Bureaucrazy... And The Tiny Hoard Haul

 

I never did show you my Tiny Hoard Haul of Smalls from the Event, so, Above is my 11 Antique Hardware Salvage Escutcheons, my Fav being the Brass Arts & Crafts Style one from the 1920's  {Middle Far Right}.  Some are for Antique Doors, some for Antique Furniture Drawers that Locked, back when all used Skeleton Keys.  Which were used up until the 1950's but had fallen out of Favor as Residential Security Locks by the time WWII ended and mass produced high secure Pin-Tumbler Cylinder Locks replaced them with Modern Day looking Keys, which, are also now falling out of Favor and replaced with Tech Gadgets.  I don't even use and insert my Truck Key, it just has to be close enuf to the Vehicle.

And here's my tiny lil Vintage Diner Creamer, which was my most 'Major' Minor Purchase at Ten Bucks.  *LOL*   My Escutcheons were mostly $1 and $2 each with only the largest one pictured in the Middle at the Bottom of the Pix being $3.   The most Valuable one of those was only priced at $2, and it's the one I said was my Fav, of the Arts & Crafts Era type Home.  It Matches an Arts & Crafts Doorknob and Doorplate I already had, so I was Jazzed to Score it.   Loved the Graphics on this Little Creamer tho', usually I only pay $5-$7 for them but I had never seen this Design and in Green, so I felt $10 was Fair.  We use ours in my Collection of them for Pancake Syrups and for Coffee Creamer.  Becoz sometimes we wanna be Fancy like that at Breakfast and to make some of my Collections utilitarian and practical to justify Keeping them.  *Winks*

When my Friends at the Event saw what Restraint I'd used they Marveled, that's all you got Dawn, that's almost pathetic!  *LOL*  But, with my 5-to-1 Rule in place, I reminded them, that this pathetic lil Haul of 12 Objects means the Math of 60 Things must now go Out as they come In!   And I am keeping myself Accountable with that strict Rule in place.  I actually will likely rid myself of more than 60 objects coz I'm on a Culling, Editing and Purging Roll of Curating what I still have and want to continue to Downsize harshly.  When I'm on that Roll it's the rest of the Family, Oddly enuf, that starts pawing thru what I'm ridding us of and dragging shit out of it asking if THEY can Keep this or that... who knew?!  They who are always the ones to tell me I have Too Much, suddenly form Attachments to shit I've Detached from!!!   And say, well, you're getting rid of Too Much now!!!    Whatever... *LMAO*

They do the same with Princess T, who is notorious about Editing, Purging, Downsizing her own Stash of possessions on The Regular.  Her Mom and Brother go thru her Discards like it's Christmas for them!  *LOL*  She has me go thru the Stash of her Discards to Pull what I think we can easily Sell, but sometimes her Mom and Brother snap that Saleable Stuff up too, begging to have it.  Okay then, means we have to Buy them less.   Since the Schizophrenic Spawn can't hold down gainful Employment, that Works for Princess T and I if they're Content and Delighted with the Hand-Me-Downs instead.  *Ha ha ha*  Actually some of my Friends and I Trade Discards and Stuff we want that each other has, as well, quite often, beats Buying Stuff.   A Good Trade usually works out better for both Parties too... whether to Keep or for Resale.  Each of us having our Customers and Client Base that is specific to us.  

My Friend Dan The Man, may he RIP, Loved Trading anything Weird and Wonderful he Found and had, for any Native American Wares I had. *Smiles*   He and his Wife, Rita, Specialize in Native American and Western Collectibles and Antiquities of that Genre and Rent a lot of Space at our Mall.  They have some of the best Real Deal Native American Pawn Jewelry that is Old and Authentic, at our Mall.  A lot of Tribal folks on the Rez used Pawn as their Currency at the Trading Posts.  I know my Relatives would use the Trading Post a lot on their Rez.  And my Grandma and Aunts made a lot of stuff to Sell for Income, both Traditional Objects and what they knew Tourists and Non-Indians liked and preferred to Buy that was just made by an Indian.  My Grandma would sometimes just make the Tribal Style Outfits the little mass produced Indian Dolls made in Japan would wear that was Sold at the Trading Post.  I still have some that came with a piece of Paper that say the Outfit was made by an Indian!  *LMAO*  We always thought that was Comical.

