Life Happens... Shit Happens...

 

Still Updating in Real Time my Unpublished Posts... everything Changing so rapidly that I cannot keep Pace with it and fall behind, even here in The Land of Blog.  If you Write a Post a couple Days ago and Schedule it to Post later, it's almost irrelevant by the time it Posts!  We did some brief Environmental Cleanup coz The Man was missing doing it and promised to take it easy.  I also did some River Stone collecting for the Rock Mosaic Project that The Daughter is doing in front of our Wall.  Then we went to the Antique Mall to drop off fresh Inventory.  Found a gorgeous Black Wooden Farmhouse Table for Free that some Vendor had just put by the Dumpster out back, nothing Wrong with it at all!  Brought that Home and will swap it out with one of the Fold Up Tables we use on the Back Patio.  A permanent Black Farmhouse Table will look so much better back there and be more functional.  I was Jazzed to Score it for nothing, it was so big it didn't even fit in the Bed of the Truck and had to hang over the Tailgate by about Two Feet!!!   We also Traded in some Aluminum at the Recycle Center, we had a Truck Bed full again already bagged up.  Even tho' we weren't out long we found a lot of Cans.

 

I Closed Out the last Pay Period well so my Paycheck from the Antique Mall is the most decent one in Months.  That's good coz our Social Security Checks didn't hit on Time again.  Hopeful it won't be delayed too much coz I have some Bills to pay out of it and will incur either a Late Fee, or if I risk sending them out, an NSF Fee if it posts earlier than Social Security gets us our Money.   Your Creditors don't Care if the Federal Government is fucking with your Retirement Income, it's not their Problem.   Some have been sympathetic enuf to waive a Fee the one time due to the issues created by this Administration.  Anyway, que sera sera and all that, Fun Times.

Well, Robert Redford Died, he was 89, so had a good long Run.  I always liked him in his Movies and The Man had met him in person coz his Oldest Brother knew him.  He said he was a really nice Guy and not at all pretentious in spite of his Fame.  They once met Burt Reynolds too and hung out with him at a place in Utah with Burt's Crew, having a good time, when he was there on Location filming something Years ago.  Both Men were not all that Tall, on Screen they look Taller.   I recall meeting Larry Wilcox from CHiPs Fame {1977-1983}, back when that Series was in it's heyday, nice Guy.  He was very Short and had Reddish Hair, on Screen his Hair always looked more Blonde than Strawberry Blonde.  I remember having a big Crush on his Costar Erik Estrada back in those Days, never got to meet Erik tho', dammit.  *LOL*

For Breakfast we snagged a Trio of Homemade Burritos and Sodas from the little Burrito Lady that is Roadside near the Nature Preserve every Morning.  She sets up out of the back of her Truck, 3 Burritos and a Soda for $12 and they're excellent.  She's starting her own Business and Line, since she makes all her own Meats and Chorizo by Hand and Fresh.  She showed me her Packaging and Brand on her Phone, which is ready to go, she just has to find Stores willing to carry it, so I'll look for it to come out, probably in some of the Local Hispanic Grocers.  She makes her own Tortillas every Morning too, so it's all Freshly made like your Abuelita or Tia would have done for you.   She Sells Out quickly so you gotta get yours while there's still some left, we got the last Trio of her Burritos this day, a Bean and Two Carne Asada.  She makes her own Breakfast Tomatillo Salsa for them as well. 

Okay, so the Reveal of my Free Table and Chairs, all of them cost me nothing, just Curbside Bulk Garbage Day or beside a Dumpster Finds.  I'm going to put Marine Varnish on the Wooden Seats of the Vintage Industrial Style Chairs to bring them back to Life.  I have Two more of those Freebie Chairs, don't know Why someone just tossed them rather than Donating them to a Charity Shop?  It would have been a Shame for them to have been Landfill Bound, the Table too.   We Host a lot of Guests all the time now we're back in the Old Neighborhood, so we always Need Outdoor Seating for everyone when we have BBQ's and Pool Parties.   I may Marine Varnish the Top of that Table too to protect it from Weather and scratching/wear and tear, Marine Varnish really protects Wood well and looks good.   We've gone Scavenging and Gatherer Hunter DNA in our Veins.  *LOL* 

