Thanksgiving In August

 

If I get this Post in the To Be Published Queue I'll be Three Unpublished  Posts ahead!   Doing that Kitchen overhaul of Organizing and Cleaning sure unblocked whatever Chi was being dammed up and I feel truly Energized to get things done now.  We went down to the River and fed River Dog, today she got Lamb Sloppy Food with her Dry Kibbles.  This time she came right up to my Hand eagerly, so Trust is building slowly between us.  And she dove right in to her Lamb Breakfast.  

Still don't see or hear any Pups, but that Thicket is Deep, Low and Dark, you have to get thru low hanging thorny Palo Verde and Mesquite Trees to even get to where she's at.  So, it's hard to even see her if she stays really still, which, she's good at doing.  So, even tho' lots of People come there to Fish and Picnic, they don't even know she's there, tucked away quietly behind some Boulders the Thicket is behind.  So, I'm discreet about going to feed her so she doesn't get tormented by other Humans who might not be Kind or might spook or scare her.

Good Deed done for the Day I took The Man to "Culver's" for a Cod Lunch, and some of their Frozen Custard, since, by then, we were hungry.  I gave him my Roll coz the Mashed Potatoes were sufficient Carbs for my Day.  I'm not a Coleslaw Fan usually, but I really like theirs that comes with the Fish Dinner. We'd done a bit of Environmental Cleanup at the River while there, it always has a lot of discarded Aluminum Cans during the Weekends.  People are so piggish, even in a Nature Preserve Area or Park.  We mebbe hauled about 10 lbs. worth out since I wouldn't let The Man do too much or go far.  Not until after he gets his 2nd Heart Surgery, he's got to take it easy coz we know for sure he's still got an Artery Blockage.  I'd expected his Surgeon's Office to have called us to Schedule it by now.

My Birthday is the 16th, so I wouldn't be Surprised if they Schedule it on or around my Birthday now, which will pretty much not be how I intended to Celebrate it.  *Le Sigh*   The "How Sweet It Is" Themed Anniversary of SWEET SALVAGE is August 21-24, which is later than usual, they typically have had their August Event on or directly around my Birthday every other Year.   They haven't given too many Sneak Peeks into the Show yet, this is their 14th Year in Business, so it's like their Birthday in August too.  Hard to Believe that many Years has flown by!!!   I used to take Princess T when she was only 5.

HIGHLAND YARD VINTAGE is already going to have their Halloween Inspired Markets September 4th-7th and September 11th-14th, I can hardly wait!!!   No Previews yet to give Sneak Peeks.   I was shocked that my Friends at STUDIO 108 COLLECTIVE took their Book of Faces Business Page down!!!   They had Closed for the Summer and I heard they had re-opened earlier than originally planned, so they should be Open now every Weekend, just Odd they took their Social Media Pages down, where they Advertised their Events and Showcased their Vignettes and Merchandise.  I only found out they re-opened earlier than expected by accident.

Anyway, by next Month for sure everything should be up and running again for the Seasonal Rush that comes Sept-Dec for all the Holidays.  My Ear is feeling a lot better and strong Allergy/Sinus Meds helped.  But, I haven't gone in to the Antique Mall, it's a Sale Weekend and I don't wanna risk them asking me to Work and I don't wanna deal with Crowds right now either.  I've got Inventory to go in but will wait until it's quieter and less busy than a Sale.  Plus, I don't want Fresh Merch to be Sold on Sale right away either.

I got our Laundry done this Morning too, I've been energized enuf to get everything done.  Now that I have all my Teas Organized I made some Orange Spice Tea for this Morning.  I used to drink Tea every Morning, either Hot or Iced, and I've got a Cache' of all the Tea in China, so I need to get back into the Habit.  Better than drinking Soda and not as boring as drinking Water all of the time either.  Various Teas are good for you and I have more varieties than a Tea Shop!!!  *Winks*  Whatever Ails you, I got a Tea for it too!!!  *Smiles*  So, that might also have helped my Ear Problem?  I did drink some of my Gypsy Cold Care Tea.  And Yes, that's the actual Name of it.

Before being ridiculously PC

After some Pearl Clutcher Karens probably complained.  *Eye Roll* and you can see they put Formally Known As: Gypsy Cold Care  *LMAO*

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To be PC tho', the Company recently changed the name of it to Herbal Cold Care Tea, tho' I'm sure it wasn't the Gypsies who complained about it, probably some White Pearl Clutching Karens?  *Bwahahaha*  After all the Gypsies have endured over the Centuries, and still do, in blatant discrimination, intentional Offenses directed towards them, and insensitivities of the Gadjo, I'm sure the Name of a Tea is a total Non-Issue for them.  It's a good thing they put FNA on the Packaging or I wouldn't be able to find it when I Need it, since it's always been known as Gypsy Cold Care Tea and I wouldn't have known Herbal Cold Care Tea was the same product!!!  The whole PC thing is often ridiculous and I just wonder how many folks have really bee so Offended, I mean, for REALS?!   Coz Lord have Mercy if you are that easily Offended almost anything COULD Offend you, since you're likely to TAKE every Offense, whether Intended or not, and run with it, rather than choosing NOT to TAKE an Offense even Offered.  It's hard to Offend me coz I choose to leave any Offense with the Offender and not Take or Accept it.  Simple. 

And speaking of Offenders, of the Worst Kind, Sex Offenders, and how they tend to stick up for and with each other...  Donnie Two Dolls not being able to tell a REAL Nasty Woman from a Decent Woman is Telling.  Mebbe he only likes and respects Women who Procure and Sex Traffick little Girls for his own Perversions, who knows?   He's said lewd inappropriate Sexual things about his own Daughters, even when they were Children, openly and publicly, who does that, it's such a really Sick and Twisted thing, except a Pedo!?  He Knew, he's on The List, he said nothing for the Fifteen Plus Years he was tight with a couple of Child Sex Traffickers and said they were very Fine People and was Best of Friends with them.  And, he's an adjudicated Sex Offender and Sexual Predator of many Women, so who knows if there's Underaged Victims of his too?  I can't say I'd even be Surprised.

One of my Granddaughters is on her Weight Loss Journey after having Two Children, and a near Fatal Accident that caused her to be Bedridden and in a full Body Cast and Body Braces for Months.   She's doing really well and looking good!   She knows I'm trying to shed some extra Pounds too so has been Encouraging.  She had a terrible injury in between having her Oldest and her Youngest Child.  She and her Dad were on his Harley and an Old Woman T-Boned them in her Car.  He got a Traumatic Brain Injury and she had a broken Back and a broken Neck, so it was a Miracle both of them are now doing so well and she could even Walk again.  And, she got Preggy with the Great-Granddaughter {Below} shortly after she Recovered and was out of the Hospital, so it was a higher than usual Risk Pregnancy, coz she was also an Older Mom, almost 30 then, and with those Injuries still Healing.

Below is another Granddaughter who lives in Mexico.   Some of the Grandkids are Pathological Picture Takers like Gramma Dawn, and some aren't.   I kinda Nag those that aren't.  *Winks*   They all know they could never send me too many Pixs of them all, it brings Joy to my Old Heart.   And now I'm Oversharing some New Ones I just got.  *Winks*  Coz, that's what us Moms, Grammas and Great-Grammas just do, so, just pretend like you don't Care.  *Smiles*  Here's the Truth about me and Photos tho', I could spend Hours just looking at YOUR Photos with absolute Interest and Delight.  I've always been a Visual Person and when folks Share their Story and Families via Photos, I actually really Enjoy it.  The Man wasn't the least bit Surprised at all, when I first met his Ex-Wife and she hesitatingly asked me if I wanted to see their Wedding Photos?    Since she'd brought the Album out for their Daughter to see before her Wedding.

We were there for their Daughter's Wedding, and I did wanna see them, their Daughter looks a lot like her Mom.  And so his Ex and I looked thru those Photo Albums together and really genuinely Bonded, we've been Friends ever since, she's Good People, so is her Husband Tony.   And the Daughter she and Tony have, is also now a good Friend of mine, and keeps in touch with me more than her Older Sister, whose The Man's Daughter, even does!  *LOL*   She was their Wild Child and she thought it was a Trip that I figured her out in a Minute, more than she said her Parents had figured her out in a Lifetime!   I told her it takes one Old Wild Child with a Free Spirit to recognize another Younger Wild Child and Free Spirit.  *LOL*   She shares more Pixs of her Two Kids and Family with me than her Sister did when our Grandkids were growing up too!   Coz she's also a Pathological Picture Taker and our Oldest Daughter is not.

Her Son and Husband, a Blast from the Past Pix, now he's in High School and bigger than his Mama, he's grown into such a Handsome Young Man he's gonna be a Real Heart-Breaker.   And Below is a Blast from the Past Pix of her Daughter, whose also a Teenager now, with one of their Fur Babies.   All of the Kiddos back East in Pittsburgh have this Breed of Dog.   And that Breed seems to LOVE Hamming it for the Cameras!!!  And I'm not sure they even think they're Dogs and not Hooomans?  *LOL*   I'm glad that at least some of the Family over in Pittsburgh are Pathological Picture Takers like Yours truly so I can get loads of precious Pixs.  It's the Primary Reason I Love my Book of Faces Connections, it's how everyone these Days is Sharing their Pixs and I Save them to my Photo Archives and often make the Hard Copies, like the Dinosaur that I am, so that if one day The Cloud disappears into the Ether, there's some Old School Hard Copy Pixs of them all.  *Winks*

Her Son has Autism, and so she knew The Son did too and we swapped a lot of Parenting Tips for Parenting an Autistic Child over these Years.  It was The Man's Ex that reached out to me first, becoz she knew her Daughter had just received the Grandson's Diagnosis when he was little.  It is a devastating blow for any Parent and Grandparent to receive a Diagnosis of Illness, Disability or Mental Illness of their Child, especially one with no Cure.  Our Son was already Grown and we'd moved thru all of those Challenges, so had some Advice we Hoped would be Helpful?  Like The Son, her Son is super Smart Academically, almost Savant in fact, so is always on the Honor Roll, which, The Son was too.  But, Teaching someone with Autism has it's specific Disability related Challenges, so they're still considered Special Needs Students due to Autistic related Behaviors and tendencies that can make it some Extreme Parenting to move thru.   Below is him and Mama with his most recent Honor Roll Award Certificate.

And the Three Pixs Below are more Great-Grandbaby recent Pixs taken this Summer of a Great-Granddaughter wipes out after a Trip to the Water Park Splash Pad... a Great-Grandson Napping with his Fur Baby, well, the Dog is Asleep at Naptime *LOL*... and a Great-Granddaughter's 6th Birthday Party.   Looks like they all are having a Splendid Summer Break and now it's back to School time for the Older ones... so, pretty sure Parents are looking forward to that Break from the Kiddos?   But not so much Dealing with School, per se.   Especially if you have The Special Needs Child!!!   Coz each Day can be a New Adventure!!!  *Winks* 

Today the Kids are cooking that Turkey, it took a long time to fully thaw out.   And the Weekends we usually have Company so there will be enuf Food to feed a few Extras.  *LOL*   Mando is helping her Cook it and they cracked me up coz I thought they both already knew how, since they're in their 40's, and they're watching U-Tube Tutorials as they're preparing it, OMG, I Laughed so hard I almost peed myself!!!  *LMAOROTF*   I'm used to her Friend Amber doing that, Bless her, she watches Tutorials as she's doing whatever it is she's Cooking, it's hilarious.   I'm like, OMG you guys really is Special, aren't ya?  *LOL*  And then we all laughed heartily.   The Man thinks he remembers how to Cook a Turkey, with his TBI and the onset of Dementia, you never know what retention he has, or NOT really.  But, he's in the Kitchen with them 'Supervising' and they're letting him participate, which, makes him Happy... so whatever... mebbe this Turkey will turn out Okay?  *LOL* 

We also have a Frozen Spiral Ham we will Need to thaw and Cook/use up and they insisted when we're ready for that they need Pineapples.  Now I'm wondering, have any of them actually Cooked a Ham either?  Mebbe not, but, we'll see... and I'm sure there's U-Tube Tutorials they can watch while they're doing that too?  *Bwahahahaha*  I enjoy anyone Cooking for me, so as long as it turns out, I don't Care how they manage to get it on the Table.  *Winks*  We're Steaming a bunch of Veggies like Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Baby Carrots, Corn-On-The Coblettes, Yellow, Red and Green Bell Pepper Strips.   And she's cooking some Baby New Potatoes, Onion, Baby Carrots and Celery with the Turkey too... and Stuffing the Bird of coarse.  I also have both kinds of Cranberry Sauce, Jelled and Whole Cranberry Sauces.  So, it will be like an early Thanksgiving.  *Smiles*

I peeked at the Turkey, it doesn't look too bad, tho' I Bag mine to Cook them and put them upside down to Roast in the Bag so the Breast is always in the Juices.   But the Kiddos said their Tutorials showed an Unbagged Turkey, so I'm not arguing the merits of Cooking it in a Bag.  *LOL and Winks*   They did remember to take the stuff out of the inside of it before Stuffing it, so, they knew that much *LOL*   It looks like a Fine Turkey and of coarse they want me to Photograph it after it's done too.  They know I Blog about it all, so they're very Proud of their first Turkey.  *Ha ha ha*   And The Daughter very Artfully arranged all of the Veggies in the Steamer, knowing they would ask me to Photograph that too!  *LMAO*  I swear it took her 20 Minutes to arrange them as if they were going into an Art Gallery to Display.  *Ha ha ha*

But, I confess it does look purdy and Photo worthy.   She'd Massaged the Hell outta that Bird with Spices and Butter, as if it was at a Guest Vacationing at a Spa Resort!   She said that's what Martha Stewart did in the Video!!!   I told her Martha might have been Smoking a Blunt with Snoop Dogg beforehand???  *Bwahahahaha*   She Loves Cooking so she spends an inordinate amount of time on Prep too, longer than I would, since, I don't Love Cooking.  *Winks*  Mando was her Sou Chef, along with The Man being The Iron Chef Supervising it all, quite the Team in there, like and Episode of the Three Stooges actually, rather than an Episode of Top Chef or Iron Chef, but, I was getting a Kick out of it and let them get to it.   The Kitchen isn't even totally Trashed, big Surprise, coz usually, it can be when any of them Cooks.  Even a Simple Meal sometimes means they'll use everything in the whole Kitchen.  It only got to 105 Today, and ONLY in Arizona can you say ONLY 105, but it's been 119 all Week, so that seems Cooler... so, I didn't mind them Heating up the Kitchen for this Special Meal they wanted to do.  I'm looking forward to Eating it!!!!

Turkey Update:  Well, Martha Stewart Tutored The Daughter well, her very first Turkey and early Thanksgiving in August Dinner turned out fabulous!!!  *Smiles*  It might even be the best one I've had that wasn't Cooked by my Dad, the Master Chef!   She should be very Proud of herself and it was so good in fact that there's really not gonna be any Leftovers, it's already 95% GONE!!!  And her 1st Giblet Turkey Gravy was exceptional too!   And it fed Eight People, and anyone who wanted seconds could have some, so, not bad.

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So, Happy Thanksgiving in August my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian