This morning we set out to visit a few people Holland will miss when we leave WA State: a brother (the only living sibling left, now), a cousin, and a nephew.
On 1 hand, I get it.
On the other … I don't 🙄
Users & abusers, these people do not make place for him: unless he picks up the phone and calls them, they don't reach out to him. They've grown away from him - while keeping him tied to them; basically through guilt tactics 😒
My siblings, and children, used to do that 😡 to me, also. Until I decided I deserved a Life too ✂️ My awakening happened in the winter of 2018, and concluded the summer of 2019; when the selfishness and cruelties could no longer be ignored. When they all let me know I was unwanted, and they could live without me … I let them. I picked my bruised self up from under the bus they kicked me under - and I stopped answering the phone. I stopped handing out $$$$. I stopped sitting around waiting for them to come visit. I stopped chasing after acceptance was never going to be given. I just plain stopped. Everything. And I got on with my Life - a life that was surprisingly stress-free once the stressors were sidelined.
And I don't allow anyone - including myself, to guilt myself about the stoppage. It was long overdue. The freedom is liberating.
Holland will eventually have to come to that point with his family members, too; on his own. Considering today's unfolding, I think his awakening 😕🦋 is starting to prod him.
These hookups today had been strategically planned 🧐 No one lives close by anymore, and the meetups have to dove-tail smoothly.
Texting has had fingers busy the last few days.
Plans were made ✅
We are leaving WA State next Thursday: today was the only Day to connect.
We went to bed early last night 🛌😴, rose early this morning ☕️, and were happily on our way over the river and through the woods to destinations anticipated by 10 AM. Plenty of time to see everyone and get back home before the day ended.
I wouldn't be able to sit in Mark or Lana's kitchens because they both smoke like chimney's and my lungs can't handle that: but I carried my Tablet with me, as well as the Clive Cussler novel I'm currently reading: this way, Holland could relax during his visits without worrying about me being bored in Betsy's cab.
I was happily anticipating the loop drive over the Pe Ell route and back home, again. I was pointing out several points of interest to Holland as we drove along; laughing sometimes when I shared a memory or two with him; and we generally just enjoyed time together 👩❤️💋👨😊 It was a good drive. The weather warmed up considerably 🌞 the further away we drove from the beach.
Passing through South Bend-WA, I spotted a Stage Coach … and Holland obliged me by circling back around through side streets, to where it was parked at the Willapa Brewing Company.
It was in nice condition - and I noticed a sign on the side door that mentioned a Raymond Museum. Hmmm. No time to visit that - but, I did research it online when we got back home. It is something new to the backwards town since the last time I had been there. If we had the time, it would be nice to visit: but, we don't - so, we won't. But the carriage I saw this afternoon, was kinda cool.
Ryderwood-WA from Ocean Park-WA; 2h 14m (108 mi) via US-101 N and WA-6
Followed a Fir-loaded log truck for a while; Hwy. #101 near Nemah-WA
I spotted this Carriage as we passed thru South Bend-WA; Holland drove around the block to get this picture.
Northwest Carriage Museum - The Northwest Carriage Museum has been in Raymond-WA, since its opening in 2002:
(https://www.nwcarriagemuseum.org/)
Steam Donkey, showcased at Margret Olson Park, South Bend-WA~directly across from the brewery.South Bend-WA:
(https://www.historylink.org/File/9835)
The [Park] is basically just a small patch of grass, next to the highway; with the Steam Donkey on it.
Here is an article from The Chinook newspaper, giving some historical information about the use of Steam Donkey machines in the Pacific County areas:
{{Around the Bay: The Nemah
By DOUG ALLEN~5:00 pm Tuesday, April 22, 2003
Temporary camps were set up in the Nemah area during World War I to facilitate harvest of strategically valuable spruce.
The Nemah area once was a living place of a small Chinook band known as “Marhoo” or “Nemar.” The people fished the rivers for salmon and gathered clams and oysters prior to the arrival of the white settlers. The place was once spelled “Nema,” and is thought to be a derivation of an Indian name. When a post office was established in December, 1894, the spelling was changed to the present form.
Alex McCaskill, a well known pioneer logger and businessman 70 years ago, came to Pacific County in 1911. McCaskill logged Nemah country, and also obtained a contract to build and grade a road from South Bend to Nemah. The distance was about 20 miles and McCaskill was paid $120,000 to finish the work within a year. After completing the work ahead of schedule, McCaskill formed the Nema Improvement Company and purchased lands and stock.
McCaskill claimed that since the company was to be the last business venture of his career, he named it Nema, which was Amen spelled backwards. (Was he joking?) In South Bend, McCaskill operated a shingle mill, previously owned by another lumberman, Adelbert McGee.
In 1916, McCaskill sold his interest, including 200 acres of land, cattle, horses, and implements. McCaskill then sold the ranch to Mr. Schultz, who operated a slaughterhouse on the ranch, built across a slough. George and Milly Lagergren recall the countless bears that were drawn to the messy and bloody waterway. By the 1930s the McCaskill/Schultz property became part of the New Washington Oyster Company.
Reviewing the Trip Around the Bay
The last part of the trip takes place in August 1908, with Tom Miller now an adult. Tom and his wife Katherine visited Willapa Bay from their home in the Willamette Valley. The Millers departed Willapa at the East Raymond railroad station, and after a stop in Raymond, arrived in South Bend to make connections for Nahcotta. Once aboard the steamer Shamrock, there would be stops at Bay Center, Sunshine, Naselle Landing, and finally, Nahcotta. Along the way are stories about Nemah, Long Island, and the portages (Bear River, the Wallicut River, and Tarlett Slough). To review the Millers’ journey we will take a brief look at the trip as it began in South Bend. Katherine Miller’s Diary Entries, August 1908.
From Raymond, the train’s passenger cars swayed and rocked as we approached the end of the line at South Bend. The conducter smiled and told us the track bed needed improvement. We passed the new Columbia Box Mill and Eklund Park, a hill crowded with lots of small wood-framed houses. The conducter, Mr. Peterson, told us that the locals called the hill “Snoose Hill.” He said the name came from all the Norwegians who lived there. Mr. Peterson pointed out the sawmills between the hill and the depot, and told us that the big one is the Kleeb Mill.
The mills looked very busy. We were told that the employment troubles of last year (1907) were gone, and most everyone was back on the job. To our right we could see the Pacific County Courthouse, situated on the side of a little hill above Quincy Street. Mr. Peterson said that the small shacks along the tracks are lived in by some of the railroad workers. With the train’s bells clanging and whistles blowing I knew we were finally at the end of the line. I heard one man say that he had had smoother rides on the back of a horse!
Next to the N. P. depot, where the Willapa River bends downstream to the west, there are several fish canneries, sawmills, and other businesses along the riverfront. The tideland stretches out on both sides of the river. This is where the area’s earliest logging had taken place. The land, now cleared, once was covered with huge trees – western hemlock, western red cedar, Sitka spruce, and Douglas fir.
South Bend is bustling with activity. We stayed two days, visited friends, attended the South Bend-Frances baseball game, had dinner at the Albee Hotel, and did some shopping. We had planned to take in a moving picture show at the new Dime Theatre, but it was still a few days away from its grand opening.
After our two days in South Bend we were taken down to the city wharf to board the Shamrock. After the boat pulled away we immediately passed the former Simpson Mill, now owned by Ed Gaudette (originally from Michigan). The plant is now called the South Bend Mills and Timber Company. We were told that Asa Simpson, now in his late 80s, sold his Willapa Bay holdings two years ago, in 1906. Tom said Simpson still owns the mill at Knappton. After leaving the mill behind us, Potter Slough and the old town site of Sea Haven appeared on the port side.
No more than an hour later we came alongside the long wharf at Bay Center. Lines were secured and wooden steps situated to load and unload freight and passengers. There were several people, workers and passengers, waiting at the steamer’s dock, at the end of the long wharf, next to a building owned by E. C. Chase and Company. In the crowd there were several passengers, patiently waiting to board. Among the group was a middle aged traveling salesman; three ladies (a young teacher, her mother, and a friend); two young fishermen, with their gear; and an older Indian man with his grandson.
Four people disembarked and goods were unloaded (for the local store), and then the new passengers were guided aboard. After about a half an hour, and with a blast from the whistle, we pulled away from the dock and into the (Palix) river channel. We were told the trip to Sunshine would take about an hour or so.
We met the three ladies immediately – the young teacher is May Thompson, with her mother Mrs. Beulah Thompson, Miss Thompson’s friend is called Martha. The three women sat at our table. Miss Thompson (I called her May) was quite chatty and was eager to tell us about her latest adventures. One of the interesting things May had done at Nemah was learn how to run trap lines for catching mink and muskrat. She had taught at the Nemah school two years ago, and had come back to visit old friends. The three women came to Bay Center to take the Shamrock to Sunshine, where a friend of May’s was a teacher at the local school. After that the women were to return home to Oregon via Nahcotta and Ilwaco. We learned a lot from May Thompson about the Nemah.
The Nemah
The Nemah River is a misleading name, for it is really three rivers, all relatively small, narrow, and winding channels that reach the bay through a delta of tideland rich in the vegetation, and mammal and bird life. The Middle Nemah empties into the South Nemah, while the North Nemah channel hugs the shoreline as it takes an eastward path to a larger channel. The post office, which had opened on Dec. 10, 1894, was closed on March 15, 1923. (That seems to coincide with better transportation – the arrival of the motor car.)
Before the era of the gas engines there were no roads into Nemah and all transportation was by water, dinghies, sailing sloops, or the smaller steamers. For paying passengers to get there from South Bend it was necessary to first take a steamer to Nahcotta and then a mail boat (small sailboat, then a gas launch) from Nahcotta to the Nemah Landing.
Early Settlers of the Nemah
The first Nemah school was located on a bluff west of the present Nemah bridge, nestled among several giant trees. A new school was built and completed in 1916, and is now located next to the present Highway 101. The school was permanently closed in 1935, after it had been consolidated into the Naselle district. The building, which is in clear view by all passersby, has been used both as a church and a community meeting hall.
In 1882, Albert and Mary Williams settled the North Nemah, and proved their 160 acre homestead in 1891. Williams was one of the early settlers, being preceded to the area by pioneers Otto Norberg and Nels Larine. A contemporary of the Williams family was the Prior family. George Prior, born in 1858 in North San Juan, California, came to the bay in the 1880s. The Williams and Priors were not only contemporaries – they were related (the wives were sisters). Both families were leaders in community affairs. George Prior also served as a school teacher and postmaster.
The little community strongly depended on the mail boat deliveries. In 1896, Clarence Williams (Sr.) and Simon Hauge signed a 30-month contract to operate the mail route between Nahcotta and Nemah. The estimated time for the boat operation was five hours each way. Williams received $208 a year for the operation of the mail boat and delivery of the post.
Another of the pioneers was the Charles Hobi family. Hobi’s goal was to be a successful farmer, but it took him several years to clear the land. Around 1890 Hobi hired help to tow logs to a South Bend mill. At the same time the log camp was established, the hard driving logger and farmer married and started a family. During the early 1890s the Hobi Logging Company continued to use bull teams to haul logs along cross-timbered skid roads.
During the long winter rainy season the camps were shut down. The men then went back to their other occupation – stump ranching. To clear their land, a capstan, with wire cable, was used to pull stumps. A horse pulled the line around the capstan. Soon, Hobi bought a Tacoma steam donkey, and started a new company, the Willapa Logging Company. More skid roads were built, and more donkeys purchased, some as long as 60 or 70 feet. With the increased use of the yarders the logging operation reached farther into the hills. Eventually, as Hobi’s business expanded, the operation moved across the bay to the North River area.
The Spruce Division and Railroad Logging
With World War I and the coming of the Spruce Division into the Willapa Hills, railroads were built by the government loggers. Logging railroads were not new to the Northwest, but they were new to the Nemah. Two short logging railroads connected Nemah with several camps in the Willapa Hills, during and after World War I.
In 1918, the Spruce Division railroad numbers 5 and 6 were built on the North and South Nemah rivers. No. 5, which had been started on June 1918, had eight miles of mainline, which paralleled the North Nemah. Work was halted when the World War I armistice was signed in November 1918. The terminus was located on the Nemah Landing.
The South Nemah, or Number 6 railroad, was begun in August, 1918. Because of the late start of construction, the Number 6 had only two and three-tenths miles of mainline completed by the end of the war (Nov. 11, 1918). The construction crews had also completed a mile and a half of spur completed by the time the operation was shut down.
Many soldier-loggers were deployed at the Nemah, living in tented camps along the rivers.
Mail and passengers were transported to and from South Bend on the launch Beaver, captained by John Whitcomb. Army Private Melvin Brown served as a deck hand, and at times piloted the boat. When the Beaver was in South Bend, the men would pick up sides of beef, which were taken to the Nemah camps. Mail was picked up and delivered to South Bend, where it was shipped out and received at the N. P. depot. More Logging in the 1920s.
In 1922 the Raymond Veneer Company and Raymond Shingle Company joined to install a logging camp, taking advantage of the old Spruce Division’s South Nemah Number 6 rail line. The joint company, called Bay Logging Company, and under the leadership of Charley Funk, used one locomotive, eight log cars, and four donkeys in its operation.
Bay Logging contracted with Weyerhaeuser Timber Company to log the county’s section 35, and used the mouth of the Middle Nemah River for their dumping operation. Although the operation ran smoothly for a time, Bay Logging closed with Weyerhaeuser holding outstanding notes due the company. Since the Spruce Division had logged much of the valuable spruce, there had not been much of value in Section 35. At that time hemlock and cedar had not brought the profits that Douglas fir would have paid.
A resumption of the logging operation took place in 1925, this time operated by the Niagara Logging Company. Once again, Charley Funk headed the operation. At this time there was almost 15 miles of track, with another 30 miles of abandoned road. During the years of the operation most of the Douglas fir timber in the Nemah River watershed was logged, extending to the upper Naselle River. The timber was taken out by rail to the company’s log dump at the mouth of the middle Nemah River. Although the fir was logged, the company had left behind large mixed stands of cedar, spruce, and hemlock. That timber was later logged and trucked out (after the railroad era).
A log dump was operated until shortly before the sale of the company and equipment. When the company sold out, the rails were taken up, a locomotive junked, another sold, and about 14 steam donkeys and 40 railroad cars sold off piece meal or junked.
Remembering Charley Lagergren and the Nemah Chute
Ed Triplett remembers Charley Lagergren. It seems Charley worked for Henry Bunker as a boom man for many years. (Bunker-Gerber logged the Nemah during the 1940s and 1950s.) Henry, who could often be found lounging atone of his favorite haunts, would say that he was not needed at his own logging operation – men like Charley chased him away “so they could get some work done.”
Charley was always anxious that his log rafts be towed out on time. Oftentimes the “Nemah chute” was shrouded in fog and presented a challenge for boat masters towing logs. Ed, who did the towing, had learned his lessons well – from Stanley Neilsen, who in turn had learned from John Whitcomb.
The Nemah Ferry, 1914-19
Torvald Trondsen, with his boat Vamoose, towed cars between the Nemah and Nahcotta. Captain Trondsen could handle six or more cars on a gravel barge,. The Nemah ferry served a necessary purpose for several years. A landing was constructed where automobiles could be taken on scows and ferried across to Nahcotta to connect with Peninsula roads and the ocean beaches. Sometimes, when a northwest wind would hinder progress, another boat would help Trondsen pull the barge full of cars. (David Herrold recalled that occasionally his father Roy Herrold and brother Bernard would take the Tokeland out to help Trondsen pull the barge.)
Most of the early automobile traffic involved people on holiday outings. One example was a trip taken on a Sunday in August 1914. On that day five automobiles, belonging to South Bend, Raymond, and Seattle parties, enjoyed a trip to Long Beach. Once they disembarked at Nahcotta the caravan of cars drove the ocean beach to Seaview. (The visitors referred to it as the “ocean speedway.”) The group eventually made their way to the North Head lighthouse, where they enjoyed the view.
In 1919 the Nemah to Nahcotta ferry was still in operation, but, as before, only during the months of June, July, and August. (Sometimes a scow ferry would leave from Bay Center instead of Nemah.) Similar to the 1914 outing, in September 1919, 19 large automobiles, carrying a capacity load of passengers, motored from South Bend, Raymond, and the Willapa Valley to the Nemah ferry landing. The Raymond cars were festooned with banners that read, “We’re from Raymond, let’s get acquainted.”
Having loaded their cargo around noon, four scow ferries brought their 19 cars and passengers to Nahcotta by 3 p.m. There the group was met by their Long Beach hosts who gave the visitors a brew made from a mix of cranberry and loganberry juice. After viewing various cranberry bogs (it was harvest season), side trips were taken to Long Beach, North Head, Fort Canby, and finally to a salmon feed at Ilwaco. After the meal the group then motored to Chinook and Fort Columbia.
Accommodations for the 50-plus visitors were found at Long Beach, Seaview, and Ilwaco hotels. The next day the Klipsan Beach Coast Guard crew put on a surf drill, and afterwards the group found time for the beach, where they were able to enjoy the fine weather.
The highway from South Bend to Nemah was new – not paved, but in good condition, mostly dirt and gravel. The four scows were towed, two by the Vamoose (Capt. Torvald Trondsen); and two by the Tokeland (Capt. Roy Herrold). On the way home, Capt. Bernie Taylor, with the Lenore III, assisted the other boats.
Lagergren Memories
Early settlers on the Nemah made their living in several ways – logging, farming, fishing, oystering – and trapping. George Lagergren recalls his favorite uncle, George Prior. Uncle George showed young Lagergren the ropes. How to lay the traps for mostly mink and muskrat. George remembers … I learned how to skin them, flesh them out. I would get seven or eight dollars a pelt. In those days that was pretty good. I would buy all my school clothes and shoes. Uncle George was the man who gave me all that help. He was quite a trapper. He trapped all those rivers. Up and down and around. He had hundreds of traps on his trap line, that’s all he would do. All through the winter, it was a long trap season. Uncle George would sell them, there were several buyers, even Sears and Montgomery Ward. But there was a special buyer – I just can’t remember his name.
We’ve met George’s father, Charley Lagergren. Charley, who had been born in Sweden as Carl Helge Lagergren, came to Pacific County to work for Alex McCaskill on the road building job that McCaskill completed in 1912. After that Charley worked for McCaskill’s Nemah ranch.
McCaskill then sold the ranch to Mr. Schultz, who operated a slaughterhouse, built across a slough. George and his brothers took any and all jobs to help with the family income. George and his older brother once took a job working for Schultz, who had the boys working alongside a couple of prison parolees, weeding a large expanse of farm land for the planting of mango beets, which were used for animal feed. The boys had agreed to work for cents a day. At the end of the job (several days), the Lagergren boys asked for their pay. Schultz refused, saying the boys had not done the proper work. Not to be undone, the two brothers went to the ranch house to plead their case with Mrs. Schultz. She paid the boys and they left, vowing never again to work for the skinflint Schultz.
George recalled the first two Japanese men who came to the Middle Nemah to build houses for the New Washington Oyster Company. The men were friendly and shared their tea and make small wooden toys to give to the boys.
New Washington Oyster Company
The first generation of the New Washington Oyster Company came to Willapa Bay in the early 1930s. The first men to work on the cannery buildings were Charley Murakami, Sam Nakao, Harry Hataki, and Em Nakao. Other stockholders who showed up during the 1930s included the Yanagimachi family and Bob Nakao. The first group of men had been born in Japan, but Bob Nakao and Harry Yanagimachi were born in the U. S. (This only had importance in relation to the laws concerning citizenship and land ownership. U. S. laws did not allow Japanese-born immigrants cititzenship or land ownership.)
George Lagergren remembered that during the early days of the New Washington operation there was a huge flood, which ruined much of the work that had been accomplished. As the families rushed to gain high ground, they needed help, which the Lagergren family readily offered. George remembers that the Japanese people became good friends with his family.
After Pearl Harbor, orders were given to remove all people of Japanese ancestry, regardless of their American citizenship. During World War II, the Booth company operated the oyster plant, with the help of the Sargent family.
Following the war there was no real change in ownership, although the oldest people did not return. As parents and uncles died out, the children took over the operation of the company, mainly under the direction of the Nakaos and the Yanagimachis. (The name was later shortened to Yana to please those who thought they could not handle the longer name.) Toward the end of the company’s existence, the company came under the control of Giro Nakagawa and the Kawashima family. The Niseis (the younger generation, those who had been the first born in the United States) operated the company after the war because the older generation felt intimidated when it came time to decide whether or not to come back to Willapa Bay. Several families with young children were afraid and did not want to come back.
Unopened oysters were trucked from Nemah to a little opening house between Renton and Columbia City (south Seattle, along Rainier Avenue South and Lake Washington). Many of the second generation people (Nisei) needed work and the trucking of the oysters to south Seattle gave them an opportunity to work and earn meager wages. For the first few years following the war no one permanently stayed at the Nemah plant.
Giro recalled the tough days after the war.
Around 1948-1949 the older people started coming back to Nemah. At first we had quite a bit of resistance. In fact, one night somebody drove through here in the middle of the night and stopped right in front of our house and fired a couple of rifle shots right over our house, right over where we were sleeping…Three of the Yanagimachi brothers were there and all of them were veterans of the 442nd, you know. And my work partner Sasaki was a veteran of the 442nd. I was in the Army too but they kept sending me to schools. If they would have taken me when I first volunteered I probably would have seen some combat, too …
With support from some friends, and the careful preparation by people like Giro, the Yanagimachis, and the Nakaos, the families moved back to Willapa Bay.
Post War Business
The New Washington plant was never a cannery in the strict sense of the word. The business never canned oysters – it had always been a fresh or frozen product. The company had their own refrigerated truck and the Booth company acted as both broker and distributor. The crews that worked at the plant included many local Caucasians, as well as Japanese-Americans.
In 1948, the company had a new dredge built at a location under Raymond’s South Fork bridge. Giro Nakagawa recalls that and some of the “old days.”
The dredge was built by an old Swede named Olson. He built it right there. I don’t think there was a blueprint. We had another one built by Maritime Shipyard in Ballard. We hired a fisherman to bring it around from Puget Sound. It still is used by Dick Wilson (Bay Center Mariculture). There were some repairs done last year.
Before the war there were quite a few bateaux – maybe 15 of them. There were still some of the old pointed-bow ones when I got here in 1939. I guess they disappeared during the war.
Grandpa (Em) Nakao was the fastest tonger on the bay. We still should have some tongs in the old cannery. I guess I could still use one. No one uses them anymore. Old man Nakao’s technique was to bring them up and bounce the tongs on his thigh – he had a rhythm.
New Washington’s final year of operation was 1985. Giro, Art Yoshioka, and others remain as stockholders in Bay Center Mariculture. Dick Wilson bought everything, including the old plant and property. The Nakagawa family are the last to remain on the property.
Read more at: https://chinookobserver.com/2003/04/22/around-the-bay-the-nemah/}}
We were enjoying the warmth of our sunny drive. As we passed out of Francis-WA towards Pe Ell, I noticed that the tree leaves were starting to turn autumn shades of bright red and bits of yellow here and there. Stands of cat tails were very prevalent, too: I love cat tails - and I had Holland smiling when I laughingly told him how I used to quiet the kids and grandkids on drives by telling them, "Look at those cat tails there … if you are very quiet and pay careful attention, you'll hear them softly meowing." 😂🤣 When I stopped laughing, I said, "I guess that makes me a liar - but it did quiet them down for a while until they grew too old for that prank."
Then, we came to that little skinny bridge barely wide enough for 2 cars to pass without bumping side mirrors … and wouldn't you know … we would meet a loaded log truck, in the opposite lane, coming at us 😳: but, Holland - my gutsy husband, managed to squeeze Betsy's bulk over that tight quarters bridge 🙏 🤞 And there was no mirror bumping, or guard rail screeching.
Me? If I had been in that situation, I would have stopped before the bridge and held a thoroughly pissed traffic up. I am not gutsy when it comes to tight quarters and my vehicle.
And further along, between Frances & Pe Ell, we drove through farmland that is coming back to life: I was open-mouthed in amazement - this land has been fallow for decades. Now, it is rocking and rolling with activity, new buildings, and a resurrected operating businesses life support (a full scale logging operation established with buildings, trucks, and equipment; fields being planted, some sort of vineyard stretching both sides of the highway, for miles into the distance; land being cleared & houses going in). I was happy to see all of it. I was glad Holland agreed to drive this route.
I would have taken more pictures … but my mouth was agape, and my head was swiveling with all the busy activity breathing life into the landscape.
Holland thinks it's Californians moving up here - and he could be right, Californians have been migrating to WA since I was in high school in the 1970's; but whatever is going on, there's $$$$$ happening around the Pe Ell-Wildwood Drive area. And it's not small scale: low key, but not small scale. This area has not been this active since before my granddaughter Alyna was born … she'll be 30 in November. That's how long the ground has been fallow, up there.
Looks like wheat … between Francis & Pe Ell-WA
Alfalfa! It's been decades since these fields were planted - or even turned under. The land has lay fallow for 32 years (my granddaughter is actually only 30 yo).
Californian's come here for a better quality of Life; they can keep their hard-earned $$$$
Californian's can live the Life of Reilly' here, in WA State.
We came to the end of Wildwood Drive, turned right and drove to Ryderwood; we found the house Crystal has been so keen to show us … but, when we walked up on the deck expecting exuberant cries of joy and hugs: no door was flung open, and there was no answer to the door chime.
We looked at each other. And Holland walked down the deck steps.
I walked around the side of the house: no sign of life anywhere. Even the dog was silent.
I shrugged and walk back to Holland standing by Betsy, and said, "She said she'd be here - I was pretty specific about the time (I showed him my phone text with her). Maybe she had to rush Mark to the hospital (he's diabetic and refuses to take his medicine or be monitored). Hmm."
Holland wasn't as surprised as I was that Crystal was MIA
We got back in the truck, and turned towards Kelso, where there are people waiting for our visits, there.
Within the [safe zone] timeframe I told her we'd arrive.
Text with Crystal; Sunday, August 17th, 2025
She received this morning's text - and again, confirmed she'd be home when we arrived.
Where were you, Crystal …
Kelso-WA from Ryderwood-WA; 34m (29.3 mi) via WA-506 E and I-5 S
We drove the freeway to Kelso. It had been a while since I'd been on that stretch of road (I usually stick to all the backroads), but Holland likes the freeway: and by now, burning pain was starting to make it's self felt 🔥 He wanted to quickly get to Kelso, relax in cushy furniture, and have a cup of coffee.
Looking at the dash clock, he saw that we had at least an hour to kill before Jake would be at his mother's; so, we decided to eat lunch before going over there.
The mexican restaurant we normally frequent when this way, was bought last year and under new management, but we'd never sampled their food.
So, we gave it a try, this afternoon 🤔
The inside of the restaurant was still the same layout - but the murals had all been done over; tastelessly, as far as I was concerned. I missed the previous vibrantly painted murals. The tables had been kept, the food was okay (large servings), & the price was comparative:
Something new … #300 S Pacific Ave S, Kelso, WA
My man is always tempting me with food: I really wish the men in my life didn't like me chubby; on the other hand … I do enjoy wild rides 😂🤣
I did not like the black & white, lifeless murals , at all.
Our table today; all the tables have a different design.
Holland's Enchilada; reasonable price. He got the Deluxe Enchilada Grande with Beef. And he liked it … because it was gone lickety-split 😋
My Super Nachos with Beef - also reasonably priced. I brought half home; and am currently working on finishing it off 😊
As our plates were being set in front of us, my phone pinged. I couldn't believe what I read!
I couldn't believe what I was reading. I didn't even bother to respond.
The Plan WAS … to visit Crystal & see the house she bought last year - the house she has been pestering me to "come see!" Holland graciously agreed to ferry me to Ryderwood through Pe Ell & over Wildwood Drive - this is a 2 hour drive, one way. Holland has a disability that ended his working days & keeps him in a great deal of pain during long drives where there are no opportunities to get out and stretch the kinks out. Today was that type of long drive. He did this (1) because Crystal is his cousin (2) I asked him ❤️ (3) he planned to see his brother Mark, & his nephew Jake on a looping drive back home here, to Ocean Park-WA.
Crystal decided to go for a luncheon salad at noon: the timeframe we told her we'd be at her front door. It was a ridiculous spite maneuver, and it's typical redmill behavior 😡
I just looked at Holland and said, "Your family members are so rude. That was a text from Crystal saying she decided to drive into Vader to get a salad at the same time she knew we'd be arriving - I'm not even going to respond; because if I do, I won't be nice. This snub is a direct result of you not going to suck up to bob this past Saturday. I'm trying really hard not be be pissed right now. She has been bugging me to stop in for a visit for 2-1/2 years … and something always comes up to sideline that planned visit; mostly from the redmill end - and now this. As if 15 minutes one way or the other would have catapulted her into starvation. I'm done. Obviously the visit is not intended to actually happen, and I am done chasing after the redmill's. Any of you. I'm going to see this snub as a blessing in disguise, and move on to sit at tables where childish behavior is not encouraged. This bratty attitude from over indulgent senior citizens is ridiculous. I'm d.o.n.e. "
We finished up our lunch, paid the tab, and drove to the other end of Kelso, where other hookup's had been planned and agreed to.
And ridiculousness 😈 just continued 🙄
I did a slow burn watching the shunning continue.
Mark was home (as was evidenced by his vehicles parked out front); but he refused to answer Holland's knock, or "Hello, Mark" call.
Jake never bothered to show … and we had deliberately killed time at a Mexican restaurant, to make time to make JAKE'S PREFERRED time schedule to meet with Holland. Texting back and forth yesterday, and this morning, confirmed that anticipated meetup. No text, No call. No voice message.
I have never in my entire 😳 life run across such pompous, self-righteous, spiteful people.
I was peeved with the way my husband was being treated; but decided to defuse the offenses with laughter.
Ocean Park-WA from Kelso-WA; 1h 50m (80.8 mi) via US-30 W
We could have saved the time, fuel, frustrations, and physical pain; but, Holland wanted to give them all the benefit of the doubt. For myself - I meant what I said: I am done with the redmill bullshit behaviors. These are not nice people, and I'm done overlooking the mean spirited 👹rudeness.
We pointed Betsy's nose back towards Ocean Park-WA; where we are working at building a peaceful home environment for ourselves.
Despite being a "big name" 🧐 in the construction business, I didn't know who they were before I married Holland. Never heard of them 🤔 And aside from my husband, I wish I didn't know them now 😒 Whether I ever sit at any of their tables from today forward, is now irrelevant to me. The point made clear today is that I don't want to sit at any of their tables - I specifically do not want to be sitting at any table bob redmill resides over.
And Holland is not going to be forced to pay homage to bob redmill, either; he's solid on that fact.
These snubs are ridiculous. All because Holland did not want to deal with an inflammatory situation 😤 this past Saturday. A situation EVERYONE in that snotty family KNOWS HE AVOIDS AT ALL COSTS.
We did try; but ego's got in the way. We're leaving WA, next week.
For my part … I'm done with ALL of it. It's ridiculously childish 🤦🏻♀️ And behavior like this is WHY I have as little to do with MY family, as possible. I don't cater to bratty ego's. And I pray to God that Holland stops tolerating it, on his end. He'd be a whole lot happier if he cut them loose and let them stew in their own juices.
He is allowed to grow in all the ways Yeshua created & designed him to expand his horizons and move forward in HIS Life.
He is allowed to be his own person, instead of the family babysitter.
He is allowed to make choices about who gets a place in his Life.
He is allowed to be head of his own Table.
I know how to build my own Table - if others prefer to sit elsewhere with arms crossed, and tongue thrust out in my direction … I'm okay on my own, enjoying MY Life.
Bad Company is a golden-oldie-band I really enjoy: not so much when I socialize.
Holland has eaten alone, too - and he's always welcome at MY Table when he wants to sit and enjoy that space 💕; I pray that he stops ✂️ making room for snakes and pariahs passing themselves off as "family".
His big gentle heart, & big open-handed spirit, deserve better treatment 😘
His poor aching body deserves better treatment 😟 … at least a REST STOP and a cup of coffee at some point, to relieve the disability burn when he goes out of his way to make way for them.
Am I a little peeved? YES; yes I am 🤬 My husband was hurting pretty bad by the time we parked Betsy at OUR home, tonight.
The drive though … was good 👩❤️💋👨, fun 😁, and informative 🧐
The food was tasty 👌
Our mood stayed upbeat 🥰 despite the frustrations - and weather fluctuations 😊
We're ready to chase some sunshine.
The sunset, at home, was colorfully welcome (stormy weather ending).
A colorful sunset tonight; Ocean Park-WA
Thank You, Yeshua, for ending our Day beautifully 👏😘
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