Compared To Your Average Home With Well People Inhabiting It

First lemme Wish ya a Happy Thanksgiving Dear Readers!!!  It was only in the 40's this Morning {Yesterday in Real Time as I'm starting this Post} and some of the Family are sounding like they're getting Sick.  The Young Prince was proudly telling me he was 'Transforming' the Art Studio Space and that kinda Scared me, coz, he's quite unwell and his idea of a Transformation can be really out there and looks Insane sometimes.  He said it was halfway the way he wanted it and I'd really like it, and he knows how stressed out I get if something is in chaos or messy, so he'd been working hard on it for over Two Days, working up a sweat in fact.  Well, I made the mistake of peeking in there since he isn't Home... Oy Vey... and I had his Mama peek in there too to see... and we both almost had a Panic Attack.

Literally, he could never live Alone becoz he definitely needs a full time Caregiver.   The D.I.D. is probably most responsible for his lack of function.  It negatively impacts her function too, but she's not as bad off as him and tho' she can be chaotic and Insane too in how she functions and her surroundings, she can pull it together more than half the time.  Princess T is similar, not as bad as those Two.  When I tell her it's Time to pull it together, she can do it without Help.  They both need Help and I've told her she's got to help me to help him or we can't have him here.  I know he has nowhere else to go, so we'll try to Care for him and help him.  He should have a Caseworker.  That way they could help us to help him so he doesn't end up in an Institution.

It's how I finally got a VA Nurse and Caseworker to help me to help The Man, coz it was progressing to where I was becoming overwhelmed and it was making me feel in over my Head.  I want them to be able to remain at Home and if The System can help with that it's beneficial to the State and The System too, coz their full time long term Care would be prohibitively expensive for all the Residents here at The Asylum.  *Winks*  The Prospectus back a Decade ago when I Adopted The G-Kid Force for just them and The Man, was Sixty Grand a MONTH that it would cost the State if they had to find permanent placement to replace me.  So, yeah, The System has quite an incentive to be forced to Help coz there's more of them now to find Placement for otherwise.  *Winks*

Anyway, Serious Mental Illness and Age related cognitive decline ain't no joke.   And, there's a House full of that here, so, calling Forever Boheme' The Asylum ain't no joke either, it rather operates and functions like one really, compared to... well, your Average Home with Well people inhabiting it.  *Bwahahahahaha*   Which just seems like a nice long Blog Title Hook for Today's Post.  I got the damned Cat howling the Song of his People even tho' I visiting with him, brushed/groomed him, fed him and changed his Litterbox this Morning and he's got his "Sponge Bob Square Pants" Cartoon on to watch. 

 Yes, he does watch TV and likes that Cartoon best of all.  But, he's not happy Today that his Human is Working... and spending her Time Off more with her Boyfriend than with him.   So, now he fucking wants ME to be his Human... coz he doesn't Like the rest of them... Fuuuuck!!!  *LOL*   Right now I'm the only one paying attention to him so he's seeking it, poor thing.  But, his disposition is so contrary and he Hates Humans so much that it's not like anyone can get close to him except his Girl and I, so, it's kinda his own Fault.  We've had him since he was a very tiny Kitten, so he has no Bad History, just a Bad Attitude.  *LOL*

If it wasn't 40 Degrees out there I'd go into the She Shed and Price some Christmas Inventory to take in.  Princess T and I strategized that we're gonna close out and mark down all Small Collectible Toys to get them cleared out for the Holidays and then not deal with that Merch anymore.  It used to Sell well and now it's not moving enuf to make it worthwhile to take up the Space, effort and our Time.  Plus, she's Sold most all of what she'd Collected of it as a Child already and it's not like we will Source more, we have no Children here at Home now.   And small bagged Collectible Toys are the Merch with the most Loss Prevention Issues so we won't hafta Deal with that nonsense either as much.

 We're gonna hafta re-invent our Spaces to Stimulate Trade some kind of way or close it all down.  So, we're intent right now on a new Vision for what we carry or don't carry... what Price Points are working or not working anymore... etcetera.  I know the Vintage and Specialty Clothing is doing well.  Paper Art Supplies also.  I may also rotate out Inventory more often.   I haven't customarily done that but it might be time to just constantly rotate Merch so it's all looking fresh and New, to see if that improves Sales any, if at all?  It may not, in which case I wouldn't put forth that much effort if there's no Return on the expenditure of Time and Energy.  As it is my Shifts aren't totally covering my Rent so it's like being an Unpaid Volunteer and giving our Inventory away if there's no Profit to be made.

Some Vendors do that Religiously, swap out Merch and spend literally Hours and Hours there, to no avail usually for them, but, I've not tried it yet with our Merch.   I never have brought Merch back Home after I get it out of here.  But, a rotation makes more sense now with a stagnant Market, to see what might work?  I really don't know what will or what won't?  And experimentation seems to be better than doing the same thing and expecting different results coz we're not Insane like that.   Some Vendors stubbornly adhere to what worked in the Past and isn't working now, they mostly end up deeply in Debt to the Mall so they might as well set it all on Fire really and just be rid of it IMO.  *LOL* 

 I'm frustrated on so many levels right now that I don't have the Time or the Patience to mess with what isn't working.  I'm a Fixer and when there's a Problem, I am tenacious and relentless about eliminating it and finding Solutions.   I will Obsess about a Problem confronting me until it's resolved some kind of way and out of my way.   So far tho', I've not Solved the shitty Economy Problem and I doubt any One of us can, it's too FUBAR and none of it had to happen.

  We had the most Recovered Economy in the World after COVID, so this Administration actually inherited things on the upswing and the downturn is entirely on their Watch and their doings.  They don't wanna Own that, but, they Created the mess we're in and the Blame falls squarely upon them for inability to Govern and Incompetency of Epic Proportions.  Nepo and Crony Hires usually Fail miserably since most with that kind of Favor shown them don't merit the Positions they're given and lack the expertise, experience or knowledge to even successfully fake it.  And installing the unqualified is downright Dangerous or catastrophic for some important Jobs where being up to the Job is crucial.

Anyway, it got up to 50 Degrees out there but is still too chilly for me to do Work out there in the She Shed, which isn't climate controlled.  And the Art Studio Space I can't work out of now coz The Young Prince has it like a disaster area at the moment.  The Adult Kids said they'd help me with running damage control behind 7 Alters Guy coz even if we get some of his Alters on Board with being more Organized and clean, hoping to get all 7 is a stretch and we never know which ones we're even Dealing with and he switches so often that you could be Dealing with 3-4 of "Them" in a single fucking Day.  His Mother only has 4 and 1-2 of the easier nicer ones are more dominant now she's older.

  So Dealing with her Dark Alters is not as often and she isn't going Wheels Off the fucking Rails as often as her Son is.  But, he's in his 20's, and in her 20's hers was out of Control too, Schizophrenics and those with D.I.D. in their Teens and 20's are most difficult to Manage.  Symptoms fluctuate over a Lifetime.   The periods of higher Risk is usually the Decade directly after Diagnosis.  He was Diagnosed at Age 7 and she was Diagnosed at Age 15.

  The onset of Symptoms is generally most apparent, and often severe, in late adolescence to early adulthood.  Decision making is greatly impaired as is the ability to Care for themselves without Risk or harm.  Early onset, which he had, and she had, before Age 18, is linked to more severe Symptoms and poorer prognosis.  Social and Occupational Function is poor as is basic life skills, hygiene and their messy environment becoming chronic.  They will almost always require some level of Caregiving to remain Safe and have quality of Life. 

 I know this and accepted this with Family that can't or struggle to live Independently thru no fault of their own.  Society doesn't show they Care, collectively it just doesn't, I've accepted that Fact too.  There are no 'Social Solutions' really, tho' some Disabled folks with Developmental Disabilities Qualify for more Services, Support and Housing, the Severely Mentally Ill do not.  I've tried in vain for Years to get more Services for them, it's futile.  Enuf to cause a Caregiver to Snap and go Postal trying to Qualify them for Help they desperately Need and are Denied.  I'm not Stable enuf myself to always go to Battle on their Behalf without Snapping and going Mental.  *LOL*

Anyway, neither The Daughter or The Young Prince is Well enuf for me to drag them in to Social Security for an Evaluation again to determine eligibility for gutted Benefits this Administration has caused.  I don't wanna Trigger them unnecessarily by forcing them to go if we won't even get Qualified for a damned thing and have to be on endless Appeal.  Already been there, done that, not willing to have repeat performances coz it makes them melt down too much to put them thru all of that for nothing.  And then I gotta Deal with the aftermath, which isn't pretty.

