ST. PATRICK'S DAY 2023 ~Sleuth Sisters Day

Today was my day in Graysriver with my besties :-)

It was also St. Patrick's Day - and since I do have Irish in my DNA, I sported green all day long ;-)

Irish eyes today …

Sparkly 'Emerald Smokes' eye color w-glittery 'Cypress' accent; 'Auburn' Brow Gel; 'Deep Green' Mascara; 'Neutre Enflamme' Gel Blush; Tinted Lipbalm & 'Pink Quartz' Lipgloss.

Not getting fancy today - I'll be lifting and shifting plant-filled containers going to Linda's & Becky's houses. This thermal top gets to stay in my clothes cache.

 

Ready to hit the road; because I have Hazel eyes, the green eye color brought out the green in my eyes. I like that :-)

Before leaving home, I told Holland that I may be later than usual getting home if I had to drop the plant-filled-bins and boxes of yarn off at Linda's house - and Becky's house. I wouldn't be taking any backroad detours and I'd call him from Skamokawa (where I could get a cell signal) to let him know I was on my way home.

I arrived at Ramona's … and was surprised by going-away-giftings :-)

I'm really going to miss these gals - they were beacons of hope and open-handed friendship, when I was stumbling through life trying to find sure footing. Their sense of humor dove-tails with my own. They found a place for me in their lives, and showered me with love: I am eternally grateful.

Elohim favored me and I wasn't delayed in arriving home before dark: Linda arrived in her pickup - I was able to transfer her geranium bins and rose-filled bin from the back of my Highlander to her truck bed easy-peasy :-)

And Becky's husband Bob, arrived in their truck to pick her up … and helped me transfer her geranium bin and boxes of yarn.

I'm gonna miss these gals; Linda talking to Becky (sitting down) & Ramona, in the background.

We are sleuth sister armchair detectives :-)

Linda's mexican casserole; YUMMY!

I will have a few more Friday's to gather with them at Ramona's … then it will be keeping in touch via video facebook messenger chat, skype, and zoom. Not quite the same as now, but heartstrings adjust and stay connected ;-)

The girls' gifts, which will definitely be going with us across the States, will be constant reminders of Elohim's faithfulness to me.

Gifts; pillow cases = Linda; card, $ + camera tripod = Ramona; dishcloths & candle = Becky.

A TIMELY MESSAGE

The majority of my Shabbat Rest was peaceful, today.

Fallout from last night's rain storm.

My 2nd Angel-Wing Begonia is blossoming.

These will go with me, tomorrow; I'll keep one aside for Becky.

Happy to get Becky's text.

No sad December 14th, this year.

The text is a timely message: next Wednesday is my 4 Year Widow Date. I’m glad I’ll be spending it laughing this year, with a long-standing friend who loves me like a sister; and I’ll get to catch up on news concerning her husband, that I love very much (like a goofy brother) – her kids, and toddling granddaughter, and the Fall vaca-trip they took down South. This year I am actually looking forward to December 14^th 😉

Things got a little sideways around 5:30 P.M., and I put Mr. Complication back on ice, for a while. He may think he’s ready for a relationship with me, but I think he needs more reflective time. There is a lot going on that I can’t get into at the moment, and it is pressing on our budding relationship; putting us both in a very difficult spot individually (we do not agree on it, at all); and once my intuition kicked in – and my suspicions were confirmed (not another woman – just some social nonsense that needs to be settled), I sent him a Dear John text … and that grabbed his attention real quick.

‘Trouble In Paradise’ Post: (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/12/trouble-in-paradise_10.html)

He immediately got on the phone, “Hey Baby, what’s up?”

I said, “My temper is up.” And I explained why – colorfully, and in minute detail so he couldn’t possibly misunderstand what I was saying. After several times of listening to his interjecting lame excuses; I just broke in saying, “Holland. Holland! You are not listening to what I’m saying …”, then, I just ended the convo with, “We aren’t talking the same language. I think we need to cool our jets for a bit until you figure out what you really want. I think you want a lukewarm tea type of woman – and I’m not that. I’m a hurricane when the wind blows the wrong way. I want a man in my life that doesn’t hide things from me, thinking he’s protecting me: I can protect myself. I want a man in my life that puts my peace of mind and happiness before anything, or anyone else – and what I hear you saying is that you aren’t with me on this, in this situation. I know you’re in a tough spot … but I am not; I don’t see this situation resolving itself, like you do. I’m done with that, and I’m done listening to excuses.”

I’ll miss him.

He really needs to spend some time thinking about what he really wants. And he needs to decide for him; not to get back in my good graces. As long as the problem stands between us, he’ll be on ice (not as a friend, but there will be no future for us to go beyond friendship): there will never be any agreement concerning the divisive circumstances – we just see it too differently. I will not enter into a relationship where I will be unequally yoked.

A BLESSED DAY

What a day! The blessings just came … following one after the other: it was like I’d won the lottery 😉

I was dressed and outside bright and early, getting the car washed; as soon as it was considerate to be outside making noise – I was 😊

Car washing day ...

Then, having finally saved enough $$$$ to reorder the same glasses I smashed to pieces, six weeks ago; I drove into town to get that order placed, and got a real nice surprise: the girl said that since they were practically brand new (I got them in May) when I broke them, she would “just warranty them out, and it won’t cost you a thing to have them replaced.”

((((THANK YOU, FATHER!))))

So, I put half of what I’d diligently saved, into savings … and kept the other half for gas money – and grocery/miscellaneous money.

Ordered my new glasses – again (the exact same style) – and then I was off to Warrenton-OR, to go shopping!

My glasses will be replaced for FREE!

Blessings are good.

I drove to Warrenton, Oregon. No particular reason other than I haven’t been there since last summer, and this summer is practically gone: so, I went because it’s a nice drive, and the Mall Complex there is fun to kick around in 😊

While I was store hopping, I bought some bottles and teething rings to tuck into the boxes I'm preparing for the Caring Pregnancy Center; and I saw that there were several pairs of colorful jeggings in just the colors I have been hoping to find. So, I bought them – half of them were on sale. When I bought my first few pairs of jeggings, I wasn’t very happy that that was all the stores were stocking during the covid lockdown hysteria … but after wearing them for a year-and-a-half, I find that I like them better than regular, straight-leg-jeans. They’re comfy; and I don’t look frumpy in them. Some people may wonder why I wear them with the curvaceous shape I have, but I dress for me: if their eyes are offended, they can look elsewhere.

I’ve got curves front and back, and the loose clothes I wore in the past made me look shorter and fatter than I actually am. MPO is that body-hugging/stretch jeggings seem to have a slimming effect on curvy women; especially petite ones, like myself. Regular leg, regular cut straight-leg pants are not my friends.

I also snagged a handful of mascaras I’ve been looking high and low for, for years 😉 Again, people may wonder ‘why?’ … but I don’t care. I dress for me, and I like the colors.

After my laps around the Warrenton Mall Complex, I decided to try a new Thai food restaurant. I heard about it last year, but never found the time to make time to visit it – this afternoon, I made time 😉

What a treat! The pineapple rice is delicious … and it tastes like it’s been charred. SO GOOD! I ate two fried spring rolls, and half the pineapple rice before the ‘crying tiger’ dish arrived; so, I asked that to be boxed up – and I’ll have it for Supper tomorrow.

Learning my way around ...

Something NEW 😊 Nisa’s Thai Kitchen, in Warrenton-OR. A definite repeat!

Thai Fried Spring Rolls, Thai Tea, and Pineapple Fried Rice - SO GOOD!

'Crying Tiger' dish; marinaded steak with Special House Sauce - tomorrow's Supper.

I also stopped at a thrift store on my way home to grab some costume jewelry. I can’t have metal on my skin. Elohim was gracious and merciful when it came to wearing my wedding ring; but wearing glasses can get tricky when the metal arm hinges touch my skin – there have been times when removing my glasses also removed a patch of skin along the sides of my face: the metal acts like acid on my skin, and literally peels skin away when the metal is lifted off my face, neck, wrist, or earlobes (I eventually just let my ear piercings grow back solid); I had spendy solid gold ear studs on my earrings, but my ears still swelled up, oozed, and peeled … if I risked wearing them on the few occasions we went out after becoming parents (I wasn’t keen on babysitters for our daughter), Bob would end up carrying them home in his shirt pocket. My body just can’t tolerate metals on, or in, it ☹

I found some nice-looking bracelets, and a necklace with a sliding leather neck band.

I can’t wait to start wearing everything I purchased! I’m on the downside of 60, and 70 is coming up fast – I am going to be outrageously colorful as long as I carry it off.

I like color in my life. Lots of it.

ALL the colors I have prayed to find! Thank You, Lord!

No metal, & very colorful ...

This chunky necklace has a slip-cord to loosen, or tighten, the necklace.

My day today – from start to finish – was truly blessed.

SLOW MORNING MINDSET

I am ready, Lord. Swing that window wide ... my hands and heart are ready to receive.

It's raining here - and will be raining for the next few days.

So, I am just kicking back in Bob's recliner, watching black-n-white oldie movies, cooking bird feed seed – so it doesn’t sprout ... and finishing up the baby blanket I started a few days ago.

Cooking birdseed.

And I’ve moved all the clocks, in the house, forward. All I have left to switch out is the car clock - and that is going to have to wait; because I am not budging outside the house today.

I've been in the car every day the past week.

Except today.

The car door is staying closed - and the car parked.

All day, today.

Done ... and d.o.n.e.

Yesterday was a fun day – I had just finished switching shoulder straps from my old back pack purse; to the new, colorful one, I had bought across the river Friday afternoon …

Adjustable straps removed from the older backpack purse.

I had bought the older backpack purse in October of 2018.

One night after I had left Peace Health Hospital after visiting with Bob, a strap broke loose. Seeing as how there was no way I could repair it; I bought a new one before going home. The new one was noticed by Bob the next morning when I walked into his hospital room – the other one was brown, the one replacing it was black, and I am not one of those women that need a different purse for every day of the week.

In fact, I never even had a purse until I married Bob and started carrying a checkbook: everything I needed to that point could be carried in the back pocket of my jeans, or the pockets of my jacket. Then the kids came along, and Kleenex, wipes, hairbrush, small toys, ect., was added … and a backpack purse was necessary to keep things on hand, and my hands free.

That backpack purse I had bought in 2018 was showing wear-n-tear. So, I replaced it the other day with a colorful yellow one (I like color 😉); but I didn’t like the straps. They needed what the older purse had: adjustable straps.

Seam Ripper used; straps removed.

Adjustable straps transplanted onto new backpack purse; this works for me ;-)

… when I got a call from a friend out Coal Creek Road, inviting me to an impromptu outdoor grill Supper. I spent a couple hours with her and her family … sharing laughter at the kids’ antics, and congratulating them on the great-grandchild they are excitedly anticipating. I will never know the joy of a great-grandchild (all my adult granddaughters; 31, 25, & 23 … are forgoing the passing on of our genes), but I am excited for my friend’s happy anticipation. 

I am thankful for every single person.

It will be fun to hold a new baby again, and watch the baby grow.

It is good to be part of a family – even if that family is not blood-related.

We are heart-related 😊