Spilled Neighborhood Tea

Starting with one of the previous Posts, it began as the only one for Weeks that has a Normal amount of Views and doesn't seem like Web Crawlers were interested in picking up on it.  Mebbe coz I mentioned tRump in the Post Title Hook and even the Web Crawlers and AI are as fatigued about him as the rest of us?  *LOL*  It's been a very full day and so I was tired before 8:00 p.m., I'm keeping the Hours of a Grade Schooler these days.  *LOL*  I've been binge watching the "31 Days Of Halloween" Channel which is on "Freeform" and has all the Classic Cult Movies Marathon of Seasonal Favs, mostly geared to Children tho', not the Horror genre of Cult Classic Halloween Movies.  Just finished watching the original "Beetlejuice" {1988}, which I never tire of watching.  The Special Effects, for it's Era, are still Fun to watch.  The remake "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" {2024} I could only get thru the first 10 Minutes of and didn't like it at all, quite a letdown from the Original, so couldn't get thru it and I've heard I'm not the only one.  Sometimes Sequels and Remakes just don't stack up and try too hard.  "Hocus Pocus" {1993} is on right now and I never could get thru that one either, even tho' it was a very popular Halloween Movie with an Allstar Cast.

 Well, I think I finally got an Explanation as to why The Man's 2nd Heart Surgery got cancelled at the last Minute while he was recently Hospitalized and they couldn't push it forward.   They only JUST got Approval from our Insurances and the VA to do it!   Coz it can't just be done on an Outpatient basis for him having another stent put in, he has to have an extended Hospital Stay due to being Medically complex.  So, they had to kick it back to October 7th again or they might not have gotten Paid.  Well, now it makes perfect sense coz I JUST got the confirmation Letter of Approval that was cc'd to his Cardiac Specialist who'll be doing the Surgery. 

 Well, ain't that Typical with Today's Healthcare Systems?  He literally has Three Insurances, a Medicare Advantage Plan thru United Healthcare, TriCare For Life thru his Retired Military and DOD Benefits, and the VA for being a 100% Disabled Veteran and his Military Service of 39 Years.  One would think that during a Medical Emergency you shouldn't have to delay waiting on Approvals for a Heart related Surgery that is Life Saving.  But, at least NOW we have the Approval so it will get done, Six Days from Today's Date in Real Time... it's taken that long for them to Bless it all.  *Whew*  Mystery Solved.  Better late than never.

And since I have the Granddaughter's Specialist now delayed for a whole other Month due to the Doc cancelling our Appointment, that's all kicked back to at least November now.   She missed another Day of Work due to the condition, so, there's that.  Hopefully she won't lose her Job while delays in receiving Treatment and a Diagnosis are ongoing?   There are times when Dealing with everyone's Medical Crisis is Nail Biting Stressful, Luckily I don't bite Nails, whew!  *LOL*   The Calendar does get full of the Appointments tho' and so the occasional Medical Emergency has to be squeezed in to all of that to make it more Interesting I guess?

I'd say 2025 hasn't been the easiest Year to wade thru due to various unexpected Crisis, both Personally and Nationally speaking.  Today was Senior Discount Day at our nearest "Fry's" Grocery Store, the 1st Wednesday of every Month they give a Senior Discount on all your Purchases.  Along with your Frequent Shopper Discounts and any Sales they might have, it's a considerable Savings.   I'm making an Andouille Sausage Spaghetti Sauce with Garlic & Basil to go with some Pasta Tonight.   We'll cook the Sauce in our Crockpot for about 2-3 Hours and it should be ready when all the Kiddos get off Work, then The Daughter will make the Pasta and Garlic Bread to go with it.

Since Mando eats over here every day now, being a Single Man living Alone at his House, he just gives me his Card to get Groceries and contribute to our Food Budget.   I think he misses Home Cooked Meals, his Parents both Died during COVID from it, and his Son Died of a Drug Overdose too, so he has no close Family left.  His extended Family is quite large, but he's not all that close to Siblings and Cousins, as he was with his Parents.  And he was away for 13 Years, which tends to isolate you when you get back.   People move on with their lives when you're not around and sometimes the relationships just fade over Time.  I don't mind him joining us for Meals, he does so much around here to help us out and perhaps eating Healthier will help with his battle against Cancer?

We did some more Environmental Cleanup, further back along the Gila Riverbank and hauled out 25 lbs. worth of Aluminum that we brought to the Recycle Center.   Our little Old Burrito Lady was along the way and we get a Trio of her Handmade Steak & Roasted Hatch Green Chile with Potato, and Homemade Chorizo Burritos.  She makes everything from Scratch including her own Steak/Roasted Hatch Green Chile Recipe and Chorizo Recipe, she Hand Makes her Tortillas every Morning too, they are small but exceptional Burritos.  You get 3 of your Choice of fillings and a Drink for $12, she also has a Bean & Cheese with Potato Burrito to choose from for a Vegetarian Option.   She often Sells Out by 10:00 a.m..  So, that's what we had for Breakfast and ate it along the Riverbank, so Peaceful and Serene.  I collected more River Stones for the Mosaic Rock Project too. 

Well, The Government Shut Down coz they can't do their fucking Job and Fund Federal Workers and the Military so they get Paid!   Luckily The Man's Federal, Military and VA Disability Pensions hit, whew, I was concerned about that since the Military Active Duty aren't gonna get Paid, so I didn't know if Retirees would be withheld what's due to them too?   So, at least most of our Bills will get Paid on Time, now to Sweat it for our Social Security Checks and my County DA's Pension Check that we are due to receive Mid-Month.   My next Check from the Antique Mall is abysmal and almost a Joke it's so small for this past Pay Period, but, at least I didn't Owe like so many Vendors said they did.  I've got to Price some more Halloween Merch and get it in to the Showroom.

 Most of Halloween has already disappeared from the Shops except for those Stores that Specialize in Halloween like "Spirit Store".  I just think the offerings this Season were as lean as they were during COVID for Halloween Inventory.   And of coarse some Stores that used to have a good Selection have gone out of Business like "JoAnne's" and "Big Lots".   Any Fundie Owned Biz doesn't even carry Halloween... but they sure do like those Political Devils they Support, which, is rather Ironic to me.  Princess T was telling me that Timmy was embarrassed and upset that his Grandparents went to the Charlie Kirk Memorial locally becoz they have to know he supported Stoning Gay People to Death!?   Why would any Grandparent of a Gay Grandchild then go to someone's Memorial who even suggested such a horrific violent Draconian thing to do to your Loved One?!   So, he said he not only didn't want to hear about it from his Grandparents, but he took it quite Personally, being a Gay Young Man.  How could you NOT?!

 

Kirk had also said School Shooting Victims were an acceptable Casualty for keeping Gun Rights.   So, him being also a Victim of senseless Gun Violence now, I Wonder if his own Family still Feel that way, that it's an acceptable Casualty for keeping Gun Rights?!  I think our Nation has become too Gun Obsessed when anyone even considers ANY Victim of Gun Violence as an "acceptable" Casualty.   There's no such thing as "acceptable" Casualties of any Violence, period!!!   Those prone to Violence tend to want to stock up on Weaponry it seems, since every time one of these Shootings happens, when they Raid the Shooter's Home, there is a virtual Arsenal found!!!   Like a Crazy amount of Weaponry!  Is nobody keeping track of how much an Individual is Buying that seems excessive?

 

Well, Princess T was bummed at Work coz tho' she was covering for her Supervisor Today and working several Stations that other people had not shown up for Work to cover, she still got counseled and Written Up for Yesterday's Absence.  Most of her missed days of Work recently have been documented with Urgent Care, ER and Doctor's Letters to substantiate her serious Health Battles.  But, she has missed a lot of Work due to her fragile Health, which is something she cannot help.  She can only be an excellent Worker while she's there to try to compensate for being a Sickly individual with significant Health Problems she's had since Birth.  To make her more upset she found out that New Hires are making more than she is after being there a Year AND getting a Performance Raise!  Anyway, they told her if she misses one more Day due to Sickness, she'll be Fired.  *Le Sigh*  

 

That's going to happen, not a matter of IF, just When?  She has a whole Month before we can get in again to see the Gastro Specialist coz he Cancelled on us and couldn't get her in again until November!  Anyway, she's so weary of having to apologize for a Health Problem she has no Control over having, and it's causing Depression coz she knows this is going to be problematic no matter where she Works and no matter how good and competent a Worker she shows herself to be.  She said there are people who show up every day but don't do a good job and it seems  unfair that she gives 100% and has been told she's one of the best Workers they have and the most conscientious, yet, becoz she's got Health Issues, it's still held against her.   And, some of the less competent people or those with no good Work Ethic, can just show up and not miss days, and not be an asset to the Employer at all, yet be retained with no threat of being Fired unless they really fuck up. 

So, she's resigned herself to knowing she will lose this Job and said she won't Quit, coz she's no Quitter, but, she doesn't wanna be Fired either from her first Job.   So, it is a dilemma and tho' "Wildflower Bread Company's" Manageress has often told her to come Work there, it's further for me to drive her.   And their Shifts aren't consistent, so could become problematic for her Transportation and my Schedule, especially with The Man's numerous Doctor Appointments or some of the Shifts I work to Comp some of my Space Rent at the Antique Mall.  She needs something close by really until she learns to Drive and can afford her own Vehicle.  So, I told her to just keep on keeping on until she's Sick again and then we'll just have to figure out what to do then, it's all she can do.  They've sent her Home before when she's gone in while not feeling Well, so it's not like they think she's faking it, and have numerous Letters from Doctors about how many times she's needed Emergency Care for her Health.  Well, in Life, Fair is Rare.

She's already got Anxiety about her Grandpa going in for yet another Heart Surgery in less than a Week, she didn't need to be worrying about her Employment right now.   She also doesn't wanna be one more Adult in the Household who can't Work due to Health Issues.   The Son told her his Employer is just as much uncertainty to all the Employees right now, so he doesn't know if he will have stable Employment or not?  Or, if they'll let go the more experienced people who they pay more, have Earned PTO, to just hire cheaper Workers who are entry level?   So much has uncertainty and it is stressful.   Anyway, the Pasta Dinner turned out good and there was enuf for One Leftover for The Son to take to Lunch Tomorrow.   The Daughter cooked a Spiral Corkscrew Cavatappi Pasta for it and Garlic Toast.   Easy cleanup too since it was a Crockpot Meal mostly.

 

Mando is doing the Yardwork since we get Irrigation on Saturday Night, an Evening Rotation this time from 9:45 p.m. to past 11:00 p.m..  I don't like Night Rotations coz Scorpions come out to hunt at Night and they float, so you have a higher chance of being stung when wading around in the Dark with just a Flashlight and the limited amount of exterior Security Lighting we have.   I'm not doing it but I don't want the Kiddos getting stung, especially Mando, coz he's got fragile health with having the Cancer.  Anyway, you get the Water when they schedule you, no choice in when you receive it each rotation, SRP designates the Schedule they're sending it to you and at least this time we got the appropriate Scheduling E-Mail, which they failed to send us last Rotation.  Had Rob not informed us of when it was coming, and we get it right after his Family does, we wouldn't have known when.

The Daughter is still working on the Back Patio too, after that Historic Freak Storm that dumped more than we'd had in 7 Years worth of Water in a Day, she had to move some of the Furniture around.  Eventually I'd like to enclose the Back Patio with Salvaged Doors and Stained Glass Windows in the Construction of the Walls, so it could be a proper Living Area not so open to the Weather back there.  Then we could also put a portable Air Conditioner out there that we have to Cool it too and make it more Climate Controlled.   I'm going to ask Mando about it since he sure is a good Handyman and likes Projects like that.  The Daughter wants him to build her a Chicken Coop coz their Friend Roy wants to give us his Chickens.  He has Two Hens and she's grown very fond of the Grey One.  She's not sure if the Grey Hen lays White or Pastel Blue Eggs?  Hey, if we can get a couple of Free laying Hens I don't mind so long as the Kids build the Housing the Girls will Need to be Safe from Predators.

They run all over Roy's Acreage, he has a Mini Farm too.  He's been divesting himself of the Livestock they have tho', since, they're cleaning up the Property to be able to Sell it.  He's got large Livestock too but we're not interested in Horses, Cows, Llamas, Geese, Ducks or Goats.  Otherwise he'd probably give her a goddamned instant Farm menagerie!  *LOL*  I authorized the Two Hens IF they build them a Chicken Coop and they take Care of them.   I'll enjoy the Hens and the Eggs produced, but I will only buy their Feed, I don't want to be responsible for another Living Thing to try to keep Alive tho'.  *LOL*  And now for the Spilled Neighborhood Tea:  The Man found out that TJ has now moved Amber's Daughter into his Parent's Home... she's Pregnant again and I don't know if his Parents know, I know hers don't yet.   I don't know she's competent or fit to Parent, coz there is something definitely Wrong with her Mentally... and he's got Stage 4 Cancer, lives with his Parents who are in their 80's and has been dependent upon them, and is in his 60's... so I don't know what he's thinking having another Child?!   He's a Grandpa!  

Well, with having such an Elderly Parent the Kid will come with a Social Security Check as his Dependent at least, so, if something happens to him she'll at least have some Child Support coming in.  I just Hope that the Baby is Born Healthy and with no Health Issues or Disabilities?  I know Amber and her Parents were distraught the last time Julissa got Pregnant by TJ, they were relieved when she Miscarried the Baby.  The fact she Miscarried, either something might have been Wrong with the Fetus, or, with her ability to have a Child?   Anyway, he seems Jazzed that they're having this Baby, but, with the circumstances such that they are, it's irresponsible and not well thought out IMO.   I don't know if they got Married yet or not, apparently they intended to anyway.  I wasn't sure if his Divorce was even Final from Anna?   And she was much Younger than him too, but, in her 40's, not her 20's.

Not our Business tho', I just feel Bad that WE know she's Pregnant and they hadn't even told her Parents or Grandparents yet!  That's not a Secret I wanted to have to be privy to actually.   And, Mando had said that Amber's Daughter had a Fight with TJ and has gone to her Grandparents and told her Mom and Grandparents that he'd hit her and pulled her Hair!!!   Now, he'd had a DV History with Anna, becoz that's when Allen and The Young Prince intervened when it happened and handed TJ his Ass.   I was afraid they'd get the Police called on them coz DV situations can be tricky, even when you're trying to assist the Victims of it.  Quite often they'll try to protect their Abuser and not those who came to Help, including Police, which is why those Calls are so dangerous and unpredictable.  Anyway, Mando asked TJ if it was True and he didn't deny it wasn't but was upset she'd told her Family about it.

Mando told him it's never Okay to lay Hands on a Woman, and Julissa is only a tiny little thing, she's smaller than Princess T and probably only weighs 80 something Pounds, plus, she's Pregnant!!!   And Mando said TJ also said he's not wanting to raise another Kid at his Age and Mando told him he should have thought about that before he got this Young Girl Pregnant, it's not as if it's the first time!!!   Why he hasn't gotten himself fixed at his Age is beyond me, to ensure he's not getting anyone Pregnant if he's still having relations with Younger Women who are Child Bearing Age.  Plus Julissa is a Special Needs Adult who seems to have a limited Intellectual capacity for her Age, you'd think she has the Mentality of a 13-15 Year Old instead of a 25-27 Year Old.  So, to me she could easily be taken advantage of.   Well, for his Age he doesn't act right either, neither of them should be having a Child IMO.

Julissa and TJ hadn't told The Daughter about the Pregnancy, but Mando did, coz he knows her Mom, Amber, is one of The Daughter's Best Friends.   And The Daughter thinks that Rob told Amber about it coz TJ and her Daughter did not, which isn't right either that she's one of the last to know her Daughter is Pregnant.   I'd be pissed if everyone knew and I didn't.   Anyway, The Daughter was glad Rob spilled the Tea coz she didn't want to have to.  And after hearing that there was a DV component, well, she thinks Julissa should just go back Home to her Grandparents to be Safe.  I'm Surprised actually, now that Amber knows, about it ALL, that she hasn't done something, she's very protective of her Kids even tho' they're Grown now... so is Joe, their Dad and her Ex.  I don't know if Joe is even aware of any of this?  It's just A LOT.

*******

Pleasant Autumnal Vibes to you all my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian