A Downplayed 37th Anniversary Around Illness Limitations & Caseworker Visits

 In Real Time it's still the 18th, our Anniversary, 37 Years, he still tells folks he'd of done less Time for Murder.  *LOL and Winks*  After The Young Prince's Caseworker leaves I'll probably go pick up a little Cake to Celebrate it here at Home, since, The Man is not feeling good yet and not bouncing right back after having had this Surgery.  His other Two Stents he had Surgeries for not that long ago, he didn't do so well after either.  So his Recovery Time is just longer now after something requiring a Surgical Procedure and anything implanted.  He's a high risk Patient even when having Elective Procedures done, like a Colonoscopy, so they just don't do them anymore unless it's Life Threatening to him.  The risks being too high according to every Doctor we've known.  He's building quite a Collection of these Stents!!!  If you have 3 or more of anything, it's Officially a Collection.  *Smiles*

Found out Irrigation isn't coming Today but will be coming at Four in the Morning on the 23rd... Splendid... Four in the damned Morning... wading around in the Dark, up to our Calves in Cold Water.  The Son has been doing it for me since his Sister and Mando are gone, and he's been doing the Yardwork.  But, Mando took all his Equipment, so now I've got to invest in a Weed Whacker.  The John Deere cuts the Pasture but around the edges you need those Trimmers.  I can't recall if the Hedge Trimmer was ours or his?  I did tell him to remove everything of his off our Property so we wouldn't have any reason for him to be on our Property without an Invitation to be here.  And there won't be any of those for several reasons now.  The Daughter will know she's Welcome to visit Family any time but she can't Live here if I can't trust that she's Clean.  If you're in The Life, don't come around even under the influence of Drugs. 

 I don't count MJ coz that's legal in Arizona and I've never personally had any problems with MJ users anyway.   And even at the DA's Office, I never processed a Single Case where an MJ User had committed any violent or serious Crimes, as a demographic they're usually Chill and too relaxed to commit Crimes.  Alcoholics are more problematic than Potheads and Alcohol causes more Social Problems and Crime related incidents than someone who uses Weed.  I don't partake, but now being Legal and regulated, it's even less of an Issue IMO.  Some may disagree with that opinion, we can Agree to Disagree.   It can be a Gateway Drug to those Individuals who are chasing a higher High, if you're that way inclined tho', you'll probably end up doing worse things anyway in Life overall and wreck your Life regardless of whether you ever were an MJ User. 

 The one thing I liked about MJ was, if someone Used, no matter how much or for how long, when they wanted to just Quit, they just Quit, without complications of any kind.  That said, even Prescription Drugs can be difficult to just Quit like that and can get out of control if abused or misused in any way.   More Addicts have been created by prescribing Pain Management Meds in particular, as a Gateway to becoming a Drug Addict.  So, I'd think more incidents happen under Prescribed Medications and lead to Illegal Drug Use from what Doctors Prescribed, that is Legal.  That's exactly how The Son and even The Man got hooked on Prescribed Opioids their Doctors ordered for them Legally, due to Work related serious Injuries.   And then they had a downward Spiral of being hooked.  Now both of them are afraid to even have a Surgery coz of not wanting the Pain Management Meds prescribed Post-Op.  They don't wanna relapse.  They'd rather be in Pain. 

Anyway, I have no Idea when The Young Prince's Caseworker is coming, he didn't put a Time on the Calendar and so I guess it could be anytime?  Sometimes Caseworkers just show up, so, I am rather used to that... they can be somewhat like someone's Parole Officer in how they monitor their Cases and their Clients.  *LOL*  I had asked him if he needed any assistance with his Room and he said he didn't, and his Friend Sadie had come over again, so did Bree, and he had both of them Help him with it too and so it might be okay for a Caseworker to ask to see, I dunno?  He's completely out of Nutritional Assistance he Qualified for from New Mexico now, so he will need to be enrolled in Arizona's Nutritional Assistance Program.   The Son had been Approved for 90 Days but only actually got 44 Days worth before it just ended, we know not Why?

He only got $49 for January, full Benefits for February, none for March.  It should have run thru Mid-April to actually be a full 90 Days worth of Assistance.  But, he really doesn't want the hassle of going in again in Person, they never help you at all in Person.  Then you have to try to get thru by Phone, which, NEVER happens either, for Months now he hasn't been able to get a Call Answered whether he calls right as they Open or allegedly when they Close.  He was told by a Caseworker, on the Sly, that they quit Answering Calls at 4:00 p.m. even tho' they're Open until 6:00 p.m. so technically should have been taking Calls for those last Two Hours!!!  Good to know so at least you're not wasting Two more Hours of your Life Daily trying to get them to answer a Phone Call they never will!  The only way he got what little Assistance he received was them FINALLY, since November, giving him a Date THEY would call him!

They didn't even wanna do that, but since he'd been trying since November, unsuccessfully, and it was already February, they relented and gave him a March Date to Call him instead.  Then they said he'd have the Assistance Loaded to the Card they sent automatically, reduced amount for January {who knows Why since he first tried to apply in fucking November, then December, then all of January too}... but they did give him full Benefits for only February.  Why they cut off March's Benefits when they'd said it was Approved, we don't have a Clue, but I can't say I'm Surprised.  This Regime is so Cruel they've cut Nutritional Assistance, the School Lunch Program, and numerous Assistance Programs for the Neediest Americans and America's Children, with the Spin it will Save Taxpayers Money... so they can then spend a BILLION DOLLARS A DAY of Taxpayers Money on an illegal and unnecessary War in Iran... go figure!!! 

If you can do even rudimentary Math, it doesn't take much Academic Acumen to know how many Americans a BILLION DOLLARS A DAY spent on our Citizens instead could do in the way of Good!   Rather than being a Warmonger who wants to Play going to War like it's his personal fucking Video Game and make him feel Tough and not so much like the Cowardly Draft Dodger who wouldn't actually Serve during Wartime when it was his Duty to his Country to.  Faking Bad Feet, definitely won't be sending his Sons or Daughters to Fight or to Die in this one either.  He's one of those Shit Talkers who makes other people back up his reckless Mouth and Fight his Fights for him.   And, to be sure, he has a Loyal Devoted Following who will gladly be Weaponized, so, I say, send them first to Fight in this War.   Some might even Support that!?

 All the most Devoted MAGA, the ICE Agents, should run to be Signed Up and Sent over to Fight his War of Choice, to show how Tough and Patriotic they really are for their Boy's Bad decisions.  Then I'll Believe they are REALLY Down for him.  Martyr for a Lost Cause Down for him.  Cult Devotion Down for him and willing to Die for everything HE, their Cult Leader, Believes in, or says he does, or makes more of a Grift off of... whatever.   When all of them have been Sacrificed, then, perhaps the Cult will finally be disbanded, as most Dangerous Cults have gone the way of in the Past, when their Cult Leaders Wheels have gone completely Off and they've been willing to Sacrifice every last one of their Followers.   How many American MAGA will voluntarily drink the Kool-Aide when that Time comes?  And eliminate a Future for their Children and Grandchildren?

  And any who did Escape and managed to Survive never have a Good Thing to say about what they got caught up in and now know was exceedingly dangerous and completely Mental.  Often Mental enough there were Child Sacrifices made.  And when the whole Epstein Scandal blows and is exposed, I won't be Surprised that already hasn't happened.  I've mentioned it in previous Posts, but a Friend I once had when I was in my 30's was a Gal named India who Escaped Jonestown when she was only 14, by running into the Jungle of Guyana and risking Death that way instead.  Her whole Family, including Younger Siblings, drank the Kool-Aide of Jim Jones, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.  India said near the End she knew he was Insane.  And she was only a Young Tween, but could discern that even tho' Raised in The Cult of The People's Temple. 

 She knew for sure he'd be the demise of all his Followers and anyone else he didn't Value the Lives of or would try to Stop him or Disagree with him, and we all know how horribly that Ended.  She said many Followers were fearful of leaving, knowing he'd have them Killed if they tried, that's how Cults tend to Work too.  You know you're in one when you try to Leave and what happens then... it's predictable.  Some have left MAGA and NOT Good things happened to ALL of them.  We're in that Territory with this President.   And it's very dangerous Territory, if you can't discern that by now you better Wake the fuck up fast, coz not being Woke means being Asleep... and far too many are Slumbering and trying to minimize the collateral damage happening daily.  Mebbe becoz it hasn't yet hit them full force, but, it will.

Our Caseworker for The Grandson, Caitlin, was excellent.  She brought a large St. Mary's Food Box with her for him.  She got him an Appointment with Social Security for a Disability Evaluation for SSI and at DES for Nutritional Assistance, Health Insurance, Prescription Coverage for his Medications and Mental Health Insurance.  Since he has Seizures she is suggesting when his Insurance gets Approved, his Primary schedules an immediate referral to a Neurologist.  He was on Seizure Meds but has run out, he's only got enuf Psyche Meds issues from New Mexico Coverage for about another Month, then he's out of that too.  I was pleased with how quickly she lined everything up for him and we really liked her.  When she knew our whole Family Situation she could see why we really have Need of Caseworkers for each Individual, it is too much for me to juggle.  Especially since it all already caused a Stroke last December.

When you have a Caseworker, all the other Agencies take your Case a lot more Seriously.  Social Security was surprised that since he was diagnosed as SMI since Age 7, we haven't had Help from them before.  We have applied, both when he was a Child and as a Young Adult, but didn't have a Caseworker as effective as this one Assigned to him, so were Denied each Application.   She did say sometimes you have to hire an Attorney to push it thru and just pay them the 25% or more they charge, which, is a shame, but sometimes it's a necessary Expense so you just don't get nothing and no Help, ever.  So, if he is Denied, then we fully plan to pursue it Legally this time, I kind of Over giving Social Security a chance to do the Right thing by him, he's almost 26, is unemployable and very ill... if he didn't have us, he'd be forsaken by Society and our Nation completely.

And I do understand that Services often are delayed or Denied depending on whether your Disability is Flavor of the Month.  Some types of Disabilities get loads of Funding and Services, while others are delayed or Denied any Services, despite extent of their Disability or severity of their Need and Condition.   Developmental or Physical Disability often gets the most Services and Serious Mental Illness often gets whatever is left over, or, none at all.  And there's no Cure, so, whoever has it, will have it Forever, so it's not like things will ever get better for them and how they Survive or even Exist will somehow improve.  To withhold Treatment and Essentials like Food, Water, Shelter and Care is just Cruelty and Inhumane.  We'd do better by a Domestic Animal that didn't have Food, Water, Shelter, Care or adequate Treatment.  I'm an avid Animal Lover, but, these are fellow Human Beings we're speaking of.

After his Caseworker left and we got everything on the Calendar, I went and got my Shopping done since we did get our Social Security Checks on the 18th.  I got less in my Check than any of the Social Security Letters I've been receiving say I should be getting.  So, perhaps that's why they keep also separately sending me Refund Checks now?  I enjoyed Photographing the Bakery items while Choosing what to get for our Anniversary Celebration.  I settled on one of the Fruit Mousse Cakes we all have come to prefer and Love, a mini Chantilly Cake, a Cream Puff, a Spinach/Strawberry/Feta Family Salad, and some Blueberry Muffins.  Everyone at Home should be able to find something out of that they would like to have and Two Cashiers came  up and told me how good everything in my Cart looked!  I get that a lot. 

 It's funny how many people will comment on how good what I Buy looks, or how Healthy and Fresh... as if they don't have the same Options of Choice!   I'll often get folks with Carts filled with Junk Foods and other Processed Foods, look in my Cart and mention how Healthy and Good it all Looks!!!  Well, you're here too, so, you can go get some of that in Aisles ______, ________ and __________, I didn't get the last of any of it.   And you're Right, it's really good, decent value, and mostly a Healthier Choice.  *Winks*  The Two Cashiers who came up to my Cart at the Self Checkout and told me how Good everything I was Buying looked, were Surprised at the Low Cost of some of it... and they WORK THERE!   The HUGE Spinach, Strawberry, Feta Family Salad also comes with Two Dressings and can easily feed 5-8 people, for only $9.99... for Example.   {See that Salad Below}

 The Blueberry Muffins were half price, since Bakery Items often go on Sale if not Sold the Day they're put out... and if you go either Before Closing or right as they Open and peruse the Discounted Bakery Rack they always have.   A lot of Deli Items also reduced in the same way, and saves you a lot of prep times and is invaluable if, like me, you're not a good or particularly Talented Culinary Jedi and Suzy Homemaker Domestic Goddess yourself.  *Winks*    I made us an Anniversary Dinner at Home since he wasn't Well enuf to go out to Eat and I wasn't feeling that great Today myself.  The air was heavy and it was 101 Degrees by only 2:00 p.m., so, just staying inside and using what we have was just the Wisest thing to do.   I made Baby Carrots with Baby Peas, Garlic Herbed Baby New Potatoes, and El Pastor cubed Beef with Fresh Cilantro grilled in Greek Olive Oil.  Then we had some of our Fruit Mousse Cake for Dessert.

The Food Porn is pretty Eye Catching, and even what I didn't Buy, looked wonderful and I told the Head Baker there at "Safeway" what a spectacular Job she's doing.  I was watching her Decorate a half Dozen Cakes at a time and she does it so fast it's unbelievable how Artistically Fabulously she manages to make them and so quickly!!!  That's skillful.  And they Taste as good as it Looks.   So, even tho' we didn't do anything for our Anniversary due to circumstances, which had to make the Anniversary part of the Day be Downplayed and worked around his Illness limitations and Caseworker Visits... it wasn't too bad and he's Happily watching his Shows, even tho' he certainly doesn't Feel 100%.  I still don't have a Callback yet from the Cardiologist Office or the Kidney Doctor's Office either, so that all still has to be Scheduled.  They are supposed to get him in within 5-7 Days after Hospital Release for the Follow-up, so that's on them, I've made contact and done my part.

The Calendar is filling up fast too with everyone else's Appointments and I'm the only Driver with a Vehicle here, so... whoever sets shit up first with us gets Calendar Priority.   It is rather overwhelming and a lot of Time spent at Hospitals, Doctor Offices, Pharmacies, Social Service and Government Agencies, Caseworkers coming to the House, ad nauseum.  Even ONE visit to any of those with ONE Loved One is usually Enough, but, times MANY visits with more than ONE Loved One is Too Much and thus just a LOT.  I'm glad that "Sweet Salvage" has their Event Tomorrow {Thursday} and I do plan to attend for some "Me Time" to step away for a Day from all the Seriousness and Hoop Jumping of it all.  The Theme is called "Show & Tell" which is a New one, so no Idea what that signifies really as a Theme or the Merch offered for it?  Even after viewing the Sneak Peeks on Social Media, I'm still not sure what the Theme signifies?  And it's still looking Pedestrian or 'Crate & Barrel' to me for the most part.

I only found One Image I Cribbed and then Edited to Crop the part that I Liked of the Vignette.  The rest really wasn't doing anything for me.  Nor was there anything particularly intriguing to me that would be anything I'd be Tempted to Buy.  I don't Need to Buy anything, so that's not problematic, the Budget right now isn't Liberal enough for me to spend anyway.  I'm hoping that in Person I enjoy it more than the Photograph Social Media Coverage of it, which underwhelmed me.  I know a lot of Work is put into every Event, that's not the Issue, what is being offered is just not my Aesthetic or that Interesting to me anymore.  I could go into most Big Box or Import Shops and find any of it, so, I wouldn't have Need to Source it at an Event, it's mostly mass produced, not particularly Unique, and readily available.   

Most Handwork of pieces is being Imported from 3rd World Countries who do a good Job, but, I don't require spending a lot to get it from Major Importers rather than an Event or from a Small Business or Designer and pay much more.   So, I am finding myself losing Interest and the last couple of Events I've attended I noticed a lot of Regulars are now conspicuous by their absence, they don't attend anymore and they have for Years, so, I doubt I'm the Lone Ranger in my Sentiments?  The Industry has changed, in fact, everything is changing and not a lot of it is changing in the most Positive ways now.   So, it's stagnating the Economy in many ways and making Consumers feel uncertain about America and our Future... or even the World's Economic Stability and Partnerships between Nations being at Risk?

I do want to Feel more Encouraged, but, I'm NOT Feelin' it, at all.  I did Source Two Bagged Lots of LPS Toys, first time in a long time I'd been able to do that.  They were at The Granddaughter's Chazza and she picked out about half of them, falling in Love with an Old Collectible all over again.  She now regrets how much of what she's Sold Off of her Childhood... and like most of us... is now Buying some of it back.  *LOL*  It's Okay.  I'll make enuf off the Sale of the rest, now we have a Locked Case we won't have the Loss Prevention Issues we previously had of how many LPS Collectibles got Stolen.  I had to take them out of Inventory for well over a Year due to Theft Issues being off the Chain.  Shoplifting is at an all time High in all Retail Establishments.  

 

 And Prosecution of these Thieves is at an all time Low, and it shouldn't be.  So many do it in the Company of their Minor Children or Vulnerable Elder Adults, which is a Felony then and bumps it up from being a Misdemeanor.  So many are Stealing high Dollar items, making it Grand Theft, not Petty Theft.   And many, I'm quite sure, may have been Repeat Offenders as well.   And there should be consequences for Criminal Activities 100% of the time to not encourage it and embolden Criminals, making it easier for them to Victimize their Victims.  And rest assured, there are NO Victimless Crimes.  We all pay for what Criminals create in the way of Losses from their Victims being ripped off and Victimized in other ways, it Costs us all as a Society.  And not just a little bit, it Costs us all a LOT.

I really try to keep things in perspective, I know so many Dear folks are going thru so much more than we are, taking things One Day at a time, and I think about them often.   I was so glad to see Blog Friend Shirley back, tho' moving thru a tender and unbelievably difficult time and enduring an unspeakable Loss of a Child.  I worry about my Blog Friends each time I know any of you are going thru some unimaginable Life Issues.   Life can and often does just hand us a lot to Cope with, Deal with, Recover from as best we can, if we even can.  Sometimes I just have to take a Deep Breath and then Exhale slowly, to attempt to Restore my Calm.  I think I had a bit of an Anxiety Attack later Today, after I got thru everything and then was trying to cobble together an Anniversary Dinner.  I almost burst into Tears when the shitty Modern Can Opener wouldn't Open a Can of Peas!!!  Yep, after all I've Coped with a been thru without shedding a single Tear or even Feeling Emotional about any of it... I almost broke down when a Can of Peas wouldn't Open!!!  *LOL*

The Man heard me Emotionally Yelling at the shitty Can Opener and Can of Peas, so came hobbling in, Wobbling like a Weeble, with his Skull of Death Cane... and opened the Can for me with a Fork, peeling it back from the part the shitty Can Opener had managed to cut.   The Son came in, hearing the Melee, and me almost sobbing over my Anniversary Dinner that was really being cobbled together badly.  He began helping me finish it up, it all got eaten and it was good, but, that was Lucky, considering the Emotional Wreck I felt like and Physically then not feeling 100% either coz I hadn't eaten well all day and hadn't been able to get The Man to either.  And with the Temps already exceeding 100 Degrees, I can't do much in the Non-Climate Controlled areas now, or Outside, so it's put a lot of Projects on premature Hold and it's not even Officially Spring yet!!!  Allegedly it's still Winter!!!  Some places are still having Blizzards, we got it being 101-106 already in Mid March!

Above is the One Image I Cribbed from the Event that Opens Tomorrow.  I Cropped it to show the Middle of what had been Photographed and held a little Interest for me.  I like the Vintage Glove and Shoe Forms, the Vintage Seed Boxes, Old Metal Rack and Loving Cup turned Planter.  The Seed Boxes intrigue me most and have been present at previous Events, they're priced too high for my Modest Budget or I'd Buy at least One.  To put my Packets of various Seeds in for Storage and easily finding them.  I have some Vintage Glove and Shoe Forms already and plenty of Loving Cups.  That one looks Newer than what I Collect in the way of Loving Cups, but I do like the unusual Green Color of some of those Vintage Shoe Forms.  Mine are mostly all Brown, I have a slew of them.  

If it's gonna be up over 100 as they predict it will be all Week, I won't wanna stand in any Lines being Hot tho' or have to Park in the Lower Forty... so, we'll see if I can find Good Parking or not closer to when the Doors Open?  If not, then there's other things I can Opt to do Downtown instead so as not to have made a wasted Trip with the ridiculously High Price of Gas.  You see, at almost Five Bucks a Gallon, I'm not doing any Recreational Driving around, there has to be Purpose behind every Trip now so I'm not Wasting Money we don't have.   There have been times that if an Event is too Crowded, no Good Parking, and the Weather too Hot, I just abort the Mission and decide it's just not worth it to me.  I'd like to go but if it's too much of a hassle, I don't mind NOT going either at this point.

 I feel many potential Customers feel the same way now about spending their precious Time or their limited Money when the Economy is as shitty as it is right now.   What happened to the Promises he ran on of No Wars, America First, and Lower Prices and thriving Economy on Day One?  *Huge Eye Roll*  Yeah, his Base have been truly Conned by their Career Criminal Bullshit Artist President.  I don't know how many of them are just too Embarrassed and Ashamed they've been Played so will never admit it and pretend all of this Fuckery is just Fine with them?  Or, how many actually are Fuckery Supporters and it is just Fine with them so they're not pretending at all... they're as Bad as he and his other Enablers are.  You'd be Surprised sometimes how low some folks will go that keep it on the Down Low usually.  But now feel emboldened to just be horrible and abhorrent Humans too, coz their Cult Leader President is, so now they feel like it's somehow Acceptable and perversely 'Patriotic' or even 'godly' in some demented way they have Invented to justify it.

I won't give such folks the Time of Day now, they're too fucking Far Gone, it's a waste of Time or Breath to engage with them, it Creeps me Out actually.  I can see what and who they just are now, and don't want any part of it.  There's enuf decent folks to engage with who still have a Moral Compass, content of Character, haven't compromised their reputations or shown Extremist Views, and haven't boarded that Crazy Train of the Ugly Underbelly of a corrupted segment of Society, where the Wheels have now come completely Off.   Those still aboard, well, whatever happens when that Train Wrecks and has ample casualties, I won't and can't feel Bad about it.   They've caused way too much collateral damage to decent and innocent people, being complicit in all he's done... they will have reaped what they have sown.  I got enuf to Deal with so I just won't Deal with any MAGAts too.

*******

Trying to stay Cool in the heating up early Arizona Desert... where late Winter temps are insanely well over 100 already... Dawn... The Bohemian