Very Messy... And Will Get Messier

 It's a good thing I had Bipolar Senior's Insomnia going on coz Princess T overslept and I had to get her up for Work Friday Morning.  She'll have to rush to get ready now in time to get that Show on the Road so I can get her there within the next 40 Minutes now!  Luckily we live a very short drive from where she works and traffic is still light that early, coz there's Two Schools between us and her Store.  So it gets busy by the time folks are getting to School.  And then traffic is a bitch with all the Parents driving Younger Kiddos to School or Young reckless Drivers getting to their High School.  I try to avoid all of that and get back Home before School starts.

Then I wait until after Rush Hour is over for all the Employed, so that if I do have to be on the Road, it's not in traffic jams.  Seems Rush Hour has extended considerably tho', starts way earlier and they get off work earlier too in the Afternoons.  By 3:00 p.m. now you just need to stay Home or you won't get anywhere on time or in a hurry until after 6:30 p.m. when it's finally over being Rush Hour in the City and traffic gridlocked damned near everywhere.  The City expanded considerably too, beyond what used to be Rural, especially Westside, which was the only direction it could expand. 

 They'd hit the Mountains surrounding Metro Phoenix on the East, South and North Sides long ago so West was the only expansion left to hit the White Tank Mountain Range and they're AT the Range now and even beyond it!   When we lived at the Villa McManse, we were right up against the State Trust Lands of The White Tank Mountains.  Nice view, but bad Urban Encroachment and greedy Development of what had been pristine Desert or Farmland that far West.  And the very few early Old Homesteads of that area were being squeezed out and usually razed.  Few could Hold Out and were forced to Sell to Big Pocket Investors who had Paid Off the Right City Planners and Judges to legally steal the Property otherwise.

Don't clutch your Pearls, the Corruption goes right up the fucking Food Chain, mostly always has, but it's a whole lot more evident and in your Face now, that's all.   Money Buys anything and anyone it seems, America is very transactional when Capitalism has run amok, and it has.  The uber and obscenely Wealthy are getting richer and they will do anything to enrich themselves further, if you stand in the way, you'll be eliminated one way or another.  The Public Execution Hit Squads are a New Touch I must say, they used to eliminate obstacle folks with more subtlety and at least make it seem like they had an Accident or more discreetly Disappear.  Now fuck it, it's all being video recorded for all to Witness and the DOJ doesn't even pretend to make the Perps or who Ordered it accountable now.

Am I cynical, absolutely, I've seen the Good side of Bad, the Downside of Up, and everything in between, as the Lyrics go.  I've known Bad Actors intimately in my turbulent Youthful reckless days.  Then I worked at the biggest Lending Institutions and DA's Office a long, long time in both Corporate Lives to have any delusions about any of it.  The Ballers and the Shot Callers have always been rather Ruthless, for lack of a better Word to describe them.   Joe Public is mostly kept ignorant of much of it coz they couldn't handle the Truth.  So most will prefer being shoveled the Lies, Bullshit and the Misinformation they're more comfortable Believing and Receiving.

  The whole Epstein thing, Honestly, IF Names do get Named, and that's unlikely and doubtful IMO, the World will be reeling.   At how deep it all went and still is in the trafficking of our Children by Rich Powerful Pedophiles who have been allowed to Buy anything and anyone with impunity.  Not a Surprise only Victims info hasn't been redacted but all the Players info has and is being Protected instead.  The fact even some of those Victims and Witnesses are still among the Living is the more Surprising thing to me actually.  But James Comer having the Clinton's Testify and trying to be a Bigger Baller than ole' Hilary, big Mistake... she's got a Set on her that dwarf any ReTrumplican Acolytes.

 She is a Boss Bitch Baller and Ball Breaker if ever I saw one, and when threatened, she told them to Bring It.  Playing her Hard is gonna be Dinner and a Show on full Display, as she wants it Public and Televised.  And now Donnie Two Dolls little Balls are being squeezed up to his Throat, he's claiming now that he LIKES the Clintons, Hilary especially!   *Bwahahahaha*  Too Late Guys, you threw the Gauntlet Down and Hilary said, Okay, Let's Play!!!  I think Dark Hilary is probably more apt to go very Dark, Darker than even Dark Dawn ever would, coz she clearly has no more Fucks to give and it shows.  I want Front Row Seats and Popcorn!!! 

  No, I didn't Vote for Hillary or Donnie Two Dolls in 2016 and I have solid reasons Why, all Corruption Based.  I've actually known very Bad Actors in my Day, so I can spot one from a Mile away.  But, now it's "On" between them, I'll watch The Showdown Play Out between Mobbed Up Adversaries.   Reminds me of the Mob Wars of Yesteryear I Witnessed firsthand, and the existing Cartel Wars of Today, to see the Apex Predators turn on each other when there's Blood in the Water and in the Streets.  And let's see whose left Standing???   *Winks... if I were a Betting Woman... ha ha ha*  Very Messy, and will get even Messier.

I don't hardly Care anymore, it's beyond my Pay Grade to be in the Mix of it now and Roll Deep.  I know the Boundaries of staying in my own Lane when The Shit gets Real 'REAL'.   Except to hold my own Ground and Protect me and mine.  Everyone will have to go for themselves I'm afraid, in this here Shitshow unfolding across America as it's Going Down.   Listen, I knew the Fuckery would be Bad in 2016, I didn't realize how quickly it would spiral down and completely sideways so exponentially tho', coz SOME Guardrails USED to be in place.  They be GONE now tho', so, anything can happen and everything is gonna, that's all I can say about that.

I took The Man with me to go to the Discount Grocery Store and get Non-Perishable Essentials, I've been stocking up coz I predict 2026 is gonna go Sideways fast.  I'm no Doomsday Prepper but I think it Wise to just stock the Pantries and Batten Down the Hatches coz it's gonna be a Wild Ride.  But, America Bought the Tickets when they Elected this Regime, so we're on for the whole fucking Ride now whether we Voted for it or not.  I'm glad I have Clean Hands and a Clear Conscience that I was never complicit or responsible for any of it.  I don't like to have to Reap what I haven't Sown in Bad Decisions tho', so I am Resentful and Angry as fuck that my Beloved Country is being destroyed from within.

Anyway, while there our Cashier was a Cute Young Guy who saw I was paying with Nutritional Assistance and The Man wasn't in great shape Today, so looked like someone from Long-Term Care being taken on a Field Trip and couldn't help me with the heavy Boxes.  {You put larger Purchases in Banana Boxes rather than Bags.}  So, I saw that the Guy intentionally wasn't scanning some things.  Coz I'd asked him if it gives a running Total coz I didn't wanna go over?  And I was intently looking at the Screen for when to tell him to Stop.  He said Yeah, the Total would show, and as it got close to the limit I had on my Card I noticed he was skipping scanning some of it, Bless him.  Plus I had my $10 Off Coupon if you spend $80 and I'd spent $104.  I had Three Boxes full of Groceries tho' at deep Discounts.  They have Perishable Frozen Foods too, but I didn't Buy any of those. Just Pantry items that have a long Shelf Life, and are items we use a lot.  Not that it lasts a long time around here with a Big Family to Feed. 

 They have many higher quality Brand Name Merch and as much as 70% Off some of it, varying greatly so you have to know what Retail would be to get the best Deals.  Example, a very expensive Cereal that is my Fav but Retail costs $7.49 a Box, when they have it there I get for $1.99 a Box.  I can get the good quality Soups for only $1.25 each... it's $2.49-$3.25 elsewhere.   And Snacks I can get 15 Cents or 25 Cents a Single Serving Bag of a large Popular Selection.  Princess T brings those to Work and it Saves her paying $1.25 each from their Vending Machines on her Breaks.  Anyway, it's a Beautiful Day Outside, but The Man isn't doing great so that's all we did and I also have to Work Tonight myself, so, don't want to do too much and get worn out.  I really didn't Sleep much or well last Night so I'll likely hit the Wall by later Tonight before my Shift is over.  I felt like getting the Groceries stocked for the Month was accomplished enuf.

  Plus, I did Price some Merch to take in with me to Work also, inexpensive Smalls, since, that's what's Selling.  I got Two small Boxes of Inventory to take in now before I start my Shift.   The Two Pixs above were of our Mom when she was in Hospice.  One with her Favorite Caregiver there, who Adored her and treated her like she was his own Grandma, giving her lovely Gifts and everything.  He was Handsome and so Caring and Kind.   And the only one Strong enuf to life her without the Hoist, which, she Hated the Hoist, so he'd always Volunteer to do her Transfers.   I Joked with her that she just liked having a Big Tall, Dark and Handsome Stud Muffin picking her up and sweeping her off her Feet.  *Winks*  And the other Pix is with my Brother.

I made Lamb Chops with Peas & Carrots for Lunch.  I didn't know The Daughter & Mando had his Cousin coming over, and I always feel bad when there's not enuf to go around and someone unexpected shows up at a Meal and we can't have them join us.  I only had Lamb for whose already here and as it is I miscounted how many were here in the Family, so I was One Lambchop short!  But The Young Prince wasn't hungry so passed on Lunch anyway.  *Whew*  Sometimes when I'm doing a Head Count for Meals, I forget to Count myself too... and apparently that's what I did.  *Ooops*   It was just a Light Lunch coz The Man and I don't have a big appetite with being on Ozempic.

The Son had made a big Crockpot of Bison Chili Yesterday but not a bit of it was left coz everyone had 2nds or 3rds.  I just had my One Bowl of it, but it was very good.  Now that The Son is confident about making my Chili with the Instructions I gave him of the Basic Ingredients and what else you can choose to throw in there or alternates, he likes making it.  He's not Cooked in any Relationships he's been in coz whoever he was with Loved to Cook and was really a Culinary Jedi, so, he didn't have to.  And when someone Loves to Cook and is good at it, they enjoy making Meals for everyone.  He's getting better at it.  He made French Toast for the 1st time recently, turned out great on his 1st attempt, and now makes excellent French Toast. 

The Young Prince said he's glad to be back Home eating the kinds of Meals he grew up with.  Allen is a good Cook, and so is The Young Prince, but Allen doesn't Season Foods much, he grew up eating most things pretty Basic like The Man grew up too.  It must be a White Family Thing?  Coz I couldn't Live without Flavorful Foods and a variety of Spices and Ethnic Foods.   Allen would try our Foods, but he was always nervous about trying anything he'd never had before and said his Family absolutely wouldn't.  And they never ate Ethnic Cuisine in Allen's Family or The Man's. 

 I know The Man's Family Hunted a lot of their Meats plus grew and Canned most of their Fruits and Veggies, and some Meats too.  So it was Healthful, but Bland and Basic as Hell.  We're very Extra and Fearless about Foods, by comparison.  I'll eat anything once, Twice or more, if I like it.  *Winks*   When Allen lived here, every time he cooked it was the same Chicken Recipe, every time.  It was good actually, but the same, no variations.  And he was a very Meat and Potatoes kinda Guy, like The Man was when I met him, before I converted him to eating like us, but with less Heat/Spice on his, coz his Stomach can't handle it.

When our Hispanic Friends bring over their Tamales for us that they Share every time they Home make some, they always have a few "Gringo Tamales" for The Man, and we get a Laugh out of that.  *Smiles*  He has a lot of Stomach Issues even with his mostly blander Diet and I blame that on the fact he didn't grow up eating Spices, most folks who grow up with Spicier Foods don't have any Stomach Issues, we got Stomachs like Goats.  *LOL*   And apparently more Natural Immunities too, that Herbs and Spices provide for you if you incorporate them often in your Diet.  My Dad always brewed up Herbal Holistic Tribal Remedies for any Ailments... Cured whatever Ailed ya!!!

And speaking of Spices, the Discount Grocery had the new "Spanglish Asadero" Line of Seasoning Packets, so I got quite a few of each since they were 60% Off what they Retail for at every other Grocery Store.  We Love this Line of Seasoning and use it often since it first came out and we got some given to us as a Gift from Friends.  The Sugar Skull Girl Graphics on the Packet are Lovely too.   We usually make Tacos at least once a Week, and Burritos often too, these give you several Flavor Profile Options for a different Flavor each Week.

I called my Brother for his Birthday, he was Working on it, said he wasn't doing anything Special to Celebrate it.  He was bummed coz the Woman who Bought the Cali Renaissance Festival Grounds has changed everything to where she's deliberately Tanking it with intention to.  She wants to replace it with a Flea Market, so has made it so Participants and Patrons are falling away in droves due to the terrible changes she's made and enforces.  My Brother is a Professional Retired Hollywood Photographer but he covers all the Festivals at no charge since he has so many Friends who are part of the Troupes there and it gives them Exposure.  She no longer allows anyone to Photograph anything while there, not even Patrons with their Cellphones or Cameras! 

He said if anyone is seen taking Photos they are asked to leave and get kicked out!!!   She has her own Photographers who Charge for Photos and that's all anyone can use.  She also severely limited which Troupes are allowed to Perform, so many of the Major Ones, who work in Hollywood too, have Quit voluntarily, in Solidarity.  All the Professional Photographer Friends of my Brother who were Volunteers to do Free Promo and Media Coverage, also quit in Solidarity.   My Brother always allowed this Woman to use his Photos if he only gave Credit and didn't pass it off as her own Photography taken... which, she had Stolen some of the Pixs and Credited them to her Photographers, so he said she'd have to Pay him for them then, she could have used them Free if she just acknowledged who had taken them.

He said she also brought in Food Trucks which have nothing to do with Renaissance Theme at all.  Anyway, he said it won't be long before she gets her Wish, nobody comes, and she has her Flea Market instead, which, he doesn't think will make as much Money for her or be as well Received.  He said most of Antique Row in Pomona has Closed now, where he used to have a Space in a Historic Building there.  It still had a Water Operated Elevator, that's how Old the Building was, and lovely.  But he said nobody is making Money there anymore coz the Industry is struggling, it is here too.  He thinks once our Generation Dies Off, the Younger ones won't Preserve anything at all, he could be Right?!  He said the Flea Markets aren't doing well either and aren't what they used to be, even the Renown ones.   

LATER:  Work was steady busy, but folks mostly Buying Pokemon and Silver Jewelry.  With Metals skyrocketing, folks are Buying a lot of Silver and Gold lately as an Investment.   I Wish I'd Invented Pokemon.  *LOL*  I was working with Friends, Brigid, Judith and Yolanda, covering for Sue.   And now found out my Friend Richard had Brain Surgery!!!  He's already recovering AND Working, and showed me a Pix of his Scar, which is Huge, right on the Top of his Head!!!  He only had the Quadruple Bypass Surgery and Liver Transplant the end of last Year!!!  He has a large Bandage Covering it and seems to be doing fine.  But it was very, VERY, recent, and I felt he should have been Home Resting and not at Work working a Shift!  It's too soon.

 So, anyway, the Shift went by fast and I bought a large Danish Thomas Dam Troll from 1977.  It's the same Vendor I bought those other Trolls from recently, she has excellent Prices on them, far below Retail for the Older Vintage Trolls.  This one is unclothed and has long Black Hair down to it's Feet and is about 9" Tall.   I also Bought a 9" 1977 Thomas Dam Troll off E-Bay that has Black Dreadlock Hair.  Never seen one with Dreads {they really look more like they were Caribbean Braided, but, still Cute, my own Dreads looked more like that when they were Baby Dreads}, got it on the Buy-It-Now Feature.  Both are great additions to my Vintage Troll Collection.   The Troll Dealer had a lot of them but only the One I was interested in.   And that one is standing exactly like this one but has Straight Black Hair just as long tho'.

 I don't know how she has so many Vintage ones, unless it's from a Private Collection she's Selling Off?  That happened with another Vendor some Years ago and I Scored some Rare ones from her when she Sold Off an Old Private Collection.   I never those Purchases, you never get the chance to Buy a Private Collection at great Prices of something like that usually.  Many other Vendors vied for those Trolls, few know about the New Vendor coz she has a Booth Upstairs and a lot of Vendors don't Trawl the 2nd Floor much, if at all.  There's many Vendors up there and since Space Rent up there is more reasonable, so usually are the prices of what's being Sold in them.  Entry level Vendors often Rent up there first.

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Blessings, Love and Light from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian