Bohemian Valhalla: A Fire Too Close To Home

Princess T is on a Chili Binge now that she knows she Likes it, she wants me to make a Chili all the time now. *LOL* She's funny like that, when she's really Liking something, she could eat it for Days. *Smiles* So, I had some of that cubed Stew Meat left and thought, Hell, we'll just put it in a Chili. I seared it first, coz she didn't wanna wait Hours for this Crockpot Chili to simmer, she came Home from Work Hungry. *Smiles* So, I made a quick Crockpot Chili that would be ready in about an Hour, then simmer and develop more flavor, IF any was left after they all descended upon it? We knew we were having Company, so I made a very big batch of it. The Flavor did indeed develop nicely as the Day wore on. Even our Friends were suitably impressed and ate more than a single Bowl full.

I hadn't been impressed with the cubed Stew Meat in a Stew, it wasn't as tender or flavorful as I prefer. But oddly, in the Chili, it was excellent, developed amazing flavor quickly, and was much more tender cooking it the way it was tossed in the Chili with those ingredients and Spices. This Chili was more Bean/Veggie heavier, since, I wasn't putting as much Chili Con Carne in there for this one. I happen to like any kind of Chili, even a strictly Vegetarian Version, but the Kiddos and The Man do prefer some Meat in there and so I use various different kinds, ground or cubed. This turned out to be a pretty Chili. The Man could eat Chili every Day all Day too, so he's excited any time I'm making some and is usually the first one in the Kitchen when I say it's ready. *Smiles*

We had gotten some Red, Yellow and White Onions and various shredded Cheeses to top our Chilis with too. And, I was Lazy and bought a bunch of Paper Bowls, so we didn't have so many Dishes to Wash. Since, Family will Raid the Crockpot off and on all Day and have their constant rotations of Friends over, so I don't want a Sink full of Bowls at the end of the Day. And we had more excitement on a Saturday Afternoon than you ever want when our Neighbor Omar's House caught on Fire! Yep, that's the Title Hook Topic of the Day! Rob rushed over and asked if we had a Fire Extinguisher, that our Neighbor's House Next Door was on Fire!!! I thought it was a little Fire so gave him our small Kitchen Fire Extinguisher. Well, when I rushed outside with him, nope, there was a huge Black Plume of acrid smelling Smoke billowing from the West End of their Home, it was really raging and shit was Exploding!!!

Instantly The Daughter and I were like, Rob, that Extinguisher ain't gonna cut it, too far gone and too dangerous! I think something beside the House had caught on Fire and then exploded, Two explosions actually! Our Neighbor Rob saw it first and called 911 before he rushed over to our House, and I must say the Fire Dept. were on it and had Four Fire Trucks and the Police here in just a couple Minutes to start putting it out. He was banging on their Front Door to tell them the House was on Fire but nobody was coming out, so, we didn't know if they were aware or even Okay in there? I think everyone is Okay, but there was a lot of Black acrid Smoke until they could get it under control and I don't know how much damage to the West Side of their Home there now is? Their Home isn't Burnt Adobe Brick like ours is, it's a Stick and Stucco Home, so those burn up quickly and easily. It was terrifying, especially given what we've seen happen in Cali when Fire becomes uncontrollable.

The Fire Dept. was having trouble getting the Fire Hydrant, which is in front of Omar's Property luckily, to Work. They had the Wrong Fitting on the Truck that would match the Hydrant to attach their Hose to it!!! Luckily our Properties are much larger and further apart than most Residential Homes are. So, we didn't feel in too much danger of it spreading to our Property, but it was still scary and alarming to have a good Neighbor having such a Crisis as a House Fire. And the Fire Dept. struggling to get the Hydrant to Work properly!!! It made me think of Cali where those Hydrants didn't Work properly either. Ours did have Water but their Fittings/Couplings seemed to be all Wrong to attach to it and that was Alarming as Hell as they struggled with Three different Attachments while the Fire Raged! Finally someone used the Irrigation Hose, which is like a Fire Hose and attached it to one of the Homes to get Water on the Fire, while they messed with the Hydrant Hookup! White Smoke then made us feel like they had it under Control. *Whew*

