Sad News To Suddenly And Unexpectedly Receive

 Okay, so I'm in Hyper Blogger Mode and Posted one this Morning, have one Scheduled Post for Tomorrow, and shall begin this one, why not while I'm amped up on a Writing Binge?  *Winks*  I went ahead and did an Online Pre-Approval for that Chevy Colorado King Cab, that was a Corporate Fleet Vehicle Lease previously.   We'll see what happens, small Loan, Great Deal, but someone else may snap it up and come rolling in with Cash?   The Dealership is slightly Eastside Central Phoenix, so a long drive thru the Inner City from here, which is why I preferred to do everything Online and on Phone before driving all the way down there for nothing.  I want to just be able to be Pre-Approved and just take The Son down to pick it up, you know?  *LOL, Yep, Lazy Woman that I've now become in Retirement*  Plus, the place is called Easy Car Auto, so, live up to the Name and make it Easy will ya?  *Bwahahaha*

We need to catch a Break right about now, it's Time.  *Bwahahaha*  Plus, should we get this Truck, Princess T could learn to Drive that one, coz I sure as shit ain't giving a Teenager with Anxiety Issues my expensive New Nissan Truck to learn to Drive in!!!   This Truck had cost me as much as some of my first Homes cost me, I should be Living in it for how much a new Truck costs these days!   No wonder Young folks can't afford most Vehicles anymore, and Priced out of the Market, now even Used ones are costing Twenty to Forty Grand!   It's ridiculous.   Vehicle Debt is considered Bad Debt just like Credit Card Debt is.  But most folks can't pay Cash for a Vehicle costing over Twenty Grand to sometimes well over a Hundred Grand, let us be Real.  I used to always pay Cash for my Vehicles and even I can't swing that anymore. 

 Well, I used to have Paid Off Real Estate too back when it was affordable and those Days are now long gone as well unfortunately.  Brave New World, impoverishing the Ordinary Citizen and keeping them deeply indebted now and Subject to the Lenders.   But, we've had that conversation before and so I won't put it on Rinse, Repeat.   Ian, the Young Salesman at that Dealership, seemed very busy so, I just hope he can get back to me before I need to stick around here to pick the Grandchild up from Work this Afternoon?   It wasn't how I intended to spend my Saturday, Vehicle Shopping, but, here we now are.   The Son was bottoming out when his Car took another shit, and I could tell he didn't wanna have to call his Boss again and ask for an extended Carpool or risk his Employment with not having his own Transportation or imposing it all on me either.   Life is already tougher than ever, it was topping him off.

I got all caught up on Blog Reading and trying to find some New Blogs to feel any connection to has been more challenging than in the heyday of Blogging.   I used to have an abundance of Blogs on my Sidebar, it's slowly been whittled down and very few New Ones added.   I enjoy those I still Read fairly often, even if I don't Comment or Connect and be Participatory that often and just Lurk.  Sometimes its a very good Read but I have nothing to Add to the Conversation.   That happens in Real Life too lately, I'll be present and Listening to a Conversation, but feel there's nothing to Add to it for me.  I am surprised sometimes at what folks are even talking about, so then I definitely don't have anything to say.  *Winks*  You know how in some Conversations, you have no Words?  *LOL*  And some Topics I just don't want to be any part of either.

Most of the Events will be suspended for the Summer Months but "Sweet Salvage" will remain to do their 4 Day Monthly Themed Event.  Above is my Adorable Friend Minnie during one of the Events, with Fifi O'Neil, Author and Designer.  Fifi was doing a Book Signing there.  She was such a nice person when I met her and you wouldn't think her to be 79 Years Young, she has such a Youthful Effervescent Spirit, I wanna be her when I Grow Up.  *LOL*   She was telling us the Story of the Photo Shoot for the Book where the Backdrop of the Vardo Setup was in the Woods and there were Rattlesnakes everywhere, so it was so treacherous and scary, but the Shoot turned out Awesome.  She was traipsing around in Colorful Floral Rubber Galoshes so that she'd be protected at least up to her Knees, in case of a Rattlesnake strike, since she's a tiny little Sprite of a Woman.   I look like a Giant next to her and I'm only 5'2".   I Love to hear those Back Stories of the Industry, it puts what they do in Perspective of the Work and Risks they take, that goes in to all of it.  It's not all Glamor.

  

And, Yep, that's Diane Keaton and she looks as Adorable all the time as she does in her Movies.  She's linking Arms with my Friend Gisele.   I do wish the quality of the Pixs had turned out better.   Diane had come to do some Shopping and I'm not Surprised at all that she likes Unique Vintage Finds, she's always been a Unique person and I've always Loved her Sense of Style.   Nobody pulls off that Look quite like she does and I've been a Fan Girl Forever of her Body of Work too.   Diane too is 79 Years Young, these Gals seem Ageless I tell ya!   Okay, so I wouldn't mind being her when I Grow Up either.  *Winks*

I thought this Stick and Leaf Project they gave to some Kids to make Bugs of the Natural Elements was Brilliant.  I'd hang some of that in a grouping on my Wall as Naturalist Art.   Even tho' they all were clearly Inspired by the same Insect, just look at the Artistic variations they came up with using their Found Leaves and Sticks!   Kids have boundless Imagination and are so Naturally and Fearlessly Creative.  I Love the Enthusiasm that Children Create with.   And I Like where their Imaginations take them.  They Believe anything and everything is Possible.   Too bad we lose a lot of that in Adulthood and become Jaded or Inhibited about our Creativity and thus often stifle it.

This was supposed to be a double Serving at "Panda Express" of their Honey Walnut Shrimp.  I was disappointed, I think I prefer their Location nearer to Home, where even one Serving is bigger than this alleged double Serving at the location nearer our Antique Mall.  And everything was fresher, the Shrimp were bigger and looked better at our nearer Location, tho' both tasted just Fine.  I got the Veggies as the Base rather than a Carb of Noodles or Rice, and the Veggie Eggroll Side.  We had this several Days ago before I had to have my Debit Card of our Household Account Cancelled due to a fraudulent Charge to it.  It sucks to have to wait 7-10 Days for a replacement Card, it's inconvenient and limiting.  But, our Bank did reverse the Charges and refund them to us and will Investigate the Fraudulent activity.

Well, my Birthday Pressy to Self arrived this Afternoon and it's bigger and better than expected.  It's an MP Bag and I thought would be the regular size of a Purse, it's a lovely large Beach Bag size, so I really got an even better Deal on it than I thought I did and the Seller was great.  She sent me a Private Message to let me know she'd Negotiate the Price down to see if I'd be interested in a Private Sale rather than an Auction Sale of it, which, I appreciated.  I've done many a Private Sale via Auction Sites where the Seller and Buyer can work something out between them and still handle the transaction thru the site.  Turn it into a Buy It Now Feature at a Negotiated Price everyone agreed to.  Some Sellers will let you make Offers, I let this Seller Offer me their own Reduced Price, which really was a generous Discount.  So, Color me Delighted.   Happy Birthday to me.  *Winks*

Well, the Dealership never got back to me in time to do any Deal on Saturday and they're not Open on Sundays, and Saturday is the only Day available to us.  The Son is the only other Driver in the Family and he Works Weekdays and now they're pulling Overtime again, so, he's not available to drive a 2nd Vehicle back once it's purchased.  So, anyway, we'll see if next Saturday, what they have in Inventory then and if they got around to the Online Paperwork Review to Preapprove Financing?  I had been told by their Receptionist that they're short-staffed, which is nothing new with any Businesses these days, most are and the HELP WANTED is perpetually up at most Businesses, they can't fill the Positions.   This is why mass Deportations of Foreign Born Workers is gonna be problematic, we already can't fill empty Positions sufficiently with American Born Workers or even Foreign Born Workers already here.  There is clearly a shortage.

 

So, Problem didn't get Solved Today and probably not for at least another Week, which means Three in the Morning Wakeup call and long commutes for me all damned Week.  Plus, I don't have my new Debit Card to be able to Gas Up, so will have to go into my Bank to draw out Cash to see me thru until the New Card arrives.  I don't usually carry Cash hardly at all anymore.   It's handy with all the Panhandlers in front of every Business these days asking for Money, since you don't carry it to give.  I support my choice of legitimate reputable Charities that assist those in Need, so I don't feel the Need to hand out Cash to random people asking for it.   I usually will tell a Panhandler what Local Organizations provide Assistance they can apply for Aide at.  There are many who are professional Beggars or just trying to Score their next Fix to fuel an Addiction, I'm not supporting or enabling any of that. 

The Kids finished up all the Yardwork in preparation for Irrigation coming early in the Morning.  They're also buying and Cooking our Dinner, no idea what it will be, I couldn't make a decision.  The Ozempic really is curbing my appetite to the point I just don't feel hungry most of the time and a little bit of food goes a long way with me now.  It has caused some digestive upset until I get used to it, which can be a temporary side effect I was told about beforehand.  You might get the trots and be constipated, off and on, and Bloating/Gas, so, Fun Times.  *LOL and Le Sigh*   It hasn't been too bad tho', I haven't had any severe reactions.  I'm only on my 2nd dose so far and I'm pleased with it thus far overall.  It's more expensive than Trulicity was, so my Co-Pay is more than double for it and I get less of it for that price too.  I think it's due to how much in demand it is, since many use it not for Diabetes, but Weight Loss exclusively now.  Anything in high demand and shorter supply = more Expensive.

Rusty has been taking Princess T out more lately, mostly for Dinners, since, she'd complained to him that they never do anything.  They are too Young to be Hermit Recluses.  *LOL*  Granted, she said it's funny coz a lot of times they get to the Restaurant and decide not to Eat In but Order it as Takeout and go to his House and eat it.  *Smiles*  Neither one of them likes Peopling, they're both quite Introverted Young People, Quiet and Private.   So, Today they're having Korean BBQ at her Fav Vietnamese Restaurant, but will get it as Takeout, she said they only eat their Pho' there when they order that.   She was excited about it coz she J'Adores the Korean BBQ they have there.  I don't think Rusty is a Fan of Asian Food, but he's adapted to it since he knows it's primarily what she eats and if he wants to be with her, he can't just eat Mexican Food.  *LOL* 

The Son rolled in with a Rotisserie Chicken, nom-nom, good Choice.  I'm mostly eating Veggies and Proteins exclusively now and when the Kiddos are deciding on the Meals, they have to consider my restrictions.   Which is hard coz the rest of them aren't restricted and I don't expect them to make Two separate Meals each time to accommodate me.  But, they know I have to behave and improve my Health and manage the dreaded Diabetes appropriately as best I can.  It's not easy even if you do everything the Docs restrict you to and suggest MAY Help, no Guarantees it will Help, but, whaddya gonna do?   I will try whatever and see what happens?    The Dinner they made turned out really good, Mixed Veggies, Rotisserie Chicken and I even allowed myself a very small portion of Mashed Potatoes {Carb} but no Gravy.  The Daughter had made a nice Dessert and I had a small portion of that too, I'm being Mindful about my Dietary restrictions and it hasn't been so hard really.

I'm watching "The Birdcage" {1996} with Nathan Lane, Robin Williams, Gene Hackman and Hank Azaria, one of my all time favorite Movies.  It makes me Laugh and it makes me Sad too, becoz I am well aware of the Social Biases that still exist against the Gay Community, even all these Years later.  The Acting in it was exceptional, a great Cast.  One of my favorite supporting roles was Azaria as Agador, the Houseboy.  He was hilarious in that role.   Knowing Robin Williams committed Suicide makes watching him in anything bittersweet, such a Brilliant Actor and Superb Comedian, always one of my favorites.  With the recent terrible Death of Gene Hackman and his Wife, it's bittersweet to see him in a Classic Comedic Role too, Gene could play anything superbly, Drama or Comedy, an Iconic Actor.   Nathan Lane is 69 now, I always liked him in any role he's been in too.   His Husband Devlin Elliott is an Actor too.

Since we're not doing much until I get our Debit Card replaced and can access our Household Account, I've got plenty of time to just Blog.  With most things suspended for the Summer too, which is a Slow time in the Desert, there's not a lot going on anyway, Yawn!   I suppose inclement Weather in Cold Climates contributes to similar slowdown.  I've lived in Cold Climates, didn't like it at all.   I remember in Maine and Upper Michigan, you'd often get Snowed In.  It never occurred to me how difficult and restricting that might be for the Elderly.   Even my Parents were Younger when we lived in Climates like that.   I remember they disliked driving in the Snow, on Black Ice, and it was often difficult for my Dad to even get to Work after a big Snowstorm.   He was Active Duty Military, so he couldn't just call in, he had to get to Work some kind of way.   We had little Dogs and they Hated to even go Outside to do their business, coz it was so Cold and the Snow so high.  I remember as a Kid laughing about the Yellow Snow tho'... and frozen Dog Turds!  *Bwahahaha*

As a Kid in harsh Cold Climates I remembered having to wear Snowsuits, you could barely identify your own Child, coz we were all so suited up!!!  *LOL*   I recall liking to make Snow Forts and also if the Snow was Just Right you could Roll it up like you can Roll up a Round Hay Bale.  We'd make enormous ones... I think they used to call them Snow Rollers.  Sometimes, tho' Rarely, they'd form Naturally from Wind. {See Below}  But, with the right conditions, us Kids would Roll Snow and make them and then build Forts out of them as the Walls.   They can be huge and rather Beautiful.  Often the Interior of them would be rather like a Window letting in Light.   Since we didn't own a Camera I never got Pixs of any of those Memories growing up, but they remained relatively Fresh in my Mind.   Maine and Upper Michigan were Beautiful in their own way, but the Winters were long and harsh, the Summers/Spring short and Bug laden, with mostly Flies and an abundance of Mosquitoes.   

Back before DDT was Outlawed they used to spray it with a Vehicle we called Smokey Joe thru the Streets in Michigan, and we'd rid our damned Bikes behind it in the Toxic Smoke of the DDT being sprayed to Kill Mosquitoes and other Summertime Bugs, it's a Wonder we didn't drop Dead!   So many things of our Childhood were probably Toxic and dangerous as Hell.   We'd play with Mercury in our Science Class in Jr. High School... MERCURY!!!   We had Lawn Darts and Clackers!  Suzy Homemaker Ovens in the 1960's for small Girls that were actual Ovens with Heating Coil Elements that Heated Up to Red Hot!!!   And they claimed it was a Super Safety Oven!  *Bwahahahaha*  The Mattel Thingmakers heated up to 350 Degrees and had Toxic Plastic, but was our Favorite Toy growing up, I still own some and all the Molds!!!   It still Works!!!   How were we not Dead yet playing with these things in our Childhood!?  *LOL*

I just found out my Lifelong Friend Mike has passed away Saturday, his Sister informed us.  Apparently he had Cancer, I didn't know, he hadn't shared that he was battling it.  We've been Friends since our Teens, when he was Stationed at Luke AFB.  He'd had an amputation of a Leg last Year, but he hadn't eluded it might have been Cancer related, he had been a Paraplegic since he was in his 20's and had a terrible Accident that broke his Back, so he'd been in a Wheelchair for the last 30+ Years.  But had Married a Russian Gal he met while visiting Russia, and they had a Son, whose Grown now.  He had a wicked sense of Humor and was one of the few people I could always talk about the Deep Topics of Life with.   My Brother called me when he looked at his FB Page and saw the Blanket Message of Mike's Passing that Mike's Sister had sent to all of us.   

My Brother uses FB more than I do so figured I might not know yet, which, I hadn't.  Mike and I kept in Touch and had long Phone conversations, but only about 3-4 times a Year, and exchanged Christmas Cards.   He'd Retired in Florida near Disney World and was originally from California near Disneyland.  I'm really saddened to have lost yet another Lifelong Friend, we're all getting to that Age where it happens more frequently now.   I'll really miss Mike, he was like a Brother to me and like a part of our Family.  When he was still in the Military he'd come over to our Parent's Home and have Thanksgiving with us all rather than taking Leave to go Home to Cali for the Holidays, he became just that close with our Family.   When he had his catastrophic Accident and broke his Back it of coarse ended his Military Career and he became a Marine Biologist instead.  

He was the first Friend to Sell on E-Bay too and did quite well selling Star Wars Collectibles.  He'd go the Conventions they held in Vegas and Sell there too.  It was Sad News to suddenly receive so unexpectedly that Mike had Died and I didn't even know he was Sick and Dying.  I don't know why he hadn't Shared that he had Cancer with me, but he had with my Brother, mebbe he didn't want to worry me or pile more Bad News on me, he knows Mi Vida Loca is quite complex already.   My Brother had also not chosen to tell me, but more becoz he thought I already knew, since Mike and I were and always have been, so close.   So, he too was Surprised Mike had only told me about his Amputation and made that not seem like it had been diagnosed as anything but a bad Infection that got out of hand and couldn't be remedied except to remove the Limb.  

That was tough enuf for him to get thru and I'd been shocked enuf when he told me about that.   I'd known something was Wrong last Year when it happened since he didn't exchange a Christmas Card so I'd called him to see if he was Okay?  Clearly things were more NOT Okay than I realized.  And I now Wish I knew so I could have offered more Emotional Support during such a tough time in his Life.   He always had for me, he could make me Laugh even during times I was finding it difficult to find the Humor in anything.  Mike could have been a Professional Comedian, I swear, he had a Gift for making any Topic seem like it was Comedy Fodder, now matter how grave a Topic is was.   I'm still processing the shocking News that he's Gone, I wasn't expecting it at all.  I knew the Call was gonna be Bad News when my Brother Called, and so Late.  He rarely Calls, and never that Late at Night unless it's Bad News.  So, my Heart had already fluttered when I saw it was him calling me after Ten at Night. 

I'm glad that I have this Blog to Process stuff like that and move thru some of the initial Stages of it, Grief will have it's Stages.   I can't say my initial reaction is the predictable Denial, but it definitely was a Numbing Shock.  Had I known what was going on tho', perhaps it might have landed easier when told, I dunno?   I could tell my Brother felt quite Emotional about it, coz he knew Mike had been Sick and battling Cancer.  But the last time he'd talked to our Dear Friend, Mike had made it sound like he'd beaten it and was in Remission and a Good Place with his Health.   Since my Brother has been battling what Docs told him a long time ago was Terminal, it hits closer to Home with him every time tho' when he's outlasting someone else with what can be a Fatal Illness they're battling.  Sometimes I think my Brother has Survivor's Guilt of sorts?   I can't know what it's like to be given a Grim Diagnosis with little to no Hope it won't Kill you.   Diabetes doesn't Feel like that to me, tho' I know it's not a good Diagnosis, and can Kill you.

I dredged up the Old Newspaper clipping of me when I got my Promotion in my early 20's to become a Bank Executive, my Parents were so Proud that Mom had cut this out and Saved it for me.   I'm glad she had becoz I hadn't, when you're Young you don't think about Saving things like this, but your Parents and Grandparents do, Thankfully.   I remember I was the only Woman who got promoted and everyone else was Male and much Older.   Even most of my Staff in the Three Departments I ran were Older than me.  *LOL*   And the Banking Industry remained Strong until the Banking Collapse of 2008 during the Big Financial Crisis, which is when I decided to get out, take an early Retirement and transfer to Criminal Law at the DA's Office.  I was always a Fixer, but you couldn't Fix that mess of 2008, which, was bound to happen and I saw coming due to what the Industry was doing.   A big Failure is always apparent in advance, and lotsa people profited off the Crisis they Created.  Kinda like now in Politics... it will all Collapse. 

I decided to put a couple of Humorous Memes in here now coz the Post isn't a lot of Great News and needs some levity for Balance.   I also am not even trying to do a Short Post, coz, this is like a good Therapy to me.  Right now I got The Siblings fighting over a missing pack of Cigs of The Son's that he cannot be convinced his Sister didn't Smoke, and she swears she didn't.   But, one of her Alters might have, so, you never really know, she can be very convincing when she isn't Aware of what some of the Alters are doing.   And... he could have Smoked them himself coz he was drinking heavier than he should have last Night coz he was so down and out about his Car Troubles and other Issues of Life that had Soured his whole Mood and countenance.  Alcohol plus Depression is never a Happy Combo, so I'd told him to stop Drinking, he'd had enuf... and he could have laid that pack of Cigs almost anywhere and can't recall, if he didn't just Smoke 'em?  I get tired of the Arguing about Cigs and Alcohol, those Addicted to either get Fixated on it.

  

With just getting the Shocking News of my Dear Lifelong Friend's Death, I was in no Mood to put up with anyone's Drama or being a Headache.  Especially a Drunken one or an Emotionally Destabilized one, or fussing with each other.  As it was The Man was having his Sundowners and inadvertently did something to the TV in our Bedroom to change it to Cable TV instead of Regular TV and he was melting down about missing "Survivor Man", which I'm sure was a Rerun and not even the Name of the Show, and of coarse he didn't know the Channel it is on either... and so I had to get Drunken Son to tear himself away from what he was watching and didn't wanna miss of some Female Boxing Match he was watching, to fix his Dad's Situation on the TV.   So, both of them were then melting down simultaneously over damned TV Programs they were missing, like it was Life and Death.  *Eye Roll*   Fun Times...

*******

Yep, Fun Times in the Arizona Desert with a Predicted High Temp of Only 108... and Only in Arizona can you say that, as if 108 is 'Cooler'... smiles... Dawn... The Bohemian