I woke up Saturday Morning to a Sick Kid, Princess T doesn't feel Well and will be calling in to Work. She said it shouldn't be High Drama that she is coz she has Sick Time, but, usually anymore it's still High Drama if anyone misses Work no matter how Sick they are. I'm one of those who feels Human Beings should have the Right to take time off to Heal from Sickness and not risk spreading whatever could be contagious to their Well Co-Workers and make everyone Sick and missing Work. People come to Work often Sick for fear of Employers retribution for getting unwell, as if they had a choice not to. You should never fear reprisals for legitimate illness. Of coarse the fakers and those calling in to Work and taking Sick Days for bullshit I don't approve of, they make it hard to discern whose legit and whose abusing Sick Time.
Anyway, she'll be Home all day and since she doesn't Work on Sunday and Monday, will have Three days to recover from whatever is going on with her. She's had frail health since Birth and has less Sick days now than when she was younger. She has a lot going on with her immune system and her gut, always has. She missed a lot of School due to Sickness too and they were just as fussy about it, sending me Warning Letters if she missed too many Days, even when we brought in Doctor Letters verifying her illnesses or treatments. A Sick Kid can't focus on Learning when they're not feeling well and they could get other Kiddos Sick if what they have is contagious. When you have a chronically ill or seriously ill Child the last thing you needed was pressure from the School System as if you were a bad Caregiver for keeping them Home when they were too Sickly to attend.
I had a Friend named Gail once whose Teen Daughter was Dying of Cancer and she said School did the same while Christina was missing School!!! Even tho' they knew what she and her Family were going thru and that the Child was likely not going to Live. Why make it more stressful for them? Her form of Cancer didn't have a good Survival Rate and was aggressive. So, was her Education all that critical really... I thought not. She Died as a Tween, I would have just kept her out of School to enjoy what Life she had left, School was tough on her as she was undergoing invasive Treatment for the Cancer. The Social aspect of School was the only reason Gail even sent her. Some of her Besties even shaved their Heads Bald in support when she lost her Hair while having Chemo. But I felt the Adults at the School were less compassionate than the Kids during her Fight for her Life, which she sadly Lost.
Of coarse with Employers I think this is why they embrace AI and won't mind replacing Humans with Machines, they don't have to show Humanity to a Machine. They don't have to give it any time off for anything, they can work it hard 'til it breaks down from overuse and then just repair or replace it. No benefits need be given, no time off need be given, no livable Wage is necessary, Machines don't have Families or Feelings. And for most Employers their Profits mean more than their People even now. I get that any Business is meant to make Money, but to lose touch with extending any Humanity towards your Human Employees is Sinful and Shameful IMO. Human Beings are not disposable assets to throw away like Garbage once you've used them up or don't have use for them anymore. How we treat our Sick, Disabled, Elderly, Young, and the most Vulnerable of our Societies is Telling about us as a Society.
We shouldn't have to Feel like Gladiators in the 21st Century just to stay Alive and Survive our Work!!! I didn't expect this Post to go in this direction, but I Hate it when my hard working dedicated Grandchild, who they say all the time is an exemplary and well liked Employee, has to be worried at all that her poor Health will get her in trouble with her Employer, Written Up or Fired. As if she's done something Wrong. She is a Special Needs Adult and I made that clear when her Employer kept imploring me to have her come work for them. Coz I knew it was potentially going to be a problem either with her Learning Disability and Anxiety Issues, or her overall fragile Health and chronic Sickness. But, she needed work and we were transparent about her condition, so, we Hoped it wouldn't be problematic in a big way if she did exceptional Work and proved herself a valuable Asset in spite of her Disabilities. But, it doesn't matter... and it wouldn't with any Employer actually, I KNOW this. They're all the same anymore.
Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be... and all that. Yesterday, White John the OT told us that the VA will provide The Man with one of those Ellipse Fit Stationary Floor Machines to use to strengthen his Legs. John brings his own and it's been really helpful for The Man so I was gonna order one but didn't have the Money for it yet, even on Sale they're almost $300 for a good quality one. That's when John told us his 100% Disabled Veterans can usually Qualify to receive one at no Cost from the VA, just tell them the make and Model he's been using that his Home Health Brings and we'd like to have one to use when Home Health isn't here or isn't coming anymore, to keep his Mobility and Strength up. So, I'm going to inquire at the VA Hospital and his Doctor about getting one Ordered for him.
You won't get info like this volunteered to you by the VA, so you just have to find out by accident and other Sources or Patient Advocates/Civilian Social Workers what he could be or should be Entitled to receive. White John used to be a Social Worker. I've bought some Medical Equipment for him, usually at a Chazza secondhand, that I later find out I could have received from the VA at no Cost! So, now if he's deserving of something they should provide, I will save us the needless expense when I find out about it, and ask if they will provide it for him. Dr. Kline has been really good about ordering things if he knows The Man would benefit from it. The problem being, getting in to see any Doc at the VA often takes Months, so it's not as if you see them that many times no matter how Sick or Disabled you are. The waits are long. And Funding for the VA is getting cut all the time. This Regime doesn't Care about our Military or their Families at all.
Moving On... it's shouting into the Wind to complain about our Healthcare System or the Employment Issues and Economic Woes that plague our Nation. So, I'll now save my Breath. *Winks and Sighs* The Son goes to Work at 8:00 a.m. and then The Man wants to go with me to one of the Mountain Parks while I do Environmental Cleanup, he'll sit at one of the Ramadas with a Breakfast and dine alfresco in the Fresh Air, it will be good for him to get out and move around just a little. He gets bored just sitting in front of the TV and misses doing things with me, so I try to manage outings for him that won't be too much for him. Before it gets Hot and while he's still fresh as a Daisy early on, it's usually a good time he enjoys. *Smiles and Winks* By Sundown, everything begins to deteriorate now, so we do everything earlier now. I didn't used to be a Morning Person but it's a necessity to be one now.
I feel better too if I get an early start and get a lot accomplished before Noon, it feels good and sets a Positive Tone for the day. I'll also trade in our Aluminum Today and get my extra Ten Bucks for filling up my Punch Card with them for 10 Visits. I'll have about 3 Bags worth by the time we do the Park, coz it's a large Park and we swing by the Nature Preserve nearby it too and tidy that up as well gleaning discarded Aluminum that can be Recycled. We usually average around 15+ Lbs. Daily, my Record is 50 Lbs. gleaned in a single Day, but 15-20 is the Average really, it's still a lot when you think about it. Of Aluminum that otherwise would litter the landscape or end up in a Landfill coz it was just put in a Garbage and not Recycled at the various Parks people frequent. Anything Environmentally Positive that I can do I will always do, I just wish more people would be better Stewards of Mother Earth and sensitive of Nature and their Negative impact upon it.
The Man joined me to go to the Park, we had Breakfast there and spent Four Hours, it was pleasant and we were the only ones there the entire time. Which was odd since it's a Saturday and School is now out so usually you see Families there Picnicking and letting the Kids use the Playground area. But, it was deserted. I got a full Bag of Cans there and we traded them in at the Recycle with the other Two Bags I already had, got my extra $10 Bonus $$$ for filling up my Punch Card. Stopped by the Nature Preserve too and did some light cleanup there at the River. Ran into a Nice Young Black Man and his Grade School Aged Nephew, who said he does Environmental Cleanup there too, he Thanked me for doing it, since he rarely sees other Volunteers participating. We talked for quite some time. He lamented we can't keep pace with the litterers and illegal dumping, which, we can't, but every little bit helps.
He said he's trying to get the City or County to give him a Grant to set up a Volunteer Non-Profit Program to do Cleanup there regularly, and Buy a Commercial sized Truck to haul the Trash out and have Money for Bags and Landfill Charges. So far no Luck being Sponsored, funding to even Pay Workers has been slashed for Parks & Rec Services, so I can't say I'm Surprised. Every Non-Profit and Social Services Program I know of has funding issues now coz this Administration doesn't Care about such things and pretends it's all fraudulent and wasteful or abused. While the only fraud, waste and abuse going on is by THEM, for sure!!! Every Accusation by this Administration is a Confession. It's one of the Tells I've always noticed about them, when they're Accusing anyone else of doing anything, you can rest assured it's actually what they're doing or have done, every single time.
I stopped by the Antique Mall and put in the 1972 Doll, she's all I'd Priced to put in to Inventory. It was busy, but not a lot of Buying going on, just becoz a lot of people are there is no actual indication anyone is spending Money and Sales are flat. Real flat, Today is the Close of the Pay Period and unless I Kill it before 9:00 p.m. I'm not even sure I'll break even, Sales are abysmal and only about Three things of Value have Sold, the rest is inexpensive Smalls. The Showroom wasn't too messy, but there were Customers in there so I didn't get in the way, I tidied minimally outside of the Showroom entrance, put the Doll there and just left coz I had The Man sitting outside in the Truck with the Windows down in the Shade of a Tree and with his refreshments. It's too much trouble to unload him, his Walker, and slow walk him inside and Hope there's somewhere open for him to sit down and wait. Then load him back up afterwards.
But, since we had to take The Young Prince into the City to go visit his Dad and Siblings, The Man and I went out for a late Lunch at "Snooze" just before they Closed. We won't need Dinner now, and they had something New on the Menu that The Man liked, a Three Cheese Grilled Cheese Sammie on Rustic Bread with Fire Roasted Tomato Soup... a Favorite of his. I had the Bennie Duo with Fruit, Bacon But Different and an Iced Lavender Latte. The Food there is always exceptional and very Editorial for Blog Fodder Food Porn Imagery. It was a nice unexpected Outing and end of the day for us, since, I didn't know that The Grandson would need a ride to his Dad's. I guess it's Karaoke Night at a favorite Club and also he's going to do some Art with his Younger Brother and Sister at the Apartment. I think Bobby had the Kiddos for the Weekend. I'm glad The Young Prince and his Younger Siblings are getting to spend some quality time together still, in spite of Angie and Bobby no longer being together and him having a Wife now. I guess all the Kiddos Love the New Wife, I haven't met her yet.
The Young Prince came Home early, I guess he got an Uber or something, he said he had an Episode and had to leave prematurely. So, I don't know what happened? I know he wasn't there very long, coz we only just got back a little before him!!! I took about an Hour's Nap and feel more Rested now. I have to give The Man his Night Meds at 6:00 and take my Evening Antibiotic, which I'll be on for 10 Days to rid myself of the Infection that sent me to Urgent Care earlier in the Week. I'm feeling much better but you can't quit taking them just coz you feel better, you have to take the entire 10 Days worth. And of coarse on the 16th I'll have that Ultrasound and hopefully find out what's going on too with the sketchy Ovary mass??? I'm hoping it's nothing to be concerned about, I don't need any Negative Health issues right now. We're overwhelmed already with all of The Man's.
Loved these Bird & Cactus Pixs that showed up in my algorithm Feed Today so thought I'd Share them, the Photography is stunning. Our algorithms sure know what Images we'd like, don't they? *LOL* And the Internet is loaded with fabulous Photography. Some, like these, are telling you who the Talented Photographers are that Shared them Online and are Credited with the Work. Many are Anonymous tho' and probably not Professionals, but still are good Quality Photos nonetheless. Some of us Amateurs now can take pretty decent Pixs with the newer Cameras, which are exceptional Quality and can make anyone's Pixs look almost Professional Grade. I think that's why so many Photography Studios are going out of Business? They used to charge so much too and so it got to be not so affordable to have Professional Photo Shoots done. Even the School Mug Shots got to be pretty expensive, and the School Yearbooks.
My Friend whose on the European Cruise sent some more Pixs too. It was her Oldest Daughter's Birthday while they were on the Cruise and the Staff did this for it with her Daughter's Towels on her Bed. How Sweet is that?!!!! I know that Towel Art is sorta like Origami. She also sent some more Food Porn from Italy {See Below}. She was at some Winery in Rome I think. This is a pretty long 7-Day Mediterranean Cruise and looks like a spectacular one. I guess it runs $700-$1,500 per Person. I think it's the one that goes to Italy, France and Greece. That's actually less expensive than I thought it would be, you could spend that much just going to Vegas anymore and wouldn't include Meals. By comparison a 7-Day Trip to No. 1 on my Bucket List is Bora Bora, and I know that can cost around $5,500-$20,000 per Person... which is precisely why I'll probably never cross it off the List unless I Win the damned Lottery. *Le Sigh* And even a 7-Day Cruise to Hawaii is $900-$$2,500 per Person, so the Mediterranean is Cheaper and more of a Bargain.
The Son woke us up from Sleeping In on Sunday Morning with Breakfast in Bed which was Sweet. However, he thinks of the Craziest shit to serve you for Breakfast and a cut up Hotdog for the Protein I just couldn't do this early in the Morning, tho' the Sunny Side Up Eggs with Cinnamon Raisin Toast was edible. *LOL* He tries... Bless him... and I never wanna hurt his Feelings when he serves up something really Weird that I just won't eat. I do Hate to waste food but that cut up Hotdog is gonna be an exception and quietly disposed of. *Winks* It was boiled and not grilled so, that made it even less appetizing to me at 8:00 in the Morning, and slathered in Pepper!!???! I dunno, he doesn't watch the Food Network very much. In what Universe is a cut up boiled Hotdog slathered in Pepper a requested Breakfast fare?! *Bwahahahaha*
Of coarse he'll eat anything, he's been my Human Garbage Disposal since he was little... he used to eat his Sister's LIVE Goldfish as a Toddler, we thought it was the Cat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *Ewwww, I know, and Freaked Out when I realized it was my then Two Year Old Son!!!* I used to have the Poison Control Hotline on Speed Dial when he was Young coz no telling what he'd eat or drink if he got his Hands on it, Aftershave, Perfume, Potpourri, Soap... you could not allow him in a Bathroom alone when he was a Toddler to about Age 5 coz it was like a forbidden buffet to him!!! Luckily he never consumed anything harmful, but, he would have been that Kiddo who would have so I had Child Safety Locks on everything and Little Houdini, which was his Nickname, would figure out how to bypass all Child Safeguards... by Age 7 he could hack into Computers and was viewing forbidden sites... I once turned on my PC and "Farmgirl Sluts" popped up!!! *Bwahahahahaha*
And by about Age 14 I found his hidden Playboy Magazines under his Mattress. Which my Childless, but Wise, Friend Bess, who I worked with at the DA's Office, told me to just leave there and don't say anything. I told her, but he shares a Room with his Nephew, The Young Prince, who I didn't want finding that, since he was a Toddler at the time and getting into everything. Which caused a lot of contention between him and his Teen Uncle, the Room Sharing, coz of the Age and Generational difference. They grew up more like Brothers. By the time The Son was 18 we now had inherited his Niece, Princess T, to Raise, so had a Newborn in the House sleeping just outside their Bedroom in another Room of the Historic Home. Well, The Son yelled one day, "There's too many Kids in this House Mom!" and without missing a Beat, The Young Prince deadpans, "Well, you're Grown now... so... LEAVE!" *LMAOROTF* Now I wasn't gonna Argue the Point, there WERE too many Kids in that House for Old Folks our Age to still be Raising. We wanted them all gone... but, here we still now are!!! *Winks*
But, the Grandson had been surveying and Eyeballing that Room back then they Shared and deciding, yeah, I could Inherit my own Room with his Ass Moved Out and Gone, that would be a Splendid idea! *LMAOROTF* They still covet each other's Space and vie for it should one or more of them Move Out!!! *LOL* Three Generational Living has been going on a long time for us, it IS an Adjustment in order to go smoothly. *Winks* Granted, all the Adult Kiddos except for Princess T did move out in their Teens and get their own place, as a lot of Young Adults are wont to do and assert their Independence. Then they'd move back, move out again, move back, and now I think they're all here to stay. Princess T is the only one with no delusions about Independent Living being not within her bandwidth to make work on her income, the rest of them roughed it, each even being Homeless off and on when they couldn't afford Rents. Our Door was always Open for them to come Home, so long as they were Clean, that was non-negotiable. So, if they weren't Clean they had to figure their own shit out on The Streets since an Addict belongs to The Streets. And I have a zero tolerance Policy.
Now that MJ is Legal, that's Fine with me, so all the Kids partake of that and their Friends know I don't Care if they all partake. Arizona has been cutting edge about Legalizing Marijuana and even when my Dear Parents were Alive they Signed the Petitions to Legalize it and I do Believe both used it actually near their End of Life when faced with mounting Pain Management challenges. I've never had a problem with Pot, even tho' I don't partake and never have. But when it was Illegal of coarse I wouldn't allow it in my Home back then, but now, it's a non-issue. I think it has therapeutic benefits far beyond what it's being used for and why Big Pharma is afraid of it... it Cures shit and there's less profits to be made in Cures and Good Health than keeping folks dependent upon their addictive Medications made Legal and often more dangerous than MJ will ever be. And speaking of MJ Products, Princess T and Rusty were so Sweet, they showed up Yesterday with Dispensary "Medicines" for my Arthritic Feet and Hands.
They know I don't partake with Edibles or Smokes, but had queried how I'd feel about a CBD Relieve Cream, Relief Rollerball CBD Pain Essential Oil, and Professional Grade CBD Drops in Strawberry Flavor, which, they'd just bought for me and given as a Gift. She Hated to see me in such Pain and it was affecting my Mobility in a Negative way, I ain't gonna Lie. My Doc really didn't have any good News about the Arthritis getting this Bad in my Fingers, Knees, Hips and Feet, so, I was ready to try the Dispensary Products. I haven't been able to even wear my Wedding Band anymore coz that Finger on my left Hand is so jacked up and swollen twice it's normal size. The Tops of my Feet are agonizing some days and tho' I have a very high threshold for Pain, it hobbles me, and I'm down to very few pairs of Flip Flops that I can even wear. I haven't been able to wear Closed Toed Shoes for Years due to the Pain and rubbing it causes. Insulin dependent Diabetics can't risk any Foot injuries from blisters or open wounds on Feet. Or you lose your Feet.
So, that was Sweet of the Granddaughter and her Boyfriend, they were so excited to Surprise me with the Gift and I have no idea what they spent, they wouldn't tell me or let me pay them back. Awwwww. I know just the Pot of this brand of Relieve Cream Online can be $70 tho'!!! The Rollerball $25... and the Drops 350 mg are $40!!! So the Kids spent a lot of their own Money to give me some Relief and Rusty had to Buy it coz she's not gonna be 21 'til late September. She's excited that then she can Buy her own, coz it helps with her extreme Anxiety and a lot of the Health problems she's had since she was Born, she's Sick a whole lot less often since using MJ Medicinal Products. Her Brother uses it for his Schizophrenia, as does the Daughter for her Schizophrenia. The Son says it helps with his Autism, Adult ADHD and Bipolar I condition.
I'm a Witness to all that and I've been told it could help with The Man's Dementia. Israel has been using it for Alzheimer's with proven results, I watched a Documentary, it was fascinating. Some Stage 4 Cancer Patients have used it and enjoyed Remission too. It is helpful for those with extreme Seizures. Anyway, even if the Feds never Wise Up, I Hope all States eventually will and Legalize and Regulate it everywhere. Funny thing tho', becoz I have long Dreadlocks, people have always assumed I partake and even at the Dispensaries, have never Believed I don't whenever I took any of the Kiddos there to Buy theirs. They'll ask me, if I come in with the Kiddos, are you coming for Recreational use or Medicinal use and the Kiddos will say, Oh, she doesn't partake... and Staff will Smile slyly and say, "Yeah... RIGHT..." sarcastically, not Believing that AT ALL. *Bwahaha*
The Stereotypes of Dreadheads abound and you will be profiled just due to your Hairstyle. There are those who are even convinced we don't wash them!!! *Ewwww* All of my Dreadlock Products are wonderful and infused with Nag Champa scent, which layers with my Essential Oils I've always used, tho' they come in other delightful scents too. The Products I use are by "Dollylocks" and last a long time, a little bit goes a long way and I keep a backup stock in case they ever discontinue the Nag Champa Scent, which is the only one I use. I'd rather have a stockpile of what I have always used, plus over the Years prices or sizes change due to inflation. You used to be able to buy 16 oz. of it, now 8 oz. is the largest size for about the same cost that 16 oz. used to be almost a Decade ago. I probably have a Lifetime supply stockpiled.
*LOL* I'm ordering a Dreadlock Hook this time around tho' coz my Grandkids wanna practice learning to do the Crochet Method to do my Maintenance gratis for me and Loc in my stray new Hairs to look tidier and not so Wild. *Winks* Above is what newly Crocheted Dreadlock looks like, when mine were still Baby Dreads. I want the Kiddos to Crocket brand New Dreadlocks of any New Hairs I'm growing coz getting down to 15 Locs from 60 was too condensed I realize now. Over 9 Years I let a lot of them Congo coz they didn't stay Microdreads and now they're very thick and long I needed them to be phatter, stronger, and not so many of them. But I let them Congo too much and would rather have around 20-25 Locs if I can get the Kiddos to Crochet some new Dreadlocks among the Mature ones now. I've been taking Supplements to prevent Hair Loss so I've got lots of New Hair Growth now that hasn't yet Locked In to any Dreadlock and could form their own Loc instead. The Kiddos can't mess up, the Hair will still be there whether the experiment works or not. *LOL*
I started out using a few different Products specifically for Dreadlocks, which is important so you don't build up residue using regular Hair Care Products. I settled on "Dollylocks" Liquid Shampoo, Refreshing Spray and Bar Shampoo as all I'd ever need, didn't need an Itch Product as it turned out, coz I've never suffered from that, and "Lockin Up" Product was good but hard to Source and now I can't even find it Online anymore. I think it was a small Cottage Biz to begin with, but, an excellent Product, too bad it didn't last. Most Local Stores don't carry Dreadlock Lines, just Black Hair Care Product Lines and that doesn't work with Type 1 Hair even when you have Dreads, I don't have Type 4 Hair so it wouldn't be best for my Hair Type and Texture. My Hair Dreadlocks exceptionally well tho' and close to the Roots, which was unexpected.
My Mom always used American Black Hair Care Products tho' and thought they were Wonderful. She couldn't get them in Europe and used to Iron her Hair Straight, coz Mom had very coarse and nappy Hair Texture. My Grandson, The Young Prince, does too, his Great-Grandpa being a Black Puerto Rican, so Black Hair Care Products worked best for them both. I got my Dad's Native American Texture Hair, my Brother got Mom's Texture of thick coarse Hair. And his turned Silver like hers did by the time they were in their 30's. My Dad still had Blue Black Hair when he Died at 74 and my Hair has stayed mostly its Natural Color in Old Age. It's gotten Lighter as I've gotten Older, going back to the Color I had as a Child, which was unexpected. I still get a lot of Young People telling me they Love my Hair, Dreadlocks tend to be very popular among Young People as a Hairstyle they just Like, regardless of what Race they happen to be, I get equally complimented by Young People of various Ethnicities. I never got compliments on my Hair before having Dreadlocks, so it was New to me to receive compliments on my Hair.
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I think I did too much on Saturday coz I felt quite spent on this Sunday Morning, so it may end up being a "Recovery" Day... Dawn... The Bohemian
WOW! That is the longest blog I've ever taken the time to read!! Thanks for a very interesting "rant"!!
ReplyDeleteI do go long. *LOL and Winks*
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