DISTRACTIONS

I still have a sore throat from that chihuahua dog that was a Bingo a week ago (I am seriously allergic to dogs); so last night I took a small swallow of Nyquil … and woke up at 10:30 this morning.

After dressing, making the bed, and washing my hair; I thought I’d drive to Vader for lunch. I like the Little Crane Café, and this morning seemed like a good time to revisit: gotta satisfy my gypsy bone as best I can 😉

It would be a short hop: about half an hour … but I’d be out of the house, and out of Longview for a bit.

Little Crane Cafe from Heron Pointe; via Delameter Road & Westside Highway - 35 minutes.

Junction of Delameter Road & Westside Highway.

I figured I’d have my big meal in Vader – and eat a salad later tonight.

I’ve shed 4 pounds this week eating calorie counting meals, and walking on my treadmill twice a day 😊

Passing through Lexington, I saw that the construction there is moving along at a quick pace.

Lexington is up-and-coming. 

Quickly.

A lot of new building has begun dotting the land since we had lived there from 2013 –2017.

In 4 short years, Lexington is practically unrecognizable.

Construction in Lexington – on Westside Highway, near Aaron Drive, is picking up in pace ...

Construction site sits in the large area; streetside of Ventura Dr., and Ponderosa Drive.

When I arrived in Vader, I noticed detour signs.

As I neared the café … I noticed that the road was seriously blocked: and detour signs were several blocks from the rail line.

Well – shoot!

I really did not want to turn back to Longview … I wanted to eat lunch in Vader ☹

So, I thought I’d give the Winlock access a try: maybe I could get to the Little Crane Café through the back door (so to speak) 😉

I backtracked to S Military Road.

S Military Road from Vader; 6 minutes.

Winlock from S Military Road; via Nikula Road; 9 minutes.

It should have been a simple thing. 

I have driven these roads many times.

But there were detour signs and road blocks, placed haphazardly, everywhere.

I followed the orange arrows.

I kept wondering where the heck the signs were leading – I was on roads that were not familiar to me.

Miles and miles later, when I stopped at a stop sign at a four-way junction, a memory came to mind and I recognized the locality … Bob had driven this route on our Yelm meat run 4 years ago (we bought from a butcher, there): I had not been on this forgotten road route since Bob drove it, in the Fall of 2017. I realized I was on the way to Centralia!

Centralia is nowhere near Winlock.

Centralia is seriously out of the way from where I needed to be.

WHY were the detour arrows leading people waaaaay out of the way?

So, making sure there was no traffic coming at me from any direction – I made a U-turn, and backtracked … looking for familiar landmarks.

Another Learning Experience ...

I'm going to be thankful for every Learning Experience this year.

On a hunch, I turned onto a road going in the general direction of Winlock – and had an (((aha!))) moment, when I saw a brown wooden road sign pointing to Winlock’s Winolequa Park. I was happy to see that sign, for two reasons: it was familiar, and I needed to make a quick pit stop at the Park’s Restroom 😉

Backtracking; turned at the roadside brown Park Arrow. FAMILIAR TERRIRORY!

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Park had undergone a serious overhaul … but I also was wondering, “Where are small towns getting all this serious $$$$$ for major overhauls?” These are dead-end, back-county towns – with little to no job opportunities: where are the funds coming from????

The Park did not look anything like this cleaned-up version, when I was last here with Bob in 2018.

I’m more than a little afraid to let my thoughts wander down the path that is being highlighted – and played out in DC’s communist/socialist House chambers; and big cities across America.

I didn’t want to contemplate too deeply, the poisonous tentacles that are forcing their way into every aspect of American life.

I did not want to give place to anger today. 

I wanted to pee … and be on my way.

Happy to see the sign 😊

WOW. Fancier than the restrooms available in 2017!

All that was here before, was a shanty style restroom, the playground, and the old gray table ... there was no picnicking covered area.

There's a 'Park Host' now, parking is no longer a mud fest affair - and the game fields have been upgraded, too.

MAP Rhoades Rd, Winlock.

Coming into Winlock from Rhoades Road.

I made tracks for Vader.

I was hungry; all I’d put into my stomach since last night, was a mug of coffee … 1½ hours ago.

Thankfully, the backroad into Vader from Winlock was not in shutdown mode: I was able to access the café 😉

Little Crane Cafe - 7th Street, Vader.

The road was seriously closed; no one would be trying to sneak through.

A half hour hop had morphed into a 1½-hour ordeal.

1½ hours since I started from home.

My stomach was growling to be fed; it was not happy with the delay.

I saw my table as soon as I entered – a small table: perfect for a solo lobo.

I could have done without the witchy pumpkin ... but I was in no position to be choosy.

Liver & Onions; I needed the fortification after all the detour stress – 885 calories: staying on target 😉

Relaxed, and fat and sassy; I paid my lunch tab, and headed home – backtracking through Winlock.

Railroad contractors that had no local sense of the region they are directing detour routes.

I was thankful for the memory that kicked in and prodded me to turn back and find my way to my destination. I am thankful those memories helped me stay calm in a distracting situation. I am thankful that those memories are a part of me.

I was thankful for Bob's 101 ways to get to 1 place! Jarring those memories has saved my bacon more than once. LOL

But I will be 100-percent on my own, when I go out of State ...

Gypsy Soul Ambitions.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T79QmeSEcs)

Nearing Castle Rock, the car dash pinged … and glancing at it, I saw a notification that needed addressed – I use windshield washer fluid a lot. I decided to nip over to Dick Hannah’s in Kelso and see if I could get it refilled before the maintenance shop closed.

Another distracting detour ...

So, I cut over to N Pacific Highway, and merged with S Kelso Drive: this route is a nice country drive 😊

The shop crew was accommodating, and a gallon of washer fluid was replaced. I was thankful.

I topped the gas tank off in town … and drove the backroad, Pacific Way Highway, home.

Pacific Way Road, Longview.

And was not happy to see that that abandoned trailer had been torched.

Apparently, vandalism has been notched up, to a more violent action.

A shameful eyesore.

WHY is the city not removing this eyesore?

WHY has this abandoned trailer, and car, been allowed to remain in this spot for a least a month; probably longer?

Any other car or trailer in any other locality, would have been promptly impounded and hauled away by a tow truck on the city’s payroll.

The city should have removed them a month ago. It's clear/obvious vandalism abandonment.

The “city officials” here are worthless.

Is it any wonder than I escape Longview as often – and as long – as I can?

Jenner Weeps Talking About God & Access To Heaven

HE (Bruce Jenner) should cry …  backhanding God by blaming God for his mental instability is a serious offense.

Jenner is a media whore, who has ruined his life – and is purposefully leading others into ruination: and his {pastor} is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Selfishness is questioning the Creator.

Selfishness is “scientifically” redesigning the Creator’s design to fit a personal agenda.

“Doing the right thing” in Jenner’s case is CHOOSING SELFISHNESS.

 Crocodile tears will not open the Pearly Gates.

“Being true to self” will not gain you access to Heaven.

“Feelings” will not garner salvation.

Finding a worldly {pastor} to agree with your personal issues will not gain you access to God.

The WORD of God, spoke by Yeshua tells us again and again that the ONLY WAY into Heaven (and access to Almighty God) is to acknowledge Yeshua as Savior, repent, DENY SELF, and bury the old man (aka, SELF).

A worldly mind (which is against God) revels in self worship … which, ultimately leads to destruction:  personal destruction, and a willingness to destroy others in self quests.

“Being myself” is NOT “the most important thing”: Lucifer found that out when he chose self, and was cast out of heaven.

OBEYING SCRIPTURE, AND CHOSING TO OBEY GOD, IS THE TICKET.

Jenner Weeps Talking About God & Access To Heaven (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbptydwbO6U)

WOKE UP TO FREEZING WEATHER!

35-degrees this morning!

I was not prepared for that; and my initial reaction was a little panicked – since dealing with man stuff on my own the past 3 winters, I make sure everything is taken care of the way Bob would, before the first touch of Jack Frost arrives. But this first frost caught me by surprise. I was not expecting the overnight temperature to surge this low, this early in the season.

Knowing that pipes can burst if water is rushed through them at this freezing level, I waited until the temperature warmed up before washing my hair … then I dressed and went out to put the faucet covers over both outdoor faucets: one is under the carport, so I didn’t worry too much about that one – but, the other is in the open elements, near the garden area: that one concerned me.

My White Christmas Cactus is blooming.

Faucet Covers in place; this is the 1 that really concerned me, this morning.

The covers will have to be lifted next month when Jared comes to wash the exterior windows, skylights – and clean the gutters before winter sets in.

It was 48-degrees at noon when I drove into town and paid for new car licensing tabs: and it’s supposed to dip to 40-degrees tonight. It looks like Jack Frost is going to start skulking around pretty steadily.

While I was out and about, I decided to drive to Kalama to grab some Chinese suppers to break down and freeze: if I have to be housebound earlier than expected, I need all the enjoyment I can surround myself with 😉

'Happy Family' meal from the Lucky Dragon in Kalama; most of it came home with me.

Deep Chill is arriving earlier than anticipated. Pardon the rice on my shirt! It must have dripped off the plate edge as I was boxing the supper up ...

Spencer Creek Rd from Lucky Dragon, Kalama; via N 2nd St & Spencer Creek Rd - 5 mins.

I'll take the high road home.

Road work on Spencer Creek Road - laying pipe, it looked like.

When I got back to Longview, I stopped at Winco and picked up some mushrooms and peppers; it’s soup weather, and these things are needed – plus, I wanted some fresh sliced mushrooms and peppers for this week’s salads: I am serious about weight loss, and salads (and the daily treadmill pacesl) will offset the calorie-laden Chinese suppers 😉

Driving home, I found myself actually enjoying the seasonal shift; it felt good to be looking forward to the changes Fall & Winter will bring.

And I didn’t choke up or tear up when Warren Zevon’s song, Werewolves of London was played on the radio every 10 minutes … all day long.

Bob always hated halloween with a passion – but he always liked this song, and would howl along with it 😉

‘Werewolf Of London’: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qae25976UgA)Official Lyrics Vid: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4lOlydXPGQ)

And my thoughts are already thinking of new places I can explore when Spring 2022 arrives 😉

Getting 'in the mood'; seasonal & personal.

Getting 'settled' on every level.

Make peace with what life throws your way.

I have options; those options make my life easier. Not perfect ... just easier.

I'm already planning 2022 mini vaca's.

Hey, I gotta do something to occupy myself when the weather traps me indoors … researching mini vaca spots (somewhere new – someplace I’ve never been with Bob) will energize me, and give me something to look forward to 😊

I did my final driver’s license paces … and my driver’s test drive in a Cadillac (that was a tank!), and I figure if I can do that with confidence – I should be able to travel a bit further than home base radius; I can travel quite a bit further 😉

When I got home, and parked in the carport, I sliced/froze the mushrooms and peppers: I’ll do the Chinese suppers tomorrow.

I sliced mushrooms & peppers when I got home.

Bagged and ready to freeze for winter soups ... salad fixin's in the forefront.

HARBINGER DAY

 Last week, the owner of Mr. Bill’s, where I get my morning latte’s; saw the coffee cuff I designed and crafted on my thermos cup … and she liked it: she said if I’d make some more – especially the Holiday themed ones, she’d put them for sale. She said, “They’ll sell”. So, I made 9 of them and dropped them off yesterday (I was paid $15); and was commissioned to make more for the Christmas Season kickoff. She’ll sell them and make a $0.50 profit on each cuff she buys from me, but that’s okay. I like designing and crafting. I like knowing that other people see value I what I do 😉

I don’t think I’ll ever be doing the Bazaar Circuit again: I refuse to wear a mask – especially for 8 hours straight when there is no logically valid reason for doing so; and masks are going to be politically manipulated, and forever mandated until the end of time. I had fun, and made good money for my original designed items for many years doing the Bazaars, but I believe those days are now over.

This morning, I really didn’t want to get out of bed: it was Saturday, and I just felt like lazing in bed, reading, all day long – sometimes I do that, for no particular reason other than there is no real reason to get out of bed.

No job.

No husband.

No kids.

No grandkids.

No clock to set.

No obligations - Nada.

Just me, in my comfy warm bed cocoon – I could make a thermos of coffee, grab a book, and let morning morph into evening. Easily. With no guilt whatsoever.

But, with that thought kicking around in my head, I got up anyway; showered, remade the bed with fresh sheets, got dressed, planned to grab 2 pieces of fried bacon and 2 Jo’s at Baker’s Corner Store … and hop over to Castle Rock to play some Saturday Bingo.

I really didn’t want to be cooped up at home – I know I have months of being holed up when the rain and ice weather blows in; if I want to enjoy being out-of-house, I have to get out every chance I can before I’m stuck at home, without a choice.

As I left the carport, I had a feeling I should just drive around the block and repark.

I ignored the {impression}, and left Heron Pointe choking in the Highlander exhaust fumes.

The Deli at Baker’s Corner was closed. Again. This is becoming the norm.

Instead of a quick, light, ‘brunch’ … I’d have to buy a heavier lunch (also, becoming the norm ☹) and eat it in Castle Rock while I played Bingo: I’d have ‘just enough time to make it’ if cars weren’t backed up to the highway at Mr. Bill’s.

When I pulled into Mr. Bill’s this afternoon, I saw the coffee cuffs sitting in the window – and several had sold already 😊

MOD crochet Coffee Cuffs are selling at Mr. Bill's.

A Week of Mondays ...

I securely placed my boxed Chili Burger on the Highlander’s floormat, so it wouldn’t slide around and upend – then I took a teeny sip of my latte to sample the new flavor (specifially asking if it was cool enough to drink without burning my mouth) … and burned my tongue and the roof of my mouth: the girl lied; that thing was steaming h.o.t.

Driving over Delameter Road to Castle Rock, I was nearly run over by a pickup truck bearing down on me IN MY LANE!

I should have considered that a warning; turned around, and drove back home to laze around in bed all day, with a book and thermos of flavored coffee at hand … but I didn’t. I breathed out a sigh of relief that I had not been hit or run off the road by that crazed driver; and continued forward.

I finally made Castle Rock without any more snafu’s, found a parking spot – entered a Quilt Raffle; and settled in to spend 2 hours sliding Bingo markers across the boards I purchased.

There were only 15 of us playing (and 1 dog in attendance). Usually, the room is packed, but with the communist regime in DC continuing to preach their covid propaganda, people are opting to stay home until Spring 2022.

The biden cartel has issued orders for the Winter Holidays: “Get vaccinated! Wear a mask … even though you have been vaccinated/boosted several times with the booster shots! Stay 6 feet apart indoors – and open the windows and doors to allow fresh air to flow through the rooms (or buy an air fan)!”

Mind you: the upcoming holidays will be in the dead of winter.

So, basically the biden cartel is saying, “Go ahead and plan your family gatherings – and we will raise Hell to make sure you do not enjoy a single minute of it.” UNSAID THREAT: Go ahead: do it, but be prepared to end up in the hospital with pneumonia – there is no room in hospitals for covid cases … but we will make room for the holiday pneumonia cases; and blame the unvaxxed for the overflow. And be sure to buy granny one of those ear horn things, because you’ll be shouting at each other from cross the rooms, while icicles are hanging from your noses as you click-clack conversations in freezing teeth clicking SOS. The biden cartel is a bunch of lunatics trying to appear ‘scientifically intelligent’. They are demonrat cultists, totally out of touch with reality: tyrants drunk on egomania.

But, there are still some of us logical thinking people around; who will not comply with asinine mandates, and illogical threats that make no sense whatsoever. All the name calling, arm twisting, and blame games will not change our minds to roll over and accept the DC communist pogroms and arm jabs.

“Living On A Thin Line”: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsLhNxzwK1Y)

For 2 hours I was able to distance myself from unbidden thoughts, and anger triggers. I laughed. I cheered when someone won the round. I ate my chili burger, and kept checking carefully to see if my coffee was drinkable, yet (it stayed burning hot throughout Bingo).

I entered the Raffle for this Quilt.

And then, around 3:30 PM: I entered Home Turf.

All the emotional upheaval that centers around this time of year, in this particular region, came over me like an unexpected flood.

T.o.t.a.l.l.y.

Unexpectedly.

Almost hit by a careening car on Delameter Road, going to Castle Rock.

Unexpected crying jag ...

Memories came in like a flood.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GPHGqo_oQg)

The heart never forgets.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqNSxJIT7h0)

Hopefully the rest of the day will be calmer, smoother.

I was able to top the tank off without crying uncontrollably at the gas terminal.

Gas down 6 cents a gallon.

And the drive home (5 minutes, thank God), was uneventful, too.

During the Spring/Summer months, things go easier for me: the days are lighter and brighter; my thoughts do not hold me captive. I can get away – and I do, every day – interesting places, new faces, new experiences … but when Fall/Winter rolls around, I’m pretty much stuck local. The KM gets saturated and starts shifting (often there is a landslide), and trees are blown down across the road, and rising-river-flooding happens in low-lying roads – so I stay away from that area until around March. Even locally, things can get tricky as the I-5 freeway, both ways, can flood during a tempestuous Winter; so that’s another reason to keep off the freeway. And I don’t want to be crossing the Lewis and Clack Bridge the crosses the Columbia River between Longview, WA, and Rainier, OR; when it’s wet and icy. Of course, working people have no choice, but I do. So, for about 5 months, I’m pretty much stuck local in Longview – with very little to do but watch the lowering gray skies and steady rain (sometimes snow), as natural lighting is blocked out by the PNW weather pattern this time of year.

I do try to focus on positive thoughts…

After awhile of being cooped up and hemmed in on all sides by grayness, my thoughts start going down rabbit trails best left alone. October thru February is going to be a hard time to get through. If the roads are clear, I can still get out to play pool and Bingo … but I need natural light and color in my life to lighten my steps and brighten my thoughts. I can start Daytripping, again in March; but until then, it’s going to be a daily battle to stay upbeat and positive.

I pray every day for a purpose and a new direction.

“Don’t Forget to Dance”: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLrGnWh1qD8)

I do not want to spend half a year crying, for the rest of my life.

There’s got to be something better than this for me.

I’m going to eat a salad now, and go read a book.

In bed – cocooned in comfort.

Where I should have stayed.

ICHABOD

This morning started off early … and busy.

I was literally up “at the crack of dawn”: just could sleep any longer, so I got up.

While the coffee perked, I got busy on tracing the stencils onto the back of adhesive art foam: I wanted to make plant pokes for the Fall chrysanthemum pots I have on the front porch steps.

MOD Plant Poke stencils traced onto adhesive art foam.

Plant Pokes; Ravens, Black Cat & Bats.

2 cups of coffee later, the stencils were cut and stuck to bamboo skewers.

I then started on Fall Squash Plant Pokes.

It was about 10:30 AM when the last squash poke was laid out to allow the glue to harden; so, I thoughts I’d drive over the river to see if I could scrounge up some Fall odds’n’ends to work into my hodge-podge Fall decor.

I didn’t find anything that appealed to what I had in mind, but the day was nice for a short 40-45-minute drive.

On my way back home, I decided to stop at the Ichabod Restaurant – we had driven past it monthly, for 44 years and never pulled in … this afternoon, I risked life and limb to pull in and sample what they had to offer.

Ichabod Restaurant; Scappoose-OR

Interior of Ichabod Restaurant in Scappoose, OR

I ordered a Chili Burger & Garlic Fries.

The Name of the restaurant tickled my funny bone: and it is appropriate for this month 😉

I laughed when the image of Jeff Goldblum, in Ichabod Crane character, popped into my thoughts: he was the best Ichabod Crane actor (MPO):

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33dI9ZscHg8)

The road was busy with non-stop, angry traffic (Oregon drivers are the worst drivers!)

The parking lot was postage stamp sized – and on the left side of the road: I waited for a break in traffic, held my breath, and zipped across the lanes; hoping and praying I wouldn’t overshoot the tiny entrance slot … or have an angry, pants-on-fire pothead slam into my back bumper.

I made it without a traffic snafu 😊

The restaurant was nice.

The staff was friendly.

The food was good – and reasonably priced; the atmosphere was enjoyable. I’ll be stopping again when I am passing through.