When A Clever Post Title Hook Eludes You

 

Above is the Pix my Friend Giselle took of me buying my stuff at the last Event for The Son {Cig Case} and myself {Mannequin Hand}. Well, after The Daughter being gone for 3 Weeks I can tell she's Home now.  I woke at 3:30 a.m. on a day I can actually Sleep In... dammit... and went to the Kitchen to get something refreshing to drink and it had been Deep Cleaned in the middle of the Night, nice Surprise.  But there were some recently dirty Dishes in the Sink coz she also Cooks and Eats at Crazy Hours and leaves "Clues" and "Evidence" behind.  *LOL and Winks*  I don't mind, coz when she Cleans, it's spotless and she's very OCD about it looking Perfect.  She's a bundle of contradictions like that tho', sometimes when she's occupied a Space it can also look ransacked and scary.  *LOL and Le Sigh*  

So there were some uneaten Carne Asada Ramen Cup O'Noodles on the Counter, and evidence of some Cooking and making something from Scratch going on in that Sink of dirty Dishes as well.  But, since the rest of the Kitchen had been whipped into a thing of Beauty, I'll just quietly do those few Dishes and take one for the Team without Complaint.  *Smiles*  She had also brought Home loads of Treasures, likely items she'd worked out in Trade for who she's been doing Work for these past 3 Weeks.  If they need Help she'd do it for Nothing if they're very Old and Broke.  But, if they have something she could use or think we could, or want, then she'll gladly also work something out in Trade if they don't have Money to offer her for the Work she's done for them.

So, she came Home with some really Sweet "Traded" items coz most of the Old Guys she's Housekeeping and Caregiving for are Scavengers like I am and have Hoarded Up some Good Stuff.  *Smiles and Winks*  She got a Street Sign that she Sweet Talked the Recycle Center Guy out of, he can't Sell them but Gifted it to her coz it's the Surname of Four of her Kiddos.  So, she's Surprising Princess T with it to hang in her Room.  Then, she got a Foot Bath for her Dad and a Blood Pressure Cuff.  And an Antique Canning Jar and Samsung Digital Camera for me.  She loaded up so much in my Truck when I went to get her, no Wonder she asked me to pick her up, she Needed a Pickup Truck, it looked like she was Moving a whole Household!  *LOL*

She now has a Vintage Bicycle with a Basket, Clothing, Vintage Dolls for me to Sell at the Antique Mall or Donate to Charity of what I can't use for Resale.  She'd done the Hair of all the Dolls so they looked newer and dressed them all.  She said they hadn't looked like that when she got them, she'd taken great pains to get them presentable and not like Zombie Dolls and Buck Naked.  *LOL*  I forget what else she was pulling out of Bags and Plastic Tubs she'd thrown into the Truck, it took Minutes for her to load it all up and then unload it once we got Home.  So she had been quite Productive and Resourcement during her 3 Week hiatus from Home.  She rarely comes Home empty Handed and while in Mexico she learned how to Scavenge anything you'd Need or Want... or Create it.

The Pump had indeed gone out for the Irrigation to the Front and East Side Yard in Front, so has to be replaced Today since the Water is coming at Midnight on Sunday/Monday until 1:45 a.m.... whether we're ready to receive it all or not.  So we were scrambling to Test the Pump, The Son removed it, put it in a Bucket of Water, yep, it's Fried and won't even turn on.  The Daughter reminded us Mando had left a smaller Pump and we could use that one until I have the Money on Payday the 1st of August, to get the proper sized one.  But, we couldn't locate it and now she thinks it got taken?   Not by Mando coz he doesn't have it nor did he have any use for it, he got it for us to pump Flood Water out of a Barrel we Collect it in that runs off the Roof during Monsoon Storms.

But she went over to Rob's to see if he'd come and taken or borrowed it?  He claimed he hadn't, but he had our Rake, she got it back, now it's MIA again already.  So, she thinks it is Rob and he, like her Brother, when he's had a few, forgets what he's Borrowed or Loaned.  We're always returning his things that he leaves over here and forgets about completely.   And we've loaned and borrowed so much from one another now that it is difficult to recall what belongs to whom?  *LOL*  I'd rather he ask first so I can tell him if it is something I KNOW for certain is ours and not his.  But I don't even know where Mando Sourced the Pump from and it could have been Rob.  Rob is always bringing over Free Stuff that he thinks I could use or Need, and often it's a Gift to Keep, like that recent Display Rack.

So, what's a Rake mistake when he's Gifted me with an Expensive Commercial Display Rack recently?  He can have said Rake, I have another one I bought to replace it already and just told The Son to keep in the RV Garage Mahal Stored, when he's done using it... rather than Outside leaning up against the Wall.  Most Yard Tools are mass produced and all look the same, so mistaken identity is understandable... is that my Rake... I forgot I Loaned it to them... and if he needs it back then he's just taking it not realizing it wasn't even his Rake to begin with.  Anyway, que sera sera, now I shall HAVE to go to "Tractor Supply Co." Today to get a new Pump and see if I have enuf left in any Account this close to EOM not to have to Charge it?  I may have Deposited enuf from Earnings at the Antique Mall this Pay Period to cover the Cost?

Princess T went to her Boyfriend Rusty's when she was sure her Mom would be here to help me with Irrigation, she didn't want me trying to do it without Help.  She helped last Rotation since her Uncle was at Work and her Mom never did show up but had tried to send Mando to help.  Which, we didn't want and so Rob turned him away.  And since she doesn't Work on Monday Morning or Sunday, she could be available to help me with it again when it comes if I'd needed her to.  Rob says he's available if necessary, since he's doing the Irrigation before we get ours for his Parents anyway.  They always have their Rotation just before we do, and then Manuel, the New Neighbor behind our Property who Bought Laura's Mini Farm, gets their Rotation after ours.  So, The Son has gotten to know Manuel really well already, they are a nice Young Hispanic Family that Bought the place and very Neighborly.

When you have Irrigation you Learn to be cooperative as a Community since it's quite necessary to make the Irrigation Rotations go smoothly with no problems.  So you simply must get to Know your Neighbors, which is a good thing, especially those by you who will be their Water before you and directly after you.  I think Irrigation is a Pain in the Ass, but Water is like Gold in the Desert and distribution of it by Irrigation is a Privilege not afforded to many Residential Properties anymore.  The Water is given Free, you only pay an Annual nominal Fee for the Distribution of it by Salt River Project.  You can Opt Out at any time and some folks are too Cheap, or consider it too much Maintenance and a hassle to Opt In.  Or, some Mini Farms have converted to Desert Landscaping on their Acreages and don't require it now.

I Love having this much Greenery and Pasture coz it cools down around your Home considerably, and looks good, but, to whom much is given, much is required, it's a lot of Upkeep and regular Maintenance.  So a lot of the converted to Desert Landscaping Properties in the Community do often belong to Residents who are Aging Out and can no longer Maintain Pasture, Crops, Livestock on their Mini Farms now.  And some opt to Sell once they reach that Age where it's Too Much now and they have no Younger Generations living there with them or don't have the Resources or Contacts to Hire the Help instead.  I was up so early I got the rest of the Yardwork done before the Sun came up fully so I had a lot of Shade but it was Wicked Humid so I'm Sweating like Hell.  This may require a dip in the Pool to Cool Off.  The Son had raked the Yard so piles were easy to pick up of Yard Debris of Leaves and cut Grass.

The Pump ended up setting me back about $350 even with my LOWE's Military Discount.  Other Stores didn't have the Pumps and we got the heaviest duty all Metal one, some were $159 but Plastic and only Warrantied for a Year, this one has a 3 Year Warranty.  Plus think one is more Horsepower and Pumps more Water per Minute by quite a lot... so is more efficient.  The Son will put it in now, we stopped at a Fav Mexican Restaurant ZAMORAS in Old Towne near where our Historic Home is that we Sold, for Breakfast/Brunch.  Ran into my Friend John there, he's Retired now, he's 71 and had worked for CIRCLE K Convenience Stores for 27 Years but had a Heart Attack, Two Hip Replacements and Back Surgery, so he said it was just too hard to keep going and he Retired last Year when he turned 70.  It was good to see him again, had been about a Year since we had.  The Daughter is gonna Clean the Old Pump so she can get it working again and have it for backup.

So, now everything got accomplished and it's only 10:30 a.m. still!  We brought Takeout Home for The Man to eat.  It's good to have accomplished so much so early.  I got all my newly bought Fiesta Ware put away too on the Display Rack, there were several New Colors I didn't previously have.   There's Projects now at Home I can Work on Inside, now that most of the Outside stuff got accomplished so early before it got stupidly Hot, it's already 110 and it's only 10:41 a.m. now!!!  So I think another Record Breaking kind of day.   I did our load of Laundry so I'm all caught up on chores before Noon.  The Daughter was telling me she talked to her Middle Daughter of the Trio in Mexico, whose completely turned her Life around, she had been the Prodigal Child.  She is now worried about her Older Sister, the Oldest of the Trio there, who has always been the "Responsible" one.

The long time Boyfriend broke up with the Oldest one and moved out, he had been helping with expenses, but, she lost her Job and had to drop out of College coz not all expenses are Paid by her Scholarship.  So, it was the Trifecta of Bad Things happening all at once and now her Younger Sister is worried about her.  She said she's been drinking, which is totally out of Character for that one, she's always been the very wholesome one and took on Raising her Two Younger Sisters and Supporting them after their Paternal Grandma Maria Died and left them basically Orphaned and to fend for themselves when we couldn't get them into the U.S. for me to finish Raising the Trio.  I think the Child is probably on Burnout at a Tender Age coz she's had to grow up so fast and assume so much responsibility and Care of the Family there all by herself really.

Plus, I think I mentioned that their Dad got Sentenced and will likely spend the rest of his Life in Prison now, he never did turn his Life around and was posing Dangers to everyone by his associations and reckless behaviors.  I'm glad he's out of the way but I know it's hard on his Youngest Four Daughters, there is a Younger Child by his Ex-Wife, who is Younger than his Children he had by our Daughter, and all his other Kids by other failed Relationships.  He's left a lot of hardships and heartache in his Wake and came from a very respectable influential Family so I know it has cause them a lot of pain and shame.  There was no Saving him from himself however, that's how it is with some People.  I just think it's been a LOT in recent Years for the Kiddos to Deal with and they're still Youngsters only just blossoming into Adulthood.

I don't know what happened with the Boyfriend, they had been Childhood Sweethearts and Lifelong Friends before they Dated.  He was a good Guy and they seemed to be doing very well together, so this was a Surprise.  And she's not taking the breakup well at all, Young Love on the Rocks is never taken well tho' and I'm sure she's brokenhearted.  This was her first Love really, she wasn't one to Date anybody before him.  I'm saddened to hear it didn't work out for them and that he left her becoz I know she was in Love with him.  But, anyone that can Walk Out of your Life was never tied to your Destiny.  Hard to acknowledge that fact when you're Young tho'.  Sometimes even when you're Older.  Heartbreak is Heartbreak at any Age.  And it's never pleasant to have your Heart broken.

The Daughter has been Cleaning Inside and Outside ever since she got Home so she's gotten a LOT done in just a Day.  I really appreciate it coz it needed it.  She and I swam earlier in the Pool and got a Metal Sign off the Deep End that had blown in during the Storm last Night, which had really strong Winds and Dust.   The Sign had been on the Wall by the Deep End where our Diving Board used to be.  We had the Diving Board removed when we Bought the Home becoz Insurance won't Underwrite the Property with one due to Liability Issues and we wouldn't be using it anyway.  Another Sign had blown off the Wall too, we have Old Street and Traffic Signs we got from Salvage Purchases.  It was so hard and took so much time to get that Sign off the Bottom coz it was in very deep Water, our Pool goes to 10 Foot so we had to move it up the incline of the Pool, which met with resistance to our efforts. 

She Tidied Up our Back Patio, Poolside, and we brought some things inside The RV Garage Mahal from there too.  Tonight when the Irrigation comes I'm going to help The Daughter to do it.   She and Rob got the new Pump installed while The Son was taking a Nap.  She was Thankful for Rob's Help and expertise in installing Irrigation Pumps and he brought a Big Umbrella for them to work under the Shade of.  She did the Cage around the Pump, which is a Mesh Wire Cage surrounding it to keep debris away from getting sucked into it and she'd made a Metal Tray for it to sit on with Mesh between the Tray and the Pump Bottom as well to keep out and strain any debris further.  This should keep it cleaner than the previous Pump, which did show signs of having some clogging over the Years it's been submerged and working in the Ditch.

So, anyway, by Midnight when the Irrigation arrives we'll know if everything is now working fine or not?  *All Body Parts Crossed since I had to spend so much Money I didn't really have to replace said Pump*  Payday can't come quickly enuf coz we're completely Tapped Financially and I haven't even made my Truck Payment yet since I had to use the Money for Emergencies that arose instead, plus the MUCH higher Utility Bill this Month.  It should still arrive on time to pay the Truck Note without a Late Charge by the time we get our August 1st Pensions hitting.  I used to pay everything early, and pay off Loans early, and have most things Paid for, now we're just trying to make the damned Ends meet most Months.   And Emergencies seem to be happening back to back without ceasing, and you cannot adequately prepare for that.  I have an Emergency Savings just in case, but I try not to indiscriminately tap into it or too often.

 

Next Months "Sweet Salvage" Event will fall after my Birthday this Year, sometimes the Four Day Event has fell right at my Birthday, but it's always the 3rd Thursday of the Month for Opening Day thru Sunday when it Ends.  I already bought myself my early Birthday Pressy Online Weeks ago when the Seller gave me a Deep Discount on it so that I could afford it.  I don't expect to do anything Earth Shattering for it, mebbe take myself out for a nice Meal, unless that's something the Family wants to do for me.  Mostly they know a Good Birthday to me means just having some Me Time to do whatever I wanna do.   This Year it does fall on a Weekend, a Sunday, when everyone has the Day Off tho', so I can be Footloose and Fancy Free since I'd have no commitments and wouldn't be taking anyone to Work or picking them up. 

I just watched a good Movie with Dermot Mulroney called RUTHLESS on AMAZON Prime, he's aged well, I hadn't seen him in anything for a long time.  It's kept me up while doing Irrigation since The Daughter and I had to do it, The Son drank too much and then got argumentative so we just told him to go to Bed, he's got Work early anyway, and the drinking is becoming quite problematic when he's depressed and overdoing it.  The last thing you need to do when you're feeling down is do something more of a depressive like Alcohol and I keep telling him that.  I know everything sucks right now pretty much for most folks, but drowning out sorrows at the bottom of a Bottle never works out or improves things.  And I will almost always get Triggered around anyone drinking too much to where they're now acting belligerent or throwing themselves a big old pity party.  I told him this is gonna get him kicked out if he doesn't start moderating how much he partakes coz nobody wants to Deal with it.  But a Grown Ass Adult has to Control their own Behaviors and reap consequences of when it's not Okay with everyone else.

I know he doesn't have anywhere else to go and only has part time Hours at a Minimum Wage Job and no Transportation.   So, I don't want to have to ask him to make other arrangements with no options.  But, if he can't moderate the Alcohol consumption sufficiently, he has to do it somewhere else, not here.   Tough Love requires Tough Calls, and right now I got too much else to Manage and he knows that, so he has to get his fucking Ducks in a Row.  It's upsetting to me coz he does a lot around here to Help when he's Sober, but Alcoholics once they drink, it's just downhill from there with how they are and what Bridges they burn behind them due to their Substance Abuse Issues.  He got Clean but he has been unable to get Sober and it's a Problem that's caused most, if not all, of his other Problems. 

  If anyone has a Loved One battling their Demons and Self-Medicating to do it or numb it, they know it's complicated and the only Solution is abstinence, if and when they can Manage that.  Some do, some don't or never will, but it's up to them... it ain't up to me.  I'm Clean and I'm Sober and I made the Choice not to Drink or Drug, even tho' many of my Friends went down that Road, and even quite a few of my Family.  Every Adult has to decide what NOT to do as much as they have to decide what to do in Life.  If you fail to make Good Decisions on a consistent basis it's pretty much a Given it will Negatively impact Life.  Not just for you either and the collateral damage is perhaps the most damaging part of it, when your own Bad Choices Negatively impact the Lives of other people.  It doesn't even matter how Successful or even how Famous someone is, if they keep fucking up, it catches up to them.  And I have a low tolerance anymore for anyone else's fuck-ups.

*******

When a Clever Post Title Hook eludes you... just say that for your Post Title... Winks... Dawn... The Bohemian