I Will Always Do It Afraid... But Not Be Jolly About It!

 

This Post will finish up the Visuals of the Quilt Squares Exhibit that I took during that visit.   It warmed my Heart to know that so many people from all over the Globe participated in the Project and are Socially and Environmentally Conscious, promoting Positive Changes that will benefit all of Mankind.   Sometimes the Environmentally and Socially Unconscious among Mankind cause so much of a Negative impact that they get all the attention and focus.   They usually are the loudest and most destructive to the Planet and to other Humans and the Animal Kingdom as well.   We've always had to coexist and share this Planet with those who won't be good Stewards of it or be able to get along and Play Well with Others.  To do so in relative Harmony is a continuous balancing act thruout History.   

Society thrives when the Environmentally and Socially Conscious are in Leadership.  As a Species and as a Collective, the Good Leadership has Changed our World in Meaningful ways we all benefitted from greatly.  Fareed Zakaria did a very interesting Special on the "America First" Movement and how long it's had it's MAGA leanings in various forms and incantations going way back in our Nation's History actually.   It makes more sense to me when laid out Historically, how Poor Leadership can get a Foothold and then a Stronghold if we fail to elect Good Leadership that represents the best interests of everyone, not just Nationally, but Globally.  When each does Well we all do Well is not a hollow statement.  We all do better when we all do better.  

 

Yes it's a Progressive Vision that says we ALL have a Collective Responsibility for one another.  We must share the burden in times of need, distress and challenges Globally, we ARE interconnected whether we Like it or not!   When Good Leadership has prevailed the World as a Whole has avoided major Wars, smoothed over petty and superficial Conflicts, and raised each other up to enjoy better Quality of Life overall.  America has led in being Conscious of that for the past 80 Years, until now.  This Fool is taking us backwards a Century in less than a Month!!!   When the Unconscious of it among us, including Leadership, is now in Power and destroying everything Past Generations sacrificed so much to give all of us, around the World, not just here, we all Lose.   We don't have an Eisenhower right now to step up, step in, and rise to the challenge of turning things around for America, I wish we did.   

Being a True Patriot, Great Leader and legitimate American War Hero, he rose to the Challenge.   He actually put America AND The World First, over himself, and aborted his Dreams of a Serene Retirement to run against Taft.  Who was an "America First" Candidate, and was very much like the Orange Nationalist.  Luckily then, America made a better Choice and gave us the Future that played out far better.   And the whole MAGA Type Movement went back even further, to the 1930's during WWII and even way further back to WWI.  When much of America didn't wanna get Involved and wanted to just look Inwards, as if atrocities around the rest of the Globe somehow wouldn't impact them too, if they but ignored it and stuck their Heads in the Sand, only having Self Interest at Heart.  The only thing Evil needs in order to prevail is for Good Humans to do nothing and Bad Humans to unify and forcefully commit their atrocities.  We must try to be on the Right Side of History again.

 

I've got about a Half Hour before I take The Daughter to Work and have a Me Day in the East Valley, I Need it.  Mando had said he'd take her, but I want to revisit some of the Shops over there in Chandler and Mesa, plus go back to that Amazing Mediterranean Restaurant for Lunch.  Going Solo this time means I can browse and Pathologically Picture Take to my Heart's content without having to be multi-tasking with Caregiving and keeping track of The Man in tow.  He was a great Sport during it last Weekend, but, it's not his Jam to browse Decor Stores or eat Mediterranean Foods, I know this.  We split our Outings between what he likes to do and what I like to do becoz I'm in Caregiver Mode all the time unless one of the Kiddos substitutes for me or he's Hospitalized and being Cared for by Professionals.  So, it's a Catch 22, isn't it?  And Upside and a Downside to it all.

   

The Gym also has no Senior Age Restrictions on Sundays so I may go to the Gym later in the Day after we get back Home, if I have any Energy left?  Even if I don't, taking a Hot Wet Sauna there, some Hydrotherapy and a nice long Hot Shower there will be relaxing, even if I don't Exercise.  We'll play it by Ear as to how I feel when we get back from our full day out?  *Smiles*   My Stamina is improving now and I'm feeling like I did before the stupid Stroke really now.  Eyesight and Body Function has returned to normal, Thankfully, I don't FEEL Mentally impaired, so if I still am, I don't notice it as much now.  *Bwahahaha*  The Kids say they notice, so clearly some damage was done by the Stroke, to where someone living with you every day notices subtle changes... or not so subtle ones.  *Winks*   The Kids say I can get Angrier quicker, but I know that could be Coping less effectively with Stress really?  After a while prolonged Stress takes an Emotional Toll.

Sometimes I do just want a nice Peaceful Serene Retirement and just enjoy myself and do what I just wanna do for me.   So, yeah, I get Angry at every Crisis or the Issues of Life that mount the fuck up continuously.  So, NO, I am not always Coping with a Smile on my Face and the Song Of Jesus in my Heart now, I freely confess, I get Angrier about it when shit happens.   A lot of it is Scary shit happening and Anger is Fear in disguise, we've discussed this Fact before.   And tho' I will always just Do It Afraid, it's not like I'm gonna be Jolly about it.  *LOL and Winks*   So, that's my Post Title Hook for the Day.  *Bwahahaha*  I'm doing it all Afraid right now, but often either Stoic or highly Pissed Off about circumstances beyond my Control, situations, the State of our Country, Financial Pressures, Medical complications and expenses, etcetera... etcetera... etcetera... as the King Of Siam would have famously said via Yul Brynner.  *Winks*

Did I ever tell you how much of a Crush I always had on Actor Yul Brynner?   Yep, from Childhood, I thought he was the Sexiest Man Alive and I thought his Baldness was Hot too, he didn't look as good with Hair actually!   He was Exotic, Mysterious, Handsome, his Accent captivated me, and, he was very well built, so, easy on the Eyes during an Era when most Famous Guys looked like Ward Cleaver and were total Squares.   To be sure Yul had led a Colorful and Interesting Life before getting into Acting or Hollywood.  He'd been a Trapeze Circus Performer until he had an injury, hung out with and might have even been of Gypsy Ancestry, and claimed to have smoked Opium with Jean-Claude Picot.  Had Marilyn Monroe, among many, as a Lover.   His Son wrote a Memoir about his Father which I have.

The Man was released from the Hospital Sunday just AS I was leaving to take The Daughter to her Job in Chandler!  Splendid, so, since I can't be Two places at once, The Son and Mando went to get him and bring him Home.  He said the Doctor never consulted him coz they don't work on Sundays, so, he'll have to schedule an Appointment with that Cardiologist now to find out what all his Test Results revealed... Splendid.   I'm Guessing he's okay to be Home and it wasn't anything needing immediate intervention tho', he looks good and is back to his regular Routine, Happy to be Home.   Princess T made sure he ate and watched him 'til I could get back Home.  It had been a beautiful day and of coarse since he's Home now I nixed the idea of going to the Gym later for a Workout or to Relax with a Sauna and Shower or Hydrotherapy... dammit.

The Daughter picked up another Cleaning Job for another Family we know, they'd moved and needed someone to Clean the Apartment they'd just vacated.   It'll be a one day Job, so we'll be going there in the Morning, its not far from where we live and close to the Military Base, so a quick commute too.  Today I hung out again at "Ivy & Sage", "World Market", "Michael's" Craft Store, and had Lunch at that great Mediterranean Restaurant.   I'll Share all those Pixs in another Post that I took.   I did buy some of those Dip and Recipe Packets at "Ivy & Sage" that I'd wished I'd bought last time.  They had a discount if you bought Three, so I did.  I also bought some pressed Botanicals, the Jimi Hendrix Matchbox with his Mug Shot from being Arrested in the 1960's, and a cute Antique Metal Cigar Box that had an Old Letter still in it.  {See Pix directly Below}

  

I put the Pressed Botanicals in the Cigar Box for now, they had what the Specimens they are on the Backs, rather than below or around the Specimen, so I won't be Framing them.  Instead I'll put them in Photo Holder Stands so you can see both sides easily.  I just LOVE Pressed Botanicals and have some from the early 1800's that are Framed and on my Walls, along with a huge Folder of them that were too numerous to Frame each one and Display them all.   Someone's Great-Grandfather compiled them and she Sold them on E-Bay.  I Won the Auction back when I was still living at The McManse and cherish it, didn't really pay that much for it, even if the Great-Granddaughter didn't value it enough to keep it and pass it down within the Family for more Generations.  Our Family will.  We have a Thing for Naturalist Collections and Objects, which we like to Display.

 That other Necklace I'd liked was for someone with a much smaller Neck, so, I didn't buy it.  I got a Neck like a Man.  *LOL*  I got 20 mini Incense Sticks in Three Scents, they had a Special if you bought 20.  I bought all the half dozen Patchouli they had left, some Fizzy Pop and another Exotic Aroma I forgot the catchy Name of.  The Cashier remembered me from last time, it was only the 2nd time I'd ever been there, so I was surprised I was Memorable.  *LOL*  I Love that Shop and wish it was closer to Home, but will now visit it at least Monthly to see how they Decorate it Seasonally.   I hadn't seen the Pressed Botanical Wildflowers last time, so they were new Inventory and were under Five Bucks each, so I got a few.   I Photographed some more of the Faux Food, it's so stinkin' Cute, even tho' I'd have no use for it, it's clever.

It was a perfect day to have some time to myself, well, at least some of the day to myself, before getting Home to resume Caregiving.   But, I'm relieved he was Well enuf to be returned Home and seems to be way better than he was when he went in.   I don't know exactly what they did for his Congestive Heart Failure Episode since nobody ever talked to me either... and if they talked to him... he doesn't remember.  Except that he remembers they said he had Congestive Heart Failure.  I do know he was given some Nitro, that's all I know.  I never saw any Doctors, nor did The Daughter or Mando while there both Days.  I saw One Nurse who took some Vitals during my Visit to his Room.  Didn't see anyone while he was still in the ER when I visited Friday Afternoon, before he finally got a Room.  And The Son and Mando didn't see any Doctor upon Release Today coz they were told he wasn't Working Sunday.  So, until we do some follow-up we don't know anything specific.

Lifestyle changes and Meds are usually the Treatment if you're not a Candidate for Surgery, which, he's usually not, he's too high risk and Medically fragile for even out patient procedures.  He doesn't really Care, his disinterest tells me he probably won't be compliant no matter what a Cardiologist says or does, that's why we quit seeing the last one.  He said there was no more he could really do when a Patient is resistant to what they should do... or, are, but it's doing not much good.  We've been in both of those Camps before which is Why The Man no longer Cares.  If he behaves he isn't getting better, if he misbehaves, well, it might speed up the progression of what's already happening anyway, that's all.  So, he'd rather enjoy whatever Life he's got left and not go thru a lot of invasive procedures or slews of Medical Appointments where they already know they can't Heal him, he won't get better.  I understand.

Prolonging the inevitable is not something he's keen on if the Quality of Life keeps deteriorating at a rapid rate.   So long as he's Happy and Content with his Routines and made comfortable, that's all he wants now.   We can mostly provide that and so he doesn't want a Team of Specialists, high Medical Debts mounting again that may or may not be covered, or any more Major Surgeries to have to try to Survive and then Recover from.   Anyway, he's happily watching his Shows and has felt good since he got back Home, so, doesn't seem to be having any present ill effects, which is a relief.   I really was concerned his level of Care would escalate if he worsened a lot and that's always a worry when someone's Health has no Cures and no real significant Treatment that will be Helpful.   You do get to the place of Acceptance and Resignation that perhaps this is as good as it gets, and likely, will worsen over more Time.

The Daughter was given some lovely Flowers by the Friend whose Home she was Working at, so she planted them all Today.  I won't be able to see them until Daylight, she was planting 'til after Dark.  They are Petunias in a variety of bold and bright Colors plus White ones.   I have no idea where she planted them, but I told her I'll Trust her judgment about where they'd look and Display best, more importantly, where they might thrive?   I used to have a LOT of Flowers at the Historic Property, they grew very well there.   At the McManse it was iffy, only the hardier species of Vines did well there, Flowers just didn't.  Here, we really haven't tried to plant a lot so don't know what would do well?  We haven't had the Resources to invest in Plants since moving here, Budget has been an Issue almost constantly the last few Years.  

As Medical Crisis, Home Maintenance and Repairs, another Big Move, and as various unexpected expenses and Helping Adult Kiddos out kinda used up any discretionary funds.  Plus, we did Pay for the Wedding of the Grandsons, on short notice, which was expensive.   So, it's been one thing after another to wipe out Savings.  At least I never Invested in an IRA, whew, those Poor Folks are losing everything due to this Administration.   And, I feel it's quite Intentional, since, once they crash the Economy, and wipe out the Ordinary People Economically, the obscenely Rich make out like Bandits.   You see, causing intentional Blood in the Streets, so that then they Buy Up everything for Pennies on the Dollar and Own it ALL.   That is my Prediction is their Master Long Con.   I always bought the most expensive things when the Economy was in Crisis and Blood was in the Street, and I had the Means to, I ain't gonna Lie.  It's when I always bought Real Estate and Vehicles especially... they were practically giving it all away!

The McManse had Cost over a Million to Buy originally, back when it was Built and before the Luxury Home Market Bubble Burst and that Real Estate Market Crashed.   Plus, then the Luxury Home Builder went Tits and had to File Chapter 11 before they even finished the Built Out of their far Westside Mansion Vision at the foot of the White Tank Mountains where the Views were spectacular.  They thought if they built it, the Rich would come.  Well, they mostly didn't and then the Market crashed and everyone who had come and Paid over a Million were underwater now big time.  The Million Dollar Listings now could suddenly barely command over $350,000.   I bought THEN... and just held onto it for Five Years to make a Quick Turn and Cash Out.  I never wanted a Million Dollar Listing, to whom much is given, much is required, it was a lot of House and I didn't have Staff.  Even with Solar installed, Cooling or Heating a Mansion sized Villa is ridiculous too.   It required Three Commercial Sized Air Conditioners slash Heaters.  No bueno.

 

Of coarse when an Older Mini Farm came on the Market, after over a Year of searching for a Forever Home and having much disappointment due to Sellers who couldn't Perform, we snapped this up right AT Pandemic.  So, still Blood in the Streets for a completely different reason now.  And, Interest Rates had crashed to only 2% and I knew that would never happen again in my Lifetime.  Vehicle Loans were 0% with so many Freebies thrown in to incentivize a purchase that I couldn't resist that either and bought a New Truck, then traded that one in for a newer one when Terms were Idyllic again.   So, Yeah, I never want a crashed Economy coz I'm no Billionaire able to skate thru Economic Crisis unscathed.  But, I know what the Elite are doing and especially when they've Created the Disaster on purpose for their own Greed and Insidious Agendas to Rob Americans blind. 

 The Average Citizen has no Idea the Power Play going on with the Economy being played with like this by the Elite 1%.  They're not even sure how to figure out how to afford a Dozen Eggs, Okay.  So, of coarse, since most Citizens aren't aware, they're getting away with it and will be able to Rob America blind.  They already have their Hands in the Cookie Jar of America and Stealing what they can, making things worse and worse, so they can loot even more.  It's just that uncomplicated as to why they're creating the Chaos, unprecedented Recklessness, Fear and Uncertainty, of even the People who Voted them in unaware of what they Planned to do to them too.   And, the rabid Cult Base are expendable Sacrifices used as leverage against any of the rest of the Politicians of this Hijacked Party that might try to Resist or Speak Up and Speak Truth.  The Ketamine King will be Sacrificed too, he was a handy Scapegoat to blame everything on and have the Target squarely on his Back... he just didn't figure it out in time.

But his own unfettered Greed and Lust for Power and more Influence, that he thought he could just Buy, well, I think it's backfiring on him in big ways he didn't Predict and is struggling to comprehend.  He Bought a President but actually there's some behind the Scenes Masterminds who are flying below the Radar on Purpose and they're the ones I'm keeping my Eyes on, most aren't Aware of Who they even are!!!  The higher profile people are Tools IMO to assist in getting the Job done, be the obvious disruptors, and be the major distraction to the Public so that what they don't want you to see in time, happens while you're still reeling and in the Dark about their End Game or totally still deluded.  And don't actually know who the Enemy is?  

I think the worst is yet to come.  What concerns me most is that the Democrats aren't in Touch with their Base and the ReTrumplicans are enslaved and held Hostage to theirs.  That's not giving me confidence of a Happy Ending or anything actually turning around yet, if ever now in my Lifetime.   I Hope I'm Wrong tho', I really do.   Every time I turn on The News, even tho' I'm limiting my Exposure, there's more and more to be concerned and alarmed about.   Since, it's intentionally happening too fast so nobody can adequately respond or even successfully block a lot of it.  A lot of damage is being done and it's gonna be costly to run damage control behind.  These Jokers haven't saved the American Taxpayer any Money, they've done a major Heist at our expense. 

Anyway... it was good to have a day where I could just not think about everything serious going on.   I finished up my Complaint to the AG's Office about that Lender, now I just have to make copies of the Receipts to prove they misapplied the first Payment.  The Lender aided my Case by applying Payment No. Two correctly after I threatened them with turning them in to the AG, imagine that!  *Winks*  And so I've got documentation of both payments to prove the initial one was wrong and I want it put right.   Yes, it's about a Hundred and Fifty Dollar Mistake in their Favor, but, who knows how many times they would have tried to do that or how many other Borrowers they're doing it to?  That shit adds up fast and doesn't pay down any Loan whatsoever if they're applying 100% of people's payments to Interest and not against Principal at all!  

  

The AG's Office actually did a follow-up since they hadn't heard back from me, which shows me they're on top of things and know these Predatory Practices are happening with alarming regularity now.  I only hadn't submitted my Complaint with Evidence yet due to The Man's Medical Emergency distracting me for days.  Now he's Home I will go get Copies made of my Payment History to attach to the Complaint and send it in.  I still want this Lender Investigated and I know the AG will dig deeper than just my situation.  My Co-Worker Friend Bess, who Retired from the DA's Office the same Week I did, after Retirement was bored and went to Work as a Part-Time Volunteer at the AG's Office for many Years.  She told me how thorough they were about Investigating Predatory Practices aimed at Seniors particularly to Victimize the Elderly.  And when you commit Crimes against anyone over 65 it's a more Serious Offense coz we're considered Vulnerable Adults.

I don't feel particularly vulnerable due to my Age, but I do know it makes me a Target of certain Crimes more, so you'd be a Mark for exploitation attempts.  That's just the unfortunate Truth.  And at some point, perhaps I would be more vulnerable if my cognitive decline begins to impair me to where I can't even tell I'm being Victimized anymore.  I don't know how many people, even Young ones, pay attention to how their payments are applied to ensure it's properly distributed?  I'm on that shit like White on Rice coz I'm Retired from that Industry and know how much corruption has happened in the Industry.  The Government has had to heavily Fine Lending Institutions and Indict even Corporate Executives over the Years and bail some Lending Institutions out due to corruption and bad business.   I even worked for a Lending Institution that was closed down by the RTC due to such things in the Savings and Loan Crisis of the 1980's-1990's.

They closed 747 Thrifts and disposing of Assets valued at over 450 Billion.  Yes, with a "B"!   The RTC was formed in the late 80's for Reform, Recovery and Enforcement.  But, unlike DOGE, it actually had competent Staffing that was doing the Job right for the American People. It was properly managing and resolving the Assets of failed Savings and Loan Institutions that were corrupt or had badly mismanaged Assets of their Clients during that Economic Crisis.  The RTC could finally be closed in late 1995, their job was complete for that Era of Crisis.  I was still a Corporate Executive for a failing S&L when the S&L Crisis happened and had been doing internal Audits that exposed some of the bad practices in that particular Institution.  It wouldn't make me popular and I knew people were being exposed for major corruption and going to Prison.  

So, there was no reason for me to remain when the RTC came in to clean things up, tho' they did hire me on as a consultant.   My Hands were Clean so I had nothing to worry about, but I knew other Executives were shitting Kittens coz their gig was up as to what they were involved in up to their Necks.  Much like I'd Love to actually Audit DOGE and uncover what that Fuckery is up to, I know it ain't Legal and it ain't Good, DOGE Needs to be Investigated, the sooner the better.  If a lot of the Cabinet of the Orange Career Criminal was Investigated properly and thoroughly, lots more of them would go to Prison too, just like his First Administration did.  The worst thing the Supreme Court did was grant this President complete Immunity from committing his chronic Criminal Activities.  But all the King's Men {and Women} aren't Immune from Prosecution and I Hope they all go down, as they should, for what corruption they're involved in.  

Anyway, I went on to a different Career in Criminal Law, since, it had piqued my Interest in being more of a Public Servant than working for Big For Profit Institutions that were often exploiting the Public instead.  It Paid crap, but the Benefits for The Man's Healthcare were excellent and covered over a Million in his Medical expenses at the time, he got great Care at the County Hospital too.  He had 11 Surgeries during my tenure at the DA's Office, that they paid 100% of, which would have put us Millions in Debt with Medical Expenses otherwise.  So, it was a good Move for me to get less Salary, but better Benefits for my ailing Spouse.  I had good Health so I rarely used it, except when I had one Work related injury from lifting 100 lbs. Boxes all day long filled with Superior Court Files we worked.  It's not that I couldn't still lift 100+ Lbs., I still can... but after a certain Age, a Woman's Bone density declines to where you shouldn't, even if you still can.  I didn't know this and fractured my Arm power lifting heavy Case File Boxes.  *Le Sigh*

 

I would have finished out my Career at the DA's Office and been fully Vested in my Pensions had The Man's deterioration not required Full Time unpaid Caregiving that I had to take on.  It cost me 60% of my Retirement, but it was the Right thing to do, I always put Family first, but yeah, it stung Financially, big time.  Plus, I then spent the next 5 Years with NO Healthcare until The Man, who by then had been 100% Disabled Classified and involuntarily Retired by the Military too, got the Benefits he should have been receiving.  I had to fight for over 2 Years to get him what the Government should be paying him in the way of his VA Disability Benefits of 100% Disability Status!  They were shorting him significantly and denying him Healthcare for his Spouse, but, I Lawyered Up and prevailed.  They gave us a lump sum Settlement 2 Years after they'd put him out to Pasture and now he gets his Earned Pensions and his Disability Pensions as HE SHOULD and the correct amounts.  

Makes me also Wonder how many Disabled Veterans and their Families are also getting screwed over and don't know the Math enuf to realize they're not receiving the Earned Benefits they should or the Disability Benefits at the right percentage either?   When it comes to Money and THOSE Numbers, I'm like an Idiot Savant, so it stands out to me... ha ha ha... which is why I made an excellent Financial Auditor.  If there were errors to be Found, my OCD would zero in on that shit even if it was minuscule.  My Kids still like to tease me that I can walk into a Hoarded Room and notice if something is missing or out of place instantly!  Even in The RV Garage Mahal, which is Warehouse sized and packed, I notice.  They think it's Spooky as fuck, and yet hilarious!   

It's like a Parlor Game to them and their Friends now, to deliberately change one small thing in any size Room and then take Bets on how fast I will notice it when I walk into said Room.  Nobody has to tell me or say anything, just observe, I walk in and Snap, I go right to it like it had a Tracking Device in it!   It's why my Superiors in Banking put me in Charge of Internal Audits during Crisis, they knew if there was something to be Found, I'd Find it, while still running my own Three Departments simultaneously.  *LOL*   OCD can be quite tormenting like that since you have compulsions to Fix things that are no Big Deal, but bother you and the Urge to put it Right is compelling.   The Man laughs when we're in a Park that has Gravel Desert Landscaping around the Sidewalks, since if any Gravel Rocks are on the Sidewalk, I have to kick them back into place.  *LOL*  

I just go along kicking them back into the Landscaped Area since them being on the Sidewalk where they shouldn't be, bothers me.  I try to sometimes avoid the compulsion, but it makes me Anxious to so it's easier to just go along and fix it, kicking them back where they should be.  It even bothers me that Paid Park Maintenance often neglects to do that.  *Bwahahaha*   Yes, if I was your Supervisor you were NOT getting away with doing your Job half-assed, find another Job if you don't Care about the one you're doing, was my Mantra.  I always had Top Shelf Employees working for me and I rewarded them for working with excellence.   There's a lot of good people out there worthy of their positioins and I don't float along the ones who aren't up to the Job or who simply don't Care about what they're doing.  They're dead weight.  All of this Administrations Top People are dead weight and mostly Nepotism Hires.  Nothing worse than a Nepo Baby, especially a Rich one whose Privilege they feel Entitled to everywhere they go, coz they never had to Earn anything.

And to say that 100% of this Administration doesn't Care about Environmental and Social Issues or the American People, would be an understatement.   They see us all and it all merely as a Commodity to Exploit for their own Personal Gains and unearned Privilege, period.   That so many Ordinary Hard Working Americans have been so thoroughly and devoutly deceived is the bigger Question.  It's like some of the 1960's CIA Mind Control Tricks have been played on them as an Experiment.   And No, that's no Conspiracy Theory, the whole Mind Control Thing was an Experiment done on unsuspecting people who were not volunteers, by our Government who wanted to harness Mind Control for National Security Defense Purposes.  

 As a matter of fact there's some good DocuSeries out about it to explore... including, but not limited to, one about Manson and his Followers, which is quite Interesting, I'm Intrigued.   Who just happened to be utilizing Haight Ashbury Medical Clinics where a CIA Mind Control Doc just happened to be Working.  Humnnnn.  Coincidences like that are always Suspect rather than just Conspiratorial.  Hey, especially during that Era, Convicts and Hippies were an underclass of Society anyway, so the Government didn't Value them enuf to treat any of them Humanely.  And Manson could have been stopped numerous times, he even wanted to be kept Institutionalized, but they didn't, makes ya wonder Why?  And in his Rants he often eluded to what has never been said about it all.  The Subculture of being a Hippie was despised, feared and discriminated against brazenly.  They wanted an elimination of the Culture and it "Neutralized".  

  

 Well, that's a Term that The Man knew only too well as a Government Assassin, when they tell any Sniper or Soldier to Neutralize anyone, you know exactly what they mean.   So, Documents that wanted anything or anyone Neutralized that comes out of Government is quite Specific about what is intended and Ordered.   And we're not the only Government that has Experimented with Creating the Perfect Fighting Machine, using People as Lab Rats.   The Germans did it too, the Nazis did it to their Soldiers in WWI using Methamphetamines, initially as Pervitin, then a potent combo called "D-IX", containing Meth, Cocaine and Oxycodone.  Makes for a pretty whacked out Army of Killers, that's for sure.  I always did Wonder about the Cult Phenomenon being explored and exploited by those working on Mind Control of Populations.  It's another thing that has always Intrigued me, how to successfully manipulate People is a Study, and misused or abused, is very dangerous.

The Cleaning Job that The Daughter has Today is right outside Luke AFB in some Apartments that The Man actually lived in when I first met him.  Some Friends of The Son lived there but are moving out and going to live with extended Family, so she's helping the Wife Clean the Apartment so they can get all their Deposits back.   Rents are just so high now that a lot of Young Adults are moving in with Family and Sharing expenses now.   These Friends are going to live with the Husband's Brother and Family.   He has a good Job but they have a Special Needs Child and another one with Health Issues, so the Wife stays Home to look after their Kids most of the time, Daycare for Children with Special Needs and who have Medical Issues is difficult to find and usually prohibitively expensive if you can find any.   Day Care don't want Liability for chronically ill Children and don't have Training to Deal with those with Special Needs.

Anyway, tho' The Daughter would have done it as a Favor to a Lifelong Friend of our Family, the Husband, he insisted on paying her.   Coz it's going to take most of the day and be a lot of Work for one person.  He's done Favors for our Family many times so we wouldn't have charged him for this either, but he wouldn't let her do it if he didn't pay her.  The Son had already helped them move all their stuff as a Favor and they said that was enuf, coz it took The Son and The Husband all Weekend to do the Self Move.   He'd helped us move here too and I'd Paid him on that day.  I'd Hired all the Son's Friends and some Co-Worker Stud Muffin Friends from the Antique Mall to finish our last Day of Moving the Big Stuff from the McManse and U-Haul Storage to here.  The rest of this Self Move we did I'd done myself with the Help of some of my Female Lifelong Friends who wouldn't take payment coz I'd helped them out in the past too.  Reciprocity activated is powerful stuff.

We were supposed to be there by 9:00 a.m. but the Wife just called to ask if we could show up later coz she couldn't get the Boys out of Bed yet, I guess they're off School?   I didn't know St. Patrick's Day is a Holiday recognized, but, mebbe it now is?  I know I've never celebrated it even tho' my Mom's Mother, my Nanna, was of Irish Ancestry.   Which is why she was never fully accepted by the Welsh side of the Family, even the Gaelic Nations tend to be very Tribal like that.  *Eye Roll*  I've never been to Ireland, but I was Born in Wales and visited it again in the 1970's when my Dad was Stationed in England for the Military.  The Base in North Wales had been Closed for many Decades by then.  And, at the time Ireland was having a LOT of trouble with the IRA and Bombings and such, so it wasn't a Vacation Destination, too dangerous.   So, I've not had an inkling to visit Ireland, tho' Friends have and said it's lovely, and I'm sure it is, Wales is lovely too.

 

International Travel is pretty much out of the Question, I wouldn't risk taking The Man out of the Country with his compromised Health risks.  He doesn't Travel well locally, let alone Internationally, so, I'm also not taking this Show on the Road.  *LOL*   If I did go on a Vacay that required Travel, I'd probably take The Daughter or Granddaughter with me and leave the rest of them in charge of Caregiving for The Man while I was gone.   It's not even likely that will happen, but I keep it on the Dreamscape all the same.  *Winks*  A Gal can still Dream.  *Smiles*  We just do Staycations now, which is why I bought a property like this one, it makes for nice Staycations and was great during Lockdown.  Three Years of that and frankly, we got comfortable just staying Home a lot and still do now.

I've kept my Memberships to The Desert Botanical Gardens and Lifetime Fitness, but let other Memberships lapse.  I did have one to the Zoo and to the County Parks System.   I may eventually renew the one to the County Parks System next Fall.   I did enjoy the Zoo and went there often but you couldn't bring a Guest on your Membership and Family Memberships were so expensive it wasn't worth it either.   So, I didn't enjoy always going alone and didn't renew.   I had Paid for a Family Membership but the Kiddos didn't go often enuf and The Man went once and we had to leave within 15 Minutes becoz he didn't like it and became difficult.  Sometimes when he's not liking something, its more trouble to have him in tow than just not bothering to take him at all.  Sometimes he isn't aware that he won't like something.  

He liked the Zoo Restaurant and that was the extent of it and you don't need a Membership to eat there.  It has a massive Aquarium in the Restaurant with Sharks and Stingrays.  The Bar section has an Albino Alligator Exhibit and you can see the Zoos Flamingo enclosure from the Patio Dining Area.   And there are some Tropical Fish Tanks in the Restaurant Entrance too.   So, it's a nice place to Dine and to take Company when they're visiting.   I do like the Food there so we go every so often, but haven't been to the Zoo for a few Years now.  LATER:  So, in talking about that Restaurant, which was near where The Daughter's Cleaning Job was, I went there for Lunch and sat by the Flamingo Enclosure, Pixs in next Post of the Food Porn and Flamingos.  *LOL*

It was a beautiful Day all day long so I also did some Environmental Cleanup near the Base roadside, collected a lot of Aluminum Cans and it was good exercise.   Killed time while I waited for her to finish the Job to have something to do.   I drove to the Old Neighborhood too where the Villa McManse was, they're still packing in dense Residential, but now have at least FINALLY added some Retail and Commercial, 20 Years later than Promised to the folks who originally bought those Million Dollar Properties when they were first built in 2007.   There's so few original owners left of the Luxury Properties from that time frame, becoz other Builders had to come in and finish out the Subdivision when the Luxury Home Builder went Bankrupt, with much cheaper cookie cutter Homes instead of Custom Luxury Homes.   

Anyway, nothing much seems to have changed there on the Street we used to live on, still Homes always up For Sale, high turnover still.  The Values have gone up to about $600,000, still vastly under what they'd cost to build and Sell originally.  So original Homeowners who paid over a Million are still upside down even all these Years later and will probably take a Loss for at least another Decade or so to even get to Break Even Value.   By Contrast this Property Value has increased by 51% in only the Five Years since we bought it in 2020, so I'm happy.   We did lose $100,000 worth of Equity due to the Zoning Changes to the East of us or we'd have increased Value by over 70% otherwise.   The Historic Home we Sold also has increased in Value exponentially, so, I do still wish we'd held onto it to let our Kiddos Inherit it, que sera sera tho'.   We're cooking Corned Beef N Cabbage, New Potatoes and Baby Carrots, for St. Patrick's Day in the Crockpot, so none of the Kiddos is excited about Dinner... Bwahahaha... only The Man and I like it.  Ah well... 

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Happy St. Patrick's Day my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian