Random 2025 Happenings... Or Non-Happenings

 I'd Imagined, since the Weather has taken a Glorious turn after it warms up, that I'd get out and do something on Friday with The Man, mebbe do a bit of Environmental Cleanup and get out in Nature.  It never actually happened, but, I did get out of my Jammies as it closed in on Noon.  *LOL*  Well, that's something at least, No?  *Bwahahaha*  I've been more of a Homebody Post-Stroke and I don't exactly know Why that is, just that it is, and I seem Content with it for now and lackluster in Motivation.   There's a fair amount I still can't do and so it makes more sense to just do less for now.  The Heart Monitor still itches like a 'Mo 'Fo, and that itch can't be scratched, dammit!  I still have to wear it for Ten more Days, ugh and Oy Vey!  

 I try to ignore it's there, but anything itching like Hell is hard to really ignore.  I'm not developing a Rash where the adhesive is and usually I don't have Allergies or Sensitivities to things topically.   I Dr. Googled it and a Holter Heart Monitor can have that itchiness as a side effect, usually due to the Adhesive used to secure them.  Plus they use a Brillo Like Scrubber first before attaching it, which exfoliates your Skin so it'll stick better and hold, and that was definitely an irritant from the Jump and no Fun.  Sandpaper your Chest, to apply a Device that will then itch a lot, NOT Fun.   I'll power thru it, since, I don't want to have to figure something else out with my Doc that would be less itchy.   A minor inconvenience and 1st World Problem ain't no real Big Deal in the Grand Scheme of the Mess of the World right now.  So, suck it up Buttercup.

There's Shirts I can't wear right now without the Monitor peeking out from under them.   It's Water Resistant but not Waterproof so I have to be Mindful of that.   They gave me 3 more Adhesives Patch thingies and a quick crash course instruction on how to change out the Sticky Part if the Monitor comes loose.  I don't want to have to recall all of that, so, I am not fussing with said itchy Adhesives or getting it Wet.  The Nurse Instructing me had Trouble with the Monitor going Green Light again when she was showing me how to do it and change Patches and reactivate the damned thing... and she does this shit all the time I presume.  It took her and another Nurse having an Oh Crap Moment to get it functional enuf to install on me!  So, No, didn't wanna mess with the damned thing and render it non-functional and not doing what it should be Reading for Two Weeks I have to wear it.

I assume it IS Working and Reading my Cardiac Anomalies they're trying to pinpoint?  I don't really know and won't 'til I take it off and mail it back to the Lab that downloads the results.  Then sends the results back to my Cardiologist before my next Appointment for his assessment of what to do next for my Aftercare?   I highly Suspect they're gonna implant one under my Skin next, he was priming me for that inevitability, pretty Sure.  *LOL*   Mando had one and showed me his Scar on his Chest, he wore it for Four Years and then they took it out, it's not a very ugly or particularly large Scar.  It's done on an Outpatient basis and I assume they Numb you?  I Hope so.  

 I then had an inquiring Mind that Needed to Know, so I also Dr. Googled an implantable ILR, so Prep Time is an Hour, installation 10-15 Minutes, Yes, they use a Local to Numb you, whew, so no Bullet to bite on or Whiskey needed.  *Bwahahaha*  Pain and Bruising may last a Couple Weeks, they say, Splendid.   And Online claims it won't last 4 Years, optimally only 3, my Brother also told me they crap out earlier and sometimes have to be replaced.  Why am I not Surprised it has a certain amount of Functional Obsolescence built into it, like everything else made these days and to be replaced and not repaired constantly?  Cha-Ching.   My Insurances cover it, so at least that's not a kick in the Head.  So long as the incoming Administration don't fuck with Social Security, Medicare or Military Benefits, to Fund their Big Grifts and Outrageous expensive cockamamy Plans, I should be Golden and Covered.  *Eye Roll*

I spent most of Friday Sleeping and very tired, I woke up only when it was time to pick Princess T up from Work at 2:30 p.m..   Then the Kiddos and a Friend BBQed Steak, Hamburgers and Corn on the Cob for Dinner.  Mando had bought the Steaks and Corn and brought them over for the BBQ, he and The Son were doing the Grilling Poolside.  It turned out really good.  I've worked on this Post, but, other than that, haven't done anything but Sleep, yet, not feel completed Rested in spite of so much extra Sleeping.  If this lethargic feeling continues I'll have to ask the Cardiologist about it, since, it's out of Character for me to have a total lack of Energy and not be able to stay Awake.  Then again, I've never suffered a Stroke before either, so... here we now are.

  Dr. Google does say it's very Common to feel Tired after having Survived a Stroke, Post Stroke Fatigue {PSF} affects 30%-70% and can last for YEARS!  Fuuuck!  I know Healing and Rehabilitation takes a lot of Energy, and Brain Reorganization is a lot of Work for your injured Brain, but, Tired for YEARS!!!   Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck!   It does say Sleeping a lot is Encouraged, so, I guess I'm Naturally doing what I just should.  And that's what I WANT to just do, so I am... Sleeping... a LOT!   A Ridiculous portion of the Day, so it's a good thing the whole Family is picking up the Slack and standing in the Gap right now.   The Daughter is the only one here all Day since she doesn't have a Job, The Son and Princess T are usually Home from Work by around 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m..  The Son will be Working more Mandatory Overtime tho'. 

 The Daughter has Friends coming over to Help with everything, they've been a Blessing, the Volunteers of their Generation.   Mando has been over all day helping since he didn't have to Work.  Overcoming overwhelming Fatigue is challenging, both Physical and Mental Fatigue.  The Man's Caregiving has primarily had to be temporarily turned over to the Kids and Granddaughter for now.   Luckily, he's been Worried enuf about me that he's been cooperative with them and behaving himself.  He hardly ever sees me Sick and Down for the Count, so I know it Scares him.   So he's trying to be very Supportive to the best of his Ability.  I have to remind the Kiddos of his Limitations sometimes, like they tried to feed him Steak and Corn-On-The-Cob, which, he'd choke on even cut up Steak pieces he can't properly chew anymore and has no Teeth to eat Corn-On-The-Cob!  So, I had them fix him just a Hamburger, which, he can manage without a choking and chewing issue episode.

Post Stroke I have had a couple of Sleep related Breathing disturbances, it Wakes you with a Start, coz, your Subconscious seems to know, shit, Wake Up and Breathe!!!   Dying in one's Sleep is a good way to go if it's Peacefully, but, startled Waking when you probably had a Sleep related Breathing disturbance is alarming and like having a Bad Nightmare, not Fun.  I'm documenting such things becoz I think it is Helpful to me, possibly to anyone else, going thru similar Challenges.   They don't tell you a whole lot upon release from the Stroke Unit of the Hospital, other than you were Lucky to have Positive progress in the early stages... oh, and NOT Died.  *LOL*   So, I was under the delusion I was now Fine, and just had to avoid having another one, clearly, I'm not and there's Work to do.   Over a potentially lengthy period of Time, and Patience isn't one of my Virtues, I ain't gonna Lie.  *LOL*

I don't know how much I'll try to participate in during January?   I have Doc Appointments Calendared that I will have to attend, but anything else Calendared, could be nixed.   I don't NEED to do anything and allowing my Brain to Reorganize will help me Long Term.  So Short Term I can disengage for as much as is necessary to in order to promote Healing and Recovery.   Everyone else will just have to Work around that while I'm Sidelined and taking Care of myself.   When I've decided to be, I'm very Good to Me.  And, I have a Skillset for delegating Work too.  *Winks*   Anyway, for now I have lots of willing Volunteers to delegate the Work to that has to get done.  Luckily, with it being Winter now, Irrigation is Suspended until Spring and the Grass has gone dormant too so won't need cutting as much either.   The Daughter has all Interior Housekeeping in Order and Caught Up.  And she's enjoying Working on The RV Garage Mahal and Art Studio Projects.

She asks me to come look at it from Time to Time and make Suggestions for what I'd like, so, I'm really now only Supervising and she's doing all the actual Work.   I Supervise well and she Works well without much Supervision, so, we're the Dream Team in that regards.  She likes to Work without having anyone to bother her or distract her, so, she rarely has any Mental Health Episodes when immersed in those Projects, and being Solitary in the doing of most of it, so it's Beneficial and like a Good Therapy for her to stay Stabilized.   She Works well with certain People and Mando has been a Friend of hers who she can Partner with on larger Maintenance and he's even brought over his own Commercial Grade Equipment to use, Bless him.  He's going thru his own Health Crisis with a Cancer Diagnosis, so he said being here is Helpful to distract him from the Depression and Fixating on his grim Diagnosis or that he could be Dying.

He's already been thru so much, losing both Parents to COVID, losing his Son to Suicide/Drugs, and spending 13 Years in Prison for a Crime he didn't commit and finally Justice was Served when he was Cleared of the Charges and Released, becoz they'd Convicted an Innocent Man of a Serious high profile Crime.   He's not a bitter person in spite of all of that, but said he's struggled more with the Health Crisis of his own actually.  He's only in his 40's and lives a Healthy Life, doesn't Drink, doesn't do Drugs, doesn't Smoke, takes Care of his Body, is Spiritually Grounded, so it was unexpected.  Sometimes you can do everything Right and yet so much can still go so Wrong, Bad things can and do happen to Good People all of the time unfortunately.   And too often Good things happen to Bad People and they seem to live a Charmed Life.  Hands Dealt aren't always Fair or Just. 

  I have no Words for Why that is... but, it just often is.  And can leave People Feeling quite Conflicted and even Melancholy if they've got a Rough or shitty Hand Dealt and did nothing to deserve it.   Anyway, when Mando comes over here he feels like he's among extended Family that he no longer has biologically.   To have a Support Network is important and especially when someone is going thru the Issues Of Life and might feel all Alone in their Struggle and how they Naturally Feel about it.  And you're Allowed to Feel any way you just do about it.   People are entitled to their Feelings, whatever they are.  I'm glad he has a sense of Belonging and Comfort finally after having endured so much. Most people would have been hard pressed to move thru with Grace and remain so Dignified and Decent as a Human Being in spite of it all.  He doesn't Act nor see himself as a Victim, but, he does know it has taken a Toll on him Physically, Emotionally and probably Mentally, it almost has to.  To have no effect would have been impossible I'd venture to say.

 

I woke up Saturday with an upset Stomach, no idea why, and have to stay close to a Bathroom now... ugh.   I did manage to get Princess T to Work before the Trots hit, and may have to ask The Son to pick her up after Work if I don't feel better by the time she gets off?   She doesn't Work far from Home, but, I wouldn't wanna risk it.  *LOL*  I felt bad that this Year I didn't have the Funds to send the Three Grands in Mexico any Money for their Birthdays.  Two of them have December Birthdays and the other has hers right after the New Year rolls in.  That makes it challenging to fund the Holidays and Three Birthdays so close together.  The Daughter did some Work for TJs Parents next door so she could send something to them.   The Oldest one turned 18 so that was a Big Deal, she's a Young Adult now.  I'm going to try to send something later when finances are better and no more crisis expenses are straining the budget.

I never did get Inventory Priced that I intended to, but, I did get the Smalls Bagged and ready to be Priced.  I don't Plan on going in to the Mall anytime real soon so it doesn't really matter.  My Inventory is well stocked right now in both the Case and the Showroom so it's not crucial to put any more Fresh Merch in there right now.   The Big New Year's Day Sale is over and they won't have any Trade Stimulators until Valentine's Day and President's Day in February.   I don't really have any Vintage Valentine's Day Merch left and I doubt I have much Red or Pink Inventory to even create a Vignette for it either.   Already Sold Off in previous Years anything I had accumulated for that Holiday.  I used to have some of those lovely Old Vintage Valentine's Day Chocolate Boxes, back when they were elaborate and beautiful with Satin Ribbons and faux Flowers on the Heart Shaped large Boxes.  I kept a lot of my Vintage Children's Valentine's Day Exchange Cards.

I've been talking quite a bit to my Brother in Cali after my Health Emergency.   He's had so many so he knows many of the procedures I'm being told might be necessary.   The Docs don't think it's a Hereditary Factor, but, my Brother and my Mom both had similar Health Issues and now I seem to be having them also.   So I'm not discounting it could be Genetically predisposed in spite of whatever differences in Lifestyle you pursue?   My Brother and I live vastly different Lifestyles, I've always been the Old Hippie and he's very Hollywood.  *LOL*   He likes a fast paced Lifestyle and I like a Laid Back one.   We like a lot of the same things tho' and gravitate to the Arts, enjoy the same type of Events, and both of us are Collectors, like my Parents were.   My Parents always Collected Antiquities, my Brother Collects Hollywood Memorabilia from Movies and Old Cameras since he's a Professional Photographer, and me, well, I Collect anything.  *Bwahahahaha*  I have no particular genre, I'm quite random in what I'm Collecting next.  But, I would say I'm one of the Keepers Of The Past, for sure, and Rescue Objects.

I'm Hoping that since The Daughter is doing such a good job of Organizing my Found Objects into categories now, I can find them when I need them to create Holiday/Seasonal Vignettes?  *LOL*   That's my biggest barrier, locating what I need if it isn't Halloween or Christmas, it's not very Organized in any particular Storage place to find it.   I like Decorating for Valentine's Day, Easter, 4th of July and always did it when we lived in previous Properties where I had everything Organized and not in a state of Post-Move Flux for Years.  Here, it's been more challenging, the last Big Move was chaotic becoz we Sold the Villa McManse so quickly we hadn't really even found where we were moving to, so the Transition was hasty and most of our possessions sat packed in U-Haul Storage Facilities.   Prior to this move, we usually lived in Paid Off Properties and so didn't have to Maintain Two House Payments while Moving or Buying something else.  We could leisurely Move and keep a lot in the Old Homes whilst moving into the newly Bought one.

I spent a full Year Plus moving into the Villa McManse from the Historic Property.   Because I didn't even put it up For Sale until I'd fully Moved In to the Villa.  And I did even waffle about Selling the Historic Homestead at all.   So, it was methodically moved over and Styled as we went in an Orderly fashion.   Plus, that Move wasn't a forced Downsize at all, quite the contrary, it was an enormous ridiculous sized Luxury Property, far more square footage than the Historic Home, which did have a Main House and Three Cottages with numerous smaller Outbuildings, so, wasn't Small by any means.   So tho' I did Sell Off a LOT so I didn't have to Move it, I could have kept it all and moved it over.   We made a conscious choice to Downsize when moving here, to a smaller Home which was half the size, but had the Big RV Garage to hold whatever didn't fit into our new Home's smaller size.   But, that also meant a hasty Move In which has proven to take Years to sort out.  Instead of well over a Year to move everything over, we did it in a Day with Paid Help!!!  Big difference, I'd never try to do something like that again!  *LOL*

 

And when your Overage and Excess of having Too Much is put into an Open Warehouse Sized Space, it looks a lot more overwhelming!  Than when it's Styled in an Enormous Property that Displays and Showcases it all well and separated among various Rooms.  *LOL*   So the Visuals were an impact... that I still had a LOT of Downsizing to do and too much Cargo to have Moved from one Property to the next, which was never gonna hold it all in the Main House, not even close.  *Bwahaha*  It is rather ridiculous how much over many Years, and a Lifetime, a Consummate Collector can accumulate.  *Blushing*   And, it is like a Disease, becoz, you don't actually really ever Stop, Cease and Desist, nor do you WANT to.  I don't want to, tho' I've Dialed myself way back in the past Decade, which I call The Downsizing Years.  *Smiles*  I'd say between the Ages of 60-80+ you really do contemplate how much crap you don't want your Heirs to have to Deal with disposing of on your behalf.  Even if it's crap of Value and a considerable monetary Inheritance they can benefit from too.  *Winks*

 

Plus, I'm finding that all but The Son, are not Minimalists at all!   So they actually have The Bug too and like Nice Things and the Thrill of Hunting for them and pawing thru them to see what they'll be Inheriting and want to Keep or Sell?   *Smiles*   The Son has zero attachments to anything and could probably always carry everything he owns and pack it in less than an Hour.   When he broke up with his Ex, he literally told her he WANTED her to have everything they'd mutually Owned for the very long Relationship, he didn't take any of it except some Clothes that were his and his Video Game Console.  *LOL*   The Daughter has been Homeless most of her Adult Life, but, she does like nice things and when she's staying put she does accumulate them.  Usually if she then has the itch to Move On, she's just given it all away to her Best Friends who've been good to her.   She'll literally give you anything she has and the last of what she has, it's her Natural way of Being.   

She reminds me of my Dad that way.   Dad would have nice things but he'd give any of it away generously and often, without a Care or Thought of it being "his" exclusively.   He didn't seem to have attachments to Things at all and definitely was not Materialistic.   He liked Quirky stuff and had a lot of Kitsch, so I did Inherit his penchant for Unusual stuff, which my Dear very European Mom said was Tasteless and Tacky.  *LOL*  Mom was Refined and Classy in whatever she had in her Home and during their long Marriage, Dad refrained from being Kitsch in for her sake coz she would have been embarrassed and mortified.  *LOL*   So, once I was Grown, and they got Divorced, he and I had an abundance of Kitsch in our Homes and Mom would just shake her Head at Why on Earth we'd have the Attraction to any of it?  *Bwahahahaha*   She often called it Reservation Chic... and probably a Cultural Thing?   Coz my Brother Inherited the Kitsch Gene too... as did The Daughter and The G-Kid Force.  *Bwahahaha*

 

Mom was very Flamboyant when it came to Fashion tho', she was like Carmen Miranda on Steroids compared to the June Cleaver Stepford Wife Moms of her Era.  *LOL and Winks*   Very Gypsy and Bohemian Inspired she'd wear the Blood Red Nail Polish and Lipstick, put Flowers in her Blue Black very Curly Hair, have the flowing Bright Skirts in Jewel Tones and the puffy Pirate Style Sleeve White Blouses and LOADS of Jewelry.   She was a Ring on every Finger, Earrings, Necklace, Brooches Gal to her Core.  She had a Funky Earring Collection that we Inherited and she had the most unusual Earrings EVER, they fascinated us as Children.  The more Unusual the Earring, the more she dug it.   Most of her Jewelry was NOT Costume tho', it was the Real Deal and mostly 18k or 22k Gold, Platinum or Sterling Silver with Precious Stones.   She thought American 14k Gold was crap.  *LOL*

She did like the Native American Silversmith Jewelry that the Pueblo Tribes are known for.  So, Dad would Trade his Tribe's elaborate Beadwork for the Navajo, Hopi and Zuni Silver, Turquoise and Coral Jewelry my Mom Loved.  I did Inherit some of that, but, it's heyday of popularity waned after the 1970-1980's.   So now you really only see Older Wealthy Ladies from Scottsdale wearing it Stylishly when they dress up.  The Vintage Pieces and Real Deal Indian Pawn can fetch a lot still, but, you don't see the Younger Generations gravitating to any of it now.  Perhaps it will have a resurgence with the Modern Bohemians and Modern Hippies tho'?   I Hope so, since I still like The Look.   You can dress up or dress down with it.   So whether it's Stylishly worn by Wealthy folks in their Couture Wardrobe or a Granola Gal or Guy in a Boho Wardrobe, or a Tribal Elder dressing Traditionally, it still looks good.

 

And I like seeing it Worn Traditionally and Proudly by Tribal members that Create it and it's an intricate part of Culture and Artistic Expression.  Back in the Day we had our Favorite Navajo Artisan, Erwin Begay, who was an extremely Talented Old Man but with a serious Alcohol problem, who only made his Fine Jewelry to buy Liquor and go get Drunk.  Dad befriended him at a Swap Meet once and would request Custom pieces for my Mom made by Erwin.   Sadly, all of it got Stolen during a Burglary I had in the later 1980's, along with some Custom pieces I'd had made at the Fine Jewelry Store I Worked at in my Teens, who made mine with Persian Turquoise and 18k Gold, it was Stunning.  I also suspect my Psycho Ex hocked some of it for Drink and Drugs too, unbeknownst to me, he was part Indigenous and should have refrained from the Fire Water, but didn't.  I had many Custom Pieces made for my Mom too while Working there in the Jewelry Business, and before I got into Corporate Banking as a Career.  My Brother's Lady Inherited all of that, she Loved to wear it and I probably wouldn't have.

I do still have some of my Mom's Indian Jewelry tho', her Favorite Pieces, which will be passed down to The Daughter and Princess T as Family Heirlooms.   Their Gran-Dad had them Custom Made for their Nanna and so it has Sentimental Value as well as actual Value as Vintage Native American made higher end Jewelry.   I also have some of the Custom Beadwork from my Dad's side, mostly it's Bracelets I kept, intricate Beadwork on Buckskin and stretched over Metal Cuffs.   I like them and I used to wear them all of the time.   Now I prefer to Display them on a Vintage Mannequin Arm so they don't get damaged.  Since, they're quite Old and still in good condition, so, I would like to not risk damage at this juncture by wearing them all of the time like I used to when I was Younger.

I dredged up an Old Pix of my Beaded Tribal Bracelets made by my Aunties and Paternal Grandmother.   I remember them wanting to Teach my Cousins and I how to do the intricate Tribal Beadwork but we were too Lazy and disinterested to Learn.   It's a lot of Handwork and hard when you're using Buckskin to sew tiny minuscule Glass Seed Beads onto and remembering a Pattern in your Head at the same time.  Plus, the Beadwork was a Labor of Love and never really Trended to make Money out of the Art Form, tho' that wasn't the Point of carrying on Rich Tradition and Tribal Ritual... as ambitious Youngsters you fail to acknowledge that.  I was deep into my Corporate Life and making Big Money the Non-Tribal way.  I saw relatives impoverished on the Rez and I wanted more in my future, my Dad had Worked hard to afford me that privilege not afforded him.  So you do feel betwixt and between Two Cultural Experiences.

 I regret not Learning it to pass down to future Generations since all the Elders have Died now and their Art Knowledge on these things Died with them and wasn't passed along as it should have been.   So, the least I can do is pass along the Creations from Generation to Generation now.   And passing down the Storytelling and Stories, we do like to do that and my Kids and Grandkids are now telling them, so it will all be remembered.   The Man recently bought me a Book from our Antique Mall that is a Tourist's Guild to the Welsh Language.  It's interesting and Fun, but isn't the dialect my Mom Spoke and probably is what dialect is Spoken in South Wales?   But the Thought was nice, I don't recognize the Words they Translate from English to Welsh, my Mom used different Words entirely.   

Welsh was never a Written Language tho' and many Dialects also exist from Region to Region, almost Town to Town or so it seemed to me.   It is cute that they have a Swear Word Section in the Book *LOL* and I Learned different Welsh Profanity.  Mom could never recall her English when she was REALLY Mad.  *Bwahaha and Winks*  Once she started yelling in Welsh, you knew she was in Meltdown and you were really in Trouble.  *Smiles*   I remember our American Neighbor Betty, who was Mom's BFF American Friend for Life, saw my Brother and I sitting on the Curb quietly outside the House.  She knew we were likely in Trouble so asked Why and What our Mom had said?   We said we didn't know, becoz we couldn't understand her, but, we knew for damned sure she was REALLY Mad at us so we went to sit Outside until she Calmed down and could get enuf of a grip to be speaking English again.  *LMAO*  My Aunt Betty conveyed that to Mom, becoz Mom simply forgot that when she started rattling off in Welsh, we couldn't fully understand her.  *Smiles*

She intentionally didn't want us Speaking Welsh in the Home so that we wouldn't develop a Foreign Accent like her, since it did cause discrimination being an Immigrant.  People did feel some kind of way about it, so it's not "New" the Immigrant Bias/Prejudice you're seeing now.   Not to mention, Dad was Indigenous too, so we already had that discrimination going on living off of a Reservation, as an Interracial Family with a Foreign Born Mother and assimilating with Civilians whenever we also lived Off a Military Base.  On Military installations it was less biased coz a lot of American GI's had Married Foreign Nationals and you saw a lot more Interracial Couples and People of Color in the Military than you did in the Civilian Sectors.  And Military Folk stick together. The same in School On Base, a more diverse demographic of Kiddos, in Base Schools about half the Kids were Minorities or Mixed Race Kids like us.   Even in Today's Military a lot of Minorities enlist and Serve their Country with Honor.   Our Parents wanted more opportunity for us tho' and to not endure as much discrimination and barriers as they did. 

I do think all Parents want that, for their Kids to Prosper and have an even better Life and Opportunities than they did, and attain, then enjoy, the American Dream.   My Parents were so Proud of what my Brother and I accomplished.   He became a Professional Photographer in Hollywood when he was in his Twenties and I became a Corporate Executive in my Twenties.   Dad was so Proud we got a better Education than he was afforded at the Indian Schools, he only had a Grade School Education but was a very Wise and Smart Man, just poorly Educated.  So Education was really Important to him.  To Mom too, since her Didi Kai Dad was Illiterate, he couldn't Read or Write in any Language but could Speak and Understand several fluently and was a Skilled Laborer, Pipe fitting being his Specialty, but he could do damned near anything my Gran-Gran.   Mom was the particularly Braggy Proud Parent tho'.  *LOL*  But, most of her closest Friends were also GI Brides from Foreign Countries, and so they'd all get together and be so Proud of what all their Kiddos had accomplished here in America.  *LOL*   It's Why so many come here with a Dream and work so hard to attain it.

I know it seems to be a Fading Dream now, as coming Together in Peace, Unity and Harmony seems a Million Miles away still and getting harder with all of the divisive elements present right now.   I don't Like it, I always Hoped for much more and for Enlightenment to descend upon Humanity to where they could manage to see past the superficial and Human Differences.    To realize the only real Race is the Human Race and the rest is Manmade construct.   A Geneticist I was Dear Friends with told me there is no "Race" DNA, it will only tell that we are of the Human Species... just like Canine DNA will just Identify it's a Canine, not what "Breed" of Domestic Dog it is.   I found that fascinating becoz I told her my Dad always said that, even tho' he was not a well Educated Man, he always said "Race" was a Manmade thing becoz we all were just unique varieties of the same Species, Humans.  

Each with Rich Cultural differences, Spirituality and Languages, none of which are "Wrong" or Inferior.  That's all Made Up by Man.   So there were not any Made by The Creator that were any better or Superior than any other in His Sight.    So therefore in our Sight there shouldn't be either.   And that's how he Raised us and he and my Mom were on the same wave length about that too.   My Mom never chose her Friends by how much "Like" her they were, looked, lived.   For a Woman of her Era she was quite progressive.  She freely embraced anyone from anywhere, looked past Skin Tones and Sexual Orientations, or Socioeconomic Standing, she didn't feel any of that was important enough to Fixate upon or divide People.   She never saw my Dad as just his Ethnicity and different Culture, or where he came from, they were Kindred Spirits and tho' they had the knowledge their Union would be Socially unacceptable, and a hard row to hoe, they weren't deterred.   They produced a couple of Cute Kids too... Winks... Evidence Above of my Baby Brother and I, Circa 1960.  He Weighed more than me by the time he was only 6 Months Old, I was a tiny Sprite who Weighed only 16 Lbs. when I was 3!  *LOL*

By comparison, The Daughter Weighed over 8 Lbs. at Birth and The Son over 10 and a Half Lbs. at Birth.   My Parents said they initially thought I might be a Little Person coz I was so Small for so long.   And Doctors didn't discount that possibility as a Toddler, coz I was always Underweight, clear up and until I was over 50!   Then Post Hysterectomy Hormonal Change Fat came upon me and has remained ever since, dammit!!!!!  *LOL*  So, I didn't know how to be an Overweight Person, I used to be able to eat crazy amounts of Food from Toddler Age to past 50 without gaining any Weight at all, staying quite Underweight and Metabolizing it quickly I guess.   I miss those days... ha ha ha.  They are long gone tho' and I've waved them Goodbye as I now just attempt to get to a Healthier larger Weight that is sustainable and gets rid of the damned Type II Diabetes.   I'm on my way but not quite there yet towards attaining that Goal again.  Attained it once in 2008-2010... so I know it's possible.  I got the Pixs to Prove it... {Below}

Yes, these were my Normal Weight Gramma Years and I was Healthy, Happy and Fit.  Even tho' I was Raising a 2nd Generation of Kiddos long past the Season of Life it's Normal to  *LOL*... and was already a Full Time Caregiver of a Disabled Spouse, while still Holding down a Full Time Corporate Career at the time too!  Sometimes I wonder how I juggled all that without Stroking Out back then?  *Ha ha ha*  I liked how I looked and felt great.  The Diabetes went completely away after having lost the excess 61 Lbs. I shouldn't be carrying around on me after having Gained it by having a Hysterectomy and no Hormone Therapy.   Can't take the Hormones due to Cancer History on both sides of the Family for the Females, too much risk.  

I stopped losing when I hit 157-160 tho' I'd been much Skinnier Naturally when I still had all my Lady Bits intact, back then my Normal Adult Weight before the Surgery was 98-125 Lbs. tops, always.   I only Weighed 128 Lbs. when I Delivered my Son and he was almost an 11 Lb. Baby!  I Weighed 110 when I Delivered my Daughter and she was over 8 Lbs..   So, I didn't used to be a BMW.  {Big Made Woman... LOL}  Clearly The Daughter and Princess T are built the same as my Mom and I Naturally were as Younger Women.  My Mom's Nickname in her 20's was Olive Oyl, Popeye's very Skinny Girlfriend.  *Ha ha ha*   Mom was much Taller than me so she looked even Skinnier.

I'd say as a Young Hippie I tended to dress like and want to BE like Janis Joplin... and Jimi Hendrix.   So, her and his Style was my preferred Style back in the Seventies.  Which, back then, folks thought you were like a Gypsy from Outer Space and reacted accordingly.  *Ha ha ha*   Only I wasn't a Raging Alcoholic and didn't do Drugs... I was an Odd Hippie that way, totally Clean and Sober... I know, nobody ever Believed it then or now either.  *LOL*   Now I still get the Stereotypes and Old Tropes, coz, well, Look at me now... so... I don't try to tell folks the Truth coz they wouldn't Believe me anyway.  *LMAOROTF*   They see the Hippie attire, Hippie Attitude, the Woman who Smells of Nag Champa, the long Dreadlocks and are like, "Riiiiiiiight..." with a Smirk and a cheeky Wink.  *Smiles*  

The Grands often get fed up of Young People they know asking them if their Gramma knows where to get the Good Kush?   And the reaction when they Honestly tell them, she doesn't Smoke or do Edibles.  Nobody EVER Believes them.  They claim I do it all and my Kiddos just don't know it!!!  Which is hilarious to all of us. *Bwahahahahaha*   The Kiddos are like, our Gramma is a definite Weirdo and not your Garden Variety Gramma for sure... but all us Kids partake and know for Sure she doesn't.  Not even now it's Legal to.  *Bwahahahaha*   I did have Allen, The Young Prince's Husband, insist I eat a Bear Edible once when I was having some Chronic Pain.   It put me to Sleep for most of the Day, I didn't feel High at all, but, I felt Sleepy, VERY Sleepy.  Pain Gone tho', and, so, if I couldn't Sleep due to chronic Pain, perhaps I'd take another one, otherwise, what would be the Point?  *LOL and Shrug*  The Kids all see that I don't React to most Drugs like regular people do anyway... my Metabolic System is as Weird as I am apparently?  *LOL*

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Happy New Year my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian