COMMUNITY BUILDING ~Shabbat

I really look forward to spending time with friends – especially friends in the country 😉

My recent Country Visit Invite Post: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/07/limiting-restraints.html

I had some time to spare before heading to the upper end of Wahkiakum County … so I checked my emails (answering some; deleting others without even opening them), and then decided to wear my old glasses until I can buy new ones, again: my sunglasses are this year’s perscripted lens – but they are too dark in the house so I take them off indoors, and my eyes are feeling the eyestrain.

The strength difference is slight, so they will work fine for the time being.

Around noon, I was ready to walk out the door and beat feet out of Longview.

Dressed for a lazy day in the country with friends; Grandma’s ready to rock & roll 😉.

Shania Twain – ‘Come On Over’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNe2cj03-eA)

My rolled-up jean legs reminded me of a picture I had of my mother when she was a teenager, with her sister Janet.

I selected a disc to listen to on the drive, and just as I was grabbing my purse … a message pinged on the phone. Seeing who it was from had me debating whether to respond – or not; I responded as soon as I read her opening line. I counted to ten before punching out my reply. This woman is manipulative with everyone, but she is not going to run me. She has a mean spirit, and when called out, resorts to punting the blame for her bad behavior over your fence, daring you to kick it back.

With raised eyebrows … I kicked it back into her court, giving her a chance to accept responsibility for her actions: I was willing to work with that towards allowing her space in my community building efforts. When she shot back her reply, I ended all effort and shut her down – and muted the phone.

Manipulative message this morning ...

I have standards, and clearly defined Boundary Lines; when pushed, I post a ‘Do Not Trespass’ Sign.

“Heartbroken” people do not continue pushing boundaries with toxic behaviors.

Tuesday gathering, next week, will be interesting.

But I am firm: I will not engage in her manipulative games (I have, for a year, watched her bully others: not gonna happen to me). She said what she said. She meant to be offensive. She is not sorry; people who are sorry do not continue to behave badly. People who are sorry do not keep poking and pushing up against clear boundary lines. People who are sorry do not engage in blame-games designed to make the wronged person the bad guy.

This latest bully attempt is the straw that broke the camel's back. She has been trying to run me since last Fall. She is continually poking her nose into my private business, and making "motherly" suggestions. She is not my mother! She does not get to tell me who I 'need to talk to'. She does not get to decide what I talk about, who I speak with, or how long I engage in conversation. She does not get to yank me around.

I have never been “run” – I will not be “run”, now. My neck will never wear a choke collar. I don’t think this woman has ever been shut down before; but she has now.

Slipping the phone into my purse (out of sight, out of mind), I drove into town and stopped at the bank before I left Longview; and on the way back to Ocean Beach Highway, I decided to take a side trip down Oak Street, because I wanted to grab a mug of coffee before heading out of town to spend the day with my gal pals (I didn’t want to backtrack off Old Pacific Highway to the coffee shack).

Steve Miller Band – ‘Going to The Country’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5tGEBLzsmI)

Driving down Oak Street, I passed the house my in-laws had lived in for ten years of my early married life. The street has gone downhill, and the house looks different – not too bad, just different: painted a green color, and the front yard is missing the flowerbed my MIL planted – and replaced with scorched earth. I remembered my FIL putting a back driveway in, renting a cement mixer to build a small back patio, … and building a large 2-garage-shop, with a greenhouse for my MIL on the side.

At the end of Oak Street, I turned left at the playground Bob’s youngest sisters played at … and continued to the end of that street where it joined with Ocean Beach Highway, again. And it didn’t hurt my heart to relive those memories. I am healing.

At the coffee shack while waiting for my mug to be passed back to me, I slipped in the CD disc I brought from home. It always soothes me to hear my husband’s voice – but it was especially welcomed this morning 😊

I listened to Bob's testimonial voice on both trips over the KM.

Bob - Love of my life ~OX

The gathering at Ramona’s house was a 4-hour fun-filled afternoon; these women are just what the doctor ordered 😉

Linda is working on a quilt - beautiful handiwork; completely pieced & stitched by hand.

Keith Urban – ‘Where the Blacktop Ends’ song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD3zK3OimXo)

They get a space in my community building efforts 😊

Genuine care and love.

CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT

Today was my Friday morning coffee hour in Lexington, and I was running late. Thank goodness for my ‘community network’ that knows me (small, though it is); as I exited the Park, and quickly cut across the Ocean Beach 5 lanes to nip into Mr. Bill’s for my joy juice … the girls had caught sight of the car, and had my coffee ready for me 😊

I’m glad they also have Oat Milk. I’m lactose intolerant and shy away from cow milk, but my body can deal favorably with oat milk. I don’t like oatmeal, but I do like oat milk.

I know … I’m a weirdo 😉

Oat Milk Benefits: https://www.goodto.com/food/is-oat-milk-healthy-608825

Mr. Bill's Espresso; Ocean Beach Highway.

Joy juice in hand as I entered the house, I was hailed with a warm greeting as I settled in, to enjoy my nosh and natter hour; and was pleasantly surprised to hear memories of Bob, I had not previously been aware of. There were a few unexpected people included in the Lexington gathering that knew Bob when he was in High School (before I knew him personally) and they shared some memories of that time with me, today. It’s fun for me to hear about those times. It always cheers me up, hearing about Bob’s impact on people’s lives – Bob is my favorite topic 😊

My ‘community’ is shaping up nicely 😊

After the chit-chat session exhausted itself – and before I had cleared the invisible boundary line between Lexington and Longview, I had decided to drive to La Center; Spring is in the air, and I’m getting itchy feet. Plus, I wanted to stop at that bakery I’d driven past – and see what they have to offer: a tasty pastry following my Shabbat meal would be a nice treat 😉

There is also a restaurant in La Center I was thinking about ducking into, and sampling something from the menu; it’s nothing fancy, but I like to enjoy new places when I’m out and about.

I was also thinking of kicking around La Center for a bit to see what all was there (play Curious George for an hour or so).

Decided to drive to the bakery in La Center.

There was plenty of time for a leisurely backroad drive ...

All along the route I saw evidence of lingering flood waters. There didn’t appear to be severe damages by floodings, but the areas are still very saturated, and the waters have reached the high-water marks – some clearly breaching the low-lying areas with lapping over-reach.

Nichols Blvd., Longview; access to I-5.

Lake Sacajawea was at the high-water level mark; Nichols Boulevard, Longview.

Carroll’s, Kalama from Longview; via WA-432 E and Old Pacific Hwy S.

High waters lapping the beaches of Cottonwood Island; view from the Carroll’s Bluff hill road to Kalama. Oregon is in the background.

Cottonwood Island is situated in the Columbia River between Kalama & Longview. People do not live on it, and aside from birds, I don’t know if animals live there, either.

I was relieved to see that though Lane Road is sliding … it hasn’t worsened over the Winter, and hasn’t washed out too much from all the rainy days of late.

The sunshine felt good – it wasn’t strong sunshine yet, but it was very warming on my shoulders as it shone through the car windows 😊

I also noticed that my dome lights came on and refused to shut down.

I pulled off the road and parked in a graveled spot to haul one of the Owner’s Manuals out and read about the lights – that was a useless activity: there was nothing useful in the book, just a lot of nerdy info that sounded like Greek to me. So, I put the Manual away, reentered the roadway, and hoped that when I turned the car off in La Center … the lights would go out, too. The psycho behavior of the on/off lights are picking up in frequency: very frustrating.

Lane Road, Kalama-WA

‘Sunshine On My Shoulders’ song:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9Gh6dn7hzQ)

Green Mountain Road, Woodland to La Center; via Green Mountain Rd and NW Pacific Hwy. 

Sadie and Josie's Bakery; 582 NW Pacific Hwy, La Center, WA

Gorilla Grill, La Center.

When I got back to the Highlander with my bakery goodies, the lights were still on.

I knew I had to do something about this annoying nuisance – and fast. If I decided to go to Shabbat Service tomorrow morning, would I have a live battery in the morning to ignite the Highlander’s get-up-and-go? No! Not if the lights refused to stay off, and burned through the night ☹

I reined myself in from having a princess temper right there on the sidewalk, and calmly morphed into Queen mode.

A Queen calmly assesses the situation from every angle … and seeks help when necessary; a Queen, even if she feels inept in a situation does not give into a feeling of stupidity. A Queen realizes that every {inept} situation leads to a learning experience, so that next time (if a ‘next time’ arises) she will have the knowledge to deal with the situation as it arises.

Change of plans ... backtrack to Kelso.

Bipolar dome lights - seriously frustrating.

When I arrived in Kelso, and drove into the Dick Hannah Maintenance Cubicle, the crew was very helpful. And they know that I only show up when I’m truly stumped, and need a ‘show and tell’ demonstration, like: “talk to me like a 3-year-old – step by step with hands-on instruction”. I learn best that way; pointing to a page in a manual won’t clarify anything to me.

The dome lights had been on for 2 stinking hours. I was glad they were finally off. I am glad someone took the time to show me what to do if it happens again.

Thank Elohim I have good people in my life 😊

The light button was 'stuck' – no explanation given other than that; Dick Hannah employees dinked around with it, freed it up, and reset it.

Change.

It was woven throughout my entire day.

And I think I rolled with it pretty well 😉

I also think I deserve one of those yummy eclairs with a goblet of wine, as I kick back in my comfy armchair and welcome the Shabbat’s relaxing caress 😊

My La Center goodies: White Cupcakes w-choc frosting & Bavarian Eclairs.

L'Chiam!