No Clever Hook Title Today ~ I Almost Forgot A Title To This Post!!!

 The Son had to be sent Home on Monday with Stomach Issues and I think he may have given whatever it was to the rest of us coz I'm having it Today and so is The Man?!  My Stomach feels sour and is making Horror Movie Quality Noises.  *LOL*  So, I don't wanna stray too far from a Bathroom, just in case.  So, nix any plans I might have made to get anything done outside of Home this day.  *Le Sigh*

  The Weather is Cold and Windy again, doesn't look like Rain tho' and it did the day before but we didn't get any.  The Clouds just looked ominous all day and didn't have anything productive fall out of them, and finally blew away, clearing the Mountain Ranges without Rainfall.  Usually the Mountains surrounding the whole Valley make the Clouds dump whatever moisture they're holding.

Anyway, I'm looking up the Pool Supply Stores and if one is close enuf, might venture there with the present fairly new Pool Vacuum that quit working, to find an identical one that will fit the Hose hookup to the Pool.  I need to do something even if Brad the Pool Guy won't and isn't.  Brad doesn't know it yet, but he's on thin Ice with us wanting to retain him if he can't get the Pool Maintained right.  There's plenty of competition in the Pool Business so you can't take your regular Customers for granted and expect to keep their Business.  

I'm a Loyal Customer so long as you treat us right and appreciate our Business.  But, I will drop you like a Rock if you don't.  We Hired him becoz the previous Owners and most of our Neighbors do and he got a good recommendation from all of them.  I like the Guy, but of late his personality has shifted and he's not as pleasant and engaging as he has been for Years, I don't know Why?  I sense he's got Personal or Business Problems tho'?  I'm not Personalizing the shift in his countenance and demeanor.  But, it is affecting his Business when he's not in the right Head Space to interact with his Customers or provide adequate Customer Service when there are problems.

A lot of Businesses, especially small Family Owned ones, are struggling and I try to always Support smaller Indie Businesses primarily.  I think it is important to and not just use the Billionaire Owned Companies, that threaten to become Monopolies.   But, I realize most Americans do to save a Buck.  Even if the Billionaire Companies exploit their Workforce and Vendors to undercut Prices and try to run the Small Guys out of Business, most Consumers don't Care if it saves them a Buck. 

 Our Politics have shown us how short-sighted and fixated on saving a Buck the average American Voter has become, they'll Vote for any Devil if they Imagine a Savings to themselves in any way.  Selling your Soul to a Devil to gain something or cut some Deal with a Devil is never a good idea tho'.  NEVER.  The Devil is in the Details as they say.  The Details of a matter are it's most problematic aspect and Devils rely on that nondisclosure... so like to be Vague and use Distractions on Purpose.  And Voters develop Amnesia so quickly about serious Issues, if they ever were even paying attention in the first place and getting information from reliable Sources?!

But enuf of Pool Problems and Politics, both problematic enuf right now that I don't like either Situation.  *Winks*  I scheduled an Appointment with our CPA for 11:00 on Thursday Morning.  My Paperwork was pretty Organized but I never know if the Govt. has sent us everything they should?   Some Years they hadn't and then we had to apply for an extension while they provided what they should have way back in January and didn't.   I Hate it when we're responsible for reminding Officials of what their Job is and they didn't fucking do, that shouldn't be our Job, you know? 

  They get Paid to do whatever their Job is, so just fucking do it properly, is all we ask.  Bureaucracy always has problems in the doing of whatever it is they do.  Anyway, so hopefully by Tomorrow Afternoon in Real Time we'll have Taxes out of the way?  *Whew*   I hope you're not growing weary of Quilt Square Art Imagery coz I got a lot of it from my 2nd visit to that Event.   Hey, I was light on Blog Fodder, what can I say?  *LOL*  And, to me Art is always Uplifting and Positive to behold.  There's enuf ugliness and Negativity in the World that Positivity should be Welcoming to anyone.

Eli's Cat Tree arrived and Princess T assembled it, it's big and right now he's rather afraid of it.  He is a big ole' scaredy Cat even tho' he's a huge Tomcat.  Anything New and he's afraid of it and it will take him a few days of it not going away before he'll have a Peace about it.  *LOL*  She spent $45 on it and really wanted him to like it, he Loved his Old one, which he'd destroyed and it wasn't safe for him to be up on anymore.  With much coaxing he did go over and lay beside it for a Photo Op, but that was all he was willing to risk at this point.  *LMAO*  Pixs I took of it and him by it will be forthcoming in another Post.

Anyway, this one is like a high rise Apartment Complex for Cats and so it's by their Bedroom Door and when you walk in, if he's on the upper level, he will be at Eye level.   So, he should eventually Love it once he gets used to it, he Loves to ambush anyone coming into the Room and have a superior vantage point.  He is very spoiled rotten and has the best of everything, she and I ensure that.  He could be one of the most spoiled Felines in the World.  And he's not at all a Pet Quality Cat, so it's not as if he's Earned the spoiling, he doesn't really People well at all.  He'd be a likely Contestant on that Cat Behavior Reality Show for Jackson Galaxy, the American Cat Behaviorist, to assess.  *LOL*

Only I looked at how much Jackson charges and OMG, I need to become a Cat Behaviorist!   Between $10,000-$20,000 to come to your Home and $5,000-$10,000 for a Virtual assessment!!!  You know what I call that???   A New Cat!!!  *Bwahahahaha*   We have never paid a Penny for a single Cat we've ever Owned, so tho' we spoil them once they Adopt us, I'd never spend that much to Teach my Human Child to Behave properly, let alone a Cat!   I'll continue just issuing my usual Threats to send him to 'Great China' if he misbehaves and stare him down with my Crazy Eyes.  *Winks*  He doesn't know exactly what that means, just that he doesn't wanna find out.  *LMAO*

 

And Honestly, how many actual Clients do you suppose Mr. Galaxy obtains with that price point?   And what kind of People can afford to pay that much to Keep a Naughty Cat they can't Manage or Live with?   Like I said, if the Cat isn't working out that badly, I call that, get a New Cat.  I mean, Dog Training is about $30-$80 per Class for Group Training or $45-$120 per Hour for Private Sessions, which is expensive enuf for a Behaviorally Challenged Dog!   Now, the Dog Whisperer, Cesar Millan, unlike the Cat Whisperer, doesn't Publicly List his Training Fees, so I'm sure it's Thousands of Dollars for Private Sessions.  Since his average Speaking Events cost $50,000-$100,000!!!  Yowsah, these Reality TV Star Animal Trainers are Cleaning Up!  

Listen, if you'd be willing to spend that much to Teach your Animals to Behave and Treat you Right, it would be Cheaper to have a Human and just pay them to Treat you better than the troublesome Cat or Dog is, Okay?  *Bwahahaha*   Most of our Animals I've had since Childhood up until now, have been responsive to just being Loved and part of the Family.  Some more Chill, Endearing and Social than others, coz, they're not a Monolith, like People, they're a mixed bag of Personalities too.  We only ever had One Cat, Cleopatra, that I ever had to get rid of.  She was a Dumpster Kitten Rescue and a beautiful Calico with Black around her Eyes, thus her Name, it looked like Eyeliner.   But Cleo literally pissed on everything all the time and was fearful of the Outdoors due to her Abandonment in a Dumpster traumatizing her as a tiny Kitten.

We tried everything, a Vet told us there was nothing physically wrong to cause her not to use a Litterbox ever to Pee.   And I finally gave up and had to bring her to a No Kill Shelter where they also rehabilitated Animals with Behavioral Problems before putting them up for Adoption.  They told me if she had to live out the rest of her Days there, it would be better than her being euthanized elsewhere.  So, I Donated a sum to their Organization and several of the largest sizes of Cat Food and Cat Toys galore.  It was very hard to give up even a Cat we couldn't Live with, but I didn't want a Home always smelling like Cat Piss either and she'd piss on things you couldn't clean and had to just dispose of.  But, we Cried when we relinquished her.

Had she been okay with Living as an Outdoors Only Working Cat with some we already had on our Historic Property, we'd of just let her live out Life there.   All our Outside Only Working Cats had always gotten spayed or neutered and could live out Life on our Property doing their Job of Rodent eradication on the Acreage and Outbuilding parameters.  Some of our Mini Farm Neighbors here have Barn Cats who do the same Job to rid their Properties of Roof Rats and Snakes around their Livestock, Feed & Seed, and Fruit/Nut Trees, which tend to attract Vermin.   We sometimes get a Black & White Cat that comes onto our Property from one of the Neighbors, we don't deter nor invite it, but it does no harm and might do some Volunteer Work for us?  *Winks*

We did go out for Brunch since it began Raining like Hell between Breakfast and Lunch and I was Jonesin' for Comfort Food.  We had Tacos at a fav Mexican Restaurant nearby that serves Goat Tacos, which are my Favorite.   The Man had a Pork Taco and it was hard getting just a Taco into him, he wanted to take half of it Home, half a fucking Taco!  I said No, eat 'til full then Stop, and just leave it.  So, then he ate the whole thing.  *Winks*  Whenever he takes something Home he never eats it and nobody else was gonna eat a half eaten fucking Taco!!!  *LOL*  When someone has Brain Damage and Dementia going on, they do the craziest shit ever if you let them.  

I'd just leave him Home, but he asks to go and is let down if you don't take him along.  But, nowadays when he goes to a Restaurant he mostly spends time playing with the Food and not Eating it.  But he messes with it so much, dissecting it and playing with it, that then nobody else at Home wants to eat it either!!!   So he's ruined good Food, not eaten it, and wasted Money buying it for him.   He will also order what he says he wants and when he gets it, tell you he doesn't Like it, or complain about it, as if someone else ordered it for him!!!   I take time to explain to him what he's ordering so he's Aware what it is and remembers what is is before ordering it.  If it's something I know he won't like, I remind him he doesn't like it and gently suggest he order something I know he does like.  Lately he'll tell you everything is Spicy, even if it's not.

Today he did complain his Pork Taco was too Spicy.  But it was just the Carnitas Meat and they put everything else on the side for you to build your own flavoring profile, so, I knew it wasn't as Spicy as he claimed.  And, since he claims literally everything is too Spicy now, even bland foods, you can't trust he's telling the Truth about it.   I'll taste if for him and then if it's not at all Spicy, sometimes even bland, I'll tell him it's not and then he'll eat it as if it's not.  I just don't know what's going on in his poor Brain anymore and a lot of it could be Dementia related Psychosis, so we navigate it as if he's just lost touch with Reality in those moments.  It does cause him significant distress and impairment in his Daily function tho', so you have to finesse each Episode he's having.  

We Deal with all that anyway with those in the Family who have Serious Mental Illness, so I've become quite adept at finessing Psychotic Episodes and smoothing things over.   You can't argue when someone is Psychotic coz it's Real to them, and trying to convince them otherwise will only agitate them further and make them have an outburst.  This is what's happening with this President and honestly I don't know how or why they claim he ever passed a Mental Health Evaluation, he couldn't have and he's getting progressively worse.   The Cognitive Decline between his last Term and this one is significant and he was Bat Shit Crazy during 1.0, now, in 2.0, barely anything he says makes a bit of sense.  He's no longer tethered to Reality at all and can't put a coherent sentence together.  It's Dangerous to allow him to make decisions.

The Man isn't as bad off Mentally as this President is, nor as Old, and yet he can't make any decisions for himself anymore, or for anyone else, and requires full time Caregiving.   He can't pass a competency Test, so I know for damned sure the Orange Menace cannot.  The Handlers and Enablers are so Power Hungry themselves, that they're covering up how bad off he is so they can all keep their Positions of Power and pretend all is well, when, clearly it's not.   And most of them were Nepotism hires and what another Blogger humorously referred to as Honky Hires, and aren't Competent for the Positions they hold either, so it's just one big Cluster Fuck of Incompetency and Radical Ideology.  RFK, Jr. is another one whose completely gone Mentally.  He's so far down the Rabbit Hole in his Conspiracy Theories and Quackery that he's Dangerous and is causing preventable Deaths already, mostly Children's Deaths.

Parents following his Quackery have irreversibly harmed their Children by overdosing them on Vitamin A and causing significant Organ Damage of their Liver and Central Nervous Systems!!!  Rather than just Immunizing them Safely with proven and Tested Drugs that have worked with 98% efficiency to eradicate diseases like Measles for the past 50 Years!!!  It's Insane what people are fearful of in the way of Vaccines, and yet damaging themselves and their Kiddos with Quackery they eagerly Believe and has no proven benefits whatsoever and causes such harm!  They're withholding proven Protection and yet then using Snake Oil Remedies suggested by a Quack who claims Worms ate his Brain, and has no Medical Training or experience.  Unbelievable!!!

When I picked Princess T up at Work they had a Trio of the 1983 Camp Snoopy Beverages Glasses, I'll Sell them in my Locked Case individually.  They had some Christmas Trolls, the small size, in a bagged lot with some Hallmark Ornaments.  And Princess T Scored some Anime and Hello Kitty Plush Toys.  I got a brand new with original Tags Harley Davidson Tank Top I'll be Selling.  And a Led Zeppelin Tie Dyed XXL Size T-Shirt for myself.  And a Dungeons & Dragons Flavors of the Multiverse Cookbook.  Some good recipes and unusual staging of the Foods Photographed in it, almost a Renaissance Vibe, so it's Interesting and visually quite different.

It was so Cold Outside that some of our Rain Today came down as Hail, that hasn't happened in a while and definitely not in Spring!  It's only 58 Degrees right now at 4:00 p.m. and when you think that only a few Days ago at the same Time of Day it was over 100!!!  Schizo Weather, you can't predict how Cold or how Hot it will be anymore from Day to Day.  So, a lot of folks are getting Sick.  That Stomach Bug we had this Morning passed rather quickly, it's part of why we waited to eat or leave the House.  But, no incidents and now both The Man and I feel fine.  The Son and Princess T said a lot of people at their Work have been out Sick with it tho'.  So, it's something going round, a Norovirus Stomach Flu, and it is highly contagious.

This Morning after I dropped Princess T off to Work and came back to our Mini Farms there was a pack of Three Coyote running down one of the Streets.   Coyote are my Spirit Animal so I have great respect for them, they're intelligent and highly adaptable creatures, thriving in spite of us encroaching on their habitat.   It's one of the reasons I'm hesitant to have Chickens since keeping them safe from Natural Predators would be challenging.  When we had Tyson here the Coyote kept their distance, so did the Raccoons, but now he's not here I know they can jump our fences so easily that you have to be mindful of leaving anything around that would attract them.  

Some of the Raccoon that live around here are huge, so they're thriving too.  I don't resent the Wildlife, any of it, we're the Nuisance Animals IMO, this was their Home before it was ours and Humans drove most of them away.  During Pandemic when Humans were in Lockdown, across the Globe a lot of Wildlife temporarily reclaimed Territory, once we were out of the way.  I thought it was Wonderful, Animals were seen in places that they hadn't been seen in for Generations.   I remember in my Mom's Home Country of North Wales, the Wild Welsh Mountain Sheep came down and were grazing on people's front lawns!   I do Wish my Mom had still been Alive to see that.   My Dad would have been Happy to see Wildlife reclaiming Territory as well, he had great respect for all Wild things and things Natural, he passed that along to me.  I'm more comfortable and at Home out in Nature than around what Humans have made.

 

It's in the 40's this Morning tho', so Frosty.  I don't know whether it will warm up or not later on?  Yesterday it didn't and stayed Cold and Windy all day, so I didn't venture out.  I haven't been in to the Antique Mall for a while either, mostly becoz anytime I go in they've been soliciting me to fill a Shift and I really don't want to be pulling too many on The Fly like that.  Makes it hard to pace myself when I don't know in advance that I'll be Working and need to conserve my Energy to pull a Shift.  Most of the folks we fill-in for don't let Management know in advance that they won't be coming in.   And there's so many new people now too that I don't know a lot of them or what they're like to work with?  I like to know whose likely to be working with you, it makes a difference in how the Shift will go.

Yes, I can work with anyone, but I may not want to work with them.  *Winks*  And becoz I'm Retired, I don't have to work, so I'm picky about accepting Shifts now, especially Post-Stroke.  I have to be Mindful now that I need to take it easy still and not push myself too hard, don't wanna risk another Health Emergency.  Sales for this Pay Period seem rather Soft again, people just aren't spending and with Tariffs escalating, when Essentials cost more, it means less disposable income for folks to buy things they don't need.   Let's face it, what we're Selling in an Antique Mall isn't Essential.  Princess T is really upset about the Tariffs on Vehicles coz it may increase the cost of even Used Cars now and she's been Saving so hard to even afford them Pre-Tariff.   Supply and Demand will dictate what happens in that Industry, but I predict it won't be Good with what he's doing across the board.

They were Interviewing even American Car Dealerships and they were very concerned about their Industry as a whole.  From Manufacturing, to Sales, to Maintenance, Prices will soar with these Tariffs and it won't be a short term hardship.   Don't kid yourself that it's a short term problem, Countries we Trade with won't Trust us after this and aren't likely to Forgive what he's doing either.   Not to mention Americans won't Trust any of it after it hits them hard in their Wallets and creates Economic Hardships, a Recession, the Stock Market to Crash, and Job Losses galore.   All that's coming and some of it already has begun to happen, so buckle up Buttercups.   

They are also talking out of both sides of their Mouths again too, especially about saying no Taxes on Social Security and yet also they want to do away with Social Security!  Which, doesn't Square.  Well, unless, I guess you won't pay Taxes on Money you're no longer getting, huh?  *Eye Roll*   And tho' no Taxes on Tips and Overtime also seems like a good Deal for those barely making Ends Meet and have lower Wages so NEED to rely on Tips or Overtime to pay the Rent and such, if everything they Buy costs more, will they be keeping pace with the inflationary aspect of it all?   I mean, my Social Security Check isn't that large that the Taxes saved on not being Taxed aren't likely to be greater than the increase in what it will cost each American with Tariffs imposed.  They say it could cost over $4200 each more we'll be paying Annually for everything, will not Taxing your Social Security Check even break even on that increase or cost you more?

It's like they're banking on the average American not being intelligent enuf to do simple Math?  Or don't even have a rudimentary knowledge of Economics, based on the Bullshit I'm hearing them spew about it all, that they expect all of us to just blindly Believe.  And perhaps some people can't calculate the cost to them this will impose, until it actually happens and they're hurting from the effects of it?   I don't even know what I should be doing to prepare enuf for all of this?   No telling how long it will last?  So, it's difficult to prepare adequately when the chaos is constant. Even Economists are nervous about the long term fallout of such reckless implementation of spontaneous decisions that change almost Hourly, let alone Daily, in such an unstable and poorly thought out way.  His Moods dictate his Policies, or lack thereof and nobody is challenging it really.

 

Anyway, I prepare for the worst and just Hope for the best, it's all we can really do at this point.  After we get out Taxes done this Morning I'll know better how much I have left in Savings, and like many folks, I'm wondering if I ought to be pulling some Cash out and stashing it should Economic Panic set in?   I'm already seeing empty Shelves at Retailers, even the Mega Big Box Stores seem sparse on some Products all of a sudden, which doesn't portend well.  Just how much they had as backup in their Warehouses probably is being exhausted and if Imports are being compromised, well, just the 50%+ Tariff on China is a bigger Deal than people might realize.  Do you know how much is MADE in China now that we rely on?   

 

Well, just a short rundown: 50% of Cameras, 30% of Air Conditioners, 20% of Refrigerators, half the World's Cement and Flat Glass, about a Billion Smart Phones, which is about 80% of the Global total... and about a Third of it's Aluminum.  About 31% of all Global Manufacturing is done in China.   And what has been redistributed to other Countries is predominantly lower value final Assembly.   Imports from Mexico exceeded 6 Billion Annually and the bulk of that was destined for the U.S., it's the 8th largest Exporter in the World, and, we're hitting them particularly hard with his Tariffs too.   

And Canada was an even bigger Trading Partner with close to 8 Billion Exports and Americans exported over 3 Billion to Canadians, that's a lot of Product compromised now.  U.S. Imports from the European Union was over 6 Billion.   I'm a Numbers Person and I'm just throwing some of this Economic Reality out there for people who aren't or think America isn't reliant on World Trade, we ARE, very much so, and have been for over 80 Years my Friends.  Now, that's longer than I've been Alive, so I've never lived in an America that wasn't Partnering with the World on Trade and so I don't know what it would even look like when it comes crashing down due to this recklessness of imposing such severe Penalties on all our Trade Partners?   With the Off Chance he can Extort and Bully all of them, and put every American at Risk as he plays this Game of Russian Roulette at our expense.

And we Produce more than we use in the way of Agriculture, so whaddya think the Farmers are going to do with perishable excess they can no longer Export for Profit?   Do you think somehow it will benefit you either?   We already know the Government has to Bail the Farmers out due to all of this.   There are gonna be massive Payouts to Farmers and YOU will be Paying for it my Friends.  It's reaching unsustainable levels already by Billions of Dollars.   His claims of raking in "lots of Money" via Tariffs isn't likely to offset the hemorrhaging of Funds in Bailouts already implemented and necessary so that Farmers don't go Tits Up.   And who else is gonna need Bailing Out when things spiral further out of Control and Crash N Burn becoz none of this is actually working in our favor?  No wonder he's looking at Stealing from our Entitlements to pay for what he's spending so recklessly and cannot cover.  He's notorious for overspending and owing people Debts he cannot Pay or cover at all.

It makes me jittery since most of us aren't Billionaires able to sustain long term Economic collapses.    Since we don't have unlimited Resources to weather Crisis created by this Administration, which at the same time they're fucking with our Sources of Incomes.   I don't know about you, but I can't cover my Financial Obligations if any of our Earned Income is seriously compromised by someone fucking with it.   And all these Working Folks that's gonna lose Jobs or has already lost Jobs are already in Crisis Mode now and my Heart breaks for each one of them.  Some only barely recovered from the effects of Pandemic and what that cost them in the way of Income when everything Non-Essential was shut down due to a Plague... and now this dovetailing on it will ruin some folks and some Businesses. 

And now a Respite of some Food Porn for ya of our Vietnamese Luncheon from the other day.   It's not a Restaurant we've been able to frequent too often since it's way Downtown, but it's a good one called "Pho Thanh".  It's a small Family Owned Restaurant and not the best Service but you come there for the Food.  I think they only have Family working there and it's always busy, so they do what they can, and so if you're not pressed for time you'll be glad you came, since, the Food is excellent.  Patrons who've been to Vietnam testify it's as authentic as it gets.  Many of the Patrons are from the Asian Community, so, it's not Americanized Vietnamese Cuisine that compromises authenticity to appeal to the American Patrons who aren't familiar with the genre of Cuisine.  

You're not gonna see a bunch of White folk eating with Forks here like in some Americanized Asian Restaurants.  Those are the places I avoid, the food isn't as authentic, even if it's not bad.   And, frankly, it's embarrassing when you visit a Restaurant like that and see Americans walking in and trying to order Chinese Food in a Vietnamese Restaurant!   Yes, that happens a lot in the Pedestrian Vietnamese Restaurants that have a lot of American Non-Asian Clientele.  And worse, when then the Customer can't be made to realize their ignorance that it's Two distinctly separate Cultures not at all the same!!!   

I'm embarrassed for the Ignorant and how they don't even seem to acknowledge and realize how Offensive they're being to the Restaurant Owners and Culture!   Becoz they can't tell the difference between Chinese and Vietnamese People and their Cuisines!   So stubbornly insist on ordering Chinese Food even if the Owner is Politely explaining, we're not Chinese, this is not a Chinese Restaurant, you can't get that here!!!  *Eye Roll*  I once had to intercede when an American Customer doing that got irritated and rather hostile when they could not Order Chinese Food, so got surly with the Vietnamese Restaurant Owner.   He'd done all he could to Politely and Patiently explain, to no avail, and so I told the dimwit that Listen, China and Vietnam are Two different Countries!  If you want Chinese Food you have to go to a Chinese Restaurant... and suggested one nearby.  The Owner Thanked me as the Idiot stormed off in a huff, thinking he'd been the one Wronged.  Unbelievable!!!

Ignorance isn't Bliss, it's just Ignorance and sadly it's being displayed far too much and too often in America now and it's embarrassing.   If someone wants to be better Educated and is actually willing to Learn something I don't mind, people generally do better when they know better.  But, so many of these Dumb Fucks enjoy remaining Ignorant, Intolerant, poorly Informed, and running with Low Information that they hang onto for Dear Life even when confronted with Evidence and Proof it's bogus!   The Truth doesn't matter to them becoz they're so attached to whatever Lies and Misinformation they've chosen to Believe and won't be receptive to realizing is faulty.  They'd rather Trust some Bro Podcaster or Low Rate Reality TV Personality than a highly Intelligent and well Educated Source, becoz, well, I guess Stupid feels too threatened by being exposed to someone Smart, and it challenges their Belief Systems no matter how flawed, I dunno?

*******

Blessings, Love and Light from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian 

A Flash of Joy

 

I do Hope the Imagery being Shared Today will give you a Flash of Joy? I'm very tired, I had a restless Night, no explanation, it had been a good day, just a tiring one I guess.  Princess T is off on Mondays and wanted to hang out with her Grandpa and I.   So, she suggested some options for the day, which included our Antique Mall Location Downtown and a nice Vietnamese Dinner at a Restaurant Downtown.  Food Porn Photos will follow of coarse, but, in another Post.  *Winks*  On the way Home it was Rush Hour and a Train at one of the major Intersections.  We spent over 30 Minutes waiting at just that one Light due to the Train shunting back and forth!  *Le Sigh*  Traffic backed up for Miles.  It was a long Train with Two Engines pulling it.

Luckily it was a nice day so we had the Windows of the Truck down and a full Tank of Gas, so, tho' Patience isn't our Virtue, it exercised how Patient we could Be?   Or in our case, NOT Be!  *LOL and Winks*  I swear the Conductor of the Train was probably delighting in how much Traffic he could hold up at that very large Intersection, which intersects Six different ways.   Oh, and they had one Major Road of it Closed off at the Intersection, but no Signs ahead of time reflecting the Closure, so that complicated things further.  *Eye Roll*   Surprise!  People would wait in those long lines for the Train, the Lights to finally change for their direction, then learn they couldn't turn down Indian School Road after all that due to a major reconstruction project in process!  

Luckily we'd just eaten and used the Restroom at the Restaurant, so nobody was Hangry or had to use the Bathroom!  *Whew and LOL*  When you're rollin' with this Posse all that can and will usually happen at the most inopportune times.  He is often like taking a Toddler anywhere now and when he has to Go, he'll tell you at the last minute to where it's a Toiletry Emergency.  But, we were Golden, everyone fed, everyone had emptied their Bladders at the Restaurant's facilities, and tho' there was much Bitching about the Train, it just made us be Still for just over half an Hour in gridlocked Traffic.  

 So, we started People watching and making Fun of folks, to Entertain ourselves.  *Winks*  An Elderly Couple in the Vehicle next to us still had an ancient Flip Phone, so Princess T was getting a kick out of that and recalled when Grandpa and I had them too. *Winks*  You know, before the Kiddos all dragged us kicking and screaming into the 21st Century.  *Smiles*  They used to be so humiliated when I'd drag out that Old Flip Phone, which was Light Iridescent Pink, which made it even worse!  *Bwahahaha*  Then there was a Homeless Camp under the Overpass Section of the Intersection and quite the Human Sideshow, a busted looking Couple were arguing loudly and obviously very High and animated.

Oddly, and Thankfully, the Street People weren't Panhandling or accosting anyone stuck in the Traffic.  Perhaps the Cops leave them be there if they don't bother Commuters, I dunno?   The Camp also wasn't a messy one and if they keep it clean around where they're living on the Streets and not bothering anyone, then usually nobody bothers them either.   They gotta Live somewhere.  I've been Homeless, it ain't no Fun, and so I have the utmost compassion for that Situation.  The Son, The Daughter and The Young Prince & Allen have been Homeless, so, as a Family, we know it can and does happen to almost anyone.  Most Regular Folks are just one major Crisis or missed Paycheck away from being in Trouble.

Above and Below is the Art and the Inspiration for it.  As, quite often the Prickly Pear Cactus can have Heart Shaped Paddles.  Everything was in Bloom at the Desert Botanical Gardens too, Spring will be Showing Out now for the next couple of Months in the Desert.  I make a lot of Visits to Natural Destinations during Spring becoz it's so visually Sublime during this Season and before it gets too Hot for comfort.  It was in the low 80's all that day and a Cool Breeze.  Today tho' a Storm front is moving in and it's in the low 60's and will probably Rain like Hell.  We need the Rain tho', we've had a long drought.  And after a Rain the Desert smells so good.  I particularly like the aroma of Creosote Bushes after a Rain.

We rolled those new Black Cabinets into The RV Garage Mahal that Rob gave us, so they won't get Wet.  They have Industrial Wheels on them, making them easy to move, and I think they were Kitchen Work Station Cabinets and have Black Granite Tops for Food Prep.  One has a Chrome Towel Rod on one side with a large Chrome Industrial Hook for hanging a Pan or something from it.  Each Cabinet is identical and has one Drawer and one Cupboard.  They really are good quality construction, very heavy and sturdy, I like that they're Black and the Granite is very high end that the Tops are made of and detaches and reattaches easily.  

 

I also got an Old Oil Can and an Old Folding Ruler from him, and the Industrial Metal Shelf Unit too.  And an enormous Industrial Screw that you could put a Paper Towel Roll on and use as a Stand Alone Holder.  We moved everything under cover this Morning before the Storm hits.  Looks like it will be a fierce one and so you batten down the Hatches.  *Smiles*  We had made Plans for the Day, but with the inclement Weather rolling in, have aborted all Plans and will just nestle down at Home and be Cozy.  My Thighs still hurt and burn from all those Squats I did taking Pixs of those Quilt Squares.  *LOL*  No kidding or hyperbole, I likely did over 100 Squats that day!!!  And I FEEL it!  *Smiles*

I can still do that many Squats, since, I got Strong Legs and Stamina to still, but, I probably shouldn't do that many anymore.  *Bwahahaha*  My Thighs are Protesting that I made them do that much.  *LOL*  But, my Mom warned me that in Old Age the Legs are the first to Go so keep them Strong for as long as you are able.  I took that Sage Advice to Heart.  Mom had been a Dancer in her Youth and kept her Legs Strong up until her late 70's when they finally gave out on her and put her into a Wheelchair.  She knew once she got into that Chair, she'd never get out, so she'd Soldiered on long past when Docs said she should use one.  The Fall risks just became too great and her Legs became very misshapen by degenerative Bone Issues.

I used to take her to The Desert Botanical Gardens in her Wheelchair and she'd insist on going up the Mountain Trail and the Thrill of going back down with me trying not to lose Control of the Chair!  Mom liked to Live on The Edge like that and tho' I'm a big Gal, she was too and outweighed me.   So her in that Wheelchair going Downhill was an Adrenalin Rush for us both!  We'd Laugh like Hell about what IF I lost Control and she went careening down the Path without me?  *LOL*  Yep, very inappropriate Gallow's Humor and very Dark, coz it could happen!!!  But what a Ride! *Bwahahaha*   We'd break into Song of BB King's "The Thrill Is Gone" on the way Up... and the Thrill would be back on the way Down!  *LMAO*  Yes, we both are Crazy like that, the Apple didn't fall far from the Tree!

While at the other Brass Armadillo Antique Mall Downtown at our other Location, I Scored a small Antique Persian Rug with Boro Mending from my Friend Bryant.  He's a Vendor at our Antique Mall Location too and his Showroom there is near mine.   I spent 11 Years asking him to begin Selling me Persian Rugs out of his Cache of them!   Yes, Eleven Years, I'm tenacious and relentless like that.  *winks*  But my Patience finally paid off and he began Selling me Rugs until The Grandson's Wedding, which I had to use my Rug Money to Bankroll.  *Le Sigh*  But, it got Bryant to release his Hold on his Rug Stash.  He'd bought them over 20 Years before that at an Estate Sale of a Wealthy International Exotic Rug Dealer, and kept them in his Barn in an Old Pickup Truck Bed!  He'd only kept the Native American Rugs to use for himself, not the Persian or Oriental Rugs, which just got Stored in his Barn.

He knows I'll Buy more Rugs from him eventually and I put them down in The RV Garage Mahal, which is over 2400 sf of Space and looks better with the Rugs down on the Pebble Tech Flooring.   But, Bryant did have a couple smaller Persian Prayer Size Rugs down in his Booth at the other Location and I bought one of them.   All of his Rugs are probably over 100 Years Old and many had been Sourced in various Arabic and North African Countries from the Nomadic Tribes like the Bedouin.  They used these Rugs for Generations and made many a Boro Repair on them, which is why I J'Adore them.  The Age, History, wear and repairs makes them really Special.   Tho' to the Average American who'd purchase Persian Rugs, they'd want Perfection, that's not what I prefer in my Antique Rug Collection... I Love the Imperfections, provenance and wear.

I got a discount on the already low Price of the Rug, Bryant has good prices on all his Merch and usually gives me a discount too.  Above is the Rug I bought from him, Below is the other one he had for the same price, larger, but out of the Two I liked mine better and I wasn't prepared to buy both.   Since I'd also Scored a 1920-1930 Era Suitcase from another Vendor and gotten a discount on that too.  It's pictured in the Suitcase Tower further Below in that Booth, which seemed to be a New Vendor to the Mall.   Jesse, the Manager, told me he'd signed up 12 New Vendors recently and I did notice they'd gotten in some really Quality Dealers recently with Killer Merch and good Price Points.  Whether they will do well Selling Quality Vintage and Antique Merch remains to be seen... it can be iffy even if they Merchandise it well.

 

I also picked up an Art Tag {Below} from one of my Fav Paper Arts Vendors at the other Location.  Her Booth has been a long time favorite, but lately she's quite lean on the Product I'd usually buy.   So this Tag was the only Tim Holtz Line used in some of what she was Selling this day.   She was carrying a lot of Lines I just don't use or buy, but, might be quite popular with Crafters who use Paper Arts Products?  I know many of the Brick and Mortar Paper Arts Indie Small Businesses and even some large Chain Craft Stores have gone Belly Up in recent Years.  So, the demand is still fairly high for Supplies, and Options are fewer to Shop for them.   I do very well with my Art Supplies in our Showroom, about half our Sales are Paper Arts and Crafting Supplies.

 

Okay, now for my Vintage Suitcase Scored... it's the Striped one just below all the Train Cases.  It had the Striped Butterscotch Fabric I Love in a Vintage Suitcase, plus the Trim and Handle was Alligator.  The Interior was pristine and not musty, it was a rich Coppery Brown Satin.  I have Collected, Bought and Sold many a Vintage and Antique Suitcase or Steamer Trunk over the Years.  I keep my Favs and can always Sell my overage and excess of them.  They tend to be a quick Turn and don't languish in Inventory and don't have a Loss Prevention Issue.  I have amassed an impressive array in my vast Collection over a Lifetime and use them for Storage.  I'm always Jazzed when I Score another one, they're becoming not only scarcer these days, but more expensive, so Deals are getting harder to find.

This Vendor had Reasonable Pricing on theirs, about what I usually Charge when I'm Selling Off mine.  This was to be a Keeper and I got a discount, so, I was Okay with what I Paid.  There wouldn't be much margin to have it become Resale, but it won't be in my Lifetime anyway, my Striped ones I do not Sell.   I am Obsessed with the Striped Old Suitcases.  *LOL*   And, to be sure, my Industry Friends have managed to talk me out of some of my Vintage Suitcases over the Years that weren't For Sale but could be Bought.  *Winks*  Listen, if your Offer you make is one I can't refuse, we usually can and will make a Transaction.  You just have to know you gotta want it more than me and Stand Tall if you expect me to Let Go of what isn't For Sale. *Smiles*

At the insistence of Princess T we'd also hit a Wal-Mart that day coz she needed some things that only can be had at Big Box Stores.  We needed to do some Grocery Shopping anyway, so I dropped about $200 stocking up Supplies of Essentials for us and for Eli the Cat.  I just can't be sure what Tariffs are gonna do to The Market when prices soar becoz of them?  And right now most seem stable priced enuf to just stock up now with.  With a Three Generational large Family Unit, you go thru a lot of Supplies and Essentials.  The others Hate Shopping so usually just put Money in the Household Kitty coz they know I enjoy Shopping and don't mind doing it for everyone.  Just make your Lists so I know what you think you Need.   I could easily become a Personal Shopper, I could.  *LOL*

I could easily become a Food Blogger too I think.  *Winks and LOL*  I just Love Photographing Beautiful Foods, what can I say?  Tho' many of my Family and Friends used to Tease me about Photographing my Foods, now most of them are doing it too, apparently it's contagious.  They are all now Becoming Me.  *Winks*   I had a long Talk Online with the Middle Granddaughter in Pittsburgh, she's doing well in spite of Single Parenting it now and holding down a demanding Career.   She's finally rid of the Dead Weight of a poorly suited Husband and she's not having any more Children, so just the Two, who are handful enuf.  She says her Youngest Sister, the Youngest of the Trio back East, doesn't want Kids either, when I told her The G-Kid Force don't want any.  Her Younger Sister and The Young Prince are so much alike that our Oldest Daughter said they could be like Twins and it was eerie how alike they were in every way.  She is almost exactly a Year Younger than he is.

It's good to get caught up with Family and Friends, I tend to not be one to make Phone Calls or use Social Media that much, or even visit people locally.  I Blog, and most Family and Friends aren't Bloggers so aren't a part of this Community.  I probably have more regular contact with Bloggers than with anyone in Real Life.  *LOL*   The Daughter made us a Cream of Wheat with Fresh Strawberries, Toast and Jam Breakfast in Bed this Morning.   I had some Jelly I'd bought from a Tribe on a Reservation in a Northern State like South Dakota, Wild Hawthorne Jelly, it's Lovely.  Then I have some Maple Bourbon Apple Butter I buy from a small Business that has a Booth in an Antique Mall, also Lovely... especially good on Raisin Toast. 

It didn't Rain but it's still overcast and very Windy, but a nice pleasant and comfortable temperature Colder Wind.  So we opened the Doors up and the Screen Door lets nice Fresh Air into the House to air it out.  I like days when we don't neat Heat or Air Conditioner on, saves on Utility Bills when it's just right.  This Month my Pension Check from the County actually hit on time, so that's good.  Since the first of the Year I wasn't getting it on time and almost didn't get it until the very last days of the Month, which was no bueno.   The Man's Checks from the Military Retirement, VA Disability, and DOD Retirement are hitting on time tho', which is crucial.   We'll see if Social Security is still having significant delays?

 

I went out and picked up Pecans from the back Acreage, we had a lot drop from Laura's Pecan Trees behind us, not many from Omar's Pecan Trees beside us this Year.  They are a different kind of Pecan than Laura's.  But his Citrus Trees produced a bounty this Year.  I only pick the low hanging Fruit, I am not going up Ladders to get the rest and all the Trees are Old and Tall, so... a lot doesn't get picked by us.  I'll let our Neighbors send their Adult Grandkids up the Ladders to Harvest what can't be reached from the Ground.  *LOL*  They let them grow Naturally shaped, so most Citrus have a Skirt of Branches almost to the ground, if you don't prune them.  If you do prune you have to paint the Trunks with a protective White Latex Paint that prevents Sunburn.  We had Citrus on some Properties we Owned in the Past.  I had a Magnificent Blood Orange Tree once, Loved the Fruit off that.  And a Lime Tree that produced Year Round.

 

At the Historic Home we had Navel Orange Trees.  Whoever lived here all these Years since it was built never planted any Fruit or Nut Trees, but most Neighbors did.  Their Trees are so Old now they hang over our Property and we get some of the rich Harvest from that.   I have thought about buying some Fruit and Nut Trees and planting them in the back Acreage since it's just all Pasture right now.  We'd like to build a Greenhouse out of Architectural Salvage back there and to raise Crops in a large above Ground Victory Garden.   The Kiddos now want to build a Henhouse out of Architectural Salvage and Raise Heirloom Breed Chickens too.  

So, some of 2025-2026 might be spent scoping all that out once the Grandson moves back Home and could help his Mom and her Friends Plan all that out and build it.  I'd love to have the Greenhouse or Conservatory, I've always wanted one.  I'm not opposed to any of the Plans the Kids have had.   And it will keep them busy and perhaps make some spare Income if they took Produce and Eggs to Farmer's Markets held nearby in some City Parks every Weekend during certain times of the Year.   Or, they could Sell from the Front Yard like many of our Neighbors do in the Mini Farm Community.  Several have little Fruit and Veggie Stands set up Roadside in their Front Yards where they Sell from.   One of our Neighbors has a Food Truck and Sells Kettle Corn too, it's their Business and sometimes they Sell from Home.  Their flavors of Kettle Corn are Sublime! 

We never did make it back to the Renaissance Festival before it ended this past Weekend, oh well.  I had Hoped that The Young Prince would have been back in March and could take him, but, that didn't happen and the rest of us needn't go a 2nd time without him.   I would have liked to of gone again and taken more time window shopping at the Shops, they have such interesting things for Sale and some amazing Artisans that Create them.   I used to Collect the Renaissance Festival Pottery Mugs but I Sold my whole Collection.  I'd picked them up at Chazzas over the Years for a fraction of what they cost and Sold them for way more than I paid.  They Date them, so each Year they're different and come in various Designs of Goblets and Steins made of Glazed rough Rustic Pottery.

I picked up some more Pantry items we needed and The Man insisted on tagging along.  I don't mind until he Emotionally deregulates and starts becoming irritated at random people and can't regulate his Moods appropriately to be out in Public.  Usually it takes 'til Sundown for him to deteriorate but Today by Noon he was Emotionally raw and irritated at everyone and everything, so I just cut it short and took him Home.  The Daughter and I are making Homemade Pizza from that Deli Pizza Kit we got at 'Sprouts".   The Dough had really puffed up and proofed nicely and they gave you an abundance of shredded Cheese and lots of Pepperoni, but were a bit light on the Sauce.  It makes a Medium Pizza.

Before

After

Getting it Round was challenging, we're not Pizza Makers and I forbid The Daughter from twirling it, or throwing it up in the Air, I didn't need it ending up on the Floor!  *LOL*   I'm glad we had a Pizza Pan, I forgot I did have one and luckily The Son had found it when he bought a Frozen Pizza recently.  Well, suffice to say The Daughter and I won't be going into the Pizza Business.  *Bwahahahaha*  It was okay, but rather bland tasting.  Their Sauce was unremarkable and needed Doctoring Up, the Dough was fluffy and cooked Deep Dish, but, it was all rather disappointing and looked better uncooked than cooked.  Ah well, for $3.50 it was a Meal, what can I say.
   

Our Pool looks horrible and Brad had just come Yesterday.  I looked thru my Checkbooks and I guess I bought that Pool Vacuum around 2021-2022 so it wasn't as recent as I thought it was.  When I Googled Life Expectancy of Pool Vacuums of coarse they're only 5-8 Years, this one is about halfway thru that Lifespan before needing repairs or another fucking replacement and they're not Cheap.  So, I'm NOT Happy, since I pay $120 a Month Maintenance on the Pool and it looks like the Creature from the Black Lagoon could live in it right now.  So, Brad is gonna hafta quote me on what it will take to get it put right so we can Swim in it this Spring and Summer?  Shit!!!  It's not okay as it is right now and yet I'm still paying for Maintenance anyway, so, might as well Deal with the Pool Vacuum again, for the 2nd time in fucking Five Years.  Not great timing either for yet another major Home Maintenance expense to pop up and be required.

Other than that, everything is Swell.  *Bwahahahahaha*  It stayed pretty Cold all day, I just now closed our Doors since it was getting too Cold to keep them open around Sunset.   It made it comfortable to work in The RV Garage Mahal all day tho', so The Daughter did and I did some work in there myself.   She made a lot more progress than me tho', and the Kiddos also did more Yardwork, so it looks really good.   The Man gets along great with Mando so sat Outside for a while Socializing with him.  He doesn't do that with too many people so I know he likes this Friend of The Daughter.   I'd say Boyfriend, but, she isn't one to really want an exclusive relationship, even if he does, that wouldn't be a realistic expectation for her.  Her Mental Illness makes it difficult for her to sustain relationships, especially closer ones like that.   Plus, she once lost a Boyfriend she Loved very much to Cancer, in Mexico, and can't go thru that again.

Anyway, he spends more time here now than he does at his Home and he helps out a lot and gets along with everyone here, so, it's mutually beneficial to all.   I think at Home he feels lonely and a lot of his Family and Friends, knowing he was given a Terminal Diagnosis, have fallen away.  Perhaps it makes them too uncomfortable, I dunno?  But, for  us, we treat him as if he isn't defined by a Diagnosis and don't pity or patronize him because of it.  I think it Helps that several Members of our Family have had grim Diagnosis for Years, sometimes since Birth.  So for us, we've just Lived with that as a constant.  So, it almost becomes a Non-Issue you don't focus nor fixate on, becoz it's just how it is and you Live with it just being a layer of how someone is.  You're Mindful of it, but, it can't consume you.  I mean when you Think about it, we're ALL fucking Dying, we just don't know When?

There were things I got done during the day and the big thing is I should do more with my Tax Organization of the Paperwork, and I loathe it so much I just keep putting it off.   It's never that hard, just, the way Taxation is Structured I HATE the inequity of it, so I resent it.  I think all the CPA's charge too much for what little they do, but I quit doing my own Taxes Years ago becoz so much has changed that I haven't kept pace with.  And we have gone Standard for so many Years now it should be cheaper to file IMO... it's not fucking Rocket Science when they aren't even doing itemization.   Anyway, it is what it just is and Bitching about it does no good, it just makes me Angry and feeling very Militant.  *LOL*  Lately I've felt particularly Rebellious and Militant about damned near everything becoz of how FUBAR America now is.  I'm Ashamed to be an American right now, apologizing to the World for how fucked up we've become as a Nation due to poor and Insane totally incompetent Leadership installed Twice now!

I've always previously felt Proud to be an American so this is an unsettling Feeling to be Ashamed at what we're devolving into and what a Spectacle we've become Globally.   Anyway, making Good Trouble is all those of us who oppose it all can do.   Civil Rights and fighting for Equality and Votes for Women and people of Color, Rights for the Disabled and the LGBTQ+ Community has been a long and grueling struggle we never gave up on and has to continue unabated.  Even tho' we're going backwards by a Century in just a couple Months is more than discouraging tho', it's almost inconceivable.   To lose that much Ground that fast and with so many Americans seemingly okay with it all is Mind Blowing to me.   I thought we were better than that and more evolved, we apparently were not, as a collective.  It is Shameful.   

The current Voting in Wisconsin and Florida just shows that too many are still Supporting the Regime and making excuses for it, at their own peril, but, devoutly nonetheless.  It's like a fucking Zombie Apocalypse, isn't it?   Anyway, if their folly ends up being the Death of the Nation, well, we had it coming then and I have no Words.   When the Roman Empire declined and fell it at least took Centuries and was a gradual process.  We're fast tracking by comparison.   Other Great Empires like the Ottoman, Qing and British fell as well.  In fact Seven Great Empires collapsed in just the 20th Century, it leaves a lasting impact on the World, I'm sure the Fall of America will too.  And we are collapsing and Falling, rest assured, I'm not all that confident we can prevent it now too much is being Supported in what will destroy it.   Mebbe it was our Time?  I know, I'm a Ray of fucking Sunshine, huh?  *LOL*  But, it is how I Feel about it and what I'm seeing happening.

It's Wednesday now and I've got to talk to Brad about the Pool and it's Vacuum Situation.  If he can't provide full Service then I might have to switch Companies.  It seems that over time his Company might be struggling since he used to have Staff and now seems to be doing everything himself again.  I attributed it at first to my Skinny Dipping Incident that might have run his Young Pool Boy off, but I dunno now.  Brad used to be very pleasant and engaging and now he seems different, like he's under a lot of pressure?   And Mando said he observed what he did when he showed up to Service the Pool and told me he really didn't do what he should be doing for the Water, so the Vacuum isn't the only problem. 

 Mando knows how to Service a Pool and what Chemicals should be being put into the Water and I felt it didn't even smell like it's had Treatments that it should lately.  I'm not paying for nothing to be done that should be being done.   I know that The Man had said that he felt lately, when Brad has shown up on a Monday to Service the Pool, he wasn't spending the same amount of time as he used to, so he may be cutting corners, I dunno for sure?   But, I don't like how our Pool looks, it doesn't look Maintained and yet we're paying for Maintenance.  So, it's not Okay and I have to confront Brad about it again.  I did before and that's when he told me the Vacuum wasn't working properly and might need repairs coz it wasn't doing it's job correctly and that's why the Pool looked like it did.  But, he hadn't sought me out to tell me this, which was just odd to me.  If there's a problem and you're Maintenance, you should contact your Employer about it.

So anyway, now the Pool is another 'Situation' and I'm quite irritated about being blindsided by Situations arising constantly, it's always something.  *Le Sigh*  I'm sure we'll get it resolved, it's a matter of how much it will Cost now to resolve THIS Issue?  The fact I've had Two Situations with Pool Vacuums in only Five Years bothers me, coz, they're not Cheap to fix or replace.   I think I'm gonna ask Mando if he'll go with me to Leslie's Pool Supply Store first Today and look at comparable Pool Vacuums, buy one, keep this one for Parts and just install a new one ourselves rather than Trust Brad to do it again.  Becoz this one he replaced FOR us and whether it was 1-3 Years ago, it didn't last and so that's a problem coz I should have gotten 5-8 out of it according to what I've read about Life expectancy of them.  And Brad contested that he even replaced it, but he did and had to admit it later when I insisted he research his Records to see if it was still under any Warranty.   

Mando had told me he has an Uncle that has a lot of Pool Supplies and he'd check to see if he had any spare Vacuums first.  He was going over to do some Work for that Uncle and usually takes something in Trade for the Work he does.   If the Uncle has one to Trade Mando for, he said he'd just bring it over and hook it up to see if that would buy us some time to save up for a replacement.   I just don't want to spend another chunk of Money to replace something that wears out as soon as this one did after spending $500 on it not that many Years ago.  Of coarse, I've complained about how shoddy any Appliance, no matter how expensive, is built anymore.  They don't last like Appliances of the past, and most can't even be Repaired anymore and must be replaced constantly.  It's intentional functional obsolescence to make more Money for Manufacturers. 

Okay, so Bitchfest about my Pool Vacuum is over now, I Promise.  *Winks*   I'll probably be Bitching next about how much Taxes we Owe, since, gotta get them to our CPA this Week to get it out of the way and pay whatever fucking amount they say we owe this Year?   The Man is now watching The News more than me and is pissed that they just announced a 20 Million Dollar cut to the Phoenix VA, which provides Services to approximately 130,000 Veterans.  The impact on Veteran's Services will be huge with that much in cuts and they were already on a shoestring and you have to wait inordinate amounts of time to get in for Treatments or Surgeries even before they're gonna make these slashing cuts in Personnel, Budget and Services.  They focused more in this Cancel Culture Administration in taking down the Tribal Nations Flags out of the Phoenix VA Hospital Downtown, saying it's DEI and must be therefore cancelled, than in providing what local Veterans need!

As it is I got the itemized Statement for The Man's last Civilian Hospitalization for his Heart Failure and our Military provided Insurance thru TriCare For Life barely allowed anything in Coverage!   The Bill was $80,026.00 and TriCare Allowed only $8,559.69, I shit you not!  They did away with Base Hospitals so that all Active Duty and their Dependents and Retirees must go straight Civilian now.  But most places won't even take TriCare now becoz they notoriously don't Pay or Cover Services and disallow the bulk of it.  If we didn't have Medicare we'd be fucked in the way of Medical and Dental Care coz TriCare Insurance is all that Military are offered, along with the VA for the Veteran only.  And the VA has no Cardiologist on Staff!  The only thing TriCare actually covered out of this last Medical Emergency was $8,559.69 of the Intensive Care billed for $14,920.00!!!  Everything else, including all Tests, Cardiology, Emergency Room and Physical Therapy they completely Disallowed and wouldn't Approve!!!   WTF?!

And when The Man had his Catastrophic Accident and didn't yet Qualify for Medicare, his Medical Bills totally $970,000 and our Military Insurance only covered $57,000 of that, so, I'm not Surprised at all.  The VA didn't do a damned thing for him and wouldn't even allow him into the Old Soldier's Home for Long Term Care.   I had to pay over $35,000 out of pocket, when he got his Accident Settlement TriCare took more than half of it to reimburse themselves half of the paltry amount they'd Paid Out, and I had to get the various Providers to Write Off the rest or I'd of been Bankrupted immediately.   It took me Years to Negotiate with various Providers to settle that Debt and had my infamous Mental Breakdown in the Process, which is finally when the VA stepped up a bit knowing they'd be stuck with him if anything happened to me, and started providing him some additional Services, which were limited, but better than nothing!

And after my notorious Mental Breakdown is also when the State began finally fucking stepping up to provide more in Services for The G-Kid Force.   Since they did a prospectus on how much THAT would cost them if something happened to me too.  *Winks*  And they Paid for the Adoption and got a Judge to approve a temporary Stipend to help defer Costs to us, since, we'd Paid out of pocket for everything to Raise them before that, with no Help from the State.  These weren't your Garden Variety Kids, they had a lot of Health and Mental Health Issues and their Care was thus a LOT more expensive than for a Healthy Child.  The State considered Kinship Placements to be "Voluntary" and so didn't pay towards Support like they do to Foster Families, who most only do it for the Money and not necessarily out of Caring about the Welfare or Best Interests of the Children.   

The Foster Care System has so many dangers to Kids in their Care that the Bureau Chiefs of Family Violence and Sex Crimes at the DA's Office, who were a Friends of mine at the time, told me to do anything I could to keep my Grandkids out of The System for their Safety and Well Being.  They told me the Statistics of Girls being Abused, Neglected or Sexually Molested in Foster Care was about 80% at the time and for Boys it was 65%, it chilled me to the Bone!!!   And my Two Grandkids were Special Needs Kiddos, so the Rate of Abuse, Neglect or Sexual Exploitation for Disabled Kids is even higher than that!!!   And even when they were Rated by the Adoption Board for Placement, Scale of 1-4, with 4 being hardest to place... Princess T Rated 3 and they were not trying to be Funny, but said if they had a 5 on the Scale, that would have been The Young Prince's Rating, he was Unadoptable basically!!!  So, The G-Kid Force would have been fucked going into The System and I knew it.

But, getting Services for The Man, even tho' he Honorably Served his Country for 39 Years and became a 100% Rated Disabled Veteran doing it, isn't easy.   And getting Services for my Disabled Kiddos, whether my Kids or my Grandkids, even more Impossible than Dealing with the VA. Since State Services are parsed out even more sparingly than Veteran's Services.  Yet, ALL of that is being cut... at Federal and State levels now, due to DOGE and this Administration's Lust for Greedily padding their own Pockets at the expense of the most vulnerable and needy of Society.  And yet, some Americans are still Supporting that and Voting accordingly, go figure!   I guess if they think it won't impact them personally they don't give a shit about you.   And it will impact them, so, you'll hear their lamentations soon enuf when they realize they fucked themselves over too with their Support and Votes of a Regime that Cares about none of us and is Raping the Nation to enrich themselves further.

Anyway, I'll round out this Post with Uplifting Beautiful Imagery... and a couple of recent Pixs each of my Two Green Eyed Granddaughters.   This is the Middle One of the Trio in Mexico {Above and Below} and the other is the Middle One of the Trio in Pittsburgh {Further Below the Pix Below}.   Both are Green Eyed Blondes, but they both Dye their Naturally Blonde Hair and don't particularly like being Blondes, even tho' many would Die for that Natural Hair Color.  *LOL*  The Young Prince, also a Natural Blonde with Green Eyes, did the same thing and Dyed his Hair since he was a Young Teen, not liking being a Natural Blonde.  He and the Middle Granddaughter in Pittsburgh have a different Hair Color every time I get a Pix of them.  Nobody probably recalls what their Natural Hair Color even is?!  *Smiles*   They ARE The Future and that's what gives me some Hope!

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Remaining Up By Faith and Knowing it Will Hold... Dawn... The Bohemian