Just East of Eden : 07/07/22

Thursday, July 7, 2022

MALL CRAWL WAS A BUST

I woke up planning to do the Pacific Way Dike Hike – that is what I dressed for.

My calendar is pretty full-up with weekly friend meet-ups: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday (all day long), & Sunday Fellowship from one end of the County to the other 😉 Friday and Saturday are set aside for personal Shabbat relaxation and refueling. Wednesday is the only {free} day I have, so I planned to get outside and walk a bit.

As I was driving, I was debating whether to walk the Lake … or walk the Dike; two shakes of a lamb’s tail from home, the decision was made for me to reroute and do the Mall Crawl. I hadn’t done that in a while, and I really wanted to walk a few kinks out – so, to Kelso, I drove.

Rain drove me to the Kelso Mall.

Three River Mall from Heron Pointe; 14 min (6.7 mi) via WA-4 E

If the Dentist does not bleed me dry by August, I amy go to the Lexington Garage sales.

Half of the Mall businesses are closed.

The Lighthouse used to be a Christian Store - now it caters to witchcraft & new age garbage.

The new Mall Owner has run the Mall into the ground; it's a dead investment.

Christian businesses & Charity networks were told they could no longer set up at the Mall; no Christmas Angel Gifts Tree.

The Kelso Mall is, for all intents and purposes, is defunct as Oregon's Llyod center Mall. D.E.A.D.

The mall crawl was pretty boring (Bob no longer walking with me, and half the stores shut down). I think I only saw maybe a dozen other people … but, I got some ‘beat feet’ time in. Walking past the Library and Kiddie Rides sections, I remembered being there with my husband and grandson. And I didn’t cry. My heart is healing.

Sitting in the Highlander, looking across the Mall’s parking lot, I decided to walk through Safeway – I hadn’t done that either. In a while, and it’s a superstore, so I could get some ‘beat feet’ time in there, too: every little bit adds up 😊

Walking through the store, I remembered times Bob and I shopped there. And I didn’t tear up – thank You, Yeshua.

Chicken prices are shocking! Chicken used to be the “cheap Supper meat”, now it’s out of reach for most of society ☹

When I saw the octopus, I remembered how Bob like to eat it every time we ate at the Korean Restaurant (before it closed out) on Washington Way. That thought made me smile.

Seeing the crawdads brought to mind the time our friend Dave, who was staying with us for awhile, got excited when he saw crawdads in the creek back of our house in Cathlamet … and he took Stacey with him to catch enough for Supper (he cooked them ‘the way we do in Florida’). That is a good memory.

We all liked to chew on crawdad's ... but we never saw any this size!

My walk, through Safeway, was not boring 😊 And I may go back payday.

Leaving Kelso behind and crossing the bridge back into Longview, I noticed the rain had stopped: I decided to chance the planned Dike Hike before I headed home.

I did get my Dike Hike, after all.

Pacific Way Trail from 38th Ave - 48th Ave from church parking lot; 1.18 mi. one way.

It's so peaceful - and I only saw about 6 people; everyone is scared of the cougar sightings.

Cougars are rarely seen in the daytime - but all animals leave behind some sign of presence.

Pacific Way Trail from Cedar Place, Longview-WA; 5 min (2.0 mi) via Cascade Way and Pacific Way

Cougar sighting in the upper hills of Longview, July 3^rd; the third cougar sighting in a week’s span of time, occurred on Cedar Place in Longview – caught on camera.
Cougar Facts:
(https://facts.net/cougar-facts/)

People who track animals with dogs are losers that don’t know how to hunt; it's sheer cruelty.