99 Cents Store, Over And Out

 

“It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn't matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.”

 
― Paulo Coelho

  The Zahir

 

It's the end of yet another era. The 99 Cents store has decided to close all of it's stores nationwide. I shopped there, especially when I lived in the Bay Area, for years. Truth is, I could get odd ball stuff that I liked, in affordable amounts and prices. Before hubby retired, he would be furloughed from time to time, the last furlough took three days out of his paycheck per month, which doesn't sound like a lot, but it makes a dent. We had some very lean months, the balance was not fun, but the 99 Cents store was a big help. On a different note, they carried some awesome stuff that was cool to come across. One example was Zhu Zhu pets. They were a brand of robotic pets (hamsters) that talk and move about when you pressed a button on their back. Dylan had a favorite. Pinky. He loved that toy completely. Sometimes, because he didn't quite understand how it worked, I would catch him picking it up and throwing it across the floor to get it to go. It was absolutely delightful! I couldn't help but stop whatever I was doing to play with him. The interaction meant a lot to both of us.

 

 

 

 We bought about 8 of them, and I gave them to Dylan on birthdays and Christmas. He enjoyed all of them, but he always came back to Pinky. One day, Pinky broke, and he dragged him over to me to fix, unfortunately there was nothing I could do. Sigh. My heart kinda broke for him, but the play went on with the other pets.

So I am thinking about this and other memories that came by way of the 99 Cents store. When I think of how many stores that have shut down, just since I moved to the Central Valley, it makes my head spin. Toys R Us and Pier One just to name a couple of examples, and I understand Dollar Tree may close as well. Macy's hasn't closed completely, but it's closing it's Union Square store and that saddens me. San Francisco doesn't need another financial hit. Beginning in 2008, 99 Cents store began raising their prices and continued to do so until the pandemic began, stores like the 99 Cents store have raised their prices to the point you couldn't call it the 99 Cents store with a straight face. I think that was a big part of their undoing. The pandemic play a roll, and will get a big share of the blame, but I think raising their prices may have a lot to do with it too. It's really sad they didn't survive. 

Thanks for the memories, 99 Cents Store!

 

2.5 Years Later

 

“These so-called bleak times are necessary to go through in order to get to a much, much better place.” 

~David Lynch 

 

Ugh. Covid. I may have mentioned, once or twice, that I have some lingering symptoms from my bout of Covid, now 2.5 years out. I am tired, all the time, and I have an occasional flutter in my chest. I still cannot eat mushrooms, or dark rye bread. I loved both of those things prior to Covid-19. Now they both leave a dreadful taste in my mouth, like they were picked out of the trash on a aircraft carrier. Metal and mealy and oily. Without going into too much detail, understand, I still feel the effects of Covid-19 (Omicron) 2.5 years later.

John Hopkins has a list of myth-busters concerning Covid-19. By now we all know the shit from shinola, but it makes for interesting reading. The fact that a former president of the United States would suggest that consuming bleach might be a realistic treatment for COVID is absurd. And the fact that the GOP continues to mention, that Dr. Anthony Fauci deserves to be prosecuted for his service to the White House during the outbreak is a dangerous. I remember someone in the media mentioning that he had become more popular than Donald Trump, and that was all it took for the hatred towards Fauci to begin.

Educate yourself now. If Trump wins it will difficult to get accurate information about any medical condition, let alone Trump's biggest failure while in office, let alone Covid-19.

Freudian Reporting?

 

Hmmm... curious. What could have possibly caused the reporter for the Los Angeles Times to make a mistake such as this? It's quite a mystery, right? Or could it be that everyone knows that what O. J. Simpson, and Donald Trump had in common, in fact the only thing the had in common, was... wait for it... their obvious mutual criminality? Hell, I am just surprised that Trump didn't find a way to involve him in any way in any of his crimes. Strange.

 

Well done, Los Angeles Times! 

 

 

Note: The original L. A. Times story has been corrected.

Note: The circle typo at the top of this post is by way of

 Countdown With Keith Olbermann.

 

 

Little Laws

 

“The more complicated the law the more opportunity for scoundrels.”

 
~Robert A. Heinlein,

  The Door Into Summer

 

Laws about using the crosswalk, and the penalties for jaywalking, are pretty straightforward, sometimes one just needs to be reminded that if you let the little laws go, the big ones will follow. I am really proud of this gal, she is a wonderful example of how to live your life. For safety sake, always walk within the lines. By the way, in California, the fine for jaywalking prior to January 1st 2023 was $196. As of that date it became legal to jaywalk. However, obviously, if you dart out into traffic you can be cited for creating a dangerous situation. 

So definitely don't do that.

 

Macarons

 

“It isn’t magic, but who’s never felt better after a cookie?”

~Rosie Pease

  Cookies and Curses

 

I tried a new cookie the other day, the gorgeous French cookie, Macarons. I had seen the cookie in movies, television and in magazines, and I always found them pretty and elegant. I am not sure why I never tried making them when I was baking during Covid-19 and the Trump administration. Shrug. I don't know, maybe that should be something I try. Cookies are a lot easier to make as opposed to cake because dear hubby hates most forms of cake. In fact, he is not really a sweets eater, but he does enjoy a cannoli. So, when I do make these, I am going to go for a filling as close to cannoli as possible. These cookies are great as an afternoon snack, with tea. They are crunchy on the outside, and like a nougat on the inside. I got mine at Costco, the brand is Le Chic, and with a $4 off coupon they are well worth it! The cookie flavors are Raspberry, Pistachio,  Lemon, Vanilla, Salted Caramel and Chocolate. My favorites are the Raspberry and Chocolate, but I wouldn't turn any of then down.

 

Pistashio Macarons

W/Cannoli Cream

 

(Better Homes And Gardens) 

 

  

Half Way To October

 

“October knew, of course, that the action of turning a page,

 of ending a chapter or shutting a book, did not end the tale.
Having admitted that, he would also avow that happy endings were never difficult to find: "It is simply a matter," he explained to April, "of finding a sunny place in a garden, where the light is golden and the grass is soft; somewhere to rest, to stop reading, and to be content.”

 
~Neil Gaiman,

  The Sandman, Vol. 4: Season of Mists

 

 

 I have mentioned before, that I had never really seen clouds before I moved to the San Joaquin Valley, so every time I see a day as stunning as this, no matter what season it is, my heart skips a beat! I think the light is a little prettier in autumn, but its hard to deny that sunny days in April hold a magic all their own, days that rival the perfect days of October. If only there could be leaves of autumn, in all the earth tones of my favorite season, could be found in spring as well. All the trees are producing one color... green. A nice color, but not nearly as beautiful, emotional and filled of personality as autumn as the autumn leaves are. We are six months away from my favorite seasons return, and I can't wait, but in the mean time, this isn't bad either! I will just focus on the clouds and the wildflowers until October returns!

 

 

 

 

Solar Eclipse 2024 And Puppies And And And...

 

"Nations, like stars, entitled to eclipse. All is well, provided the light returns and the eclipse does not become endless night. Down and resurrection are synonymous. The reappearance of the light is the same as the survival of the soul.

 

~Victor Hugo 

 

It was a morning. There was a solar eclipse, and there was a group of puppies roaming the neighborhood to help us enjoy it. I hope to update this post later today, with pictures of the puppies, but for now just know they are... awesome. Labradors... I think. One is a gorgeous mink brown, the rest are black with white spots, although a bit different on each one. I call the brown one Peanut. The smallest one is black, with white on his chest. He has one blue eye and one brown. A little slower then the rest of the litter, but friendly, and he seems a bit shy, or maybe. He's a great dog. I call him Aidan. All of them will be, and I wish them the best of luck. It's apparent someone dumped them here, sigh. So they deserve some luck. They are so wonderful, and my heart aches to take them in, but... well... kitties live here right now. It's just bad timing.

 

 

Now, onto the Solar Eclipse and other stories in the news. First of all, it was only a partial eclipse in my area. About 35%. Still it was fun, and I enjoyed attempting some photos. It's a bright sunny day, cold, you can feel the snow in the Sierra, but as days go, it was a stunner! So it was fun. It was nice to stretch my photographers legs and try for a difficult subject. I am happy with the way it turned out, but I think I did better last fall, with the eclipse. Shrug. The next total eclipse will be in 20 years. I will be 81. While I may stop blogging by then, I am hoping my camera will still be by my side and ready to go. Perhaps by then, I will be good enough, with even difficult subjects, that I will be able to stun the world with my beautiful photographs of the total eclipse of the sun. We'll see! In other news, Donald Trump is still trying to stall his hush money trial, and Marjorie Taylor Green hasn't been raptured yet! Weird... right?

Finally, macarons, new shoes, new toothbrushes, and a new wheelchair, all appeared in my life, all on the same day of the eclipse and the puppies. Some days are like that. No matter what, puppies should always be involved in any day.

More later.