Has anyone else watched "Midnight Club" on Netfix?

Its about Young people in a special hospice, coming to terms with death... But also looking for everyway possible to beat it. They form this storytelling club that meets at midnight to 'make ghosts'.... There's a mysterious history to the hospice, to the grounds around the home. Has mysterious old books, journals, and Hellenic pagan rituals.

Mike Flanagan has outdone himself with this series. The kids backstories are terrific, the midnight club stories had me jumping more than once.

This is the most spiritual, non spiritual series I've ever seen! The most pagan non pagan show. Gods, do I really recommend it. I've got one more episode out of ten to watch, and I'm going to miss my nightly binge with it!

And if anyone watches it, id love to talk about it. The symbolism, everything is so fantastic!

How do I get through this?

My problem is my hubby is decompensating faster than I expected. He's always had a horrible memory, but I'm scared to death for him. Send him to the grocery store with a list and you never know what he'll come back with. Last week he cleaned our checking and savings account by falling for a gift card scam. While I'm still trying to dig out of this hole with help from friends and my grandson, I came in today to find him on the phone to someone getting ready to change our insurance carrier. I told him, in a very loud voice, that we're NOT changing insurance people. For the first time in my life, I have an all female agency and they help me when we have issues making a payment all at once. We're on SS and a very small annuity I got when I retired. Any disposable income is spent on food for us and the cats. And then I repeated in a loud enough voice to be heard via the phone that we are NOT changing companies! Reminded him again NOT to click on any ad on the internet without checking with me first. At least he was on his way to find me when he told me what was going on. I worry now constantly about him, and I'm going through a depression (?)... I can't really call it that, I don't have the luxury of one. But I don't want to lose my husband, and I feel like I am, even with him right here. I honestly don't think this is Alzheimer's. I believe its just "normal" aging, with no help from the heavy drugs he used when he was a kid, nor electric shock treatments he had for schizophrenia when he was young.

Years ago, we split up the household duties, since my work was a lot more time-consuming than his. One of the things I left for him to do was pay the bills when they came in. At this point, we had money I'd saved up in our savings account, and he'd gotten some from mineral rights he sold. That was over a decade ago and that money's all gone. All we have is our month-to-month, and one more time like he's put me through right now I'm afraid is going to me over the edge. So, I've taken back all the bill paying (since I discovered he hadn't paid electric for 3 months), and switched just about everything to online pay. I've got a problem with one institution I've tried paying. It's happened twice in the last 6 months, although I've been paying them the same way for years and years (almost 2 decades!). They say the debit isn't honored by my bank. I finally went through paypal, and I got a "reminder" notice of the due date (that I'd just paid). I'm hoping that is crossing online payments, but between trying to get that straight and picking up the pieces hubs left me I'm bonkers. I've put us on a $180 budget until the 9th, when our SS checks get deposited. I don't get any push back from him on anything about this, he's a really sweet guy who'd give you the shirt off his back, even if it was the last one he had. And he's a feminist as much as any man can be. He's supported me as I've taken jobs paying less simply because I was female in a male's field. IOW, I love him to pieces. I'm just not ready to lose him mentally and intellectually. Our minds are what brought us together in the first place. I feel so bad for him. I may be reaching for words and now and then, but I know how much it scares me and I can readily imagine how it feels to him.

Anyone else in this situation? How are you handling it -- both for him and for yourself? I'd readily accept ideas and advice on how ya'll get along. One thing's for sure... this aging stuff isn't for the feint of heart!

Gift Card scams on the rise.

An investigator we spoke to today said he has processed 50 of these just in the last few months, himself. And he's just one investigator for this area.

I've said before I've caught hubby before he made a final mistake with the scams a few times. Well, yesterday wasn't one of those days. We got cleaned out of everything but $100, I'm embarrassed to say. Hubby never said anything about a phone call or anything going on until nearly 5pm. They told him, specifically, NOT to put his wife on the phone. Told him that should have been big red flag number 1, but... (sigh) he missed several others thru the multiple phone calls.

They didn't get a hell of a lot of money, because we don't have much at any one time. I had been saving towards the next round of insurance bills, tho, and so that savings account got cleaned out ($1700+). And about 3/4 of our checking account. Grandson is trying to help with what he can, but he's between monthly paydays. Problem is, I'd only gotten two account billings before all this happened. Phone and the three utility companies are still to be paid before the end of the month. And of course, the cat and dog food (and our food). I'm at my wits end trying to figure out what to do and how to dig out of this mess.

The gift cards have been used already (of course), so there's nothing to be done about refunds. Company says "sorry, but..." The police were quite polite and caring towards my husband while taking the report, and I'm grateful for that, but they're no help otherwise. I don't know much about how the scam completely went down, only that they presented themselves as from the FBI. Hubby has gone inward on himself and I'm trying not to make him feel worse than he does, while instituting some changes regarding purchases, phone calls, and bank withdrawals for him to try to protect us. It's so disheartening. We were doing well enough that this weekend we were going to celebrate our 39th wedding anniversary at Renfest. But to know that he's passed that point of elderhood where I have to watch nearly everything he does - in short, be his caregiver - is hard. I've cried as much about that as losing the $2000.

To top that off, my Mom had a seizure related to her congestive heart failure, and she was admitted to the hospital yesterday. Having both Mom and hubby on that elderhood spectrum and still try to keep MY marbles functioning and taking care of both is driving me nuts. Thank the gods for my cats!

Anyway, I've never done anything like this, but if anyone can spare a dime to help me make the bills this month, you have no idea how much I'd appreciate it. Grandson set up a GoFundMe, which I've never done before. I'm trying not to feel too embarrassed or ashamed that this has happened, but it's hard not to feel that way. Please... I know the blessings I have around me, despite the hardships, so I'm not begging anyone to give. I know there are times I give when I shouldn't. Please, don't be like me (gryn). But if you have a little to throw my way, I'll send you some good karma!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/aid-for-grandparents-facing-financial-strain?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=customer&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_ft&attribution_id=sl%3Aa91b2f8c-561c-4734-96f0-bfc4b56da2db&fbclid=IwY2xjawFhlHJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWwqYqs0wTuY8jh_d4j6OQ6paex7_Bv54T5U8v5HisJ86MEC-UycJ6ivnw_aem_aT2oJRKvL4ASH36-soHADQ

My Cami cat meme (complements of my grandson!)

Okay, I did a "watch party" between me and hubby.

We had fun, while grandson live streamed his own stuff. Bought a bottle of mead, did supper, and baked a cake to help with the excessive wine. I even found bingo cards to print out from the League of Women Voters (thank you, League!) Because this was a recuperation day from bad fibro the day before, where I completely ran out of "spoons"... those of you with fibro or autoimmune diseases know what I mean... I had to pull it together quickly. But I did... and hubby and I had a blast!

Neither of us bingoed, but we did get pretty well drunk. So, since mead is legal in KS and pot isn't, what can I say? We still managed to follow the debate and got our own yelling in at the TV. We both agreed Kamala wiped the floor with Trump, with both of us started statements many times with "there he goes again!" (LOL)

The cap off came with Taylor Swift's endorsement. I may, of course, not be of her listening generation, but I recognize her importance to the younger gen. And they're the ones who will inherit this government and earth after we boomers pass on completely. I, tho, like her, am a Crazy Cat Lady, and proud of it! So, I feel like I do have a dog (pardon the pun) in that fight. And, since my grandson is living with me, but not my daughter, I will say at this point I feel almost like a childless cat lady.

The cats are taking over the world. We knew, from the very start of the Internet, that it was completely cat territory! (LOL) We could do worse than live with our great overlords. My nine have just reiterated that to me! On Bootsy, On Bandit! On Tigger and Cami! I love you all, and debase myself to your needs, always.

We will win this election, I have no doubt. And then, the REAL work begins... not only to rip old Donny apart completely and put him in the memory home where he belongs, but to let the younger generation take the reins and realize the Utopia so many of us in the 60's fought long and hard to bring about.

Gods... I started my married life not even being able to have a credit card in my own name!!!! I worried all through my teenage years, will my period come... what do I do if it doesn't? I was turned away from a bar, because although I was in the military, I wasn't able to buy a drink. I had to take my husband's last name when we married, much to my sorrow in trying to get a REAL ID today. Too many name changes and a timeline to have to track with documents. I love too many young girls and women today in my life... relatiaves and not... to make them go back to what we had to endure in our young lives.

We will not go back again! We WILL have equal rights... finally! We WILL be seen as, and documented as fully functioning, adult, human beings cabable of our own thoughts, morals, and ethics. And if I'm very lucky, I'll see the ERA finalized before I'm 6' under!

Please, make it happen.

I had my (semi) annual eye exam today.

I'm 68 years old. Eyesight is giving me problems, worse lately, so I dragged myself down for the tests. Looks like I've got surgery coming up within a year, but I'll deal with that if and when it presents itself. However, I had a very enlightening chat with the young female aide who updated my info and gave me the prelim exams. She looked like she was in her early 20s, Hispanic, and was very friendly. My blood pressure was high, and I told her I'd never had problems with BP prior to 2016. Now, I've been on BP medication ever since. She answered that she hates Trump, too, and has found herself fighting BP since he was elected. She then said, "but President Biden is so old... for that matter, Trump is, too. They're all old! That can't be good for us." At which time, this grandma began enlightening her a bit against ageism, and reminded her what we, as women, had attained in our lifetimes... and how quickly it's all being stripped from us.

I told her there's no denying Biden is old... but "old" doesn't mean "bad" or "unable." I gave her a quick run through on his political experience that encompassed decades, and especially highlighted his foreign policy experience. She said she didn't realize all that, and appreciates the emphasis on foreign policy, especially since she's Hispanic. I told her tripping over a word, or losing a train of thought, is something that happens to all of us. It happens to us elders more often, perhaps, but we've had a lifetime of experience and learning that exists in our brain, and sometimes it can take an extra effort to pick the correct word that's most appropriate for the situation. It doesn't make us "less than"... in fact, I think it makes us "more than"... because we've got the experiences, both good and bad, that makes for a well-rounded, intelligent human being who can sit down and logically discuss policy, life, and consequences of both.

I also told her I was 68. And I told her when I turned 18, I had just won the right to have a credit card in my own name, or to buy a house without having a husband or male co-signer. I told her that still, into the 1980's, women were being told they couldn't do "this job" or have "that career" because it *might* have unknown consequences for any child she would have -- whether or not the particular woman ever intended to be pregnant.

Told her as I turned the corner into adulthood, I joined the Air Force. So, I was able to represent and fight for my country, but it took until 1974 before I finally had the right to buy my own car without having a man cosign and register it, then *allow* me to drive it. I told her I marched for women's rights when I was in my teens; no way did I ever dream I'd have to be doing the same thing within my own lifetime!

In 50 years, we had lost the hard-fought right to an abortion and women's reproductive healthcare of all types. since emphasis on women's healthcare in general had only happened since the 1980's and 1990's, did she know that up until that time, all testing was done on men? All results were reported on men... all drug tests, all body part tests, etc. Women were not considered important enough to be the subject of tests that impacted their health. And yet, it's now proven that women's bodies react differently than men to certain drugs... even pain killers.

Yet within 50 years we lost our bodily autonomy; our sheer humanity. How long did she think it'd take, if T gets re-elected, for us to lose the rest of our rights - our financial rights, our ability to work in a desired career, to do anything that "might" impact our non-existent childrearing desires? In her own job, the machines she works with could well be judged as harmful to a growing fetus, which means she wouldn't be able to hold that job if the trajectory stays the same.

I didn't want to "scare" this young woman... she was really sweet and intelligent and interested. She asked questions and I answered within my experience. By the time I left, she took my hand and thanked me for giving her this much information. She said she'd never had anyone explain it in such simple, real-life terms as I did, and while she had always intended to vote for Biden, she said she'd now be passing on this information to other woman friends in her group; because she doubted they knew this, either. She said instead of just voting, or just voting on issues based on her Hispanic background, her gender will be more to the front of things in her mind, and she planned to encourage and actually fight for Biden and Harris, instead of just dutifully going to the polls and voting. She called it the "least she could do."

And then this young woman did something that had never happened to me before. She *thanked* me for fighting for our rights back when I was 18, (not thanking me for my service, words that have now become bland and automatic too often) and allowing her to have the life she now lived. Blew me away. I told her she gave me hope for the future, and to hang in there. Together, we WILL make it a better one.

Strange things can happen at eye exams, it seems! (gryn)

Note: edited to clean up some typos.

Burning early in the morning...

I dunno if this is where this goes or not. If not, pardon me and if I need to move it, I will.

I just heard Michael Bennett on MSNBC and I could have thrown something at the TV while he was talking. He came out flat out and said he thought with the way the "polls" are going the trajectory is for trump to win and win by a landslide. Grrrrrr!!!!

This is a democrat who's hurting our party AND our country, AFAIC. If can't get his support behind the president, then he should keep his mouth off the public air waves. He's not only trying to set up a self-fulfilling prophecy, IMO, but he's helping trump and repugs lay the ground work for numerous legal disputes, arguments, civil disobedience and violence, and pushing for SCOTUS to do what they did for GW Bush.

I don't know who this rep is, or where he's from. I'm represented by R's, except for one D. But this one should have some push-back via donation short-falls or pushing for democratic alternatives to his seat, if that's possible at this point. Maybe it's not; maybe they've already had their primary and that's why he feels so free to diss our president like this.

I just see his words as dividing us and helping the repubs now, at the election, and then, especially AFTER the election. If we don't get our crap together and start acting like a damned unified party, we're going to lose our country and democracy. And these reps are going to carry a lot of the blame -- which they no doubt will be passing on to Biden. For once, Democrats in Disarray is being helped overwhelming by democrats -- no republicans necessary.

Netflix - All the Light We Cannot See

Has anyone else watched this 4 episode limited series? I just watched it in one four hour session. What a series!!!! I cannot recommend this series enough. I don't know if it's won any awards, or is up for any, but it should sweep them all, as far as I'm concerned.

Without giving too much away, it's based on a island in France, San Malo, when the Nazi's occupied it. You can find any number of side stories in it... the French Resistance, how relationships are changed during wartime, and the power of love. What will stand out to you is what is strongest within you, as a person. This series *mirrors* the person who watches it, I'm convinced. At one point, watching a german in a camp where young boys were trained, interact with one of the boys conscripted and forced into this camp, I found myself saying harshly, "Maga!"... which actually surprised me, that the Magas have made that much of an impact on my life, that the evil has left it's mark on my soul. Some of you may never see that within the show; some of you may see other things that are touchstones for you.

But the interplay between black and white photography and color photography is so artfully done, that one person would swear the whole movie was one way, while the person sitting next to him will swear the opposite.

I didn't find the series to be one of uplift and hope, although I definitely can see how some might feel that way. I think the whole thing just blew me away so much there is no one emotion I can attach to it. I don't speak like this about to many shows. I think the original "Avatar" was the last one for me. In the context of impact on my soul (?) All the Light we Cannot See blew Avatar away for me. This is one series I will remember for the rest of my life... it's that strong in what it has to say to each who sees it, IMO.

Of course, YMMV... it might have been just the right time for me to see it to come away feeling this way. But artistically, this movie is fantastic. In terms of story, I think it's fantastic. There's nothing I'd take away; and nothing I'd add to it. It ended right where it needed to end.

If you haven't seen it, I recommend carving out a few hours to devote to it. I don't think you'll feel they're wasted. I don't like war movies, as a general rule. I almost didn't watch this because of that. But this is SO much more than a war movie.

Good viewing to everyone!

My mood is beyond elation, but I can trace it back to the news today.

Suddenly, there's a feeling of hope. It got me to wondering where we were in the process of heading into Aquarius. Now, I'm not an Astrologer. I don't do charts, per se. I've been stuck at the Natal stage forever. My go-to is the Tarot. But I wondered if we were done wandering the Retrograde path between Capricorn and Aquarius.

Reached out to friend much more knowledgeable than I, and this is what he wrote me:

Pluto will retrograde back into Capricorn from Sept 1 to Nov 19, 2024. The election on Nov 5th will occur while Pluto is in Capricorn, but Pluto will move into Aquarius 2 weeks later and stay there for about 20 years. Pluto went Retrograde May 2, but is presently in Aquarius.

That looks good, in that we’re almost done with the Retrograding back and forth that’s been happening for the last couple of years. BUT, I don’t like Pluto in Cap during the Election. Of course, other transits can have even more influence than Pluto. But if nothing else, it shows that this might be the LAST election where the corporate billionaires reign supreme. This is their last gasp. From here on out, we should be seeing changes more along the lines of humanitarianism. Of course, not all of those changes are going to fit all of us.

For example, I can see changes coming in SS, to bring it or supplement it more in line with a UBS. We’re going to have to be flexible in how our needs are met… but I do believe they WILL be met, one way or another.

I also see the near coming future being one in which we might get Universal Healthcare passed in some form or another. Again, not everyone will probably like it.

But that’s Aquarius! We’re high minded humanitarians… we have a hell of a lot of ideas. But we need others like Sag, etc., to actually push us to get things done. In addition, our Humanitarianism is “the greatest good for the greatest number” type of action. A lot of us Aquarians are not great with the one-on-one (tho not all of us!). Many of us are seen as “standoffish” when first meeting someone. But once you become more than an acquaintance, there’s nothing an Aquarian won’t do for you.

This is the world I hope we’re now making firm steps towards…. I’ll tell you like I’m telling myself: it’s coming to a new beginning. Just hang in there. We just need to rip the business/wealth mindset to shreds by the election. Then we can start working on the world WE envision - both today, and the glorious world we envisioned back in our late teens and 20's! All hail the Age of Aquarius!

If anyone else more knowledgeable than me wants to jump in and add more to this... please! Be my guest!!! If you've got any idea of the transits around election time, that'd be most excellent!

Brightest Blessings, ya'll!

Enjoy this! And let it give you the surge of goosebumps it gave me.

This almost pulled hubby in this morning....

Thankfully, his phone is broken and he didn't want to borrow mine until he asked. THIS IS A SCAM!!! But it looks so official and sounds so scary, it had him really shaking. He wanted to call the phone number immediately!

This presents itself as from: FANNIE MAE MORTGAGE

In all caps, it states: RESPONSE TO THE NOTICE REQUESTED

It states:

It is important you contact our office at (1-800-874-2394) upon receiving this notice to avoid any unnecessary delays in your coverage before 06/07/2024.

This notice is to inform you that you not have contacted us yet to get your Home Warranty up to date.
Please call immediately as this will be our final attempt to notify you about activating your Home Warranty.
Failure to call and prevent lapse of coverage could result in you being liable for all costs associated with any hope repairs.
(snip)
We reserve the right to revoke your eligibility for service coverage after the expiration date. (snip) Please respond immediately!
------------

That's the basics of the letter. I just skimmed it as Hubs handed it to me and told him it was obviously a scam. Showed him where, at top left corner it said "Home Warranty Division"... Fannie Mae has never been in the Home Warranty business. Plus, I reminded him we don't have a mortgage, thru Fannie Mae or anyone else. We own the house outright (other than taxes!). Also reminded him he turned down my suggestion we put a Home Warranty Service into the bid when we bought the house.

That calmed him down. But with the official-ness of the look of this letter... all spelling correct in the whole letter. Only a few weird capitalized letters here and there, it looked legit... especially the heading that said: 2024 -- FINAL NOTICE.

I hate these things scare him so bad. He's four years older than me, and a hell of a lot more trusting and naive than I am. To anyone hip to scams, this one is easy to spot. But just in case, wanted to let you all know the home warranty business is getting really pushy for business. If I ever get one of these idiots on the phone, I'm going to give them one hell of a piece of my mind!!! In fact, just for kicks, I may call this number and do just this... while also reporting them to the Better Business Bureau here in KS.

Stay alert and Frosty out there! All these multi-millionaires are getting concerned they're not going to get everything we own, now that T has run into so much trouble!