Just East of Eden : THE MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING ME

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

THE MOUNTAINS ARE CALLING ME

I went to my Keenager thingee this afternoon: saw my "family" there (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/05/youve-got-friend.html), and they are glad I am not moving - these people, a group of about 6 now, literally adopted me last January after learning Bob had entered Heaven's Pearly Gate. They love me, and look forward to seeing & spending time with me ... and visa versa.

On the way home, I swung by the Kelso Senior Center (https://kelsoseniors.wixsite.com/ksca) and checked it out - my heart was pounding like a trip-hammer: it is HARD to do things without Bob (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/08/one-is-loneliness-number.html): I got used to having Bob by my side, doing things together constantly for 44 years; soloing is tricky - it plays with the emotions. The Kelso Senior Center is more my style than the fancy Longview Senior Center on Commerce. I'm not a fancy person; Grange's work for me ;-) The membership fee is minimal, and there are some events I am interested in doing, so I am thinking about becoming a member. It will give me something to fill my time, something to look forward to, and something to enjoy. On a small scale. I am comfortable with 'small'.

2 Kelso Senior Center Group Events coming up is a Craft Fair Caravan on November 30th, & a daytrip to Leavenworth, December 11th. Both will cost - the Leavenworth all-day event being the most expensive, BUT THAT WOULD BE FUN! The week-long Mount Baker/Leavenworth 'belated honeymoon trip' Bob planned for me in September 2014 will always be a cherished memory (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/09/bob-was-romantic-fella.html): we had been married 40 years at that time, and Bob wanted to give me the honeymoon we never got because we married in a heated rush and life started happening at turbo speed ;-) I miss getting into the mountains since becoming a Widow, and this would be a way to get into the mountains again - I would get home around 9 p.m., or so, but it is SO worth it: Leavenworth is a beautiful place. I have never seen it in the Winter time. The trip could be considered an early Birthday Gift to myself. The mountains are calling, and I must go :-D This would be a HUGE step out of my comfort zone - I don't normally do group things.

I took this picture of a framed picture in our Bavarian Lodge room in 2014 when we stayed over in Leavenworth. Bob laughed because all our married life "the mountains called me & I told him, 'I must go'" ... Bob took me faithfully into 1 of the mountains (Bob took me alternately into all of the mountains in WA, OR, and over the Blue Mountains into Idaho) every month. Crossing the Sierra's in 2014; and the Rockies & Appalachian Mountains in 2017, was also wonderful adventures with my loving husband.

I sure MISS Bob: he was a GOOD husband to me (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/08/for-rest-of-my-life-ill-be-loving-you.html). He understood me and went out of his way to please me (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/09/he-gave-me-everything-within-his-power.html). I hope I was as good a wife to him as he was a husband to me; he always told me I taught him to love, so I must have been (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/08/we-learned-love-from-each-other.html; https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-woman-before-me-trisha-yearwood.html).

And, of course, there is Bingo ...

I LIKE Bingo - and have been teased about that all my life. But, I think Bingo is fun. And before I married Bob, I was really very good at winning Bingo games - always took a prize home with me :-D There are other activities too, but these are the ones I am interested in at the moment.

On another note ... I will be participating in a Bazaar this Friday & Saturday at the Pleasant Hill Grange:

I have done that Bazaar twice by myself, and 4 times with Bob. It will be strange doing it solo again, but it is familiar and I think I can do it without feeling too uptight. Sometimes when I do things I used to do with Bob, my chest feels squeezed - and I did feel a little squeezed when I signed on; but I am going to try it. I need to get back in the swing of things. I will set up my tables tomorrow at noon. In the past, I used to do an average of 8 Bazaars from the end of October to the middle of December - and Bob would help me bring the bins in and then sit back and watch people while I sold my handcrafted items, but Bob is not here now; and I am learning to step out on my own again. This will be the only Bazaar I will be doing this year. Baby steps ...

The hybrid dwarf Maple tree outside the Dining room, & Livingroom is putting on its brilliant Fall colors.

Packing the Bazaar Bins & pics of some of the newest things I've made …

MOD Knit ‘Turkey Kitchen Towel Set’ w-crochet trim & matching Dishcloth. $10/set

MOD Crochet Angel Dishcloth - Blonde, Brunette, Raven, and Redhead ;-) $4/EA

MOD Crochet Rudolph Baby Blanket with Pom-pom Snowball/Pinecone trim. $30

MOD Knit Back-Zip Baby Hoodie w-Pom-pom Panda trim - Pink, Blue, Yellow, Lilac, & White. $20/EA

MOD Crochet Pencil Toppers - Thanksgiving & Old World Santa. $4/EA

MOD Crochet Holiday Pot Handle Holders, Holiday Hot Hats Lid Knob Covers, Holiday Casserole Ears Hotpad Pairs, & Holiday Holiday Dish Scrubbies. $4/EA OR $10/Set of 4 pieces