Wedding Song - God Knew That I Needed You

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

NEW ADVENTURES ~ Napavine & Chehalis

The day started out pretty energetic.

I woke up early … so I filled the coffee basket with fresh ground coffee, and plugged Grandma Smalley’s percolator in; the heavenly odor of flavored coffee beans wafted through the kitchen with the enticing scent of the marinade I was preparing for my chicken Supper, later on.

Yogurt & Spiced Chicken prepped to marinade in 'fridge for a couple hours.

Then it turned bad … but it morphed into something good as the tires on the Highlander ate up mile after mile of roadway.

Around 9 AM, I poured the perked coffee into Bob's heavy duty thermos to keep it hot; then I called the Emergency Physicians Inc., in calimexarabia to ask why they keep sending me threatening letters when I have been mailing them payments since January 13th. I was told by an outsourced person (who kept saying, ‘can you hold for a moment’), that they haven’t received any payment. I repeated again, that I have been sending payment every month since January – and I have documentation to prove it (copies of the bill statement as well as my payment/receipts of postage dates). She kept repeating that she is not seeing that payment has been received. I asked her if they are not receiving mail at their office; she said that no, they haven’t been. So, I said, “Then the problem is not on my end – the problem is on your end; and you better get it figured out, because I do not want this to go to collection agency because of your negligence on your end.” She said, if you can send me a picture of your payments, I can clear this up.” To which I replied, “If you are not collecting or opening your mail to receive my payments, I’m pretty sure you will not be seeing the pictures you want me to send either. So, here’s what’s gonna happen … I will send yet another payment, but this time, I will send it with a confirmation request: I want someone’s hands to sign for receiving it. And if I get another letter like this one, I will hire a Lawyer to settle it once and for all. This is ridiculous".

Well, that got her attention.

She started backtracking. 

What she said next had me counting to ten …

She said, “Well, we do get mail at the office, but I do not see that we have received anything from you.”

I couldn’t believe my ears!

A few minutes ago, she said they have not been receiving mail at their office.

I said, “Then you better check again. Because it is hard for me to believe that out of all the mail you suddenly remember receiving, mine is the only mail that has been consistently ‘must have been lost in the mail’ for 4 fricking months! Like I said, I have documentation that I have sent payment since January 13th.”

(https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2021/01/chaotic-day.html; https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2021/02/between-rains.html ... and 2 more scanned mailings which I am not sharing here because of personal information)

I hung up because I was getting steamed up, and I was tired of the outsourced office drone parroting scripted sentences.

I am tired of the covid nonsense.

I got dressed, washed my hair … and drove into town to the Post Office to mail off another payment envelope again.

My foot was on the gas petal, but I really didn’t need fossil fuel to get that thing moving; the car was cruising through downtown on my steam, alone.

I hadn’t even got to enjoy my morning coffee, yet.

I was hungry.

And I was seriously pissed.

Thankfully, I was able to nip into a parking spot close to the P.O. building.

Blessedly, there was only myself and 2 other people (it was that early, that all the calimexarabia bullshit started): I was able to transact my business quickly.

Sending a certified payment to the outsourced CA Dr's. This is bullshit nonsense.
I better not get another snotty notice from these educated moron 'heros'.

Leaving the city center, I knew I needed to unwind – and relax.

Fast.

To defuse.

When I get this worked up, I need to get away: everything feels like it is pressing in on me.

I knew if I went home, I’d just stew about calimexarabia’s nonsense that centers around covid insanity.

I hear a country road calling my name ...
11 AM. SW gas $3.19 a gallon. I ran thru about $7.00 of it by 4 PM.

I really had no plans – I just wanted to get out of town … and as far away from people as I could reasonably get with a bum leg.

I let the car have its way with the road stretched out before it.

Virginia Way from Longview. 8 mins

By the time I reached Bond Road, I kinda knew what I wanted to do.

Bond Road, Kelso from Virginia Way. 13 mins. (backroad to Castle Rock - off Ostrander)

I wanted to spread my wings and fly – without relying on written notations (which were at home because I hadn’t planned a daytrip venture).

I turned off into Castle Rock … and onto Napavine.

To explore something new.

Something I had not ever experienced with Bob: we had passed through Napavine, but we had never done what I was planning to do when I got there today.

Evaline, WA from Bond Road, Kelso. 34 mins
Logging at Evaline; ugly logging 'eco-friendly' pyramid pyres; Schoolhouse Road.
Map MAP Napavine from Evaline. 4 mins
Mayme Shaddock Park, Napavine.
Walking above the railroad tracks.
The tracks are still active ...
One part of the end trail leads to another part of Napavine.
Just a short distance away, the end of the trail circles back ... or leads into a town street.
A pretty painted garden box - there were 4 of them lined up in a row.
A short, but fun walk.

The walk felt good.

And my leg was behaving.

I was feeling adventurous.

Working off a head of steam can make me feel adventurous: curiosity redirects my thoughts and keeps me too busy to feed the anger.

I wanted to walk a hiking trail a bit down the road; I wanted to explore a new section of the Willapa Hills Trail that I had never done with Bob. We had walked one side of the trail … but not the side I was planning on walking today.

Willapa Hills Trail from Napavine. 13 mins
Willapa Hills Trail.
Little pond along the Willapa Hills Trail.
This section of the paved lengthy Willapa Hills Trail is about a mile and a half long.
Willapa Hills Trail - from Chehalis to South Bend; 56 miles long.
The Willapa Hills Trail crosses several rivers - over abandoned railroad tracks.
The Chehalis River crosses under the boarded tracks of the Willapa Hills Trail in Chehalis.
The earthy smell of creosote on the rail timbers beneath the trail boards. The Willapa Hills Trail.
A farm machinery graveyard. LOL. I could see the Hillcrest Food Mart from this angle of the trail.
Old Highway 603. Scenic - a nice country drive.

I like this trail. 

I enjoyed myself on the solo lobo jaunt.

I’ll come back later this year and rewalk the section Bob and I used to walk.

I figured 3 miles hiking (the 2 walks combined), was enough on my leg today. It was behaving, but it also needs to be used gently for the time being – I was sitting in Lakeshore Clinic yesterday afternoon because it was hurting; so, I have to pamper it for a while.

(https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2021/04/god-help-me.html)

Moderation is the name of the game. 

The anger had backed down … I had explored new places/new activities … it was time to point the car’s nose towards home.

I made a backroad loop back home through Chehalis – along Jackson Highway – through Toledo, Castle Rock, and Delameter to Coal Creek; which drops me into my backyard.

Snow-topped temperamental Mt. St. Helens, and her frosted sister Cascade peaks. Jackson Highway coming into Toledo.
A cart stacked with racks of antlers. Toledo. Truck took the crossover road towards Toutle.
More road work at Castle Rock end of Delameter Road.
This road pilot was acting very strangely ...
At first, I thought he had to make a quick pit stop to empty his bladder. Things got weirder.
Very strange behavior from both of them.
Laying blacktop.
The necessities ruin the view. And that man-made-hill is an eye-sore. Road work all the way to Melton Rd.

I enjoyed the day’s outing; but I was also glad to be home – the drive, itself, was 3 hours long (round trip).

There were no hidden surprises in the mailbox.

And I was anticipating the new adventure my taste buds would enjoy.

Grilling Supper in my Panni Grill; Yogurt & Spice Chicken.
Yogurt & Spice Chicken with a tossed green salad.

My supper was delicious 😊

Now, I am going to enjoy a movie … and then shuffle off to Buffalo (go to bed) 😉