We'll Get To Just Enough

 I always start my Posts a few Days before I Publish them.  Right now they are passing Budget Cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and the ACA.   So, anything being said about protecting and cherishing these widely used and popular Programs is a blatant Lie.  In order to steal Money from them and be able to afford and fund bigger Tax Cuts to the Top 1% at the expense of the 99%.  It's not about Saving Money or addressing Waste or Fraud, it's about redistribution of Taxpayers Money to give to the Rich and Steal from the Poor, a Reverse Robin Hood if you will.   I told you so, and being Right, is giving me no satisfaction whatsoever.  I Wish I'd been Wrong.

Almost 20% of Americans rely on Medicaid {83 Million} and Medicare {66 Million}, 50 Million rely on the ACA, and 42 Million rely on SNAP.  That's a whole lot of Americans that will be negatively impacted so that Billionaires can get more Tax Cuts.  As if Billionaires are so hard up they Need more Money or redistribution of Taxpayer Funded Benefits, taken from the most Needy in the Country.  And Yes, Taxpayers are still footing the Bill so it's not saving Taxpayers a damned thing and in fact, the Debt Ceiling is being raised by and least a couple Trillion Dollars under this Administration.  The Orange Over Spender has never been able to Save anyone Money, or Manage Money, including for himself, ever... hence the numerous Bankruptcies.

Anyway, just an Update in case some of you are watching The News even less than Yours Truly is in order to Save your Sanity, but want to remain relatively Informed nonetheless.   It's a delicate balancing act on a highwire to do, but I'm getting better at it.  We got Irrigation resumed this Morning, so Rob and The Daughter are handling that for us.  I've got to come up with what I usually pay once it resumes, as part of the Budget, it's only suspended for the Winter.   A necessary expense, hiring anyone to do Irrigation for you is difficult.   Since SRP Delivers it when they decide to and you don't know your Rotation until about a Week before you will just be getting it and must receive it.  Rob does it for his Parents who already receive their rotation just before we do.

So, the Wild Birds are singing their little Brains out in Delight, a cacophony of Birdsong, coz they're flocking to the Pasture Area now flooding with Irrigation Water.   To eat the Bugs and Seeds it will bring to the surface and to splash about and bathe themselves too.  We often get Wild Migratory Ducks that will float around in it too, since it's like a temporary shallow Pond or Lake to them.   I have good quality Seed we put out for the Wild Seed Eating Birds too.  I Love to have Wildlife hanging out at our Property, except for the Top Tier Predators and Vermin, they're Welcome here.  With Mini Farms as an Oasis in an Urban Metropolis tho', you'll get all the Wildlife flocking to you, it's their Sanctuary from expanding Urban Encroachment.

About every Three Centuries the Great Civilizations fall, it's a Cycle that is pretty predictable if we study History and all the Lost Civilizations that came before us.  And so, we're near our time for a Fall.  Perhaps it's just meant to be, I dunno?   Not that I want to be Alive during the Fall of an Advanced Civilization, but, here we now are.  Anyone that doesn't think it's Falling is in some deep Denial becoz it's being wrecked before their very Ears and Eyes... so, are they Deaf, Dumb and Blind I have to Wonder?   I don't know how anyone logically can imagine this all to be a Good Thing happening?   How do they think a completely gutted Government being plundered and pillaged will Work or be able to stand for long without an Intervention and Strong Resistance?

Anyway, one of our Neighbors is having a huge Yard Sale so we put out some of our Yard Sale stuff that The Daughter is in charge of Selling.  The Neighbors are attracting a big Crowd so that might help her endeavor to Sell what we can't Sell at the Antique Mall and have yet to just Donate.  If it doesn't Sell, then I'll load it up and Donate it.  The Man went thru his large Book Collection and streamlined it, so she has lots of her Dad's Military Novels, Hunting Books, Arizona related Books, and Ghost Town Books to Sell.   I can easily sell my Decor and Cookbooks in my Showroom, but his Genre of Books doesn't Sell there, so otherwise I'd just Donate them.  Often I've brought them to the VA Hospital Downtown for their Free Book Exchange.

Even if she only makes a few Bucks it'll buy her Cigs and Mike's Hard to drink.  *Smiles*  It's another Glorious Day outside, Cool right now and will warm up considerably.  We just found out that Laura, behind us, didn't order Irrigation for 2025 so we certainly Hope her Huge Old Pecan Trees can weather that neglect?  We'd hate to lose the Beauty of those Trees and if they Die Off they pose a risk to falling across the Irrigation Canal or onto our Property, they're about 75 Feet Tall.   We know Laura put her Property up for Sale coz she and her Boyfriend don't wanna live next door to that Air B&B Party House that's an $800,000 Property that is now being laid to waste and neglect by the Investors that ruined the Landscaping by cutting it all down to Park more Cars all over the Front Lawn and Host raucous Parties all Weekend long.  People coming and going constantly, like a Drop House too.

Laura's in her 70's and recently Inherited her Parent's Mini Farm in Glendale, so is moving to there.  Her Boyfriend is a Mexican American Naturalized Citizen and owns his own Construction Business.  He suspects the Buyers of that Air B&B Party House next door are Cartel from Mexico.   I wouldn't be Surprised, I thought the same thing and they'd have the means to Invest that much in a high end Property and pay Cash.  A lot of Cali Investors are Dark Money, even the ones from Cali that bought our Villa McManse, I suspected were Dark Money folks but so long as they Cashed us out fast, I didn't give a shit coz I HATED that pretentious Community and HOA, so, fuck them.  Here it's a nice Community so the infiltration of Dark Money Buyers is a concern.  But, Dark Money, Foreign and Domestic, is Buying so much now, it can't be stopped and can't be competed with.

Anyway, we didn't know that Laura hadn't renewed her Irrigation until SRP called us to ask if we'd lift the Gate.  Usually since Laura gets Irrigation right after us, she lifts the Gate of the Main Canal, but, now it will be our responsibility to.  Until her Property Sells and whoever moves in opts in to receive Irrigation Rights?   I Hope it Sells soon and they do so her fabulous Mature Trees don't Die Off or become too stressed from lack of being Maintained?   I'm Surprised she didn't still Irrigate until she Sells the Property, but, I guess they don't Care and just want out and may not even still be there now and it's Vacant and under some Property Management or Realtor, who doesn't wanna spend the Money either?   A Shame, it's a Lush and well Maintained Property right now, it won't be in just a few Months of lack of Maintenance. 

I got more Tea to spill, TJ was messing with one of Amber's Daughters, Julissa, whose in her early 20's.  Well, now she's Preggy!   He's in his 60's and has Stage 4 Cancer... so this was never a good Idea and everyone told him so, especially his Brother Rob.  He was like, what are you Thinking Brother?!?   TJ has Grown Children and Grandchildren, he's living with his 80+ Year Old Parents, and they didn't approve at all of the Relationship.   Everyone was Grown, so, it was none of my Business, but I told Amber this was gonna become a Situation with her Daughter, and now it has and her Family is shitting Kittens coz her Daughter lives with the Maternal Grandparents right now!!!   Amber's Mom has Stage 4 Cancer herself and Amber's Dad is in his 70's, so won't need another Mouth to Feed with a Great-Grandchild who could end up with no Daddy!!!

I have now Sold all my Big Vintage Globes and only have a few Smaller Modern Ones.   So, I'll have to look to see if I have any more in my Collection I want to divest myself of?   I got Vintage and Antique Globes for Days.  *Winks*   The Daughter came in and asked for more stuff to Sell that is Household, since, she's Bilingual she can Negotiate well with the Spanish Speakers showing up and they're Buying.  So, I went thru things like Towels, Shoes, Kitchenware, that can't be Sold at the Antique Mall but are an easy Sell at a Yard/Tag Sale on a Weekend.  She's doing pretty well so far and enjoying herself doing it.   If she's earning a little Money she feels like she can Buy what she Needs without asking us to Bankroll it.

I've been plagued with some Petty Theft at the Showroom, mostly of these bagged Toys which only Sell for $3-$8 each, but, it's Amazing to me the amount of Parents that will Steal it rather than Buy it for their Small Children!!!  It's not the Little Ones Stealing it, but often they're with the Parent whose the Thief, so will Learn what they Live.  Most Parents are ignorant to the fact that a Misdemeanor Shoplifting Charge is now elevated to a Class 4 Felony if you have either a Child under 15 or a Vulnerable Adult with you when you commit the Crime!!!   Becoz now you're catching Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Child or Elder Abuse and Neglect Charges, on top of the Misdemeanor Shoplifting Charge for Petty Theft and will now be a Convicted Felon for Life.  

I have zero Respect for any Parent dragging a Child or Elderly Loved One along when they know they're going to be indulging in Criminal Activities of any kind, Shoplifting included.   Most 'use' the Child or Elder as a distraction and decoy, to make it less likely they'll be eyeballed or even Charges filed, becoz they've brought an Innocent along to do their dirty deeds.   Lately there's been a spike again in the Five Finger Discount and most leave Evidence behind, like the empty Bag as a Middle Finger that they got away with it.   With the bagged Smalls you probably wouldn't even notice being Victimized if they didn't intentionally WANT you to know they ripped you off.   And most can easily afford what they're Stealing too, it's not out of Need or Poverty in most cases.  Especially when it's the Suburban Housewives, who are some of the worst Offenders actually.

There is no Grown Ass Adult or Parent whose Stealing a $3-$8 LPS or Shopkins that has NEED of that item whatsoever.  And to Gift their Kid or a Kid they know with a Stolen Item is just disgraceful and they should be Ashamed.   All LPS now I literally have to keep in my Locked Case becoz they're Stolen more often than they're Sold now... in spite of still being Inexpensive enuf anyone can really afford to Purchase them.  We Sell a lot of Shopkins coz we have them real Cheap, but, about 1-3 Bags a Week get Stolen by the Thieving Shoppers who don't wanna Pay if they can just pull a small Heist what they want.  And you do get the Parent that will give a Wrapped item and let their Small Demon Spawn Child tear it open, play with it, discard the Packaging and pretend they came in with it and it was theirs.

 We went down to the Neighbors Yard Sale to see what the big draw was, personally I thought they have new items they buy in bulk and are Selling at close to full Retail, not Yard Sale prices.  So, I'm not a Player, but, they have a lot of People assuming it's a good Deal and Buying.  It reminds me of the Vendors at a Flea Market that are Retailers normally and have Shops and just take it to the Flea Markets on the Weekend to hawk it too at the same price points.   This Neighbor had a Gorgeous Million Plus Dollar Property with a Triple Car Garage, Big RV Garage and a Guest House, the Main Home is probably 5,000 sf and beautifully Maintained.   They own Businesses and are a Hispanic Family that isn't particularly schmoozy with their Neighbors, even other Hispanic Neighbors, so few of us know them.  Our long time Neighbors who've been here for Generations and are Neighborly don't associate with them at all... so there's probably a reason.  

One of our Lifelong Friends from the Old Barrio Neighborhood owns his own Custom Lowrider Customizing Business.   He said he once did Custom and Restoration Work for them on one of their Historic Collectible Vehicles and they never Paid him and still Owe him.  He told us to never do Business with them and Omar's Family and Rob's Family told us the same thing.  They're all reliable sources, so I'm taking their Word for it that the Family should be avoided and therefore we've never been anything but Cordial towards them, but, have no Interest beyond that.  They keep their Property nice and don't make Trouble, so... whatever... so long as they keep to themselves nobody Cares.  They clearly have Money and Affluence, so the fact they don't Pay who they Owe, is Telling and all I Need to Know about them.  That should have been all anyone Needed to Know about The Orange Billionaire who Stiffs who he Owes too.

The Son is doing a BBQ and making Jalapeno Poppers too, so it will be a really nice Picnic Style Luncheon Poolside.  We Invited some Friends to join us, a lot of our Neighbors do BBQ on the Weekends and Invite Friends too, or combine our BBQ's, it's what we Love about this Community.   The Jalapeno Poppers turned out so good!   Below is the prepped food before it was Grilled.   The Son put a lot of Work into prepping everything and being a Grill Master.  I remember when his Dad used to do that.  Now the Torch has been Passed from Father to Son.  The Grandsons liked to BBQ too, it's definitely a Guy Thing.  *Smiles*  Nothing better than dining Alfresco Poolside or outside the 5th Wheel Glamping on a Sunny Glorious Day.   The 5th Wheel has a Stereo System with exterior Speakers, so we were jammin' too, rotating everyone's Play Lists in English and Spanish.  *Winks*

