping down into the low 60's and this Bunny has no Meat on her Bones for Insulation.  So she came Home being Shivering Bunny! *Winks and LOL*   Pixs taken after she got Home at almost 2:00 in the Morning, when she has to be up for Work at 6:00 in the Morning, so, now at the Sunrise she's Tired Ratchet Bunny.  *LOL*  I stayed up and had checked in on them by Phone to make sure she and her Boy Posse were Okay and would even be coming Home?  Once they're Grown, you never know, but, she's good about voluntarily and considerately informing me of her Plans.

 

So, now, their Halloween Revelry over, it's a Wrap!  *Smiles*  And I'll be doing my Dia de los Muertos Today with The Man in tow since he's decided he's up for another Jaunt around The Desert Botanical Gardens and mebbe another Meal at "Gertrude's".  *Winks*  He did pretty good last time and it gets him Moving and Engaged in something other than his Fav Program Reruns to stimulate his Brain.  Whatever I can do to stall his deterioration is a Win-Win for all of us.  Work was slow, I mean really, really, deaded and deserted in the Antique Mall.  Sales are abysmal and we did more Go-Backs than Sales I'd say.  So, mostly it was the Looky Lous and Time Wasters present, who were probably Post Holiday Bored?   I Snagged some of the Mall's Candy to bring Home for our Candy Dish, they had different unhealthy shit than I'd Bought.  *LOL*

But, before I actually even got to Work I had a lot to Unpack and Process, and got lotsa Bad News out of Mexico on an International Call that The Daughter made dumped on me.  Since, I knew that she knew I was probably Driving to Work, I suspected it was a hysterical Call and not gonna be a Swell one.  I wasn't Wrong, in fact, she dumped more on me than I was prepared for.  Now that the Ex is out of Prison, he's back in the House.  Which, negates the deceased Mom's side of the Family Helping out now, since, their Conditions were, he wasn't to return to his Mother's Home where the Two of the Three Kids are Living.  But, like The Daughter told them, it's not HER Home, he Legally Inherited it from his Mother along with his Daughters, and... he also has Legal Custody of the Kids too, so, she has no Legal standing to tell him he can't be there!

Above is the Youngest Granddaughter in Mexico as her version of Bad Bunny.  *LOL* Also, The Daughter had been quite transparent and told Social Services during her First Interview that she was only there temporarily on an Emergency Hardship VISA.  After being informed the Death of the Grandmother, and until he hopefully got Released from Prison so there would be an Adult in the Household OR the Oldest turns 18, then she has to go back to America.  So, he went to the October 30th Social Services Visit now he's out and is the Custodial Parent, and she has no idea how that went since he Claimed they didn't say anything to him.   None of us is Believing that of coarse, they probably had plenty to say.  AND they still Insist that The Daughter come in Person to the Two more Appointments that are Mandatory on Nov. 3rd and 8th and she is confused as to WHY?  Her Involvement at this juncture should be peripheral, UNLESS... well, a lot to unpack there.

Above, Our Grands are Far Left {Bunny Ears} and 2nd to the Right {No Mask & wearing Black}.  Plus, oh, yeah, we're not done.  He's Selling Off all of his Mom's Things since he has no steady Income, so the Kids will likely have nothing left by the time he's done?!   The only reason the Utilities are still on is that The Daughter's current Boyfriend Andrase Paid them, and only Food in the House due to Maria's Sister Buying them. But, she refuses to ask Andrase or any American Family and Friends to cover her Ex's Ass to pay for what he should be responsible and providing.  And, he's definitely not Walking in The Light, so, The Daughter wants very little to do with that Lifestyle anymore or the Orbit and Demographic it attracts.

                                                                                       

  You can't Change a Man, the Above Granddaughter discovered that too, which is Why she's getting the Divorce.  If Salvador refuses to get out of The Life, nothing our Daughter can do to persuade him to.  And, she's been Clean for a few Years now, so she's seeing his Hot Mess with total Clarity.   Oh, yeah, and there's MORE, turns out she isn't even staying at the House now he's out and back!   WHY, you might ask?   Well, it would be an extra Mouth to Feed that there's not enuf Food for now, PLUS, she said she's Afraid to and it's definitely NOT Safe!!!!   Ruh Roh, The Daughter isn't Afraid easily, usually not at all, and she's mos def NOT Afraid of her Ex, she could hand him his Ass on a Platter, so, Por Que'?   Tho' pretty sure I knew that Answer!!!   But, we discussed it anyway, and she's speculating since she doesn't really wanna know any of the Players or how Deep he's In, really, she's on a Need to Know Basis and she doesn't Need to Know.  What and Who you don't Know, well, keeps you Safer actually, especially there.

  Lots of Fuckery due to the Ex-SIL's Bad Choices, let us just say.  And The Daughter hasn't been with him for YEARS... so... whaddya gonna do.   Now his New Wife has left him too and from what The Daughter said, dumped their mutual Youngest Child on him to finish Raising!!!  Yeah, she's a Winner and not Mother of the Year.  OMG, one more Mouth now that the Older Sisters have to try to take Care of and Feed.  Seems Diana's New Boyfriend does not want the baggage of Children she's bringing to the Table with her, so he sounds like another Winner... but, that's her Problem and it is Salvador's Kid.  He needs to quit producing Children he can't or won't Provide for.

  Tho', I know how Devoted our Three Grandkids are to their Littlest Sister and she's a Sweet Grade School Aged Child, so, it's likely they'll have to finish Raising her.  Chances are, they were all the time anyway, I highly Suspect.  They've been more like a Mom than Older Sisters to that Child.  And, she considers us her "American Grandparents", tho' there's no Bio Connection except via her being a Half-Sister, so, we've treated her as a Grandchild and always include her of coarse, Dear Sweet Child.

Yep, she's not entirely having a Peace about what all and who all he's gotten himself Involved with and likely Why the rest of the Family there won't have anything to do with him either if he's in that Home!!!   It could and probably will bring more Trouble of the kind that got him Shot and Abducted for 10 Months... so, here we now are again!!!  So, she's distraught about any of her Children being in that Home with him should another Situation arise like last time.  But, she has no sway, that's not a Region she has her cultivated Contacts in for Protection, so... she wants Zero Involvement or Exposure to whoever or whatever it is.  Her Spidey Senses tell her it's all Bad, so, she's staying with a Friend, whose a Single Mom with Kids, but, is Feeding her and letting her Live there.  We'll send Money to that Woman, to help out while The Daughter HAS to be there sorting the balance of the Shitshow out, but I won't Bankroll my Ex-SIL.

Yes, it's a Hot Mess and I told her I couldn't send Money immediately, not 'til this Weekend anyway, since I was getting my Check at the Antique Mall that Night.  But, could she ask her Brother to Front her some Money and I'd pay him back?  Well, then she drops the other Penny, unknowingly, saying, well... she did... but since he got Laid Off Today, she didn't feel he was in a position to lend her anything!!!   Ruh Roh, tho' we clearly saw this coming, I'd been taking my Nap before Work so I wasn't Awake when he got Home for him to tell me!!!  So, Nope, I didn't know that Friday had been the Fateful Day we all saw coming with all the High Drama in his Company.  They're Laying Off all the Seasoned highest Earning Employees with Seniority, Experience and PTO stacked up, saying it's Budget Cuts.  To Hire Entry Level Staff to cut Costs and to Hell with Quality of Product!

I'd been telling The Son for Weeks that I saw this coming, but with his Autism, Change is hard for him, so Voluntary Change usually is stalled.  I'd seen they were putting pressure upon and treating the highest Paid and most Productive Employees like shit, or nitpicking to try to find lame reasons to Fire anyone, or hoping they'd Quit so they wouldn't have to pay Unemployment.   I'd simply told him, don't give them any reason to Fire you and don't Quit, MAKE them Lay you Off, then go collect Unemployment 'til you get another Job closer to Home anyway.  He Lost all his PTO, which, they hadn't been letting anyone get Approved anyway, citing they were understaffed, so, everyone Lost their Earned Paid Time Off when they were Let Go.  Some Guys that got Laid Off the same Day as The Son, had no Idea, they'd been there 8-15 Years with perfect Attendance and Performance!

He's only been there for 3 Years, and when I got Home from Work he told me, tho' I didn't divulge I already knew from his Sister accidentally telling me.  She had called him about her Situation, and he had agreed with me, get your Bus Fare Home and bounce as soon as you possibly can, no point you even being there if he's cocking up everything Positive you're doing and you'll end up with even more damage control to run in his Wake.  Of coarse the Two Girls are Delighted their Dad is back... it's what and who they Know..., so, she's not really getting cooperation from the Peanut Gallery either.  She's been the Absentee Parent and they know she's not Well enuf to Parent them anyway, so, better the Devils they know than any Devils they don't, is how they must be looking at it, which is understandable.  So... other than all that, everything is Swell... *Bwahahahahaha*

So, I began my Shift Processing all of that which I had to now Unpack.  Needless to say, for me, it was a very Introverted Night and my Co-Workers could tell.   I'd only JUST received News the Day Before about my other Adult Granddaughter's pending Divorce, and her already being overwhelmed Single Parenting her Two little ones, so... lots and lots to contemplate and have Concerns about, to be sure.  Everyone is being transparent with me, coz, they all know I can Handle The Truth, but, I don't always have Solutions and so can't really be a part of the Solution either.  A lot of it, damned near all of it really, is not within my Control or my particular Sphere Of Influence either.   I'm not Calling those Shots, so, just have to be The Shoulder right now to Cry upon and bounce Ideas and Strategies off of.   

All the Kiddos say that's Helpful, so, it's what I CAN do for them, Right?   I can't have Eyes and Influence or Sway everywhere outside of my Sphere.  But, my Direct Orbit and Sphere of Influence, I keep Tight.  So, the Three Creepy Dolls and Super Sized Anna Lee 1997 Jack O'Lantern were my Retail Therapy items once I got to Work.  *LOL*  Still way Cheaper than Actual Therapy and I bought them from Vendors that always give me a Deal/Discount.   I've been Collecting the Creepy Dolls from the Vendor that makes them for Years now.  She has a small disheveled unlocked Case with mostly Junky stuff, but she Creates these Dolls I J'Adore and she once had a Vintage Magnolia Pearl Purse that I bought from her so Cheap I thought I might Faint from how Giddy I was!!!   Don't know where she Sourced it, becoz it's very Early in the Line, which, I've Collected from the Beginnings of the Line... and, they were never Cheap. 

And, just a scant few Days before another Crazy Election is finalized and so, there's been some levels of Anxiety about all of that too, since, I do Fear for our Nation right now and it's Future and World Standing.   Should we become an Authoritarian Regime none of our Allies will have anything to do with us and we'll be lumped with all those other unstable Nations that have Dictators and Cluster Fucked Governments with unhinged Leadership installed and an Oppressed Population that would rather leave than remain, but often cannot.   The Son was saying that all the Legal Immigrants he knows have said if 45 gets Elected, they'll go back to their Countries of Origin becoz there will be no Safety in America, no reason to stay, and no Stability.  They feel Americans will be royally Fucked... and I agree, we will be if we all end up on the Wrong Side of History.

  Most of them have Homes in their Countries of Birth, and Homes here, so, they'll just Rent out the Homes here or Sell them.  America may have an Exodus they THINK they want, but will Tank our Economy when a major Workforce previously relied upon moves elsewhere.  It's already happening in States like Texas where an Exodus of OB/GYN Docs is creating an immediate Shortage due to their extreme Abortion Laws there.  Docs are leaving in droves to other States or Retiring early and Residents are choosing not to be OB/GYN coz they don't wanna Deal with the Threats of Imprisonment for providing Women's Healthcare.  So, the Women of Texas will be up Shit's Creek when they will all have to leave the State to receive their Medical Care becoz there will be so few Specialists there to Treat them or willing to for Fear of Imprisonment.  It's Insanity and yet, here we now are!   And how did we fucking get here... to this place in what used to be a Functional Democracy of a Great Nation everyone used to Admire?

*******

Que Sera Sera... What ever will Be will Be... The Future's Not Ours to See... Que Sera Sera... Dawn... The Bohemian