Most Families of the Developmentally Disabled have Loved Ones more inclined to be easier to Manage during Evaluations and who might not be Triggered to go Mental or potentially Violent, and mebbe don't even know they're there?  With Serious Mental Illness that isn't the case.  With a Schizophrenic especially they're Paranoid as fuck to begin with and just become more agitated and upset by being Questioned by Strangers they don't know and sure as fuck don't Trust.  By the time they're now wasting their Time even being there coz its obvious it's not Helpful and won't be, now you got yourselves a fucking "Situation" that can go Sideways.

I've had The Daughter, in the Past, threaten to throw a surly and ignorant Female Interviewer for SSI Benefits out the 3rd Floor Window of the Building Downtown during an Evaluation... not good.  Upon reconsideration by the turn of Events, the uppity Woman Approved her... coz I don't think she figured she could Fly if she was tossed out that fucking 3rd Floor Window right beside her Desk.  And I knew for sure their Security wasn't gonna get there fast enuf once she'd Triggered The Daughter into Psychotic Rage by being so sarcastically ratchet to us.  I wasn't gonna try to stop her either, that Woman was a total snarky Bitch to us. 

Saying such ignorant shit like, "She doesn't LOOK Mentally Ill to me...", {AS IF it has a LOOK} and I did ask her what Mental Illness LOOKED LIKE then?   Asking for a Friend.  *Eye Roll*  And, admitting, when I drilled her further about HER Qualifications, that she was neither a Psychiatrist or Psychologist, so HOW the fuck she was even Qualified to do an Evaluation of the level of Mental Illness to Qualify or Disqualify an Applicant was beyond me?   So, for a time, when she was in her 20's, she did get SSI and they have a pretty extensive Case File on her, pretty sure.  At one time she had State Appointed Trustees and such, Caseworkers galore, and was Institutionalized A LOT.  So, there's a Paper Trail that might still exist that they could dredge up Two Decades later, I dunno?  I kept some Paperwork from way back then on her.

I know they still had her in the DMV Records as being permanently barred from ever having a License due to the level of her Illness.  Mostly due to numerous high speed Pursuits and also her jumping out of Vehicles at high rates of Speed, probably has something to do with it?  *LOL*  When she says she wants OUT of a Vehicle, good idea to come to a complete stop or she'll open the Door, step out and hit the Ground running at any Speed you happen to be going and run across Lanes of Traffic like a fucking Gazelle being chased by Lions.  Or, try to kick out your Windshield.  I always just let her out of the Vehicle and go back to look for her another time when she's more lucid.  Sometimes I've even Found her.  *LOL*

So, LATER:  I priced Inventory in the She Shed once it got over 60 Degrees out there and was comfortable.  The Daughter and The Son ran damage control in the Art Studio behind The Young Prince.  We will have to sit him down and explain keeping a Safe & Sanitary Environment is necessary if he expects to live here.  We'll assist him, but it can't spiral out of control like that to where it's so much work to run behind him constantly.  Like The Man, they do things without your knowledge and then you find out they've behaved in unsafe practices and ways that nobody knows unless we're monitoring them like a fucking Warden.  It is tiring becoz it's Extreme Caregiving and very High Maintenance.  It almost requires Staff and we don't have any, so their Monitoring is up to the rest of us, all of whom, aren't 100% either!  *Le Sigh but LOL*

I may have to resort, with The Grandson, to only allowing him to use a particular Color of Bowl, Plate, Utensils, Towels that are specifically his and unless they're Clean, he can't eat until he's had help making sure they're Clean and those Towels have been Washed.  Otherwise all of the Towels, Silverware and Dishes end up disappeared and we find them hidden all over his Room, sometimes with food or beverages still in them and that's not Safe or hygienic.  Same with his Clothing, we have to remind him to change them, wash them, or he just wouldn't think to.  I tell him to remember to do things like Brush Teeth, Comb Hair, put on Deodorant, Shower, he can do it on his own, but needs reminding, The Man too.

I'm making a Vegetable Soup and using the Ham Bone in the Broth for flavoring and whatever Meat falls off the Bone when it's simmered for a couple Hours.  We had a slice of the Sweet Potato Pie, it was really good for an inexpensive Pie.   And now on to Global Politics.  Donnie Two Dolls didn't broker a Peace Deal between Ukraine and Russia, he brokered a Surrender and rewarded the Aggressor by giving them parts of a Sovereign Nation and forcing Ukraine to accept the 'Deal' he brokered without them or the European Union, even "advising" Russia!  Why would we even be advising Russia?  Putin definitely has the Goods on this President, Trust & Believe, he's been Bought and Paid for by Russia.  Russia will only regroup now and try to take over the whole Country later.

Making Ukraine do what was forced upon them would be akin to Russia invading America and us being forced by an outside influencer whose supposed to be our Ally, to just give Russia a State or Two in exchange for not having to fight them anymore for their Invasion of our Sovereign Nation.  What American would be Okay with that kind of "Deal" brokered and without us even being involved in the Process?  Yeah, like NONE of us... and I'm sure no Ukrainian is Okay with this "Deal" either and the forfeiting of a portion of their Country to their Enemy they've Heroically been Fighting for Years now at great Sacrifice.   It's not Peace, Surrender doesn't equate to "Peace", don't conflate the Two.  And Surrendering to an Aggressor sets you up for more unprovoked Attacks.

I know when The Grandson gets Home from his Dad's that we're gonna hafta have "The Safe & Sanitary" Talk again to remind him of House Rules while living here.  *Le Sigh*  It's a Talk on Repeat you have to do with him often, as if for the first time each time you have it.  *More intense Le Sigh*   I did make it in to the Antique Mall last Night even tho' I'd procrastinated going in coz I got caught up on watching "American Pickers" Episodes I hadn't seen.  *LOL*  The Mall was DEAD, my Friend Crazy Ed was on Shift so we visited as I worked on my Spaces to pass his Time. 

 He said he'd concurred nobody is making Money there now with the exception of perhaps Two Vendors who sell Pokemon or Coins.  Gold and Silver Sales are up coz folks are Investing in it coz those prices are high and solid as an Investment.  Gold is now up to over $4,100 per Ounce!!!  Yowsah!!!  It had been up to over $4,200 recently and has held fairly steady.  Silver is almost at $54 and has been rising even faster in value.  Our Friends Rick and Marco Sell Coins, Silver and Gold at the Mall, they Buy it too and have for Years.  Rick is Retired from one of the Major Banks I also Retired from and we were in the Industry during the same Years. 

 He's the Friend who recently had Bypass Surgery and a Liver Transplant... long recovery and he doesn't manage his Type II Diabetes worth a shit, so it was inevitable he'd crap out his vital Organs.  Love Rick as a Good Friend, so have nagged him about it like I'm his damned Sister Wife.  *Bwahaha*  He said I may be harder on him about his Health and Bad Habits than his Wife, his Son, or his Doctor is in fact.  *LOL*  But, I knew he was wrecking himself and it would catch up to him like it has.  When we'd work Night Shifts together he'd order and eat a whole BARRO's Pizza by himself and go into a Carb Coma, falling asleep standing up!!!  I thought he'd Code right there on the Sales Floor!!!  WTF Rick?!!!?  I've already Lost too many Friends to serious Illness lately to remain Silent and am that Friend to spit Truth to ya.

The Son and Mando decided they Loved that Ham The Daughter cooked and I'd bought, so much, they wanna Buy another one this Morning. {Thanksgiving Day in Real Time as I'm finishing up this Post}  So, she'll be Cooking a Ham and a Turkey for Today I guess?   I'm out of Money completely, Mando's used up all his SNAP Benefits, the Son is still Unemployed, so I don't know what Hustle they got planned to buy a Ham, unless they Plan a Ham Heist?  *LOL*   But, go for it.  *Bwahahaha*  

The whole thing started coz I cooked the remaining Hambone and made Veggie & Bean Ham Soup in the Crockpot with it and we ended up with NO leftovers coz it turned out just that good.  Even the Marrow fell outta that Bone, it looked like a Vulture had gotten to it when I took it out of that Soup, all Meat had fallen away, we got every ounce of Nutrition out of that Ham.  Everyone had several Bowls of it thruout the Day.  *Winks*

Princess T bailed on us coz she thought we were only having Turkey and she doesn't eat Turkey and only likes Ham, so, she'll be missing out if the Guys do Score a Ham for Thanksgiving?  *LOL*  She went to Rusty's, don't know if his Family are having Thanksgiving or not, at least one of his Parents is a Mexican National and I don't know if they Celebrate the Holiday or not?   Many still aren't familiar with American Holidays if they're Immigrants from other Countries that have totally different ones.   And Celebrating any Holiday or Holy Day is only relevant if it's Meaningful to you, kinda Pointless to Celebrate it if it's not.

