LEARNING TO BEND

"Learning to bend kinda sucks" is what Holland says.

I agree.

But bending is better than breaking … so, we are both learning to bend in several areas of our lives ;-)

I don't mind bending so much in my personal life because I know that my husband is accepting the {bending for peace sake}, also.

But I am beginning to resent being held hostage by picky house hunters and their silly agents >:-P

Every other day it's another demand; and I'm getting tired of them.

WE NEED TO GET ON WITH OUR LIFE.

We are still newlyweds - this is supposed to be a happy time for us. The stress of waiting is taking it's toll on our relationship: I'm no good at inactive waiting - I am bending … but I'm not bending smoothly, and Holland feels trapped with my impatience. The house is pretty much packed (and in a storage unit) except for the stuff we need for our day-to-day living: there isn't much to do right now, but wait. I need to be active. If I inactively sit around for too long, I get antsy; when I get antsy, I start snarling like a caged animal.

I know I am not an easy person to live with when I start snarling.

I am even snapping at Shay - and she's a gem; she's stayed with me these past 6 years, helping me with the sale of the house on Sparks Drive (which Bob and I used to secure & upgrade this place), and was a real support to me during those hellish months I was sitting death watch as Bob prepared to leave this world and walk with Yeshua beyond the clouds. She helped me in ways I can never thank her enough for, as I learned to walk alone the first year of widowhood. She patiently listened to me, and listed this house for sale the Winter of 2018 and every Spring since: last year came real close to selling, and I was even doing walk throughs on a couple houses … but I didn't want to rebuild another house, so I eventually pulled this house off the market a.g.a.i.n. Even though I am sure she was impatient with me every Spring for the past five years, she never snapped at me. I am ashamed to say that I cannot make the same claim: I feel like a heel for snapping, but I don't like feeling like a hostage to asinine buyer demands.

I just want this thing sealed and done.

Holland and I are learning to bend when it comes to our relationship; but I still do not bend well to the demands of strangers.

Another ridiculous hoop the strangers are insisting we jump through … I'm losing my patience with them: their agent's nitpicking is really annoying me.

Got Social Security reroute done.

Snowflakes changed the schedule … after the Social Security reroute my dentist office called with a cancellation reschedule; Holland opted to go home, and stay there with Shay.

Looking out the window at the bright building colors (while waiting for my cleaning appointment), I thought, 'I can't wait to enjoy SW colors'. I like COLOR in my life.

Evening order: we are preparing for 'Our Journey' YouTube recordings; this will be easier for our friends to keep track of our wanderings :-)

THURSDAY afternoon's Scappoose purchases, after I dropped Goodwill donation bags off; these things went into a gallon-size Ziploc for traveling.

Thursday evening we ate in Kalama, at the Golden Dragon; I liked my {encouragement}.  I'm drawing a straight 'F' in the patience end, though.

FRIDAY MORNING - 'Gentle' eyebrow; 'Tango' eyelid; 'Green' lid accent & liners; 'Winner' inner eyelid accent; 'Auburn Brow Gel; 'Deep Green' Mascara; 'Corail Ardent' Cream Blush & 'Coral Crave' Lipgloss.

We chose how we bend …

I like this blouse (mainly because it has shiny sequins on it ;-)) but it will not stay in my clothes cache. It doesn't really work for me.

We saw an 'Outback' in Beaverton-OR, that fit the length & weight we're aiming for; to satisfy every State's 'requirements'.

We liked this layout; the Queen bed & shower are doable, and there is 1-1/2 baths; we'd have to rig a wardrobe though, in the back end.

It was actually pretty roomy with the push-outs.

The price wasn't too steep, either. We like this layout, but if we can find it for less cost somewhere else … we'll go there to purchase it.

As we were leaving the RV lot, I got this text: I hope & pray this will be the END of the buyer's demands; I'm glad Shay loves me and overlooks my red-head-temper.

We visited a Beaverton truck lot on our way back home. Red is a color we agree on; regular 4x.

Punched in a Vancouver address to check-out on the way home … and Holland was stubbornly rerouted while I laughingly told him, "My GPS knows me well, honey - it wouldn't dare defy me with a freeway route": my GPS is set up to reroute around the freeway ;-)

Strong-willed GPS took us on a merry ride, Friday afternoon. Holland gamely favored the reroute because he knows I prefer backroad travel, but we had no idea the route would take so long from A to B: halfway through, Holland was regretting not taking the freeway exit.

Holland held up well in the upper hills of Portland where the roads were steep, winding, and tight: I was proud of him … and thanking Elohim for His grace & faithfulness. Holland's kidney stone medication makes him nauseous on sharp turns.

Coming down out of the upper hills took us  through the Pearl District & over the red Broadway Bridge. This bridge has old-fashioned looking lamps on it; pretty cool in the evening.

At any point leading to this crossing, Holland could have jumped on a freeway exit; he is bending.

The bridge lifts to allow large cruisers and ships to easily pass through the channel.

 Holland turned onto a freeway entrance at the end of the bridge - I was bending. And Holland found out that I spoke truth when I told him "freeway traffic puts me to sleep" - I went out like a light … and woke up when we came back to Longview.

Toyota lot in town.

SATURDAY MORNING; I was so out of breath after getting the house {clean enough} for the buyer's approval, my spelling was horrible - and my annoyance was showing: I didn't even bother fixing it. While the appraisal was asking place, we went house/truck shopping in Chehalis & Centralia. We found nothing we were even remotely interested in.

That's 'The Plan' as soon as this house actually SELLS :-); Industrial Way at Lewis & Clark Bridge.

Please Elohim! Let this deal be sealed sometime this coming week.

LIFE ENRICHMENT

My life has been so enriched since November 2022 - and it just keeps getting better :-)

The house is pretty much packed up now; all we have left to do is grab and box the few things we still need day-to-day, until the house sale closes.

Still downsizing, & packing things up; I cleared 3 large garbage bags of clothing from MY side of the closet … 'clothes horse' days are over.

We took periodic breaks between packing up, and stacking boxes to be hauled to the storage unit tomorrow morning. I like the curls in Holland's hair as it grows out a bit - he'll probably have me take the clippers to it sometime soon, but for the moment, I am enjoying running my fingers through the lengthening curls … and I'm really liking the headband effect when he's working ;-)

Love permeates the premises.

Excitement edges our convo's.

Joy is enriching both of our lives.

We are happy fun-loving weirdos ;-)

I am always asking, "How did I get so lucky?"; and Holland always replies, "It's not luck Val - it's a God thing; God planned me and you a long time ago: you just finally gave in." Then he laughs, grabs me, sits me on his lap - and says, "I know we're real busy right now Baby, but do you think you squeeze me in for a few minutes?" And I said, "I can. And I want a picture: you are wearing the bandana" ;-)

I burst out laughing when I saw the clowning smile he shot the camera. I didn't care that it was a smart-ass move: it's the bandana, and the crinkly eyes I want memorialized :-)

He'll eventually get comfortable with the camera.

A downtime moment, and I wanted a pic of Holland - he was grousing while lining up the shot; I told him 'I want a smile from you' - THIS mock-up is what he gave me … followed with "And that's enough of that"; he hates having his picture taken.

Garth Brooks & Trish Yearwood - 'Honey, Can You Squeeze Me In?' song:

 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRj3CwWpc3k)

Holland is good for me.

I am not grieving anymore.

My heart is happy again.

And I thank Elohim every minute of every day, for this man He prepared for me :-)

It is such a pleasure to share the joy of a New Life unfolding :-)

How to Find Joy in Your Everyday Life: (https://www.forbes.com/sites/nomanazish/2023/04/08/how-to-find-joy-in-your-everyday-life-according-to-psychologists/?sh=79369bae4199)

The Pursuit of Pleasure: (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/understanding-hypnosis/202303/the-pursuit-of-pleasure)

GETTING {FIT}

National Walking Day, today: Walking Workouts to Lose Weight:

 (https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/national-walking-day-rcna77959)

The first Wednesday in April is always National Walking Day, which happens to fall on this day - April 5 - this year.

Walking Goals …

I walk every day the weather permits; and Holland fixed the my digital treadmill so I can walk my paces when the weather is punkish :-)

Last month, Holland got it working … but, I can't take it with me.

10- to 30-minutes Walking Workouts Tips

And this morning, Holland said we'd be doing some hiking and electric mountain biking while we engage in our road gypsy life; I'm so glad he wanting to do these things with me ;-)

E-bike workouts are a great form of cardio because they get the heart rate going; they offer the same cardiovascular health benefits as a conventional bicycle. While e-bikes do come with a handy pedal-assist feature, it doesn't mean the pedals are useless.

The 10,000 Steps A DAY theory …

Forget Taking 10,000 Steps A Day; Here's the Number You Should Actually Be Focusing On:

(https://ourcommunitynow.com/news/forget-taking-10000-steps-a-dayheres-the-number-you-should-actually-be-focusing-on)

9 Exercises to Increase Strength & Mobility in Your Feet:

 (https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/9-exercises-feet-strength-and-mobility/ & https://asitisnutrition.com/blogs/health/9-foot-exercises-for-strengthening-flexibility-pain-relief)

Walking is a cardio exercise.

I am also going to be adding strength training exercise to the walking and biking activities :-)

I like to work my body; and Holland is game to start working his. Of course we won't get crazy - I'm 66, he's 60, so we'll be pacing ourselves and not overstressing our {senior} bodies ;-)

7 Body Recomposition Exercises to Melt Fat and Build Muscle:

(https://www.eatthis.com/body-recomposition-exercises-to-burn-fat-build-muscle/ & https://www.cnet.com/health/fitness/yes-you-can-lose-fat-and-gain-muscle-at-the-same-with-this-strategy/)

I've already packed my dumbbells & kettlebell weights (48 lbs. worth in various weights) along with my floor mat; we are not going to be slouches on the road.

MORE RVing INFO

We can't wait to get on the road - every day we grow more excited, and anxious to put our itchy feet and gypsy souls into motion :-)

The buyers are making us jump through hoops … and I'm trying to keep my temper under control. When Bob and I bought our houses, we bought with cash; these buyers are getting a bank loan, and the {necessary} nonsense never seems to stop. I hope it ends soon, so we can get the hell out  of Longview and start enjoying our life.

I love to travel - I'm not big on leaving the USA, but I do like to get out of familiar surroundings and enjoy life on the road.

I like the spontaneity of waking up and engaging in an impromptu journey.

I love the adventure of new places.

I meet new people - this can get dicey at times as I am both an introvert, and an extrovert.

I experience new things.

I enjoy tasting new foods, in new food places.

I relish pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

I reflect on the personal growth that happens through everything happened as the day unfolded.

Holland is beginning to understand that the gypsy life is part of who I am ;-)

Adventure is my {normal} :-)

I'm glad that Elohim gave me a man who is willing to live the gypsy life with me: Holland has lived a gypsy life most of his life, and he can't wait to show me the places he has been, the people he has met over the years, the cultures he has experienced, and the foods he misses.

12 Common Personality Traits for Those Who Love Traveling:

 (https://hackspirit.com/personality-traits-people-love-traveling/)

I have already warned Holland that I prefer to stay on the rural backroads when possible, to avoid the freeway mania. I travel to be observant; I travel to enjoy nature and the easy, lazy ways of rural country life.

I am grateful Elohim is blessing me with this lifelong dream of mine :-)

As we start to move from place to place and meet new people, we will change in some ways … that can be a good thing. We will become more aware; of ourselves, of our surroundings, of life in a broader sense :-)

As we travel from State to State, we will be continuously pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones: culturally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We will create travel plans while traveling down roadways, byways, highways, and freeways. We will talk to random strangers. We will set down in random camp sites. We will encounter challenges that will stretch us in ways that will teach and hone us; challenges that will bring us closer together and strength our relationship as our personality strengths and weakness are revealed.

Both Holland and I are independent people - while we are prepared to interact with others, the bottom line is that in reality "it is just us and the big wide world" along the road routes: we alone are responsible for every step, every mile we drive, and every action we make with those moves.

That said, we are very much looking forward to traveling to new States with new environments (weather-wise as well as cultural), new experiences (learning new dietary changes, new languages, new Laws), and new people (constant change and the need to constantly adapt).

Along with those changes … there are also political changes taking place in RV Parks and Campgrounds.

As I mentioned in yesterday's Blog Post: (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2023/04/end-stretch.html); political changes are also taking place for Boondocking sites :-(

Holland shocked me by being okay with this!

RV Parks & Campgrounds Perform Background Checks on RVr's; RVr's Must Pay Fee:

(https://www.rvtravel.com/campfire-ridiculous-background-checks-1099/)

A few rotten apples will spoil things ... this is why Holland likes the background checks being carried out.

RVr's Take, Take, Take - and Contribute Little!

 (https://www.rvtravel.com/letter-editor-rvers-take-contribute-1099/)

THIS is not a 'solution' to what politics did with the covid hysteria - State mandated shutdowns destroyed the job and housing fields. The realistic solution is to make the Jobs Market & housing affordable again.

New RV Parks Coming to PNW Aimed at Long-term Residents, Addressing Housing Affordability:

(https://www.rvtravel.com/new-rv-parks-coming-to-the-pacific-northwest-aimed-at-long-term-residents-and-helping-to-address-housing-affordability-rvt-1099b/)

Revisit your 'home' state at some point.

Why You Should Consider Taking Your RV 'Back Home':

 (https://www.rvtravel.com/take-rv-back-home-1099/)