RAINY DAY LOOP DRIVE

September 25th: Holland had to drive into Longview-WA, to pick up his blood pressure pills this morning - and I went with him; my lungs were on fire, and I didn't want him to be worrying about me while he was away from home base.

A busy day was planned.

Both of us were struggling with our lungs due to the sand storm that blew across the beach yesterday afternoon: we did quickly roll the windows up and leave immediately, but damage had been done in those few milliminutes :-(

Yesterday's sand storm on Cranberry Road-WA, had both of us coughing up dirty mucus.

My lungs are in pain, today.

After we got the prescription, groceries, and extras we needed to maintain Betsy with, Holland scrapped the rest of the planned events - except for grabbing the mail as we breezed through Rainier-OR.

I was thankful.

I was drained after the grocery shopping; trying to stay alive with weak lungs is very taxing on the body.

I was sleepy, so I laid the passenger seat back, and immediately the Sandman got busy ;-)

I woke up when Betsy stopped, a bit out of Astoria; Holland suggested KFC to take home, and I readily agreed. We ate some of the chicken in the parking lot before crossing the bridge into Chinook-WA.

Rain started near Bradley State Scenic Viewpoint.

Bradley State Scenic Viewpoint:  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_State_Scenic_Viewpoint)

Rainier-OR  towards Astoria-OR

My body shifted into sleep mode for a few miles.

Traffic jam between Tongue Pt. & Astoria-OR

Chinook-WA from Astoria-OR; 15 min (10.0 mi) via US-101 N

Finally home again, I put the groceries away while Holland sorted the bills from the junk mail. When the Salmon Creek Hospital Bill was opened, I saw red. The costs were astronomically over-inflated … and it further angered me that nothing on that list was anything I wanted done: all I had gone in for, was to have my swollen ankle tended to - and that never even happened! Services I did not want were forced on me (and I was asked if I wanted a breast reduction because the nurse thought my boobs were too large) … I finally said, "Enough!", and left. The whole experience was unpleasant and infuriating; none of them deserve a single penny :-(

Fall flavored Coffee's ;-)

The Salmon Creek Hospital Bill came … filled with medical BS.

I saw red - they didn't DO what I asked them TO DO; the whole experience was a total waste of my time.

Holland calmed me down by pointing out that we only had to pay a portion: a very small portion, all things considered. 

It's a good thing Elohim took control.

I had been struggling to breathe all day long, with lungs that were on fire; my body was wore out trying to keep me alive. I agreed with my husband that I didn't need to get worked up over the hospital bill … so, I kissed him, and went to bed ;-)

I went to bed & canceled the world; I was worn out - in every way possible.

FOGGY WANDERINGS; Long Beach Peninsula-WA

September 23rd: I was up before Holland, so I enjoyed 2 cups of Hazelnut Coffee to clear away the morning brain fog; and worked a few more inches on the little preemie gown I am designing:

 

MOD Knit Preemie Sleep Sack; 2 to 4 lbs.

When Holland woke up he said he needed to drive into Long Beach; and would I like to join him, and meander down Cranberry Road on the way back … yes, I would.

But, first I made some pancakes and bacon for breakfast - I used one of the 4Patriots Buttermilk Pancakes Mix: I spread my two with peanut butter and rolled them; Holland spread his with honey. They were good, either way ;-)

Driving into Long Beach this morning was kinda nippy - with a fog blanket hanging overhead, and pungent wood smoke in the air. We took our time moving forward in the dense fog.

The Long Beach Peninsula was shrouded in fog this morning.

After Holland got what he needed, we moseyed down to the beach via Cranberry Road, and the atmosphere there, reminded me of the 1980 John Carpenter movie, 'The Fog':

This patch of foggy beach, with the fella slowly walking up from the water, reminded me of the 1970's movie, 'The Fog' ;-)

I couldn't find the original movie - this is the only one highlighted on YouTube; it's quite a bit different …

The Fog (2005) Movie: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2UYk9HPz28)

While we sat and talked; and watched busy little sanderlings speed past us at the speed of feathered bullets, Holland mused that maybe foggy Tillamook-OR (or even Brookings-OR) may play into the picture, while we wander towards sunny Yuma-AZ.

I'm okay with whatever he decides.

I trust his decision on travel matters - I know he will calculate all the possible risks, travel distance, road and set-up expenses … and arrive at the best possible scenario for our best interest in the moment. He has literally spent the majority of his life on the road: I trust his judgments.

The white-topped waves blend into the low-lying fog bank.

Discussing the possibility of hunkering in Tillamook-WA a couple weeks.

Little Sanderlings were racing up and down the beach ...

Sanderlings: 

(https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sanderling/id)

I made a chicken meal for Supper, later in the day. I like simple, fuss-free dishes that don't chain me to the kitchen … but allows me to the freedom to provide healthy, yummy meals while I multi-task: and I'm happy to notice that Holland likes that, too :-D

The Supper fare was good - and will also be a repeat Supper.

Frying chicken smelled good ;-)

Getting more veggies into Holland. LOL

He liked it; it's a repeat meal.

Chicken and Vegetables with Milk Gravy Recipe:  (https://www.framedcooks.com/chicken-and-vegetables-with-milk-gravy/)

WINDS OF CHANGE~Indian Summer 2024; Ocean Park-WA

September 22nd: Summer is coming to an end on the Long Beach Peninsula; but this afternoon unfolded on warm winds of change as an Indian Summer lingered.

We drove to the closest beachfront - which is a mere 3 minute drive from our front door.

We watched the waves, enjoyed the winged wild life antics, and joked with each other about music preferences:

Ocean Park Beach Access from Ocean Bay Mobile & RV Park; 3 min (0.9 mi) via 261st Pl & Bay Ave.

Bird Lady; she was surrounded by gulls that flocked to her and her car.

Ravens feeding on Dungeness Crab remains.

A 'shooter wave' & sound of the ocean.

Tide rolling in, sideways.

The tide rushed in; and we backed Betsy up about 10 feet …

The tide just kept rocking our way ;-)

Holland downloads 1970's Playlists for me, to give my senses a break from his ear-piercing big hair bands … but I've never heard of this band.

UFO - 1979 Doctor Doctor: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pNOKQT29ag)

I do like the Scorpions … and a few Metallica tunes (which I never listened to before Holland), and that surprised Holland, as well as myself: normally, I would not have given them a listen, but things are different now - I want to be fair with my husband, who is doing his best to equal the balance. He said, "I thought you wouldn't like them because they are a big hair band." I laughed, and said, "Well, I do like what I am hearing … and I do not consider the Scorpions a 'big hair' band. Their music is kinda low key: no lycra pants cutting into their private areas causing them to screech in angry falsetto voices. When I think of big hair bands, Cinderella, Judas Priest, Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Guns and Roses, Poison, Ratt, and Kiss, come to mind: the kids listened to those groups, and I can't stand them - then, or now, I don't want their attitude or atmosphere bouncing around in my head. The Scorpions look like men - they sound like men. Metallica can be a little {much} with all the head-banging backbeat and aggressive growling, but there are a couple songs you've been playing, that I don't mind listening to."

Of course, all the groups mentioned in the previous paragraphs are bands Holland likes, and still listens too - mostly when he's in Betsy alone.

When the tide started rolling in rapidly, we turned Betsy towards home.

The incoming tide had surged behind us …

Surrounded on all sides, we decided to leave the beach.

And I started a new preemie sleep sack, after Supper:

MOD Preemie Sleep Sack.