DEALING & OVERTHINKING

5 weeks … possibly 6; before I can get back to traveling further than 10 minutes into the heart of “downtown” – or a “safe” half an hour to the next county.

Hopefully, by the middle of March, things will start drying up around here, and I can travel quite a bit further afield.

And with an outpouring of divine mercy, I may even get to travel between the two States flanking the Columbia River.

In the meantime, with the seemingly endless rain storms, that come pelting in off the river to flood the entire region – destabilizing hillsides, sweeping cars away in muddy floodplains, and sending car-sized boulders careening off cliffsides to barrel into traffic lanes: I’m pretty much trapped in-house unless I have to drive into town for quick business (to pay AT/T at downtown office to avoid ‘late fee’ charges; or quick grocery restock). So far, going into town isn’t tricky driving.

What does seem to be tricky, however, is fielding the questions from friends and family who seem to feel I should be an expert of heartache and familial angsts.

I am a widow; and a parent who has nerve-wracking children.

Bob’s spirit left Earth a little over 2 years ago.

Friends (my age, or slightly older) are facing their own morality, or the possibility of becoming a widow themselves: they are worried, scared, curious – and a bit rude in their question-and-answer probes.

At first it caught me by surprise; then it started to annoy me … now, I just accept it for what it is: they need pacifying, they are seeking answers – they think I can help them.

I can: to a degree. While it is true that I have walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and survived the pain and heart wrenching sorrow, to talk about it; I am certainly no expert on death and how it will affect them. Their lives are not my life. I can only speak in reference to my life, and how the loss of Bob affected/continues to affect my life. Sometimes that satisfies them.

And most of the time it no longer annoys me. 

I am more than Bob’s Widow.

I am still ME: VAL – a person that has a life separate from The Grim Reaper’s pivot point.

Being trapped indoors by governmental crackdown bullshit most of all of 2020, and projected to go into 2022, has left people with too much time on their hands to sit and think. Children, as well as adults are becoming morose.

Not only are adults contemplating their own mortality; their children are also feeling the effects of isolation, and acting out in alarming ways.

Which, again, puts me in the crosshairs of “expert” queries.

Parents (friends and family members) struggling with teens and young adults call me to talk about what they are going through … and ask me, “how did you deal with it?”

Again, the circumstances, situations, and resulting outcomes – are vastly different. Their children do not hate them: mine, truly do hate me. There is a huge difference in how I “dealt with it”. Their troubles are current … the troubles with my kids go back 51 and 37 years: and since both kids have removed themselves from my life following their father’s absence in all our lives, the way I am “dealing” will not be helpful to those seeking helpful insights.

I do my best to be helpful, but the picking at the scabs of my personal life annoys me. I do not want to resurrect a painful past, that obviously did not pan out very well for me; or mine. I share what I share when I want to share it … and I chose what I want to share in the moment. I don’t share everything, because that is my business: it’s not fodder for the familial-friend’s-or bystander stranger’s gossip mill.

And, inevitably, what is shared, always leads to judging from those making queries: “but, you don’t get along with your children, do you?” Instead of the correct assessment that my kids do not get along with me. The quizzers can’t help themselves – they need vindication that even though their own families are in trouble … their trouble isn’t as bad as mine appears to them.

They make their judgements based on the little – very little – I share.

It may seem like I am a motor mouth; but I actually share very little about my family. I only share what I feel will be of some benefit to others – the rest, I keep to myself. It is no one else’s business.

And it irritates me that people come to me thinking I am an expert on heartbreak, and then feel free to come to conclusions about my life when they know basically nothing about my life (with Bob, or with my kids) as a whole.

They came to me; I did not go to them.

Beyond their quest to seek immediate comfort by asking surface questions to deep familial issues in their own lives, my personal life is off limits.

(https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2020/01/glass-house-christians_17.html) 

I am more than Bob’s Widow. 

I am more than an abandoned mother.

I am still ME: VAL – a person that has a life separate from The Grim Reaper’s pivot point; and the kid’s narcissistic angsts.

Everyone’s life is their own journey. What works for me, may not work for anyone else: my life is not their life, even if they feel there are similarities.

I am doing my best not to overthink, too, in this neverendingly government incarceration … and wet, dreary, gray clouded winter skies.

I am trying to move forward.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyR_IidsP5E)

There is nothing left of the life I had for 44 years – I am doing my best to rebuilt from the shattered fragments. It is not easy: the slate has been wiped clean. As if those 44 years never happened at all. Only the memories keep me grounded and sane. I am exhausted on all levels … emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

I am in no position to take on other people’s issues.

That is what Elohim is for: they need to go to Him.

Does that make me a selfish bitch?

Maybe.

I don’t know.

All I do know is that I’m going through my own life upheavals.

And I am doing it alone – partly because I need to, and partly because there is no one else on Earth, I can turn to.

I am going through my own confusing time.

I am dealing with my own mortality: I was with Bob from the time he went into ER locally, until he breathed his last breath this side of Heaven, in a small hospital room in the next State across the River.

I am pretty sure I will breathe my last breath this side of Heaven, alone.

And I am equally sure my friends seeking peace as they ponder their own mortality, and quiz me on what it feels like to waltz with the Grim Reaper, do not want to hear that reality. I try to answer their queries as honestly as I can – as compassionately as I can – without scaring the hell out of them, or losing too much blood myself, from the healing scab they messed with.

I am still reeling from the final severance from the kids (their choices). They totally messed up their lives – the Grim Reaper messed up my life: when Bob breathed out his last breath, as shallow as it was, it blew my entire world apart.

People ask me how I am dealing.

But they really don’t want the truth.

They don’t want to know that I really don’t have answers for them.

They don’t want to know the reality that death changes the “fit” of old life with the new life.

Or that as bad as they think things are now … the death of a spouse, or the death of a family unit blown to smithereens is so confusing, there is no escape from the prolonged shockwaves.

They do not want to know that I am exhausted on all levels: emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually – which often leads to second guessing, which leads to overthinking.

They want me to soothe them in what they are personally going through, and overthinking; and in truth, no one is benefitted.

I can lend them an ear, but if they truly want answers to their queries, they will have to turn to Elohim.

Turning to Elohim is how I “deal”.

MOD ZEBRA PATTERN MITTS

I finally finished up the mitts I started the first week of January.

I like them!

MOD Zebra Pattern Mitts. Finished mitt pair; each mitts sports a different stripe pattern.

They are funky … and useful 😉

I am going to make a few more pairs for the Fall/Winter Bazaars.

But, this pair …

MOD Zebra Pattern Mitts. Left hand mitt finished.

This pair, is for me 😊

 

FREEDOM DAY?

Please, PLEASE bring Sanity with you!

Today is Freedom Day – and how ironic is it, that the current squatters in the White House, and the treasonous snakes holding Congress hostage are doing all they can to strip Americans of our freedoms?

All there is on the internet is black history garbage (after the Hell blm has raised in American streets all of 2020 – they can all go to Hell; I will not celebrate murder and mayhem), and articles on south african history (which has nothing at all in common with American Freedom): I celebrate neither racist notations … and I do not recognize the White House squatters or the treasonous congress that is trying to erase America, American History, and Americans from America or the internet.

I keep in mind that Elohim is still in control.

But it is hard to be joyful in the midst of so much National sorrow and upheaval. I do know that Earth is not my actual Home; but I do live here, for the time being. And it has not been a friendly place since the obama’s coup in 2009, and subsequent racially motivated “shoo-in” in 2013. Their third coup with their useful tool (mindless and clueless biden), is furthering the division of America … and creating chaos across the world.

My hope is in Elohim’s Plan – I know he has it all under control, even when I can’t see past the day I am living out.

I keep in mind that Elohim is still in control. 

Even when it is hard to stay positive with all the negative stink in DC, doing their best to erase our freedoms; and the reprogramming/brainwashing tactics of the internet goons, flooding the internet with islamic blm anarchy bullshit.

obama CARTEL TYRRANY

The other day, I received a notification from the fb {team: aka foreigners with a rabid hate-on}, that something I posted was pulled; I am being censored, and was placed on deferral.

I had 2 choices: agree to the obamanite punishment, or contest/appeal the punishment.

Neither options work in my favor.

If I do not “agree”: I will be placed in fb jail, and my account will be flagged for termination.

If I “appeal”: I must submit ALL of my PERSONAL INFO to foreign entities – who are asking VERY INVASIVE questions, that have absolutely NOTHING to do with whatever they feel I have done.

Either choice ... I will be placed in fb jail, and my account will be flagged for termination.

It is communist/nazi tactics.

The {team} cannot legally invade my privacy … but they can and do try to get people to willingly give up personal information that can and will be used against them in their kangaroo court {hearings}.

My nationality/skin color has nothing to do with anything concerning fb team queries.

What political party I stand behind has nothing to do with fb team queries.

What Faith I adhere to, has nothing to do with fb team queries.

Where I live – how I live – with whom I live, ect., has nothing to do with fb team queries.

What my income is has nothing to do with fb team queries.

ALL those queries are VIOLATIONS OF MY RIGHTS AS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN – regardless of where the fb team morons happen to live.

And I will not willingly give my rights up; and I will fight, kick, and scratch anyone who tries to wrest them from me.

FB always has been – and always will be – a demonrat platform for brainwashing rhetoric when it comes to obamanite pogroms.

I have held a FB account for decades; I went through this political bullying scenario the first two obama coups. The political censorship is nothing new … what is new, is the divisive viciousness, which is boldly invasive and out of touch with reality.

I am pretty sure my account will be terminated because I refuse to comply,  either way: there will be no advance warning other than the notification I received the other day. Thankfully, there are no family pictures, other than pictures of Bob, that was posted to my personal Page – Bob no longer exists as a flesh and blood man, so those pictures can’t cause any undue harm to anyone when my account is closed and obamanite trolls do their devilish best to hurt me.

It is sad the hellish nightmare that has been inflicted on American Citizens since 2009.

President Trump was America’s hope for some sort of sanity; but the demons in DC went after him with a vengeance, and the obamanite cartel will not stop until they destroy him; and everyone who either voted for him (I did not), or stood with him (I did/I do): he was good for this Nation, and he got a raw deal with the DC demons that slither about DC with their vicious bites and poisoned tongues; and that ancient hag, witch pelosi, that gleefully stations obama’s flying monkeys in every State of the Union, to cause as much destruction and hellish chaos they can.

I don’t need FB – FB needs me.

For now, we are engaged in a calimexarabia standoff.

My bet is on this old American gal with fire in her veins and a don’t test me attitude …

Demonrat Communist Tactics: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA2NtNGCW2k)

Demonrats Say Patriots Should Not Have A Thought – Or A Voice That Is Not Governement Sanctioned: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSH8fensO-E)

Demonrat Hypocrisy: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSQKgjzJLsw)

This 2021 unconceivable, godless, and delusional obamanite Twilight Zone is quickly spinning out of control … into a headlong descent into communistic nazi tactic socialism: adolf hitler actually succeeded in doing this. obamanites are intent on going above and beyond what hitler accomplished.

1 of each of those is enough Hell unleashed on mankind.

The obamanite demonrats are intent on combining those three – with the doctrine of islam; and in barak hussain obama’s words: “change the landscape of America”.

2021 ~ COOKATHON #1

I was up early this morning, so I decided to get busy making a few more freezer meals. These recipes are tasty, health conscious, and low in calories; and relatively thrifty … so, they work for me 😉

I still have a few freezer meals left (fish, pork, chicken, vegetarian), so I didn’t make a full week worth of meals this morning: I only made three beef themed meals … to add balance to the menu, and my diet. The meals I made today are an Indian (India) Stew with Indian (India) fried Bread; Greek Meatball dish with a creamy sauce, with a cheesy Orzo side dish; and one of my American standby meals – Steak Supper in Foil – just because I like it 😊

My homemade meals do not look like pictures posted in my cook books – I am not a fancy chef with high flautin ideals … I’m just a solo lobo widow, living in the PNW, that likes good food and tasty recipes.

I am posting the three recipes in their original writ … but, I make my meals quite a bit differently; I use my crockpot every chance I get, I half the ingredients since there is only 1 of me now, and I freeze the bulk of the meals for future weekly meals – so there is no beautiful table setting in my recipe pictures. I enjoy a variety of meals, tastes, and textures, so I do not always stick to original instructions (I do substitutions quite a bit): I use recipes as a guideline, but I cook for me 😊

If I change the way I cook meals – or if I make a substitution for an ingredient, I note that in my posts.

This recipe is a hardy Spiced Indian Beef Stew; paired with Basmati Rice, and flaky Indian triangular bread, known as Paratha (recipe follows).

I have posted the stew recipe as it was originally printed, but I made mine differently since I freeze my meals in portions for future meals. I made my stew in a crockpot, without the yogurt – I will add that later, when I eat my meal: this works for my needs.

==SPICED INDIAN BEEF STEW w-YOGURT ~ 6 servings

Seeds from 7 Cardamom pods * 1 whole Cove * 1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg * 1½ cups (about) plain low-fat Yogurt * 2¼ pounds boneless Chuck, fat trimmed, and cut into 1-inch cubes * 1 tablespoon Butter * 2 cups finely chopped white Onion * 1 tablespoon peeled & grated Ginger * 2 large cloves Garlic, pressed * ¾ teaspoon Coriander seeds * ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds * ¼ teaspoon ground Turmeric * ¾ teaspoon Salt * ground Black Pepper to taste * 1 cup plain low-fat Yogurt, stirred until smooth * minced fresh Cilantro

Finely grind first three ingredients in mortar with pestle, or spice grinder. Mix with 1 cup yogurt in a large bowl. Pat meat cubes dry and add to spiced yogurt; toss well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Melt butter in heavy deep nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, ginger and garlic; cook until onion is translucent, stirring frequently – 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside.

Grind coriander, cumin, and turmeric to powder in mortar with pestle, or spice grinder. Sprinkle powder over meat mixture; toss to coat. Mix meat mixture into onion mixture. Add salt and season with pepper. Cover and cook 2 hours over low heat; stirring frequently. Uncover and cook until meat is tender; stirring frequently and adding up to ½ cup additional yogurt if mixture seems to dry – about 30 minutes more.

Spiced Indian Beef Stew ingredients. Cooked without yogurt - will add later.

Rub 2 ice cubes over surface of sauce to solidify fat: remove fat. Rewarm meat if necessary. Divide meat among heated plates. Drizzle 1 cup stirred yogurt over. Sprinkle with minced cilantro. Serve with rice, and paratha triangles (recipe follows).

Basmati Rice; I like the way it cooks up, smells, & tastes.

Spiced Indian Beef Stew & Basmati Rice portioned out into individual meals.

My Spiced Indian Beef Stew Supper w-note to add Yogurt.

Paratha Recipe: https://ministryofcurry.com/plain-parathas/

Paratha Dough. Indian fried flatbread. I used fine ground whole wheat flour, and cut the recipe in half; I do not need the full recipe.

Paratha dough divided into 6 balls.

Paratha fried. Indian flatbread.

Spiced Indian Beef Stew Meal & Paratha flatbread being prepped for freezer.

The sunny taste of Greece chases the gray from the PNW’s heavy cloud overhang, with Aunt Demetra’s garlicky meatballs with a light sauce. Serve these saucy meatballs with orzo (recipe follows), and a side of broccoli.

==AUNT DEMETRA’S MEATBALLS w-AVGOLEMONO SAUCE ~ 8 servings

Meatballs: 8 cups fresh Spinach leaves (about 2 bunches) * 1 teaspoon butter, melted * 3 slices White Bread * cold Water * 2½ pounds lean Hamburger * 2/3 cup dry Red Wine * 6 Garlic cloves, pressed * 1¼ teaspoon Salt * 1 teaspoon dried Oregano, crumbled * ground Black Pepper

Sauce: 1 Tablespoon Potato Starch or Cornstarch * 1½ cups Chicken Stock * ¼ cup strained fresh Lemon juice * 1 Egg yolk * Salt * Lemon peel julienne * minced fresh Parsley

For Meatballs: Steam spinach until just wilted. Drain well; chop. Toss spinach Toss spinach with butter in small bowl.

Spinach & butter mixture for meatball stuffing.

Soak bread in water until softened – about 30 seconds. Squeeze out liquid. Mix bread, hamburger, wine, garlic, salt, and oregano in a large bowl. Season with pepper. Shape mixture into sixteen 4½-inch-long, 1½-inch-wide ovals.

Shaping meatballs the regular way works best for me; mixture blended & divided into 8 meatballs = 4 meals.

Press finger into center of each, forming pockets. Divide spinach among pockets; press meat up and over spinach, enclosing completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover, and refrigerate).

Spinach mixture divided among the meatball portions.

Bring water to a boil in base of a vegetable steamer. Arrange meatballs, rounded side up, on steamer rack, spacing 1-inch apart. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until meat is no longer pink inside – about 15 minutes.

Spinach enclosed; meatballs stuffed & ready for steaming.

Steaming meatballs; I found the steamer basket at a Summer Garage Sale 😊

Stuffed meatballs cooling: earlier steamed meatballs darken as they cool.

Multicolored Greek Orzo pasta; most orzo is plain, but I bought this, because I like the colorful pasta grains ;-)

Meanwhile, prepare sauce: Dissolve potato starch in ¼ cup stock in a heavy medium saucepan. Add remaining 1¼ cup stock, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Mix in lemon juice. Whisk in stock mixture. Return to saucepan and stir over low heat until thickened – about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Chicken Stock & Cornstarch being whisked.

Egg added and sauce whisked to thicken.

Orzo cooking while sauce thickens.

Arrange meatballs on a heated platter. Spoon sauce over. Garnish with lemon peel and parsley – serve.

I dipped meatballs into sauce to coat before putting the meals together.

Greek meatballs in sauce, Orzo pasta & Broccoli meals for the freezer.

Orzo Pilaf ~makes 4 servings

This microwaved risotto-inspired pilaf, dotted with scallion and peas, is a perfect side dish for beef or poultry – and is easy to prepare. Orzo is a good source of thiamin and niacin. There are also trace minerals and vitamins, such as B6, folate, iron and zinc.

*I omitted the peas because I rounded out my meal with broccoli. I also cooked my pasta instead of nuking it. I cooked the Orzo in 1 cup Water, for about 10 minutes. Then, I added the rest of the ingredients as directed in the original recipe below.*

1 cup reduced-sodium Chicken broth * 3 ounces Orzo pasta * 1 cup frozen Peas * 2 Tablespoons minced Scallion * 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese * 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon reduced calorie margarine * 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper

In a 2½-quart casserole, combine broth, orzo and 1 cup water. Microwave, covered, on High for 6-7 minutes (mixture will come to a boil). Reduce power to Medium-High; stir – cook 2 minutes, and stir again. Cook 3-4 minutes longer, until orzo is almost tender; stir.

Add peas, scallion, Parmesan, margarine, and pepper. Let stand covered – 5-6 minutes – until liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender.

==STEAK SUPPER IN FOIL already posted to my Blog, last year: (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2020/05/2020-cookathon-2.html)

The Steak Supper in Foil I baked today is the same recipe; different type of steak – and not packed for the freezer the same as I did it in May of last year 😉

Steak Supper in Foil. Meat & Veggies.

Steak Supper in Foil. Cooked.

Steak Supper in Foil. Portioned out for freezer w-Fruit Cocktail in a little foil cup.

And that’s it for now.

Time to get these meals in the freezer … and go fill the bird feeder 😉

LEARNING MY WAY AROUND

Under certain conditions, in certain situations, I can get lost turning around.

No joke; Bob used to lovingly tease me – and laughingly tell his buddies, “she can get lost driving in Longview.” Those quips never upset me, because there is an element of truth in that. I don’t always get lost in Longview: but, if I need to drive to an unfamiliar location, it can become a frustrating ordeal.

Anyway …

I got a message last night letting me know where to meet Egg Lady #1, for my fresh, organic dozen of eggs – it would be a meetup in a place I was not familiar with; I googled it, and was relieved to see it wouldn’t be too difficult to find. I agreed to meet her there.

This morning, while waiting for 10 AM to roll around, she sent me another message saying she couldn’t get into town until later, will I meet her later? I texted her back, saying, “A drive would be nice, can I meet you at your home address?” She agreed.

I got in my car, entered her address into the GPS … and set off.

It should have been a simple thing.

But, with faulty GPS (created and owned by the government), and vocal directions that do not give out physical landmark identification (my egg supplier); things get complicated.

I have mentioned in previous Blog posts how much I avoid freeway driving.

I was happily driving along the back road flanking the freeway, when I came to the end of Powell Drive … and the GPS said, “you have reached your destination” – and ended any further instruction!

I am literally sitting in the middle of the backroad, looking at my surroundings (road before men, and trees all around me); thinking, “this can’t be right! There is nothing here! WTHeck?”

Thinking I am supposed to go forward: I do.

And find myself looking down the hill into downtown Castle Rock.

Definitely not where I am supposed to be.

So, I nip into the catholic church parking lot, and give egg lady a jingle: “I’ve followed the GPS instructions, and am sitting in st. mary’s catholic church parking lot; where exactly are you located?”

She asks me if I passed the McDonald’s, and the ‘T’ junction … I tell her I did not see either a McDonald’s, or a road ‘T’ junction. When did Castle Rock get a McDonald’s? How could I have missed a road junction? I’m an observant driver. I am not a stupid woman: I know what the golden arches look like – I know what a ‘T’ road junction looks like. I am mystified.

So, I pull out of the parking lot and do what she told me to do: turn left at the first road I see.

Following the road out, I still do not see a McDonald’s.

There was no ‘T’ junction, either.

So, when I come to the overhead traffic lights, I think, “Well, maybe I haven’t gone far enough, yet” … and I cross onto the next road. By the time I reach Steelhead Drive, by the green steel bridge, I am pretty confident this is another wild goose chase. I give her another call, laughingly asking her again where exactly she lives, and how do I get there.

She was mystified. 

I was mystified by the directions she was giving me.

She was sorry I am lost (I was not truly lost – I knew those roads: I did not know what she is talking about with her directions). She says, “Well, at least your laughing; you don’t seem to be upset.” I assured her that I was not upset, and that one has to laugh through life because life can’t be taken seriously all the time; I just didn’t understand what she is describing to me, because there is nothing at all like that on that road.

I backtrack – with phone in hand, and covo open on both ends: keeping my eyes peeled for the elusive McDonald’s she keeps telling me about. I see the gas stations … I see the restaurants … I see Burger King … BINGO! I see the little golden arches sign hidden in the tall weeds – my eyes start panning the area; and driving back across the main highway, I SEE McDonalds: very small, and very blended into the Shell gas station mini mart it is attached to. EASY TO MISS.

We both laughed, and ended the convo.

I drive on, and I still manage to miss her driveway – there is simply no road … on this road, with the name she gave me.

The convo is re-engaged. But she keeps giving me directions that have no bearing on the surroundings. Mentally racking my brain to envision what I need to understand, I say, “Okay: you are giving me directions coming off the freeway, right? So, that means your lefts would be my rights … so, let me turn this car around and try to find you that way. From what I understand, I need to drive back to Powell Road – that’s the only road that even remotely resembles a ‘T’ junction. Let’s give that a try, shall we?”

I’m still laughing at the silliness of the moment.

As I reach the end of the road and turn towards the tail end of Powell – I SEE THE SIGN I missed earlier (hidden in low lying evergreen tree limbs). I was looking for a green road sign, and it was a small white private road sign (something she failed to mention!).

And it is exactly kitty-corner off the tail end of Powell.

I tell her I finally see the sign. 

We both laughed.

GPS was kinda-sorta right: I had “arrived” as it stated earlier, but because the white sign was not clearly visible, and the driveway is uphill … I drove right past it, in mystified confusion.

Anyway …

So, uphill I drive, turning left onto the first driveway I see – and I say to her, “I don’t know what is going on: I am now at the entrance to a junk yard.” She excitedly says, “Yes! You came to the right place … just follow the road to the end.”

Connection is severed.

I stare at the muddy driveway, the jumbled junk cars, the seriously crowded goat-trail-roadway, and pray to God I do not scratch my car – or puncture tires. There is a set of two skinny, sharp looking speed bump guard rails across the muddy drive; spaced about 6 feet apart along the junk yard roadway.

I’d been in junk yards before; I’d often gone with Bob when he was looking for a specific truck part. But I, personally, have never navigated one in a vehicle.

I managed to make it unscathed, to the house at the end of the muddy goat trail; that ran between rows of jumbled abandoned vehicles of every shape, size, and make.

I gave her the $$; she gave me the eggs.

I backed out and was on my way … when her husband came barreling down the muddy strip, forcing me to quickly squeeze my car into place behind one of the haphazardly placed junk cars. He breezed by, looking peeved that he had to inch his way past me. Tough cookies! He could have waited for me to exit the muddy obstacle course – it wouldn’t have been more than a few seconds: he was the eager beaver, speeding through the mud.

I felt like saluting him in universal language (I was no longer laughing).

And when I could finally exit the messy driveway, I decided to check my tires when I parked under the carport at home (so far, they seem fine).

And I also decided I wouldn’t be going back: I do like Americana eggs, but I do not like that muddy, treacherous driveway … or her jerk husband.

Egg Lady #2 gets my business next time.

Even though I do enjoy adventurous drives, and I am needing to learn my way around the local roadways; I hope I do not have to drive through a muddy obstacle course to retrieve them 😉

I am thankful tonight is Shabbat: a goblet of wine is most welcome!

L’Chiam!