NEW WAYS TO GET HOME; Shabbat~Coalinga-CA

Holland whisked me off on a spur-of-the-moment daytrip.

Today we had an exploratory adventure - an impromptu daytrip drive; that started out buying honey, which led to In & Out Burgers a couple towns away. Two new cross-over roads … one that took us a new way home, after Hwy. #41 took us waaay off towards Hanford way. 

But it was a fun day, and a good way to wind up Shabbat 😁

First we cross the Interstate overpass to the 4-way junction where we knew the honey table would be set up the street side vendor:

Huron-CA from US; 12 min (8.1 mi) via W Jayne Ave and CA-269 N & Lassen Ave

Then, Holland said, "Let's drive through Avenal to Kettleman, and back home: we'll get hamburgers at In 7 Out, in Kettleman - that way you won't have to cook, tonight." I was agreeable to that 😉

On our way to Kettleman, he surprised me 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 by veering off the main road, onto a side road I have been curious about …

Avenal-CA from Huron-CA; 17 min (14.3 mi) via CA-269 S

New road! It's a cut-over road; Hwy. #41 CA

Kettleman-CA from Avenal-CA; 18 min (15.9 mi) via CA-33 S and CA-41 N

In & Out Burger @ #33464 Bernard Dr, Kettleman City, CA

Canary Island Date Palm.

This pretty, spidery-type flower, is known as Pride of Barbados, Peacock Flower, Mexican Bird of Paradise, and Dwarf Poinciana.

We ate our hamburgers & talked with Holland saying, "I want this; I love you. I want this." I looked out the windshield and said, "I don't want [this] - I want better. I deserve better. WE deserve better. I don't just want to hear that you love me … I want to feel that you love me. I know you're not going anywhere; but I don't want this. I want better. I'm worn down from words that only lead to hurt after they're spoken; I don't want to be living a repeat of your parent's marriage. I don't want to constantly be shadowed by the redmill testosterone curse. I want to live our marriage - I want change."

We're working on ourselves.

By ourselves, for ourselves: so [this] can stand a chance of survival where we can then work on US.

It's gonna take time; a lot of damage has been done. A lot of healing has to happen.

Intentionally.

We got off track with all the bickering that took place the past 2+ years; we need to find a new way back home, where our hearts feels safe with each other again.

On our way back to Independence, he veered off onto another cut-over road. The day was warm & sunny, the music was good, we were talking: it was a fun outing.

And the new way home, took us right back to the intersection where we had bought the honey 😁

Another cut-off road - this one looped us back to the junction we started from …

Route home.

Today was a good Shabbat Day.

Miles and miles of cotton fields; it reminded me of that Sally Fields movie, 'Places In The Heart'.

Intersection of Jayne & Lassen Roads; the start of our little daytrip drive. 

Back home, the honey was stored …

This honey is so good; the $ is good, too.

And we both relaxed in or own ways.

My self-care measures …