Wedding Song - God Knew That I Needed You

Thursday, January 21, 2021

SEA LIONS! ~ Riverside Dike Hike

This morning I was awake at 4:30 AM – no hope of being able to go back to sleep … so, I got up and drank a cup of coffee Creamy Caramel flavored coffee; and saw that the street was wet. It must have rained overnight.

I drank my coffee and catalogued a few more Blog Posts references. I also read, with each month’s postings, that I have come a long way in personal growth and 24 months of solo adjustments.

I am happy with that accomplishment … but it is a bittersweet happiness: I’d rather have Bob, instead of the solo adjustment milestones.

When I got to the June 5th, 2019 Blog Post – my 1st solo lobo revisit to {our} Park; I decided to get dressed and hike the dike, there, this morning.

An analogy of how I ended up at the Park by reading past Blog Posts …

It’s been a while since I had walked that hike, and I was missing it (I only walk it now when my heart can stand the memories that always accompany me) – I felt strong enough this morning 😉

It was 15 minutes past sunrise, the outside temperature was 49-degrees, and I had nothing on the docket that needed tending to: I quickly washed my hair, hastily dressed, and was buckled up in the car in 20 minutes. 5 minutes later I had grabbed a Breakfast Casserole at Baker’s Corner and was nosing the car up over the hill and onto Nevada Drive, where I cruised West Side Highway to Riverside Park in Lexington.

7 min (3.2 mi)
8 min (3.1 mi)
11 min (3.8 mi): a total of 26 min’s from home to Riverside Park.

I couldn’t remember when Bob & I used to watch the seals (actually, I learned today that they are sea lions), but I knew it was in the winter time … Bob always spotted them when they were around. I was hoping that IF they were in the water, I’d catch a glimpse while I walked and spent time with Yeshua – my Husband, now.

I WAS BLESSED! The sea lions were everywhere I looked!

I parked the car in the upper end Parking Lot. As soon as I crested the dike, I caught sight of a sleek, wet, rust-colored-body curling itself back into the river water 😊

As soon as I reached the dike trail, I caught sight of these frisky fellas … they were directly below where I stood on the gravel.
These sea lions were noisy - they blew like whales when they raised their heads above water. LOL
This spot in the river was active with a group of seals. I happily watched them while I ate my breakfast.
JAZZED to see sea lions! I thought they were seals ... but their very visible ear flaps gave them away as sea lions ðŸ˜‰

Finishing my fast-food-breakfast, I detoured to a trash can in the Park to ditch the container. Turning to climb back up the dike to the gravel trail, I caught sight of a patch of blue sky trying to get through the heavy gray winter cloud cover.

The happy barking sea lions, and the persistent blue patch in the sky above me made me glad I had made the trip. The Dike Hike had lured me … but I would have eventually found an excuse to get out of the house anyway; and away from all the mean spiritedness that has settled over people – it had been festering for quite some time but with the coup firmly established, obamanites are getting bolder and nastier.

The demonrat definition of unity is waaaaay different than the rest of us have! And I am just d.o.n.e. with the ‘united hatred’ from the demonic leftists and treasonous rhinos.

I was thankful for this relaxing respite.
Live louder than all the static that fills the atmosphere around you; let your spirit rise above the meanness.
I don’t tolerate brats very well; and the DC brats need some serious discipline; I left the demonrat nonsense in 2009 … I’ll never slide backward – I saw their true colors with the 1st obamanite coup.
I'll be pretty much hanging out at my Blog for the next 4 years.
I will not participate in endless global mourning; or the useless Federalized 'National Mourning'.
Life is for the LIVIING. Hope and Faith mend the broken ... not mandated canlelight vigils.

It must be a banner year for the fish migration; because the sea lions were thick as thieves, all along the river 😉 I called my BIL, Kerry, to ask what fish would be running the river this time of year, and he said “smelt” – so that is what is driving the sea lions and sea gulls to a feeding frenzy.

Everyone I talked with said they’d never seen the river so full of sea lions.

The scene reminded me of days at the beach – with sea gulls sweeping overhead, and swooping deep towards the water.

Sea Gulls are busy 'shopping' the river too. LOL; freeway in the background.

There were lots of sounds along the river walk today: the raucous barking of frisky sea lions, the distant droning of freeway traffic, ear-piercing squealing of train traffic, the shrill cries of sea gulls, the drive-by buzzing of West Side traffic … and the sounds of clucking backyard chickens, carried on the wind from across the river.

Making the last round of the trail on the return end of the hike, a pod of boisterous sea lions barked up a storm and rowdily frolicked in the swift-churning Cowlitz River: this end of the river was literally “alive” with fat and sassy sea lion bodies – the scene kinda reminded me of a piranha feeding frenzy 😉

Yeshua was blessing me big time today 😊

(Matthew 7.7)

And I could almost hear Him chuckling as I “oohed!” & “ahhed!” 😉

Listening to/watching the train across the river; and seeing traffic crossing the bridge overhead, my mind and heart took me back in time – to 2006, when Bob, I, and my wolf Precious … watched that bridge be built.

Train & freeway traffic.
Bob & my wolf, Precious: we walked this hike every day for years; we watched the Lexington Bridge being built. Oct. 2006
The essence of Bob is e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e: but it is getting easier to deal with. I am strong enough now to walk into my future tomorrows without tears or crippling sorrow.
Precious: 1/2 Timber Wolf/1/2 Gray Wolf – 100% LOVE. I was so happy Bob let me have her when she was weaned from her mother … and he came to love her, too.
Lexington Bridge across Cowlitz River to freeway being built - Oct. 2006
Find & enjoy your own happiness ðŸ˜Š

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

LIVER BAKED w/ONIONS & HERBS Recipe

The last time I made this recipe was February 2nd, 2018. I cooked it using my electric skillet (http://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/02/liver-baked-w-onions-herbs.html); this afternoon, I baked it in the oven: it is delicious either way 😉

I have been craving liver, but I couldn’t find it for sale in any of the grocery stores/supermarkets; and the restaurants I used to order from, have all shut their doors.

Last Wednesday, I had to go into town, so on the way home, I thought I’d pop in at the new butcher shop in town and see if they had any liver – they did! So, I bought 3 packages of liver … and a half Beef Locker Pack; it makes sense to me to buy meat in bulk, and it sure tastes better than what the stores are selling. My freezer meat supply is getting low, and with the continual ridiculous and unnecessary statewide shutdowns – it looks like my annual trip to Yelm won’t be happening anytime soon. I am thankful for Matt’s Custom Meats Butcher shop a few minutes away 😊

My meat haul with 3 added Beef Liver packs. The Liver packages have 7 ct. liver slices in them – enough for 7 individual meals; my liver haul will last me a while ðŸ˜‰

Because the liver was frozen when I bought it, I had to cook it all after the package thawed – I doubled this recipe, and portioned each of the livers into individual meals frozen for future Supper meals. This recipe is easy to make, and tastes delicious when you bite into it. I’m not sure where I got the recipe from …

==LIVER BAKED w/ONIONS & HERBS

1 large Onion, sliced into rings * 2 TBSP melted Butter * ¼ cup HOT Water * 6 slices Liver, cut ½” thick (calf, veal, or beef) * 2 TBSP Flour * Salt and pepper to taste * 1 TBSP chopped parsley * 2 teaspoon Thyme * 2 TBSP thick Chili Sauce * 1 TBSP Brown Sugar * 2 TBSP Butter

Place onions in oven pan, pour over it butter and water.

Onions, water & butter.

Bake in a moderate 350-degree oven, for 30 minutes.

While onion mixture is cooking, prepare the flour mixture for dredging; set aside.

Also, in a small bowl … combine the herbs, chili sauce, brown sugar, and butter: blend well.

Herb & Chili Sauce mixture.

Remove the onions from the oven; dredge the liver in flour (I precut my livers in half – just easier for me); arrange over onions. Spread with chili sauce mixture.

Cover, and bake for 30 minutes.

While the liver was baking, I ate a salad for lunch – and started a new read:


The over timer went off just as I finished my salad 😉

The liver turned out very nice!

Baked liver from 1 package of liver.

While the liver cooled on hot pads on the counter, I washed the dishes I had used to make the liver; then I started portioning the liver out for individual meals: I would eat 1 for tonight’s Supper – the others would be placed in freezer foil pans. I line my foil pans (because I am frugal; the foil pans can be used again and again this way), place my meal into the pan – cover the meal it with plastic wrap … label it, place the cover over it; trim the foil and plastic wrap to about ½” from pan edge, crimp the edges – and pop it in the freezer (carefully today, because the veggie and fruit containers do not have covers – they will freeze solid in the freezer).

Liver, Baked Potato, kernel Corn & Fruit Cocktail.
Liver, Rice a Roni blend & Green Beans.

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

A TOTALLY SUCKY DAY

I drove to another county to get my hair cut/tidied today (this was the fun and enjoyable part of my day); while standing at the cash register to pay, I was informed that the Hair Salon only took cash … it would have been nice if they had notified me of that before the haircut; I could have gone prepared.

The Bank sent me around the building to the outside transaction area … I had left my car in the hair Salon Parking Lot, and walked to the Bank (maybe 30 steps away); so, I held my breath as I stood in line, but eventually I had to breathe: I sucked up a LOT of gas fumes waiting for the jacked-up pickup in front of me, to stop jacking around and finish his business.

It's been a D.A.Y.

The “fun” was quickly disappearing …

Money finally in hand, I hoofed it back to the Hair Salon and paid for my haircut; as I turned the ignition in the car, that scary yellow triangle popped on the screen with a notification popping up telling me the battery in my key fob was low – it didn’t specify which one (mine or Bob’s), so I drove back to Longview and over to Dick Hannah Toyota, and had both batteries for both key fobs replaced. Normally I kinda like the heady odors of the lobby (new tires/new car scents) … but, today, with my lungs so traumatized by the gas fumes they had to endure, the lobby odors were making my lungs seize and my heart rate gallop: my circulatory system was starving for oxygen.

I got home without incident – picked up the mail – and saw that I received a stimulus payment: IN CARD FORM, instead of going directly to my bank account, as usual. So, into the car/into town I went. And ended up sucking up triple the amount of gas fumes I had previously been treated to … WHILE the tellers INSIDE ARE MASKLESS!

Jumping through ridiculous hoops.

I started to steam.

W.T.F.: What is the POINT?????

I've been sucking gas fumes for most of the day today ... the inhaler really didn't help all that much. My chest hurts.
Finally got things squared away - the piddly amount alloted me isn't worth the hassle to receive. MPO

My asthma inhaler helps – but it is not a miracle worker; my lungs are on fire.

I grabbed a pizza on the way back home: there was no energy left to cook the liver I had planned to cook for Supper.

Pizza for Supper - emotionally necessary. LOL

I’m really ready to slap the Fast Forward Button all the way into 2024: I’m seriously D.O.N.E. with 2021 already.

2021 has barely begun, and already I am D.O.N.E. with the next 4 years of ridiculousness barreling down the Pike.

If I drank seriously – today would be the day.

But I only ‘nurse’ a 4 oz goblet of wine on Shabbat … and the sunset tonight saved the day 😉

Sunset - 5.18 PM. Front LVRM windows.
5.19 PM. Front Dining RM window.
Sunset - 5.19 PM Front LVRM window.
Sunset - 5.20 PM Front LVRM window.
Night sky. LVRM Side window.