Sophisticated Lunacy

 I'm zero Unpublished Posts ahead now.  Nurse Remi will be here for The Man at 11:00, Tomorrow I have my Optometrist Annual Diabetic Eye Appointment.  I don't know why I thought the rest of the Week was clear of stacked up Appointments?  *Le Sigh*  You get Old, and you also have a Three Generation Household, you have a slew of Appointments for somebody seemingly all the time.  *Huge Sigh*  It's a good thing everyone currently has good enuf Insurances to cover the costs.  *Whew*  With the current state of our National Healthcare that's something to be exceedingly Grateful of and for.

  The Son may Owe the Government $1,300 for that Subsidy they gave him for Healthcare last Year, but now he's on AHCCCS for the indigent who are also Title 19 Disabled.  He never goes to see a Doctor unless he has a Medical Emergency tho', even when he has Insurance.  He's always fearful too much is probably Wrong and to him, ignorance about it is his Bliss, he doesn't wanna know.  He was in The Life long enuf to know he beat his Body to Hell with very Dangerous Drug Abuse and Alcoholism for Years, so, he's pretty sure his Body is hammered on the Inside even if it looks okay on the Outside.  We have sophisticated Lunacy in this Family, so I just don't argue with anyone's method of illogical Logic.  *LOL*

Hey, I've found a plagiarized way of coming up with Clever sounding Blog Post Title Hooks, since, it's always a struggle for me to Name a Post.  I've been looking up long Dead and Unused Blogs Names that I think were particularly Clever and now are wasted coz they haven't Blogged for Years now.   So, Sue me, I'm stealing, ummm, I mean Borrowing them for Post Title Hooks now.  *Winks and Laughs*  Why not, it's Fun to even phish for them Online and compile a List.  But, I won't take full Credit for how Clever they are.  Someone else more Clever than me clearly thought of them first and who knows who they ever were in The Land Of Blog?  I Wish they still Blogged if they were that Clever to come up with a Blog Name like that.  *Smiles*

I admit that sometimes I'll hear a New Word too, one that I never heard before, and then I'm chomping at the Bit to use it in conversation or what I'm Writing.  *LOL*  My Eyes are itching out of my Head this Morning and the Air Quality Outside is shit Today, so allergens must be abundant in the Air.  Luckily I bought a slew of Eye Drops from the Dollar Store when they had good Dollar Stores still Open and things Sold in them were actually Ninety-Nine Cents.  *Winks*   I tend to Hoard supplies we always use when I find them at a Bargain price point. 

 I found some Holistic Medicine and Vitamin Supplement Gummies of various kinds at our Dollar Store and have been taking them daily with my Prescription Meds for Diabetes.  They all taste amazing and my Health has been steadily improving.  So, I'm drinking a Bolthouse Farms "Berry Boost" flavor Juice Smoothie and ate Gummies of Ashwagandha {reduces Cortisol levels and relieves Stress}, Zinc {Immune Function, Cell Growth and Wound Healing} and Vitamin D3 {Bone Health, support of Immune & Muscular Systems}.  I've used Holistic, Eastern and Tribal Medicines my whole Life.  Preferring all to Western Medical Practices.

I also take daily Collagen in the form of Chewable Gummies or Powders you put in any Beverage, for Hair, Skin & Nail Health.  It's why my Dreads have grown down to my Ass and my Nails get Crazy Long I think?  *LOL*  My Skin isn't very wrinkled but on my Mom's side of the Family they never Wrinkled up like Old Prunes, so mebbe some of that is just Genetic Luck I inherited for her side?  Definitely wasn't from Dad's Side, Old Indians generally do not Age well.  Good looking in Youth and by 30 it's pretty much a downhill trajectory from there on my Dad's side of the Family.  

They all stay very Thin all their lives and keep a full Head of Hair, hardly ever Greying.  But most have Skin like Old Brown Leather on his side of the Family.   And look way Older than they are, looking busted in Old Age, if they even attain Old Age, most haven't.  My Mom's side are very long lived, about a Decade or more long lived than Dad's side, so it will be a crap shoot on whether I Inherited the Lazarus Gene or not?  *Ha ha ha*  Not that I wanna live past 90 or get past a Century mark, I don't.  But, if I can become an Octogenarian like my Nanna and Mom did, rather than many Aunts and an Uncle on her Side that did make it past 90, it's a Bonus not afforded to many.

His Nurse should be here any Minute now, I Hope it's a good Visit since he only saw his VA Doc Yesterday and that was a good Visit.  When we get good News about his Health stabilizing, it's always preferable to getting bad News about it deteriorating further.  We don't expect a lot and have realistic expectations based on his Reality and overall condition and Age, but, a downward trajectory is always scary.  Coz I intend to keep him at Home where he wants to be and can only do that if he doesn't surpass the Point of Need our Family can provide to him.  

His Nurse said he's only doing as well as he is and probably still even Alive due to Family Support and Care, she could be Right?  Docs and Specialists gave up on him about 20 Years ago.  Now he Jokes that I won't LET him Die.  *Bwahahaha*   His Nurse just left, being a VA Nurse and a Legal Immigrant, she was saddened by the Death of a VA Nurse at the Hands of ICE in Minnesota.  Like us tho', she's encouraged by the strong sense of Community and Love among Neighbors in those Communities.  I think these Politicians don't realize how much Love exists and that Community matters to a lot of Americans who are opposed to terrorizing their Neighbors and Communities and are decent good People.

After picking Princess T up at Work I bought some Takeout Chinese from "Dragon Garden" for Lunch.  The Dear Older Couple that Own the Restaurant always hook us up on portion size, we're Regular Customers, their Food is excellent, their Prices Fair and they're a Sweet Couple with an Adorable Toddler Grandchild that speaks Three Languages fluently already, Chinese, English and Spanish, since her Mommy is Hispanic and Married to their Son.   The Granddaughter is like a little Doll, she's so Petite and so Clever for her Age, along with being extremely well behaved. 

 She's often in the Restaurant when her Mom is working the Registers for her Grandparents, and helps wipe down Tables!  She reminds me of Princess T at that Age, since Princess T used to do things like that as a Toddler and help me Work in our Spaces at the Antique Mall when she was just starting School.  Their House Fried Rice has Seafood {Shrimp} and Meat {Pork/Chicken} in it, one Order will feed a Family of Six easily.   The Mongolian Beef is some of my favorite food they make and their Vegetable Eggrolls are excellent too.   We had 3 of those Eggrolls, Princess T already ate one before I got a pix taken, she was hungrier than she thought after Work. *LOL*

At Princess T's Work while waiting for her to get off, they had a Bagged Lot of 8 Colorful 1970's Era Tupperware Cereal Bowls for Six Bucks.  It's Senior Day so I also got my Discount.   They were the same Colors as the Cribbed Pixs I've included Below, which were the Harvest Colors and the Pastel Colors.  Mine didn't have the Sheer Lids, but, I just ordered a Set of 7 now on a Buy-It-Now Feature on E-Bay.  Replacement parts are so easy to Source now with the Internet and E-Bay, you can find anything and compare prices to get the best Deals.   I remember using these exact Bowls all thru the 70's and 80's and they hold up well to lots of use.

Sometimes we only have one Serving of a Leftover and with these Bowls and a Sheer Lid, it will make it easier to use up everything with no waste and store it in the Fridge easily too.  My request to all the Kiddos and The Man will be, don't melt my Tupperware by putting it near the Stove Burners, that's how I lost a lot of my original pieces that got damaged by that kind of carelessness.  I've kind of been on a Vintage Tupperware binge lately when I see it at Chazzas, coz Modern Storage Containers don't hold up and tend to be expensive now.  I've had to throw so many Modern ones out and so it makes sense to invest a little in secondhand Vintage Tupperware from the Seventies that's still going strong and will last.   The Daughter has the Neon Tupperware Cereal Bowls in the 5th Wheel, so I'll ask her to bring those in to the Main House now too.

I had stocked the 5th Wheel Cupboards with a set of everything, but most of the time she comes into the Main House and uses what we have in here anyway.  She Cooks more in this Main House Kitchen than in the 5th Wheel Kitchen, tho' she could use either one, the 5th Wheel is completely self-sufficient and has a very nice Kitchen and Bathroom.  The only thing they don't use in it is the Toilet coz we have no way to dispose of Black Water, just the Grey Water from the 5th Wheel, which can be used just like Irrigation.   Black Water has to be disposed of differently, usually at an RV Park that charges for it and you have to get it there if your 5th Wheel is Stationary, which, ours is, it won't be moved or pulled by our Truck, ever.  It was meant for Guests and Family to stay in on our Acreage exclusively.

You might remember I bought it when I thought we'd be inheriting Three more Teen Granddaughters from Mexico to finish Raising when their Paternal Grandmother who had Custody of them, Died.  They are the Three Younger Siblings of our Daughter and I'd already Raised her Two Oldest Children, Saint Maria was Raising the Three Younger ones born while our Daughter, and Maria's Son, moved back to Mexico permanently.  The Daughter stayed over 19 Years there.  She mostly came back to help me with her Dad since we were getting Elderly and I really do now need some Help from the Grown Children and Grown Grandchildren to maintain everything, defer/spread living expenses, and help with Caregiving.

At some juncture you have to think about your Long-Term Care Plan and if it's not affordable to find Placement in a Long-Term Care Facility, for most of us, our Children and Grandchildren will be our Caregivers and Inherit what Estate we have for them to be Heirs of.  I don't wanna liquidate every Asset I have in order to Qualify for State Assistance for shitty substandard Care in my Old Age in some shithole Nursing Home for the less Affluent Aged.  If it was just me, I might have been able to liquidate it all to find more suitable Placement just for myself, The Man we couldn't get any Placement for even if we could have afforded it, none would take him.   So, we knew his Care for his Lifetime will rely on Family exclusively, the U.S. Government used him up for 39 Years and then they forsake a lot of these Wounded or Disabled Warriors/Veterans in their Time of Need.

  

Anyway, he's better off at Home being Cared for by Family who Love him and want the Best for him.   I know what Quality of Care he gets at Home, I wouldn't know that in any Facility if I wasn't there Witnessing the Care 24-7 and 365 to ensure it's Quality Care and has no abuses or neglect.   He got abused at the VA Years ago and I never forgot that, it was right before the big Investigations the Phoenix VA had, myself and many other Families put pressure on to have it Investigated due to the levels of abuse and neglect going on, it was atrocious.  It's much better now at the Hospital Downtown and at the Clinics.  

But, I can't vouch for the Old Soldiers Homes coz they both refused to accept The Man as a Resident, saying his Needs were too great and their Staffing was too inadequate.  They Cherry Pick who they accept apparently.  Coz if 39 Years of Honorable Service don't Qualify you, and being a Highly Decorated War Hero, and 100% Rated Disabled Veteran, I don't know what the fuck will???  But, a Church Friend, who was the Sister of my Pastor, had her Husband in there and said it was costing her $200 a Day, which wouldn't have been affordable for us anyway.  

Margaret's entire Family was helping her Pay for it, since, her Husband had such Advanced Dementia, was in his 70's, and she was Wheelchair Bound herself, in her 70's, and in Poor Health, so she could no longer safely look after him.  The final straw was when he kept escaping their Home Naked and running thru Neighborhoods having Bad Flashbacks.  Margaret and I would often run into each other at the VA Hospital Downtown coz we both had the same Caseworkers and she said she'd had a very difficult time getting them to accept her Husband as well.  She knew The Man very well from Church, and said his Skill Set as a Special Forces Assassin probably scared Staff if he was no longer in his Right Mind and felt he was being held Hostage against his Will.  I think she was Right about that, he escaped the VA Hospital and several Civilian Hospitals over the Years, thinking he was a Prisoner Of War.

He once escaped wearing nothing but a flimsy Hospital Gown, no Shoes, in the Dead of Winter, from a Civilian Cardiac ICU and walked all the way Home at 1:00 in the Morning!!!   The Hospital, after 11 Hours hadn't called me yet to inform or notify me he was gone and missing!  I knew he had escaped coz I had him at Home all those Hours.  I couldn't see how in a Cardiac ICU any Patient in that Condition could escape and be unaccounted for Eleven Hours without Staff notifying somebody legally?   Well, they shit Kittens when I called and asked to have them give me an Update on my Husband, coz, of coarse they couldn't Find him, could they?   

Then they forged Paperwork and tried to play it off that he'd Signed himself out, of Cardiac ICU, without Clothing, and at 1:00 in the Morning, with no Ride Home in the Dead of Night and Winter!!!   I Challenged if that was protocol... and they Wrote Off the entire Bill coz they knew I could have Sued for Neglect.  So, why didn't I Sue?  Becoz no Attorney would take the Case unless the Victim Dies and then it would make them more Money as an Unlawful Death Case, not worth their while apparently if your Loved One Lives and Survives the Neglect!!!   Yeah, ain't our Systems grand?  *Sarcastic Eye Roll*  

Yeah, I got Stories, you can't make this shit up of the atrocities that happen to Vulnerable People.   And don't even get me started with what happens in Psyche Wards, OMG!!!  You're better off being Physically Ill than Mentally Ill in our Systems, that's for damned sure.  The Daughter has gotten Sexually Assaulted in Mental Health and Penal Facilities, she says it happens all of the time and they have too many Pervs and Sadists on their Staff.   I know during my Psyche Lockdown little 'Vacation' they had some very good Staff, but there was one Twisted Motherfucker and everyone Hated him.  He deliberately Tormented the Residents constantly during his Shift and was unsuitable to be Caring for Vulnerable Adults.

He did try to Torment me, but I might be Crazy, but I'm not Stupid.  So I wouldn't let him provoke me to Wrath so that I'd end up in a Straight Jacket and Padded Room or worse, give him a reason to hurt me.  Coz they were still giving folks Shock Treatments there too.  Anyway, I'd just Smile at him and think the most Evil Dark Thoughts about him while looking him straight in his Eyes when he was trying to fuck with me to get me Angry or to lose Control.  Other Staff told me that he told them I was a Witch and he was Scared of me.  So he left me alone after that. Good, that was the exact thing I wanted to convey to that Motherfucker without Words.   

The Big Sweet Handsome Young Male Samoan Staff Member who really liked me, asked me once if I was Fa'ataulaitu?  I just told him, what did he think?  He Smiled and nodded... he didn't like that Twisted Co-Worker either, so didn't mind if I Practiced some Dark Magic to smite the Guy and keep him in Line.  *Bwahahahaha*  I did Hope some Bad Karma came back on that Guy if they weren't gonna Fire him.  I did Hope and expect some Bad Mojo I'd conjured did attach to him and follow him Home to Torment him for the rest of his Days.  He had it coming, in Spades for how he mistreated those Tortured Souls he was supposed to be Caring for and protecting.  *Winks*   I have zero Remorse for putting a Curse on someone who Deserves it.  If you don't Deserve it, you needn't Fear being Hexed.  *LOL*

Anyway, that's all in the Past, the Present, tho' it ain't Rosy, we've been thru worse times than these personally, so, we'll be Okay and Land on our Feet and Circle the Wagons when we have to.   Stand by your Friends and your Neighborhood Communities during these uncertain times and you're likely to endure and be Okay too my Friends.  I know a lot of folks are Fearful and quite Scared, as they should be, those who are totally looking at what's happening and have no Fears about it are probably either complicit to it or quite Stupid.  It's Okay to be Afraid, just do whatever you have to do Afraid, that's my best advice and what my Dear Ole' Dad always told me.  If I told him I was Afraid, his short answer always was, "Well, then, do it Afraid."  *Smiles*  I never saw my Dad SHOW Fear or Anger ever, he'd show no Negative Emotion whatsoever... just Positive ones or be Stoic. 

I was talking to Mando about that, coz he happened to mention that I never appear Afraid of anything.  I told him I just don't outwardly express it, that's all, take after my Dad that way, you never really know what I'm Feeling about anything by my affect.  He said that was quite typical of all the Indigenous Men he ever met while he was imprisoned.  He said they never showed Fear, Anger or Emotion, so you never knew what they were thinking or what they might do, so, pretty much everyone left them the fuck alone.   He couldn't tell if they liked you or despised you, so best not to find out the hard way.  *Bwahahahaha*  That sounds so typical of my Dad and his Relatives, so isn't just a Stereotype, its simply a way of Being of a Culture I think. 

 My Mom used to say she thought her Kids were Strange coz we never Cried.  She never saw my Dad ever Cry either, or get visibly Angry or Shaken, he stayed Measured and Steely Calm, no matter what was happening.  Showing little to no Emotion about it.  And we were very similar, and she said it wasn't exactly 'taught', it's simply how my Brother and I just were from Infancy I guess.  She began to Wonder if we had Tear Ducts, her Pediatricians assured her we did.  *LMAO*  Very few people have ever seen me Cry or get Emotional.   I can Cry, it's hard for me to muster it tho', and if I'm really Angry, I feel so Calm that it actually even Scares me coz I don't 'Feel' anything, but I know I'll Do something absolutely vicious if I have to.

My Dear Younger Brother tho', is a Big Guy, 6'4" and well built, and probably the most Peaceful Guy you'll ever meet.   I've never seen him get Angry or even say an Angry Word towards anyone.   Everybody Likes him since he has that Great Energy about him that is so Kind, so Approachable, so Honestly Compassionate and Caring towards everyone.  He was the Best Kid too, after me, my Parents did Need and Deserve a Golden Child and he was it.  *Bwahahahahaha*  He was always Mom's Favorite and I could see Why, I didn't resent it coz he was your proverbial No. One Son in all ways and respects.  Right up until the Day she Died he doted on our Mother.  I was very close to our Dad, he and I were so much alike in some ways, only he was Quiet and a Good Listener.   And I'm so NOT Quiet.  And my ADHD kicks in with lack of Focus to be considered a GOOD Listener sometimes. *Winks*

It's True, if you begin to Bore me and drone on about something that can't hold my Interest, I start thinking about other things and my Mind Wanders terribly, and my Eyes probably Glaze Over.  I can't even pretend you're Holding my Interest once you've completely Lost it.  Sorry.  *LOL*  But, if you're Interesting or a Colorful Character, we'll get along fabulously and I could Listen to your Tales all day long with great Interest and absolute Sincerity.   Boring People just a little bit of them goes a long ways with me and I can't help it.  And most of the time they don't even seem to realize how Boring they are!!!  *LOL*  And the Black Cloud People who always complain and whine, and are perpetually Negative, or Unlovely, I think are just Toxic to be around and infect the Atmosphere and those around them with their Negative Energy. 

I'm Delighting in the Spring array of Flowers appearing in the Shops.  I did get some Spring Bulbs for the Livingroom but their Blooms are now spent.  I've thought about Buying some more when we get Paid, the Aroma they filled the House with was Sublime.  I had to set our Oregano Outside and remember to tend to it, it's hanging in there even tho' for a while I forgot I put it out there and it was struggling to Survive my unintentional Neglect.  *Gasp, I felt so Bad*   It had been so lush, both Pots of it, but, it's coming back, so is pretty hardy and Forgiving.  I want to Buy more Living Herbs coz we use them for Cooking and Teas.  The Kiddos brought Home the Pots of Oregano, I don't know where they got it from?  They know I'd use it for Spaghetti Sauces and such... either Fresh or Dried.  So, even if it Dies back, I still use the Dried Leaves for Seasoning Foods... none is Wasted.

I did spend some time in The She Shed and got another Milk Crate full of Smalls priced, it was only 44 Degrees out there but the Shed had warmed up during the day when it was Warmer so it was comfortable until it got too Dark.  I have a Light in there but was satisfied getting a Crate full done to take in, I don't have Room for a lot more right now.  I had some Colorful Easter Eggs filled with New Play Doh.  That will be good for Easter Basket fillers.  I had some Silicon Heart Shaped Molds for Valentine's Day.  A lot of Vintage Art Stamps from Popular Makers of now Retired Lines, most with beautiful Asian Graphics Themes on the Stamps.  Some Pottery Art Vases.  Some POP Figure Toys, which are always Popular.  And some Plush Anime Toys, which are Madly Popular.  Some McDonalds Premiums of 1970's-1980's "Peanuts" Cartoon Glasses.  Cute, but I don't Collect or Use them.

American Cartoon Kitsch always Sells so you can't go Wrong with it for Resale.  When we used to get a lot of Japanese Pickers from Japan coming Quarterly, they'd clean me out of Merch like this.  Since COVID and the whole Tariff Fiasco tho', we don't see any of those International Whale Shoppers anymore that would Buy Van Loads per Visit to our Mall.  We'd assign them a Personal Shopper, that's how much they'd drop per Visit and have Moving Vans to load up from what they Bought.  Plus, they never asked for Discounts and if you knew what Genre of Merch they were coming for, you could do very well. 

 I knew the "Grimoire Almadel" folks from Tokyo Shopped my Showroom often and were shocked I knew of their Stores and had followed them Online for Years as a Devoted Fan of their Aesthetic, which mirrors my own.  It's a prominent Antique and Vintage Clothing Boutique located in the Shibuya District of Tokyo, Jinnan Area, known for it's "Dolly Kei" Style.  The way they Decorate their Shops is BEYOND FABULOUSLY FUNKY!  They totally embrace the Weird & Wonderful and I knew what they'd be looking for and always supplied it.  I was Honored to be a Seller to some of my Favorite International Shops and get to know them in Person who they had Pickin' for them in America.  Only one Spoke and Understood English well, so he'd Translate for me.  And he'd have the Dolly Kei Girls with him, whose Style is Adorbs, they look like Living Dolls.    When you think of it, it's a Small World!

I miss them coming in and appreciating the Merch I prefer to Sell.  If I could attract that Demographic of Client all the time I'd be one Content Vendor doing ME Full On then.  *Ha ha ha*  But, for now I'm satisfied and Delighted with my Young Trendy Crowd that has become our main Demographic of Shopper that are the Regulars of our Showroom and dig our Merch and Aesthetic.  I know who I don't Appeal to, and realize that Princess T and I have a Style and Aesthetic that is not for everyone.  Either you totally dig it and Connect, or you might Like to, but wouldn't actually Decorate with it or Wear it... or, abhor it altogether.  *LOL*  I've had so many Middle Aged or Senior Shoppers tell me they Love my Style, but they couldn't pull it off, or would be too afraid of what People might Think about them Wearing or Decorating with it.  I think they should just do them without Apology frankly, regardless of what anyone else thinks about it.

We know we've never been your Garden Variety Family and that a lot of People may Feel some kind of way about it, we don't Care.  *LOL*  We know our Tribe of Kindred Spirits and we Like them and they're a lot of Fun to be around and Friends with.   I've enjoyed our Friends Stories when they go Pickin' across the Country and especially the Reaction in Rural Areas of the American Midwest, which, tends to be very insulated and Stepford Wife-ish or Children of the Corn-ish, for lack of better Terms.   In the larger Urban Areas you see everything and it's quite diverse, so nothing much stops anyone in their Tracks no matter how Weird, how Freakish, how Different or Unusual you are.   My Global Nomad Looking Friends say they get stopped a lot by Small Town Sheriffs, who make them take everything out of their Caravans filled with their Merch.   Inconvenient and totally Profiling, but rather hilarious at the same time.  *LOL*   So, ICE "Profiling" is nothing all that "New" really... but not at all Humorous in any way.  

*******

Sophisticated Lunacy here in the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian