Decompressing In The Arizona Desert

 Well, if our Social Security Checks don't hit on time this Month I'm down to the Wire financially... Fun Times!  *Eye Roll*  It's not as dire as those unfortunate Federal Workers who had to show up for Work and not even get Paid for well over a Month and a Half.  But, tight is still tight, and I know how it feels to be AT the Wire financially and have too much Month to still somehow try to get thru.  The Side Hustles help IF you can manage to make them profitable, but the Antique Mall Spaces right now aren't paying off like they should and usually do either, ugh.  

 And Recycling can put Gas in the Truck and squeak you by if you manage to pick up enuf Aluminum discarded by the Environmentally Unconscious among us.  Usually for us we glean anywhere from 15-50 Lbs. a Week, so, it's not consistent and quite a spread on how much you manage to find and collect.  The Daughter and Mando have been doing Salvage too of various other things you can take to the Recycle Center, but Aluminum and Copper pay the most per Pound.  Being Mindful of how to be a profitable Scrapper is important coz some things can be Recycled but if you're only getting 2 Cents or 5 Cents a Lb. that's not much Bang for your Efforts and Work and has to be an enormous Haul. 

  So, Plastics and various Cheap Metals aren't worth me hauling in my Truck and even covering the Gas to get it there.  So, you gotta Work Smart and not just Hard.  I prefer Passive Income Flows myself, making my Money Work for ME.  *LOL and Winks*  At least my Stocks are doing very well and I know why they are, from an Investor's standpoint, when there's Blood in the Streets is when those who have Money make the most Money.   It's not Fair, but in Life Fair is Rare.   I always made my biggest Investments intentionally when there was Blood in the Streets of a shitty Economy.  Make your Money on The Buy is always the angle I took.  When everyone else is running Scared is when to make your best and most strategic moves and not just financially, but every other kind of way too.

My Dear Ole' Dad Taught me well that if you're a Fixer and Problem Solver, you'll always do Well, coz Solutions pay best when there are Problems you can leverage.  And in Life, there will always be Problems. *Winks*  I was a 'Fixer' and Problem Solver in both of my Corporate Lives and that Served me very, very well Professionally.  It can also Serve you very, very well Personally too.  Find a Problem and Identify it and who benefits most from it being Solved and 'Fixed' for them, then find a Solution and Fix it, for a Price of coarse that you Negotiate in your Favor, and, you'll always be in high demand.   People don't like Problems if it impacts THEM, Life gets too complicated and uncomfortable for those with too many Problems. 

 As long as it's somebody else's Problem tho', most folks could give a fuck and won't get involved, leverage THAT too.  Be the Person folks rely on when they got a Problem, and you have a Reputation for being a 'Fixer' of Problems, and you'll be indispensable.  *Winks*  I've always been Solutions oriented and if I got a Problem I usually Handle it immediately and Head On with tenacity and relentlessness.  If you're not part of my Solution, you are therefore part of my Problem.  I Deal with Problems, be they People or Things, you have to in order to eliminate the Problems that become Life's Barriers to what Needs to get Done. 

 This is what annoys me with how our Government isn't Working for the masses, they have so few "Fixers" in Politics coz the Problems Profit them Personally and so they don't want Solutions.  And, that's Why the Problems still exist, perpetually ad nauseum.  Just sayin'.  There are some Common Sense and relatively Simple Solutions to some chronic Problems, but the Problem Pays Off more to some of the Key Players in Politics.   We, the Masses NEED to therefore make it so that it COSTS them dearly if you are to expect Change that will benefit us instead.  Make the Cost really hurt too and be exceedingly Painful, as a Fixer I know that when the Cost of anything outweighs the Benefits, the Pain versus Pleasure Principal ALWAYS applies.

The Son and his Girlfriend seem to be back together, they're going up to the Rez near Flagstaff to Celebrate her Daughter's Birthday together and he's coming along even tho' there will be 10 Children in her Care!  *LOL*  I told him that's the Tribal Way, so get used to it.  *LOL*  My Dad often had numerous Younger Siblings and several other Tribal Members Kids to Care for when he was growing up, that's why he was great with Kids and Parenting.  He'd been looking after Younger Children and Cooking Meals for them since he was Six Years Old.   Marina Loves being a Parent and being around Kids.  The Son has had a lot of Experience with Children's Care even tho' he's not had any Biological Children.  I used to make him help in the Church Nursery since he was 13 Years Old and he helped me with The G-Kid Force when he was a Teenager still living at Home when I became a Custodial Grandparent.

Best and most effective Birth Control ever for a Teen or Young Adult Male to make them help with Childcare.  *Winks*   They will have zero delusions about what taking Care of a Child entails, or of having to herd them like Cats when there's too many of them.  *LOL*   He was still a Young Tween when The Young Prince was Born coz his Sister was a Teen Mom.   So, he was more like the Big Brother than the Uncle and still is more like the Older Brother to The G-Kid Force.   Coz I was still finishing Raising him, whose my Youngest, when I became a Custodial Grandparent of the Two Grandchildren I also Raised since they were Born in 2000 and 2005.   The Son was Born in 1986.   Our Daughters were Born in 1975 and 1981.

I got the White Christmas Tree out, we located it, still had it Stored on the Back Porch actually with a Green one that's larger, but, Princess T might put that one up.   I'm clearing the Space to put it up now, which, shouldn't take long this Morning to do, then I can bring it in and put it up.  Then I'm going to decide how to Decorate it.   LATER: Got the Christmas Tree up in about 40 Minutes and fully Decorated, so, took the Pixs of it for this Post.   Went with the White Tree and some of my Christmas Creepy  OOAK Dolls and some Anna Lee Figures Decorating it with Colorful Mardi Gras Style Christmas Ornaments and Pom-Pom and Felt Ball Colorful Garlands draped around it.  I like how it turned out even tho' it was a lazily Decorated Tree hastily done.  *Smiles*

I decided that having a Christmas Backdrop to our Thanksgiving would just make for nice Photo Ops inside the house.  Outside we have a Harvest Theme of faux Pumpkins that still make an Autumnal Vibe, but, so many of our Neighbors already have a lot of Exterior Christmas Decorating done!!!   I think people need the Escapism right now that Holidays provide, it's Magical Atmosphere and Festive Vibe is a harmless form of Escapism IMO.  I enjoy the Holidays and Holy Days, even during tough times we always Celebrate them all with jubilance.  I doubt we'll Buy much for Christmas this Year due to everyone's Economic circumstances being tight and uncertain, and that's okay, we're all Grown now so it's not necessary to exchange Gifts.

We get Irrigation in the Morning, The Daughter and Mando will do it for us.  This might be the last rotation for the Fall, during Winter they suspend Irrigation.   Most of our Pasture goes dormant during Winter and we supplemental Water our Trees and Bushes with a Hose if they need it.  A big Storm is expected Tomorrow so it might rain like Hell while we're Irrigating, I dunno, depends when the Storm hits?  *LOL*   But, Google tells me it's supposed to be an Evening Storm, and our Irrigation Cycle is early Morning.   And it's Cold Outside in the early Morning so I'm glad I'm not going to be the one slogging around in the Irrigation Water up to my Calves.  *LOL and Whew*  There's a lot the Kiddos now do for us that really is Helpful so I don't have to Hire someone to do it, I don't have the Budget for Hiring much Staff.  Now the Pool Guy, the Air Condition Guy, and the Exterminator {for Termites only} are the only ones on Retainers.

The Cost of Living has increased too much to Hire much Help so we've got to rely on our Kids and Adult Grandkids to step up, step in, and handle it for us, in exchange for Living here too.  The Daughter's Boyfriend practically Lives here too so he buys Groceries and does Work for us in exchange for not having to be where his Relatives put him up.  I got a sense that they felt him burdensome when he couldn't Work anymore and was given his grim prognosis, a lot of Families are like that unfortunately, nothing sorts them out quite like Trouble.  To have Fair Weather Friends is bad enuf, but to have Fair Weather Family is much worse if you know they'll forsake you the Moment you need Help or have Crisis and Issues of Life mounting up to where they'd have to get Involved and make some Sacrifices on your behalf.   For some folks Family isn't the Priority they claim it is, nor God, and I can always tell if what you profess is REALLY your Priority just by looking at your Checkbook.

Anyway, I'm slogging away at this Post coz I have NO MORE unpublished ones now!  *Gasp*  Yep, went from Nine unpublished ones to Zero, just like that!   Lazy Dawn has had Bloggers Block a bit off and on, so it caught up to me finally, just like avoidance of hitting The Gym has.  I'm determined, since it's Sunday and no Age Restriction excuse, to hit The Gym sometime Today tho'.   The Barrier might be having to have The Man Tag along, coz he really Needs to keep his Gym Membership Active too and at least use the Hydro Therapy Bed or Kryo Bed, if nothing else.  He's like a Lost Soul at The Gym tho' and requires a lot of Caregiver vigilance whilst there, so it's not like it's best for me during my Visits to have him in tow tho'.   You aren't Relaxed and De-Stressing yourself if you're still in Caregiver Mode and have to worry about if he'll get Lost or Lose his stuff in the Men's Changing Room and just have to Park him in a sitting area while you use the Sauna, Locker Room and Showers.  I find myself rushing to get all that done so Staff doesn't ask him if he's Okay?

He can look very Lost and Confused and the last thing I Need is for The Gym to think someone in his Condition has been left Unsupervised or gotten Lost and call a Silver Alert out on his Ass.  *LOL and Le Sigh*  He can't just look like a Senior just Relaxing anymore, he LOOKS Anxious and Confused if I'm not there with him, sometimes even when I AM there with him actually.   So, it really is apparent now that he shouldn't be left Alone and so having him in tow at a Gym poses some complexities.  *Le Sigh, heavy Le Sigh*   But, he needs to be Exercised just like you'd Exercise your Pet, and I know that sounds like a harsh comparison.  But, you can't let your Beloved Fur Babies run looses and unattended in Public either coz it would put them at Risk, so that's kind of the same parallel if your Beloved Humans have serious Brain Damage or Cognitive Decline and require constant Supervision in Public so you won't appear Negligent of them.  It's rather like having an Adult who is like a Small Child again really.

 

I'm thinking perhaps my Morning Gym Run should be Solo then, and perhaps take him later in the Day for his little jaunt there, I don't mind going Twice, it's not that far away.   And that Activates our Membership enuf to not get The Calls about, why haven't we seen you lately and risk them Deactivating our Memberships.   I personally don't think "Lifetime" likes having Senior Medicare Members, it's not The Look they're going for at their Elitist Gym.  *Bwahahahaha*   You see a lot of Members who Look like Actors on Gym and Fitness Commercials, let us just say.  And a lot of them while there LOVE to be "Seen", and it's rather hilarious to me to People Watch while I'm there and see those Type strutting around like Proud Peacocks, vying for the Attention.   Quite the Human Sideshow it is in Vanity and Egocentricity.  *Winks*  They've put a lot of Work into looking like that so they want people to Notice, obviously.  And if nobody does, and they aren't getting the desired Attention, you can see how crestfallen some of them are not to be Noticed.  It's quite Thirsty.

The Young Prince and I were discussing the differences in Cities and their Inhabitants just Yesterday in fact.  He said in Washington State, those who Use Weed, or any kind of Drug for that matter, are a lot more obvious in Public.  Coz, it's not illegal there to Smoke your Weed in Public, in Arizona, tho' it's Legal now, there are places okay to use it and being Public Intoxication is not Okay, you can't Drink your Alcohol or Smoke your Weed while just randomly in Public, in Washington State you can.  So, he said that's why you often see Naked People in Washington... and... it's almost ALWAYS some Old White Man!  *Bwahahahahaha* 

 Yep, apparently after Age 60, both at The Gym and out in Public in Washington State, the Old White Guys in particular can't wait to get Naked!   *LMAOROTF*   The Grandson said it so deadpan and Serious, that I was Laughing until my Sides hurt, just visualizing what you'd not be able to Unsee once Seen.  And my Grandson saying with no Emotion, "And... I don't NEED to SEE that!  But, I've Seen it more than I liked to while living in Washington..."   *Snort*    I saw that this Morning Princess T had put her Christmas Tree up too, this is the Tree she didn't want me using coz she wanted dibs on it.  I forgot what a lovely Tree it is.  *LOL*  It's Okay, I wanted the White One this Year in the Living Room and thought it suited the Decorations and Theme I wanted better.  Eli has already clearly made Peace with the Tree being where it is and up, so lays by it gazing at it and very Protective OF it.  *LOL*

 

Wordless Conversations with Eli as Imagined:  No, MY Tree!!!

                                             Well, Okay then, you can LOOK at it if you insist!

You're Boring me now so I'm dozing off...

WHAT, you want a fucking Picture of me LOOKING at the Camera?!  Well, Okay, but I ain't gonna look Happy, just Annoyed as fuck!

He's still NOT so at Peace with being Photographed tho' so that's his Mad Face of Annoyance that I insisted, and said I wouldn't brush him until after he got Photographed first.  He Loves and look forward to his Grooming Sessions each Morning, so obliged, under protest, clearly, to be Photographed reluctantly.  *LOL*    She hasn't Decorated her Tree yet so all those Boxes and Tins hold the Ornaments she's using, clearly it's gonna be a Pink Christmas in her Room.  She's very much into the Monochromatic Tree Decorating Mindset.  *Winks*  I'm just glad she didn't Fixate on Buying a whole other Tree of a different Color Ornament cache coz we're running out of Space in the Christmas Storage Closet!  *Whew*  When she's Done with a Color of Ornament, she's Done with it... then I got it hanging around being Stored!

She was worried about Placement of the Tree but I liked what she came up with, coz it's a big Tree, so, not a lot of Options for Placement.  Her Room is a good sized Room but she's got a lot going on in there now.  So, she knew this Year it would be a tight squeeze to put a full size Tree up in there again.  But, it worked out really well and she's fast once she's determined to do something, so it'll be Decorated when she gets back from her Boyfriend's House on Monday Morning.  I've got to get the Sitting Room cleared out of Stuff that's languishing in there and doesn't Belong.   As well as the Diningroom.  I'm the worst Offender of Stuff being somewhere it shouldn't be.   For the Holidays I don't like Clutter and things laying around that shouldn't even be there.  So, we'll set about clearing it all out before Thanksgiving and Christmas now.  I've got empty Milk Crates and will just stuff it all in there for now and sort it out later on.

That is the Beauty of having The RV Garage Mahal and She Shed, I can banish things in either Space and not have to Deal with it immediately.  Ample Storage Space to sort shit out is crucial for me coz I'm such a Hoarder of nice things.   Nothing doesn't have Value that I have, but, I have Too Much and getting to Just Enough seems to be a perpetual Process for Yours Truly.   When I went from Minimalistic Living to Maximalistic Living, I went to both Extremes on either end of the Spectrum my Friends.  *LOL and Le Sigh*   So, The Great Edit and Purge clearly won't be completed in my Lifetime, pretty sure of that Fact.  The Heirs will be Selling it off perhaps for most of their Lifetimes I think?  Well, it was an intended Inheritance, what can I say?  *LOL*  The Value of the American Dollar is eroding as we speak, so, it's still better than Money in the Bank IMO.  The only thing I'd rather have piled up is Gold.

I went Outside and saw the Kids had finished Irrigation and we finally got a good Head of Water this rotation.  But, it had also apparently Rained like Hell either last Night or this Morning too, I had Slept thru it.  I've been going to Bed so damned early I must be in my 2nd Childhood now?  Seriously, by 7:00 p.m. I was ready to retire to Bed!!!  It seemed so much later coz I was so freakin' Tired!!!  I looked at the Clock and was like, you're kidding me, only Seven O'Clock?!  I checked another Clock to make sure it was accurate!  *LOL*  Yep, it was actually 10 Minutes past Seven yet I went to Bed anyway and didn't wake up until 7:00 a.m. this Morning either!  By then Irrigation was already about finished!  Mando was wading around the Pasture in his Galoshes and Marijuana Leaf Shorts, he was a Vision!  *Bwahahahaha* 

  

I'm gonna hafta have a Come To Jesus with The Grandson about not getting into certain things of mine that he has been getting into.  I let the Kiddos Organize and sort out my stuff, but some things I don't want them just taking or messing with without express permission to.  He received it well and now knows what I want in certain places for easy access to, my Jewelry and my Coins I like to strategically place for easy access since they are Investment Vehicles if I should want to turn a thing into quick Cash and liquidate in an Emergency.  If I'm hunting for it and can't find it then it's useless to me for that Purpose.  Now that he understands that logic, and knows where I want those items specifically, he won't bother them while they're in those locations while Helping with the Organizing, Styling, Editing and Purging Process he and his Mom are assisting me with.  I can't and shouldn't be there when they're doing it for me, coz I get Anxious when people touch my Stuff.  *LOL*  Even with my permission, I just don't wanna SEE it being Touched.

Pretty sure that's part of my Mental Illness but I know if I don't SEE it then they can not have to Deal with me Freaking Out about it and being Stressed Out while they're Working on the Projects I've given them to do.   I know what makes me agitated or anxious so it's up to me to avoid putting myself in that situation.   It's why The Man won't get involved coz he's kinda heavy handed and he knows it, so he's not as Careful as The Daughter and Grandson are about Helping me with my Stuff.  It's not that anyone would intentionally break something of coarse, but, some people are clumsy or more careless so I'd rather not have them helping with the fragile things.  The Son can get a lot done but he's like a Bull in a China Shop in the doing of it, so, he can only Help with big items.  Shit that won't get damaged or broken.  He and Allen were therefore relegated as being only The Muscle and Brawn in Helping.  *LOL*

Right now The Daughter is making Breakfast and The Young Prince is decluttering the Sitting Room and Dining Room of what should go away becoz it doesn't belong on the Floor of either Room.  *LOL*  He can make short work of it all in no time if I just leave the Room.  *Smiles*  And I need it Done so I would rather delegate the responsibility to them.  Especially Today since I'm in an Anxious Headspace for some Reason and feel very agitated, so, I may even forego The Gym until Afternoon and see if I can Center myself by just Blogging and Relaxing this Morning?  

I woke up agitated and I just can't identify why I'm feeling this Edgy, but I am, for SURE.  If I would try to do something in this Head Space I'd be off the Charts Manic and I don't want that level of intensity and the high vibration of it Mentally or Physically that comes with it, it's rather exhausting at my Age to be sustainable for very long.  I Warn the Family when I'm not in a very good Head Space, so they'll be aware I Need to be left Alone to come back to Center.  I look at my own Eyes to see the level of Off Rails I'm becoming, Today I got some Crazy Eyes looking back at me, so I do Need to Chill Out and have Solitary Time doing nothing but what Relaxes me, and Blogging does that for me.  And it finally got me to the End of this Post.  *Smiles and Winks*

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Decompressing in the arizona desert... dawn... the bohemian