  I know my Mom never did Celebrate American Holidays, and certainly not Thanksgiving, until she Married my Dad coz she was a Foreign National and thought it was Weird that he'd Celebrate it either, being he was Native American... and well... History.  *Bwahahahaha*  But, Dad always did, mostly coz he was a Master Chef and liked any excuse to Cook a big meal and invite Guests over to partake with us in it.  *Smiles*   The Son asked his Navajo Girlfriend if she Celebrates it and she Laughed as a response.  *Winks*  Yes, they're back together.

I'm glad coz we adore her and he's known her since they were Tweens, they both just had been Laid Off within Weeks of each other and both were having a Mental Health breakdown so parted ways for a Minute to get back to Center in their Head Spaces.  She has a Caseworker thru Indian Services and I'm glad she has a Network assisting during Crisis thru Tribal Agencies.   She's a Single Parent and had that Federal Job she lost a long time, we felt she only got Let Go due to being Female and a Minority, not due to any actual fault of her own... this Administration is Letting Go as many Females and Minorities as they illegally can, the Bastards.

   So if you're a Female and a Minority, you're for sure being Targeted by the Cabal in this White House.  The Court Cases will be never ending deciding the Illegalities of all he's done and gotten away with doing without any consequences thus far.  He's ever floated the Idea that all Indigenous Tribes should no longer be considered "Americans"!  Yeah, ain't that particularly ignorantly rich and ironic!?!  You know, by his calculus only White folks are REAL "Americans".  *Eye Roll*

She laments that far too many of her Navajo Nation did Vote for him tho', Lord knows Why... probably the same misguided reason more Hispanics and Black Men did too, to their own detriment, I dunno?   Now, she and I mused about the Why for Hispanic and Black Men casting that Vote... since, the thought of a Woman President was abhorrent to too many who would never Vote for Kamala... and White Men, who would never Vote for a Woman, especially a Black Woman... but, the Navajo are a strong Matriarchal Society and also, have embraced Interracial Marriages Culturally more than the majority of Indian Tribes have, so, it made no sense to her or I why the Navajo supported Donnie Two Dolls over Kamala... in fact 65% of American Indians Voted for that openly Racist deranged Nazi leaning Psycho!!!

  A Political Mystery... the least expected Demographic to Vote for him IMO, I didn't see that coming!  Probably most of my Relatives on the Rez Voted for him too, I won't discuss Politics with any Cousins just in case!!!  *LOL*  They still live in abject Poverty, and have received an abysmally Poor Education for Generations, so, that's the only explanation I can fucking come up with.  Sometimes my Dad's side of the Family don't Share the same American Experience that I and my Brother were Privileged with and fortunate enuf to have had tho'. 

  And I'm fully Aware of my Entitlement of at least looking like I might be White, having a European Parent, and not being Raised on a Reservation.  Some Paternal Family resented that for Years and so didn't have much to do with my Mother or I.  You come to understand the Why when you get Older and see other perspectives about Life's unlevel Playing Field.

My Paternal Grandma despised my Dad marrying a European, far more than my Mom's Family had any Issue at all with Mom marrying an American who was what the Welsh called a "Red Indian".  To distinguish from the East Indians who are a large Immigrant Population in Great Britain.  *LOL*  I never had any problems with my Maternal side of the Family having total acceptance of me and they all Adored my Dad.  Mom had a rough time with my Dad's Family and so they never got along, none of them.   With Intercultural and/or Interracial Unions, that is not all that unusual, Society is only slightly more tolerant these days of what they used to call Mixed Marriages... and more tolerant at all of Mixed Race Children of such Unions. 

  It can be a real mixed bag about being between Cultures in Society and not really being defined evenly with what Society "Feels" you "Are".   I remember Cher's song "Half Breed" put into raw Lyrics what that experience often just was for us.  Some things don't really Change all that much for the better.   Society still has a long ways to go towards Enlightenment, Decency and Humanity towards all Humans...

*******

Happy Thanksgiving, being Thankful this day of any progress Society has made and we try to hold on to... Dawn... The Bohemian