  Above, that Sterling Antique Pendant has Two Old Deer Teeth on it!  Anyway, I Miss Dan a lot, his Dear Wife Rita is doing Well at handling Widowhood Thankfully.  They both were in their 80's, so that's a very long time together and sometimes a Spouse left behind won't last long after the other one Crosses Over.  So I was Worried that might happen to Rita.  She's just a tiny little Sprite, but tireless, she comes in to Work her Spaces and will literally spend all day there foofing her Booths and Cases.  Dan used to work several Shifts and was equally tireless, but was a big Man, even in his 80's, he was a big powerfully built imposing looking Guy with a Gravely Voice like an Old Cowboy.   They used to live in Wickenburg and had a Store there for Years selling Western Wares and Native American Wares.   Wickenburg is still known for being like a remnant of the Old West of smaller Towns around the outskirts of the bigger Urban areas.  We almost bought that Pueblo Style McManse out there that the Sellers ended up not being able to Perform on coz they had serious Title Issues. 

 The Man LOVED that Property best.  He's still crestfallen we had to back out AT SIGNING, due to Clouded Title Issues that would have been a Legal Nightmare to Clean Transfer of Title. The fucking Title Company missed it and I luckily had been in the Industry long enuf to catch it immediately when I got the Paperwork for us to Sign.  *Whew*  Long time Readers might recall there was a 3rd Party on the Original Deed of Trust, Marion, who ended up being the Dementia riddled Mother of the Son Selling the Property!!!  He and his Wife had Co-Signed with his Mother to Buy it, coz it was a Luxury Custom Home, and she'd lived in the Upstairs Unit, which was a whole separate Home.  Until she got Advanced Dementia and had to be Institutionalized in California with only a Medical Power Of Attorney that one of his Sisters had.  Which couldn't transfer Assets, just make Medical decisions for Dear Ole' Mom. 

 And they'd have to wait for her to Die and then go thru Probate to even consider a Sale and distribution of their Shares of it if Siblings contested her portion.  Messy as fuck, I suggested he might wanna Lawyer Up fast coz they Needed to Sell after his Mom's Income ceased paying her portion of the Note.   And all the Siblings, Five of them, didn't even get along and play well with each other, so the whole Sale would have been Contested, very Messy, and ole' Marion was not Competent to Sign over any of her Assets.  I couldn't Believe their Realtor didn't know all this beforehand before putting the Property up For Sale, and that a Major Title Company didn't catch the Issue as we were Closing the Sale!  Yikes!  As far as I know that Property never got Sold.   But, we had so many Sellers who couldn't Perform, and had Relative Contested Sales, or Title Issues of one kind or another, it was Crazy to me... it's common for Buyer's not to be able to Perform... but Sellers, WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

  The Lake House was a Short Sale with the Bank, with us as Backup Buyer, by the time the 1st Buyer couldn't Perform we'd JUST Signed on the Villa McManse an HOUR before the Bank offered it to us!  Ain't that a Bitch, we'd waited almost a Year to Buy that Property and see if they could Close the Deal with the 1st Buyer, Short Sales can be complicated, but a Good Deal for a Buyer.  And we REALLY wanted that Property and were in our Paid Off Historic Home, so could Wait it out, Time being on our side coz the Adoption was taking Forever anyway of The G-Kid Force and the only reason we had to Sell our Beloved Historic Home to comply with Adoption Criteria they just make up as they go along.  There was no good reason they should have forced us to Sell a Property the Kiddos had lived in since Birth all that time and CPS had no problems with.  But, Rules for Kinship Placements are totally different than for Adoptions, even if the Kids are your Relatives and you've already had them all their Lives as a Kinship Placement for Years and Years, go figure!  Bureaucrazy.

  And even this Property was problematic for the Sellers coz a Bidding War broke out and Four other folks Outbid us, so I backed out.  It took all Four of them unable to Perform what they had Bid on and go down the List of potential Buyers to get to us, 5th in Line, and Pre-Qualified, so we knew we could and would Close in 3 Days with our VA backed Loan.  The Sellers were so Grateful and relieved that we didn't flake out too, in such a Messy Market, that they Gifted us generously, which, they didn't Need to, but it was appreciated.  So, they gave us a John Deere Tractor, a Brand New Unused Washer & Dryer, a Laptop, Brand New Unused Fridge, Brand New Unused Stove and Microwave... all wouldn't have conveyed with the Sale otherwise.  Most Homes weren't coming with Appliances at the time.  We had our Own, but it was nice to get Brand New Ones conveyed at No Cost to us!   And Pandemic had just begun Globally, so Interest Rates tanked to 2% and people were pulling out of Major Deals out of Fear.  Blood in the Streets, perfect time to Buy IMO.

I had taken 98 pixs while out and about so should have sufficient Blog Fodder Fresh Imagery for a Minute.  *Smiles*   Some didn't turn out, alas, but most did.  My Camera is Old and malfunctioned once, the one The Daughter got for me recently has the Lithium Battery stuck inside, so I don't know yet how to successfully remove it or if it's leaked and ruined the Digital Camera, which is a nice one if I can Salvage it, by Samsung and would be a nice backup Camera to my Canon.  My Gifted Camera from a Dear Generous Blog Friend in Canada got Stolen at our Antique Mall.  A group of Young People came in while I was foofing the Showroom and taking Pixs of my Vignettes.  Some distracted me, I'd set the Camera down to help them, clearly some of the others Pocketed it and I didn't notice 'til they all left, without Buying anything.  I was so Upset!  They'd fled the Mall too.

They'd successfully done one of the oldest Thieving Tricks in the Book to come in Groups and use some as a Distraction to the Mark, so the others won't get caught Stealing what you have.  I put Curses on them all... coz I'd only had the Camera a couple Weeks!  Embarrassed too that I'd been such an Easy Mark for the ploy.  They seemed like Nice Young People of means, not like a Gang or even like Shady Motherfuckers that they clearly were.   Sometimes now Shoplifters do it for kicks or the Thrill of getting away with it, not out of Need or Poverty.  Now I don't set anything down of mine around any Customers, you can't Trust anyone.  Even in Retirement Communities, Shop Owners tell me the Old People are the worst Thieves... mebbe sometimes due to Cognitive Decline or Forgetfulness, but, more often, on Purpose!  They know Law Enforcement is lax on Theft and particularly lax on Seniors, pitying someone Elderly, Courts are too lenient on Old Criminals too.

 

I took The Man out with me to do Environmental Cleanup, he just sat in the Truck in the Shade by the River, but he enjoyed getting out and taking the Ride there.  He's having more trouble Walking now, so we need to work on that to keep his Mobility going.  Our Home isn't really very Wheelchair accessible and it would cost too much to make it that way.  He has a narrow Wheelchair the VA provided, but it would still limit him in where in the Home he could go and he crashes around like a Bull Elephant in his Walker, he'd be wrecking the House on Wheels in a Wheelchair!   I can't let him ride the Scooters for the Disabled in Stores or he is a menace with it.  To be sure a lot of people in them are and plow into people, either accidentally or intentionally, thinking becoz they're in a Scooter they can run over Pedestrians.  I've had a Come To Jesus with more than a few reckless Scooter folks who ran into me or a Family Member without apology and having an Attitude of Entitlement too!  They can go fast enuf to be as dangerous as any Vehicle.

One Middle Aged Morbidly Obese Woman in one plowed into me at a GOODWILL once, so hard she hurt me.  Then she got an Attitude like it was MY fault and she had the Right of Way in her Scooter!!!  OMG, I came Unhinged and told her to back the fuck up in that thing, she'd hurt me running into me so recklessly.  Instead of being apologetic, she started to get Mouthy and Threatening with me!  Oh Hell No!   So I told her I'd drag her Fat Ass right off it and we'd see how fast she could Run or how good she could Fight, coz I was gonna Fuck her up now and destroy her Scooter!!!  You never saw someone throw one of those things in Reverse and skiddaddle off so fast in your life!  The other Customers started clapping, coz they'd seen her run into me hard as I was looking at something on a Shelf in an Aisle too narrow for both of us.  I didn't even see her coming and careening towards me too fast. They asked if I was Okay and she had actually Bruised me and then became Verbally threatening first!  I wasn't having it.

 She was about 20 Years or more Younger than me, but so damned morbidly Fat, she should watch her Mouth if she was gonna become confrontational with an Able Bodied Person she started something with.  Get Mouthy and Threatening with some folk and you best be able to back that shit up.  She also shouldn't be bashing into Old People or Children in the damned thing, she was dangerous and reckless in it.  All she'd had to do was either wait or say Excuse Me like a Civilized Human Being and I would have gladly made room for her to get by or walked out of the Aisle rather than Create a Spectacle like she chose to.  I bowed to the Applause the other Customers gave me, in good Humor.  I think she'd been a menace thruout the Store in that thing and I wasn't the first person she either ran into or almost did.  And one of the Employees also came up and asked me if I was alright, coz you could tell she'd injured me.  If I'd been a more Fragile Senior or a Small Child she could have caused Serious Injury or a Fall.   Mini Rant over about reckless Scooter Riders who are also Unlovely People.  *Winks*

*******

The small amount of Retail Therapy was enjoyable... even while also dealing with Bureaucrazy stuff... Dawn... The Bohemian

You Can Thank Me Later... You're Welcome... Manic Blogging

 We had Company Today, The Nephew/Cousin of our Next Door Neighbors.  His name is Jason, great Old Guy, but terribly physically disabled and crippled up, but Mentally sharp as a tack.  The Daughter does a lot of work for him on his Mini Farm and he adores her, she's really good to him.  He's good to have conversations with, we talk about the darndest things, this day it was UFO's.  The Man was watching "Skinwalker Ranch" that a Billionaire bought to study strange happenings on it with a Scientific Team, the U.S. Government owned it for 25 Years and did similar Studies, it's interesting and quite an anomalous piece of Property of 512 Acres in the Uinta Basin of Utah.  Lots of Paranormal Events, strange sightings and strange Creatures reported for over 200 Years there.  With a Billionaires deep Pockets they can conduct intensive Scientific Studies, so it holds our Interest. 

Brandon Fugal is the Owner and Entrepreneur and has authorized large scale Experiments on the Property.  Dr. Travis Taylor is an Astrophysicist and Aerospace Engineer with a NASA background.  Erik Baird is a Chief Scientist and a principal Investigator who is in charge of a lot of the Tech Stuff.   And there's an Operation and Support Team on Staff along with various Experts they Hire to come in with their areas of Expertise.  They have also had some Tribal Elders of the local Indigenous population, who've known about and seen the anomalous things that go on there for Generations going way, way back.  So they don't doubt any of it and the Native American Ute Tribe feel it is a Portal Location.  They have always viewed it with deep caution and Multi-Generational Unease.   As I do when I watch the Show.  I wouldn't participate in any of what they're doing, tho' from a Scientific standpoint, and perhaps for Financial Motivation, I see why they're spending so much time, energy and Money to study it.  {My Temp Gauge actually got to 121 on Tuesday, I captured a Pix of it at 120, ugh!}

Jason told us about his Paranormal UFO experience he had as a Child that just stuck with him.  He said he doesn't tell too many people becoz a lot of Skeptics would think you're making it up or Mental.  He was a Child, so he wasn't even sure what he was seeing or why, his experience gave me chills, it happened in the early 1960's and his experience is very similar to one my own Mom had in the early 1960's, she was a Young Adult and never could explain her experience away either, her recount of it remained consistent her whole life, so I never doubted it happened.  But, like Jason, she didn't often Share it for the same reasons.  I saw my 1st UFO's as a Child on a Cape Cod Beach in broad Daylight with probably Hundreds of other Witnesses.  They came up out of the Atlantic Ocean and flew off.  I saw The Phoenix Lights in Spring of 1997, a lot of Locals saw it and it's well Documented. 

 And The Man and I saw something so similar to the Phoenix Lights over the White Tank Mountains just a few Years ago.  We pulled over off the Freeway to stop and look at it, don't know how many saw it but it was so close to Luke AFB Air Space they had to of been tracking it.   During the 1990's Phoenix Lights Episodes I remember seeing Jets from Luke scrambling but they couldn't catch up with how fast whatever it was took off after they came near, but the Base consistently denied it.  Whatever the Phoenix Lights were then, and over White Tanks, was moving slowly so long as it was left alone, and stuck around long enuf to be documented by those in the 1990's who had something to Record it with.  Who knows why the Military have covered up so much of what we suspect they know and have had involvement with? 

 More is coming out over Time tho' to validate this stuff exists Worldwide and Governments have known about them a long time.  There are allegedly Four Species of Visitors known about that Whistleblowers of Government said is documented but not released:  Greys, Nordics, Mantis Insect Types, and Reptilian Types.  That part was very Surprising and these are People high up in their Career Fields who would gain nothing by coming forward, and risk everything of their Reputations.  And many of them had access and now are Retired and no longer want to remain Silent about what they know and what they saw that has been covered up and not released to the Public.  They said what has been released is paltry compared to what should and could be released and folks should know about.  They don't feel that now it would cause Panic, since far too many people now are Open Minded about the existence of Life beyond our Planet and Curious to know why we get visits and what Technology we've reverse Engineered from what we've recovered or already had exposure to?

Anyway, we had a good visit with Jason and The Daughter met up with us with Jason at the Recycle Center and she gave us half the Money she'd made helping him with his Recycling.  So, I took The Man out for Breakfast and we went to the Post Office, I got some Route 66 Stamps, then we went to do more Environmental Cleanup and to see more of the Storm damage.  At Estrella Park near the Estrella Mountains they got hammered and over 50% of their Old Mesquite and Eucalyptus Trees got damaged, it was absolute carnage so most of the Park was Closed.  Some had fallen on the Bathroom Buildings, in over 50 Years I've never seen that much Storm damage there before, it will cost a lot to clean that all up.  We went to the White Tanks Mountains Park, it had less Storm damage and is near our Villa McManse, so we drove by the previous Home we Owned too.  They've painted it again, twice since we Sold it.  A Paint Job on a Villa that large is over $35,000.  It was White when we Owned it, they painted it Off White, now it's Tan.

I think the HOA is easing up, perhaps even being negligent now, coz a lot of properties had Dead landscaping, that never would have been able to happen before.  So, now it's looking run down and I suspect a lot of Out of State Investors Buying up those Luxury Homes for Air B&B Party Houses is the reason Why?  That and Vacant Properties, half the Properties there, or more, aren't Occupied most of the Year and are Vacation Properties for wealthy people who live somewhere else and mebbe spent a Week or Two at these enormous Vacation Homes they bought in Arizona.  If your Vacay 2nd Home that you only spend a couple Weekends a Year at  is 4,500-7,500 sf, no telling what your Primary Residence is like?!   But some Elite have more Money than they know what to do with or how to waste frivolously.   While most Americans are struggling to afford necessities, to me it's obscene that the Elite are so Rich and so Wasteful with it, and yet are given preferential Treatment and Welfare for the Wealthy by our Government.

Anyway, tons of development out there near the Villa McManse, mostly massive Industrial complexes going in, and Data Centers, which doesn't do anything Positive for Residential Property Values or the Environment.  That's why their Equity and Home Value has tanked and stagnated for all these Years out there.   Anyway, we filled up a whole Bag with Aluminum Cans just doing Two Parks, it was Breezy but very Hot so I brought him Home by 1:00 p.m., he's clearly had enuf Fun for the Day.  *Smiles*  But, he clearly enjoyed himself and was in a good Mood the whole time, even walked around a bit with his Walker, tho' he is having trouble Walking and so needs to practice more and ride his stationary Bike more to strengthen his Legs.  So, I'm glad they are asking to resume his OT and PT at Home again.  When the Young Stud Muffins come and do the Exercises with him, he wants to Show Off for them.  *Winks*  You know how Old Marines are, they're not gonna be shown up by some Young Stud Muffin even if the Youngsters are in their Prime!  *LOL* 

I watched a 2016 Movie on Amazon Prime called "Cell" with Samuel L. Jackson and John Cusack, I liked it, but for some reason John Cusack's Hair really bothered me.  I was glad when he put a Beanie on for most of the Movie coz his Hair just looked Crazy and not on Purpose, just like he's had a Bad Hair Transplant done or was wearing a Bad Toupe'.  Google pretends like it's his real Hair, but, it is not a Good Look at all, whether his real Hair or just Bad Fake Hair or an atrocious transplant.  I was so fixated on how Crazy it looked that I couldn't pay attention to anything else until he put that Beanie on.  *Bwahahahaha*  And it's a shame coz he's Aged pretty Gracefully otherwise, and is a good Actor, but that Hair!!!   Samuel L. Jackson is one of my Fav Actors of all time, he's so diverse with his Characters and he was of coarse really good in it.  Then I watched another NetFlix Horror flick from 2019 called "The Silence" with Stanley Tucci, which had some excellent Monsters in it.  I forget Stanley also Acts, coz he's on so many Food Network Shows now.  *LOL* 

Then I watched an Old Stephen King's 1980 Book, adapted version Horror Movie from 2007 called "The Mist", with Thomas Jane, which I'd seen a long time ago, but was worth watching again.  As you can see, I was in Horror Movie Mode and enjoyed watching a good trifecta of them after everyone else had gone to bed.  *Smiles*  Hadn't ever seen the first Two before, I don't watch much TV or go to the Movies, so, a lot of older ones are new to me.  I popped some Orville Redenbachers Pour Over Butter Microwave Popcorn and made a Night of it.  *Smiles*  I can only ever find the Pour Over Butter at Wal-Marts now, but it's the best.  It only comes in a Two Pac, but you can Thank me later if you've never tried it before, you're Welcome.  *Winks*  When I go to Wal-Mart I usually buy all of them in Stock they have, coz usually it's less than 5-6 Boxes.  *LOL*

Above is a piece of Altered Art that is one that Got Away way back in 2013 and I have Non-Buyers Remorse about to this day!   It was Photographed right around my Birthday of that Year and I could have and should have Bought it for myself, but that was the August that The Man had his Catastrophic Accident that was damned near Fatal, ON The Young Prince's 13th Birthday, which is just 8 Days before my Birthday, so the Accident ruined both of those Celebrations and the rest of 2013's Holidays for that Year, since The Man spent 10 Months Hospitalized and not expected to Live or to Recover from his catastrophic injuries.  He spent over 3 Months in a Level One Trauma Hospital ICU, another 3+ Months in a Neurological Hospital who gave up on him getting any better, and sent him Home to Die, I couldn't take Care of him in the condition they discharged him and had a difficult time finding any Placement that would even take him.  Finally after the VA Nursing Homes refused him, a Civilian one took pity on The Grandkids and I, coz I was crying in their Lobby... and accepted him for the time Medicare would cover him being in their Facility for another 3 Months.

  

At the time I blew thru all our Savings, around $30,000 for Medical Expenses, owed damned near a Million more than the Insurances, all Three that he had, wouldn't pay for... and so most of our Resources were spent trying to just keep him above dirt that Year.  There was no Money for much else, luckily my Historic Homestead was paid for, but my paid off Truck was the one he was in and it got totaled in the Accident.  But, being in that Truck saved his Life and usually he didn't borrow my Vehicle coz he had a brand new Jeep that he'd only owned 4 Days at the time, but he needed to go to U-Haul and Rent a Dolly to move a Fridge, so that's why he had my Truck.   Anyway, so this piece of Art I had intended to Buy for my Birthday, I couldn't, and to this day I Wished I could have, the Vendor left soon afterwards and tho' I had her Business Card, I never even found her Online again to Buy from her or ask if she still had this piece.  I'd bought other Assemblage Art from her that I still Love and Cherish to this day, but this one I had a particular Obsession to Own... and, alas, couldn't, due to Circumstances.

But, that Year my Friend Angie asked me to give her one of my Favorite T-Shirts coz she wanted to do something Special with it for my Birthday, and Below is the Marilyn Monroe Tee she altered for me and I still have that and it's a Favorite, I usually wear it with a plain Black or plain White Wife-Beater Tank Top under it.  Angie used to make the Coolest Lines of Wearable Art, Accessories, Decor and Jewelry.   I Wish she still was in the Industry but she's been MIA now for Years and doesn't use Social Media much to be able to stay in touch with anyone anymore.  She hasn't even done a FB Post since Spring of 2024... and even then, it was her Cousin who did the Post of Angie with her little Niece.  So, I don't even know how she's doing and I do miss her, such a wonderful Person, so generous, and so Talented.  She bestowed me with OOAK Friendship Gifts she Created that I Cherish to this day.  I'd do Fabric Art Bag alterations for her, since, at the time, she Loved my Carpet Bag Creations and I told her I could alter some of her Vintage Bags in that Style, so I did, as a Friendship Gift to her.

I got so Mad at Two Locations of The Golden Arches.  We wanted a quick Cheap Breakfast and they had a new Honey Butter Biscuit Sammie on their Menu, so, thought I'd try that with my Caramel Macchiato from there.  The Man likes McDonalds, usually I don't, except for that drink.  And I HATE the lack of Customer Service and those damned Kiosks that never function properly, fuck up the Orders {along with the Staff who do}, and I have trouble using and figuring out how they even Work!  Anyway, at Location No. 1, long lines at both Kiosks, giddy giggly High School Girls taking Selfies while they Order from the Kiosks in spite of seeing long lines behind them waiting for our turn.  We FINALLY get our turn and that Location is out of everything we wanted to Order!!!  Dammit!   That's Half an Hour of our Lives we'll never get back... so, we decided on our way to White Tanks we'd just stop at another Location.

There was a brand new one just by where our Villa McManse is outside of White Tanks Park, so we stop there.  Hardly anyone in there, but no Cash Register at all, only Two Kiosks and Human Staff conspicuous by their very absence.  Okay, so I figure out how to Order, pay, the Kiosk claimed everything was fine and available, not Sold Out.  But when they bring us our Order, mine was Wrong.  Instead of the Honey Butter Biscuit which is an upcharge of almost $7 for the damned thing, I get their $3 Meal Deal cheap Ass $1.99 substitution of some Biscuit I didn't even order nor want.  I tell the Girl, this is Wrong.  She insists it's Right, as if I'm an Idiot/Moron and can't tell it's so NOT what I  Ordered and Paid for!   So I go up and yell for someone in charge, who reluctantly then comes over and tells me, well, we don't have the Honey Butter Biscuit, so we substituted.  Yeah, with something less than half the price of what I Paid for and Ordered!!!

Without missing a beat, she says, oh, so you want something extra then?  Well, fuck Yeah, I just paid double what this damned thing Costs and this isn't what I ordered and it's not what I want!  So, she reaches under the Counter, I kid you not, and hands me Two small Packets of Honey and walks away!!!   I almost fucking imploded, but The Man was like, Honey, let's just eat it, at least they weren't out of your Caramel Macchiato too {coz in the past you pay Extra for that and if they're out they try to rip you off by Substituting a $1.99 plain Iced Coffee instead and think that's a Fair Substitution also!!!}.   And I decided, he's Right, I'm not gonna allow a Fast Food joint I dislike anyway to ruin my Morning... consider the Source... exploited Help, too much reliance on Non-Human Machines doing the Work so they don't have to hire Humans, and poorly Educated Young People who probably can't even Read or Write even tho' they got Graduated.  {Whole other Ranty Post could come out of that Fact, Teachers are shitting Kittens that their Seniors can't Read or Write!  And we've got a Generation of Functional Illiterates!}

So, I have no idea what their Honey Butter Biscuit even tastes like, but beware if you order one and they try to pass something else off to you as a Fair Substitution, that Costs way less than what you Paid for, when they don't have it!  McDonalds put on Blast.  *Winks*  BTW: What they gave me, even slathered with the small Honey Packets, wasn't tasty at all, Gak!   Note to Self: Never order a Breakfast from the Golden Arches... I doubt it's even really Food!?  *LOL*   In a couple Hours we'll have Chili for Dinner, I forgot to put it on in the Crockpot this Morning so it could Simmer a long time, so it's In-A-Hurry Two Hour Chili instead now.  *LOL*   If I'd remembered that's what I intended to make I could have asked The Daughter to start it when she got Home, coz she got Home much earlier than her Dad and I did.   So did The Son... and even Princess T got out of Work early Today by 2:30 p.m..  Even all we had Today was our crappy McD Breakfast that was all Wrong and not what I Ordered... I don't feel particularly Hungry.

Everyone likes my various Chili concoctions tho' so they're Happy we're having that Tonight regardless that it didn't Simmer all Day to enhance the Flavor.   I did harvest some of the fresh Herbs off the front Porch that have managed to survive this brutal Summer... I still had some Oregano, Marjoram and Thyme.  The Leaves are very tiny of what's still growing, so I didn't even have to mince them up.  This Year only a few Herbs that were real hardy survived this Summer's intensity which Fried everything else.   So, anyway, an effortless Dinner, I Love Crockpots.  For those of us who aren't Culinary Jedi's, they're a Godsend.  *Smiles*  I also used a good Bone Broth and Medium Canned Chili Starter, Tony Chachere's Chili Seasoning Mix, Fire Roasted Corn, Canned Diced Tomatoes that had Oregano and Garlic in them, Three types of Beans, and about a Pound and a Half of Hamburger Meat extra Lean.  And it turned out excellent, topped with Grated Taco Blend Cheeses, Onion and Fresh Cilantro.  And Savory Garlic Bread Knots.

   

We made the Garlic Savory Bread Knots to go with it, they're really good, come ready made in a Bag you actually Bake them in, got them in Two flavors at Wal-Mart.  Never had them before but would definitely get them both again, they taste like Homemade Bread and are Seasoned Beautifully.  Bake up quickly in the Oven IN the Bag they come in and are produced by "Marketside".   If you've never tried them, I'd recommend it for a quick Bread that tastes Homemade and is inexpensive.  You can Thank me later, you're Welcome again.  *Winks*  So, it was a good day all around, Tomorrow in Real Time is the Event I'm going to after the Roofer and Insurance Adjuster leave, which is Celebrating their 15th Anniversary.  The sneak peeks Online haven't shown me too much of what the Theme is?   It's called "Time Well Spent" and I don't know if they'll have some items on Sale, or Giveaways, in the Past they have on each Anniversary.  They do have a Contest for a VIP Early Entry, which I didn't enter, I can't get there earlier due to the Storm Damage being assessed that Morning.

There were some Images Shared in one area that intrigued me coz of the Old Cabinet in it, huge piece, I have no room for anything that large, but it's magnificent.   It looks like possibly it was a Commercial Piece a long time ago?  It displays Vintage and Antique White Pottery, Dinnerware and other Kitchenware nicely, since the Cabinet is White.  Very Urban Farmhouse Style.  I would have had room for such a piece at the Villa McManse's Dining Room, but you'd need a very large Home with very high Ceilings, to have it be to Scale and not overwhelm a Space.  And a large expanse of Wall as well.  But I sure can Admire a Statement Piece like that which is really OOAK and difficult to Source.  So, I'd be interested in the Back Story of where it was Found and what type of use and History it had?   I'm always fascinated by the Stories and History of these Treasures, as much as with the Piece itself... if the provenance is known?   So, if it's a Designer/Vendor I know, I will ask where they Sourced it and what it's Story is?

I don't have any Budget for even a Modest Purchase this Month, so I don't plan on Buying anything at all, just enjoying the Event and taking Blog Fodder Coverage of it to Share.  Which is Enough, I don't Need another thing and there's probably not another thing I simply can't Live without.  *Smiles*  I'm Content these days to have Lustfests with items I have absolutely no intentions of Owning or Buying, but can just enjoy Photographing and Lusting over without Needing to have it and possess it.  That's progress when you reach a certain Season in your Life where you're more Focused on ridding yourself of Possessions than expanding the accumulation of them.  It's not that I don't find some things to still Own and Buy, but there's no Need and I can resist easily now, even if it's Primo and would be great to Own.   I'm even Selling Off things that I still Love and Cherish, but, can Let Go of.

I was waffling on whether to go to my Event on Opening Day due to having to be here the same Morning for the Insurance Adjuster and my Contractor, not knowing how long they'll take?   I'm having wicked pain in my Right Foot so need to park close to the Event and if you don't arrive somewhat early, that's not happening.  I don't wanna walk in from the lower forty if I arrive and there's no decent parking and be in pain before I even enjoy doing anything and get in the Door.  I got dressed for the Event anyway when I first woke up to try to force myself to go now.  *LOL and Winks*  It's not what I'd wear if I just stayed Home.  *Smiles*   Do you ever try to Psyche yourself Out like that to motivate what you should do and are threatening to waffle on at the last Minute?  We'll see if this tactic works or not?   Otherwise I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go.  *Ha ha ha*

I guess this is gonna be one of my longer Posts coz I just don't wanna start another one.  I got a lot already pending to Publish and need to slow down in the Unpublished Post Situation I got going on.  I've clearly been Manic Blogging.  And once on a Manic Bender I just can't Stop, it's not as easy as that.  *Le Sigh*  I keep going and going and going and going... no matter what it is that I'm being Obsessive about at the time.  Right now it's been Blogging, it could be worse things, to be sure.  *LOL*  If I don't slow down tho' I'll have Posts Queued Up until October already... and we're not out of August yet!  *Smiles*  I'm about ready to take Princess T to Work and then wait for the whole Roofing Thing.  I'm Anxious about this Claim going the way it should and getting Paid Out before more Storm damage occurs if they dally and I incur content damages if the Roof fails and leaks onto the inside of The RV Garage Mahal ruining what's inside.  I'm very nervous about that.  Since it's not where people are living they may not give it the highest priority?  But it holds a massive amount of possessions worth more than I know they'd ever pay out for.

And some items you can't put a Price on if they are ruined.  So, it's pay now or pay more later if they dally and I have to add to this Claim for their delays that causes extensively more damage to my Property.  I'm no Fan of any Insurance Companies coz I know they try to get away with undercutting the Insured and saving themselves Money.  People actually Die when Medical Insurers balk at paying out or deny Claims or Procedures and Medical Attention and Treatments.  I honestly think it's why so many of the Public championed what happened to the United Healthcare CEO even tho' it was a horrendous Assassination.  They felt vindicated in some warped way for how their Medical Insurances have treated them, if they can even afford Medical Insurance or are grossly Underinsured and Uninsured and suffer for it.   If people suffer too much or endure too much at the hands of an unjust System, Revolution tends to happen eventually.

 I recently watched a show on the French Revolution of 1789 when they'd had enuf of the Elite.   So had a major uprising against the Ruling Elite, and began a murderous rampage against them. Targeting the absolute Monarchy, the Privileged Nobility and the Catholic Clergy.  It wasn't Pretty.   Commoners and the ambitious Middle Class fought back against their heavy Taxes, extreme inequality, food shortages, completely dismantling the French old Feudal System.   And when injustices and extreme inequality exist in any System, expect an uprising eventually, it's bound to happen once the oppressed population, which is usually in the Majority, have had enuf. 

 I see America tipping into this very dangerous territory with the widening gap between the Haves and the Haves Not, with a President who has a Marie Antoinette Mentality and is totally out of touch with the People he's supposed to be Serving as the Leader of the Nation.  If he makes their/our Situation worse enuf... he could have his Marie Antoinette Moment, along with his Sycophants that have enabled him and his Billionaire Buddies exploiting the People.  The likes of Elon and Bezos better Hope they can get to and Live on Mars if the People turn on them all.  When it all drops I wouldn't wanna be any of them that the Mobs will then be after and Anarchy breaks out.

This Beautiful Downtown Mural of Marilyn Monroe used to be on a Downtown Building occupied by Wazoodeals.  When they vacated and another Business took over they sadly painted over the Mural with more Black Paint... Why?   I'm glad I preserved it in a couple of Images. Sometimes I don't understand some People, do they prefer Ugliness and being Culturally Deprived?  It has happened to a few Beautiful Murals painted by well known Artists in our City too.  One in particular the New Owner of the Building used a poor Quality Reddish Paint to wreck a gorgeous Mural by painting over it with their cheap Paint, so now the Building looks atrocious, where before, it had Curb Appeal and Artistic Beauty.   Some folks just seem to feel the Need to destroy anything Beautiful or Aesthetically or Naturally significant.  Donnie Two Dolls being a Prime Example of a Classless Tacky Being who has a lot of Money, but couldn't Buy himself any Class, Taste, Intelligence, or a Moral Compass.  So he Gilds everything or makes it bigger, thinking that makes it Classy and Special, but it ends up just Tacky, Grotesque, Gauche, and Crude.  *Eye Roll* 

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I'll spare you more ranting for now, smiles... Dawn... The Bohemian