TOPS, CAPRI'S, & SKIRTS - OH, MY~Self-Care 2026; Castle Rock-WA

Monday, July 20th: We drove to Chehalis this afternoon for shopping 🚘🛒🛍️ - I came home with a whole new wardrobe from the thrift store, there  😊 I prefer thrift store shopping because the clothing items are more eclectic than trendy, or age specific. I'm not ready for granny clothes, but I'm wise enough to understand that I have to wistfully bypass some appealing clothing that whispers, "buy me": I'm between the 2 timeline slots; so, I walked the aging line & made wise choices today. While walking the aisles & filling my cart with tops that fit comfortably & smoothly over my massive mammas (the main reason I went shopping today), I remembered Holland saying he likes women wearing skirts; so, a few went into my shopping cart, too - along with a skort. Skirts were making sense to me as I made my item selections: they are easier to wiggle into than the leggings threaded with lycra that mimic wrestling with a girdle. Not fun. And, at my age (70, in December) - I'm preferring the easy, fun, side of life rather than the stress-inducing, vain, side: clothing that slides easily over my love handles without needing the boost of a smooth shoe horn, or a full cardio workout of yanking, pulling, and jumping … works for me now.

I've outgrown much of the clothing in my closet - literally & figuratively. My husband likes to eat manly meals & we are living a sedentary life … it is showing on both of us; my body has aged, my hair has grayed significantly, & my life has changed: my wardrobe no longer [fits] on any of those points, & needed updating.

Though the change of scenery, & the thrift store was the main reason the drive was made, we also did some shopping at the Wal*Mart Superstore there, in Chehalis-WA; & enjoyed a Sonic Chili Dogs & Tater Tots, before coming back home 🌭🍟

Centralia Goodwill Store from TR RV Resort, Castle Rock~via I-5 N; 30 min (30.7 miles)

Centralia Goodwill Store; #519 Harrison Ave, Centralia, WA - next time I come here, if I come solo lobo … I'll get a Rueben sandwich @ the Country Cousin Restaurant, & visit the Fort Borst Park - which has paved walking trails.

Chehalis Wal*Mart Superstore from Centralia Goodwill Store~via I-5 S; 10 min (4.6 mi)

Chehalis Wal*Mart Superstore; #1601 NW Louisiana Ave, Chehalis, WA

I had gotten a workout with the in-and-out of Betsy activity; the arm & hand activity of sliding hangers back and forth (and then, items shopping at Wal*Mart = same motion, different activity) - the continuous actions of lifting clothing items held up for viewing before decisions were made to place said item in my cart, or back on the rack (and then, items shopping at Wal*Mart = same motion, different activity); the torso twisting activity as I walked down aisles (and then, items shopping at Wal*Mart = same motion, different activity); and then the bag toting actions of shopping in the stores … it may not seem like much of a workout, but shopping can actually engage muscle groups, beneficially. That's my story & I'm sticking with it:

Bodyweight Glute Step-up; in & out of Betsy, x7

Body Twists

Bodyweight Standing Wringing The Towel Exercise

Hand Strengthening Grip Exercises

Farmer's Walk; several, heavy, grocery bags from store to truck & visa versa.

Today was Holland's first experience of buying clothes with & for me … and I told him to be brutally honest with me when we got home, and I tried everything on for a show & tell session 👀 - I want to look presentable, frontside & backside: he agreed to be the judge & jury 👍👎 as to what goes into my closet; and what goes back. I assured him that his honesty in this situation would not hurt my feelings 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨; I do buy what I like - but I don't want to look like an aging fool when I go out in public. And I don't want to embarrass my husband, who will sometimes be seen with me in the public square. I was sure I had shopped & selected with a discerning eye; but a second opinion is always beneficial 😘

New tops = my breasts were no longer squished.

Capri's = no greased shoe horn needed to pull them up my thighs to settle comfortably over my love handles.

Skirts = freedom, all the way around; what a glorious feeling - oh, my!

Everything got a showing 👀, an approval 👌, & goes into my closet 😊

I'm glad, because the newer, updated clothes, were really needed; nothing fancy, but everything road gypsy stylish … as well as the compact mini printer we also brought home with us - which can be utilized in Betsy's cab, if necessary; Holland has been talking about this printer for as long as we've been on the road.

Now, he has it.

Mini Printer

I noticed a rash on the inside of my arm - probably an allergic reaction caused by preservatives in the food I ate, earlier.

I have noticed that my Tablet screen has a few scratches on it: nothing serious, but seeing them motivated me into designing a simple cover for it.

MOD Open-End Tablet Cover; no pattern written up … stiff cardboard cut to protect screen, & covered; creating a pocket to slide the Tablet, into.

And we saw a lovely sunset this evening as we were fueling Betsy up. We may be driving to Woodland tomorrow.

Lovely sunset seen at the Space Age Travel Center, in Castle Rock-WA

This Monday - as the intro picture for today suggested, was truly a marvelous blessing.

HAPPY HEART~Shavua Tov; Ocean Park-WA

I woke up around 3 AM this morning with a rash on my wrist that had me digging at it with my fingernails … so, off my watch came: it has a metal stud used for closure on the watch band - and I am allergic to metal.

I have to be careful with dairy products; but I have to be especially careful with metal contact on my skin. This can make life very dicey. Eyewear has to fit very precisely on the sides of my face, or skin will come off when I remove them for the evening. I can only wear costume jewelry; some metal in the design is okay, if none of it touches my skin. I cannot wear a wedding ring. I have to be careful with clothing that has metal clasps, zippers, or shank closures - this includes footwear. I have to be careful with soaps, shampoos, makeup, perfumes, and adhesive Band-Aids.

Allergic reaction … metal stud closure: I covered the exposed metal with a piece of electricians tape; Holland suggested this, because the tape matches the band color.

Allergic to Metals? 6 Surprising Places They May Lurk: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-you-allergic-to-metals-6-surprising-places-they-may-lurk

I don't think the wrist rash would have been so bad if my immune system had not already been fighting allergic reactions from dairy products, and the toxicity of fast foods fare - another reason I want to cook our meals (I can be sure of what goes into my mouth that will affect my body); we ate fast food for 3 months straight while waiting for Independence to be repaired - healthy food is hard to use, when living in a motel for an extended period of time with an outdated microwave and a very small 'fridge.

I am still suffering itching episodes from that - that have the backs of my thighs pretty scratched up due to the infuriating itch that won't go away until the allergy abates (I do lather up with cortisone crème, but it's only a temporary fix that doesn't last). I was hoping to wear shorts when we get to Yuma-AZ, because it will be 110-degrees when we get there … but I can't wear short if my thighs look like a rabid dog attacked the back of my legs.

I recently found out that I am allergic now, to my asthma inhaler.

There is no cure for angina.

There is no cure for asthma.

There is no cure for dairy allergies.

There is no cure for metal allergies.

My body is a mess from the word "go" :-(

If I didn't trust Elohim with my Life, I'd be an anxious basket case of 24/7/365 worry: and that's no way to live. From the time I wake up, to the time I lay my head down at night … I have to trust what Yeshua did on Calvary's hill for me: Elohim has a Plan for my Life. In Him, and His Word, will I trust.

And apologize to my new husband for "being a lemon".

I'm always cautioning Holland against over-protecting me: I can't let other people's (doctor's, husbands, kids, grandkids, friend's) fears and worries trip me up.

Poor Holland; I did warn him about these things - but I don't think he realized how severe they all are. My allergic reactions have severely limited his life enjoyments, also … recipes that call for butter, milk, cream, and eggs taste different when made with substitutes; he is eating them, and not gripping - but I know his tongue misses the richness in flavor that is gone, now. His heart gets a major workout every time I have a severe asthma flareup. He worries about a possible heart attack in motion, when an angina episode kicks up a fuss. He would have liked to have slid a wedding ring onto the third digit of my left hand when we exchanged vows. He gets frustrated because he doesn't think I take these things serious enough.

I do; but I refuse to live in fear.

June 12, 2022 - Shabbat Mt. St. Helens Outing Post:  (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2022/06/bobs-mountain-shabbat-mt-st-helens.html)

Life is for living … and I intend to l.i.v.e., for as long as Elohim grants me Life.

This year really put him through {the test} in more ways, than one, because I am a walking time bomb, in more ways than one.

Thankfully he's still hanging around, and wanting to make a go of this marriage that has been very challenging from every angle.

Tonight I made a mac and cheese supper using a 4Patriots packaged meal; and I added to it, as usual ;-)

I will use these meals up, because they are here and they cost quite a bit of $$$ - but once they are gone, I will start cooking from scratch; knowing exactly what (and how much of what) is going into my mouth that will affect  my body.

We bought these meals because we had planned on boondocking more than we have been, and this seemed a logical and wise decision given the plans we held then: when they arrived, I had repackaged all the 4Patriots meals we bought last year into servings for a couple, rather a family; breaking down the packages to fit our needs. But the meals are bland and basic ingredients … so, I jazz them up a bit with flavor, color, and immune-building-nutritional additives.

==My JAZZED-UP 4PATRIOTS MAC & CHEESE SUPPER~serves 2 or 3

Half a packaged 4Patriots Mac & Cheese meal * 1-3/4 c. Water * 1-lb ground Beef * 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced * 1/4 Red Onion, sliced * 1 tsp. Cajun Seasoning (recipe at end of directions)

1) In a medium-sized cooking pan, brown the ground beef; remove with slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels to wick fatty grease.

2) Wipe the cooking pan clean, and add onion and red pepper pieces; cook just enough to soften … but not to mushy stage; remove with slotted spoon to the plate holding the draining beef.

Beef & veggies.

3) To the cooking pan, add the water - and bring to a boil. Stir mac and cheese mixture into boiling water; reduce heat to medium, and cook for 15 minutes - stirring frequently.

4Patriots Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese Sauce cooking.

4) Add seasoning, beef and veggies to the cheesy sauce, and cook another 5 minutes; remove from heat, and let stand for 2-3 minutes.

Seasoning added.

Tasty ;-)

Homemade Cajun Seasoning: 2 Tbsp. Paprika * 2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder * 2 Tbsp. dried Oregano leaves * 1 Tbsp. Salt (I used a salt substitute) * 1 Tbsp. Onion Powder * 2 tsp. freshly grnd. Black Pepper * 2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Cajun Seasoning blend.

Blend well; place in a spice jar.

After Supper, I went online and found a video of the Messianic fellowship I used to attend - I miss this fellowship; but Holland would never consent to going with me, so I haven't been there since November 2023; before we were married. Winter travel is dicey, and Holland flat-out refused to go, in any season.

Rehoboth Messianic Congregation~Ted Pearce Concert:  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFGxo1oJcHM)

Hezbollah confirms its leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike: 

https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-28-september-2024-c4751957433ff944c4eb06027885a973

But recently, Holland has said he would attend a Messianic fellowship in Yuma-AZ, when we get there: that makes my heart happy :-)

After the video concert ended, I glanced up … and saw a lovely sunset :-)

Lovely sunset; Ocean Bay Mobile & RV Pak, Ocean Park-WA

Elohim's promise ;-)

I have been blessed with a happy heart all week, long.

**Yesterday's Post: 'PEACE IN THE HOME; Ocean Park-WA': (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2024/09/peace-in-home-ocean-park-wa.html)**