Arizona is very Dry right now like Cali is, so we have Extreme Fire Warnings and if Winds pick up it can get out of control quickly. Luckily no Winds Today, but we'd had high Winds all Week, so it was fortuitous that Today wasn't one of those Days. *Whew* I'll have to ask Omar later what exactly happened? It seemed as if the Fire started Outside on a Flatbed Trailer or something, or with some Machinery, and then spread to the side of the House. They're Truckers and so they have a lot of Equipment in their West Acreage since they run their Trucking Business from Home and own their own Big Rigs and Trailers for hauling extremely large loads Nationally. They're a 3rd Generation of Truckers. I don't know what they had Stored by the House that was exploding tho', probably should get rid of whatever it was!!! I'm sure the Police were there to Investigate the cause of the Fire, to ensure it was accidental, and that nothing illegal is being Stored on a Residential Property, especially given the dual Explosions.

I have given myself a couple Days Rest from my Binge Watching of LOST. I still enjoy it, but the Episode I was watching wasn't holding my Interest enough so I had to just decide to give it a Rest. Sometimes when something loses my Interest, I just need a Break from whatever it is in order to become engaged with it again. I like the direction it seems to be going and am getting invested in some of the Characters. But I'm not even thru the First Season and I really don't know if I can stick with all Six Seasons of watching it or not? *LOL* When something goes on for too long I tend to disengage after a while. And sometimes they keep it limping along after they should have called it a Wrap and just Wrapped up even a Popular Show before it Jumps the Shark. I did watch all the Episodes of THE CONNORS and enjoyed it thru it's End tho'. I'd always liked ROSEANNE and felt with the Sequel, even tho' they killed her Character off, it was still really good and I enjoyed it. Seeing the Mature Characters and a new Generation of their Family was kinda Cool, we'd watched them all Grow Up and Mature.

I now see that Noah Wyle is in a new Medical Show called THE PITT, I remember when he was 'New' and in the popular Medical Series ER with George Clooney, who was pretty Young and 'New' himself. Tho' George had done some Cameo appearances on ROSEANNE in the 80's as a Young Man too, as Booker, her Supervisor/Foreman at the Plant she Worked at. Now Noah's Older, Greying, and playing a Doctor in this new Series too. It's a Pittsburgh Hospital as the setting and one of my Granddaughter's back East, the Middle One, works in an actual Pittsburgh Hospital as a Nurse, so I wonder if she'll enjoy watching this New Show? I'll have to ask her. She tells me how crazy many of her Shifts go, since, it's a very large Urban Hospital. During COVID it was Insane and she'd just begun her first Year of Nursing and she had considered changing Careers due to the Pandemic, but, ended up staying. A Pandemic was an Initiation Experience By Fire for Health Care Newbies. Even Seasoned Veterans were quitting.

Said Granddaughter sent me a new Pix of herself. I don't know if she got her Divorce finalized or not, but she's juggling being a Single Parent of Two very Young Kiddos, an Infant and a Toddler, and a very demanding Medical Career, so, she's a Rock Star. She recently posted that being a Mother while trying to repair yourself Mentally and Emotionally is the hardest thing to ever take on. And that is True, I got Divorced when I had a 6 Week Old Infant and a Pre-School Aged Kiddo, plus a very Demanding Career too, so, been there, done that, it takes real Strength and Resilience. I know she's a Strong Woman and has it in her, but I also know how hard it is, it's no Cake Walk. I do Hope she finds a Good Man some day, but glad she got rid of that Loser. She and the Children deserve better than that Player-Player.

This intrigued me that someone still kept the Photo after they cut out the Face of their Beloved for a Locket.

