April 29th: This morning Holland had an early appointment in Longview to get cortisone shots in both knees; I opted to stay home. I am not a morning person in general, and I didn't sleep well at all, last night.
I was surprised when I woke up and saw him sitting in his recliner - I was sleeping so soundly, I didn't hear him come in: and I had thought he'd spend the better part of the Day in Longview, visiting friends and family members.
I was wheezing (Holland could hear the wheezing clear across the room) so I blew into my Peak Flow Meter Reader - and was not happy with what it read; so, I blew into it two more times and adamantly refused to go to ER. Holland prayed while going after his emergency inhaler (which is significantly stronger than mine). I took a few puffs … and drank a strong cup of coffee to open my airways, and help clear the mental cobwebs.
A dangerous reading, this morning …
Caffeine is medically proven to improve airways function, for up to 4 hours, in people with asthma.
While I was unwinding and working on getting my lung power up to sniff, Holland called around to find an RV Park that could fit Independence - and found one in Ocean Park: we need to empty the black tanks, and getting back into place on David's Lot will tear his wet yard up … and we don't want to do that; so, we need someplace else to set up until things dry out. We can stay at the RV Park for 14 days: looking at the weather forecast, it doesn't appear that 14 days will be long enough, but it's the best we can do at the moment.
Hopefully, the rains will stop and the sun will come out soon.
Anyhow, Holland secured a place for us tomorrow; we'll see what happens after that.
Draining the mug, there was a break in the rain … so, we got out of the house :-)
I was breathing easier - which had Holland breathing easier.
Getting out of the house …
We first drove to Ocean Park to check the RV Park out: it is clean, and looks like an easy in/easy out set up.
Then we decided to drive the opposite direction to Seaview, to watch the waves, and bring take-out home.
On our way to the Seaview Approach, I noticed that the Thai Restaurant was open! We have been wanting to try this place out every time we are hunkered down here … but every time we drove past the building, it was dark as a tomb and the window sign read, "Closed". We decided to check it out on our way back up Main Street ;-)
Seaview Beach Approach-WA
This beach is closed to vehicles - but, obviously jackasses cannot READ clearly marked signs.
On occasion, Washington State closes sections of the Long Beach Peninsula to vehicle traffic, to protect the vulnerable snowy plover - a small wading bird.
The western snowy plover is a federally threatened and state endangered shorebird in Washington State. Only about 100 birds are thought to be in the state and only in Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties, where they nest directly on the beach sand: (https://interpretivecenter.org/western-snowy-plovers-and-washington-states-protection-efforts/)
Rough water, this morning; Seaview Beach Approach.
Clam digging is allowed, but NO DRIVING to a dig site.
We stopped here on our way back up Main Street; Long Beach-WA.
Malai Thai Restaurant; #509 Pacific Ave S, Long Beach, WA
Finally, it is open! We've been curious …
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I like this colorful wall fan ;-)
No in-house seating, & very cramped quarters; but the workers were friendly, and service was quick.
A Fall Chinook Salmon mosaic in the sidewalk; Long Beach-WA.
The Fall Chinook, often referred to as "a silver" (because their meat is white at maturity) is the largest salmon, and can weigh in at 70 pounds … and 3 or 4 feet long. Holland says that by the time they are mature, they are black and shedding skin (then referred to as "tules = too-lees") - and all they are good for then, is fish bait because they stink and taste very gamey.
The pretty rainbow color is when they are the best to catch and eat.
Pelicans, Chinooks, and Sand Pipers decorate this streetside obelisk; Long Beach-WA
Iconic Long Beach 'Draws'.
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Orcas wooden carving; PNW Razor Clam; designed and crafted using driftwood; & 'Paul Bunyan's Skillet'.
The 'World's largest Spitting Clam' is interesting. I understand that if one inserts a quarter, it will actually {spit} water on demand. But, it also spits freely every hour, on the hour.
We had hot food - and wanted to enjoy it hot: we did not have a quarter, or an hour to spare ;-)
I remember this frying pan from my childhood days, here at the Beach; this giant cooking utensil is not just any frying pan; it is a Guinness World Record Official frying pan.
This 20-ft. frying pan was actually used: crafted in 1941, this enormous 1,300-pound cookware (14 feet long from the bottom to the top of the handle, and 9 feet 6 inches in diameter at the rim) was commissioned to promote the first annual clam festival. It was used to make a clam fritter that required over 200 clams, with nearly 20,000 people showing up to enjoy a bite.
Today, you can’t cook in it … and over time, it has been surpassed in subsequent years by other towns with ambitious tourist pulls: but it’s a local icon ;-)
On our way home to enjoy our tasty meals, we dropped a case of water off at a neighbor's house; Holland had picked it up while in Longview this morning: Denise uses bottled water for her parrots - and her truck is currently on the fritz; a case of water is heavy - too heavy to haul home on the transit bus.
We don't mind lending a helping hand.
Dropped a case of water off at Denise's - I love her truck!
Springtime on the PNW Peninsula; Rhododendron blooming.
Rhododendron - WA State Flower: (https://interpretivecenter.org/washingtons-state-flower-the-pacific-rhododendron/)
Once home, we opened our meal boxes … and enjoyed a tasty meal :-)
Holland's meal; 'Malai Noodles' - he liked it; and he always douses everything with black pepper: yakisoba noodles, cabbage, carrots, onions, celery, beansprouts, crispy chicken bits, & sweet-sour sauce.
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My meal; 'Pineapple fried Rice': rice, shrimp, ham bits, pineapple, raisins, onion, bell peppers, cashew nuts, scrambled egg bits, & oyster sauce - I LIKE ;-)
Holland watched YouTube vids; and I watched an online movie.
This is a holy week, and I like testimonials; this documentary based on a real Life situation, was also made into a movie that I enjoy watching whenever it is available to view:
Gladys Aylward: Documentary - The Small Woman With A Great God (2010) | Full Movie | Carol Puves: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jX09pOlolE & The Inn Of The Sixth Happiness 1958: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8UR0G7dEEs)
Afterwards, I blew into my Peak Flow Meter Reader, and was gratified to read that though my airflow is still low - it's better than it was earlier :-)
But the inhaler is still needed until the reading climbs higher :-(
A little better reading - out of 'the critical zone'; thank You, Lord.
I also asked Holland how his Dr. visit went: Holland says the knee shots really aren't working, so his doctor is scheduling a consultation with a surgeon … so, we'll be sticking around in WA for that.
And that's okay with me: Holland's knees hurt him - if he can get some kind of relief, that is more important than anything else.
He also talked to her about the oxygenizer; and no decision was reached on that issue.
