SMALL CHANGES ~ BIG DIFFERENCE

I spent the better part of last night, making changes in my livingroom.

When the treadmill was delivered the other day, the guys really had a tight fit to maneuver it through the front door and into the spare room; where it was set up.

Treadmill Post (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2021/09/exercise-machine-answered-prayer.html)

So, last night I got to thinking about eventual furniture deliveries … and decided to change the livingroom set up to be more accommodating 😉

Times have changed again; so, I made adaptable changes ... again.

I last rearranged the LV furniture in January 2019: 1 month into Widowhood.

This change works better for my transplant-seedling needs.

This change works for my new life's requirements.

Everything is more “compacted” now – but it really does work much better for my needs, now; and it looks/feels {cottage comfy} 😊

This change works for my new life’s requirements.

No one else has to like it … or understand it: ((((I)))) like it, and understand it, and that is all that is needed.

I also laid some Fall color along the windowsills, to brighten my immediate world – and hold the Fall gray at bay.

I had bought these pretty/fancy silk-leaf Fall Leaf Sprigs at one of the PIGS community sales, this summer: this morning, I clipped them into manageable lengths for indoor windowsill Fall décor.

Leafy divisions for Fall decor.

EXERCISE MACHINE ~ Answered Prayer

Yesterday, I was driving Coal Creek Road on my way over Delameter to Castle Rock, when I saw another trashed trailer and car abandoned along the roadway.

This is a little too close to home.

This sight is becoming too common in West Longview ...

I also I heard on the car radio, that biden televised his 3^rd booster shot (as if 99% of The People care) – and he claims he doesn’t look 65 years old … he is delusional: he’s had so many plastic surgeries that his unfocused eyes look like slits in his face; and his decrepit creaking body looks like a walking cadaver! biden is reportedly 78 – but he looks 100.

Delusional biden!

This is NOT the face of a 65 year old - this is an OLD MAN'S FACE.

Reptilian-eyed slo-joe.

Throughout the entire video he went on and on about not looking 65: he’s certifiable crazy.

“I know it doesn’t look like it, but I am over 65 …” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzB6qHZkA1U)

biden is a modern Nero, playing disjointed music to the imaginary voices in his head, while the real world around him goes up in flames.

biden's mind ...

When I got back home, about 11:30 AM … the rain had intensified – the ground was taking a pounding.

Fall rains have begun ...

I also saw in the Park Newsletter that an exercise machine was for sale – so, I called the number and went to take a peek at it: I bought it on the spot, at the price tagged (which was $75) … it’s a $600 machine! And in good condition 😊

When I paid for it, I told the owner that I’d need help with it when it was delivered; he agreed.

It was delivered to the house this morning around 9:30 AM – and the guys got busy setting it up for me.

I like it!

It is going to see a lot of use 😉

Treadmill set up & ready to roll.

It's fancy: it monitors heart rate; inclines for 'a mountain hike experience'; burns calories, & has iphone speakers.

My God is good 😊

CHASING A CAMELEON

I really planned on staying home this morning – but a creepy crawling situation changed my mind.

The day’s original Plan was to pull the onions and carrots; and place netting over the garden beds until planting season in the Spring of 2022; then, I would make some Fall Fingertip towel for the bathrooms.

Half of the Plan was accomplished … the towels will be designed and crafted later on tonight 😉

I walked into the kitchen this morning, and was startled by a frenzied activity that was playing out.

ANTS!

Well, I can’t have that!

Ants are okay outside … they are not okay in my kitchen!

Everyone else in the Park has been complaining of ants in their house, since the day Bob and I moved in here: I’ve been lucky there were none in our house – until this morning.

So, I set out traps.

1 on the kitchen countertop/3 outside. 

I set baits along the outside of the house, too.

Then, I took care of the garden area things that needed to be done before the serious Fall rains begin. That didn’t take too long – I was done in plenty of time to still make it to my Naselle Coffee Hour 😉

Washing my hands, I got to thinking that while I was that way, I’d check out a place I’d been told about recently: the Salmon Creek School House. It’s no longer used as a school building … but I was told, “it still stands”. I was given a generalized location, with current landmarks to look for, too.

So, I grabbed the piece of paper I had written the directions on – and boogied.

Ants are psychological torments.

I hadn’t taken time to eat before I left, so I breezed past the Salmon Creek Road, and drove into Naselle to grab a quick bite. I didn’t want to eat at Hunter’s Inn – it’s a sports Bar, and while I didn’t mind eating there with Bob while Bob was still on Earth … I wouldn’t feel right walking into  Sports Bar without him.

But, I did think that stopping in at the Appelo Archives Center would be informative; someone there should know more about the School Building and its Historical location (more than the general info I’d been given).

When I pulled off the highway, I noticed that the Archive Center was advertising a Café!

Apello Archives Center, Naselle (1056 WA-4, Naselle, WA).

The Cafe in the Apello Building is a nice bonus.

Real homey environment.

What a nice surprise 😊

The Center has been revamped, and the Cafe is something new (it wasn't there last time Bob and I were there - about 3 years ago).

I ordered, and asked if there was anyone there that would know anything about the physical location of the Salmon Creek School Building. The girls working there got right on it – they personally didn’t have a clue, but they called some people they thought may be able to help (no one knew anything); and they looked through some books there, and came up with a detailed map of sorts. The girls were very friendly and very helpful.

I ordered Split Pea Soup.

I ate my soup … and snapped picture of the Map, for reference along the way 😉

I quickly found out that the map was great for past Historical purposes – but worthless for this time period.

Archive Map ... not real helpful in this era.

This must be the right place ... it's the 'first left road'.

Following the Archive Map diagram ...

I didn’t see anything out Hungry Highway Road that in any way-shape-or form related to a turn-of-the-century school building. And a little further up the highway, it narrowed to a paved one-lane road that appeared to be a logging road: I turned around and backtracked.

The road narrowed significantly, and I did not want to meet a log truck barreling down it; with no where to get off the road.

Hungry Highway fed into a 1-lane paved logging road.

The adventure was quickly becoming a full-on-Quest.

Back on the main Salmon Creek Road, I continued driving forward until I came to another junction: both roads looked like paved logging roads. This is a weekday – log trucks are on the move; like earlier, I did not want to meet one.

I pulled the car over … got out … and studied my surroundings. I was quite a way up the highway; I couldn’t imagine a schoolhouse being that far into the countryside.

Hmmm.

I spotted a Fuzzy-Wuzzy wiggling and jiggling across the blacktop in a zig-zag line.

This Fuzzy-Wuzzy seemed to be as confused as I was.

Another dead end; the road tied into Deep River Road - but NO School House.

Not one to give up a Quest easily, I did what I always do when in unfamiliar territory – I stuck my hand out the car window when I saw a vehicle that looked like it belonged in the local area 😉

]

I seem to run into the 'long arm of the Law', no matter where I am, or what I am doing. LOL

As we both went our separate ways, I thought I’d give the Hungry Highway Road another “go”.

NO ‘GO’ ☹ 

All I saw of note on that road, was the cemetery.

Where do people park at this cemetery? Is the cemetery even in current use?

A cemetery with no parking available: no roadside parking, no ‘on-the grounds’-parking; there was a front gate … but no place to park.

Off to the side, I spotted a grassy driveway. Perhaps the cemetery parking was at the end of the grassy road? Curious, I crept forward (there was a deep drop at the end of what could see of the driveway). The driveway was not cemetery parking … it was someone’s personal driveway: there was a big house, a small pickup truck in the driveway, fishing poles leaning against the open garage; and a wildly barking dog.

I turned around, and crept back up the grassy driveway.

Salmon Creek Road may be an Historical Place – but it is also a very weird place: a non-existent “standing school house”, and a park-less cemetery.

Very strange place.

Bummed, I drove to the Salmon Creek Road entrance, and waited for an opportunity to meld with traffic. As I was waiting, a car turned onto Salmon Creek Road: I flagged it down (I don’t give up easily; if there was a chance, I wanted it 😉). The guy was older than me … probably older than Bob, too. So, I repeated the question I had been asking people all day long.

He was as stumped a everyone else – and he said his "family has lived on Salmon Creek for 100 years", and he wasn’t aware of any school ever being on Salmon Creek Road! I told him that it was Historical fact; and I’d sure like to see what was left of it. He gave me the name of his neighbor, saying, “If anyone would know … Chuck would.” So, I wrote the name down and made plans to make inquires.

No one (old-timers, or otherwise) had ever heard of a Salmon Creek School! This is crazy.

Passing through Rosburg, I decided to nip into Graysriver, and see if Uncle John & Aunt Frieda were back from their cross-country trip, yet.

They were 😊

So, we visited for a while; catching up on what we’ve all been doing since last we saw each other. They told me about their visit back East (they enjoyed themselves visiting relatives). They asked if I’d found a house yet (I told them I quit looking and pulled my house off the market). They asked what I was doing today (I said looking for an elusive schoolhouse).

And Frieda solved the mystery 😉

Frieda had the ANSWER; it had been converted into a home for Loretta Smalley's family.

She said there had indeed been a schoolhouse on Salmon Creek Road.

She looked for a calendar she had, that she’d got at the Apello Archives Center … and showed me what the building had looked like in its heyday. She also said that the building had been bought, and converted into a home … that Bob’s cousin’s wife had lived in.

All day long I have been searching for a chameleon.

But at least I know, now, it was/is real.

And I know that there are people who know where it is – even if it no longer resembles a school house 😉

The day wasn’t a total bust 😊

DOWNTOWN DAY

This morning I woke up to rain drops dancing across the roof, and racing down the gutter pipe.

Fall has arrived in the PNW.

The rain is welcome (so far); we had precious little of it in the Spring, and none this Summer. We need the rain.

I thought about laying in bed until very late morning: but the dust on the car is getting thick … and the hard-falling-rain could do wonders in sluing the majority of it away; so, I got dressed – and drove to exercise class in Castle Rock, instead 😉

On the downside of Delameter Road, I heard on the radio, that yesterday boris johnson called biden “a living deity”. 

{{boris said: “… you’re a living deity” … 

biden replied: “I am”}} 

WHAT????

I couldn't believe what I was hearing!

obamanite demonrats truly believe they are gods.( https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/common-core-lesson-portrays-obama-as-messiah/ & https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/09/21/remarks-by-president-biden-and-prime-minister-johnson-of-the-united-kingdom-before-bilateral-meeting/)

It's ludicrous.

It's shameful.

It's blasphemous.

It's embarassing.

I turned the radio off.

After exercise class, I drove to the Country Folks Deli to get a bowl of soup: I had Broccoli Cheddar – SO GOOD 😊

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup; thick & creamily chunky.

Meaty pieces of mushrooms - fat slices of carrots - big chunks of broccoli bits.

I’ve always liked eating here – Bob & I were among the first customers when it opened in the 1980’s, with the original owners.

And I like it now, with the new owners: they are so interactive – and really fun people to be around 😊

My table view this afternoon; Commerce Street, in Longview, WA

I sat in the front section today; the big windows are nice for reading.

I like the farm style vibe; and the family atmosphere from owners & staff.

The awning was repositioned to cut the glare while I read; it was a nice thing done for me.

The owner interacts with every customer; and is known to dance & sing spontaneously.

I like the music that is always playing in the background.

My feet were dancing under the table, this afternoon; while I read, and ate 😊

Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose – “Treat Her Like A Lady”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6_PmccPnJU

When I finished lunch, I drove 5 minutes up the street, to play a couple games of pool: the balls went exactly where I wanted them – I felt like ‘Minnesota Fats’ 😉

I don’t play for $$$.

Bob played for $$$, for a while.

I won’t play in tournaments: I’m not interested in group competitions. I don’t need, or want team members depending on me – with my asthma, I’m undependable. I don’t need to be guilt-tripped when I have a bad day.

Bob played in tournaments for a while – he liked group activities, and engaged in competition; I believe he gave his pool stick to Alex when he stopped playing in group competitions.

I play because I like shooting pool: $$$, and cloak & dagger tournaments don’t interest me. But, I admit, I do give myself mental high-5’s when the games go like they did this afternoon 😉

Fats playing Pool: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzm3tPIGt6M

My father, in the 1960’s, actually played a few games with Fats when Fats was playing for fun in a couple taverns in Minnesota. In our early years of marriage, Bob and I used to watch Fats play in televised pool tournaments.

When I got back home, I started setting out my Fall décor.

Tomorrow, if it doesn’t rain, I will pull the onions and carrots out of the garden area; and start covering the garden boxes with mesh net to keep the prowling cats out of them.

SNOW! And a New Road 😊

My thoughts were divided among 3 things this morning – and they all converged into one thing, on Jackson Highway, this morning.

I was debating on whether to drive to the Hummocks Trail, and get one last walk in again, before the snow started flying around the middle of October; in the very next breath, my thoughts were redirected to taking a trip to Chehalis – I opted for the trip to Chehalis, with a follow-up trip to the Hummocks Trail on Friday: that follow-up trip was ditched on the road.

In the betwixt time, I washed my hair and got dressed.

My SIL’s name was dropped into my thoughts, too, as I was getting dressed (but I couldn’t figure out why): I found out why, on the road.

Before I drove over Delameter to Jackson Highway, I stopped and bought a Pumpkin Spice Latte.

It’s Fall – and I’m enjoying it this year 😊

Passing through Castle Rock, I stopped and scheduled a Hair Cut for October 5^th … and smelled woodsmoke drifting on the air.

Driving to Centralia.

I Daytrip a LOT - there's no reason to be home anymore.

Discovery Pass Lunacy; Barnes Drive.

Barnes Drive; backroad that picks up off Old Pacific Highway N, and drops into Jackson Highway S.

Again, I felt the excitement of the anticipation of Fall.

Fall was always my favorite time of year – until it became the time of the year that Bob’s spirit sought freedom from earthly fetters.

But this year, I’m feeling that excitement again; not as strongly as before … but a good tug 😉

My eyes, and senses, are finding happy pleasure in the seasonal changes and aromas: that’s an improvement.

Driving into downtown Toledo (a shotgun ‘main street’), I saw a Detour Sign … so, I followed the arrow, and turned off the main road; driving around the Lake road to get back onto Jackson Highway. One of those damned round-abouts are probably being put in: they are going in everywhere. I hate them; they serve no real purpose. And they are ugly, too.

Leaving Toledo behind, and continuing along Jackson Highway, enjoying the colorful leaves of the vine maple (the only hint of color in Evergreen WA during fall), I rounded a bend in the road … and saw that Mt. St. Helens had been dusted with snow like Mt. Rainier.

SNOW! The first snow of the season. A few weeks earlier than usual. What a surprise.

The snowfall is recent – I had visited both mountains this week; and they were both naked, with gray/dry flanks.

Sorry about the excited stuttering in the vid: I am a snow-baby (born the tail-end of December), and I always get excited with the first seasonal snowfall. Bob used to laugh at my girlish excitement: and if he saw the first snowflake before I did … he’d call to me, “Look outside Val; it’s snowing”: then he’d wait for the squeal before he came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my middle, and watched the snowflakes with me. If I ran outside to get dusted with fat, fluffy snowflakes; he’d bring me my coat and a cup of coffee.

I sure miss my man.

Gazing at that fresh snow on Mt. St. Helens, I thoughts that it was  a good thing I opted to drive to Chehalis; I do not want to get stuck in a sudden snowstorm in the mountains, that can dump several feet of heavy snowfall in an hour’s time, on the landscape – I guess I’ll have to wait until Spring 2022 now, to walk the Hummocks Trail (https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/hummocks), again 😉

Aside from the glittering, smoldering volcanic giants (WA State has five active volcanoes sitting within its boundaries https://www.seattle.gov/emergency-management/hazards/volcano-hazards-including-lahars); there were other things to see, too. Most sights were in places where it was impossible to get pictures of them – but I got lucky with these two things – and the mountains.

Maple Tree; Jackson Hwy S.; Toledo.

A house & Barn-Shed with Pumpkin Orange roofs; really eye-catching.

I caught glimpses of both mountains at various spots along the road that favored them – and allowed me to get fairly decent shots of them 😊

Mt. St. Helens; Jackson Highway S.

Mt. Rainier; Jackson Highway S.

At one point, I pulled over to the side of the road and called my BIL to ask about the recent snowfall, and tease him about the recent snowfall. He said he hadn’t been aware – he’s been in the hospital getting two stints put in his heart. I hadn’t been aware: no one had passed that news onto me. If Bob were still here, I would have known – but Bob is not here, and no one thought to let me know.

When he told me where he was, and why he was there, I told him I’d turn around and drive back to Longview to visit him. He said, “No; no one is allowed to visit because of covid restrictions.” So, we chatted a little bit more and then I said, “I’m going to say goodbye now because I know you’re not supposed to be talking this much after heart issues.” And I was thinking about … and seeing with my mind’s eye … Bob in ICU, with his heart issues, 3 years/19 days/1 hour ago.

My heart squeezed thinking of the seriousness of the situation: a situation I would have been ignorant of, if I hadn’t called him.

I was concerned for Kerry.

I love Kerry like a brother: he has been a good brother to me.

Kerry is 3 years younger than I am; he had the stints put in on his birthday. He was feeling tired, and went for a quick checkup to find out why: he was planning in going hunting. Instead, he was hospitalized and prepped for surgery. 

I’m glad he went in for that checkup.

I’m glad I called him.

Then, I called Merry to let her know I was thinking of the family. We talked of other things, too, for a little while.

Since there was no reason to turn back homeward, I continued on with my Chehalis plans – and playing peek-a-boo with the mountains.

Mt. Rainier; Jackson Hwy & Spencer Rd Junction.

Mt. St. Helens; Jackson Hwy & Spencer Rd Junction.

When I reached the Cowlitz Indian Tribal Center & the Cowlitz Mission, both snow-topped mountains were showing very well; so, on the spur-of-the-moment, I decided to veer off onto a road Bob and I had never driven, to follow the glittering mountain peaks; and see if I could get a shot of them both of the mountains at the same time – and I did!

Later, when I got back home, I researched the road; and was happy to see that the new road (new to me, anyway 😉) will come out in Salkum – by the Library, there. So, when I drive to Randall again, I’ll drive this new backroad to explore it more fully 😊

Jackson Highway, Toledo-WA; Spencer Road spurs off at the Cowlitz Mission & Cowlitz Indian Tribal Community; 139 Spencer Rd, Toledo, WA

Spencer Road, Toledo - ties into Fuller Road, and comes out at Salkum Library.

Dual mountains.(https://www.discovermthood.com/legend-of-three-mountains/)

Salkum Timberland Library via Spencer Road off Jackson Hwy; 9 mins.

I'll be making this drive again.

Coming into Chehalis, there was a little dead skunk (this year’s kit) in the middle of the road … and immediately that old song, ‘Dead Skunk In The Middle Of The Road’ popped into my mind.

‘Dead Skunk In The Middle Of The Road’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu5hzc2Mei4)

There was no noxious/breath stealing odor, but there was road work going on … road crews were tearing the road up to build a stinking round-about!

And I got lost on the reroute.

I’m not a resident of Chehalis – the roads are unfamiliar to me. The street names are a mismatched jumble. GPS said to look for U Street and turn right … I saw W … there was no U.

So, I saw a person standing outside their house watching it being painted; and I pulled over, rolled my window down, and asked where U Street was. She pointed behind me and said, “2 blocks that way – at the stop sign.” I thanked her, rolled my window up, and drove 2 blocks in the direction she pointed.

YEW Steet: not the alphabet U that should normally follow in line, with the street with the alphabetical W.

Yew Street - not 'U' Street; Chehalis.

Leaving Chehalis, the radio talking head said that today is the “anniversary of Earth, Wind, and Fire’s song, “September”.

I like that song.

It’s {fits} an Indian Summer 😉

Earth, Wind, & Fire “September” song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk