SUNNY

Today is such a beautiful sunny day, so I did some tasks outside that the rains have been holding up:

I spaced and moved pavers along the borderline this
afternoon

I saw that my Patio Apple trees are blooming

The Blueberry bush is blossoming also

I was beyond happy that the Yellow Mini Rose bush is
filling out again from the hard pruning I gave it about 3-1/2 weeks ago (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/03/thunderbumpers.html)

And the Shelling & Stir-fry Snow Peas are sprouting on their
garden box

The sunshine on my shoulders felt good, and the song above that Bob liked and often sang to me, popped into my thoughts when I saw the yellow mini rose thriving; was it coincidence? Maybe, but I like to think it was almost like Bob was smiling down on me from Heaven.

Bob sang 3 songs to me that have special meaning to our life together: “Pretty Woman” by Ray Orbison, “Sunny” by Bobby Hebb, and “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers.

Bob liked to sing – and he was good at it.

I miss that.

SECONDARY LEAVES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS :-D

My transplant seedlings are sprouting their secondary leaves, so when the weather permits, I have been opening the windows and letting them get used to air temperature as well as the river breeze:

YELLOW STRAIGHT NECK SQUASH

ZUCCHINI SQUASH

WA WA TSAI & KATRINA CABBAGES.

PUMPKIN

SHALLOTS, LEEKS, RED SCALLIONS

GREEN SCALLIONS

FENNEL

Barely visible CELERIAC

NASTURTIUM

MARIGOLD. Bonanza

MARIGOLD. Colossus

COMOS

Hopefully I can get them into their garden spots within the next 2 weeks. I am going to put them into place with or without the sun. They need to go outside.

I also started shredding my bundles of waste paper; I use it for mulch …

Over the weekend I was driven to Yelm to the butcher I like there – the meat is reasonably priced, smells very fresh and clean, and tastes like meat should taste: very different than the dyed smelly and greasy meats sold in the grocery stores and supermarkets.

As the drive progressed, I took notes on how to get there so I can make the 1-1/2 hour/one way (a total 3 hour drive to and from) run myself next time ;-) It is really pretty simple – just time consuming because traveling the back roads takes longer than the freeway; but it is worth it to me to avoid the freeway stress!

The packages were fresh cut though they could not break the packages down into 1-serving portions; but that is okay because I repackaged the 2-serving portions after I got home because I am not a steak person and I prefer stew meat. So I cut the round steaks into stewing meat and labeled it that way – less for me to do later on. The fryers were already cut too, so I just had to divide them down to smaller portions too: these were a bit bigger than the 1-serving portions I did with the beef …

Out of 4 originally packed Chuck Roast portions I got 8 1-serving portions

 

I cut the 5 round steak portions into 10 portions of 1-serving stewing meat cubes

 

The 7 packages of Chuck Steak were divided into 14 1-serving portions

I got 14 1-serving portions from the Cube Steak

 

I got 7 Fryers because I love chicken. Thank God they were already precut because I am not good at cutting chickens into recognizable pieces. LOL. Bob did it perfectly, but when I have to cut my own chicken in pieces people are left wondering what it is they are getting ;-)

 

The chicken was divided and repacked with a breast, thigh-leg, and wing in each portion. Roughly guessing there are 14 2-serving portions. I kept the backs and packed them for homemade Chicken Stock - God's natural penicillin ;-)

German Brats were divided into 1-serving portions. And the Ham Hocks, & Bacon Ends, and Ham Ends were also broken down and repacked into 1-serving portions.

  

Then the 'specialty meats' were put into a freezer basket. It took me 4 hours to break everything down (beef portions included) and repack it. But I am glad I did it this way.

And now the freezer is restocked - and with the garden bounty I hope for, this should last me through the upcoming Fall ... and possibly Winter with the meatless soups and meatless bean meals I am planning. Bob liked his meat - I don't mind mixing it up a bit more ;-)

Sunday I managed to anger my stepson by telling him it would not be a good idea after all for him to move in with me; it may sound like a good idea on several points, but it is NOT a good idea at all. Alex has been very helpful since his Dad left earth in December 2018, and he has made several sacrificial drives up here from Salem when I needed him … but he is not one to change his lifestyle, and that lifestyle I can’t live with 24/7/365 while I am trying to find some solid footing in this new status of my life as a widow: right now I am an emotional wreak even though I may look like I am doing okay. I am NOT doing okay on a steady basis and I am pretty sure we'd be at each other before a week was out ... so I told him I don’t think us sharing living space is a good idea. Plus, my councilor strongly advises against making any major decisions for at least a year – even longer depending on circumstances and situations.

And now I feel awful because he has been so helpful.

But I have to do what is best for me right now. I can’t help anyone else if I can’t even help myself. Most days I feel like I am an unbalanced washing machine reeling and jolting as I spin through life. I am barely keeping myself together.

I need time myself to decompress, regroup, and restructure my own life. Call me a selfish bitch if you want to, but I have to focus on me right now if I am going to survive Bob's absence in my life. I can't be taking on anyone else's issues and problems right now.

Sunday was also Passover-Resurrection Sunday-Easter, and I smiled with real warmth when I thought of how Bob is so blessed this year to be walking and talking with the Prince of Peace, Who conquered death and gave Bob the ability to be more alive now than he ever was on Earth. THAT is the blessing of Passover-Resurrection Sunday :-D

Praise Yeshua!

Monday, I felt so accomplished!

My printer has been out of black ink for months (I ran out in January printing off all those death certificates and medical information that needed to be mailed out for Insurance coverage's), but I didn't want to buy ink until I knew exactly what my monthly budget would be ... ink is SO expensive! Even the cheap ink.

So yesterday I went downtown to get my hair trimmed  - $17 just to trim 1 inch off the ends of my long hair! - and thought, 'I really need to get that ink cartridge switched out' too ... but I had never done it before. Ever. Bob always did it for me (saved time and frustration for everyone).

But Bob isn't here now; so it is up to me to get things done that need doing.

So I bought the ink, and on the way home decided to pick up some Thai food to have for lunch; we usually indulged in a ‘once-a-month-splurge’ … which was usually Thai food:

Actually, Bob and I have been eating at this place since we started dating, waaaay before it became a Thai Food place. 45 years ago, when we were dating, it was simply Hart-C’s – a hamburger joint; and the burgers were cooked right in front of you and served hot off the grill: BEST hamburgers in town! Then the fast food hamburger places started being built on just about every street corner in every corner of Longview and Hart-C’s sold out. About 40 years ago an Indonesian immigrant bought the restaurant, expanded the interior, and started serving homestyle Thai dishes: we missed the hamburgers, but got hooked on the ethnic food and became life-long friends with the family. We have been eating here once a month, at least, and they were deeply saddened to hear about Bob’s physical death …

Combination Chow Mien, Fried Wantons with Sweet/Sour Sauce, & Thai Tea - and thinking of Bob and wishing he were here with me to enjoy this delicious food ...

Growling stomach appeased, I prepared to face the dreaded printer ordeal. I had watched Bob change ink cartridges – and he did try to explain it to me when he did it – so I kinda knew what to do the more I thought about the process and visualized it in my mind’s eye. The tricky part for me is that I am a tomboy: if there is a delicate flower female aspect to me, I never felt it or exhibited it ;-) I am pretty rough and tumble. I did not want to ruin my machine by getting impatient if it hung up and then roughly jamming the cartridge into place.

So I called for backup. I just wanted another person "in the room with me" while I ran through the process and bounced information back and forth.

I DID IT!

And the machine survived.

And I thanked the person on the phone, even though as she laughingly said, 'I didn't do anything'.

But she DID ... she there for support and her presence - even though only through the airwaves ... was appreciated ;-)

And I believe Bob was there too, watching and applauding my success at finally {getting it} :-D

I know I sound stupid, and I am. I am learning things now, in my 60's, that most people learned in their 20's.

Printer task completed successfully so I can print stuff off again, I put a load of laundry in the washing machine and started mixing bread dough so it can rise atop the warm dryer.

Laundry and bread making chores underway, I started Supper in the crockpot with one of my little pot roast pieces:

And I switched out the paper liner under the kitchen sink …

Cheryl also called this afternoon and we talked for hours - good friends are are the mother lode: I always feel rich when we touch base :-D

I think I will rest now for a day or two, and tackle outdoor chores later this week in preparation for the house painters coming next week – weather permitting ;-)

PASSOVER/EASTER = VICTORY OVER DEATH

Cuddly bunnies, cute baby chicks, pretty butterflies, and colorful eggs are nice ...

BUT

... let's never forget what this Holiday is ABOUT.

Yeshua's sacrifice and triumphant victory over death IS the reason for this season :-D

It was for this event that He was born into this world: to be born a human through a surrogate human mother, to live as a human – experiencing human life & emotions, and to be a Godly example that human weaknesses can be overcome by the grace of Elohim and the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. Yeshua was born to die … conquer death … and rise from the grave in recognizable physical form, triumphant over death and ministering victory over death for those who believe He is Elohei.

Exodus 12 – Passover initiated

Isaiah 25:8 – He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.

Mark 14:12 thru 25 – Yeshua Celebrates Passover and tells his disciples of his impending sacrifice and subsequent resurrection.

Luke 24:6-7 – “He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'”

John 11:25 – Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die … yet shall he live.”

OUR FIRST DATE - Reflections

Was 45 years ago today.

It wasn’t fancy … it didn’t need to be; we aren’t fancy people.

It started out with a drive to a country Cemetery where I asked Bob to take me so I could put fresh flowers on my cousin’s grave – Tim had died recently and we were close; almost like siblings more than cousins. Bob indulged me. He indulged me for weeks – he was that kind of man. Then we helped my friends, Debbie and her boyfriend Walt, move into their apartment: again, Bob was a good sport and rolled with the change of plans by which he was drafted to help with that move. After everything was moved from vehicle to apartment, we visited for a while before we went to Pietro’s for pizza and Lowenbrau beer; I was underage (17 yo) but never carded when I was with Bob … everyone figured if I was with my 24 yo 6’2” gentle giant, I was old enough: after we married and a baby followed, age was kinda irrelevant all things considered. Funny thing was that years later after I turned 21, BOB WAS CARDED and I was not! Not sure to this day how to take that one … but we continued to laugh about that incident for decades. Pietro’s was {our} special place for years, and Bruno the bartender knew us so well, he would start pouring the Lowenbrau’s from the beer tap and chatting with us as soon as we entered the pizza parlor: when he left Pietro’s to start his own pizza parlor appropriately named, Bruno’s … we followed and took our business there: Bruno knew our children and grandchildren by name – we continued to frequent Bruno’s until he retired 10 years ago.

Every day with my gentle giant was a day I always felt blessed.

And loved and cherished. Unconditionally.

But our 1^st date 45 years ago today was special. It kick-started a lifetime of love that will never end (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/04/magic-man.html).

Even though Bob’s physical presence is no longer with me (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/12/widowhood.html), he is always with me.

Always.

I love you, Babe.

Always.

OX

SIMPLE EXERCISES FOR SENIORS - Building Strength

Today I started exercising again – after Bob’s spirit left his body December 14^th, 2018, I pretty much stopped doing everything that required me to think. I did not want to think; thinking always took me back to December 14^th watching my husband take his last breath. I did not want to keep reliving that moment. So after I came home, everything I did was simply done by rote: I went to bed, I woke up, I made coffee, I drank coffee, I walked down the hallway to the bathroom, I did laundry, I washed dishes, I cleaned house (sparingly), I drove into town to deal with the Social Security Office moronic minions (and held my temper until I left the building), I checked in on FB/checked out of FB, I checked in on my Blog/checked out of my Blog … and in between these sporadic actions I cried. And cried. And cried some more. For m.o.n.t.h.s.

Then one day I decided that I needed to get more proactive and do what my husband would want me to do: LIVE again. Active living. Living that required thinking – and doing.

First off, last month I drove onto town and bought bags of soil and filled the empty gardening boxes my husband had built for me (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/03/yesterday-was-very-busy-day-here-house.html); that action was invigorating and encouraging as well as bittersweet. Then I ordered gardening seeds and started indoor seeding trays (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/04/whirlwind-daysabbath-break.html) – which have taken off; and some even had to be repotted, they got so leggy (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/04/repotting-day.html). Many are starting to show secondary leaves now :-D Soon they will be ready to go outside in their permanent homes.

I noticed the birds at the bird feeder again: they were hungry. I had not fed them since October 2018. I drove into town and grabbed some bird feed (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/04/monday-monday.html). 10 minutes into town and back is a safe drive - my yo-yo-emotions could handle that.

The other day I started feeling crowded and knew I had to get out of the house – 4 months is a long time for me to stay in 1 place; when Bob was still here, we did monthly daytrips: the last daytrip we took was in July 2018 before Bob ended up in ER (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/12/goodbye-2018-welcome-2019.html): I needed to get out of the house or I’d start climbing the walls. So, I got dressed and drove into Castle Rock, a small country town about 45 minutes away. I had had a hankering for one of their fancy mixed green salads I used to buy in the store there for weeks and decided spur-of the-moment that now was the time to try the drive (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/04/a-little-further-down-line.html). Since December 2018, I had only driven 10 minutes into town and back home because I didn’t trust my emotions to drive any further; the drive to Castle Rock was refreshing and relaxing. I was glad I did it. And in my mind’s eye I could see Bob smiling his sexy smile and giving me a thumbs up ;-)

This morning I woke up and decided I needed to regain my physical health too. I have been eating healthy and taking care of physical appearance (mostly because I don’t want people watching me to get seriously concerned if my physical appearance stated matching my emotions) …

But I was noticing that my physical strength was slipping: no small grandchildren around anymore to lift and shift - and the granddaughters aren't having children. I haven't been walking either because of all the pollen in the air. And all those months of inactivity following Bob's graduation to a better level of life really set me back in physical strengths.

So it was time to ramp things up a bit and start buffing my lax muscles up ;-)

I know geriatric exercises aren’t much of a “ramping up”, and they certainly will not lead to being be "buff", but at 62, the laid-back and low-stress exercises  are helpful. And being a woman alone now, I don’t want to jump into the vigorous exercises I used to do and wreak my body to the point of needing medical attention/intervention – that would be stupid.

These exercises are low key and they work … I am already feeling the burn.

And that is a good thing :-D

THE BOOK OF ROMANS ~Chapter 15

It is the duty of us who are strong to bear with the scruples of those who are weak, and not to insist on pleasing ourselves. Let each of us try to please his neighbor for his good, building up his faith. Maschiach surely did not please Himself, for the Scriptures say, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on Me”. Words like these were written long ago for our instruction, in order that through our steadfastness and the encouragement that the Scriptures give, we may have hope.

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another, in accord with Mashiach Yeshua! Then you may unitedly with one voice glorify Elohim, Abba of our Adonai Yeshua Ha’Mashiach. Therefore, receive one another as Mashiach received you, to the glory of Elohim.

I maintain that Mashiach became a minister to the circumcised for the sake of Elohim’s truthfulness, so as to make good the promises of the fathers. I would also urge the Gentiles to praise Elohim for His mercy. Thus it is written, “Because of this, I will confess You among the Gentiles, and Your Name I will praise. Once more, it says, “Be happy, O Gentiles, together with His People!” And again, “Let every nation praise Adonai Yeshua, let every people praise Him!” And again, in the words of Isaiah, “The root of Jesse shall come, He shall rise up to rule the Gentiles. And in Him shall the Gentiles hope!” (Psalm 18:49; Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalm 117:1; and Isaiah 11:1 & 10)

May the God of hope fill you now with every joy and peace in believing, so that you may have hope in abundance, through the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh!

My brethren, as far as you are concerned, for my part I am convinced that you are very good-hearted, that you are well informed spiritually, and that you are qualified to instruct one another. Still, on some points I have ventures to write to you rather boldly as sort of reminder, because of the grace that Elohim gave me to do this. It was He Who made me a minister of Mashiach Yeshua to the Gentiles. My priestly office is, then, to preach Elohim’s Gospel so as to make the Gentiles an acceptable offering, consecrated by the Ruach Ha’Kodesh.

I have reason, therefore, in Mashiach Yeshua, to boast of the things pertaining to Elohim. But I will not make bold to speak of anything except what Mashiach has done through me, by word and work, to win over the Gentiles. From Jerusalem and round about, as far as Illyricum, I have preached the full Gospel of Mashiach, also by signs and wonders, and by the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh. I have made it a point not to preach the Gospel where te Gospel has already been preached, so as not to build on another man’s foundation. Just as it is written, “They shall see, to whom no news about Him had so far come; yes, they who have not heard of Him shall understand” (Isaiah 52:15). This is also one reason why, on many occasions, I have been prevented from coming to you.

But nowsince I have no further work in these parts, and since I have longed for many years to visit you, I will come to see you when I go to Spain, hoping to meet you when I pass that way. Also, I hope that you will speed me on my way after I shall have been strengthened by you in some measure.

But first I must go to Jerusalem, to bring aid to the saints there. For Macedonia and Greece were happy to make a contribution to the needy saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, I say, because they are indebted to them. For since the Gentiles had been given a share in their spiritual riches, they ought, in return, to minister to them in their temporal needs.

As soon as I have finished this errand and have placed the gift safely in their hands, I shall start off for Spain, stopping with you on the way. I know that when I come to you I shall come in the fullness of Mashiach’s blessing.

Still, I beg of you, brethren, for the sake of Adonai Yeshua Ha’Mashiach and by the love of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, to strive together with me in prayer to Elohim on my behalf. Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my ministry in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there. Pray that by Elohim’s Will I may come to you with joy, and that may be refreshed in your company. And the God of peace be with you all! Amen

**ROMANS 14: http://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-book-of-romans-chapter-14.html

O DEATH; WHERE IS YOUR STING?

This is a perfect explanation.

People ... at least people in my life who aren't Christians ... think Christians should know e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.

But Christians do not know everything.

Christians live BY FAITH.

A Christian's life is not motivated/handicapped by fear.

Christians do not need to know everything.

We have a living God Who DOES KNOW everything.

Because he lives, we do not have to be afraid.

And we do not need to drive ourselves - and everyone around us - stir-crazy trying to figure everything out ...

We can live our lives to the fullest.

And step over to the other side with absolutely no fear ;-)