I've had an uptick in Blog Readers again, but it doesn't seem suspicious this time like that other spike, which was totally unnatural. That had to be AI related and was very evident that it couldn't have been actual Humans visiting, but Web Crawling Bots. They were doing it to everyone, no telling what they were crawling and creeping around for tho', but it was Creepy! *LOL* This time, for the Holidays, it seems more actual Human folks are retreating to The Land Of Blog, perhaps for some Holiday Inspiration and camaraderie during the Season, or to decompress from Holiday Stress? I know I find a Bloggy Freefall to be relaxing and inspirational, you all ROCK on your Blogs my Friends!!!
When the Granddaughter took me out for Dinner Yesterday during her last Minute Holiday Shopping Marathon she needed an unpaid Uber Driver for, the Restaurant was deserted! So much so, the Manageress had nothing to do and came to talk with us and just visit, show us pixs of her new Granddaughter and talk about her Holiday Trip back 'Home' to Chicago. She misses Chicago but said she doesn't have to shovel Sunshine here and it was wicked Cold back there and everyone had got Sick, which doesn't happen near as often in Warmer Climates either.
When you're Old, all that matters, a lot. Which is why you see more Old Timers in Warmer Climates, we migrate here to places like this for our Retirement Years. This is where they put Old People out to Pasture and we come to Die. *Winks and LOL* Almost 20% of Arizona's Population is 65 or Older, which is a higher than average percentile, I'm a Statistics Person. And I didn't migrate here in my Old Age, and have been living in Arizona since my Teens tho', but my Parents came here to Retire when my Dad's 27 Year Military Career was almost over, his last Assignment was at Luke AFB. I'm so Glad my Parents chose an Arizona Retirement, I Love Arizona and have made it my permanent Home.
The Cox Tech is here, he came early on the Window of Time they gave us, which is good, doesn't mess up our whole Day. He'll be rewiring everything and setting up all new Fiber Optic Equipment, which is smaller and mostly Wireless. Everything should then speed up but until he's done I won't be able to do much but Type this and have it Save later when the Internet is back Up. I can still Write the Post, just not add Photos when Internet is Down, if I still have a Post up working on it. Before The Young Prince left to go back to New Mexico and wrap things up there, he was working on my Saguaro Cactus Mannequin that this one Inspired and I wanted on one of mine.
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The Granddaughter was funny when we went Shopping for her Boyfriend, she said tho' they've been together Two Years, she doesn't have any idea what he likes? *LMAO* Well, Men are notoriously hard to Buy for, I'll give her that. She usually buys him things to eat, since, she knows he likes to eat at least. *Bwahahahaha* He's thin as a rail like her so you wouldn't know he allegedly eats like a Human Garbage Disposal, according to her. She said he should be a Fat Guy for how much he'll eat and if she can't finish anything, she just gives it to him and he'll eat it! *Ha ha ha*
I only just found out his Real Name, which is very Hispanic, I think she said it was Gerardo, pronounced like it starts with a heavily Spanish accented "H". She'd just introduced him as Rusty coz that's what he had told her his Nickname was when they met. Who knows why, coz I guess nobody else calls him that at all tho'! *Hilarious* And now he wishes he hadn't thrown out some White Boy Nickname, coz now that's what we all call him and he'll forever now be Rusty and not Gerardo. Coz, we'll stick with it now, it was hard enuf to remember to change names after 15 Years with The Young Prince Legally Changing his First Name at his Adoption. *Ha ha ha* The Man will never be able to pronounce Rusty's Real Name, ever... he massacres anything Spanish sounding, like every Old White Man does. *LOL*
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His Mother I don't think Speaks or Understands much English. She came over once looking for him and I had to have The Daughter converse with her in Spanish. Which thrilled his Mom that her Son's "White" Girlfriend's Mother speaks fluent Spanish as if it's her First Language too. Tho' she brought one of his Younger Sisters as Interpreter, just in case. His Dad apparently is Bilingual and Princess T thinks his Dad may be American and not a Mexican National, not sure tho'. I've not met the Dad and just know the Parents are either Separated or Divorced and the Daughters live with her, the Son with his Dad.
The Mom definitely is a Foreign National Immigrant, we've met her and there was a communication barrier, so I won't get to know her very well. It's funny coz she and the rest of her Boyfriend's Family thinks our Granddaughter is White and not Hispanic, and Princess T always finds it Funny when anyone assumes she's a "White Girl". Especially since, she was Darker when she was little, as was the Young Prince, and people used to incorrectly think she was Half Black back then. Now becoz she's lightened up, they incorrectly think she's all White. *LOL*
I tried finding faux Saguaro Blossoms for The Young Prince's Mannequin Saguaro he's making for me and they don't Exist, so he may have to make some. He used to make Origami Flowers out of Crepe Paper, so I think he could perhaps Create some faux Silk Fabric Saguaro Blossoms for it, using Images I took of the Blossoms like this one? I was Surprised that Online someone isn't making faux Cactus Flowers, they make every other kind of Flowers out of Silk.
And even faux Saguaro Cacti, which they do have Online, aren't Blossoming. I don't know why Saguaro/Sahuaro, is spelled Two different ways either? *Shrugs* Either way is acceptable spelling of that Species of Cactus and mebbe one is an English Spelling and one a Spanish Spelling, I dunno? Most English Speakers say it with a hard G and Spanish Speakers with a soft H.
This, in Real Time, is the last Day to get Christmas Cards on Time, otherwise, they arrive after Christmas, which, doesn't make much sense to even send them if they come after the Holiday is over. But, I know how Time slips away from us sometimes and before you know it you're crunch timed and didn't get everything done you intended to do earlier but didn't get around to. We only got about half the Cards from those we sent them out to this Year, so there's a possibility to cut my List in Half for next Year then. *Winks and LOL*
To be Fair, a lot of those of our Age Group are dying off like Flies now. I should probably Buy more Sympathy Cards than Christmas Cards now actually. I remember my Mom, who Lived to be 84, telling me eventually you are one of the last ones. She only had One Friend who Outlived her and made it to 88... and an Older Brother, who made it to 90. I don't know I wanna be one of the last ones, that's a lot of Grieving for those we Lose first. My Dad made it to 74, which, in his Culture & Family, was pretty Old, Indigenous have a much shorter lifespan than most other Americans. Often a Decade shorter.
Most of my Paternal Cousins are living a bit longer than our Parent's Generation did tho', but, about half aren't and still Die Young. Some of my Paternal Cousins have already Lost some of their Children too, which is Heartbreaking and tragic, but not uncommon either. Dad Lost Three Brothers who never made it to Adulthood. I can't even Imagine the Grief of Losing even One Child or Grandchild. Tho' we did Lose a Great-Grandchild of one of Princess T's Older Siblings, the Newborn Infant Died of COVID in the beginning of the Pandemic. Which is why I got pissed off when Covidiots said it was all a Hoax. For those of us who Lost someone, and for those who Died of it, it was no fucking Hoax and saying so is Offensive, Crass and Insensitive.
My Friend Kim, who Owns "Sweet Salvage" with Rocker Alice Cooper. I've met and talked with him numerous times, he comes in to our Antique Mall with his Lovely Wife quite often, they are the Nicest Couple. He used to be a Vendor at our Downtown Phoenix Location too. He seemed to have quite a Collection of Vintage Watches and Sold a lot of them there. Quite a few Celebrities live in Arizona and the Metro Phoenix area, so you do see them around. So far, every Celeb I've ever met in Person has been personable and unpretentious, very gracious with whoever out in Public recognizes them. To lose your Anonymity in Public must be the hardest thing about Fame. I like my Anonymity, but it is Nice and flattering if someone remembers you and looks Glad to see you.
Okay, so a little bit of Holiday Venting about extended Family, why not, they CAN be Fair Game. *LOL and Winks* So, yeah, from time to time I will put a Family Member on Blast. Today it will be our Oldest Daughter, whose notorious for not keeping in touch. I do hear from the Three Grandkids more regularly on Social Media, and even from our Oldest Daughter's Half-Sister, who is no biological connection to The Man at all, since it's his Ex's Child by her Husband she Married after their Divorce. I hear from the Half-Sister a lot and know more about what's going on with her, you'd think she was OUR Child and we do Adore her and that she keeps in Touch better than her Sister, who is The Man's only Biological Child.
So for him, I'd like her to make more of an effort. At least send him a fucking Christmas Card or make a Call at Christmas, it's not a Big Ask. She knows he's in bad shape and I know that can be awkward for her. Her Stepdad, who Raised her, has Dementia too and is in Long-Term Care, he doesn't even know who his Kids even are now. Once a Parent gets Dementia, it's hard to know what to say even if you see them every day, which the other Two Kiddos now do, since they live with us. She hasn't seen him in like, well over 25 Years. So, keeping in Touch over distances, yep, takes some effort. Not ever being close to a Parent also can shape the dynamic, she was 2 when he and her Mom Divorced, until she was a Teenager she couldn't initiate Contact and his Ex didn't. So, she was Raised by her Wonderful Stepdad.
She's been notorious about not keeping in Touch, if it weren't for her Sister, and her Kids, I wouldn't know what was going on or have much, if any, contact now. No idea Why? Not even speculation. And, for a moment, I considered just not bothering this Christmas with even a Card. Coz, for Years now, no response, this Year, so far, no exception to that. If she really doesn't want contact I'll respect that coz it actually would relieve me of trying to maintain any semblance of Relationship then, I'm okay with it. But, I know for The Man, that would be hard, that's his Kiddo, she knows she's his only Biological Child. Yet, he's got his Non-Biological Children and Non-Biological Grandchildren he's Raised who are much, much Closer and attentive to him and there FOR him.
They quit asking me if she's had any contact with Dad or asked how he's doing? The G-Kid Force say she's never had contact in all the Years they've been Alive {25 and 20 Years respectively}, enuf for them to remember who she even is! I haven't felt it's my 'place' to have a Come To Jesus with her and ask, is there something being unsaid, would you prefer NO contact with us, ever again, I just am not Sure??? I don't even require an explanation, it's not necessary unless she felt it was? It's not even that anything amiss has ever happened, it hasn't. I've had more contact with The Man's Ex-Wife, also a Lovely Person, as is her Husband, than I have with The Oldest Daughter in recent Years. Luckily, she has a Wonderful Relationship with her Children and Grandchildren, so that's really important to me.
Since The Man now has Dementia, I'm just hoping he won't remember how much Non-Contact she's had with him, or with our side of the Family? It used to hurt him and bother him, he'd ask me if I'd heard from her via Social Media, since we were once pretty close when she was a Teen and Younger Adult? He asks less so now that he has severe Memory Care Issues, and, sometimes has to ask me who her Kids are or the Great-Grandkids back East, coz, he's not SEEN them in Person, so it's rather abstract now he's impaired Mentally. I'm almost relieved. Blended Family dynamics can be complex, it didn't used to be tho', so I guess I just don't know what changed with her? Mebbe Life got too busy and it's nothing personal? I've given her Years of the Benefit of any Doubt now. Now, if it weren't for her Dad, I wouldn't Care.
Yet, I dread when each Christmas Card arrives and it's not hers, will he finally Notice, and say something? Did we get a Card from her Honey, where is it? He likes getting the Mail and looking for those Cards from everyone and showing me who responded. He knows I sent one, I always do. You only drop off The List if you cease sending one and he doesn't recall that she hasn't for several Years sent one back, but, I didn't dump her off the List and make it Personal, she is our Oldest Daughter. My own Brother isn't one to send Cards, but I always send him one and he always Calls at every Special Occasion or Holiday and when he was Well, he visited as often as he could, knowing The Man can't really Travel well and it's hard for me to take this whole Show on the Road. *LOL*
She used to come to Arizona on Vacations, up until her Oldest Child was Two and she was preggy with the Second one. That was the last visit, even tho' they've coasted thru Arizona to get to other Vacations in Cali and Vegas!!! So, it's been Weird for more than a Minute IMO. But I try not to get too critical of The Man's side of the Family, coz, shit can be Weird for more than a Minute with any of them actually. It can be very hit and miss with them, seems to be a Family Trait of sorts. His Oldest Brother is perhaps the most interactive with The Man and so they've been the Closest to each other. He Idolizes his Big Brother too.
I have to just accept things as they are I guess and mebbe next Year, just shorten that List by her Name too? It's not getting shorter by a lot this Year, but some, and that's less for me to send out, so, I'm okay with that actually. Meaningful Relationships have to be Nurtured and Cultivated or they Die like anything Neglected or Abandoned. Family is EVERYTHING to me and my side is very Close, so we don't face those Issues that The Man has had to with his. I can't change that dynamic or attitude Families have with one another and what Works for them, or doesn't Work for them. But, I do try to Understand it without judgment and just acceptance it's who and how they just ARE.
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Hope your Christmas or whatever you Celebrate, went memorably my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian
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