So What Does America Stand For This 4th Of July?

 Topics will be all over the place on this Post.  Sunday Blog Reading always tends to dip, I don't know Why, so Sunday Posts don't get as many Dear Readers like the rest of the Week.  It always makes me want to skip Publishing a Post on a Monday.  So this one may sit in Draft Form and not Publish... I haven't decided yet.   Antonio, the Mobile Mechanic is here, The Daughter and Mando will deal with it for me.   They know a lot about Cars between them, I'd be somewhat clueless to whatever a Mechanic is explaining, they could tell me anything.  *LOL*   I can deal with the Financial aspect of it all best and that's my role.  *Smiles*  I am keeping all Body Parts crossed that we find out exactly what is Wrong and be able to fix it this time, so he's got his own transportation and Independence again.   The Man is toddling out there coz this is like Entertainment to him and he wants to be the Patriarchal Presence I guess?  *Winks*   The Mechanic probably didn't realize he'd have a whole Audience to perform for?  *Bwahahaha*

Mando is also finishing up some Yard Work while The Son is at work and won't cause more "Unwanted Unnecessary Supervision".  *Eye Roll*  The Son has a bad habit of that, even at Work, Autistic People presume to know how to do everything the Right way and if it's not done their way, it's all Wrong.  *Another Eye Roll*   I mean, if cutting the Grass with the John Deere in Circles instead of Square Motions set him Off, Mando isn't quite sure what else might?   It would be humorous, in a Dark Way of coarse, if it didn't escalate to an unmanageable and Crazy degree, also, usually coupled with some alcohol.  

 Let's face it, you don't have to be Autistic to be a belligerent Jerk when drinking alcohol, Right?  This is why I'm Triggered around people who drink too much, it just magnifies everything Negative they already are.  So, Mando is finessing the Yardwork he and The Daughter did, they do a really professional looking job of it and I'm grateful for all their hard work so don't want them harassed by anyone.  Even if I was paying someone hired to do it I wouldn't want them bothered while working for me.   I need the present help and volunteers are few and far between and hiring people gets more expensive and sometimes unaffordable on a Fixed Income.  Budget is always pretty tightly regulated to make the Ends meet.

Selling off my excess is helpful, but only when Sales are Strong and they haven't been.   Hard Economic times means they'll probably not be Strong, but I am Hopeful the Tariff Wars on New Goods will improve the Resale Market as Supplies dwindle and Demand stays relatively high for certain things?   I'm not Selling Essentials per se, but everyone does need Clothes, so our T-Shirt Sales have been Stronger and now some Vintage Essential Housewares are seeing Stronger Sales also.  My Retro Kitchenware suddenly has started Selling more briskly and I have a fair amount of it in desirable pieces, Brands and Styles that were always popular.  

I'm trying harder to detach from a lot of the most Beloved Collections that I just don't Need and perhaps have more of than is necessary too.  It's Time to intensify the Great Edit & Purge to that level now and strengthen my ability to Let Go of More.   For others who've accumulated a Lifetime of The Good Stuff, you know how difficult this Process can be at the end phase of a Lifetime.   The Downsize is a necessity but nobody ever told me how difficult it could be to Let Go of the bulk of what took a whole Lifetime to source, afford and acquire.  It's an Economic boost once you have a Fixed Income to have the Good Stuff Invested in to Sell and supplement Retirement tho'... it was a wise Investment.  Often way better than Money in the Bank depreciating in Value and Buying Power.

The Daughter is a great Help in organizing what I have.  So I know what I have, how much of it I have, what I really need to Purge more of, and find it more easily to Sell Off too.   Plus, all the Kiddos can purview all of it too and tell me what they'd like to have and don't want me to Sell Off.  That's important becoz if they want any of it, have a Sentiment about it, I don't want or need to Sell it, so I won't.   I'd rather gift it to them now so they can enjoy it immediately as being theirs now, not wait until they Inherit it after we're already gone.  They might get overly Sentimental about everything then?  I did with much of my own Parents possessions, coz it reminded me of them or when they/we acquired it together.  Or how much THEY Loved and Cherished it.  In due Time I could Let it Go, but it can be a Process.

I was actually glad that when Mom passed, my Brother and his Lady already had all of Mom's stuff there in Cali and I didn't have to Deal with any of it.   Dad had passed over a Decade earlier and my Brother and I dealt with his Estate together, but Dad was a Minimalist so it wasn't too bad.  Mom was the Collector and she had so many Cherished things that took her a Lifetime to procure and she Loved with all her Heart.  So, I'm glad my Brother and Marcie Loved a lot of it enuf to Keep it FOR Mom when she transitioned to Long Term Care and then Hospice and couldn't take it with her.  It brought her comfort to know it wasn't Gone.  I don't know how much they Sold when they had a Space in an Antique Mall in Pomona, but I didn't Care, I didn't have to be Executor.  *LOL & Whew*  Any of you who Inherited any Loved Ones Collections knows how much Work and Emotion that is to dispose of, even if it's valuable.

I've read Blogs where a Loved One, or even an Ex Loved One, Dies and then the Executor is Dealing with their Stuff and it's intensely Emotional.  They often find themselves tearing up, choking up, or bawling their Eyes out over silly stuff when the disposition of it becomes necessary.  I know when my Kiddos were in The Life, not even Dead, and I had all their stuff they left behind.   But they were off the Grid for Years, living dangerously, so, I got all Sentimental about leaving all their things as they'd left them and I'd Cry sometimes going into those Spaces as they'd left their things just so.   The Daughter was gone for almost 20 Years and was Surprised at what I had Kept of hers for her while she lived in Mexico.  I was like an unpaid Storage Facility for Offspring for Years after they moved out.  *LOL*  Now they're all coming back to the Roost, so... reclaiming their stuff... *Smiles*

Well, as I suspected, Antonio told us the Car is a POS and not worth repairing, he wouldn't feel right even giving a quote coz too much is Wrong with it and might still go Wrong with it.   He was a nice Guy and very forthright and Honest, so I had him give me some of his Business Cards.   He even told Mando what to do so he and The Son could do enuf minor repairs themselves, without spending too much, to get it running enuf to get it to a Dealership to use as a Trade-In, which was his suggestion.  He said you might get as much as $1,200 right now even for shitty Trade-Ins coz the Used Car Market, due to Tariffs, is Hot right now.  He said a Dealership will just pop a new Engine in it and resell it for a Profit.

The Dental Appointment went well, she had no Cavities but has been having some Tooth sensitivity so they'll see her in 3 Months rather than 6 to give her another Fluoride Treatment to strengthen her Tooth Enamel.   So, we'll see them again in late October and God be willing she won't be dropped from her Medicaid by then due to this horrible Regime cutting the most needy and most vulnerable of Society, so they can't get Medical and Dental or Mental Health Services?   There are already reports of Nursing Homes and Rehabilitation Centers worried that all these Deportations will cut their Staff so drastically they won't be able to Care for their Residents or replace the Immigrants who predominantly fill those Positions of vital Fields of Work.

I know when my Parents and The Man were in a Nursing Home there wasn't a single American Staff Member, every single one who gave them their Care there were from other Countries.   Mostly Countries whose Cultures revere and take good Care of their Elders respectfully and as if they were their own Family Members.   In fact, lately, most Doctors and Nurses we've had are from other Countries too.   Certainly in Farming and Hospitality or the Food Industries or even Construction, most Workers are Foreign Born now.   The Son said fewer and fewer Americans are choosing to be in The Trades these days.   Allen said at all the Slaughterhouses 90% of the Workers are from Africa, South America or Mexico now, most Americans can't cut it or don't wanna do the Work, the Work is very hard and the Conditions are brutal.  He now even Works for Home Depot instead, easier and less Dangerous Work for about the same Pay.

I think we'll live to regret all the Immigrants who are Vital to the American Economy and contribute to Society being mass deported.  Even Undocumented Workers pay more in Taxes than all the Billionaires do combined, did you know that?   And, they would never Qualify for Services since they are Undocumented.   And I've lived in Barrios that a lot of Undocumented Workers resided in and every single one I ever knew Worked at least One Job, often more than One Job, so it's a Myth that they're being 'supported' by The System.   They're working hard to support their Families just like most of us do.   I worked Food Ministries for Decades, the majority of our Clients were Americans that had Food Insecurities and were asking for our Help.  And the vast majority of Immigrant Families we knew, if they knew you were going thru tough times, would bring over Food and Share whatever they had.

If the Myth were True that Immigrants are mooching and freeloaders, then why is ICE Raiding Work Places?   These people they're rounding up are gainfully Employed and not the most Dangerous of Criminals.   They're rounding up Dishwashers, Strawberry Pickers, Cooks, Maids, Landscapers, Construction Workers... these aren't people making a Living by Organized Crime or in a Gang, and a Danger to you or I!   Just sayin'.   The Far Right Spin is mostly Racist and Profiling, there's not Truth in what they're claiming they're doing.   You look Ethnic enuf and they're just gonna Target you, plain and simple.  And don't even get me started on the amount of Women being Targeted to Fire just becoz of their Gender by these Cuts to the Federal Government Jobs, so Misogyny is at play here too!!!   I'm just disgusted with it all.  But, I do wonder how many Americans aren't informed or paying attention to what's happening?

I'm Steaming a whole bunch of Veggies for the Family's Dinner Tonight, they've all been on board eating more of my Dietary Restricted Foods if I Cook the ones they like.   This has a Medley of Fresh Veggies of Purple Onion, Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Asparagus, Mushrooms, plus Yellow, Red & Green Bell Peppers.  Except for the Asparagus long Spears, everything is cubed the size you'd skewer on a Kabob.  Everyone can choose which is the fav they wanna eat and forego any they're not as fond of.  I wish we could locate all of the Mrs. Dash Seasoning Flavors I got for The Man and he hid away so he didn't have to use them instead of Salt.  *Le Sigh*   I got about one of every Flavor Seasoning the Line made.  He hides shit he doesn't want to comply with on his Restrictions.

I don't even know why I'm still Hungry coz Princess T bought me Brunch at the Vietnamese Restaurant and I had a high Protein Dish with no Carbs, of Cubed Sizzling Beef, Onions and a Sunny Side Up Egg, with a side Salad of Lettuce, Jicama and Carrots Marinated in an Asian Sweet Fish Sauce, it was all delicious.   It comes with a Side of Jasmine Sticky Rice which I gave her to eat and she poured the extra Sauce my Sizzling Beef comes in over it to take Home for another Meal.   That Kid could eat Rice for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, her Mom was like that as a Youngster too, she'd even eat Sweetened Rice for a Dessert.   I like Rice but it's restricted on this Low Carb Diet I have to be on and I'm okay with that.  The Rice I will eat sparingly on this Diet will be the Wild Rice Mixes I have, which has Black, Brown, Red & Wild Rice in a Wild Blend Mix.  I can get it at "Sprouts" or "Wal-Mart" for 1/4 of the Cost they Sell the Lundberg Brand for Online.

I know that now most of the Events are Closed for the entire Summer, so, until Fall there won't be much going on that I usually look forward to doing and covering.   I did trawl a "Goodwill" Today with Princess T and forgot my Phone which had the 20% Off Coupon loaded on it.  Luckily our Friend Janet from the Antique Mall was there and let Princess T Photograph her Coupon so we'd have one at Checkout.  *Whew*  I'd found a few things, a Taxidermy Piranha {Below}, a very Old Vintage Globe in an unusual Color, a Glass Flower Frog, a Starbucks Mug of Chicago, and a Recipe Book on Ramen.   I'll only be reselling the Mug, the Starbucks series of Mugs do Sell well, especially the Line of various Cities across the United States.  I haven't had the Chicago Mug before and a lot of transplants live here who migrated from Chicago.   The Piranha was my fav Find coz I only have One now, I'd given my other one to my Brother at his request for one.

When Q was here for The Son's Birthday he Shared the Pix {Below} that I'd never seen before, of he, The Son, and some of their other Childhood Friends when they're play being The Young Marines as Young Kiddos.   The Son is the one on the far Right not wearing Camo Makeup, which, some of his Friends had on so thick they almost looked like they were in Blackface instead of trying to look like Soldiers, OMG!!!   A couple of these Young Men actually did join The Marine Corps. after High School and have Served their Country.  The Son couldn't join due to them saying he was too Mentally Ill after the Recruiters had told him a Year beforehand that if he went off his Psyche Meds for a Year, they'd consider him!!!   *Gasp!  Yes, I shit Kittens about a Recruiter telling that to a High School Kid on prescribed Psyche Meds with a Serious Mental Illness Diagnosis!*

