Birthday Celebrations, Events & AZ State Fair... Oh My...

 

The Daughter never made it Home for her Birthday so we nixed the taking her out for Dinner Plans that her Brother was gonna pay for.  I also decided if the Weather is good for Tomorrow {Thursday in Real Time, the 15th}, that I'll go to the "Sweet Salvage" Event and perhaps the State Fair afterwards and ask Princess T to have her Boyfriend pick her up from Work instead of me.  The Daughter has a Job in Chandler on Sunday so I can't do it that day after all coz I'll be in Chandler with her.  I don't mind being in Chandler that Sunday coz I don't get over there very often and can drop by another Favorite Antique Mall.  Tho' for some reason "Highland Yard Vintage" which is attached to the Antique Mall in thier Warehouse, didn't have an October Event and won't have one now until Mid November for their Christmas Market Event.  I would have thought they would have extended their Halloween/Autumnal Event thru or during Mid October, they didn't.

Work called last Night and asked if I'd Work the Night of the Event and I declined since if I go to the Event and the Fair, I certainly don't want to then go to Work too.  It was too short a Notice and that happens a lot, someone calls in at the last Minute and so those on Call don't get a lot of Notice to accept a Shift.  Sometimes it works that you can fit it in, but often it doesn't.  I don't know if they got someone to take it or not, but, not my problem.   I've been taking more Shifts than usual, but only if I don't have something else planned.  You know you'll be on your Feet for Four Hours walking 55,000 sf of Mall so I can't do too much the same Day I'd have to Work that Night or I won't have the Stamina.  If I go to The Event and walk around for an Hour or more, then go to the State Fair and walk around for a couple more Hours or more, I'm certainly not gonna be on my Feet for Four more Hours walking the Mall.  I'm not up to Eight Plus Hours of Walking in a Day!  *LOL*

  

Plus, I don't wanna be rushed, that's why I'm asking Princess T if Rusty will pick her up from work, so I can have a "Me Day" and not feel hurried with any other commitments or obligations limiting me.  It looks like the Weather will be nice so I've decided I will make those Plans after all and go to both the Event and The State Fair Today.   And I'll take some Blog Fodder Images of both.  The Sneak Peek Preview Social Media Pixs didn't Wow me, the Aesthetic just wasn't my preference, so I doubt I'll have any Temptation to make a Purchase.  {See Four Pixs directly Below that I Cribbed off their Social Media Site.} Which is Fine coz I don't have the Budget to anyway.  Today's Outing will be on a shoestring Budget.  The Fair Entrance Fee for Veterans is only $12 and what I usually eat at the Fair is reasonably priced, the Native Americans that do the Indian Fry Bread Booth there usually only charge around $6.  And I plan to bring a small Bottled Water in my Purse.  Coz Drinks at the Fair are priced high.

As you could see by the Quartet of Event Pixs, it is still Autumnal looking, but no hint of Halloween left and that's what I'd be more Tempted to Purchase.  Then again, most Stores seem eager to rush right into Christmas already and I'm NOT.  *LOL*  I just think their Inventory for Halloween and Autumn was Light and not sustainable thru Fall or the Holiday actually.  So, they hadda move on quickly to fill Shelves with Merch or have them just be bare.   Anyway, I'm lingering in Autumn and my Halloween Vibe thoroughly and up thru Thanksgiving, so November will also be devoted to an Autumnal Vibe around here even if and when I take the Skeletons down and put away for the Season.  *LOL*

Well, I went to the Event and it was really good, the Preview Pixs hadn't done it Justice.  I took loads of Blog Fodder and stayed over an Hour.  I'd had Crepes and Seasoned Potatoes first at "Joe's Diner" and walked back just about when the Doors Opened, so no real standing in Line.  Saw Cheryl there again, the Lady that had stood in Line in front of me during the Halloween Show.  She remembered me quicker than I remembered her, she was Buying a couple Necklace Creations from my Friend Cyndie.  I bought 3 European mini Creamers from the Francophile Vendor/Designer. {See Above 3 Little Pitchers in a ros}.  And a Medical Grade Cadaver on it's rolling Stand from my Friend Big Kenny.  He wanted to get rid of all his Halloween so he wouldn't be stuck with it so Sold me the Skeleton for only what he'd Paid for it.  *Whoop Whoop*  Yes, I know it's missing it's Arms and Hands, so what?  It was an Amputee!  *LOL*  I also got Two large Vintage Serving Spoons.

Then I went to The State Fair, it was only $5 to get in if you got there before 5:00 p.m., so, that was a nice Surprise.  I got there just as they were Opening at Noon and way before it got crowded, so got great Blog Fodder Imagery.  I Saved myself $20 by Parking at Encanto Park for Free and walking in like I do every year, thru the Historic District, which is pleasant.  Lots of the Historic Homes had been Sold to new Owners who'd fixed them up really nicely since last time I walked that area a couple Years ago.  I missed the State Fair last Year so it's been Two Years for me since last time.  I got my Indian Fry Bread from the Navajo Tribe Fry Bread Stand, they've been there over 30 Years every State Fair and I have bought Fry Bread from them every time I go.  I got an Horchata with Chamoy rimmed Specialty Glass and Cubed Mango garnish.  I stayed almost 3 Hours, the Weather was perfect. 

 When I got Home The Son took The Daughter, his Dad, Myself, and her Lifelong Friend Amber out for her Birthday Dinner at "Buffalo Wild Wings".  Princess T was invited, but Rusty had taken her out to eat already, so she Opted Out.  The Niece wasn't Home from Work yet and was going to a Casino after Work.  We had such a good time and sat Outside coz it was Crazy Loud and busy Inside and the Weather was gorgeously Cool after Dark.  The Man can't take extreme Sensory Overload so it was nicer to sit out there with just a few other Tables of People and they have the Big Screen TV's out there to watch all the Sports, so The Man could watch Football and Baseball at once. 

 

They have a full coarse Meal 2-for-$19.99 so we got Three of those for all of us.  You pick an Entree, a Side, and a Drink.  I got the 10 Boneless Hot Wings in Honey Garlic and Hot Garlic as my Entree, the Fries, and a Pepsi Zero.  The Man got the Double Hamburger, Fries and a Pepsi.  Each of the Kiddos chose some Hot Wings, Fries & a Drink.  It was a lot of good Food and nice Presentation for the low Price.  A Young Man at another Table took our Group Pix for us, which was so Sweet.  You can see the Young Man in the Background of a Pix, he's the Young Black Guy in the White Hoodie with an Orange Bandana, he was there with a large Group of Family too.  When he saw us taking Pixs he Volunteered to take a Group Shot so we could all be in the Pix, they turned out so good too!

The Man and The Son were super tired, The Son had been at Work since 5:00 a.m. and The Man had taken his Night Meds, so you can see in one of the Pixs that The Man was actually dozing off at the Table *Smiles*, tho' he did wake up and eat his whole Hamburger *Ha ha ha*... and The Son dozed off on the Ride back Home and went straight to Bed, it was only 7:30 p.m.!!!   We're such Party Animals at our Ages now.  *LMAO*  The Man did pretty well tho' considering it was well after Sundown and usually his Mood Sours by around 2-3 p.m..  I'd had to put my Phone on the Charger and my Old School Camera just isn't taking good pixs now, so we had to take Pixs with The Son's Phone mostly... the crappier quality Pixs are The Daughter's New Free Phone and my Old School Camera... all the Good Pixs are taken with The Son's Phone.  And all of the Event and State Fair Pixs I ended up taking with my Cellphone Camera so as not to risk having them turn out badly.  I really need to invest in a good Quality Digital Camera again. 

This was my Crepes and Seasoned Potatoes at the Diner this Morning.  So I ate really good all day.  And it really was a fabulous Weather Day and stayed in the 70's mostly and only got up to around 80 as a High, but with a nice Breeze.  It's been around the high 50's as Night tho'... which to us Desert Dwellers, feels Cold.  *Winks and Smiles*  After you've lived here a long time you can take the Heat, but not the Cold.  And I will never have to Shovel Sunshine.  *Smiles*   Anyway, this Post will Publish the day before Halloween.  But I still have a lot of Holiday Pixs to use up so be prepared to have Halloween Imagery extended and an Avalanche of Arizona State Fair Pixs.  The Fair will run until Nov. 1st this Year.  I thought it was way better than previous Years recently.  They had put up more Shade Structures and Seating, Eating Areas, with a lot of them Shaded.  So I really could sit when I needed or wanted to without being challenged to find unoccupied Seating. 

They had a bigger Food Truck and Food Booth selection than ever before.  They had some Free Virtual Reality Semis with whatever they were showing, but I didn't check it out.  They had a lot more Art & Crafts & Baking entries than some previous Years.  I didn't watch any of the Free Shows, but they had plenty of those too.   All in all I was very pleased and impressed with the improvements to the Fair Grounds.  They don't have Ticket Sellers anymore, just Automated Kiosks, so they're hiring less Fair Staff now and Technology is taking those Seasonal Jobs already.  But, perhaps that helped bring some Costs down?  Coz some Costs were down from previous Years.  I think they figured they had to reduce Costs some coz it had become unaffordable so attendance was steadily declining if Families couldn't afford to go anymore.  You can price yourself out of the Market if Prices increase too much to where the masses can't afford it.   I spent $28 total, with Entry Fee, Food & Drink, not bad.

I stopped by the Antique Mall too and put in everything I'd Priced, all Smalls.  I Closed Out last Pay Period enuf to get a smallish Check, but a Check nonetheless.  *Whew*  This Pay Period isn't Strong either, as we near the Elections folks are pulling back on their spending.  We Voted by Mail and already Mailed it in.  I couldn't find a Drop Box so just Trusted that USPS isn't being compromised by the Cabal?   While I was at "Sweet Salvage" I ran into my Co-Worker Friend Kathy W. from the Antique Mall.  So we hung out at the Event and then were in Line together at Checkout too.  I've never run into her there before so didn't even know she usually attends.  I enjoy Working with her, she's a delightful person.  She was looking to Buy an Antique Demijohn, but the ones they had there were pretty expensive, not worth it, and Imported from Europe, so mebbe had Tariffs built in to the Cost?  Especially the smaller ones were overpriced, so she didn't end up with one this day.  And she didn't want one of the huge ones, which were priced better and a good Deal.

The Daughter came Home with some more Antiques she Scored for me doing Barn Cleanouts over at the Old Ranches and Mini Farms.  She got an Antique Sewing Table, it's missing the Antique Sewing Machine, but I have a couple of those that I can drop into the Cabinet.  And it has all of it's Drawers and it's Cast Iron Trundle works and moves well, no rusting or damage, it's been in a Barn a long time but out of the Elements, so is in good shape for something over 100 Years Old.  She got some Antique Milk Glass pieces as well.  Her Friend Jason brought it all over in his Truck for me, he's our Next Door Neighbor's Nephew/Cousin.  He's Old Tom's Brother's Son.   The Daughter and Jason have become very close and he's Disabled and she helps him out a lot on his Mini Farm now.  And she really likes helping Old People and they always appreciate her.  She has a Heart for assisting the Elderly and Respecting her Elders, she always has.  It's how she got by so well in Mexico, all the Older People Hired her to look after their Properties.

  He'd like her to become his Caregiver coz he's Single, no Kids, and has no Family looking after him, but needs a lot of help.  She goes over and Cleans, Cooks, does his Laundry and keeps him Company coz he likes to Talk and is a really Sociable Old Guy, but Lonely.  He does have good Friends out there and she's done Work for them too, especially his Best Friend Darren, another Old Rancher.   So she's spent more time there than here and he needs the Help more than we do since he doesn't have anyone and he compensates her generously, with either Cash or Stuff she'd like to have or knows I could Sell.   And he can still Drive and takes her where ever she needs to go so long as it's not at Night, he can't see well enuf to drive at Night anymore.   She found out that her Friend David who Died last Year of a Drug Overdose, becoz he got back together with his Ex, who was still Using, and that made him relapse after a long Sobriety of being Clean, which happens a lot when someone relapses, they often Die.  Well, now his Ex Died from an Overdose.  I guess she got Clean too for a while to get her Kids back, but relapsed and OD'd.  So, their Four Kids are now Orphans, so Sad.

I have the Medical Cadaver on it's Stand in my Hallway entry for Halloween.  And I'm well and truly done now for my Halloween Decorating Inside and Out. All Candy is bought.  I don't see a lot of our Neighbors Decorating for it this Year on their Exteriors, in previous Years they have.  But, I noticed even over in Affluent Subdivision Hell where The Villa McManse is there were less Exterior Decorations this Year too, and usually there was an abundance of them.  Those that still Decorate go all out tho' and it's impressive.  I think the HOA has gone from one extreme to another there now, lots of Dead Landscaping evident, both in the Common Areas they're supposed to maintain and in people's Yards.  It really depends on whose Voted in and some are Nazi-esque like an HOA Gestapo, which is The Devil... and others aren't doing their job and swing to the extreme of Neglect and indifference, tho' people still have to pay their Dues, which get ever higher regardless of how the Job is being done.  I can Buy something really expensive for myself every Month for what I'm Saving NOT having an HOA expense!

Tonight if the Weather is calm and nice I'm gonna ask The Man if he wants to drive around looking at lit up Displays for Halloween out there?  It's a nice drive, when you don't HAVE to do it or live there.  *Smiles*  And we're nosey about the Communities we used to live in, so we often drive thru them to see what's changed, for the better or for the worse and to see our Old Properties we used to Own.  The McManse has been painted now for a 3rd time in only Six Years, now it's a light Tan, doesn't look as nice as the White did tho'.  It Costs around $35,000 a Paint Job so the Owners must have more Money than Sense?  A lot of the Community out there pisses Money away like it's no Object just coz they are Nouveau Riche.  So they're very wasteful about everything.  On bulk garbage pickup you should see what they put Curbside to go to Landfills rather than Donating it to Charities for Pickup and do good for the Needy and the Charitable Organizations!!!  It's disgraceful.  Especially when there's nothing wrong with any of it, and it was expensive, but they just quickly tired of it and discard it like it's Trash.

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Happy halloween my friends... dawn... the bohemian