I've Been Me A Long Time

 I'm staying about Two Weeks Plus Unpublished Posts ahead consistently now and enjoying that new way of Blogging.  Some went Long, but I sometimes can manage to Shorten a Post, I'm still a Work In Progress for not being so Extra and being more Basic.  *Winks*  Since I do this primarily for my own benefit and enjoyment, I don't really Care if anyone Reads it, just enjoy the Visuals then during a Visit.  I know a little bit of my Muchness goes a long way, I've been me a long time.  *Bwahahaha*

I'm dumping Eye Drops into my Eyes coz the Storms have stirred up a lot of particulates in the Air apparently.  So my Eyeballs are itchy and gritty, flooding them with Eye Drops is somewhat helpful in order to see what I'm doing and not be rubbing my Eyes and so uncomfortable with how they feel.  I've got "Triple Relief" in "Clear Eyes" right here at the PC, Two Bottles of it in fact!  *LMAO*  I have another Bottle of it in the Truck, some by each TV, Stock in Eye Drops should go way up due to me alone.  *Winks*

Back when my Medicare Advantage Plan, when we could get UNITED HEALTHCARE to cover Veterans in Maricopa County, used to allow is $50 each in Non-Prescription Pharmacy Needs, I stocked way up on items that otherwise would be out of Pocket expenses, but necessary.  I do miss that feature, since HUMANA offers a different benefit of giving you some of your Medicare Premium back instead.  HUMANA Medicare Advantage Plan is trying to step up their Game lately, we initially had problems with them, considerable ones.  I preferred having UNITED HEALTHCARE actually, but they did Veterans in our area dirty by involuntarily refusing to Insure us now.  They said Veterans of this huge County were not "Profitable" enuf!  Not that we have access to the best Healthcare or Insurance we all deserve and should be a Human Right, but, are we PROFITABLE enuf to Insure?

And of coarse our whole Healthcare System is based on how Profitable you are, not how much they can provide the Best Healthcare to any of us.  Which is precisely why we really need Healthcare Reform that would catch up to what damned near every other Country provides to their Citizenry.  Yet America, the Richest Country on Earth, claims they can't Afford!  *Eye Roll and Bullshit Called Out*  Please, give me a Break... it is easily Affordable to America, but Profits mean more to them than the American People and our Health do, that's the Real Reason, let's not patronize the public by pretending otherwise.  Even some 3rd World Countries now have National Free or way affordable Healthcare for all.  While in America if you can't afford Healthcare or you get too Sick and aren't Profitable anymore, you're on the Hurry Up And Fucking Die Program!

Anyway, so HUMANA has been doing way better recently and so that is good news at least.  We had our Annual Healthcare HUMANA Nurse Show up.  Her Name was Sandy and she was Ex-Army, we really liked her and she was very thorough.  Then HUMANA called to follow-up on Sandy's visit and ask if they could do anything else for us.  We're Good really, the VA has also stepped up their Game for The Man's Care, so I can't complain at all right now, everything is better than it was or had been with our Coverages.  So, some are improving their Standard of Care and for that I will give them a decent Review... I don't just put places on Blast here, if they do Good, I'll tell you so.  *Winks*

Gas is up to almost Six Bucks a Gallon locally, at some locations you can still get it barely under Five... still higher than the National Average, as Arizona usually is.  So I'm intentionally not doing much Driving or much Shopping, and that is never good for the Economy when en mass we all start doing that.   He's crashing this Economy and will Bankrupt the Nation as surely as he's Bankrupted Businesses he poorly ran too.  So long as he enriches himself and stay out of Prison for committing his continuous Crimes, this is how it's gonna just be.  Our Government shouldn't be so impotent to stop one Geriatric Cognitively Declined 80 Year Old Crazy Dangerous Man IMO.  We look Weak as Fuck to the rest of the World when we don't or can't!!!

The early Storm missed the West Valley so I was able to go to the Antique Mall after all and put my Inventory in.  I'd started this Pay Period out Strong and ended last one Strong too, so will get a decent Check and Sold some higher end Merch for a change.  Whoo Hoo!  The Showroom was a a bit messy, but not too bad.  The Customer who'd asked if they could get a 15% Discount if they bought both Plush My Lil Ponies only bought One and the Cashier gave them the Discount anyway, which wasn't what I agreed to and they shouldn't have, but, whatever.  They bought the White One which was getting dirty being knocked over all the time on top of the Locked Case and I'd rather Sell the other one at Full Price anyway.  So, no harm, no foul.

  Paid Staff mess up like that a lot tho' and it gets some Vendors upset when someone makes an Offer on certain Terms of a Bundle Buy you Agree to, then only takes One item and wants the Discount anyway.  That wasn't what you Accepted and they should call you back with a different arrangement if the Customer changes their Mind, but I know most Customers do it on purpose, it's not accidental.  It was busy for a Monday there actually.  And I'm pleased the better Merch is Selling and not just the nitnoid Smalls.  I'd Sold almost all the Pokemon Plush Figures I had so I've got to bring more of those in.  And I brought more Pokemon Cards, still have a lot to price and look up tho'.

We went back to the BBQ Restaurant and got their Special, which is 5 different Meats, 3 different Sides for $44!  {Leading Images of this Post} Everything was exceptional, we got Brisket, Burnt Tips, Chicken, Two Kinds of Ribs, Onion Straws, Sweet Cornbread, and Corn Nuggets.  It fed all Five of us in the Family and there's still some leftovers.  A Guy from Texas was there at Opening and he's a BBQ Guy in Texas so said he's fussy about BBQ when he's Traveling, coz it's what he does for a Living too.  I talked him into trying theirs, coz he was waffling and about to leave before the Doors opened.  I told him he could Thank me later.  He showed us Pixs on his Phone of his Brisket and Ribs, looked fantastic and Texas is renown for their Pit Masters and BBQ, that I know.  So, I Saved them missing out on his Sale, and he ordered a lot.  If I like a place I'll promote it and give good coverage to the Business.  I think we all should support not only our Fav Businesses, but especially our Small Businesses.  They're really hurting right now coz of this vile Cabal of Vulgarians driving prices way up.

Above is The Daughter as an Infant, we used to call her Buddha Belly.  *LOL*  All of our Kiddos were swarthy when they were Babies and during Childhood... me too... we lightened up as we got Older.   She was a Cute Baby, so was Princess T.  The Boys, not so much, they grew into their Good Looks.  *Smiles*   Anyway, I took The Man to Sonic for a Mini Milkshake too and we went and did Environmental Cleanup, well, I did, he sat in the Truck with the Windows down, it was a blustery day and really pleasant to be out in.  He did really well until he didn't, he began getting Sundowners by 3:00 p.m. which is predictable and right on time for him to go downhill Emotionally and Behaviorally.  He started Crashing around with his Walker, bashing into things.  We had a Delivery on the Front Porch when we got Home and he's bashing into it with his Walker and kicking the Box!  WTF?!

I tell him, Honey, don't do that, what if it's Fragile, you're bashing Hell out of it and drop kicking it, you might break whatever is inside it.  Well, it's in my way and I can't get past it he whines angrily!  Well, if you let me pick it up first, then it won't be in your way and you won't get so frustrated or have to manhandle it.  He insisted then on picking it up himself, was blocking me getting to it, since him and his Walker take up the whole damned Entranceway... Eye Roll and Big Sigh... and he's holding it so precariously I know he's gonna drop it and grab it just in time before he does!!!  Oy Vey, I don't know what it is but I Hope it is well Wrapped?  *LOL*  This is how he gets by Midafternoon every day, and so I usually put him to Bed early coz it won't improve as the Night wears on.  And I don't wanna get Cross with him, I like to go to Bed on great Terms with Loved Ones.  My Welsh Nanna said never to let the Sun go Down on your Wrath.

He was good all Morning tho' and the earlier part of the Afternoon, so it was a Good Day together overall getting him out and having a Fun Time.  When he wasn't having Fun anymore is when I call it a Wrap.  *Winks*  When he came Home crashing around, Yelling Angrily and slamming Doors is when The Son asked if he'd been like that all day?  I told him No, but it's Sundowners Time now, so, he needs Time to settle down, calm himself, and watch his Shows before I put him to Bed around 6:00 p.m., so we only had about 3 Hours to Deal with the Negative effects Dementia just has on the Victims of it and their Families.  It can be a tough row to hoe even if you've previously had experience, which I had, with my Mom.  She was about the same as The Man is, at about the same Stage of the Disease actually.  She could live Independently longer than he's been able to, given his TBI required Full Time Caregiving long before the Dementia set in. 

Anyway, now he's Home and parked in front of a TV with his Programs on, he's mellowed and in a Room by himself so nobody is inadvertently annoying him.  If you're Living and Breathing, that can sometimes be Annoyance enuf with him!  *LOL*  In fact The Niece I have in Texas whose been the Caregiver of her Dad with the onset of Dementia said it's only been Two Months and she just can't do it anymore.  She's not getting the Emotional Support from her Siblings and her Dad's Family either, they're critical but not in Caregiver Mode at all... easy to be an Armchair Critic when you're not in The Game.  So, she's cutting and running and dumping him in their laps now.  He's very Unlovely and Mean, can be Violent.  Since they pretend to have all the Answers and are so critical of the Care she's given him and all she's done for him in just a couple Months, which is considerable, she said they can now just take over, Peace Out.  

She's helped him Financially and to have his Living Conditions improved by about 1000%.  She said where he was living was substandard and unsafe, Veteran's Services {allegedly some Veteran Advocacy Group which I think is Suspect and Predatory personally}, put him in a Rat Trap of an Apartment and charging him $500 a Month for their Services... all very Suspect.   She's spent about $11,000 in Two Months on him to bail him out of a lot of Bad Financial decisions he was making for himself, her Sisters and his Siblings claim he's still competent enuf to make decisions, when, he's clearly NOT.  And becoz they've fought her all the way and been on his "Side", she feels like it's too stressful for her to continue, I agree, it's taking a Negative Toll on her and even with the best of Intentions, if someone refuses your Help, and other enable them, you might as well Tap Out and dump it on them then.  She's never been close to her Dad, but she pities him now he's Old and not doing well.  She's gonna come see us soon.

 

Above is One of The Other Nieces {Middle} with her Son and DIL... I was her Coach when she had my Godson.  She was a Teen Mom and Single, and her Mom, who was one of my BFFs, didn't think she could Deliver her Grandbaby, so they had me come in and sub for her.  She was there, but was Freaking Out, so it was a good think I filled in.  We joked that I came to Deliver them some Chinese Food during the Long Labor and ended up Delivering a Baby instead.  *LOL and that's True, I had no idea they'd rope me into being the Birth Coach and helping Deliver the Baby!*  He was always a Beautiful Baby and grew into a Handsome Young Man, he's a Life Flight Paramedic now and they live in Texas, his Mom now lives in Florida, she's an IRS Attorney, quite Proud of them both.   I also was the Birth Coach for each of The G-Kid Force when The Daughter had each of them.   So, I've helped Deliver at least a half Dozen Babies.  

This Granddaughter made that Eyeball Crocheted Rose and is trying to find it to send to me, she Creates a lot of Special Effects Makeup.  The Pix is when she still had her Beautiful long Hair before she got the Crazy "Wolf" Haircut that just made me think she'd gone all Brittney Spears.  *Smiles*  The Young Prince said it's Popular and Trending in some Circles that don't mind looking like Freaks.  And, I think that is the Look she was going for... so... to each their own!   Why a Pretty Girl would make herself look unattractive with a really hideous Haircut, I can't fathom.  But, she had said she didn't WANT to look Pretty and I'm thinking to myself, well, that'll do it!!!  *Bwahahahaha* 

 I withheld Commenting coz it's her Hair, it's just Hair, temporary, and I got Dreadlocks down to my Ass, so, I won't stand in Judgment of any other Hairstyle someone digs and wants on their own Head.  I've seen some pretty Cray-Cray Hairstyles I think are hideous, but some of them became quite Popular in their time!  Remember Mullets, the Edgar, and Porn Mustaches?  Dorothy Hamill Hair, Big Mall Hair, and the Soccer Mom Haircut?  All absolutely Hideous... *LMAOROTF*  Anyway, she just celebrated a Birthday and got herself another Tattoo, or Two.  The Chest Piece isn't done, but she got a lot done in One Session. {Above}  A lot of Family, on all sides, have been heavily Tattooed and Pierced for Generations.  My Native American Grandmother had numerous Tribal Tattoos all over her Body and multiple Piercings long before it was Mainstream to, outside of Tribal Communities.  I remember when I got mine it was still Illegal and you had them done in the back Rooms of Outlaw Biker Motorcycle Shops.  *LOL*

That Granddaughter also painted her new Wallet.  She's very Creative and Artistically inclined, many Family Members also are.  I haven't let on that the Granddaughter Sisters back East aren't getting along coz I don't know the whole Back Story and don't want to get involved or take 'Sides', I'm as Neutral as Switzerland coz my Relationships with every Grandchild and Child are good and I wanna keep it that way.  *Smiles*  They have to sort their shit out between themselves by themselves, I just find it a shame anytime Family Members are Estranged, for whatever the reasons.  But, often they don't have Conversations, they have Arguments, and then everyone is on the Defensive and nothing gets Worked Out.  It's more Important for them to be Right than to have Peace I guess???  *Eye Roll and Sighs*  I instructed every Kiddo the Four Words to shut down anyone confrontational and argumentative works like a Charm every time:  "YOU COULD BE RIGHT."   

 I will not Argue or get Engaged with a Confrontational person who clearly now has little control over their Emotions, Words, or is too Passionate about whatever it is they're losing their shit about... so, those Four Words END it immediately and I just Walk Away.  Problem Solved. It is always my Hope that Family can move past their differences, communicate rather than argue, and reconcile when and if it's possible to.  Now, that's not to say all Relationships can or will be Healthy ones, and if they aren't, then I Support their decision not to have exposure to that, even with a Family Member.  If a Relationship has turned Toxic, I fully understand disengaging.  The Son wasn't Surprised his Nieces are Feuding actually, so mebbe he knows more than I do?  He's not much Older than them coz he was a very Young Uncle, so they tell him more.

Princess T apparently REALLY Forgave Rusty, coz he's taking her out for Dinner somewhere Nice and she's dressed up, dolled up and looking Sexy as Hell... so, clearly he's been Forgiven.  *Winks and Smiles*  The Son and The Man both Joked that it's worth a brief Breakup to have a Makeup like that.  *Bwahahahahahaha*   I do not think that Young Man will risk ever calling her Crazy again and have The Crazy Train go Wheels Off Rails and run his foolish Ass over!!!  *LMAOROTF*  It was a spectacular huge Full Moon tho', I must say, and so I'm not Surprised at all that the whole Household was boarding The Crazy Train during it... all aboard, Aye, Aye, Aye...   And in this Familia we don't dispute being Crazy, just don't be Fool enuf to Trigger it, or Taunt it, or pick a Fight with it, and think that is remotely a Good Idea, or then Safe to be YOU, coz it won't be, that's all.  Princess T is so Shy and demure, so Quiet and Introverted, so Tiny and Harmless appearing, that folks forget her Dark Side is very, very fucking Dark.

Anyway, I'm glad the Kiddos are now Good with each other, her being Heartbroken would have been Bad for us all for a long while until she Got Over it.  If a Breakup is on HER Terms she's Done and Moves On Quickly, Swiping Left... if it's NOT tho', oh Hell.  *Smiles and Sighs*  And I could tell it had shook the Hell out of him.  I thought he was actually gonna Pass Out from having a Panic Attack and being out in 106 degree Heat too long, desperately searching for her in heightened Anxiety Mode and Fearful if she was Okay and he'd be responsible if she was not, so I thought I might have to call for Paramedics.  The Man was trying to Talk him thru it to Breathe and drink some Water.  It's why The Son told him, Dude, it's Okay, we'll go try to find her and contact her, just get a Grip and be Okay, Alright?!   We were worried about her too, but staying much Calmer and not hyperventilating or almost Passing Out.  In this Family we have Mental Health Crisis all the time so we're more used to it tho' when any one of the Family goes Psychotic and Off Rails, doing Crazy shit.

She'd scared herself a little bit I think, for how Psychotic she got, especially when he tried not to let her leave his House... and she knew she had to, coz she wanted to hurt him and leave so she wouldn't.  I do that, if I have someone being too Confrontational with me and they won't back down or step off, and have made me so Angry I go dead Calm... now I know I MUST leave becoz it will escalate to a level they might not be Safe when I Snap.  I would be Calm and quite Unemotional when I Snap, so they likely would have no idea how much Danger they could be in if they don't let me Walk Away and come back to Center and Balanced.  I prefer to have rational, respectful, decent Exchanges with anyone and everyone... if that isn't possible, I don't want the Exchange at all coz I know it could become a Trigger and go Sideways and Off The Rails completely.  She's Learning that too, which is good.

A Blast From The Past of me with my Retro Friend Jenny.  She's the one who had Five Grand worth of her Merch Stolen that I told you about and the Police wouldn't do a damned thing even once she herself found the Perps trying to hawk it on "Offer Up" and notified the Police that they could Solve the Case... and they wouldn't.  They suggested SHE Contact and approach the Criminals and ask for it back or Buy her own Stolen Merchandise back, can you Believe they'd even tell someone to do something that damned risky and insane!?!   So I don't think she got any of it back, and she easily could have had they done their Job and taken the Crime Seriously.   Jenny is also a Cancer Survivor, so she's been thru an awful lot in recent Years and yet is still the most buoyant Spirit and always Smiling and Upbeat.

And The Daughter, Rob and Jason just got back from the Scrap Yard where I turn in my Aluminum Can Recycling and they Scored us a Hammock for Poolside, another Schwinn Bike in Jazzy Boho Colors, and a Weed Eater.  Tomorrow Rob is going back to Score some Guttering to put up on our Back Patio so we don't have so much Flooding with these torrential Storms and it can divert the Water off the Roof onto the Pasture instead.  He's getting it for the price of Scrap, coz they all now know the Owner of that Scrap Yard really well and Befriended him.  He's been good to us too... he gave Princess T a Big STOP Sign once as a Gift.

You can see our Pink Oleander Bush Poolside got ravaged by the Storm that Wrecked the Roof of The RV Garage Mahal, we had to cut a lot of big limbs off it and will now have to re-shape it and perhaps drop it to Block Wall Height, cutting it back to give it symmetry again.  They grow back like Weeds so I'm not worried about it.   I Love Hammocks, we used to have a big White lovely Macrame one that was also self standing, but it finally got too weather worn to be safe to lay in.  This one is Canvas and folks up and is easier to move around.  Our Macrame one was on a big Tubular heavy Metal Base and didn't have the Cup Holder.  This is also easier to get into and out of.   I'm going to put a Pillow on it and enjoy laying out there on it in the early Mornings or Evenings now.

I'm concentrating on making Home just where we spend more and more time as time goes on.  I think during Pandemic I realized I enjoyed being Home even tho' it was Lockdown, it never bothered me as much as I thought it would or might.  In fact, I got used to it quickly and then didn't wanna go out anywhere or be around a lot of other People and how hectic and less Serene the World can be outside of the Sanctuary of Home.  I Love our Home and we just have immediate Family and an Inner Circle of Friends we enjoy that are ever here, which suits us just fine.  Of coarse the Younger Generations Socialize more than we do, we did at their Ages too when we were Young or Middle Aged.  So, most of the Guests invited here are their Friends now, or our Neighbors, with just a few who are closer to our Generation or even Older than us.

I already got Friends asking about the new BBQ Restaurant we have been going to so I linked them to the FB Page RSBBQ Avondale, AZ.  I included some of their Promo Pixs further down in this Post so get you salivating some more with Food Porn.  *Winks, you're Welcome... or... I'm Sorry???  LOL*   So many things on their Menu I now wanna try like the Two kinds of Pork Belly Bites.  And I wanna run thru all of their Sides too eventually.   The Man now wants me to Buy him one of their Hats, it's Baseball Style and he always wears Hats, but usually they're Military Graphics, but he is Obsessed with Hats and Collecting them.  To the point we did have to go thru his vast Collection and Edit it to get it down to a reasonable amount he actually will and does wear.  Coz he's gotten some Odd ones that I couldn't for the Life of me figure out why he wanted that Hat of some Company we never heard of, never did Business with, and wasn't even aesthetically interesting.  *LOL*  I noticed with the onset of Dementia, he has some very Odd Obsessions now that he gets Fixated on.

Like the Obsession with Fishing Equipment, yet, when The Son and all his Friends or our Neighbors would agree to take him actually Fishing, he never wanted to go.  He likes the IDEA of Fishing now, not the actual DOING of it anymore.  He was such an Avid Sportsman I thought he'd Love the Idea of being Invited to still do those things.  But the few times we insisted he go, our Neighbors, Friends and Family said it went very badly and he wanted to be Home and became agitated and difficult for them, so they had to abort the whole thing and it wasn't a Good Time.  In fact, it ruined what the rest of them had intended to go do for Fun and nobody was having Fun anymore having to Deal with him.  Ah well, so, now he gets excited if we go to the River or one of the Manmade Lakes at the various Parks and I find him any lost Fishing Lures.  He's like a Kid at Christmas to even Score a Lost Bobber!  And if they have them cheap at an Antique Mall, I pick up a few for him for his vast Collection he's built up.

The Grandsons said they'd be arriving late, so didn't make it last Night. No idea how much later, but driving safely is all I want them to do, it's no marathon to get here at any particular time.  So, I'd rather they take all the time they need since Allen has to do all of the driving.  All that The Young Prince said was some Stuff came up and they'd be leaving New Mexico later than originally planned.  Kids are vague when it comes to what Stuff means?  *LOL*  OK, Stuff... got it.  *Smiles*  They try to keep Texts Short for me coz they know I go LONG in response, like my Blog Posts.  *Bwahaha*  Just tell Gramma Stuff came up.  And then they know I'll just respond with the big Thumbs Up Emoji.   *Ha ha ha*

All the Halloween Shows and Events are starting by next Week, since in Real time it's the 1st of September, which to me means, Fall has finally arrived!  Yay!!!  I have so much written on my Calendar now to remind me what's on TV or what Events are Scheduled around the City.  It's my Favorite time of Year, September thru November.  October is my all time Favorite Month of the Year, but most of the Activities are in September and it may begin cooling off too this Month some.  I can't wait for my Utility Bill to go down, it came in this Month damn close to $600 and I know we're not using almost double the Electricity, so I also know those Data Centers all opening close by are responsible for the big rate hike for us Residential Customers.   And I expect Water Bills to go way up too due to them.  I do Hope they all implode Economically and lose so much Money they have to shut them all down, coz Public Outcry and Political Pressure doesn't seem to be swaying the Powers that Be or moving the Needle to benefit the Public.  They never asked Residents about building them in their Communities, they just did it.

I can't afford Utility Bills over Five Hundred Bucks every Month, this I know.  This Month the Utility Co. put a Flyer in there asking if you need Help with the Bill, so they know this is gonna spiral downwards quickly when people just can't pay the Bills.  In a Climate where if they turn your Utilities Off you could Die from the Heat, they have liability issues pending if too many folks die, especially if it's Children and the Elderly or Disabled of us.  So, I'm waiting for that Penny to drop... and they aren't making Pennies anymore, as you well know.  *Winks*  Some of the Coin Vendors are already Selling Rolls of the last Year's Issued Mint Pennies for quite a bit of Money!  And some Stores won't even take Pennies anymore as if they're no longer Legal Tender!!!  Their "Machines" can't accept them or give Change back that involves Pennies, so now they round UP... not DOWN of coarse, when you make a Purchase.  It all adds up over Time.  You'd be Surprised.    And now to finish up with some Food Porn from the BBQ Joint... you're Welcome... Or... I'm Sorry again!

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We're well into Autumn by the time this Publishes... so I hope you're having great Autumnal Vibes my Friends... Dawn... The Bohemian