A LITTLE SPLASH OF COLOR

Yesterday I drove to Castle Rock for exercise class.

Afterwards I drove to the Lucky Dragon, in Kalama, to pick up the chinese supper I had ordered … and saw there was indoor dining allowed again: but, my supper was already packed to go – so I brought it home and broke it down into 3 meals.

Lucky Dragon in Kalama from Longview - 20 mins.

1 Lucky Dragon Supper ... enough for 3 meals.

Next time, I will eat inside.

When I got home, I noticed that the two WHY traps needed to be taken down and refreshed (1 in the carport – 1 in the ornamental Maple, curbside).

Trap attractant rejuvenated.

While I was rehanging the trap in the carport, I noticed that candy’s husband was busy next door: candy has been shamed by everyone in Heron Pointe Park to take measures in dealing with tessa and her decrepit house. Personally, I do not think tessa is even living in that house … she only pops in 4 times a year, and the house is literally crumbling: roof down. The yard is a pigsty. Her grown sons (who live in Seattle) used to mow the grass once a year; now, with the roof caving in, they don’t even bother.

Candy is being shamed by the entire Park - her husband was drafted to weed whack the tall grass.

Everyone walking past that house on their daily walks complain about it being an eye-sore. And when they ask me how I stand looking at it, I tell them that I have talked about it to candy as long as I’ve lived in the Park – when she does her drive by house/yard inspections … she totally ignores tessa’s house: doesn’t even look at it in passing.

Tessa’s son mentioned last year, that she was ‘thinking of selling the house’ – but, rational people know that no one in their right mind would buy it in the condition it is in.

And tessa is content to let it rot where it stands.

A few weeks ago, people started talking to candy themselves; about Park Rules, and tessa and candy’s blatant disregard in that respect. And from what they were saying to me … I am sure they applied the thumb screws, when bringing it up to candy.

I just hope and pray that enough pressure is applied to the thumb screws, that candy is shamed into action concerning that house; and I will eventually be able to draw an easy breath when I am in my own carport, in my own space.

If the neighbors are willing to hold her feet to the fire, I’m for that.

Putting my little step ladder away in the shop, I decided to repaint the bird bath; we bought it for the first house we bought in Longview – 21 years ago. It has become incrusted with the calcium buildup over the years; due to Longview’s icky water ‘treatment’ procedures.

I have been meaning to repaint it for a while; but never had the time.

Now I have all the time in the world (no husband, no kids, no grandkids cutting into time).

So, yesterday, I ‘got ‘er done’.

Finishing up this morning 😊

Finally repainted the bird bath ...

I like the colors – I like a lot of color in my castle; and on castle grounds 😉

3 coats of acrylic paint; I will spray it with clear protective cover tomorrow.

Birdbath finished.

In between the coats of paint, I finished one book and started a new read.

New Read.

And between chapters of my new read … I worked up another pair of slippers for the Rosburg Fall Bazaar.

Finished Christmas Slippers.

For what is left of the remainder of the day, I plan on reading my new read to the last page 😉

TRAVELING THURSDAY ~ #1 2021/3 County Hopscotch

This morning I had plans to meet with friends in Naselle, so I figured a little daytrip adventure into the plans 😉

Since I found the little Fellowship last Sunday, I thought I’d change my Daytrip days from Sunday to Thursday: and it worked out well today because the slip I pulled out of my Ambitions Jar this morning fit well into the morning plans I had already arranged 😊

My ambitious adventure today.

Punching the address into the cars GPS system, I checked things out around the house before pulling out of the carport.

There was no new digging under the skirting.

No new digging activity. Good.

And there is one less wasp to be concerned about when I am outside puttering around.

Caught a wasp.

As I was leaving Longview behind in a swirl of road dust, I heard kate and jay laying down more demands and slapping more mandates in place. I don’t even get mad anymore … all the political craziness does is just kick my resolve to do my own thing into higher gear. If mindless lemmings want to get three vaccines and wear three masks to be forced to stay inside for the rest of their lives, I could care less. The mandates are meaningless. The vaccines are worthless (covid is mutating; the vaccines mean nothing). The masks are ridiculous (there is NO scientific proof they do anything but stroke egos). Forked-tongue fauci parrots whatever the obamanites tells him to parrot. And scientists are telling media sources that covid is here to stay. If lemmings want to be slaves to faulty science and political bullshit games, they have the right to do that.

What they do not have the right to do is insist I goose step to their out-of-pitch tune.

I will do my own thing; and skip to my own tune.

Life is too short to be a slave to political whims.

I'm getting on with my life despite kate and jay; and DC political BS.

Tokeland from Heron Pointe - 2 hr.12 mins.

This is basically a sight-seeing daytrip; the Hotel is not open.

I will be visiting friends along the way.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv2HtvibWhc)

Crossing from Wahkiakum County into Pacific County, I could see the heavy gray clouds were still lingering.

The sun trying to get through the cloud layer as I was arriving at my friend's house. 

My visit with friends, was fun. 

It felt good to have coffee out-of-house. 

It felt good to laugh and talk without censure. 

The day was perfect for a drive along the coast – it was breezy, but not high winds. It was cool, but not chilly. The drive was a long one … but the newness kept me alert and aware: I happily got home safely.

When Bob and I visited Tokeland, it was a brief passing through; and we’d only done that once or twice in all our 44 years together. Both times we were on our way to Westport: once to visit Half Moon Cove in 1995, and more recently in June of 2015 for Westport’s Pirate Daze festival (we were just out for a weekend drive and happened to visit during that particular time).

So, this drive today was a true Solo Lobo Daytrip – I planned the drive, and I planned to actually explore the area.

The area was small. 

But it was something new.

There was an excitement about it, even though there wasn’t much to see or experience.

The laid back drive itself, was the real lure 😉

Tokeland Indian Reservation Land. There were a LOT of bugs hitting the windshield.

(https://www.shoalwaterbay-nsn.gov/)

Tokeland Hotel & Restaurant.

(https://www.facebook.com/TokelandHotel/)

Hotel-Restaurant Background Story Plaque.

The travel booklet write-up on the Hotel did not equal its reality. The write-up stretched things quite a bit.

I passed a road sign that said Grayland was 10 miles away, and Westport was only 14 miles up the road … so I thought, “why not?” Westport is the end of the road on the spit. And 14 miles is really no time at all.

I had passed into another County: Grays Harbor County.

Of course, I found things to “experience” at both places 😉

That took time.

But, the day was still young; I decided to spend the time dinking around before pointing the car’s nose towards home.

Grayland from Tokeland - 15 mins.

Driving along, I spotted a sign pointing left, that indicated a ‘day use’ Park with beach access and hiking trails.

I turned left. 

(https://stateparks.com/grayland_beach_state_park_in_washington.html) 

I drove the entire Park.

All I saw was camp sites – and they were full up.

So, I asked a couple people who were walking their dogs if this was a camping shindig only, and they said, “Yes – only camping”.

I left and aimed for Westport. 

Westport from Grayland - 11 mins.

This lighthouse is not actually on the trail; it's a block or two from the actual Lighthouse Trail which starts at the Park entrance.

(https://www.historylink.org/File/5714)

It's pretty cool ... but a looooooong way from the Ocean. Not sitting above the ocean, like other lighthouses do.

Westport Lighthouse, Park, & Museum. Seems kinda backwards; one would think the lighthouse would be NEARER the Ocean.

The Park there was actually what it said it was. 

Westport Light State Park; hiking trail with wide pavement and benches the entire length.

(https://parks.state.wa.us/284/Westport-Light)

I parked in the parking lot, and exchanged my sandals for my hiking shoes.

I walked along the trail for 3 miles (1½ miles each way).

The trail was paved with a wide cement trail, and there were plentiful benches dedicated to memories of loved ones (captains, fishermen, water lovers) who had passed.

It was really enjoyable: I may make this a repeat 😊

Wild Hyacinths and wild strawberries were blossoming all along the trailhead.

Trailhead Plaque.

Tsunami Warning Plaque; the danger is real. There are evacuation signs everywhere.

The Pacific Ocean at Westport, WA.

The Lighthouse Trail & Half Moon Bay; Westport in the distance.

(https://www.experiencewestport.com/surfing)

Westport's Marine Industry

South Jetty Plaque; fishing and surfing.

Bob and I visited Half Moon Cove in late April/early May of 1995; it was basically a surfer’s cove, with food shacks selling hot dogs and stuff like that – and plank boardwalks running the length of them (maybe 3 or 4 shacks). The terrain was rough with rocky outcroppings with the ocean rushing right over and through them: Bob loved it (so did the cavorting surfers); I didn’t. The ocean with its greedy crashing waves was too close for my comfort. I didn’t even look for it today – that experience with Bob was enough to last me a lifetime. When I think of that visit, I can still see those crashing waves licking up the sand. Clearly. A visit today was not necessary.

(https://www.outdoorproject.com/united-states/washington/westhaven-state-park-half-moon-bay).

If Bob hadn’t screwed up his left knee water-skiing, I’m sure he would have been game to surf. I saw Bob’s knee get wrecked, and I went to the doctor’s office with him in May 1974; he messed it up pretty bad with that last double-triple summersault skiing behind his cousin’s speed boat: That boat was hot! And it was moving, barely kissing the water – and Bob was beautiful to watch. I don’t remember what exactly happened, all I remember was Bob wearing those white cutoff shorts and that dark chestnut tan; with his hair flying out behind him as he flew through the boat waves and flew up into the air to do his twirling triple summersaults. That afternoon, he did a double set – and then he was in the water … and Martin was slowing down and pulling him into the boat, and brought him to the dock. His kneecap was out of place; his knee was ballooning (the bloody watery mess doc drained off his swollen knee was disgusting). He never water skied again, and he always had trouble with that knee swelling up and the kneecap sliding out of place. Sometimes he had to wear a knee brace for a week or so.

Today, I did not drive into the main hub of Westport – I deliberately stayed on the outskirts. Before I left the coastline, I nipped into a gas station and washed the bugs off the windshield: it was thick with ick.

Driving home through Aberdeen; I didn't have to go through town - the crossover road skirted downtown.

Aberdeen from Westport - 27 mins.

Raymond from Aberdeen - 33 mins.

Road work just out of Cosmopolis; this road was built because of a slide in the later 1990's. The whole hillside is collapsing.

Heron Pointe from Raymond - 1 hr.41 mins.

I parked the Highlander in my carport about a half hour later than anticipated, but that’s okay – I felt accomplished anyway. I did the entire loop trip by myself.

Missing Bob – but not teary-eyed.

At a leisurely pace.

Exploratory.

Confidently.

8 hours and 12 minutes; without getting tired.

((((THANK YOU, LORD!))))

 

**Sunday~Funday’s ~ 2021:

#21 – https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2021/04/sundayfunday-21soul-food-clandestine.html

#20 – The last of the 2020 Sunday~Funday’s – https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2020/09/sundayfunday-20-deep-river-eden-valley.html (plus 10^th thru 19^th SUNDAY~FUNDAY links)

#9 – https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2020_04_27_archive.html (plus 1st thru 8th 2019 SUNDAY~FUNDAY links)**