This song ran through my thoughts as I drank my morning coffee: "Count your blessings - count them 1 by 1; count your blessings, see what God has done. Count your blessing: count them 1 by 1. Count your many blessings - see what God has done."
And I do count my many blessings: by the look at what most of the USA is going through … dealing with marauding wild dogs, in our cold, safe corner, of the world seems to be a blessing. They bark nonstop as they troll the Park, but there is no raging wild waters cutting through our immediate area, or destructively churning past our doorstep. There is no overnight dumping of 2 ft. of snow. There is no earthquake jarring our bones. There is no greedy tornado dropping down on us & no hurricane blowing in off the ocean.
I have much to be thankful for. Elohim has been very faithful concerning me 😊☝️💝
Today my gratitude list grew as we were finally able to make it to Hanford, where 2 items on both of our Bucket List items were checked off 📝
Leaving the Park, I checked weather updates on my phone and read that the stubborn fog keeping the air cooler than usual & the sun hidden behind heavy gray clouds, is going to continue for a while.
Overnight lows will continue to be in the upper 30s to mid-40s; oh, goodie 😒 can you feel the sarcasm coming through?
The drive was comfortable & uneventful. Convo was pleasant, and flowed easy 🚘💞
Finding the oil & lube business needed for Betsy's spa day was not as uneventful 🙄 or easy 😤 - 2 near accidents as drivers 🚗 literally pulled out in front of us, then reduced their speed to a crawl causing Holland to apply Betsy's brakes, hard. Another car did an illegal U-turn and nearly ass-ended the car in the opposite lane … again causing Holland to apply the brakes, so we didn't catch his ass-end with our bumper. Holland knows california: so he was vigilant, and Betsy was not caught up in the dead-head activities.
Passing through Hanford as we cruised 7th Street looking for the destination location that was needed, I caught sight of the old china town I've been wanting to visit. I mentioned it to Holland, but his mind was busy with Betsy's needs, and he mumbled an absent-minded reply. I didn't take offense - I've been married to the man long enough to know that when he is laser-focused on what needs doing, all other considerations kinda fly out the proverbial window. Plus, this cold snap has had both our aging bodies aching; if he needs to get home following Betsy's tending to … then, that's what we'll do; I may be feeling the aching pinch, too 😉
We always pass china town when in Hanford - I'm hoping we get to slow down long enough today, to get a good look at it.
Found the destination location: Hallelujah.
We buzzed past old china town - I'm hoping to backtrack for pictures.
Sitting in Betsy, waiting; I could look straight down the backside of old china town.
While the Dr. Feelgoods were treating Betsy to her mechanic ministrations, we stayed cozy warm in her cab listening to 2 mexican tunes before one of the workers there, switched the airwave reception to some heavy metal band - Holland gave an audible sigh of relief, and said, "Thank God for rock and roll." I laughed and said, "I thought your ears would perk up; but that is not rock and roll … that is metal, and there is a vast difference between the two." When a rock and roll song followed with actual lyrics and toned down guitars, I said, "That is rock and roll - actual music with an actual message - no screeching falsetto or ear bleeding guitar grinding": and I laughed at his raised eyebrow.
Then I had to pull everything out of the glove box, shove it into a bag I just happened to have on hand - and step out of Betsy's cab to stand on the sidewalk in December's nippy chill, because one of her filters that needed changed out was located behind the glove box & it needed dismantling; God bless the man who thought that one up (in the southern way of meaning). While I was standing there, doing an occasional feet shift to stay warm, I noticed my colorful surroundings:
I liked seeing the flagrant patriotism on display - it's kind of a snub at the demon rats running this State into Hell's open maw.
Green & Red leaf color to match the Season.
And a timely message.
After Betsy's spa treatment was finished & she was purring like a contented kitten, Holland drove down the street & pulled over at the entrance of Hanford's old china town - he hadn't been as absent-minded as he appeared, earlier 🤠😘
And the pain devil left us alone long enough for me to enjoy my favor, praise the Lord 🙏 ☝️
I am greatly blessed highly favored, today!
My Earlier Post: CHINA ALLEY; Hanford-CA https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2025/12/china-alley-hanford-ca.html
Leaving China Alley, we drove to Wal*Mart to grab a handful of items; when ready to checkout, Holland was feeling pain burn; so, I suggested he sit and wait for me to go through the long line of other shoppers. Just before I started putting my items on the conveyor belt, I got a notification on my watch - so I brought the message up on my phone, and smiled at what I read:
He is becoming a husband not afraid to show his tender side, now ❤️ It's been a long, hard, row to hoe; but I'm glad we both stuck around for this progression 😘
The long way home is a real sacrifice when he's in pain - the freeway is a lot faster, but the country roads are a loving favor.
Each of us working individually to tame 🙏 our Past Triggers 😵💫 is really working beneficial 😇 wonders for US in the Present 💞
Lynyrd Skynyrd - 'I Need You' song:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvSqS3FVmfM)
Back home, Holland laid down for a bit; I put stuff away, and worked some kinks out in my lower back:
Bodyweight - Prayer Push Exercise
When Holland got back up and rejoined me downstairs, he went online to see what the weather is doing in the places we have visited & were thinking of revisiting before Mother Nature went off her meds and started raising hell from coast to coast …
Researching some of the locations we've visited; & Holland is thinking of revisiting.
Lake Manly; Death Valley-CA - I don't adhere to scientific data because science doesn't know what it's talking about most of the time … but, this lake in the driest region of America, is interesting & it would be fun to revisit Death Valley.
Ancient lake returns to California's Death Valley after vanishing thousands of years ago:
(https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/ancient-lake-returns-to-california-s-death-valley-after-vanishing-thousands-of-years-ago/ar-AA1SgdPl?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=bb519d01ff3d4935f1e7ec745fae9d4a&ei=13)
Just up the road from where we occasionally stay, in Castle Rock-WA. Most of the ground there was seriously compromised when Loowit blew her top decades ago, so the ground shift is not surprising. Inconvenient, yes.
As the evening wound down, and the Day slid into it's Shabbat Rest, I met it with a grateful heart feeling abundantly blessed by my Father - and my husband's, faithfulness.
I am a woman greatly loved & highly favored.
May I never take the love surrounding me for granted.
Holland's tender side is coming to the forefront … I'm liking this relaxed version of US
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