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 The Man amused me this Morning becoz he was on his Cellphone taking "Click Bait", but not realizing that's what it is.  And asking, did I know that Chuck Norris is 84 now and what 3 Foods ole' Chuck says to avoid like the Plague?  *Bwahahaha*  No Honey, I don't and I can Live with that. *Winks*   And, Honey, don't Click on that site, it's "Click Bait", okay?   So, now he'll never know those 3 Foods either.  *Bwahahaha*  He is a Big Fan of Chuck Norris and I was a Big Fan of Bruce Lee, so we always have those Chuck versus Bruce bantering.  Usually as he's watching his Reruns of "Walker Texas Ranger", which are so Cheesy... well, I just... CAN'T!  *Smiles*  That Show... even in it's day, I viewed it as a Comedy and not an Action American Crime Show as touted.  I'm Surprised it lasted 9 Seasons and over 200 Episodes, but, it clearly had a Cult following and a lot of Nineties TV Shows were as Bad and Awful to watch, to be Fair.  *LOL*

Especially when ole' Chuck is pontificating on Native American Wisdoms in some Episodes.   Coz when my Dear Ole' Native American Dad was Alive he was highly amused by White Men pontificating on Native American Wisdoms as if they were the Experts about it.   Mostly coz most Natives don't pontificate publicly about such things at all to sound Wise or Important.  *LMAOROTF*  I remember The Man sometimes asking my Dad about some of the Chuck Norris Wisdoms of Dad's People.  And Dad, a Man of few Words, would usually just say, that was an Interesting White Man's perspective of Indigenous Wisdoms, and leave it at that.  *LOL*  Who knew what or who ole Chuck consulted for these Wisdoms being Taught cheese-ily on an Episode of "Walker Texas Ranger"?  *Ha ha ha*  And I tell The Man, Honey, you've said Wiser things and are a Wiser Man, than anything I've ever heard on that Show, Okay?  *Smiles* 

But, The Man does watch a lot of Mindless TV, it's his preferred Entertainment and Relaxation form, mine is Blogging or listening to Music.   He'll attend Events with me but he's really not that Into It, he's along for The Ride and doesn't Tease me about any of it, so I withhold a lot of what I think about those TV Shows of his too.  *Winks*  I think this Event we'll go to Today at "Highland Yard Vintage" will be very well attended, it usually is.   And the Antique Mall in front of it, "Merchant Square" is also one we enjoy and we typically have Lunch at "The American Way Market" Restaurant inside the Antique Mall.   I think The Man mostly comes for the Lunch, since, it's a very good BBQ Joint.  *Ha ha ha*  And that's Okay coz it gets him out of the House and moving around doing Cardio Walks inside of Climate Controlled Comfort of a Safe Environment he can Cope with.   These kinds of Outings make the Caregiving seem less like providing Care and just doing something enjoyable as a Couple.

I had some of the Ham Soup, it turned out excellent, the Family will Love it and it should feed everyone for Lunch while The Man and I are out and about.    We really like Ham and it always makes for 2-3 Meals when I get one, so I'll still look for some on Sale to put in the Freezer for Future inexpensive Meals.  Coz Prices have been way up at the Grocery Stores.  Especially on Beef, Eggs, and Produce.   Milk has been down more than usual, so the Dairy Producers are keeping things reasonable in Price, but, mostly, everything else is increasing dramatically to Feed Families and Wages aren't going up and a lot of folks are losing Hours or getting Laid Off now too.  So, I foresee a larger demand put upon Charities to sustain many Families not making it for basics like Food and Shelter. 

 I talked to an Elderly Friend who I often see at "Sweet Salvage" and she said her 40 Year Old Grandson had to move back in with his Mother coz his Rent went up to almost Three Grand a Month Locally!   He has a good Job and is Single, but, can't afford that kind of Rent for a small Apartment that doesn't include Utilities, which the Cost of also went up considerably.  Mostly coz AI is using up a lot of Energy to Maintain what folks are already using with it, and Demand exceeds Supply already, due to all these Data Centers using up so much Water and Energy.  It's a Crisis already in the making and will only worsen as dependency upon AI, Electric Vehicles, and various Devices that use Energy increases exponentially.  It's only part of the reason I will not use AI, I don't want to be part of the Problem looming large on the Horizon.

The Niece, whose an IT Tech Guru but presently Unemployed since August, had been trying to switch to AI Fields, so she can get Work.  But said the more she Learned about it's Intended uses, the more she didn't want to be any part of it.  It scared her actually.  So, she abandoned that Career switch completely and told me of some of the most ominous Warnings about it that she learned of while Studying for it.  It exceeded my own skepticism that it won't be used primarily for 'Good'.  Which, I'm Cynical coz most things aren't, and the 'Bad' use of them generally ends up being the Elephant in the Room eventually.  That then Society has to run damage control behind.  And if you're not part of any Solution, you now are part of the Problem, it's just that Simple.  And we already got a shit ton of Problems with no current viable Solutions, so let's not stack up even more.

So, The Man and I drove all the way down to Chandler only to discover that "Highland Yard Vintage" is no longer doing Monthly Events, just a few a Year now!!!  Just, WOW!!!   No wonder there were no Sneak Peeks Online!  So, what they'd Advertised was for FEBRUARY 18th thru 24th, they aren't even having an Event in January!!!  I was shocked actually and even moreso when we went around the Antique Mall and saw how many Vacated Booths there were and long time Vendors now gone!  A few newer ones, or there would have been even more Vacancies!  And even some hanging in there, were low on Inventory, as if, just mebbe, they're phasing out too???!!!   This doesn't forebode well, they were having a Big Holiday Sale for this whole Weekend of MLK, Jr. Day and yet the Parking Lot was half empty as well!!!  No Line at checkout either!  That's all a First!!!

They were having a Contest for Fav Booth & Vendor, so The Man and I Voted for my Friend Mary, whose Booth and Merch I Love.  But even her Booth was scaled way down and back than usual, she'd even removed one of the Walls dividing her Booth from the one next to her.  I didn't get to see her to ask Whattsup with all that?!   The Man and I looked around and had a good time tho' and I was Jazzed that another Fav Vendor & Booth, who I don't know that Vendor personally tho', had Two Vintage Valentine's Heart Candy Boxes and a 20% Off Sale on his Merch.  It's a Guy's Booth, my Friends there told me, but you'd think a Woman Decorated it and has Merch us Females J'Adore.  So, I was actually Surprised when I'd learned it was a Man's Booth and Inventory.  Anyway, I've bought a lot from him in the Past and bought both of the Candy Boxes, pictured further Below, both Red, from about 1940-1950 Era I'd say.  Great Price on each even before getting 20% Off so Color me Happy!!!

I said to The Man, I wonder if this Vendor is Gay and why his Booth looks like one Owned by a Female?  And he Deadpanned, "Or, he's getting rid of all his Wife's shit..."  *Bwahahaha*  Tomorrow The Daughter has her Home Healthcare Visitors coming and I'd like for the House to be tidier and more in Order, but, it's the best I can do right now.  I don't have it in me to do a major Transformation as we transitioned out of another Holiday on to the Next.  I'm Lucky I got the Tree down and most of Christmas put away!!!  *LOL*  I did put the Two New Valentine's Boxes on the Vignette behind the Sectional, along with another long time Owned one that's OOAK Fabric Art, a transformed Heart Shaped Candy Box Designed by Blog & Online Seller Binky LaFaye whose located in Texas.   She used to have a Fav Blog but doesn't Blog anymore, but still has Booths in a Texas Antique Mall and an Artistic Presence, I Love her Creations, her Aesthetic and her Style are so similar to mine. 

I may Work on the Livingroom and Sitting Room more Tonight in preparation for the Home Visit Tomorrow.  But right now, I'm just too weary and not all that motivated to.  As it is I'm Guardedly Optimistic that this Visit will get The Daughter any additional Services she desperately Needs, for Health, Mental Health, and perhaps even Social Security Disability Advocacy and Nutritional Assistance Advocacy???   Right now she doesn't even have the Free Phone anymore coz it broke and she hasn't been able to have it replaced and they don't make the State Phones able to be Repaired.   Mando was given one too and she's been using his or getting her Phone Messages on mine for Appointments and such.  I really Need for her to get some Services so she's not 100% Dependent upon us entirely for Survival and it all being on our Dime.  She's my Disabled Child so we'll do it, but The State should be Qualifying her for Services and Support, since, she's incapable of Supporting herself and is Unemployable at gainful Employment due to extent of her Disability.

Schizophrenia isn't Flavor Of The Month in Support Services tho', most Mental Illnesses aren't, Developmentally Disabled People receive far more Funding and Services, as do their Families.  Which is a Blessing for those Families at least and I know it's hard for them to receive what they Need as well with all the Cuts.  But, Families with SMI Adult or Child Loved Ones have been neglected and ignored, forsaken by the Government and The System for Years and Years, for Generations in fact.  And when there is a Tragedy like what happened in Hollywood to the Reiners, then it's brought to the forefront coz they're Rich and Famous, yet couldn't get the Help desperately Needed!   So the rest of us never stood a fucking chance of receiving Help desperately Needed.  And Sure, for a Minute, there's Wringing of Hands and Gnashing of Teeth about such a Tragedy... then on to the next horrible News Cycle to Cover.  And Nothing Changes.

Anyway, it was a Beautiful Weather Day, a bit Chilly, but Sunny, never got beyond the low 60's Temperature-Wise while we were out but is Warming up later in the Afternoon now, so is 69 Degree currently.  We went to "The Tipsy Egg" for Brunch.   Food Porn Pix is below and belies that they were so slammed busy that when our food arrived, it was barely Warm.  They seemed short staffed and tho' our Dear Waiter was pleasant and run ragged trying to keep up with the Orders, he just couldn't.  So, I still gave him a decent Tip, wasn't his Fault and the food was tasty, just not to desired temperature.  Half my Order was Cold Fruit, so I just took one of my Southwest Bennies Home to heat up and eat later.  I wasn't gonna fuss about it, we like that Restaurant and it's the first time something hasn't been perfect.  The Manager was even Waiting Tables and run ragged, so they were doing all they could!!!

Above are Blast From A Showroom Past at our Antique Mall, when we still had Showroom #114 near the Back of the Ground Floor of the Antique Mall.   The one of The Young Prince was taken facing In to the Showroom Entrance, the one of Princess T was taken facing Outwards of the Entrance into the Mall.  Now we have Showroom #140 near the Front of the Ground Floor, better Location.  I sometimes regret giving up Showroom #133, since, at one time we had Two Showrooms, a Rare Option to have and not easily one to consider relinquishing.  But the Pandemic made it so we reduced our Rental Spaces considerably, not knowing what the Future might hold for Non-Essential Businesses and having them be involuntarily Closed and not functioning for over Two Years was a big hit Economically for everyone during those precarious times of a Global Deadly Plague.

These Pixs were taken in The Summer of 2015, which was a couple of Years after The Man's Catastrophic Accident and Traumatic Brain Injury, which changed all our Lives Forever.  So, The Man was still very bad off during this Period of Time and had spent almost 10 Months in Hospitals just trying to stay Alive in 2013 when it happened that Summer and ON The Young Prince's 13th Birthday!!!   Talk about Unlucky No. 13, that took the Cake in Negative Numerology for Reals!!!   So, anytime I'm inclined to think NOW is difficult, I'm reminded of THEN being waaay more difficult and uncertain, but we Survived it as a Family Unit and Kept on Keeping On, Up by Faith and Knowing it HAD to Hold.   And just look at those Kiddos, still Smiling thru it all, Bless 'em.  Coz there was very little to actually Smile about at that time. 

 But Kids are the Original Pure Optimists and find, plus Maintain their Joy, where Adults struggle to.  This was also the Time when The Young Prince was losing his Right to an Education due to his Mental Illness Primarily, but also I highly suspected due to his very Open Sexual Orientation as well, all Illegal, but the Schools did it anyway.  Eventually we could find Zero Schools to enroll him in and he had no choice but to be a High School Dropout, even tho' he has a Genius IQ of 148 and they knew this was completely Wasting a Beautiful but Troubled Mind.   The State and School Board's Solution to refer a Seriously Mentally Ill, but passive and very kind Schizophrenic Trans kid to a fucking Reform School, coz they had no other placement and he had no Behavioral defects or Court Ordered Criminal Record warranting that Placement, was unacceptable and we firmly rejected it, with no regrets.

When they call it "Intake" rather than "Enrollment", and have Students on Lockdown with Razor Wire around the School's Fencing, and most of them wearing Ankle Bracelets, and all Doors have High Security Entrance Cards to Access in or out and are Reinforced Steel, that's either a Penal Juvenile Institution or a Mental Institution.  And the shrill Screams were echoing down the Hallways, so that's not a Higher Learning Facility that would have given him any chance of an actual Education.  Unless he wanted to Learn to become a Criminal, that, well, they could have Taught him there, and to be defensively Violent or be a Mark that the Predatory Students would have Victimized for sure!   I remember the Principal/Warden or whatever his Title actually was told us he didn't even think our Student should have been referred to their Facility!   It was inappropriate and like a Punishment for nothing he'd ever even done, but for who he just IS based on Disability & Gender Identity!

The Facility sent their Mental Health Therapist to the "Intake Meeting" too and as we're hearing all the Student Screams outside the Boardroom, and our Grandson is looking Alarmed and Paranoid as Hell that we'd leave him there, she asks, "What's Wrong?"   And he's like, "Don't you mean What's Right about this Place... it's Terrifying, this isn't School... I'm not sure WHAT it is, or you Call it, but I've been Admitted to Mental Institutions for Youths that are less Scary!   I don't wanna be here or go here, I Need an Education, NOT whatever THIS is?!"   We concurred and immediately Exited, Stage Left!   Fucking Hell thought I, I'd rather he be a Dropout than Exposed to any of whatever this is as the Educational System's Last Resort "Solution" to pawning him off and refusing him an Education!!!  It was very Traumatic to him, to this day, what he endured in our Academic Institutions, being how he was discriminated against, abused/victimized and treated within The System.

And now you're seeing my Candy Box Collection for Valentine's Day Decorating.   Years ago I Sold Off some Vintage Heart Candy Boxes and regret having done so.   I didn't pay much for the ones I Scored Today, but usually the prices now are in the Stratosphere, when and if you can even find any For Sale!!!   And Online is no better coz typically even Shipping for them is High too, so, just not what I'd be willing to shell out for one to try to Win at an Auction or Buy from ETSY Vendor sites Selling them.   Anyway, in the entire Antique Mall, the Two I Bought were the only Two in the entire Antique Mall and our Antique Mall and the Location we have Downtown too, had None. 

 You can't Buy what nobody even has.   And Online there was only One I fell in Lust with and the Price was too High, so was Postage.   Plus, it said the Seller was taking a 'Break', so I don't know the Listing was even Active or you could Buy it right now anyway?  I wasn't a Player tho', so I just Cribbed the Pix of it, it's the Yellow One a few Pixs Below.   I wouldn't mind having one like that in my Collection.  Now I have Three, it's Officially a "Collection".  *LMAO and Winks*   I don't Decorate much for Valentine's Day, I do have some Vintage Valentine's Cards but I haven't located where I put them after last Year, so, I might not put them out this Year?

The Daughter is Grooming Amber's Dog again to earn some Money.  He's a big White Dog and good temperament and likes The Daughter Washing him, Drying him off, clipping his Nails and Brushing him.   I guess he doesn't like going to Professional Groomers and is one of those high maintenance Breeds that really requires Grooming or he'd be a Hot Mess.  He looks like the Dog Pictured directly Below, I don't even know what Breed it is, he's pure White, that Size, and looks very much like that Breed of Dog, whatever it is?   So, there's lots of Grooming to do and keeping him White is a full time Job I suspect?   So, he's over here a couple times a Month getting his Spa Treatment by The Daughter now.  *LOL*   Actually he's not even Amber's Dog, I think he belonged to one of her Three Brothers and now her poor Mom is stuck with it and her Mom has Cancer so can't maintain the Dog, and Amber is paying for his Maintenance now.  Amber doesn't want a Pet at all, but she is an Animal Lover.

I can relate to that, I don't want a Pet either, but I am an Animal Lover and if Family have one, I tend to Spoil the Animal and take good Care of it's Maintenance.  Princess T begged for another Cat when Miss Priss Died and since she'd always had a Cat, after a Year I relented and let her Adopt Straight Anthony's Cat, Eli, that he couldn't keep coz his Aunt he lived with is allergic.  Eli was a Kitten at the time and I knew, well, now here's another Animal I've got to Help her take Care of.  *Eye Roll and Le Sigh*   After Eli I think she's finally Old enuf to be "Over" needing a Pet Cat?  *LOL*  He's been like that Child she thought she wanted and then realized, this is a lot of responsibility, demand and mess.  *Ha ha ha*  She's said things to him when he's done naughty things to her Room and stuff, that would hurt his Feelings if he had any, but he takes it on the Chin like a Boss.  *Winks and LMAO*  And I remind her if she Pisses him off too much he'll only tear up more of her stuff or piss on it!

 

He isn't at all Happy that most of her time is now spent at Work and with her Boyfriend and not with him, so he's naughty a lot in there.  *Winks*  And he'll call out to me to keep him Company, even tho' I'm just his 'Staff' and not really 'preferred' to his Human.  *LOL*   He's been petulant Today and even having his "Sponge Bob Square Pants" Cartoon on the TV in there isn't pacifying him, he wants her and she's been gone all Day.   She never works on Mondays and Sundays, but her Boyfriend usually works on Monday, I don't know if he has MLK, Jr. Day Off tho'?  He's in The Trades, so, probably not.   I just ate my re-heated Bennie, it was delicious as a leftover and tasted better at the appropriate temperature.  It's got Chorizo, smashed Avocado, Green Chile Cornbread Base and Hollandaise with Chopped Chives and Paprika.   It's called their Green Chile Cornbread Benedict and comes with your Choice of Side.  I like their Fresh Fruit Side, but all their Sides are good.

I felt like some Blog Friends could relate to some of my Ranty Posts, so I know I'm not The Lone Ranger in our Experiences.  Right now in Arizona, New Mexico and Minnesota I'm hearing of ICE harassing and demanding Indigenous Tribal Citizens to prove their Citizenship!!!  And claiming their Tribal ID Cards aren't legitimate Proof that they're "Legal"!!!  WTF?!   Here Locally many of the Tribes are going thru that as much as the Immigrant Minority Populations are.  ICE is just being Racist and profiling based on complexion and has no other real Basis for why or who they're Targeting, abusing and terrorizing.   

One Tribal Leader said it best when he Stated the Obvious, that ever since the rest landed on these Shores LOST and "Discovered" Nothing, Tribal People of North America have had to endlessly Fight this Government for the Right to merely Exist!   And have over 380+ Treaties Broken, so they're used to the ongoing Fight and won't Stop now with this Government that's in Power currently Targeting them Unjustly and trying to get rid of them.    And in Reality, this Administration is like a Poison to ALL Americans and this Nation.   The sooner ALL American Voters realize this Fact, the better.  But, as Comedian Ron White says, you can't Fix Stupid... and ain't that the Truth.  So, the Clown Show in the White House continues coz some Americans still Support it foolishly.  Elect a Clown, expect a Circus.

That is all I have the Bandwidth to talk about the Political Shitshow on this Post, you're Welcome.  *Winks*  I had to take a Nap this Afternoon, I literally couldn't stay Awake!!!  I just feel Exhausted a lot lately, Physically, Mentally and Emotionally EXHAUSTED.   I think a lot of folks might be feeling this Exhaustion too?    I really have no Bandwidth left in me.  I try to keep a measure of Guarded Optimism that this Prez is so Old, in such poor Physical and Mental Condition already, that he'll soon enuf be Dead and out of the way.  But, he's not the only Issue and we all know it, he's held a Mirror up to America really and reflected back at us what internally is pretty frightening and disgusting in our midst.  It's hideous and abhorrent, yet, we have to face the hideous and abhorrent are among us and a part of what we've now become as a Nation... on full Display now on the World Stage.

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But let's keep on keeping on my Friends... we must remain part of the Resistance and remain on the Right Side of History... Dawn... The Bohemian