When I went in to my Showroom and to pick up my Check on Friday it was messy even tho' Sales weren't Strong.   If there's high traffic and strong Sales I don't mind it getting messy.  But it's frustrating when people aren't Buying yet still make a mess in their wake and just steal things too.  You don't have to tear things up to Shop, I never have and I don't understand how anyone thinks it's okay to trash a Business while they're there?   Or to mess with things they aren't Buying and isn't theirs to manhandle or just take?   But you do get far too many people like that these Days when you're in Retail and they have no Shame about Bad and inappropriate Behavior when they're in Public.

While we were having Brunch at "Snooze" the other Day we saw another thing we feel is inappropriate and annoying. Parents letting their Child(ren) trash a Restaurant while Dining there.  A Young Couple was at a Table near us with a Toddler Aged Child in a Highchair.  They kept giving the Child food which he promptly threw to the Floor, not eating any of it.  Yet, they didn't chastise or correct him so he'd know it was not Okay, nor did they quit handing him MORE food to just toss to the Floor!!!   The Huge mess their Kid left for the Staff of a higher End Restaurant to clean up was something the Couple should have been embarrassed about.  It wouldn't have been Okay at a McDonalds or Chucky Cheese, let alone a mostly Nice Upscale Adult Establishment. 

 He had thrown some things so far it could have landed on another Diner's Table or Walkway, or even hit someone walking by!  Then Parents like that Wonder Why nobody wants their Feral Child(ren) around or get upset if someone says something about it.   Their Children lack any Social Graces, Etiquette or Manners, they grow up Inconsiderate and Insolent, feeling Entitled to act any kind of way and lack Empathy for other People, they aren't Disciplined and generally act like Brats nobody can stand.  Once they're Grown, the tolerance for people like them is even less than when they were Children, and it's amazing how many of them Play the Victim then, as if everyone else is the Problem.

I decided to Photograph The Man's whole Cowboy Hat Collection and how he's Displaying them in our Room.  He's got Nine now, acquired over the last few Years.   He wears Hats every Day so I didn't mind this being Displayed as a Collection that Visually is pleasing as well as being quite functional and making a nice display when he's not wearing them.   He's been Purging his own possessions lately and letting us Sell or Donate whatever he no longer has use for or an attachment to.  I don't touch his things so I wasn't gonna presume to do it and told him he needed to make those decisions about his stuff himself.   I don't know what he has any Sentiment or Attachment to, tho' I do know what he never uses anymore or might have bought on a whim and really forgot he even had.  The Daughter has been cleaning and organizing our Bedroom now which is Helpful to both The Man and I.

When we have an abundance of things we really need to downscale some of it at a certain point and only Keep what we use most or is the best of it.   Our Sentiments wane over Time too and you detach from some things over the Years.   Things we used to like a lot, perhaps now we don't as much now and have moved on and prefer a different Aesthetic or Style now.  I had a huge Donation Box of stuff we dropped off.  It always feel good to get a lot gone quickly and be done with it, while making sure it goes to a worthy Cause.  Mostly this was Clothing and Kitchen Wares that didn't Sell at a Yard Sale attempt and I just wanted it gone.  The Daughter made enuf Today for her Cigs and Mike's Hard for a couple Days worth.  

Most of her Customers were Spanish Speakers, they Buy a lot at Yard Sales.  She gave One Small Child a Beach Towel she really wanted and her Parents couldn't afford to Buy.  They'd bought some necessities from us with what Cash they had, so the Kid and Parents were thrilled and Grateful to get the Freebie.  I find it ironic that ICE is allegedly rounding up Criminals and "Freeloaders" while targeting mostly People at their Jobs!  If they're Working at a legit Job, chances are they're not Freeloaders or making a Living doing Criminal Activities.  They're just hardworking people who might not be documented, but are contributing Members of Society and paying Taxes on their Income like the rest of us.   So the Spin put on what they're doing rounding up People is total bullshit and lies.

The Son bought a NetFlix Subscription for another few Months, this was our last Day of the Old Subscription and I'd Binged Watched more of LOST, as had The Daughter, just in case we couldn't renew.   The Son joked that he wouldn't have wanted to see us going thru LOST Withdrawal, so he got us our Fix to finish watching all Six Seasons now.  *Smiles*   We've had Company all day and another Friend of the Kiddos is coming over after Work too, so, we've had plenty of Socializing this Weekend.   Rusty took Princess T out to eat.  She hadn't really wanted to hang out again after Work, she was tired, but he enticed her by saying he'd get her Pho and go to her Fav Vietnamese Restaurant.  *LOL*   She said when they'd hung out Friday Night she'd fallen Asleep so wasn't much Company really. 

 Sometimes Work wipes her out and he knows how tired she gets.  He doesn't mind if she mostly zones out and doesn't personalize it, he Works hard too.  They've often fallen Asleep together here as well after Work.  *Smiles*   They are not your typical Young Party People, both of them Work hard and just like staying Home mostly, content to do nothing Special but be together even if it's doing nothing.  She's not one to like going out a lot anyway and neither is he apparently.  He's Quiet like she is so whenever they're here you hardly know they're here.  The Son and The Daughter are like, we've rarely seen such Quiet Young Adults who aren't any Trouble at all!!!   And I say, Yes, that's what I LIKE about them both!!!  *LOL*

I see that in The Land Of Blog most Bloggers are trying to not talk about the Fuckery, and keep Posts lighter, but, of coarse, it's easier said than done as it's playing out Daily in Real Time.  And I think it's Okay for us to talk about it here on our little Platforms and express ourselves and our concerns, rather than bottling it up.   Most of us feel limited on how we can make a difference, but, each in our own small ways I think we can resist and be True to ourselves.   I only Wish more in Leadership would, they've been Elected to Represent us and they're failing to.  I don't feel we're being properly Represented at all or adequately Protected and our Rights being Protected either.   If all the Leadership is rolling over only a Month in and just gonna be in Lockstep, they all need to go during the next Election Cycle and be replaced.   And those just now pretending to grow a Backbone are late to the Resistance, and when they capitulate, I don't Trust them, too wishy-washy.

I've had the Doors Open all Day and Night now, so the House has been Aired Out with Fresh Air.   If it's as nice Tomorrow, since I don't have to take anyone to Work, I plan to go to The Desert Botanical Gardens.  I know The Man won't wanna go so I'll have a Me Day with no entourage in tow.  I'm hopeful some Wildflowers will have started to Bloom now?  It's not been a very Wet Season so I doubt we'll get a big show-out of them, but Desert Wildflowers don't take much to Blossom and really show how resilient they are.  

I've been catching up on my Blog Reading, I'd gotten way behind and some fav Blogs I hadn't caught up on since New Years!   So, a lot has happened and it was a Fun Read to catch up.  I particularly enjoy the International Blogs because right now I'm too inclined to have American Tunnel Vision due to the state of our Nation's decline.  So, it's refreshing to visit Blog Friends from various Countries that aren't in total chaos as we are and are going about Life normally.  Oh, how I long for Normal here in America again already!  The Fuckery is too exhausting and stress inducing, yet, there's no actual getting away from it if you're living in the Continental U.S. right now.   So, Yes, I vicariously visited other Countries via their Bloggers and enjoyed a Blog Vacation Abroad.  *Whew*  It was restorative and helps me stay Centered.   Vix's Blog, VINTAGE VIXEN, particularly Cheers me up with her outstanding Vintage Fashions, Food Porn, and their Travels, plus her Historic Home and how she has it Decorated. 

We're slowly but surely Transforming Forever Boheme' to be tidier and decluttered, it already has a better Energy for our efforts.  I'm determined now to have it completed in 2025 and then just enjoy our Forever Home properly, without so much constant Work being necessary.   Since we never Plan to have to Move again, once it's done I feel as tho' we can enjoy all the hard Work we put in since moving here in 2019.   It sometimes doesn't seem like we've really been here that long already and have still remained in transition and recovering from The Big Move.  So the End now being in Sight, I'm feeling a lot less overwhelmed or discouraged about what has yet to get done.  Downsizing is a Process and more of a grueling one than I anticipated it would be.  We'll get to Just Enough, I feel confident of that now.

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Stay Centered and Balanced my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian