Okay, so, I never really kept a Diary to incriminate myself of my poor judgment and misspent Youth, it's just as well. *Winks and Laughs* It might have been quite Scandalous and Salacious, given Mi Vida Loca. *LOL* But, it is a clever Blog Post Title Hook that can reel ya in, No? *Bwahahaha* I'm rather Proud of myself for finally thinking up a Clever one, during a Nap, no less, when it came to me. Who knows Why I was Blogging IN my Napping Dream Phase of unconsciousness, but, I was... *Smiles* The Dream World is a Strange Place indeed.
I'm waiting on another Roofer to come give us an Estimate on Repairs, made it clear, Repairs, not a whole Roof Replacement. I even dug the Shingles out of The RV Garage Mahal that match said Roof, so there's no excuses, they could use them if they like, that's what we have them for, Minor Repairs until such time as a New Roof is necessary, Hopefully after I'm long Dead. *Winks* Now if something will last a Decade longer, I'm Good, coz, that's probably all I'll Last too. *Bwahahahaha* Princess T said if the Repair Bill is agreeable to me, she'll cover it and I can then pay her back, that's a Relief.
I overslept Today coz Princess T was Sick so I didn't have to take her to Work and had dropped The Son off at Work before 5:00 a.m., so I just went back to Bed. And didn't Wake again until 10:30 a.m., but felt ever so much more Rested. Right now both The Daughter and Princess T are Asleep coz neither of them feels good, Jeeeeesus I hope they're not coming down with another thing contagious to give to us Old Folks? That is always higher risk with Multigenerational Living for the Seniors of the Arrangement.
The Son's Black Eye looks terrible, but he has a good Story at least for how he got it with an accidental Head Butt at a Concert, by a Teenager. Note to Son: At 40, don't stand so close to any Mosh Pit. *LMAOROTF* At least it apparently was a good Concert and worth the Black Eye he got while there. And, it either makes him look like a Fighter and really Tough Guy not to mess with... or someone who mebbe Lost a Fight badly... depending on what conjecture Strangers might come up with on the Canvas of their Imagination and on The Fly? *LOL* They'd of coarse draw a different conclusion if he was a Woman.
And no Male in the Household would wanna be seen with her lest he be accused of being responsible. It's a sad commentary of Society, but, I Confess a Gal with a Black Eye I'd instantly think she was a Victim of DV too. But a Guy, I think totally different Thoughts about how he got it. Anyway, he got quite the Shiner from that Teen's back of the Head crashing into him when the Teen got forcefully pushed. And the Teen seemed more hurt than The Son was coz The Son has a very hard Head, he's been told that before. He has a Head like a Mountain Goat apparently and a thick Skull. *Smiles*
My Navajo Wool Rug already dried out by this Morning, which was Surprising given how Humid it was, and it doesn't smell funky at all either. Still no idea how Water got in on the Floor in that one Corner near the Side Door of The RV Garage Mahal tho', but, at least I see no Roof leaks on the Interior, which was my main concern. With the intensity of these Storms I really have concerns about Property Damages that will continue to be caused by them, which is why I won't file any small Claims against our Hazard Insurance. I'd wanna Save that for any major Claim that might happen.
My Bones are still paining me with all this Weather, so my opportunity to hit The Gym this Morning never happened, I was too fucking sore by 7:00 a.m. to go. Mebbe later Today after I know what a Roof Repair is gonna set us back? Or at least have a better idea of having a Professional doing it anyway. The Cost of everything now seems absolutely outrageous and out of control IMO. Seems a lot of price gouging and exploitation is going on in all Industries lately and there's so little Regulation to prevent that kind of Victimization of the Consumer. And to be Fair, our Government is shaking down Businesses too now like Mobsters and Extorting them, so they pass that along to the Consumer.
But, enuf of all that, I'm stretching for a more Uplifting kind of Post, I know, you can hardly tell that, but, I am trying to, that's all I can do. *Ha ha ha* My Pasture is very Green from all that torrential Rain the Desert normally wouldn't get that much of all at once. So, that's the Positive Part of all the Flood Waters... Greenery... the Desert comes Alive after big Rains, it really is impressive how fast it does take advantage of something it rarely gets. There are Tadpoles everywhere, some Desert Frogs and Spadefoot Toads actually can imbed themselves for up to 2-3 Years in Desert Soil in dormancy... called aestivation. Pretty remarkable Creatures and their adaptations to living in a Desert.
Roofer just left, we liked this Guy, he's the one The Granddaughter got a good feel about too. The damage is extensive and Photos verify it, close ups and The Son said, yeah, this is a big job, not a small one, we have now filed an Insurance Claim. This Company will work with us so we don't have out of pocket expenses and will cover our Deductible. The type of Shingles up there aren't being made anymore, so that was verified and I suspected might have been the Truth, we have had them for over Six Years, shit gets discontinued and improved constantly within that Time frame, not so unusual.
Dealing with our Mortgage Co. was frustrating, they only use Bots, but our Hazard Homeowners Insurance still uses Humans, so that went well. Now I've got a Claim started and an Adjuster will call to give us a Date to meet with our Roofer and discuss all the Insurance stuff required. We'll get a new Roof out of this much damage, I wouldn't think there is any doubt about that and especially given the swath of damage to our Community that this was a Major Storm with huge amounts of significant Storm Damage. We've had Days of it now and Crews are overwhelmed with the amount of Work needed for Emergency Repairs and such high demand for Immediate action to prevent worse damage and Loss.
Our Guy just got back from Kansas where he was repairing Tornado damages and said to him this didn't look like usual Arizona Monsoon Storm damage, me either. We both think it was more than a Microburst either due to the duration, and swath of damage mile radius from Buckeye to Glendale. Like me, he thinks it's a Tornado that touched down and we don't usually get them here, but the damage he's seen reminds him of the Midwestern States Tornado damages he sees all of the time, particularly in Kansas. He said those with Spanish Tile Roofs had Tiles fly off and get blown thru Block Walls!!! No Haboob does that. I've lived here since 1974 in the Valley and the Weather lately has been atypical and highly unusual for a Desert.
He's been doing Estimates in all the Neighborhoods around us including his Ex-Wife's Home which is where he was at when I called him, assessing her damages in the Lakehouse Subdivisions just to the West of ours. He said of coarse his Ex called him first when she got Roof damage and we joked that one of The Man's Brothers is a Roofer but he's in Utah so we didn't call in a Favor for him to come out, or we would have too if he was Local. *Smiles* I joked that at least his Ex thinks a lot about his Quality of Work and Expertise. *Ha ha ha* He said, well, I think mebbe she wants a Free New Roof too... he could be Right? *LOL* I find out so much about People I first meet, the Kiddos say I'd make a Fine Investigator coz folks open up to me and tell me stuff voluntarily and easily. If I wanna know your Story, I'll get it out of ya. *Smiles and Winks*
Anyway, when I saw the extent of the damage up there we're fortunate and Lucky we don't have Flood damage too really, inside the Structure, coz it tore a shitload of Shingles off in large sections and along the ridgeline and edges of the roof. Many others were bent back but didn't break off and fly off, so a Repair would not cut it, it does need a full replacement, dammit. But, they gotta do what has to be done, you can't argue with the carnage of an Act Of God, it can be and often is significant. And I expect our Homeowner Insurance to now cover it. We maintain our Property well and the Roof was fine before this Storm. I see many of our Neighbors also lost Roofing. So he could get a lot of Work just around here.
So, that's at least some closure about all of the Storm Damage and what has to now be done. And we don't know how many more Storms will rip thru this Season either?! So, I do Hope we can get the Roof done before the next one hits? The Son talked to the Roofer and got a good Feel that this Guy knows exactly what he's doing, so did I. The Roofer said a lot of the Industry now is filled with Salesmen Types who Subcontract all of their Work and don't do any of the Work themselves or even know anything about Roofing Materials or what's required. The Son asked him significant Questions and got straight and qualified Answers... we do grill our Contractors to know if they're the Real Deal or just some Big Company's smooth talking Salesmen. And that's Why I do put folks at ease right away coz I'm Scoping them Out without appearing like I am. The more they Talk, even casually and without being On Guard, the more I then know about them... and if they're a Bullshit Artist, Conman, or Liar. *Winks*
He was saying he's had complaints from people already about the Scammers coming door to door after a Storm with bullshit Quotes and questionable integrity and backgrounds. It's a shame Consumers have to do so much due diligence to avoid being Victimized by some Scam or exploited during Emergency situations where their Properties have damage and they've already been traumatized by catastrophic Weather that was scary. The past Three Storms have been that kind of scary, I told the Family to stay away from the Windows, I really questioned that there might be loss of Life or Serious Injuries over these Storms and not just Property Damage!
It's only 5:00 p.m. and we're getting another fucking fierce Storm coming in from the South and it looks ominous as Hell. I just Hope the Roof on The RV Garage Mahal holds up and doesn't leak where it's already damaged and I guess it doesn't matter if more Shingles blow off since it is having to be all replaced anyway. At least if the Insurance approves everything... you never know with Insurance Companies tho', so I hold my Breath until we get a Thumbs Up that they'll cover everything. Time is of the essence since these Storms are one right after another, I don't know how fast they can and will put a new Roof on, but I want it done Right and this isn't the Ideal Weather to be Re-Roofing a large Building like that. So, I'm pretty Anxious still, I'd Hoped we'd get a break in these severe Storms hitting incessantly. We're getting more Water each time in One Day than Arizona usually gets in a whole Year, so the Ground also can only absorb so much of that before it can't and won't anymore and then you got Flooding happening. And overly saturated Ground won't let Trees Root Systems weather high Winds either.
So, we're bracing for yet another really Bad Storm that looks imminent before Dark this time. I'm Reading my Andrew Yang Books, I'm not an avid Reader, I usually like Books with Visuals, like Decor and Cookbooks. But Yang really interests me in the Political Realm and makes a lot of sense and would be great in a higher position of Leadership. If America wasn't still so prone to Racism and Misogyny then Intelligent Competent Women and Minorities would do better Politically to be in our Top Leadership and displace these Rich Geriatric White Good Old Boys who are so out of Touch, Pander to the Elite, and much too Old and stuck in the Past, but, we're not there yet and won't be in my Lifetime, that much is fucking clear. It bothers me but, folks keep Voting them in, so... they get what they Vote for.
.webp)
So, the above Two Books is what I'm currently Reading, I'm enjoying them, it's a good Read and some Celebs I respect and like were part of the Yang Gang, so I was in good Company apparently. I do Hope that by 2028 we have a viable 3rd Party to Vote for so that us Independents of every persuasion have someone to Vote for instead of these Two Parties that aren't doing a damned thing for any of us. We make up more than 50% of the National Electorate now that aren't Partisan, so we should have a stronger Voice than we currently have in our Politics. And a Candidate of our own to Vote for who isn't a Democrat or a Republican, or any mutant version of either that is now being Created and is an abomination like MAGA.
I never did get to The Gym, what with Storms looming, it didn't seem sensible to get out there in it and take a risk later in the day. So, I'm determined that Tomorrow I do need to go. Sunday is my Birthday in Real time and I've wasted half the Month already with no visits to The Gym I'm paying a Membership at, which is just foolishness and wasteful, and I try not to be or do either of those things. I'm frugal, so I don't Waste Money and have a low opinion of those who do squander their Resources. However limited or abundant your Resources are, be responsible with them. I had to Debt Counsel too many folks who weren't financially responsible, in my 1st Corporate Life, running Collections, Foreclosure and Bankruptcy Departments for Major Financial Institutions.
Foreclosing on many of them, or watching them File Bankruptcy, and some made Big Money, it didn't matter, and it was never how much they made that was ever the problem, it's how much of that they kept and didn't squander. Donnie Two Dolls has squandered epic amounts of abundant Resources... his and everybody else's. Anyway, I'm intrigued by the concept of Universal Basic Income for a lot of reasons, most of which are based on the Future and what it likely holds for many everyday Americans and what they'll be up against and facing. And America can afford to implement it, they could right now in fact. Since they squander way more Money and Resources every fucking Day in our Government, so it's a matter of Priorities and not even thinking about Solutions to looming Problems we'll all be experiencing sooner than later. And there's a whole Laundry List of reasons why keeping the Average American as broke and indebted as possible helps Richer Elite Folks exploit and take advantage of them more to get even Richer.
Anyway, there's ample debate about many viable Solutions to existing Problems. Some will be For or Against, whatever... but I just know what's happening NOW isn't fucking Working for most Average People. And if you're not part of a Solution then you are part of the Problem, that's a Given. So, something better Change and be Tried that is Solutions Oriented, and I'd suggest fast. When folks are losing everything, they become desperate people, and desperate people do desperate things... and given nothing left to lose, that = Dangerous! That much I definitely know, not just for Observations made during Corporate Life #1 as a Bank Executive in Departments Fixing Problems to protect their Assets as a Lender on defaulted Loans, but especially from Observations made during Corporate Life #2 working for one of the largest DA's Offices in the Country. I saw what Desperate Dangerous People are capable of... it ain't never Pretty.
In Real Time, with only 3 Days to go 'til my Birthday, even tho' this Post won't Publish 'til Month's End, I haven't even given any Thought as to what I Plan to do for this coming Sunday actually? Usually Birthdays, mine especially, are downplayed coz I don't really have a Need for much or a Want to have it be made into a Big Deal either. I prefer spending my Personal Celebrations Simply. I know, someone "Extra" like me, you might be Surprised to hear that, but it's True. I prefer Simple Pleasures, always have, probably always will. What I consider an Ideal spending of a Day and Blissful, is probably not what most of you would ever align with and think we'd just be Kindred Spirits in the doing of it together and be equally Content with just doing that. *LOL* It's the one similarity that The Man and I Share tho', even tho' we're exact Opposites in every way, we Enjoy the same Quirky Ideas of an Ideal and Blissful Day and what we'd enjoy most doing together. We're both Weirdos like THAT.
Doing Simple Things that make a Small Positive Difference in the World, or just my Community, or for Nature at Large, for me is always most Enjoyable as an Activity. Anything I do as a Volunteer I know is something I'm Purposed to do, coz I don't even Care that I don't get Paid to do it. I was very Successful in the Corporate Grind, and very Ambitious from an early Age to make Money, as much as I could as easily as I could, but, only becoz it Bought Options. I don't really Care so much about the Benjamins as I did about the Options it offered, and that's just a partial reason Why the Universal Basic Income Concept does Appeal to me and Intrigue me. Imagine if you will that every American over the Age of 18 had at least a measly Grand of Financial Security Monthly, how that could Buy them more Options and alleviate some of the usual Stressors of what they Earn or how they Earn it?
Those already Successful or Financially already Secure or even Affluent, it just Empowers them a bit more, but those who are struggling, it Empowers them a LOT more. In our Family of Six Adults it would be Six Grand a Month MORE, which definitely shifts Life in a more Positive direction and Buys way more Options than exist right now. And Frees them up to pursue some things that they otherwise might not pursue for lack of Opportunity, Resources, Circumstances, or just Fear of Risks and thus stuck with Settling for less. For the Marginalized of Society is Buys some Security. For those with an Entrepreneur Spirit it's Seed Money. And for those naysayers that say, what about Lazy folks? What about Squanderers of Money? Hey, Lazy, Stupid and Squandering Tendencies will happen no matter how much or how little you have... coz that's just Who those type fucking ARE. A Grand isn't gonna Fix that, but it's a Grand more they will be putting back into the Economy some kind of way by Spending it. You'll make of it what you will... or what you won't.
But if AI does indeed eliminate 40% or more of Jobs, as they project it definitely will, do you really want 40% more of the Population with NO Income, no Job Prospects or not getting Retrained, and Destitute, Stressed Out beyond Measure, and Desperate, I fucking don't! I'd rather everyone at least have a Grand a Month coming in so they can Eat and mebbe find the basic Essentials to Survive, and accept whatever other Employment is still available without worrying so much about what those Jobs Pay or if it's being offered Full Time. Anyway, mebbe YOU have a more viable Solution to upcoming Problems, that we can explore and be Intrigued about together, I dunno, but I'm listening right now to folks I know who are Smarter than me, were way more Successful than me, and who at least have some viable Solutions to existing Problems. Coz Problems aren't being Solved at all right now, that's for damned sure, and what's in place Governmentally, isn't even thinking about Solutions at all either for any of us. They're mostly Creating the Problems.
*******
Well, enuf Bitching for One Post... Smiles... Dawn... The Bohemian
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