I guess our Oldest Daughter got a Cat now, he looks like he has quite an Attitude. *LOL* But he is a Handsome Guy and quite a Big Boy too. They have Dogs, English Bulldogs, who are Adorable, so he must be good with Dogs and they with him. She's gotten such a menagerie after all the Kiddos Grew Up, that I think the Empty Nest Syndrome was Strong? *LOL* Ooops, just realized her Post actually said this is her Friend's Cat that ran away and they've been looking for him for the past 48 Hours and asking everyone to Share his Pix Online so he can be recovered... oh no... I do Hope they find him. Sometimes a Male Cat, if not Neutered, will go Tomming and be gone for Weeks tho', not all that unusual, which is Why I always got mine sterilized. Well, except for Eli, who hasn't been, but he never leaves his Human's Room. The cost to do it now is prohibitive and the place we always used has now Closed.

The Young Prince said they're still having freakishly Cold Weather and a lot of Snow there in New Mexico, so he will have to wait 'til Spring to make the trek Home with The Niece and all his Stuff in a U-Haul. I Hope by Spring she's still willing and able to do it with him and Drive, since he can't Drive and I can't do it now. He'd said he and Allen were trying to Work things out but it's just not gonna Work out and it's inevitable it's Over. I told him at least he put in a lot of Effort on his part and that's all you can do. Allen had already found someone else and it was a Woman, the Grandson said he can't 'compete' with that if his Husband is conflicted about his Sexuality and might find it easier to be with a Female due to the Societal pressures. Most people could never tell that Allen was part of the LGBTQ+ Community, he can Pass for being Straight and I think he just finds it to be easier and with far less discrimination, especially on the Job.

He had a LOT of Homophobia directed at him being an Out Gay Man while working in the Meat Processing Industry and while he was in the Military too. To the point HR had to address it at the Slaughterhouses, and of coarse in the Military it was the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" Era, so Coming Out would tank a Career no matter how Patriotic and capable the Veteran was. And with this new Administration, things will be far worse. The level of Homophobia, Misogyny, Racism, Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism, Religious Persecution and Sexism on the Far Right is just absolutely ridiculous. They do seem to be Equal Opportunity Haters tho', they seem to have Hatred and it in for damned near everyone! You really have to be some kind of wretched Human Being to harbor that much Hatred in your Heart for other Human Beings. And I do Believe it is exceedingly Dangerous to Dehumanize anyone, and "Other" them, because that's when Atrocities happen.

My biggest Worry with the Incoming is that Atrocities will be happening in Amerikkka all the time now and be Normalized? We've had our share of Shameful History in our Country, but, why would we ever want to repeat any of it? Most Countries want to Evolve beyond that and not Devolve back into the Shameful Past they should never want to repeat or be defined by. That is beyond my comprehension, an Enlightened Society always tries not to repeat it's mistakes or whatever shameful past they have had to live with on their collective consciences. If there is a Positive Evolution then that is something to take Pride in and say is "Great", it is not making America Great to be Cruel, Unjust, Greedy, Lawless, Corrupt, Hateful and show a lack of Humanity. America is Great when we are Good, when we cease to be Good, we cease to be Great. There aren't any Cruel Countries with atrocious Human Rights Violations that are considered Great anywhere in the World. They are the Countries people flee from in desperation and seek Asylum elsewhere.

I am Glad to hear that they're getting the Cali Fires contained and are up to around 75% or so contained on all fronts. It was terrifying to think they were uncontainable and not able to be fought. The aftermath of areas when it was 0% contained looked like a Warzone after a Carpet Bombing, utter devastation and nothing left standing. How to rebuild from that kind of Natural Disaster is like trying to rebuild after a lengthy War, intimidating, overwhelming and could take a whole Generation or more. Nature does rebound and find a way, on it's own schedule of coming back. I think we all discovered how Amazing that could be during Covid, when Man was put out of the way for a few Years and Nature reclaimed so much and so quickly Restored the Earth!!! Sometimes I think Man needs to just step back and let Nature recuperate and recalibrate Naturally. Mother Nature is resilient and will provide for us if we let her just do her thing and not fixate on when she's out of Control Weather-Wise, mostly on account of us cocking things up.

A Blast from the Past of The G-Kid Force at our first Booth at the Antique Mall, Circa about early 2012. They have spent a lot of their Childhood helping me there, so it's like a 2nd Home to them. This was however just a Year before their Grandpa had his Catastrophic Accident on The Young Prince's 13th Birthday... talk about Unlucky 13!!! So, 2013 was probably one of the most Challenging Years we ever had to get thru. It was the very last Year that The Man was who he used to be, before his Catastrophic Brain Injury forever changed him and our Lives. I remember Princess T referring to him as "New" Grandpa post Accident, and "Old" Grandpa before the Accident, Kids can be so Profound sometimes, can't they? I told The Man that Today we simply MUST get back into the Antique Mall and tidy up, tending to our Spaces. I just haven't been, nor have I brought Fresh Inventory in, so, I'm hoping the Showroom isn't in complete disarray?

Some Booths and Showrooms can look Pristine all the time even when the Vendors aren't Working them, but, ours does get a lot of Traffic. Which is a Good thing and yet it has it's downside too, Customers can be so messy when they go Shopping. I don't understand it, since I've never been messy in my own Spaces, tearing them up, let alone a Space that is not mine or with things that are not mine. How is it necessary to mess up or tear up any Space you're in? Leaving carnage in your Wake seems to be habitual with some People it seems, they leave such a mess behind them and aren't ashamed to!!! Sometimes even intentionally and so a certain level of mischief and ill will is behind some of it. It's like the Litterbugs out in Nature, who pack it in Full and yet are too thoughtless or lazy to pack it out Empty! They just dump garbage in the most Beautiful Natural Settings, making it all an Eyesore and Hazard. I just don't comprehend their State of Being and total disregard for the World around them and how it Negatively impacts Nature and other People!

I've always felt an Obligation to do what I could to run a small measure of damage control behind such disgusting Humans, to put things Right again. Becoz if we don't, who will? It's not gonna do itself, most of that Garbage will not decompose at all, let alone quickly, and when it piles up, then the awful People have destroyed everything for all the rest of us. Granted, it's never ending to run the damage control behind habitually messy and disgusting Humans. So, our Environmental Cleanup efforts do sometimes feel a bit futile. We often do the same areas over and over again repetitively. But, it is making a Positive impact and that's all each of us can do. Do Positive things in our Small way to make the World a better place and fight the Negative things with a measure of Resistance and Tenacity. Kindness is the same gesture we can do with consistency to fight Cruelty of those who are lacking in decency and have no Humanity in them.

Today I do have some higher end Merch to bring in Fresh to my Spaces at the Antique Mall and doing some Environmental Cleanup will be good Exercise at a Pace I can manage. Managing my Fatigue and Shortness of Breath is the thing right now that I have the most challenges with. I simply MUST take it easy, I have no Choice but to, my Body won't let me push those boundaries at all right now. My Mind seems to be Recovering faster than my Body after the Stroke tho'. I'm literally Amazed at how fast my Brain is Healing itself without me having to do very much to help it along. I suppose Blogging and having Conversations is Helpful, I keep practicing those things that I feel Slower Mentally at now. My Mind doesn't Race as much anymore and that has been Calming actually, I don't want to go back to the ADHD Speed of Racing Thoughts I've had all my Life up until The Stroke slowed them way down. Who knew a Stroke might be a Cure for some of that? *LOL* That part of my Brain that was Spinning has now been altered.

Another Blast from the Past of Princess T... now she's a grown Woman, where did all the Time go?! She's been doing her Room some more post Painting of the Walls. She's hung her Art and Signs back up, Redecorated with her Collections, it's looking really good and she seems quite Pleased with the Changes she has made. She's one to want constant Change, whereas I'm more inclined to want things to remain the Same once I get them to where I Like them. This is Why once The RV Garage Mahal and Art Studio are finally Done, they shall pretty much STAY DONE. I won't make a helluva lotta Changes once I get them to where I Like them. All I'll be doing is Downsizing the amount of Cargo I have, which, is Too Much and I am still determined to get to Just Enough, whatever that Looks like? I don't know for sure, most of you would probably assess that MY Just Enough is still Too Much? *Winks* We're not going for Minimalism here, just so ya know. *Bwahahaha*