Honey(s) I’m Home

Hope you all enjoyed your day of thanks.

It was a good thing I was heading out of town because, just before I hit the road, there was a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) message from the utility company due to the heavy winds.

The all-clear power back on didn’t hit my phone until 7:35 PM last night, so my getting out of the complex for the first family gathering I’ve attended since the Pandemic could not have been timed better.

On the road for three hours, the only news being the GPS giving me turn-by-turn directions, I didn’t find out there were guilty verdicts on the Black Jogger Murder until late afternoon.

I would have been very surprised had it been otherwise, and even if the three don’t get the kind of time they’ve earned, at least what they are given will be time enough to think about what they’ve done — taken the life of another because of the color of his skin and screwed up their own lives in the process.

There were a few issues checking into the hotel, due to a recently installed hi-tech card verification system, the room’s A/C cranking out a horrendous noise, room entry card not wanting to work — all of which prompted me to tell the front desk that “I think this hotel is cursed”.

Once the dust settled, I then discovered the unsecure condition of the door lock.

The screws are loose, lock about to fall off, no pushing the door needed to bypass and get in.

Too tired by then from the long drive and chaos thus far to request a different room, I set up my own security measures.

The noise of the chair scraping across the floor, and the carrier falling are sure to wake me up, whereupon I’d tase and pepper spray the intruder.

After that, it was smooth sailing and I woke up Thanksgiving morning, with this view.

All Hail the Queen Mary

I je t’adore looking at the Queen from afar when I'm in the area.

From "afar" because it’s haunted. I don’t want to get close enough to tempt some invisible someone to attach to me, follow me home.

Granddaughter suggested maybe even having that view was close enough to have caused all the issues checking in, that the hotel may, as I suggested to the front desk, be cursed.

The Queen is now a Ghost Ship, both figuratively and literally.

Completely shut down, unsafe, in deteriorating conditions, with an estimated 700 million dollars’ worth of needed repairs, unless someone with an extra 700 million steps in, the powers that be are considering sinking the Queen.

Another thing I je t’adore is the out and proud nature of the area.

So pretty, and several intersections along Broadway are painted thusly.

This is the Starbucks where, back in the day, when Actress Sandra Bullock was living on Ocean Boulevard, she could be seen having coffee with her then husband Jesse James, then of West Coast Choppers.

The quality of the following video isn’t the best, due to wind and sun, but suffice it to say someone in the area really loves Christmas.

Grandson-in-law impressed me with his mad skills in spatchcocking and baking of the turkey. He made a stock that looked good enough to eat as was, even made a roux to thicken the stock to gravy.

There was the usual Thanksgiving faire — turkey, dressing, gravy, potato salad, greens, mac and cheese, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, pies, brownies. None of which I can eat. I satisfied myself with spaghetti squash and special turkey meatballs I made and brought with me.

Finally got to meet the in-laws — grandson-in-law’s mom and pop.

A sweet couple that met many moons ago in Tall Club.

Grandson-in-Law was a late in life baby, so they will be the baby’s Grandma and Granddad.

Grandma will have to work it out with Grandma Twin 1 as to how they are to be addressed, but I’m thinking White Grandma and Black Grandma. I’m the only GG.

White Grandma told me that she’s making a baby quilt. Coordinating with granddaughter as to what granddaughter wants the quilt to look like (different animals), she’s putting it together but sending it out to a professional quilter.

Having already had to undo mistakes made to the quilt I’m making, mine isn’t going to look all that professional ... or professional at all, but I’ve told no one, so it will be a complete surprise for granddaughter.

Three generations of Queens.

Thanksgiving Road Trip

Noticing at least one neighbor has already set up her Christmas Patio display was all I needed to take time away from working on the baby quilt, time away from preparing to head out tomorrow, to get started on my decorations.

Not wanting to wear myself out, I limited my activities to stringing lights on the patio, putting out the Christmas doormat and wreath. The outdoor tree and lighted gift boxes can wait until I return on Friday. If I'm tired from the drive, it won't happen until Saturday.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Turkey Day, Stolen Land Day, however you call it.

Oh No! Monday Again?

Another weekend where there just wasn’t enough weekend in the weekend. In fact, I woke up yesterday thinking it was Saturday.

Color me disappointed, when I realized yesterday was Sunday, and that another Monday (today) was coming … way too soon.

At least it was a productive weekend. I got the Creative Memories scrapbook up-to-date, got laundry out of the way, as well as grocery shopping and away from home meal planning done. Having pretty much organized myself that all I have to do before heading out of town on Wednesday, is to gas up the car, give myself another manicure/pedicure. I even started work on the baby quilt.

News this morning, other than that huge flash mob robbery in San Francisco, was that a car, on purpose, drove straight through a Christmas Parade, killing and harming others.

After thinking about what kind of person would do such a thing my mind went to Wait, What, A Christmas Parade in November? We haven’t even had the Turkey Trots.

Am I wrong? Is that not unusual timing for a Christmas parade?

Next news item was that the other high-profile trial, the Murder of the Black Jogger, is now into closing arguments.

Inasmuch as the trial judge is NOT leading the jurors in this trial, I expect the perps will be found guilty …. If not of First-Degree Murder, guilty of something. They won’t walk free.

Seeing the video of Aubrey being chased after the three saw him walk into and out of the open area of a house under construction before they grabbed their guns and took chase, reminded me of what I’ve said and blogged about previously. That, as a person of color, one has to ALWAYS be aware of and consider the optics.

The hotel I’ve booked for this latest trip has a stove top and microwave, which will make it easier to feed myself than a hotel with no means of warming up or cooking meals that won’t set off a gut episode.

The little kitchen area also provides guests with cooking utensils — pots, pans, plates, etc.

Being the finicky type, I won’t be using the provided cookware, I’m taking my own coffeepot, a little skillet, paper plates, utensils.

I’m sure some guests, like those that steal away with hotel towels, have taken advantage of what’s been provided, stuffed what they wanted in their suitcase as they checked out. I, as a person of color, fully expecting to be suspicious just because of the color of my skin, am considering those optics and photographing the cookware I’m taking with me in their natural habitat — my kitchen at home.

No guarantee I won’t yet and still be profiled, accused of thievery if cookware is heard rattling around in my bag, but it does give me protection if accused.

Persons of color cannot just walk into and out of the open area of a house under construction.

In fact, last month, month before, there were optics involved which caused cops to be called, guns to be drawn, handcuffs to be placed on the people seen entering an empty house. It was a realtor, showing a house to a client and the client's son. No surprise that all three were Black.

It's not right and it's not fun, but us persons of color are always at the mercy of the erroneous concepts of persons not of color and have to find ways to work around, protective ourselves, from the optics.

I don't need to go grocery shopping today, but I'm accustomed to receiving a message from Trainer to "Abort Mission" (the Security Guard is at his post in the market) or "He’s not here".

No such message received so far this morning. Probably because Trainer told me on Friday that he and that Security Guard are bonding.

Whereas the Security Guard used to glare at Trainer and not speak, when Trainer walked in on Friday, the Security Guard greeted him with, "Hey Big Dog. How’s it going".

Trainer said he responded, he and Security Guard had a brief conversation, and "He’s really a nice guy".

"So was Ted Bundy", said I.

Perhaps Trainer bonding with Security Guard will work to my advantage, so I can return to the market — which I must do after Thanksgiving because “Find Your Hometown Elf” will be back, and I don’t plan to let Security Guard spoil my annual fun.

Only 15 days until voting ends.

Strike 3

She’s done it this time.

Long time readers might recall the friend ─ married to a minister, a leader in her church, that I’d labelled a Hypocrite back in July of 2020.

I labelled her such, not because she was clearly on-board for Thing 45.

Not because she later came out swinging as an anti-masker, with rhetoric such as "It’s not the government’s job to protect my health. It’s the government’s job to protect my rights. It’s my job to protect my health, and when you trade liberty for safety, you end up losing both." ... "Covid is God’s judgment for the state of immorality in our world. The line between right and wrong having slowly been erased by society."

I labelled her a hypocrite, ceased communications, blocked her posts from appearing on my page, stopped visiting her page because she’d crossed a line in preaching about immorality, right, wrong, sin because, when we worked together, while she was married (still is), she was carrying on a relationship with one of the guys on the job.

Waking up too early to start my day this morning, annoy neighbors with the sounds of my activities, I logged onto the laptop to vote for Twin 1 and this friend crossed my mind. I made the mistake of checking her page to see what she’s been up to.

What I found is heartbreaking.

I really liked this girl, and don’t know what's happened to her.

Maybe the weight of her own "sins", the guilt of having for a time led a double life, has blinded her.

Perhaps this version of herself, that she is presenting online and to the congregation, is her own self-defense mechanism. A way to bury deep in the recesses of her mind what she, as Catholic, considers having sinned, to make up for, keep her mind from recalling, but it's Strike 3 for me ─ a thorough and complete unfriending.

I didn't judge her politics, I didn't judge her making a fool of her husband, I don't label choices as "sins", and though she was pretty much dead to me when she became a hypocrite, I might have moved on from that, but this #freeKyle nonsense is the last straw.

While on her page, I read responses to her post.

Of course, the church women who look up to her were all holy and sanctimoniously praising God along with her, but one woman happened to work in law enforcement and chimed in as the Voice of Reason.

The Voice of Reason’s response to “truth and justice prevailed” was "Horrible to think how many kids there are now thinking they can carry guns shoot and kill someone and get away with it."

Of course, my now former friend (Angie) countered with …."I watched the trial and this young man acted in self-defense. As Americans, we have the right to bear arms. The looters/rioters were causing havoc and needlessly/recklessly destroying people’s property and livelihoods. This young man was there to help and render aid in a crisis moment. The evidence clearly proved that the chaos was so horrible that he armed himself just to protect his life while helping others. I’ve said it once and will say it again… the issue with this country isn’t red vs. blue, left vs. right, democrat vs. republican… it’s an issue of good vs. evil/sin that has overtaken the human heart."

Voice of Reason: "If it was such a hard Dangerous situation he should of never been there let alone with an illegal firearm at 17 years old and even when he was bailed out of jail he was bragging of what he did, and you can easily see he went in that situation planning to do something it’s not like he just happened to walk by and see someone that needed help, all his photos look like he went in like mulish-a, he even had gloves on that’s sickening and I understand it is our right to carry I am 100% for that but you will never see me going looking for trouble with our licensed firearms, we are talking about an at the time 17 year old that had no business carrying that weapon in the first place. Is this the face of someone in fear for his life?!?!"

Angie: "Sadly yes, perhaps his being there was also true, but as a mother, my heart was burdened for him and am praying he learned and matured through all of this. May God help him and his family with the days ahead. Watch the trial in its entirety. Give grace to him; he may have been a kid who thought himself heroic. Is that a crime? No… Was it a good choice? Not so much. He had his weapon on him the whole time, but never fired a shot until they physically assaulted him. One of these men was a multiple child-rapist/offender."

Voice of Reason: "Yes one of the victims was a multiple child rapist offender but I was raped as a child my whole childhood and I would never of thought of grabbing a gun in self-defense you don’t fight evil with evil".

(BOOYAH! Mic Drop.)

(Someone else was proud of the Voice of Reason for "you don't fight evil with evil", because that person chimed in with "Tell the truth and shame the devil! You are 100% accurate/Exactly 100%, he was a vigilante. Only thing that got him acquitted was his skin color".)

Angie: "If you watched the trial and the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defense cleared him, not the color of his skin".

Voice of Reason: "I'm a Retired Deputy and have also been an Investigator. Seeing that pompous punk carry the weapon he pranced around with was more than enough evidence for me. He should kept his punk tail home, not going like Rambo somewhere he didn't even live at. He was never deputized as a member of a posse. I don't care how anyone tried to twist it. Let God judge him according to his deeds and heart. Mom should have also been held to answer."

A fourth voice spoke up with, "The Justice System has created a monster… We all know if he was any other race the outcome would’ve been very different."

(Ain't that the truth. In fact there IS just such a situation going on — the case of Tyrese Sherrod also in Kenosha .... A Black Man who did not go out looking for trouble, but ended up shooting people in “self-defense”).

(Anyone have an idea as to how this one is likely to end?).

(Anyone?)

At any rate Angie, having failed to beat the Voice of Reason down with her so-called holy holy Christianity, left the thread.

It ended with the Voice of Reason saying, "As a Christian, I strongly believe that God wouldn’t approve or allow this behavior. If God wanted us to take justice into our own hands than there wouldn’t be a reason to follow Him or for prayer, etc… This young man’s perspective was maybe on point but his actions weren’t! We can’t idolize this behavior. He should’ve gotten jail time along with his parents. We need to raise our kids to be better and make better decisions! It was Law Enforcement job to stop the chaos not his! He should’ve stayed home and prayed over the entire situation or at least made sure if they 'his family' were safe at home; but not go out there thinking he was making a difference, bet if someone would’ve killed him they would’ve gotten the death penalty. Sad world we are living in. #justicehasntbeenserved."

(Amen to that).

19 Days until voting ends.

Who is Not Surprised

With a shady judge who hamstrung the prosecution, raise your hand if you are not surprised that snot nosed Kyle Rittenhouse walked free.

I’ll go first.

That is all.

Too Late to Back Out Now

I’m not feeling good about next week’s Thanksgiving trip to meet the in-laws.

I didn’t have to worry so much last year about not showing up, when granddaughter said she and her new hubby were hosting a small event at their new home, because I had the excuse of the pandemic.

That Thanksgiving was eventually cancelled. The two decided against a get-together so soon into the Pandemic — when there was just masks for protection, no vaccine.

Since that time, granddaughter and her hubby — discovering they’d bought into a racist neighborhood, sold that house, purchased another and now are expecting their first child.

Again hosting at their new new home, granddaughter called to ask why I’d declined when her mom (Twin 1) asked if I was coming this year. Was it because the grandsons are not vaccinated?

Mostly yes, but actually, it was — like last year, a viable excuse for not showing up, but I said "Yes", that was the reason.

Granddaughter and her hubby made the decision it was important for me to be there, also to protect themselves, their unborn son, other guests, so they uninvited my unvaxxed grandsons. “Will you come now?”

What could I say but “okay”.

Since then, I’ve had a sense of doom and dread. Visions of my walking in, not liking what I see, turning around, getting back in the car and driving away.

My gut is acting up. I’ve been sick for no reason because I’ve been eating correct. In addition to which, I’ve been in pain, walking lopsided due to purchasing a new pillow that caused me to awaken the first morning having used it, to neck, shoulder and lower back pain.

My entire right side is frozen, hurts and no amount of Epson salt baths, pain ointments, workouts, has pulled my right side back into alignment, so I’m sort of walking lopsided, slanted, favoring the left side of my body.

It’s like the plan to attend Thanksgiving with granddaughter, her husband, see their home, meet the in-laws, has released the Plagues of Egypt upon me.

In the midst of this, granddaughter let me know that the youngest grandson will be in attendance because he IS vaccinated.

He’s not arrogant like his brothers, and I feel comfortable he’s not giving her the Aaron Rodgers spiel, because he works in a hospital, is constantly tested and wouldn’t have a job if he were not vaccinated. BUT … will his brothers use his attendance as an excuse to show up yet and still? Will granddaughter’s sensitive too sweet and caring nature cause her to go back to making excuses for her other brothers? Allow them to show up, if not inside, outside, somewhere nearby?

Maybe that’s why I’m getting visions of turning around, driving away.

And this morning, realizing how I’m not looking forward to the trip, but have already booked a hotel for myself and Twin 2, can’t back out without granddaughter being hurt, disappointed, which would anger her very protective husband, I thought to give myself something to do Thanksgiving morning that would make me look forward, pull me out of the Plagues of Egypt stage— register for the local Turkey Trot.

Would you believe, my registration would not go through. The process jammed at the payment stage.

Nothing is going right.

At any rate, after missing the wedding, no Thanksgiving last year, having not met the in-laws, this is something I need to do, must do, so I’m pushing through all that’s being thrown my way.

After all, sometimes the biggest blessing has come through my pushing through what I personally want to do and appearances that make it hard for me to get through. So, I’m doing this and we shall see.

19 Days until voting closes.

My Daughter .. Twin 1

Mixed Messages

Saturday was a waste of time and energy because, arriving at the designated location, at the designated time for the Moderna Booster, I was turned away.

The pharmacist said I was 17 days too soon.

I’m getting mixed messages.

Over and over and over I’ve heard on the news that boosters are available for the over 65. There was no mention of six months after your second dose, it was all booster booster booster but okay. If that’s the way it’s being handled, then that’s the way it’s being handled, BUT I was only 17 days away from qualifying, and I was there, so why not get ‘er done.

But nooooo. Come back in 17 days.

In the process of checking in, they’d taken my vaccination card, placed in a little basket.

"You’re keeping my card?" asked I.

It was to be returned to me after the shot.

"You’d better not lose it or I’ll cause me big trouble" said I.

When turned away a few minutes later by the pharmacist, I asked for my vaccination card back and had a moment of panic when there was a flurry behind the counter as the pharmacist and the clerk who took it began searching.

Once located, I saw the pharmacist bent over doing something.

Handing it back to me I could see clumpy strokes of whiteout.

The clerk had filled in an area indicating "booster" and "date booster taken". Since I was being turned away, the pharmacist had whited that out.

It looked sloppy, made me think others presented to would assume I’d tampered with, so I said, "Did you just invalidate my card?"

"No" said the pharmacist, "But if we did, we’ll make you a new one".

I should have requested a new one right then and there, but didn’t think of it until I was halfway home. At any rate, they’d better not give me grief over whiteout being on my card when I return, accuse ME of tampering.

Just in case, I’ll book the return date for a Saturday, when I’m likely to deal with the same faces. I’ll also ask for a brand-new card, so the doctored area won’t cause me grief down the road.

The day wasn’t a total loss because, inasmuch as I was out and about, I got that Starbucks card loaded for Trainer, had another loaded to give him at Christmas, and had a card loaded for the mail carrier.

My Holiday shopping is DONE!

I also stopped by the craft store, picked up transfer paper, and made a workout tank top that had the Eat the Rich graphics I’d mention a post or two or three ago — as seen on a jacket worn by a judge on Making the Cut.

While searching for the self-same graphics, I ran across a news item indicating Cher had been wearing an Eat the Rich top for over four decades. It was a favorite of hers, and she’d been distressed to find it had suddenly disappeared from her closet.

Because Cher is Cher, “when the professionals at Swarovski heard about the pop diva losing her favorite rhinestone embellished” tank top, they made her another.

I could have bedazzled mine as well but, other than my pandemic masks, rhinestones/glitter is not for me.

Did you happen to notice Cher and I have something other than matching Eat the Rich tank tops in common?

A possible Six degrees of separation situation?

Check out the matching cheekbones.

23 Days until voting closes.

My Daughter .. Twin 1