Happy Halloween ~ And...Why Is ICE Stockpiling Warheads & Chemical Weapons?

Well, it's The Day us Halloween Obsessed Folks have been preparing and waiting for.  *Winks*  Yes, the Imagery will be more Creepy Monster Altered Art Dolls to go with the Post Story Content, which, is rather Creepy itself and an Altered Reality we're Living thru, all of us.  *Winks and Le Sigh*  The latest News is that ICE is stockpiling Warheads & Chemical Weapons, one has to wonder, Why?  Immigration and Custom Enforcement shouldn't require either, nor should they be deploying either upon the People in America on our own Soil, any of the People in America!  It isn't portending anything Positive or not Dangerous and potentially Lethal, that's for sure.  If it doesn't alarm you it should.  The Hiring of ICE Agents hasn't been Vetted very well, those who probably would never pass Psychological Screening for the Military, CIA, FBI or even your Local Police, can get into ICE.    But, my Take is that ICE has become like any Tyrant's Loyal Secret Police that will do anything asked of them, that the Playbook says one has to have to install Tyranny effectively and more importantly, brutally and Illegally.

 But, you also do away with your Legal System to ensure this goes unchallenged.  This is precisely why you've got what appears to be an out of control Goon Squad not properly identifying themselves, masked, violence prone, and indiscriminately Targeting and Kidnapping folks off the Streets of America in broad Daylight and with NO Due Process made available.  Then holding them in Concentration Camps on American Soil and not even allowing Politicians Legal Access to see the Treatment of who they're holding there.  This all should alarm us all and be a Red Flag of what could be coming that is much, much, worse and that nobody is Safe from.  NetFlix has a Special called "How To Be A Tyrant", and clearly Donnie Two Dolls and his Cabal are using the whole Playbook.  ALL of it.  And if they know they're losing Power and Control, the only thing left for them to resort to is to Start A War, out of the Playbook Tactics Final Chapter.  Putin's doing it now coz his Reign is in serious jeopardy and he knows it.

Okay, Moving On, coz it's a Glorious Day out there Today and I refuse to have a Black Cloud of Corrupt Politics ruin it for me from The Jump.  Plus, The Daughter made a Lovely Breakfast for everyone this Morning and that's what I Woke up to, being Served Breakfast in Bed.  It's Good to be Me.  *Winks*  LATER:  While we were out and about we got a call from my Oldest Brother-In-Law, The Man's Older Brother, that he's in Arizona and will be here in the Morning, huge Surprise!!!   We haven't seen him since we lived in the Villa McManse, so it's been about Six Years, tho' he and his Wife used to visit Arizona fairly often and stay with us.

He's a Widower now, as our Sister-In-Law passed away last Year after a long illness, he'd been her Caregiver in latter Years.  So, it's understandable that he hasn't been Traveling as much, they used to be on an Endless Vacation when she was Well enuf to Travel.  They extensively Traveled and owned Vacation Homes in several States.  He still has a Vacation Home in Texas, and his Main Home in Alaska, so is likely Migrating to warmer climate for the Winter now.  He passes thru Arizona to get to Texas from Alaska and almost always drives.  Surprising now that he's around 80 Years Old, 76 Years Old, but, for a really Old Guy he's in remarkable Shape and a Health Nut, very Active.

This is the Sibling that The Man is closest to and always Admired, his Big Brother was always considered the Family Hero, he became Wealthy and Owned very successful Businesses.  Ergo, a lot of the Family pandered to him and elevated him above the other Kids accomplishments IMO.  Every Family's version/vision of Success is different, depending on what their priorities tend to be.  My Family, for example, elevated The Man's Military contribution to his Country as Heroic, and it is by most Standards. 

 He's a highly decorated War Hero who Served 39 Years in every branch of the Service except the Navy and Coast Guard.  The Man's Family NEVER talked of The Man's Service to Country and Medals Earned.  I personally feel it's coz he had to Kill a lot of People for his Country, especially during Vietnam.  As a Sniper in Special Forces, it WAS his Job after all to Neutralized specifically Targeted people the Government wanted Dead, regardless of who they were, and they were ashamed of revealing that?

Nobody ever wanted to Talk about or acknowledge that I quickly discovered.  And he did more than be an Assassin in the USMC, he Rescued folks too, was a Field Medic in the Army, and Maintained Aircraft in the Air Force.  Plus, he was also a Paramedic... and a Police Officer that infiltrated Dangerous Biker Gangs as a Civilian.  He's got an impressive Resume IMO worth being very Proud of.  When the BIL was in the Military he did some Heroic things too, Saving People, which is indeed Heroic, he was on a Rescue Team for the Military.  But had a very short Career due to an injury to his Eyes which sidelined his Military Career during one Operation in which he went Snow Blind.

  And in Civilian Life made impressive accomplishments, as a Young Man he was a Star Athlete as well.  So, he has earned a lot of the Praise and Pride.  But, being Wealthy isn't my Family's Standard and Bar, I do think The Man's Family were always more competitive about Earning as the Standard, so there was a lot of competitiveness about that.  In my Family, as long as you were the Best at whatever you did, they were equally Proud of you.  I never thought anyone was elevated above another or felt lesser than.

The Man is what most would have called The Black Sheep of his Family and the outlier, so, he's never felt fully acknowledged and I did notice that dynamic within his Family and wondered Why?  Mostly I felt it was due to him leaving The Church, since, they are LDS and shunning is pretty common among that Religion if someone leaves.  It's rather Cultish that way IMO, coz to me the difference between a Religion and a Cult is what happens when you try to leave.  Anyway, I've had a complicated Relationship with this BIL and I don't with The Man's Younger Brother, who I've always gotten along with very well with zero conflicts.  *Winks*

The Older Brother is very Patriarchal for lack of a better and most singular Word as a descriptive reason as to Why.  *LOL*  He is in direct conflict with a Woman Raised in a Matriarchal Society like I was and so doesn't understand nor accept it.  He often strayed out of his own Lane with my Family and you just don't do that in MY World.  If you step into my Waters you best be damned sure you're a Strong Swimmer!  I have made my BIL cry and The Man's Family said nobody has ever been able to do that.  I can make a Grown Man Cry, it's a Gift.  *Winks and LOL*  My Super Power is how fiercely and unapologetically Protective I am of MY Family/Loved Ones. 

The BIL is a nice Guy overall, but like a lot of prominent Men in their Communities, he is used to getting his own way all of the time.  He thinks the Universe revolves around him and can be very Egocentric and Narcissistic.  That doesn't Fly here and he's not used to being challenged or put in his place when he gets in your Lane... and my Mantra for every Person is, "Stay in your own Lane."   There are just consequences if you don't and The Man knows how I am so he's Warned his Brother, don't make an Enemy of The Wife, you will regret it, she doesn't take Hostages when she goes on the Warpath, and... I don't.  If you don't take me out I'll for sure take you down and out, that's a Given.

And so the BIL's impromptu visits, and they always are sudden and unexpected, is met by everyone but The Man, with mixed Feelings and Sentiments.  My Kiddos are rather like me, they Love their Uncle and are sure he Loves them too, but they don't always Like him and how much he gets in other folk's Business.  And, he tends to not accept his Younger Brother's Medical Condition and level of Disability which over the Years has put The Man at risk.   The BIL if he wants something, seems oblivious if it puts someone else at risk, even his own Wife, and I ALWAYS had an Issue with that level of Narcissistic Behavior, but a Narcissist will always Act that way, it's always all about them all of the time.   And some folks kowtow to that, I don't.

They usually are successful people so their innate Nature lends itself to Success and dominance.  But, when they cannot dominate someone it leads to conflict with that person.   So, he and I have had our conflicts for going on almost 40 Years now.  *Winks*  The Man and I don't fight, and the BIL and his Dear Wife fought all of the time, but, that's how they tended to interact and have been Married much longer than we have.  Each Union has it's ways of Being, but it always made me uncomfortable to see a Couple fussing with each other all of the time coz The Man and I never do.  Our Children have never Witnessed us Fight, ever.  The Man and I are so Yin and Yang one would think we might have more conflict, but, we just don't, he's my Soulmate and my Best Friend, we Compliment each other in our Union.

Yep, pretty sure we Work each other's last Nerve some of the time, but it doesn't lead to Fighting, never has.  And he's a Fierce Warrior and I Respect that about him, he's a True Bad Ass and any Man who'd tangle with him would soon regret it.  But, he defers to his Big Brother too much and I am the one who won't tolerate that.  He's MY Husband and nobody messes with MY Loved Ones, Period, full Stop, and the BIL has often Learned that Lesson the hard way and met Dark Dawn on numerous occasions.  *Winks*  He does Like Dawn Of The Light and I do Like him as a Human Being, he's got a good Personality overall, so, when we're on those Terms we get along fabulously then.  *Smiles* 

As the BIL has gotten Older I think he's figured me out enuf to have a Truce in place and less conflicts arise.  I'm generally a Harmonious Old Hippie and he knows this about me, even tho' he TOTALLY disagrees with my Way of Life and Lifestyle, it's way too foreign to him and he's rather MAGA, so that sums it up pretty well too.  I've told him thus, do NOT even try to pontificate on your Politics OR your Religion with the Children and I, we don't wanna Hear it, we'll never be in Agreement and will have to Agree to just Disagree, 'nuff said.   He knows I HATE this President and he knows Why, so, it Needs no further discussion.   But for an Old Patriarchal Wealthy White Man, I can see the Appeal this one had for the BIL.  *Eye Roll and Smiles*

I think he'll be Wise enuf not to wear any MAGA Wardrobe to my Home.  *Bwahahahaha*   I can be tolerant of his Religion, will never BE OF it, but I will be intolerant of his Politics, for strictly Moral Reasons, which has nothing at all to do with Politics.   To me a Tyrant trying to install Tyranny, and using the Old Playbook ALL aspiring Tyrants have used for Centuries, is a Moral Issue, not a Political one.  My Moral Compass is directly opposed to a Tyrant's lack of one, there's no compromising on that at all, Humanity is at stake under Tyranny and there's no Happy Endings under a Tyrant's Rule.  Ever, never has been, never will be... Study History.  Well, IF they don't Rewrite it, so that you can't and prevent you from knowing Truths that is.

Anyway, he's coming in the Morning and I'm glad we'll get to see him again coz as we're all Aging Out, it could always be the last time and Family is Important to us.   Even Members we don't always see Eye to Eye with, we Love, and we Love the BIL and want the best for him always.  I think he's rather Lost in Widowerhood coz it's still quite recent for him and I do think he's Lonely.   His Dear Wife did a LOT for him coz she was Raised in a very Patriarchal dominant Society so she never thought of herself, she was a very Dear Woman but not a very Social one, she was very Introverted and a Homebody.   But I Liked her a lot, even tho' you could never take her anywhere coz being away from a Home was out of her Element entirely.

If you took her anywhere her first Question before you even arrived at a Destination would be, when are we leaving to go back Home?  *LOL*  That is not Hyperbolic, I once drove all the way to the Desert Botanical Gardens with them during a visit coz they'd never been.  The BIL was excited to go, I assumed she Wanted to go coz she came along.  We got there, and there's a Bench just beyond the Entrance, she sat down and said she'd wait for us when we were ready to leave and go Home!!!  The BIL acted like that was fucking Normal, but, I wouldn't just leave her there Alone and ponce off, I felt terrible for wasting our Time if she really wasn't up to engaging in what we were doing.  I wouldn't have even taken her!   It's Troubling to cause anyone undue Anxiety for any reason, even if unintentional.

 So, I insisted, No, we'll just go back Home, you Guys can go again, it's alright, I can see she's anxious about even being here and that's not Good.   It's not The Man's Jam either, but I knew he'd go with his Brother if they really wanted to experience it together.   The Man can be a Homebody too so I do understand when someone is out of their Element and I won't insist they do anything beyond what they Feel comfortable with.  I'd rather go do it Solo or with who does wanna be there.  So, usually whenever the SIL came, I'd stay Home and enjoy her Company there during her visits.  Coz we'd have some good times just talking and making/sharing Meals, that was her Jam.  I'll miss that she won't be present during this visit.  And I'm sympathetic to his profound Loss of his Life's Partner.

The Man has told me, after his SIL passed, and his Older Sister passed before her much Older Husband, that, he wants to be the one who passes First.  He does not want to be a Widower and thinks I'd fare better as a Widow than he would as a Widower!?   I don't know that I would actually, but, I think he's Fearful of what would happen to him if I was Gone?   He thinks I'd be Fine and mebbe I would, don't know?  The Kids also are Fearful of that, they said their Dad/Grandpa wouldn't even do that well when I'm Sidelined and out of his Daily Routine briefly, so they don't think he'd do Well at all if I was just Gone and never coming back.   That makes me Sad, coz I'd want for him to be Okay, but I realize some Spouses do NOT do Okay after Losing their Life's Partner.  And as you Age Out, it's gonna happen to one of you, probably first, for sure. 

Facing Mortality is one thing, facing the Loss of Loved Ones is entirely different.   To me my own Mortality is the easier part, I don't even wanna Outlive everybody else and be the last one.   My Dad was the last one of his Family, but, he didn't lose my Mom first, or any of his Kids or Grandkids first, he had a Peace about that.   My Mom had an Older Brother who Outlived her, he was 90 before he passed... like my Dad, he didn't like being the last one of his Family either that Outlived all the Siblings and even his Dear Wife.  My Welsh Uncle's Wife was perfectly Healthy her whole Life and dropped Dead suddenly and unexpectedly at about Age 52 one Morning, she didn't even know she had a Bad Heart!  My Uncle was so Lost for many Years after that coz Mom's Culture is a very Patriarchal Society, so my Aunt had done everything for him.  And she was 11 Years Younger than him so he expected to Go First... and he lasted for Decades as a Widower instead.

My Youngest Cousin and his Wife, my Uncle's Younger Son, stepped up and stepped in, as is Cultural, and took Care of him.  He stayed Independently Living in his own Home the entire time, to Age 90, but they visited him often and ensured he was taken care of.   In Wales most of the Family live in close proximity to one another and always have.  So in many ways it was similar to my Dad's Family, who, except for him and the Widowed Sister who moved in with my Dad here in Phoenix when she became a Widow, all the rest of the Family lived among their Tribe on the Rez close to one another.  Now my immediate Family are far flung and only those living under my Roof are Local now.  I do Wish we all lived in close proximity, that would ensure everyone was closer as a Family Unit.

I thought this BIL would move closer to their Only Daughter, they used to always Buy a 2nd or 3rd Home near their Only Child and her Family.  But, now his Two Grandkids are Grown I think they just aren't as close and tight knit anymore, The Daughter they have is very much like her Dad.  So the last time The Man and The Young Prince saw her, they said she really is in her own Bubble and not close to Family, unless it's somehow benefitting her, very Selfish and aloof.   So, tho' one of his Houses is close to one of hers, I don't know she checks in that much with her Dad?  

 I think he's pretty much on his own now and so I'm glad he's still Independent and in very good Health, he doesn't seem to have the Support System of Kids/Grandkids that we enjoy.   He's done a LOT for his Kid and Granddaughters, but, I doubt there's reciprocity in his Old Age?  Some Families operate like that.   I do feel bad for him that most of his Friends now have Died and his Family aren't so close with him, but, he set the dynamic, all of us do, and the consequences of what kind of Relationships you Build with your Loved Ones does Play Out.  One thing I'll give this BIL big Props for, during a Crisis, he'll be there tho', he's dependable in a Family Crisis and I deeply Respect that about him.  He feels that being the Oldest Brother and now he's the Oldest Living Sibling, since their Oldest Sister Died, who was the Oldest of the Family, it was his Duty and he's Honored it willingly and without Complaint.

  *******

Happy halloween from the arizona desert... dawn... the bohemian