I set the alarm clock last night
to make sure I’d be awake and alert for the car maintenance appointment in Kelso,
this morning. I woke up to a flood warning.
A 'what to do' kind of morning ...
I had to make that appointment –
there was no way to cancel it, short of making the drive … and if I had to make
the drive, I might as well keep the appointment. I mentally drove the route I
thought would be the safest route; and then got myself ready to face the day.
The electricity went out just as
I was getting ready to brush my hair into shape (I prayed it wasn’t a blown
fuse); I needed to get my hair brushed/sprayed into shape before it
lost its curling iron swank … so I quickly padded down the hallway to the
spare bath, where the skylight would give me the necessary light, I needed
to get the tricky job done. Halfway down the hallway, I heard the forced heat
kick in, and breathed a genuine sigh of relief (‘Thank You, Yeshua!’; lights
out was due to the weather and not the fuse box) as I pivoted and headed
back to the master bath.
And I also thanked the Lord for
whoever created curling gel! My baby fine hair needs all the help it can get
when nature works against it 😉
Dabbing my lips with
a bit of lipstick, I hoped that early morning snafu was not an indication of
how the rest of the day was going to go.
Heading over to Kelso, where flooding warnings are in effect.
Dick Hannah's Toyota via #432 & Talley Way; no flooding enroute.
I was early as I made the Talley
Way curve, so I decided to nip over to the Chef’s Warehouse Store and grab some
aluminum foil: BIG rolls are sold there, and that works best for me. I use a
lot of foil when baking my freezer meals 😉
Getting that roll of foil was
not as easy as it usually is.
Count Crew working on the Kelso gas line & traffic held up; Talley way.
Held hostage by STOP sign, with nowhere to go ... in a puddle nearly up to the bottom of the driver's door.
I was waylaid by floodwaters
of a different sort, as county maintenance
workers were working on a gas line ☹ I hope that flooded pothole I was forced to
pass time in, gets fixed, as well.
Finally allowed to creep forward
and enter the store’s parking lot, I checked the time (still safe to grab
the foil); entered the store, and found the relocated item.
I heard Eric Burdon singing over
the intercom, and practically danced up the aisle … the happy feet urge to
dance stopped when I saw the sticker tag on the aluminum foil – a $50
dollar increase! Ow, a serious economic pinch.
Eric Burdon – ‘Spill The Wine’ song:(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i0DMbCKnAg)
Song Meaning Explained
(https://medium.com/the-riff/eric-burdons-baffling-spill-the-wine-explained-18f9bc4b41d9)
I needed the foil –
but not at the $$ increase: I bought two smaller rolls for the price I usually
pay ($25/roll). I know I can buy
cheaper foil, but this store sells industrial strength foil like restaurants
use for cooking. That’s what I want.
Foil bought and stored in the
car, I backtracked through the flooded pothole to make my scheduled
appointment. If the brakes were flooded, I prayed I would not need to apply them
until I reached the maintenance shop.
As I neared the shop’s entrance,
I had a winged visitor touch down on the hood of the car; I hoped it would
leave me alone when I parked and exited the vehicle.
I am deathly allergic to bees,
wasps, yellowjackets, and hornets: one sting, and I’ll be a goner if I can’t
get to a medical facility fast enough. A normal anaphylactic reaction can
occur in a 2-hour span of time … I will get nauseous and swell up immediately at the bite mark, my heart rate accelerates and my throat will start to close
in a matter of minutes; for me a bee sting really is ‘death on wings’. I do
carry Benadryl at all times, “just in case”. And I rely heavily on Elohim’s
mercy.
I also admit that tiny winged
thing made me nervous as I cut the motor.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when this tiny winged death machine touch down; Dick Hannah, Kelso.
Yellow-legged Bee - Calliopsis andreniformis
The cute little killer is a few weeks early; Spring 2022 doesn’t ‘spring’ until March 20th.
I managed to exit the Highlander safely 😊
Pretty quiet in the Lobby this afternoon ...
Passing the time; I’m still working on the book I started a month-half ago. I’ve been so busy lately, during the week.
They Shop Crew had my modern chariot
ready to roll in about 1½-hours’ time. And I was right, when I said last
week, that $300 of the $500 price would go towards labor. But, I’m glad it’s
a safe ride, now 😉
Bob would instinctively know
about this ‘tip-top shape’ stuff: I’m learning.
Driving back towards home
through town, I decided to top the gas tank off; it really didn’t need much
gas, but I like to keep the tank full at all times.
I also deposited Bob’s Love
Gift provisional beneficiary IWA check at the bank. It won’t significantly offset
the $500 drain forked out this afternoon … but it is welcome, and I am
thankful.
A little color showing as the gray clouds part; Lowe's.
The political pinch has arrived ...
$4/gal. gas price will continue to escalate as the obama-biden
cartel forces it’s ‘european model’ political agenda (https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/595706-biden-not-putin-to-blame-for-higher-gas-prices)
Oz’s Strawman Brain Song:
I turned towards Pacific Way;
and hoped the road would be relatively dry: it was.
Driving Pacific Way Road, I saw
that the slough waters were definitely above the flood level; and I was
hoping, as I eyed the significantly high water, that the nesting sites
for ducks had not been damaged. I hope there will be baby ducks this year …
I enjoy watching them at various locations, as I hike along the Pacific Way
Trail 😊
High water along Pacific Way.
Flooding Coal Creek Slough.
High & muddy; Pacific Way.
Nesting Mallard
Ducks: https://www.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/advice/helpingbirdstest/nestingmallards/
Waterfowl
Nesting Period: https://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-research-science/understanding-waterfowl-the-nesting-period
Entering the Park, I collected my
mail, admired my blooming daffodils, switched out the furnace filter, and paid
bills – all to the backbeat of falling rain.
So far, the only flooding I have
fallen victim to today, was that flooded pothole on Talley Way 😉 I
hope it stays that way.
A little early season color showing at home.
I'm going to plant Hens & Chicks sedums along the fence line - I have a LOT; they’ll spread like wildfire and fill in the area nicely.
The price of Aluminum Foil has gone through the roof!
Trying the newer filter today ...
As daylight fades, I’m going to
sit back and relax while the rain tap-dances across my roof and swirls down the
drainpipe. I’m going to find old black-n-white movies on YouTube to enjoy; and
try to finish up my latest knitting project 😉
MOD latest Angel Baby Blanket Design - halfway mark.