Our Neighbor Rob, The Daughter, and her Boyfriend Mando helped me set the Table up after they got it out of the Truck for me and moved it to where I wanted it on the Back Patio.  It's nice to have Present Help, getting too Old doing all of this type of stuff Solo and The Man can do some with me, but has to take it easy now until he gets that 2nd Heart Surgery.  Rob and Mando both have Stage 4 Cancer but you wouldn't know it coz they both appear fit and healthy, Cancer can be deceiving that way Visually on the Exterior.   Someone can literally be Dying of it and look Radiant and Fit, until all of a sudden they don't.  Both Men have undergone all the Treatments they can Medically, and so now have to leave it up to The Lord.   They both have good days and bad days, so does Rob's Younger Brother TJ, he also has Stage 4 Cancer, so many people do that I know right now.  Makes me wonder if it isn't Environmentally caused and probably Work related?   All those Men were in The Trades for many Years, all have come down with similar diagnosis between Ages 40+ to 65.

I did my Deep Clean of my Dreadlocks, I do it about Twice a Year, along with Regular Washing of them, a Deep Clean is essential too, but, not too often or you'll dry them out and make them less Strong.  Otherwise, if treated well and Maintained, they're Strong as Rope.   I still get a lot of Compliments on them, mostly from Young People and a lot of Older Black People ask me how I get them so long so fast?   I can't say, my Hair didn't used to be Strong or grow Fast until I Dreadlocked it, now it grows like Crazy and I've had to trim them several times, which, isn't easy coz it's like cutting Ropes and I have Arthritis.  *LOL*  I still have some Female Pattern Hair Thinning from Age and Hormonal Changes, but less so since having Dreadlocks.  And I'm still taking Nutrifol Supplements to promote New Hair Growth in Thinning areas on Top.  Which, seems to be helpful, got a lot of New Baby Hair growing back, but sometimes it won't Lock In to an existing Dreadlock all that easily or quickly.  Eventually it will, you just have to exercise Patience.

The Daughter decided it would be a Taco Tuesday and is making Carne Asada Tacos for all of us.  She's a good Cook and she actually likes Cooking.  But, she can sure trash a Kitchen doing it.  *Le Sigh*  That said, I do enjoy being Cooked for, I ain't gonna Lie.  She really will take the Time and effort to make Home Cooked Meals, even from scratch.  She learned a lot of tricks with Food while living in Mexico, on how to feed a lot of people economically and stretch the Grocery Budget far.  I guess having lived Two Decades in a 3rd World Country benefits you that way, not as much waste as here in America, not as much reliance on fast Foods and unhealthy ones.   I didn't realize that 63% of America's Fresh Produce of Veggies, and 47% of Fruit and Nuts is actually grown in Mexico and Imported here.   About only 20% of American grown Cash Crops Foods, mostly Grains, are Exported.  We are quite reliant on Foreign Imports in so many ways, which is why the Tariff's are not good. for American Businesses and Consumers

I may start Decorating the Front Porch more in the Morning while it's still Cooler and before it Heats Up.  I got the Entryway done, but, would like to get out some Faux Pumpkins and Faux Jack O'Lanterns first.  I don't know how many of our full sized Skeletons are in decent Shape this Year, they're getting brittle and falling apart, needing replacement.  But, Faux Skeletons are rather expensive now and you don't see many in a Chazza For Sale secondhand.  I like Decorating with Faux Skeletons and dressing them up differently with a loose Theme.  Haven't fully decided on a Theme this Year yet on how to Stage them?  Usually it takes on a Life of it's own as we're doing it and Organically transforms into something without much Thought about it.    I've gotten into the Mood to Decorate for Autumn and Halloween already, which is about the time I do every Year actually.

The Daughter had Organized all our Halloween Decorations for easy access in The RV Garage Mahal, so at a glance I can tell what we have, what I want to use, or Sell Off now.  Bit by bit everything is becoming more Organized, Tidy and Functional, it has taken such a long time after a Big Move to get to where we now are.  Becoz we were Downsizing the Property it makes a difference than when you're going Larger and Upsizing Properties.  I did the whole Upsizing and Upgrading thing over the Years too, that's much easier than Downsizing is.  When you're Young and starting out you don't have much Cargo and you Live Small for a while, sometimes a long while.  That was my Minimalist Phase and Season of Life and I wasn't Opposed to it.  However, the longer you Live the more you accumulate over a Lifetime and then at a certain Season of Life you begin Downsizing to Simplify Life again in your Old Age.  

It's almost like you come Full Circle.  You're Born with Nothing and when you Die you'll Leave this Realm with Nothing as well.   No U-Hauls trailing behind a Hearse.  *LOL*  I'd need a Pyramid erected as my Crypt if I were to be buried with all my Stuff, like the Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs.  *Smiles*   I'm not even certain my Edit & Purge efforts will culminate before I do, but, we're trying to get to Just Enough while I'm still here.  It is getting somewhat easier to just Let Go and be more discerning about what is Kept.   I see a lot of nice things still, but I don't always feel the Need to have most of it now.   Princess T decided she didn't want that Ed Hardy Bag I got her for her Birthday, her Mom's Birthday is the Middle of next Month and she said she'd like to have it for her Birthday.  *Smiles*  This is primarily why, with the Grandkids, I just prefer to give Cash, always the right Size and Color, they don't change their Mind like with a Bought Gift.   I wouldn't have bought the Bag if I'd known she didn't REALLY want it, but I thought she really did.    

Anyway, at least The Daughter really wants it and I know she'll enjoy it and use it, so, it's all Good, one less Pressy to Buy next Month for a Birthday then.  We have a lot of Birthdays between now and just past the 1st of the Year.   We ceased exchanging Gifts with everyone tho', the Family got too large and once the Kiddos reach a certain Age, especially those we never see, it's just easier for everyone not to feel obligated to exchange Gifts.   Princess T has always bought Gifts for her Grandpa and I, she's the only one who consistently never forgets.   So, she and I will probably always exchange Gifts.  I always bought Gifts for my Parents too and never forgot to.   The Man's Family really didn't exchange Gifts, but his Older Brother was an exception and Bob is pretty generous and remembers everyone's Birthday in the Family, he must have a Spread Sheet?!  *LOL*   So, sometimes The Man will do something for that Brother too, but, Bob doesn't expect it or want anyone to feel obligated to.   I don't even know if my Brother still Celebrates Holidays? 

 

And I know that The Young Prince prefers to ignore every Holiday except Halloween, he didn't even like other Holidays when he was a Child, too much Sensory Overload for him.   The Man is rather like that too, he'd be Okay not Celebrating anything, but he knows I like to Celebrate and Decorate.   He used to participate in Halloween Years ago, now, he does still like handing out the Candy to Trick-Or-Treating Kids and seeing them in their Costumes, so do I.   Since our Mini Farms Community has mostly Aged Out, we don't get a lot of Kiddos coming Door to Door becoz a lot of the Older Families don't participate and hand out Candy.  So, we make it worth their while to show up at our Door and make Special Treat Bags with Edible Candies and also Halloween Toys handed out, like the kind you'd get in a Gumball Machine Prize Dispenser.  Kids Love that.  Last Year we had the most Trick-Or-Treaters since moving here, perhaps Word got out we hand out good stuff?  *LMAO*

Above are some of the Halloween Handouts of Rubber Keychain 

Bag Tags we'll be dispensing this Halloween with Candy.  I've also got those Colorful Rubber Bracelets with Halloween Sayings, Rubber Pencil Toppers shaped like Skulls in different Colors, and Rubber Pencil Toppers shaped like Jack O'Lanterns, stuff like that.   For now they're Displayed in a Tall Glass Halloween Compote with Lid that has Graphics that say ARSENIC until Halloween.   Plus some tiny Plastic Skulls and Jack O'Lantern Candy Buckets that the Candy will be dispensed in to the Kiddos that come.  {See Below}   You can't tell, but there's a shitload of those Toy Handouts in there, must be about a 100 Bracelets, about 30 Pencil Toppers, and I think the Keychain Bag Tags were 12 to a Bag of them.   We'll likely have leftovers.  We always let the Trick-Or-Treating Kids choose the Toy they want and we choose the Candy to dispense or their decision making could take all Night otherwise, which Parents wouldn't appreciate.  *LOL*

We enjoy seeing the Kids dressed up in their Costumes, so Cute, and like handing out the Treats.   Even some Older Kids and Adults come by in Costume and we give them Candy as well, some have their Animals in Costumes, even Cuter, and is worth a Candy.   This Year I may stop by the Pet Stores and see if they have Halloween Dog Treats/Cat Treats, you wouldn't Need too many, we never get more than a half Dozen Pets in Costumes coming by with their Owners.   But the Pets that participate seem to really enjoy being in their Costumes and having a big time with their Owners, so, it's adorbs.   After all, for many Pet Owners, they are like their Kids.   I don't think we'd like living in a Retirement Community only becoz we enjoy being in a Community that has Children and various Age Groups and diversity of Neighbors.  So, it wouldn't be for us to live in a 55+ Community and with being a 3 Generation Household and having Raised some Grandkids, it wouldn't have been allowed either.  One of my Friends moved into a Retirement Community rather prematurely, she was 57 and all her Neighbors were in their 80's.

Now, I know this sounds Morbid, but when she introduced me to some of her "New" Neighbor Friends, and I could see she was forming strong Attachments, I thought, she's going to experience a lot of premature Grief.   For someone in her 50's, she's gonna go thru a lot of Neighbors in their 80's I suspect before her Time comes unless she's taken early.  And I don't know that when I was only in my 50's I'd wanna be attending that many Funerals of people I'd gotten really Close to and be in a State of Mourning constantly?   It's hard enuf when you get much Older and that will be a Given with your Peers, you know, it's one of the harder parts of Surviving all your Friends, and mebbe even some Family.  I've already Lost so many people I've been Close to all my Adult Life, it's never Easy, it never gets Easier.   And even here in the Wonderful Land of Blog we've Lost so many Dear Bloggers I became very Close to.  I've always had several Friends who were Older than me, even when I was Young, but I've had Friends my Age and much Younger than me too.  So, I like to Live in a Community with that same diversity.  

 

I did find, while Raising a 2nd Generation, that I ended up hanging out with other Parents still Raising Kids, so that our Kids could become Friends and do more together.   So, I was usually the Old Timer of that Group of Mommies.  *Bwahahahaha*  They were very Gracious about me being the Age of their Parents, or sometimes even their Grandparents, coz our Kiddos were Friends.   And I did find that when you're a Custodial Grandparent, your own Aged Peer Group really doesn't want Kids around or in tow, so we didn't hang out much anymore becoz of that.   I rarely did anything as a Parent, when Raising either Generation, without the Kids.   I just wasn't that absentee Parent that left them with a Babysitter so I could Socialize and go out Recreationally.   Becoz it was enuf that I was Raising them while holding down very Demanding Careers that either required Daycare or switching off with The Man to watch them as each of us went to Work.  Most of the time he Worked Days and I Worked Nights, so we could not have to rely upon Daycare except when he was Deployed with his Military Commitments. 

And when you have Children with Special Needs, it's difficult to even find suitable Daycare that will assume that kind of Responsibility or have the Training for Medical Needs or Mental Health Needs your Kiddo has.   Taking an early Retirement to become a Full Time Caregiver just became necessary after a while, once The Man required Adult Care, even harder to find Resources for that, or affordable ones.    Anyway, got all the Kiddos eventually Raised and lasted, whoo hoo, that was always the Goal, don't drop Dead before you get the Grandkids in your Care Raised.   Then the Goal becomes, don't drop Dead before the ailing Spouse who depends on you for Full Time Caregiving.  *LOL and Winks*   So now they all Joke that I can never be Allowed to Die.  *Bwahahahaha*  I'm not striving for Immortality, I think it would be a Bummer past a Certain Age.  I mean, what Shape and Condition would you be in?!!!!!  *Smiles*

I'd probably resemble Betty here {see Above}, at some Point!!!??   And look pretty Busted!!!  *LOL*   That's why when I heard Robert Redford Died at 89 I was thinking, probably Time... don't know what Condition he was in by then, but it couldn't have been great and he was probably ready and packed to Go?   He looked pretty decent for being in his 80's, but the Toupe's were Bad.   Of coarse I've rarely seen Men's Wigs that look realistic, Women have better Luck with that.  Even IF you can tell it's a Wig, it doesn't look so ridiculous unless it's a Cheap Wig not put on right by the Woman wearing it.   So I do feel badly for Men who feel they should wear a Toupe, it never looks good and it distracts me too much, I end up staring at the Bad Toupe, like it's an Ugly Hat perched on their Head.  *LOL*  I'd rather see a Man go with being Bald... Bald can look Sexy and Attractive.   And there are even some Women Pretty enuf to look Good with no Hair, like Media Personality and Political Advisor Symone Sanders, who is Beautiful with a Shaved Head.

I've had very Short Hair, in the 60's I cut all my very Long Hair off, donated it for Cancer Patient Wigs, and it looked like Twiggy's Haircut, but even shorter than that actually, my Mom Cried.  *LOL*  I've also grown my Hair down almost to my Knees before too during my Hippie Days.   It's getting closer to there now with Dreadlocks, so I have to keep trimming them.  Once your Hair is past your Butt, it can be tricky and heavy.  *Winks*  Dreadlocks can become much heavier than non Dreaded Hair coz you don't shed any Hair ever once it Locs In.  And even if you began with Micro-Dreads like I did initially, they don't stay like that, they continually get Phatter and Thicker.  I don't know how that happens all the way down even to the Ends, but, it does.   I just let mine form Organically as they just will and want to, keep 'em clean and mostly keep 'em separated, that's all the Maintenance that is actually required, very Low Maintenance Hairstyle, which, is why I prefer them.

"World Market" had this Fun Faux Skeleton Employee named Steve 2.0, which was hilarious.  They had almost Sold Out of their Halloween Merch already, and so had rolled a lot of Christmas out to replace it, so they wouldn't have a lot of bare Shelving.   Seems Halloween didn't stay in Stock very long at all, people were Buying it up like Crazy.  I remember Years ago there would always be leftover Holiday Merch that they'd put on Clearance, and Mom would Shop those Clearances with me the Day After a Holiday.   That never happens anymore really, it's usually all gone Months before the actual Holiday arrives now.   If any at all is left, it's the stuff nobody much wanted and you practically couldn't give away.  But, mostly people will Buy anything put on Clearance if it's Cheap enuf.

I Love a Sale and Discounted Merch as much as the next Person, but I won't Buy anything just coz it's On Sale.  If it didn't Appeal to me at Full Price, it won't Appeal to me more just coz they reduce the Price.   But if I really dig something, I do always Hope they may Discount it before the Holiday arrives or the Season is Over, so that I can get it while some is still left.   *Smiles*    And now, for some Local Tea Spilling:  Our Neighbor TJ came over to see how The Man was doing, but I suspected he also wanted to tell us something, and he did.  Seems he got his Girlfriend pregnant again.  She's Amber's Young Daughter and she's about 40 Years Younger than TJ, they want to get Married, I don't know that they have yet?  He's still living with his 80+ Year Old Parents and has Stage 4 Cancer.  Amber's Daughter is Special Needs and can't take Care of herself, let alone a Baby.  I can't see this being a good Outcome for that Baby.

He said they haven't told Amber yet, last time her Daughter got preggy she miscarried the Baby, this time she's further along.  Nobody in Amber's Family were happy last time, they were fearful they would end up with the Baby.  Amber's Mom is battling Cancer and Amber's Dad is a much Older Man, he's in his 80's and was Old when he Fathered his own Children with his much Younger Wife.  Amber has Special Needs and lost Custody of her own Three Children to her Baby's Daddy who Fathered them.   So, it would be doubtful this Grandchild would remain with Maternal or Paternal Relatives if something were to require Custodial Placement arrangements.   TJ seems happy, he's got Grown Children and Grandchildren who will be Older than this Child.  I had no Words really so a mere "Congratulations" was all I could muster while my Head spun about being told before any of the Maternal Side of the Girl's Family!   Shit!!!   His Family has come to a place of acceptance of the Girlfriend, but I don't think her Family feel it's a good Relationship and I'd have to agree.

  

He said he Sold the Corvette and got a Dooley Truck instead, TJ makes very unwise financial decisions.  The Corvette got repossessed once until his Elderly Parents made the back payments for him, Rob, his Brother, had told us this.  Then we saw the Corvette being hid out at his Adult Daughter's Home, where there's a whole lotta Vehicles on that Acreage and when we had Mando's License Plate Fiasco, we highly suspected that TJ's Daughter's Husband might be involved in some Vehicular shady shit where he's swapping out License Plates?   So that people can avoid having their delinquent payments on Vehicles have the Vehicle easily found and repossessed?   The only reason we had involvement is the Police came here when Rob had Mando's License Plate on his Truck instead, Mando had reported his License Plate missing and was still using his Paper License on his Car until DMV could replace the missing Plate.  He hadn't been sure if the License had fallen off or been Stolen... turns out the latter and Rob said his Brother had given it to him and then said his Truck was our Truck and the License plate was Borrowed!

We set the Police straight about all of that, Mando got his License Plate back from the Police, since he hadn't "Loaned" it to anyone, that's illegal, he'd reported it Missing or Stolen and was just going to pay for a replacement Plate.   The Cops were Cool with our Family, but we figured they might Investigate that whole shenanigans?  Nobody went to Jail, so I don't know how it got resolved, I just know that now TJ claims he Sold the Corvette, but, we've seen it at his Adult Kid's Home.  Whether he Sold it to them or not, I couldn't say, and I have no idea who he got the nice Dooley Truck from, looks expensive, and if he got behind on the Payments of the Corvette, well, good Luck with the Truck.   It is a more practical Vehicle, especially if he's now got a Pregnant Girlfriend.  

A Corvette with a 60+ Year Old Owner is definitely a Past Midlife Crisis Car.  A Girlfriend Forty Years your Junior is too IMO, especially when you're still living with your own Parents!!!   I've always thought that both Rob and TJ are Special Needs Adults tho', and Amber's Daughter is too, so... you can't prevent them from having Relationships... even if it's not the best idea to.  Usually a Special Needs Adult ends up having a Relationship with another Special Needs Adult, but, not always.   And they can be easily taken advantage of, but, everyone wants to be Loved, it's only Natural that they have Natural Adult urges even if they have Disabilities and there's no Laws against falling in Love, just pushback from Society about certain folks being in a Relationship. 

  TJ and Rob would do anything for anyone, they're likeable Guys, their Elderly Parents are Wonderful People, but, I'm sure they've had much heartache having Two Sons who aren't Right, but who were High Functional enough to have Solid Careers when they were Well Physically.  Both were Linemen for over 40 Years, like their Dad.  They both are hard Working and Skilled Workers who are now Retired but keep busy.   Amber likes both Brothers, she's just protective of her Daughter and rightly so, that Daughter is Seriously Unwell Mentally.  To the point I had to ban her from our Home, and I rarely do that, but she is unable to respect Boundaries or process propriety.  She's got definitely Mental Barriers, almost like a form of Developmental Disabilities coupled with Mental Health ones.

  You can't Reason with her or communicate adequately enough with her. So, I'd find her just wandering into your Home uninvited and unannounced, going thru your things, helping herself to anything, very intrusive. She'd startle you sometimes becoz you didn't even know she'd trespassed into your Home and would just show up, anywhere, without even making a Noise!!!  Like a Small Child would be, but, she's in her late 20's now, so it was seriously Creepy and inappropriate.  She once walked in on The Man in our Bedroom while he was getting Dressed, we didn't even know she was in our Home!  That was it!!!  You'd tell her it wasn't Okay, but she kept doing it, so I had to tell her Mom, who I've known all her Life, Listen, your Two Daughter can't come here anymore, they're not respecting Boundaries and it's not Okay, so, they're not Welcome, I'll call the Police if they do it again.  I don't really even 'know' them... she didn't Raise them... so her own Relationship with them is tenuous at best, they just didn't want to live with their Dad and his Wife anymore.

I just don't think either one of them can get by without Help from Family to Manage their Affairs.   And, the same with TJ and Rob, I doubt either one of them can get by without Help from Family to Manage their Affairs either.  I understand, that's how Two of our Adult Children are and why they now still live at Home with us and still require some oversight.  The Daughter will always Need someone to help her handle her Affairs or she'd just be perpetually Homeless and making poor decisions on a consistent basis or be Institutionalized.  Her Network of close Friends has looked out for her when we couldn't.  The Son also Needs someone to help him handle his Affairs, he's a good Earner and Worker like the Neighbor's Sons are, but he's always had a Girlfriend manage his Money for him or he'd have none.   His present Girlfriend has Autism too, but is very High Functional like he is on the Spectrum, and has a good Career as well.  They understand each other's Condition and have been Friends since they were very Young Teenagers.  I don't think she is Bipolar like he is tho', but, I don't know for sure.

She went undiagnosed until quite recently, which isn't unusual for Girls and Women, they can Mask their Autism better and compensate for it better than Males can or do.  Plus, Medically, Women and Girls aren't given the same level of Care as Boys and Men are, just a Societal Fact.  And, his Girlfriend is Indigenous and relied on the Indian Hospitals for Care, so, even lower Standard of Care given.   At the Indian Schools and the Indian Hospitals, it's not up to par with other Schools and Hospitals, not by a long shot.   My Dad would never use them, he wouldn't even use the VA Hospitals, didn't Trust any of the Indian Services or VA Services he would be entitled to use, so he never used them at all.  I remember not understanding that when I was growing up, now I'm Older, I understand fully why he didn't.  

 My Paternal Grandmother wouldn't use any Services either, didn't Trust them at all.  She rarely left the Reservation either, I think she came to visit us once in Arizona and didn't like being Off Rez and not around her own People.  So, he also grew up with the Distrust of his Mom, that anything the White Man provided, was rarely meant for good to the Indians.  Long Sad History certainly taught all Tribes that Fact with Cultural Genocide and harsh Ethnic Cleansing our Government did to them that wiped many Tribes out completely and decimated numbers in all the others to where extinction was entirely a real Threat.  It's why Distrust among Tribal People remains exceedingly high to this day.  His Mom Taught them that where ever you placed your Dependency, ultimately Controls you.  And that Old Woman was more of a Control Freak, more Militant and Distrustful of the Government than Yours Truly, so I know where I got it from.  *Bwahahaha*

Anyway, so, that's the Neighborhood Spilled Tea, I wasn't quite expecting TJ to drop that bombshell to us, before he even tells Amber and her Family.  Now I've got a Secret and I don't like keeping Secrets from People and them being left out of the Loop, but, also not our place to tell her.  At some point her Daughter and TJ will have to, she'll be Showing... she's a tiny little Sprite that weighs less than Princess T does, so, it's not gonna remain hidden past the 1st Trimester.  She knows it's a Boy already and I don't know why she Miscarried last time, so she may be a high risk Pregnancy as well?   It's terrible to say, but everyone was relieved about the Natural Miscarriage last time, TJ was on strong Chemo at the time, she wasn't particularly Healthy either, she has Medical Issues and is Frail, so, that could have caused complications for the unborn Child.  I think he's done with his Chemo, whether she's Healthier now I couldn't say?  I do have Worries for the Child, obvious reasons.  But people have Kiddos all the time that probably shouldn't.  And not every Child is Born Healthy and Extreme Parenting ain't for the Faint of Heart.   UPDATE: Social Security Checks finally received... yay!

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Life happens, shit happens... Dawn... The Bohemian