Running The Gamut Of Blog Fodder

We'll begin Today's Post with this Week's Food Porn!  Then have it visually morph into recently received Family Photos of some of the Grandchildren, Great-Grandchildren and Great-Grand-Puppies... so that visually we're on a very Positive Note.  *Winks*  This is CB's Strawberry Icebox Pie.  I don't usually eat Desserts but the Menu Pixs had looked good and I thought it was a Strawberry Pie and would be Light like a Mousse and Sweet tasting like Strawberries.  I didn't pay attention to the description, that the filling is actually Lemon and Tart enuf to make your Butt Pucker!  And, the Graham Cracker Crust was too Sweet for me and the Pie too Rich, and thick, like a Cheesecake.  So, I wouldn't order it again.  

It wasn't horrible, but when you're expecting a certain Flavor Profile and get a Surprise, No Bueno!  But, it was Editorial for Food Porn Imagery and looked just like the Pixs the Restaurant had. *Smiles*   For Dinner we had the Shepherd's Pie {me} and Shrimp N Grits {The Man}, both were very good and very Editorial for Food Porn Blog Fodder Imagery. 

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 Now on to how the Day had gone.  The problem with working a busy Friday Night is it wipes me out Physically now to where then I end up Sleeping most of Saturday away.  And so the entire Morning was wasted as I Slept... and Slept... Recovering from my Shift the Night before.

 The Son took us out for Lunch after I awoke from my Rumpelstiltskin Nap.   To "Rudy's BBQ" and I had the Prime Rib and The Man had the Two Meat Sammie.  It was The Son's way of apologizing to me for winding my Ass up last Night when he'd had too much to Drink and got Politically Incorrect for the sake of just being controversial.  He didn't even remember throwing a Benjamin at me to Calm me down the Night before and had tossed me another one this Morning... and would have done a 3rd except I said, you already gave me Two now!  *LMAOROTF*  He felt badly that he'd been upsetting to me about something I felt strongly about and he had made light of it.  Financial Security is no Joke to Old People, we don't have a Plan B after we're put out to Pasture.  The Political Dumpster Fire is just not something I find amusing enuf to not be Serious about right now.  If you don't take it Seriously, just don't talk to me about it, is all I ask of anyone, including Loved Ones.

I didn't Photograph my Prime Rib or any of the BBQ, we just had a good Family time, all was forgiven and I took the $200 Bribe.  *LOL and Winks*   Good Food and Money, the way to an upset Mom's Heart, if you've wound her Ass up by being an Adult Child Drunken Alcoholic Jerk, Right?   Yes, it Cost him and I don't feel bad about it.  He needs to curb the Alcoholism around me and he's aware of this predictable Trigger.  So, for Saturday Night he's just gonna Party over at Gypsy James', in order to not have a repeat performance, which, is fine by Moi.  Annoy Gypsy James... or vice versa, since, his Childhood Friend drinks too much even for the Son to find acceptable.  So, he'll probably be the more sober one of the duo. *Bwahahahaha*  Above is The Man's Shrimp N Grits from CB.

Above is my Shepherd's Pie from Cracker Barrel.  The Daughter saw my leftovers when I got Home and immediately had a Jones for them.  Sharing being Caring, I just gave them to her since Leftovers often end up not really getting eaten otherwise.  The Man and I often forget we have some and we almost never finish any Meal anymore, our appetites satiated about halfway thru now.   We just eat less and less as the Years go by, but I'm still a Foodie and Love a good Meal.   Getting The Man to get good Food down him is such a challenge due to the onset of Dementia coupled with his TBI, that eating out is the best way to coax him to consume something and enjoy the experience of a Meal he got to choose himself.  Yes, at Home everyone gets whatever is being cooked by whoever is cooking, we don't take individual "Orders" and make 5 or 6 different Meals at a time.   This ain't Burger King, you'll have it the Cook's way or you won't have the SOB at all.  *Winks and Smiles*

The Middle Granddaughter back East finally got a Pix of her Son.  This Great Grandson is at that Age where he isn't cooperative for a Photo Op and has to be restrained to keep him still enuf for one.  Otherwise he's a blur and running from the Camera.  So, his Countenance says it all as he's restrained into submission in his Car Seat for her to Photograph him!  *LOL*  He looks definitely less than thrilled, huh?  He'd also just gotten a Haircut, so was feeling rather like a shorn Lamb too.  *Bwahaha*   I don't particularly like the Haircut either so I'm Team Great-Grandson about that one.  *Shhhh and Winks*   Mama is below, she took a Selfie of herself too for us.  She takes exceptional Selfies and is very Photogenic.   Well, of coarse I'm highly Biased, I Adore all the Kiddos as Moms and Grammas and Great-Grammas just do.

And one of him with his Little Sister, before being sheared by the Barber is below.   He seems to Adore his Baby Sister.   And I liked his Wild and Natural 'Before' Hairstyle better.   He doesn't look so much like a Young Republican when his Hair is Au Natural... oh my, did I just say that out loud?  Listen, I was gonna say something even more Politically Incorrect, but I restrained myself... the initials of which would have been H.Y., see if you can Guess what that would have stood for had it fallen out of my Mouth and shocked Pearl Clutchers?  *Bwahahahaha*   Okay, he's Mine so I can say such things and that whole look was just too Uptight, Pedestrian and Corporate for Yours Truly... like how the Ketamine King dresses his Spawn... like tiny Hitler Youth!  There, I said it out loud, you don't have to Guess anymore what H.Y. stands for in case you didn't figure it out?!  *LOL*   So, anyway... he looks more like an appropriately disheveled Old Hippie's Little Woodstock Era Wild and Free Great-Grandbaby, with his Wild unruly 'Before' Hair, just sayin'.   I mean for Chrissakes, he not only had the Haircut, but the Button Up Dress Shirt too, like he was going to a Rally... it was just too much... I'd of had to mess up the Hair if he was at my House.  It would have been too Tempting.  *LOL*

But all the recent Images Shared by the Granddaughters always makes my Heart Sing even if I crack Jokes sometimes about the whole Suburban Housewife matching Outfits Thing the Older one does and the MAGA Thing the Middle one sometimes does.  The Youngest of the Trio of Granddaughters back East is a Child after my own Aesthetic and Tribe.  Let us just say the Youngest One there fits right in with all of us here.  So she's the Witchy Free Spirited one the rest of the East Coast Tribe don't always understand, but, I do.   Most of The Man's side of the Family is pretty convinced I could be a Witch and my side are the Scary ones.  They could be Right.  *Bwahahahaha and Winks*  So between Food and Child Imagery, it makes for an Uplifting Post, No?  You're Welcome.   

 

And Yes, I also included some Adorable Puppy Pixs that the Youngest Granddaughter back East sent, since, she has no Human Kids yet.   And all Three of the Granddaughters started out with Puppies first.  *LOL*  Youngest Granddaughter of that Trio is Below, her Middle Sister Below that again, both of them take good Selfies and I ask for them to often.  The Oldest Granddaughter does not do Selfies and is often the one behind the Lens, so I don't get a lot of Pixs of her.   She's Middle Aged now {Gasp, I can't Believe it either, Middle Aged Grandkids!!!}, so, she's kinda Outgrown the whole Selfie Phase of Life, that most Modern Young Adults indulge in with the frequency on Social Media that they just do. *Smiles*   I am always mildly Amused at how many Selfies some folks take, and not in Group Pixs, just of themselves, all the time!   But then again, I Photograph my Food and random shit all the time... so... we all have our Quirks and are Peculiar in our own ways, aren't we?  *Bwahahahahahahaha* 

Anyway, the Grands can never take Too Many Selfies for Gramma Dawn, so I encourage them to send me New Ones all of the time and the Two Younger Ones do.  And they all can happily take Gazillions of Pixs of the Great-Grands, both the Human Ones and the Fur Baby Ones as well.   Too Many would never be Too Much, I have no Saturation Point.  *Winks*   The Oldest Daughter was horrible about taking Pixs over the Years, so the Grandkids made up for that.  *Whew and Thank God!*  The Young Prince is horrible about taking Pixs too, of this Generation, and I lament that.  I can't remember the last time The Man ever took a Pix of anything except when he used to go Hunting, so he's similarly afflicted.  *LOL and Le Sigh*   No, I didn't want Pixs of the Dead Animals you Harvested for us to Eat, not necessary.  *Ewwww*  I don't mind Photographing my Food in more acceptable ways than just after they're Killed and Paraded Dead, as Hunting Trophies!  That's some Redneck shit!!!   *LOL*

I don't even like Taxidermy that much unless I can Dress it Up and make it Whimsical.  *Smiles*   But, I do appreciate the Art Form of Taxidermy after my Brother-In-Law, The Man's Youngest Brother, showed me how it's done.  It's skilled Artistry, especially when doing Fish Taxidermy, which has to be Painted to look like it was in Life!!!   And he's the one that really got me into appreciation of Taxidermy and Rescuing the very Old Taxidermy I own.  Most of my Mounts are Antiques and have seen better days, but are worth Preserving IMO.   I like Antique Entomology too, I have a Museum Butterfly Collection that is well over 100 Years Old and it's one of my most Cherished Finds and has been a Statement Piece in our Home for a long time now.  One day I do Plan to take a Taxidermy Class with The Young Prince, we both want to Learn how.

I know this Post is Heavy on the Family Imagery, but I really Needed how Uplifting it makes me Feel, since the Weight of everything Politically Heavy has been a real Downer lately.   Future Generations remind me what I'd be Fighting FOR and whatever Sacrifices that might entail, therefore will be worth it.   I am that Militant Elder who will make the Good Trouble without hesitation.   If you don't Stand for something, it is True that you'll Fall for anything.  I want to be a Role Model as well, so that our Future Generations have it Mirrored what Good Trouble looks like and Why it's so very important moving forward in the Right Direction.   Our Ancestors endured and Sacrificed so much already to give us what we have, so I'm not just giving it away and without a Fight.  I'm Proud of any of the Resistance I'm seeing playing out now.

The Man and I did do some Environmental Cleanup later in the Afternoon and hauled about 25 Lbs. worth out of the areas we canvased.  He was feeling ever so much better and the Cardiologist wants him up and moving around, it's beneficial to his Recovery.   He just has to Pace himself, as do I, so we do.   A Wellness Nurse did an Aftercare Phone Consult with us about how he's doing and offering any additional Programs we might find we could use.  He's reluctant to do too much After Care really so I'm easing him into any of that, it's too much interruption to his Routine and she understood that with his Brain Damage, it's intimidating to him to have too much thrown at him all at once and without a lot of preparation in advance.  I've kept her Number on File since she's been Assigned our Case by our Medicare Advantage Plan and it's Subcontracted Associates.  Who knows how much of that will end up being cut tho' by DOGE?

The VA has already had severe cuts and they were not well staffed and Serving Veterans and their Families all that well before DOGE got involved.  So, we can't rely on the VA that much or getting him in there until and unless it's a Life and Death Situation.  The waits are ridiculous to get seen otherwise.  That's an Earned Benefit, so he resents being forsaken by his Government like they are being right now towards our Military and particularly our Disabled and Retired Veterans and their Families.   The Man has become very hostile towards Government becoz they have always put Veterans last for too long, but this Regime doesn't even consider them anything but a bunch of Suckers and Losers... this President has made that abundantly clear.  Even tho' he himself was a Draft Dodging Coward faking Bad Feet and never defended his Country with any Honor or real Patriotism.  No Freedoms you have had are due to DonOld, NONE.  But he's taking them away Right, Left and Center.

Anyway, to get our Hearts and Minds in Balance, Tomorrow we'll be attending another Spring Event in the Far East Valley.  Our temps are heating back up and we may have our first triple digit Day almost 2 Months early this Year!!!  Yikes!!!   All Week it's in the 90's already, even tho' it's quite Cold in the Mornings, so the temperature spread is just ridiculous!   Frost on the Roofs in the Morning and close to 100 by Midafternoons!!!   When we were doing Environmental Cleanup the River at the Nature Preserve was running very fast and very high.  So, either they're releasing Water from the Dams or there is big Snow Melt or torrential Rains North of us.   Nature Loves it tho', since even the Dry Riverbed Areas and Dry Washes now have a lot of Water again and the Desert will Need it.   I'm regaling you now with Imagery of Beach Baby Pixs of the Great-Grands in Florida.  I'm having Beach Envy.  *Winks*

The Family in Pennsylvania vacay in Florida all the time and one of the Relatives has a Condo there they all take turns staying at on the Beach.  The Oldest Daughter thought of Retiring there, but then they built their Retirement Dream Home on Acreage they had in Pennsylvania that is very Bucolic, so, they'll likely stay put and avoid all those Natural Disasters in the way of recurrent Hurricanes.   Plus, she said that tho' visits to Florida were grand, Living there wouldn't be coz they don't like the Climate.  I've never been, but The Man has and said it's too Humid and Hot, not a good combo.  Arizona is Crazy Hot too, but a Dry Heat.  We do not Like Humidity, ugh, being a wringing Hot Sweaty Mess all the time would be miserable.  I don't know how you'd get Relief from that?  But, it is very Tropical and Green, so that's Lovely and they do have great Beaches.  Some Bloggers from Florida have lovely Historic Homes too.  Retirees there have picked up Primary or Vacay Homes relatively Cheap compared to here.

Of coarse I hear tell a lot can't be Insured anymore, so I don't know how that works out with Financing a Mortgage?  It would seem the Lender would have to mitigate risk unless you paid Cash for Real Estate and assumed the risk yourselves?   As a Retired Bank Executive that ran Departments that mitigated risk of Real Property for Lending Institutions, I just don't know how they wouldn't put crazy expensive Forced Place Coverage on Uninsurable Homes in those areas now, that have catastrophic losses regularly?   I'd be hesitant to Originate a Loan for an area too high risk and Uninsured, it would be too much Loss to the Lender and to the Borrower.  Anyway, with Climate Change and all the foolish poorly thought out cuts this Regime is making to Federal Agencies that Protect the Public, the Environment, and ensure National Security, expect worsening catastrophic Situations to escalate exponentially.

And now for an abundance of Great-Grandpuppy Cuteness to overdose upon.  You're Welcome.   The Crew back East has been Breeding this Breed of Dog, which is now having a resurgence of Popularity.  And they are damned Cute and fetch a hefty Price Tag that is in the Stratosphere, so Breeders of this Breed are making Bank.  But, I must say I have Sticker Shock anytime I visit a Pet Shop and see what folks are paying for their Dogs... Yowsah!!!   I'd be a Player for a Pound Puppy, if I even wanted a Canine Companion, which, I don't.  I Like Dogs, and Dogs seem to Like me too, I just don't want one.   Too much like Raising a Kid and I'm Over that now too, having Raised Two Generations of Needy Humans.  *Winks*   I am more a Cat Lover and all our Cats were Free and Adopted us, not the other way round.   I like the Independence, Aloofness and Indifference of a Cat... it matches my own Personality I guess, more closely than a Dog's.  *Bwahahaha*

But both Puppies and Kittens, what's not to Love about a Baby Animal too, Right?  *Awwwwwww*   This Litter had a mix of Male and Female Pups, and various Colors, so they had no trouble finding Homes for them all.  If I knew how to transport the Videos the Granddaughter sent me of them I'd of included and Shared that too, but I couldn't figure it out.  The Pied French Bulldog Pups were my favorite Markings.  The spotted Coat markings are just so interestingly Cute and they had a Male and a Female Pied in this Litter... along with a Brindle and a Blue and a Chocolate one, Five Pups total.   I'm told the last Two are Rarer Colors and I think the Granddaughter kept the Blue one.   Which to me looked Black, but I guess it's called a Blue... I don't know that much about various Dog Breeds and what are acceptable colors and markings of each Breed?   I'm not a Pedigree Dog Geek, I've always preferred Mutts.

The average Cost of Healthcare and Owning a Pedigree Annually is between $18,000-$20,000 per Dog, especially for this type of Breed.  That's too Rich for my Blood, a Mutt is usually Robust in Health, Smart, less temperamental and low cost to Own.   And I have never Bred any Pet I've Owned, I typically have ensured and preferred they all got Spayed and Neutered.   Eli has been an exception coz he never leaves his Human's Room and he's her responsibility for what she decides he Needs, I'm not Bankrolling everything, I didn't even want another Cat.  *LOL*  Of coarse I Love and Spoil him even tho' he's never going to be a Pet Quality Cat.  He's good with his Human but fairly Evil towards everyone else and he behaves for me only becoz I am part of his Daily Staff that feeds, waters and cleans up after him.  *Ha ha ha*  His Girl is the only one that can pick him up and cuddle with him, he'd shred anyone else.

Eli is not a Pet you'll get Adoration from, your existence often annoys him, except for Princess T, he's not attached to you.  And sometimes she will even annoy him.  *LOL*  I've had to be called in to Referee sometimes when she and he have had a disagreement and spat.  *Winks*  To be sure he puts up with about as much from her as she does from him, so, I don't take Sides, she can be practically Pre-Demonic herself when she has her Mood deregulation.  I've heard it thru the Door, "NO Eli!", "STOP Eli", "Leave me Alone and get away from me, you Weirdo!", "Look what you've done NOW, Eli!".  Sometimes I can see he deliberately winds her Ass up, much like The Son does with me to Amuse himself too... full well both of them knowing they will Trigger our Crazy Asses and then it will Suck to be them!  *Bwahahahaha*  I go in and Mediate and either tell her to Be Nice... or tell Eli to Behave or he's going to "Great China"!  He doesn't know what that is or where, he just knows it's somewhere he doesn't wanna dare go.  *Winks*

 

In the Morning he'll Cry to me thru her Door if I'm late doing my Chores for him.  *Winks*  That's the only time he wants me around, when I'm providing a needed Service.  *Ha ha ha*  He'll come up and be Nice only until he gets what he wants, fickle little Bastard that he is.  *Smiles*  I don't mind, I don't want anyone to behave Needy, it's suffocating to me, keep your Independence and your Pride, as much as you're able, I'm Fine with that.  *Winks*  I'm taking Care of a Household of ya so nobody can dominate my Time or Energy.  *Bwahahaha*   It's rather like being Mother Hubbard of the Nursery Rhyme, who had so many Children she didn't know what to do?  *Winks*

 

This is also why Work at The Antique Mall is still my little Happy Space to indulge what I like to do and can lose myself in the doing of.   Above is that Jeanette Vintage Pitcher and Juice Carnival Glass Set I recently Scored.   Glassware being a Hard Sell but the Vintage and Antique Glassware of higher Quality and Rarity will Sell to the Right Customer and is never Stolen, it's not been a Target Genre of Merch for whoever the Thieves are.   And to be sure, Theft of Fragile Merch is trickier both to Steal and to Sell Online, due to breakage risks.   So most Thieves are Targeting Quick Turn high Demand Merch and you Learn which items are gonna be Loss Prevention Issues to risk bringing in at all or beefing up Security on at least.

You have to know your Audience and Location Demographic to effectively hawk anything and protect what you have as well from those who would be unduly Tempted to commit a Criminal Activity.   If the Commute wasn't so far I'd mos def be Renting Space in an Eastside Antique Mall Location and see how profitable that would be?  I know I could probably move Merch that is a Hard Sell on the Westside, each Demographic likes what they just like and will buy.   Even just a few Miles down the Road can make a huge difference sometimes as to what you need to Stock.  Listen, even at the most Popular Venues I'm often Surprised at what I see folks buying and delighted to Score!   Often it's what I call the Filler Items that they could have picked up just anywhere.  But, buying it at a more Popular Prestigious Venue, where they had to wait to get in, just Appeals to them more than going to the same Big Box Store that Sells it and for much less.

There are some of what I refer to as The Fancy Ladies that probably have never stepped Foot into a Big Box Store so they wouldn't even know they could get the same thing anywhere else.   And getting it Cheaper might not Appeal to them either, even if it's identical, since, mebbe bragging about paying higher prices or saying where they got it, is their Jam too and more important than the Object or it's Price, you never know?  *LOL*   I can be a Product Snob about certain things myself, I freely admit it.  But, I can also be an excellent Scavenger and have no Shame about that either.  I'm a very complex Creature like that.   You could see me in an Exclusive Swanky Joint and I can afford to Shop there from time to time and fit right in... or you could catch me Dumpster Diving and picking up what's been set Curbside and has caught my Eye too to be Rescued! *Winks*  

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Stay True to yourselves my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian