In Real Time it's a Wednesday so I'll be Working Tonight covering for my Friend Crazy Ed, who by now has had his Neck Surgery and I Pray it went well? He's almost 80 and the Vertebrae he had them working on, from what I was told by my Retired Surgical Nurse Friend Sue, is a risky procedure, so she was worried about him. She's 85 and said she would have hesitated to have that Surgery at her Age, but, perhaps it's a risk Ed needed and was willing to take? He lives Alone so may end up in a Rehab Facility until he Heals and can do things for himself again? The problem with Ed is he's having all these reconstructive Surgeries to correct injuries he's sustaining moving big Antique Furniture all by himself that he shouldn't even be doing anymore!!! And he won't stop even after Recovering from each Surgery! I don't call him "Crazy" Ed for nothing! *LOL*
Of coarse Sue, we call "The General", coz she's a Retired Military Surgical Nurse who Served in Korea and reminds me of the Character of "Hot Lips" on M*A*S*H. And she is Bossy and Orders everyone around like they're her Troops. *Smiles* I have a problem with Authority and being Bossed around, especially if you're NOT my actual Boss or the Boss of anyone, but presume to be. So tho' she and I are Friends, we've had our Moments and Dust Ups where she's gone all "General Sue" on me and I've gone all "Dark Dawn" on her, and she's assessed that's not the Hill worth either of us Dying on. *LMAO coz our Co-Workers are like... Oh No, here they go! LOL* So, she backs down and off and then we don't have to go to War or be a Casualty of one. *Bwahahahaha* But I respect her Strength and that she's my Elder, she's a Force to be Reckoned with too, so most won't and don't Cross her. *Ha ha ha*
Sue knows I won't back down from anyone who Starts something with me, and I will Finish it with a flourish. I don't Start fights with people, but if you were to Start one with me, expect to be Fought hard. I don't even Care if I Win or Lose coz nobody has ever wanted a Rematch or more Scars to prove themselves. *Winks and Laughs Maniacally* We've known each other now since around 2011 and I Like Sue a lot and she Likes me and my Family and genuinely Cares, nothing Fake about Sue. She's Tough as Old Boots, but has a Nurturing side to herself which is why she was an excellent Nurse. She actually Married a terribly Disabled Soldier she Nursed back to Health when they were both Serving in the Korean War. He was badly Burned and disfigured, lost even his Ears... she looked after him until the day he finally Died only last Year, he was in his 80's too, she still misses him terribly!
When we worked last Shift together she said she can't Believe her Dear Husband has been gone for 8 Months now, and she's so ready to Join him. But the Lord won't Take her yet, even tho' she's ready to Go, coz at 85 she feels she's had a long enuf Run now. She doesn't look or act 85, so sometimes I forget just how Old Sue is and still going Strong, I wanna BE her when I Grow Up! *LOL* She's been very Motherly towards us Younger Seniors and my Grandkids Adore her coz she has a Soft Spot for them. *Smiles* It's only in tender reflective Moments like her Sharing that, is when I realize Sue's Tough Exterior Hosts a very Sensitive Heart and Soul whose Dealing with Widowhood of a Marriage that lasted almost as long as I've been Alive. I can't even Imagine that kind of Void left to Deal with.
The Niece is still acting Weird about being in the 5th Wheel, she asked if she could Sleep on the Sectional instead last Night while I was watching some late Night TV? I didn't mind, a lot of Family Sleeps out there sometimes, it's comfortable, has a Recliner part built in and is L-Shaped so long enuf on both sections that Two People could comfortable stretch out and Sleep on it that way too. She's complaining a lot about how Small the 5th Wheel is, and really, it isn't, it's a very large one actually, I spent more on it than I did on Buying my Historic Home! It's comfortable for what it is, a Recreational Vehicle with all amenities. You just have to come into the Main House to use the Toilet coz we don't have it hooked up to Septic, but, you can Shower in it, Cook in it, has a Softa that turns into a Double Bed and a Kitchen Table with Benches that also can turn into a Bed. It has decent AC and Heating, The Daughter has lived in it for a Couple Years now comfortably and had Guests often who have when they Visit.
The Niece is a very large Woman and perhaps has some claustrophobia, I dunno, her expectations aren't particularly reasonable IMO and I told her so. We had another Come To Jesus last Night coz she was waiting for The Daughter to finally get Home from the Cleaning Job to "Talk to her" about moving Furnishings that are outside of the Master Bedroom of the 5th Wheel that The Daughter cleared out of all her things and graciously gave up for The Niece to occupy as a Private Space! It has a Double Bed and lots of Storage and a Closet. I Warned The Niece that asking our Daughter to do more to accommodate her in Spaces that The Daughter Occupies would be a very unwise Idea. You can't ask someone to let you come Live with them and then change their entire Living arrangement to suit yourself, it doesn't work like that. I told her it's why things didn't work out with her Dad and wont' work out for her here either. So... Carefully reconsider asking for Too Much from anyone in their Home. It's not all about you all of the time. Don't Push anyone too Hard, don't do it. *LOL*
I Love her, so I Speak The Truth to her in Love and she knows that, so, the Talk went well and I do Hope she takes the Advice to Heart or The Daughter will ask her to just leave then. I'm pretty damned sure of that and I would Support that decision if she's asked to Sacrifice any more than she already has in her own Living Arrangements, to help out someone whose not actually biological Family, but we treat like Family. You have to still stay in your own Lane. I Warned The Niece, Listen, looks to me like you're having Trouble Reading The Room Darlin', and this is causing you Relationship Problems. She did say that sometimes she's "Socially Retarded", her Words, and some folks are. The Niece is Genius but Socially awkward, I highly suspect she's on the Autism Spectrum actually and I know she has Mental Health Diagnosis but doesn't accept her Condition like we have in our Family. There's Shame and a lot of Denial in her Family about those who have Mental Health Issues, tho' Generations of them have.
I am blunt about my Observations that Yes, Dear, you have some Mental Health Problems and it IS still Obvious to everyone even if you struggle with the acknowledgement of it, it's nothing to be Ashamed of. We accept you as you are. She's already had so many Issues with just her Sexual Orientation, she Dated Men for a long time when Younger just to try to appear Straight and deny she was a Lesbian. Of coarse that didn't work out even tho' when Young she was Beautiful and a Lipstick Lesbian, so a lot of Men wanted to Date her. In reality she was much more Masculine on the Inside and how she just is. So now embraces that aspect of herself, so she's more a Butch Lesbian now and comfortable with that regardless of Public Opinion.
Or her very judgmental Family not Liking it coz they're fanatical Bible Belt Baptists on her Dad's side and staunch Roman Catholics on her Mom's side. So the Extreme Religious Doctrine imposed was very harsh about her being herself without having God's condemnation, rather than His Unconditional Love becoz He Created her just as she is, fearfully and wonderfully made, regardless of what Mankind thinks or feels about it. I Hate when Bad Religion damages Good People, it's Cruel and it's not at all Godly in the Least. Self Righteousness and being Pious is never Pretty, nor is Hatred and Prejudices guised in the disguise of being "Religious" to try to Justify Cruelty, Condemnation or Inhumanity. She herself joined the Jehovah's Witness when she was a Teen, which REALLY fucking Mind Fucked her! Until they excommunicated her, or whatever they do, becoz of her Lifestyle.
So she's got a lot of Emotional Trauma and Baggage from how Religion and other People couldn't accept her Authentic Self. So, she's had trouble accepting who she even is at times, without Shame and Self Loathing. Now she tends to be very Defensive, which is understandable. She been spending YEARS now trying to Deprogram herself from the JW Damage, it really is Cultish and Brainwashes it's Members in ways that are hard to just erase, even when they desperately want to and are no longer a part of what it represents. I've known quite a few JW's, some were even Friends, just like I know a lot of LDS, some were even Friends and I Married The Man who was Raised Mormon. I saw how it dominated their Life in sometimes harmful ways and those who Questioned any of it, often were tossed to the Curb or harshly dealt with. And, the difference between a Cult and a Religion, to me, is what happens when you try to LEAVE. Nuff said. The Mormons rarely bother The Man any more coz they think I am uncomfortably different. And I am. *Bwahahahaha and Winks*
Anyway, so, by the time this even Posts, I don't know how it will Play out with The Niece living here or deciding mebbe this isn't for her? Either way she has our Blessings, but I told her Last Night, if you decide to Stay, I know it's a Transition for you, it is for all of us too anytime someone comes in or goes out, so, you just have to get with The Program and Learn to Coexist in a Communal way, that's all. That means compromising, sacrificing sometimes what you would prefer or want, and being respectful of each Individual within the Household. You have to get along and play well with others for it to work... or, if YOU can't, you'll be the One that has to Go. It happened with Allen, he likes the IDEA of Communal Living, but, it's just not for him.
The Young Prince met him in a Hippie Commune in Washington State when they were Older Teens, and Allen couldn't cut it there in that much bigger Commune either. He was having too much conflict with Members, you can't be confrontational in a Communal Environment. You gotta Work things out Harmoniously and Respectfully. My Crew have Learned how to do that over Time and Generations of it being our Way of Living, but if you're "New" to it, then it might not come Naturally to you, comfortably for you, and if you got a lot of Ego and Selfish Behaviors, it's NOT gonna Work Out for you even if you thought it might. I don't know The Niece can Transition, she wants to be able to fit in and make it Work, coz I know she Loves every single one of us and we Love her too and want her to have a Safe and affordable place to Land and Be. It's the only reason we extended the Invitation when she was in Crisis with where she was before. She's bounced around a lot so I don't know she even knows what she wants? And if she doesn't even know what she wants, how can anyone else know what she wants either?
Perhaps she even may prefer being Nomadic in Nature, which is Fine, if you can make that Work, it's not such a Bad Lifestyle and especially if you're Single with no Dependents to have to think about. She's never been Married, isn't in a Romantic Relationship or Partnering with anyone, and she has no Children, isn't close to her Biological Family... being a Nomad seems to suit her actually. When she can Work Remotely it Works, but right now this Good Job requires her to go in for Work and so she has to assess what's Economically gonna be most Beneficial. This doesn't seem to be a Career Choice she should fuck up IMO and I told her this too. The Benefits and Hours are great, she's good at and Loves the Work, it's easy for her coz she's so Brilliant and has done it for so long. She's worked for this Company before and they do seem to Value her and are glad she's back. But, it's up to her what she makes of it... or doesn't. You have to be Financially Responsible too, you can't really make a secure Living being a Pro Poker Player even if you're Good... she has that Fantasy, coz she is Good at it, but it can't Sustain her.
I don't like to run interference in anyone else's Life even if I know they're screwing it up. If they're Grown, it's up to them to sort out what they fuck up in their Lives and Learn from it. Some folks do have trouble letting go of the Fantasy Life they would prefer to be Living and just isn't practical or probable to make into a Living, if you know what I mean? And I'm pragmatic to the Nth Degree and she knows this, plus I don't sugar coat anything, so she often bounces off me what I think and Solicit my Advice concerning it. Whether she takes said Advice or not matters not to me either, I always follow Solicited Advice with, you're Grown, so now do with it what you will. And I will NOT give Unsolicited Advice, not worth my Time or Energy to Waste Advice on those who didn't want it in the first place and never asked for it either. Unsolicited Advice is rarely Welcome and almost never Taken and utilized, it's resented in fact, it's throwing your Pearls before Swine to expect it had Value to whoever never asked you for what you think about what they're Dealing with They don't Care about your Advice frankly, so, Save it for someone who does. *Winks and Laughs*
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She did ask me about the Gambling and Poker Angle. I'm not a Gambler, I like and prefer a Sure Thing, so I'm not that high Risk Taker who'll roll the Dice when I know I can make Money a Solid and more reliable way with lower Risks. I asked her to consider how much she Earned Gambling and Playing Poker each Year for the past Five or so. Do the Math, if you can't actually LIVE on that Income, it's not a Career Angle to pursue, just a Stream of Income to Supplement your Career. Do it if you can make Money off it consistently, don't overdo it to the Point you're not making Money and are Losing Money consistently. Have it just be your Side Hustle. She's won Big sometimes, we're talking several Thousand Dollars, which is Sweet, and she Loves Playing Poker. But has never been Life Altering in ways that would make it a Living.
So, to me, keep it as your Side Hustle Honey coz otherwise you better be comfortable being a Broke Bitch, coz your real Gift is in Tech Money Making Fields to pursue and adds Value in more reliable ways. I Debt Counseled folks in Crisis for a Career in my 1st Corporate Life, she knows this, so Values my input. Anyone can end up in Financial Crisis, even in doing everything Right. This shitty Economy and the Threats AI Poses to alter Humanity and how the Economy will Work or not Work, is looming large. It's scary stuff and so a lot of Working Aged folks are legitimately Scared shitless about it. And they should be actually, if they're not paying Attention they are Fools, becoz some Heavy shit is coming very, very soon. Many will be caught off Guard and totally unprepared for the consequences they never asked for or thought they'd be up against thru no Fault of their own. I'm concerned and making preparations for when it all goes Sideways... and it will and already is... there's not been the Transparency or Honesty to the Public there should be. Folks would Panic.
One of the other Nieces sent a Pix of herself with her Youngest Daughter, who is a Clone of her, looks exactly like she did at that Age!!! She's had a lot of Health Problems, this Niece, so I'm glad to see her looking and feeling Healthier. Tho' her extreme Weight Loss concerned me, it was a lot she lost after her Mom's Death and I was worried she wasn't eating or taking Care of herself due to Grief and Stress or whatever Meds she was put on. She was her Mom's Caregiver right up to the End, it was a LOT, and her own Health suffered for it. She'd even had a Heart Monitor implanted last Year around Halloween and I thought it was a Halloween Prop for her Zombie Costume, until we talked about it and I was told, No, Aunt Dawn, they had to implant that to Monitor my Heart!!! Yikes! WTF is going on Honey? I knew her Mom was Dying, and this Niece has Three Young Children, Two Daughters and The Son is even Younger than this Youngest Daughter, so they're still all little, tho' the Oldest is in High School now.
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Since our Social Security Checks finally hit I took The Man out for BBQ, and brought most of it Home for the Family so nobody has to Cook Tonight while I'm at Work. I got a Military Discount plus a $5 Off Bonus for being a regular Customer. I bought The Man one of their Hats, he'd been Jonesin' for one and I'd Promised him one when we got Paid. He Collects Hats and is Obsessive about it, the Owner's Sister said her Husband does the same. Like me she Purges some of his duplicate Hats or those he never ever wears and has long forgotten about. *Winks* The Man literally had amassed a Closet full of Baseball Cap Style Hats and so The Daughter and I had to go thru them and Donate about 2/3 coz it had gotten out of Hand. *Smiles* But as a Collection, he has some very nice Keeper ones of both the Baseball Type Caps and Cowboy Custom Hats and he is a Hat Person, he always wears one and looks good in Hats.
He was having a Big Time eating out and did quite well coz he Loves their BBQ, so tho' he looks positively demented in this Pix, his Mood was actually not as dangerous as he is looking. *Bwahahahaha* The Kiddos Joke that those are his "Sniper Eyes", which are almost as Scary, they claim, as my "Crazy Eyes". So, whenever any of them is acting the Fool, we need only give them THAT Look and no Words are ever necessary. *Winks* Apparently it's the "I could Kill you" Look that they claim Scares people about Dad/Grandpa and I. *Winks* We were the 1st Customers in the Doors when they Opened and we got the Special again with 5 Meats and 3 Sides.
We double up our Meat selection of the Burnt Pork Belly Bites and the Sliced Brisket coz those are the Family favs, the 5th Meat we chose Pork Ribs coz they'd Sold Out of the Burnt End Ribs. Our Sides this day were their BBQ Beans, Corn Nuggets and Fried Okra. Shit, with my Post Stroke Partial Aphasia I almost Typed Fried Orca! *LOL and PETA would be shitting Kittens about that, Right? Fried Killer Whale... that's Funny in a Twisted inappropriate way... but I caught it in time to correct my Aphasia Mistake before you all are like, they serve Fried Orca, WTF?! LOL* Or mebbe some of you would be like, so... what did it Taste like? Mebbe they didn't Free Willy after all?!!? Okay, Okay, enough of that and let's go more PC now. *Winks and Laughs*
Just Joking... one more... that The Son sent me... and I was LMAOROTF. Coz some Vietnamese Friends of ours who own a Vietnamese Restaurant have a huge Tropical Fish Tank in the Entryway of their Restaurant and had to put a Sign on it saying the Fish were their Friends, not anything on the Menu!!! Coz literally Americans were Freaking Out thinking the Fish were the Food!!! At least our Friends had a Wicked Sense of Humor about it and of the inaccurate Stereotypes out there. Lies like, they're Eating the Cats, they're Eating the Dogs, they're Eating the Pets... that Donnie Two Dolls was even spewing Lies about from the Bully Pulpit... and some ignorant Americans will Believe!!! Coz they don't know any better either or are just Racist and Xenophobic Fucks too.
Okay, back to the good Food Porn of the Day. You're Welcome. *Winks* A huge Monsoon Storm is rolling in early and I'm concerned it will hit around the time I have to go to Work or before? Fuuuuuuuck! I really don't like Driving in inclement Weather coz the Storms have been catastrophic and so dangerous of late and taking down whole enormous Old Trees and damaging Buildings badly too! It's no Joke and if a Haboob happens before the Torrential Rains as well, it is Zero Visibility and those Roll in Hundreds of Miles High like a Tsunami Wave of Dirt Taller than even our largest Skyscrapers in the City! I've Shared Pixs of it hitting Phoenix before, it's breathtaking to see Photos of, but Terrifying to get Stuck Out in and very dangerous. It Sand Blasts your Vehicle so badly if you're Driving that it can strip the Paint off it and pit the Glass on your Windshield with the Sandblast force of it! You can't Breathe in that either, so if you have Respiratory ailments, it can send you to an ER. Fun Times and one looks like it's coming... Le Sigh.
The Thunder has been really loud too and we've had some fierce Lightening and Strikes that start Fires, and everything is tinder right now so that's never good either. And my Roof isn't replaced yet, it's still just Tarped coz I still haven't gotten any Checks I can Cash. The initial one from the Insurance, which was pitifully Small, had to be sent clear to Ohio to be Endorsed by our Lender and then will be sent back to us to Deposit, which, that's probably at least a Two Week Turnaround. It's nowhere near enuf to pay our Roofer even for Supplies, which is ridiculous, they expect the Homeowner to cover that out of the ridiculously high Deductibles they've gouged you with now. But our Contractor is covering our Deductible, so... I'll only be able to give him less than $200 that the Insurance expects him to start the Job with and the balance when it's finished, inspected by the Lender, and Approved for release of Funds to pay for the Job. What a fucking Dog & Pony Show and Racket these Insurance Companies have going on now.
With Bad Weather rolling in I don't know how Dead it will be at the Antique Mall Tonight? I never Priced more Inventory like I should have before going in, I still have Time to but not the Motivation to actually. *Le Sigh* Mebbe I'll saunter over to a Crate of Inventory I haven't put into the She Shed yet and Price some of it before I leave for Work... I'm contemplating it at least. My Apathy and Indifference lately has been problematic and I do acknowledge it. I try to Shake it Off, but sometimes I just can't be bothered to either. *LOL and further Sighs* I've already done Two Loads of Laundry Today and Cleaned more of the Dining Room Area with The Young Prince's Help. It's about Half Done now. We mailed the rest of our Bills and I took Care of Feeding the Cat and Wild Birds, the Caregiving of The Man... so I Need to Save some of my Energy and Stamina for Tonight's Shift if I expect to get thru it.
Okay, so, I just Shamed myself into pricing some 1968 Children's Hardcover Illustrated Books of Classics like "Call Of The Wild", "Pinocchio", "Swiss Family Robinson" and "Treasure Island"... and a 1970 Betty Crocker Cookbook called "Dinner In A Dish" also fully Illustrated with funky Recipes of that Era, which sometimes are hilariously unappealing. I guess the whole "Dinner In A Dish" Series was big and several different Editions and putting weird shit in Jell-O Molds with flavored Gelatin was apparently a big Thing? My Dad being a Master Chef during that Time Period, he never fed us crap like that, Thank Baby Jesus and all the Saints! He wasn't some Mad Alchemist like Ole' Betty Crocker seemed to be Off her Rocker with and put it in Publication!!! *Bwahahahaha* I mean these are some Upsetting Recipes that could Kill your Appetite! *LOL*
I mean, their Budget Casseroles alone make me wanna heave, I think I'd rather go Hungry frankly if the Grocery Budget ever gets that Bad! Fasting and Hunger would be less horrifying to experience than that "Cheese Egg Bake" even LOOKS! Mebbe as a Haunted Attraction Prop for Halloween to Scare the Kiddies? *Smiles* Or if that wasn't Stomach churning enuf for ya... how about some "Curried Fish In Rice Ring", oh Mylanta!!! You know, with some Kumquat Garnish which they Imagine somehow makes it look edible or remotely appealing!!! Lord Have Mercy! I'm glad whoever made this Dish in the Seventies never Invited us over for Dinner! *Whew!* I don't think there would be any Polite way to decline that Horror or Presentation!!! Unless you really don't wanna miss having Friends, I'd say don't Serve this at your next Dinner Party! *LOL* I mean, they did Warn you they were "Entertaining on a Shoestring"! *Bwahahahaha*
But, I did Save the Worst Best for Last of the Upsetting Food Porn Vintage Recipes Horror Section as my Halloween Offerings of Terrifying Foods... how about some "Bologna Biscuits With Vegetables"!!????!!! *Bwahahahaha* Doesn't that look Yummy if you were perhaps Hosting and feeding Zombies if you were clear outta Brains?! *LMAOROTF* Okay, so that was Fun, I ain't gonna Lie, I almost Kept my 1970 Recipe Book for when I Need a good Laugh and Scare about what Foods some brave, broke or demented Souls actually might have Served their Families and Friends! Luckily, I never knew any of those People even tho' we grew up Poor and just didn't know it... we ate well. Even if some unusual Foods that my Dad did grow up eating on the Reservation with what Rations the U.S. Government gave Tribal People to try to exist upon and not Starve. Many did anyway, but, I confess I didn't mind the Rez Foods Dad sometimes prepared for Nostalgic reasons... rather than some of the Fear Factor Foods of my Mom's Culture and upbringing! Yeah, on Welsh Food Days I'd sometimes ask a Friend if I could eat at their House instead? *LOL*
Blood Sausage, Steak & Kidney Pie, Jobbins {Mashed Turnips covered in Bacon Grease}, Cockles or Welkes, Laverbread {Bara Lawr, which BTW and Heads Up, is not a Bread}. Okay, gotta explain that one in Detail to give you the disturbing Visual: It's a Welsh Coastline edible Seaweed which is boiled down for Hours until it turns into a thick, gelatinous, dark Green to Black Paste! *Yeah, Yuk!* And Faggots, which is not a Homophobic Slur there, but is a Fear Factor Food of Nose to Tail minced Pig Offal Meatballs made mostly of Pig's Belly Fat, Liver and Heart wrapped in Caul Fat which is the Lacy Fatty Membranes of a Pig's Stomach Lining! They have a very strong Metallic Iron Rich flavor that is truly disgusting and disturbing... Hungry yet? *LMAO* Poten Waed is a Welsh Black Pudding and is a congealed fresh Pig's Blood with Suet, Onions and Oatmeal, solidified into a dark dense Log. It really is a strong Psychological hurdle even for those of us who grew up with a Parent that Traditionally ate that shit and Loves it! *Smiles* A lot of Gaelic Cultures eat some truly Weird shit! *Ha ha ha*
Now, back to Halloween, which is far less Scary than the Food of my Mom's Culture or of the Recipes in those Vintage Betty Crocker Cookbooks. *Winks* But, makes for some Fun Blog Fodder so close to and in preparation for Halloween, No? *Smiles* We just had the Downpour, it was brief but the Thunder Claps were so loud is scared Eli the Cat to where he hid in the Closet and timidly came out peeking at the Bedroom Window as if something Terrifying would come thru it and get him! Poor thing, Animals don't like Thunder. He'll feel better when his Human gets Home from Work. But I don't know what Time that will be Today, their Shifts have been all over the place lately and not adhering to their Scheduled Hours, which makes it so those who don't have their own Transportation, have a difficult time getting Home after Work. Some like her have Family picking them up, some take Public Transit or an Uber or Lyft.
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Anyway, tho' I will Take One for The Team and still go in to Work, and Honor the Commitment I made, I'm not particularly enthusiastic about Working Tonight really now. It happens. *LOL* Hopefully we won't get more Storm and it was all we'll get, coz it really poured down? It's only 2:00 p.m. so I still have a couple Hours before I need to leave for Work, we'll see what Mother Nature brings on??? Anyway, I thought perhaps "Sweet Salvage" Event would have Posted something of the Imagery and Sneak Peeks of their Halloween Themed Event, the most Popular one of the whole Year, since it Opens Tomorrow Morning, but, NOTHING!!! That is Odd coz they always dump Imagery abundantly before every Month's Event to Stimulate Trade and get folks interested in attending, so no idea what's going on that they didn't Post a damned thing, not a single Image, and only briefly even outlined when the Event would be, which was a Single Banner of a Trio of Images, not even of their Store or Stuff, just random Cribbed Autumnal Imagery... just... Weird!!!
So, I went over to Instagram, which I almost never use or visit, to see if perhaps they Posted something there? Just found this Lone Image of "Practical Magic" Theme that I think was from Last Year's Halloween Themed Event actually? {Update: It was this Event!} They really haven't Posted much of anything at all on Social Media Platforms, which I feel is a Mistake. Nor has any of the Designers on their Individual Biz or Personal Pages, so it's just really Strange and I plan to ask some of my Friends why everything was kept so Secretive or at the very least, neglected in their Advertising of something I know they put a lot of Work into to Host for only Four Days. You can't always rely on it having been Popular in the Past if in the Present you get Slack or Lazy about your Advertising of upcoming Events, Sales, Product. People sometimes won't bother coming if they aren't sure it will be worth their Time and effort? I know that this Year's Theme isn't called "Practical Magic" and why I assumed this was an Older Event Pix of a previous Halloween Themed Event instead? Anyway, I'll definitely go... it will all be a Surprise tho' what it looks like and holds???
Back in da Day they used to Host Preview Parties of the most Popular Holiday Events, you couldn't Buy, but they'd Cater, and had Music, it was Fun, you got Pristine Pixs of everything before Opening Day before it all gets picked over and messed up. I Loved those Event Parties and it was usually a small Cover Charge to attend, well worth it just for the Catering and they did serve Wine usually and other Non-Alcoholic Refreshments. Socializing was great, with other Guests and people you might know, you could talk to the Designers about anything coz they weren't busy helping Customers Buying the Merch yet. And, you could scope out in advance, what you might wanna get there early to try to Score too and where it was located. *Winks* And, sometimes they'd have a Raffle to Win something as well. I've Won more than once actually, I'm Lucky like that.
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Attendance has been lighter than usual for recent Shows, so I dunno how crowded even this usually very Popular Halloween Themed Event might be? People either dig Halloween or they don't. Those of us who dig it, really dig it. *Winks* Christmas, by comparison, is Popular, but no longer as Popular as Halloween Commercially. And, it attracts a different Demographic for that Holiday and it's Meaning to people, or even if it has no Meaning to them and they just Celebrate it anyway. I've known Atheists and Non-Christians who Celebrate Christmas, which I always thought was Interesting. But, mebbe they do Believe in Santa Claus... I dunno? *Winks and Smiles* It's all Good... anything Celebratory for any Reason is all Good. And you don't have to have any Reason to Celebrate Halloween really or do it any kind of Specific way.
Well, Work went very well, it was pretty busy in spite of the inclement Weather, and it was a bad Storm, dumped over 2 inches in NE Mesa, which is more than they usually get annually. So Streets looked like Rivers and stranded Motorists coz most Streets weren't passable. And Parks looked like Lakes, literally people were Swimming in it, Kayaking in it, and one Guy was Jet Skiing in it! The Water at the Parks was over Waist Deep on an Adult! The Winds were Hurricane Force again, so they may have sustained more catastrophic Wind damage, I haven't watched the News but my Live Feed on my Phone was Alerting all Night long as I was Working. Our area got a lot of Rain, but nothing catastrophic as the East Valley.
My Co-Workers were the new Lady, Michelle, who I've already become good Friends with, I really like her. And Jackson, whose working better than he used to, Nice Guy, but used to be more of a Slacker, but every Shift I've Worked with him lately, he has Worked well, so I have no complaints to work with either of them on Wednesday Nights. Sue, "The General", had to leave early to meet a Niece for Dinner, which was Fine, we told her we had everything covered, and we did. There weren't many Go-Backs like last Week, Customers were Buying what they had us take up Front for them and being more decisive about their Purchases. I Killed it last Pay Period, so I'm getting a big Check for a change this Friday, and, I got a lot of my Space Rent Comped with Working so many Shifts, so I get to keep most of what I made. Happy Dance!
I'd Sold a LOT of the $30 range Pokemon Cards, a lot of T-Shirts, a lot of Rubber Art Stamps, a lot of Fiesta Ware Dinnerware, and a LOT of 1960's and 1970's Era Dolls, almost all of those that I had. Sometimes Sales are in Cycles like that if the Right Customers walk thru those Doors. I've got to Price more Pokemon Cards then and get them in of the range that are higher, the Cheaper Cards aren't Selling as briskly as the Expensive ones, which was a pleasant Surprise. I started this Pay Period off Strong too, for the same reasons, more of the same is Selling. With the Economy still being preciously shitty, I'm very Surprised Sales got suddenly Strong, but, I'm relieved, coz my Costs are going up all the time on everything Essential, Gas took another hike and Utilities have almost doubled. At the Grocery Store I memorize what I buy most often usually Costs and it's all Up in price now, with only a few exceptions. For some reason Milk is way lower. And we go thru a lot of Milk so that's a good thing.
The Niece, well, she doesn't seem to be settling in well even tho' The Daughter hasn't been here for Days, she's still Working at the Ranches and Mini Farms so can stay in their Guest Houses on their Acreages. So, pretty much The Niece has had the whole damned 5th Wheel to herself yet won't stay in there at all, she's been staying out in her Car!!! It seems quite Mental to me so I don't know what Mental Health Crisis she is actually moving thru and asked her about it, coz even my Loved Ones don't behave that Strangely. The Daughter is quite comfortable in the 5th Wheel, she's even Shared it before coz Mando used to be over here all of the time and she'd sometimes have other Friends spend the Night, nobody complained it was uncomfortable, it's a very nice 5th Wheel and quite large actually. The Master Bedroom is very nice and that's what The Daughter gave up for The Niece to have as her Personal Space in there. She's got a Good Thing going, but I think she might blow it being too picky and critical? She can be inclined to being Negative and stuck in having Bad Energy. It's unfortunate, coz everywhere she goes, she takes herself with her, you know?
Changing Places won't Change how she is self-sabotaging. The 5th Wheel is just Fine for someone whose been or found themselves Homeless. It has a full Kitchen, so you can prepare Meals in there but also our Kitchen in the Main House is Open for everyone to utilize too. Both Bathrooms are available in the Main House for toiletry needs and Showers, or a Bath is in the Guest Bathroom too. Our Living Room Area is communally Shared for watching TV, but the 5th Wheel has a Big Screen TV and a nice Music Sound System too. On the Back Patio is a Smoking Area for the Smokers. Smoking isn't allowed inside of any structures, I don't want anything smelling like a dirty old Ashtray Inside, plus we have Loved Ones with Respiratory Issues that can't be around secondhand Smoke. So, that's not an unreasonable Rule and nobody has ever had a problem with it. She's a Smoker, but she has been using the Smoking Area there and Socializing Fine. It's just she's being very hinky about Living in the 5th Wheel and that's what she Agreed to, so, I have no Words. If she wants to Live in her Car instead, well, what can I say? The Daughter probably will be Fine with that. *Smiles*
I think The Niece has a delusion that when The Daughter returns she'll be able to convince her to change everything in the 5th Wheel. I have Warned her, "Don't Do It!!!!!!!!!" So, if she Foolishly does, then whatever transpires is on her, but I can Guarantee that it will not go well. You can't come to someone else's Home and ask nor have the expectations they'll Change everything becoz of what YOU want, when, you're the Newbie on a Trial Basis to even see if it will work out for you and everyone else and you'll be a good Fit... or not. We're doing her the Favor and I reminded her of that Fact, so, a Favor will only take you so far before now it might be rescinded if you have unrealistic expectations of what everyone is willing to Sacrifice on your behalf.
Personally, when I was Homeless once upon a time, and folks put me up 'til I could get back on my Feet again after my Divorce, with a Newborn Infant and a Four Year Old in Tow... I became like Water. Water will conform to whatever it's put into. When you have no Shelter, you become like Water, so whatever situation you're put into, you Fit! Anyway, whatever... she has to sort out her own Situation and decide what's best for herself, whatever that is? She's Grown, she's been Grown a long time now and is almost past Middle Age, so, she can't rely on being Dependent on other people to sustain her, becoz she is capable of sustaining herself and she's very Intellectual and Skilled, but time to start making Good Life Decisions on a consistent basis now too so that it all lines up for the best possible outcome and Life you're Living. I can't tell her how to do that, each person has to figure that out on their own.
I went to my Event and was about the 3rd Person there but went for Crepes. When I got back I was about the 15th Person and didn't know, coz they didn't Advertise anything on Social Media well, as I've mentioned before, that they were allowing Early Entry for the first 13 People in Line by a Half Hour!!! Damn, it cut off with the Lady directly in front of me, had I known this I would have waited to have my Crepes after the Event. *LOL* Ah, well, it was one of the best Events they've ever had for Halloween so they should have done Advertising on their Social Media Platforms coz it was not at all well attended and I suspect that is precisely why!? Which is a Shame coz they put so much Work into it and I've got Blog Fodder Imagery for Days now and probably up to and past Halloween Posts. I took a lot with my Phone Camera this time since my Old School Camera has been not taking great Pixs lately... or mebbe I'm just not with it??? *Smiles*
So, to ensure I got good coverage I had a Camera and my Phone in each Hand in Pathological Picture Taker Mode. I got to visit with many of my Designer Friends, met some Awesome Women while in Line, one Named Cheryl, who was the Lady in front of me in Line, was so nice and we had such a pleasant conversation. I hope to see her there again sometimes. Some of my long time Friends that I always see there were there too, almost everyone comes to the Halloween Themed Event and the Christmas Themed Event, which will be in November. I'll probably go back at least Once, mebbe Twice, during the Four Days of this Halloween Event, for something Fun to do that I've waited all Year for. I bought Five items.
Two were Handmade Cloth Bat Women who look like the Bride of Frankenstein, that I got from my Friend Michelle. One was an 1800's small French Doll made into a Mummy that the Francophile new Designer did. She had not known what to do for Halloween since almost all her Merch is directly from France. But, she totally Killed it, making her Space look like a Haunted Historic French Mansion or Chateau, Brilliantly done with OOAK Antique pieces from France. OMG, I was in Lust which how she Decorated her Space, I'd of liked my Home to look like that for Halloween!!! I got a very Old Vintage Mannequin, probably from the 1950's of 1960's, Torso with Head, modified to look like a Scary Scarecrow and wearing a Halloween Scarecrow Outfit. I barely know that Designer but she's so nice and I'm sure she's told me her Name before, but I can't remember it. *Le Sigh* Then I got a Vintage Mannequin Arm and Hand from my Friend Giesel.
So, now you've seen most of my Haul... and I'll end for now and Save a lot more Imagery and Storyline for the Posts after this one... *Winks* Totally in a Halloween Vibe now... and Channeling my Morticia Addams, have the Interior Decorated for Halloween and some of the Front Porch already...
May your autumnal vibes be strong my friends... dawn... the bohemian
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