I got out for a walk this afternoon – at Willow Grove Park, on the Columbia River. My neighborhood is pretty hunkered down, and I want to respect that … so I leave when I want to go walking.
This afternoon, my feet were saying to me, “take me to the river” - and this song popped into my head :-D
This afternoon, my feet were saying to me, “take me to the river” - and this song popped into my head :-D
Park open - specific areas are closed to the public.
Whole body balance a necessity for me. Especially now. It's unhealthy for widows to be shuttered away and shut off from the process of life in the moment - THAT IS ALL WE HAVE.
Bird nest in the tree tops.
I am not being "a difficult old woman"; I literally am solo-loboing on walking trails. I am not engaging in 'wholesale population elimination'. I am doing my own thing responsibly.
Ship anchored; won’t be able to move until the tide comes up.
Pretty little pink wildflowers to brighten the overcast gray sky, and to add a spot of cheer in this chaotic time of our lives.
Lichens and mosses. Lichens live long, and grow slow. Lichens are a blended species made of 2 organisms - fungi & algae. Lichens can range from hundreds of years old ... to near immortal status. Their patterns fascinate me.
A little gust of wind picked up along the riverfront trail, a few sprinkles started falling – and the water started getting choppy; so, I took brief shelter under a small grove of trees and weathered it out until the sun came out again …
Wind and rain picked up briefly.
Steamer Clam shells among driftwood debris; seagulls are not the only ones who eat these delicious clams. Bob loved them in butter sauce. I like them too.
Paradox - the angry churning waves are actually soothing.
Rainbow inside a clam shell ...
Practicing common sense social distancing.
Barnacles entirely encasing a piece of driftwood. Barnacles are sea creatures that
live in shallow water environments. In their larvae stage, they attach
themselves to a hard, solid, surface: they stay in that spot for the rest of their
lives. They cannot survive outside a watery habitat.
Mussel shell. Mussels can be found in the Columbia River (where I am ), and also in the Kalama River. Mussels taste good!
Stopping at the Highlander to open the door
and grab the hand sanitizer on my way to the boat launch area, I thought I saw
a sandpiper … but researching the vid at home, I saw it was a Semipalmated
Plover.
Big Name for a small bird ;-)
This bird has partially webbed feet:
NOT a sandpiper ... a Semipalmated Plover.
Semipalmated Plover.
Semipalmated Plover' semi-webbed feet.
It’s about an hour walk around the whole length of the Park: including the upper end boat ramp section of the Park. I knew the restrooms would be open on that end – there are always people fishing: women fish too ;-)
I was breathless from speed walking with asthma; but I enjoy speed walking. And I carry my inhaler with me everywhere I go – even if I do not utilize it like I should. Steady use of asthma inhalers can cause cataracts … I don’t need that living a solo lobo life. I keep it on my person for emergencies; and choose my activities locales with wisdom (KNOW what’s in my surroundings that could inflame my lungs), and pacing myself so I don’t over exert. It can get tricky sometimes balancing the necessity of working my lungs to full capacity without shutting them down in a full-blown attack.
But I came to the point a looong time ago,
that I trust Elohim with my life 100% (even with my asthma, heart arrhythmia
– skips 2 beats, & angina conditions), and I will live as long as He
dictates. I refuse to freak out about death. It happens: it will happen to me
some day.
I always thought I would go Home before Bob.
But since I am here, and I only have but this 1 life to live … I intend to fully LIVE it without interference.
From anyone.
Getting out of the house is crucial to my healing.
When I reached the bathrooms, I was thankful they were open :-D
Bathrooms are open: ((((YAY))))! Morning coffee and the jiggling of the bladder on a speed walk makes open bathrooms very welcome :-D
No empty toilet paper spot here!
Wondering what life is like beyond the clouds.
A little over 1 mile; 1 hour walking.
Nobody is walking in the neighborhood, and it’s pretty faceless out here too. It is important to exercise when a person has angina – I do … so, I do.
4 walls crowd me; and there is no one at home to talk with. I have got to get out of the house on a frequent basis to save my sanity.
Podcasts are saying the government is warning of an influx of 'sit-in-safety' psych cases after this virus blows over: I don't intend to be among those counted.
I talked to my youngest sister earlier in the
day – she is still working, and we will never agree on politics … but we love
each other, and THAT is what really matters. Heard from our oldest
granddaughter – she and her boyfriend are still working, and she says they are
doing okay. Also heard from our middle granddaughter – she is still not working,
but her husband is working part-time; she says they are doing okay; and staying
safe.
I am comforted knowing they are doing okay.
Hearing from my granddaughters cheers me, but
I sorely miss seeing them in person: I really miss seeing little handsome …
kids grow up so fast, and this is the ONLY grandchild I have missed watching
grow up before my eyes – and the only grandson: his expressions and characteristic
are so much like Bob. He was Bob’s shadow in every way.
Greatgrandchildren aren’t even on the radar :-(
I can’t allow other people’s paranoiac fears to
steal the joy from my life – I choose to see the beauty and humor in
everyday life … every second of it. I choose to love. Of course, I do have
strong opinions too, and a sarcastic tone when stating them; but underlying
that tone is a wondrous appreciation for life’s simple pleasures: people
caught up in the fearmongering hysteria of the moment are missing all that.
But, my way of thinking is this: you have got
to be able to look past the turbulence of life and see the beauty in life –
experience the wonder of this one life we are given … today, this very second,
will never come around again. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. And, you’ve got to see
the humor in unfurling life – even in chaotic times; especially in chaotic
times. Without those two things, life is meaningless.
I have never lived a meaningless life: I don’t
intend to start now.
President Trump gave another Press Briefing
this afternoon – on top of everything else mentioned, he threw a plug in for McCarthy:
I can 100% get behind McCarthy becoming Speaker of the House.
That caustic, undermining, self-important bitchy witch, pelosi has got to go.
That stupid walking plastic surgery billboard
in skirts with a chimpanzee face, keeps saying, “It’s not enough!” IF, it’s
not enough … why does she keep tacking on “some other things” (meaning, pet
agendas to further obama’s scheme of things) INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON
coronavirus relief? Which is WHAT the spending is supposed TO BE ABOUT.
obama is NO LONGER in the Oval office – thank
You, Elohim!
And she’s delusional – she’s got to go. She
can’t even pronunciate coherently anymore. She needs to be put out to pasture …
faaaaar out; where she can no longer damage Americans and America.
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