FLYING SNAKES

‘Silver Bells’

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0HB0dhSyHA)

Before I left the house for my lunch date in town, I texted my granddaughter and her husband a Happy Anniversary message: their second.

Downtown parking was hard to find, but we both managed to find a spare space and zipped into it after several passes around the block 😉

‘Remember/Christmas’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TisqJTlSQgs)

We enjoyed a nice, relaxed 2-hour lunch, in which several topics were touched on … but mostly we talked about our lives in the moment. My friend wants to retire – but it doesn’t look like that will happen any time soon. Children were discussed, and Grandchildren were bragged about, and ooohed and awwwed over; and when I was asked if Alyna stays in touch with me (my friend remembers Alyna from 4 years to graduation time: my friend only knows about my grandson in conversation) … I said, “not much: we text on occasion, but that’s about it. And I don’t know anything about Azariah, at all – nothing is shared when I ask. I miss them – but, they have to miss me too. And want to spend time with me: right now, that is not happening. Bob's death changed everything.”

This is confusing to my friend because my friend knew how close Alyna and I were: and knows how excited I was about Azariah coming into our lives so unexpectantly. My friend knows, that next to Bob, my grandkids are the stars in my life.

It is confusing to me also; but this is how my life has turned out. I don’t like that – but, I’ve made peace with what is.

So, our thoughts and convo gravitated towards more in the moment topics: my summer daytrip adventures, my planned 2022 road trips out-of-State, covid madness, and the recent tornado that struck the USA. These are ‘safe topics’ that don’t squelch the Holiday Spirit.

As soon as Chinook Pass opens up for safe travel … I’ll be locking the house and heading into the great wide open 😉

My friend said, “that will probably be around the time rattlesnakes are out of hibernation and active – and some don’t have rattles.” I figured the time right, but ...

Rattlesnakes without a tail rattle? That, was news to me!

I knew that rattlesnakes go underground, and slip into a hibernating type of Winter mode: and I know that they slither back above ground in the Spring when the weather warms up … and are a serious concern in the Summer months; and I always assumed their tails were rattle activated.

I’m still interested in gravitating towards ‘The Center Of The Universe’; it intrigues me. I hope I do not bring a hitch-hiking creepy crawler back home with me.

It will be a long trip, but worthwhile.

The obamanites are already screaming 'climate change!' when speaking about the recent Kansas tornado cluster.

Flying snakes entered the convo ... there are a LOT of venomous snakes in the Midwest region: it’s a concerning thought!

Rattle-less Rattlesnakes: https://rattlesnakesolutions.com/snakeblog/science-and-education/are-rattlesnakes-evolving-to-rattle-less-or-losing-their-rattles/

Rattlesnake facts: https://www.livescience.com/43683-rattlesnake.html

There is actually a snake that does fly … but it lives in Asia.

Snakes in Your Car: https://altdriver.com/country/snake-got-in-car/

Flying snakes (especially venomous snakes) was not anything I had even considered when thinking about hurricanes and tornadoes. But obviously my friend thinks about it: I’d rather those things had not been said!

I hope I do not have nightmares tonight ☹

Obviously, we were overthinking.

When my friend went back to the job site, I left downtown behind and drove home via Olympia Way – and smiled when I caught sight of Nutty Narrows Bridge: Bob always glanced at the little squirrel bridge suspended between trees flanking the street - he was the first to point it out to me, shortly after we were married in 1974; and it has become habit to me too, to glance at it in passing, over the years.

The Nutty Narrows Bridge has the titles of “World’s Narrowest Bridge”, and “World’s Narrowest Animal Crossing”: it is decorated for seasonal holidays 😉

I also noticed a chain link fence surrounding the Campus Towers Sign; with torn up ground … and no tall building. That made me sad because Bob’s grandmother has lived there after she became a widow in the 1981. I could not find any information about demolition concerning the building – but the fence is present, the ground looks like a construction site, and that tall building was not seen.

Christmas Tree & Electricized Snowflakes on Nutty Narrows Bridge; Olympia Way & 18th Avenue junction.

Nutty Narrows Bridge – the Campus Towers Building, also in the pic, may have been demolished.

The iconic 'Nutty' the Squirrel – Longview's lovable Mascot, wearing a santa hat.

I came home and got comfy: pj’s on … and Christmas lights lit 😊

And received an incoming text: lunch with my friend is now a scheduled ‘thing’ 😉

‘Wish You The Merriest’

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BthDnxNd7Zk)

JOY

Joy resonates in my life – it always has since I was saved in 1965: joy is Elohei’s grace in my life.

No matter what life throws at me, I always have a laugh in me that buoys my spirit with feelings of pleasure and happiness; no matter what. Joy has been my saving grace – that emotion that makes life worth living in the moment because it recaps our internal center; feelings of comfort, gratitude, and worth.

Joy is what has carried me through all the seasons of my life. I was thinking about that this morning on my drive over Delameter to Castle Rock for exercise class. As I drove, three songs came over the airwaves that added holiday ambiance … and a text message, too, that led to making a lunch date tomorrow with a friend 😉

Tom Petty: ‘It’s Christmas Again’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESv6nBWCSu4)

Bing Crosby & David Bowie Christmas Song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9kfdEyV3RQ)

James Taylor: ‘Deck The Halls’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D23FudHtecQ)

A joy filled text – tomorrow with be a joyous get together.

Leaving Castle Rock an hour later, I decided to drive over Hazel Dell Road to Keenager’s – I’m glad I did both 😊

Driving over Hazel Dell Road, I laughed when I saw that Charlie Brown and Snoopy has been exchanged for a fat and fluffy snowman in the hallmark farm truck that has been parked in the upper end of a farm field near the roadway. Someone else has been bitten by the Joy Bug 😉

I was still smiling with Holiday Spirit when I came upon road work a bit further on down the road.

Hazel Dell Road joy-filled humor.

Hazel Dell road work.

I burst out laughing when I got to Keeneger’s, and saw the table piece Judy had set in the center of {my} table (I have sat at this table for as long as I have come here – everyone dubbed it “Val’s Table”; 😊) … the table piece is appropriate. I don’t dress like a Plain Jane anymore. I laughed because I do have a red leather purse. I do have black ankle boots, a pair of fur trimmed boots (though not zebra print), cheetah print ankle boots, and snake skin flat shoes; I have a black {fur} sweater, a black fur hat, a red bead necklace, and I have been known to wear funky eyewear: and I am wearing makeup more frequently.

Judy was pleased with herself to have “represented” me so well 😉

Appropriate ... I'm becoming a clothes horse; LOL. Diane in background.

All the tables (about 12 of them) had a different table piece, and she told me she got them at a thrift store in Vancouver. I now have that address in my address book, and will be checking it out next time I get that way. I love dinking around in thrift stores, and now I have all the time in the world to do that.

Our guest speaker this afternoon was Andrew; I was glad to hear him, again. His message was timely, to the point, and it spoke to my spirit on several levels.

Andrew didn’t speak specifically on joy – but Joy was the underlying emotion.

I was glad I decided to go today.

I always like Andrew's message.

On my way back home via Coal Creek Road, I joyously shouted ‘Hallelujah!’ when I drove past the turnout where abandoned vehicles and campers have been torched by pyromaniacs. It has now been cleaned up and blocked off.

Bitching and forcing the city officials to do something about the crime wave out this end of Longview had finally paid off.

I’ve been pretty vocal over the months with city official shaming … I am not the only voice that has been heard, but I do feel a strong sense of validation concerning this recent activity; this is a bit too close to where I live. That the blatant criminal/arsonist activity has been allowed to happen for months without city intervention, is beyond ridiculous.

I don’t like to be a bitch – but if that is what it takes to light a fire under city officials' lazy butts, I can stand on the pitcher’s mound and wind up 😉

Thank the Lord! Bitching has finally got the City minions to shut this crime-ridden area down.

Thank You Yeshua! The arsons were too close to home.

Yesterday was rough.

Today was a joyous recoup.

And tonight was relaxing 😊

Cheese Spread & Ritz; the work on the MOD Sock Monkey Lapghan.

CHEESE SPREAD RECIPE: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/12/cheese-spread-recipe.html