I couldn't Believe a Recruiter would override a Doctor's Orders on any Medications for any Illness actually, by telling a Teenager such a thing and I filed a Complaint about it.   Becoz once he turned 18, he did go off his Meds so he could be considered to Join the Military, for the Year they told him to, much to his detriment Mentally, and then they told him, upon Evaluation, Nope, you're too Mentally Ill!!!   Well, that's why he was on the Psyche Meds in the first place!!!   But, I digress, the Kids used to have such Fun playing like they were in the Military, many of their Dads were or had been and they looked up to those Dads who were Active Duty, Disabled Veterans or Retired.   At the time this Pix was taken The Man was still Active Duty and hadn't been Medically Retired yet and had waived his Disability Status to stay in for as long as he could before being involuntarily Medically Retired for the extent of his Disabilities that were Military Service related.   He was Deployed a LOT at this time to War Zones abroad, mostly the Middle East at that time.

  

We spent many Holidays separated while he was Deployed to War Zones in fact.   Which leaves the Spouses as Single Parents to hold it down and keep it together while your Military Spouse is in harm's way fighting a War, very stressful.   I was juggling my demanding Corporate Careers at this time while Single Parenting and worrying about The Man's safety and safe return, it was a lot.   But, it's part and parcel of being a Military Wife or Husband, and your Kids being Military Dependents, people often forget it's not just the Veteran who has Sacrificed and Served alongside the Soldiers, the whole Family does.   I was Raised in a Career Military Family tho', so it was my 'Normal', my Dad Served 27 Years, so, my entire Childhood and most of the Married Life of he and our Mom.   Dad was Deployed a lot too with long separations from Family and to go to War.  I remember as a Kid being filled with Anxiety that the Vietnam War had such extensive TV Coverage in Real Time, since, my Dad was over there and many of my Friend's Parents too!

The Man Served 39 Years total in Three different Branches of the Service and the DOD, Marine Corps., Army and Air Force.  Highly Decorated with Medals from his Service of all Branches.   He is a legit War Hero, not just bestowed the Title for doing nothing to actually Earn it.   The Word Hero is thrown around too much these days and diminishes those who actually performed Heroic Acts of Bravery and Awarded Medals of Bravery.   We've been told that The Man was mentioned in one of Legendary Sniper Carlos Hathcock's Books.   I'm not an avid Reader and particularly True War Novels, so I never verified.   The Man can't read War Novels, or watch War Movies, too much to Trigger Flashbacks for him.   And he lost far too many Friends in Combat.  I've lost Friends and Classmates in Combat too, you don't get over that.  And it worries me that this Draft Dodging Donnie is starting Wars and bragging about bombing and killing, when he was too Cowardly to Fight in one and evaded the Draft.

 The Man is very humble about his Service to Country tho' and doesn't like to talk about it.  He's not particularly Proud of all the Confirmed Kills of his Service Record, which were extensive during his Tours of Duty.   He said each of those being Neutralized as a specified Target for a Sniper to hunt down, had to Die for their Country and left behind Loved Ones who would Grieve that Loss.  He has extensive PTSD from the Body Count.  Even tho' the Job of a Soldier isn't to Die for their Country, it's to make the Enemy Die for theirs.  But, sadly, someone has to Die.   And it usually isn't the Sons and Daughters, Husbands and Wives, or Fathers and Mothers of the Wealthy and most Privileged who will.   I still feel very, very conflicted about Celebrating this 4th of July at all.  Becoz there's not a lot I'm Proud of America for right now at all.  Not it's Leadership and not what I see transpiring and being allowed that goes against everything Good America ever stood for and fought to Preserve and Honor.   And the Support of all of that is vile and Unamerican IMO.

I used to Believe MOST Americans Stood for something Noble, Law Abiding, Decent, Good, Godly and Just, I don't Believe that anymore, too many MAGA Zealots changed my Mind.  The Dark Underbelly of America was thus exposed and proudly revealed with absolutely no Shame.  Or Embarrassment to be fully supporting a Career Criminal President, Authoritarianism, Fascism, Lawlessness, Vulgarity, lack of Decency, Greed, Intolerance, Hatred, Injustice, Violence as a means to their End, and Cruelty as the Point.   This speaks Volumes to me about what or who someone is in Support of revealing who they truly just ARE themselves. All attempts to Sanitize, Excuse or Justify it just don't cut it and never will, it's abhorrent.   And it is destroying the America that I Love and used to have great Pride in...

 

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So, what does America Stand For this 4th of July?... I'm just not sure anymore... Dawn... The Bohemian