STERNWHEELER PARK; La Center-WA

August 8th: Everything was creeping along today, in slo-mo: including me.

My lower back was on fire when I woke up this morning - I want the repairs on Independence to be done asap (!) … my spine needs that massaging memory foam mattress for lumbar support, and both our lungs need the adjustable, electric bed frame.

PAIN-PAIN-PAIN; fused tail bone.

Sacralization = Fused Tailbone:  (https://www.healthline.com/health/sacralization & https://www.healthline.com/health/si-joint-stretches)

I want my bed back! Asap!!

Seven weeks on this motel mattress is wrecking my back :-(

Walking across the motel room had me sweating and moaning with the pain burn; Holland wanted to call off the Park visit … but I said, "No, Hon; I need to walk. Walking will actually ease the pain, some. I want to go - I need to go." He wasn't so sure. But, in the end, he agreed.

Walking is a quick and low-impact exercise for lower back pain; walking is gentler on the sacroiliac joint than running or jogging, and has the added benefit of being easy to fit into a regular schedule: and has a low injury rate.

Holland prefers the freeway, but bridge work in Woodland is still crawling along; so Holland drove the back road to La Center - (((YIPPIE!)))

Back roads are my favorite drives to get anywhere … and I like this particular drive. I've been missing it :-)

Destination route: 12 min (6 mi) via E CC St. & NW Pacific Hwy-WA

La Center — Thumbnail History:

https://dev.historylink.org/File/9450

This Park is located in the heart of La Center - directly across from the 'Last Frontier Poker Room' Casino: in the past, Holland did work on this casino following a gruesome incident that required clean-up work and repair work.

He pulled into a parking area, and I suggested he leave me at this spot and park across the way - where I'd join him at the end of the trail: the upper trail I could see didn't seem too long to walk.

We veered off in different directions …

Something new.

Sternwheeler Park: #100 W 4th St, La Center, WA

Pretty Butterfly Bush.

I had assumed that the trail would begin with a gentle sloping footpath; I was unprepared for a back-jarring decent.

The Park path began at the foot of tiered steps.

But, I was game.

I'm starting here …

The Park has a nice layout … and features, along the trails.

The brick spaces need to be refilled.

Sunny 'Stella De'Oro' Daylilies.

'Black-eyed Susan's'; Rudbeckia.

Holland keeping a careful eye on his stubborn wife's progress ;-)

The back burn wasn't as bad as when I started - but I was feeling relief that the trail was ending. Normally, I would stretch walking out, but today would not be a good day to do that.

Thinking I would be joining Holland soon, I was surprised when the snaky brick-paved trail led away from Holland & Betsy, before it brought me back to them.

Interesting little sculpture grove …

Giant carved mushroom.

Moss-backed tadpoles & smiling mama frog ;-)

More walking trails with a Gazebo & carved Eagle.

History Info Plaque

La Center-WA, Steamer Era: (https://www.pacific-hwy.net/steamers.htm) & 

Captain Minnie Mae Mossman Hill: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnie_Mossman_Hill)

Log Flume: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Log_flume)

& River Pig: 

(https://www.pearldistrictportfolio.com/pearl-district-news/whats-a-river-pig & https://spokanehistorical.org/items/show/587)

By the time I wove my way back over the hilly switch-back trails, to where I had seen Betsy parked (a grand total of 12 minutes from start to finish), I was covered with a sheen of sun induced sweat, as well as pain burn sweat … but when Holland looked at me with his empathetic tender brown eyes, I felt beautiful in a way that only my husband can make me feel :-)

Fun, but it's good and done ;-)

And Holland has a surprise for me: he extended my out-of-house experience further, by driving up W 4th Street and into the countryside a while before turning around and heading back to Woodland.

Love in action :-D

As we neared Woodland, he asked, "Do you feel up to going to the river for a bit?"

Yes!

We drove to Austin Point, and sat for a while listening to the gentle lapping of the river waves - and watched a dredger deepen the Columbia River's shipping channel, for a while.

The day was sunny, and unfolded with a peaceful vibe.

Osprey nest still empty.

A schooner close to shore …

The dredger turned around very quick.

Boating season brings questions about maintenance of Columbia River, its tributaries:

https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/jun/17/boating-season-brings-questions-about-maintenance-of-columbia-river-its-tributaries/

Port of Woodland will review the potential of riverside development:

https://www.thereflector.com/stories/port-of-woodland-will-review-the-potential-of-riverside-development,300139

Dragonflies flitted all around Betsy …

… and Holland batted his camo hat around, to shoo sand wasps out of Betsy's cab, so I wouldn't get stung (I'm severely allergic to bee, wasp, hornet, yellow jacket, ect. stings).

Sand Wasps: (https://www.angi.com/articles/wasp-types.htm)

Leaving the river behind on our way homeward, we saw several herons in the freshly gleaned fields … and freeway traffic, still crawling forward as bridge work creeps along :-(

A heron in the field; there were many.

Freeway traffic was still creeping along …

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED~Broken Roads Shabbat; Woodland-WA

July 2nd: This morning, we went to see how Independence is coming along; the fella at RV PRO says repairs are still 4 weeks out; the roof is being tended to now, and they are waiting for the axles to arrive.

Independence becoming 'road ready' again, following her broken roads venturing …

Word is, that as soon as the axles arrive (2 weeks from now), "things should move along rather quickly."

We are hoping and praying.

The RV PRO fellas also discovered that there were more damages to be taken care of: some were manufactory snafu's … but the other was the livingroom & upper bedroom walls: we knew that the kitchen wall needed to be restructured and reattached, but the other walls were surprises.

More damages were discovered; basically ALL roads are brokenly treacherous.

Elohim knows - and He will direct the ways we will go.

Basically the whole shebang is being rebuilt; insurance should have totaled Independence - instead they will be forking out the BIG bucks they thought to skip, between assessed repairs costs already agreed to, the additional repair costs recently discovered, and our motel expenses that have been racking up for the past 7 weeks.

For the time being, while we wait: I pray for guidance, Holland researches for the job he is angling for. When disappointment rears it's head, I encourage my husband by hugging him and saying, "Hon, our plans are not always in line with Elohim's Plan - we need to leave a little wiggle room for the Right Plan. Everything works out for the best, in the end."

I know Elohim has everything worked out … and waits for us to line up with His Plan. I recently read something that I shared with Holland because I like to leave personal options open-ended, to allow for Elohim's Plan to redirect if necessary - Holland having been a fishing junkie will understand what I was sharing: "Let your hook always be cast, for in the stream where you least expect it, there will be a fish"  ;-)

We are in agreement to seek Elohim on walking in the steps He has planned for our Life together. We know we are called to ministry - we just don't know how to dove-tail that with the life we are currently living.

But Elohim knows where He wants us to be; and He has everything under control.

Even our personal broken road experiences that brought us together - and keeps us together through the good, the bad, and the ugly moments.

Since we began our life together, Holland has said three times now, "I really hate the cold weather in WA … but I believe God has a Plan for joint ministry in the PNW - maybe not right now, but eventually we will be coming back to WA, permanently … and you will be in the pulpit, in our own church building."

Holland told me this once after we began our road gypsy life; once in Yuma-AZ; and just the other day while waiting for a forward crawl in freeway traffic back to Woodland.

He always tells me this same thing in an apologetic tone, because he knows it will end our road tripping. The other day when he said it, I replied, "Hon, I'm okay with that, if that's Elohim's Plan for us - really, I am. I always want to be where He wants me to be."

I had a dream a couple months ago (in color, which is an indicator more like a vision), that Holland was preaching in a little country church - don't know were, but it was a surety. I told him about it when he woke up.

I'm okay with sinking roots if that is Elohim's Call on our lives.

Holland was raised to be in ministry; that I will be involved in ministry has never been an issue (a prophetic word was spoken over Bob & me in 1988 … Bob fulfilled his ministry many times over; the prophetic word was spoken over me personally, June 2022: verbatim, from a total stranger to the first speaking: so I know it's where my life is headed); I've been waiting for the opening for decades … and throughout this past year, with everything Holland has been putting me through, I honestly considered that Holland would be my "it", ministry, because there has certainly been many "personality conflicts to overcome" ;-)

A verbatim pronouncement of a previous prophetic word over me; spoken June 17th, 2022-WA

And the Ruach HaKo'desh is refining us by using each of us to rub each other's rough edge's smooth (not always an enjoyable process!); but necessary for harmonious ministry.

Rascal Flatts Bless the Broken Road w/Lyrics: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZp6pmgbZyU)

Both of us have already been ordained for ministry purposes; the Ruach HaKo'desh will have to bring us into alignment … and perhaps that will have to be totally overhauled, too, so we can begin to join hands and purpose in harmony: a house divided cannot stand.

Discussing the broken roads that led both of us to each other, as well as the personal prophecies and visions that dove-tail with those broken roads … we know we both have to allow for divine changes to take place in our lives to fulfil the purpose of our merged Life.

A marriage with a hairline fracture is one thing - but a ministry has got to be built on a stable foundation & practically {earthquake safe; no broken roads}, because people will be judgmental people … always looking for juicy gossip tidbits that will shade the Gospel message. It would break my heart if I caused pain to Elohim's heart.

So, if our rambling road gypsy days are coming to a close (and we aren't sure about anything in that regard, yet), I'm okay with setting roots wherever Elohim wants to plant us: His Ways are always the best ways :-)

HIGH LANDS; Toutle-Castle Rock-Green Mtn. Road, Woodland-WA

We drove into the Jantzen Beach Mall Complex, in Vancouver this morning, to purchase some items needed for our new kickoff venture as soon as we get Independence back from the repair shop … traffic has been backed up (as in slower than a snail's pace) from Kalama to La Center every morning until about 6 PM (the blacktop is being scraped off & hauled off from the outgoing southbound twin bridge).

WSDOT I-5 Construction April - October 2024 Expect Delays: https://www.ci.woodland.wa.us/community/page/wsdot-i-5-construction-april-october-2024-expect-delays

Last year Holland gave me an adventure of a lifetime: 3 years into widowhood, I had wanted to shake things up in my life and spread my wings … before I married Bob I had my thoughts set on traveling across America and experiencing every mainline State, but Bob snagged my attention in the Spring of 1974, and I happily let moss grow under my feet for 44 years; when that chapter if my life ended with Bob's last breath, I revisited and entertained that old dream of mine: I prayed that Elohim would give me a traveling companion. I never thought Elohim would answer my prayer in such an unexpected way - I was 66 years old when Holland's 35 year old vision/quest took root in both of our lives: he got the wife he was promised and held out for, and I got the Bucket List Adventuring my itchy gypsy feet were wanting.

I never thought I'd remarry; Holland never thought he'd be driving across America again: but here we are, rocking our world.

Together, since marrying, we have traveled through, and enjoyed 21 States last year: this year, we will be seeing America a new way: Holland's Bucket List Adventure is being set in place, this month.

Holland found what he was looking for - and I grabbed a pair of headphones to use while I'm surfing the internet: our tastes in music, movies, and news sources are very different; headphones are a staple in this Redmill relationship ;-)

When we got back to Woodland, Holland went online to track down a weight distribution hitch; and I went online with a hope and a prayer.

Graced with enough WIFI to check FB Friends Pages …

The internet connect here for me, is spotty at best - and nonexistent 99% of the time. Holland struggles too, but he is able to be online for a significant amount of time before the wave disappears, and he too, is kicked offline :-(

This afternoon he was able to connect and stay online long enough to track down the hitch he is needing … and off we went to Toutle, to collect it: it was listed as brand new (never used), for half the price.

I was happy to be getting out - and looking forward to a high land country drive :-)

The hitch was brand new, and the sunny drive was soothing: we were both feeling good.

As we were leaving Toutle, and crossing the overpass to enter freeway traffic … our ears heard, and our eyes beheld a strange sight: a bagpiper playing a Highland Scottish tune!

Don't know where he was headed to, or why he was piping - but we started laughing because we were listening to Steve Earle (whose song starts with a bagpipe intro); so Holland pulled over onto a wide spot alongside the freeway entrance and let me listen to the overpass bard because he knows I like the sound of bagpipes ;-)

Bagpiping 'Overpass Bard'; Castle Rock-WA

Copperhead Road song …

Steve Earle - Copperhead Road/Official Music Video: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEJzoaYZk)

The Story of Copperhead Road Song: (https://www.bathroomwall.com/blogs/rock_blog/steve-earle-the-story-of-copperhead-road)

'Be yourself - do what you wanna do'. LOL

Driving back to Woodland from our Toutle pickup appointment, we decided to take the Green Mountain Road back to our motel room: we quickly saw that the backroad route was just as congested as the freeway (we passed two offshoot spurs where state patrol was rerouting freeway traffic to merge with backroad travelers like us); but at least the high land traffic moves forward - freeway traffic pretty much stands still (southbound bumper-to-bumper standstill from Old Pacific Highway out of Longview, to La Center-WA).

I was happy to be in the high country backroad.

I am very familiar with this road, having traveled it most of my adult life.

Freeway overflow congestion on Green Mountain Road: long string of vehicles in front, and behind, us; Woodland-WA

A 10 minute drive stretched out to a slo-mo, h.o.t., 55 minutes.

Coming off the upper high land road … we decided to avoid downtown Woodland (where most of the traffic was headed); and continue backroad travel, which would be much easier to drive. We grabbed a hot fudge sundae, on our way back to the motel room.

Holland is happy with his purchases today - and I'm happy his newest Bucket List Venture is working for him, so far. We have one or two more things to check off; but when we leave WA State again, this year will be Holland's adventure and we are both excited to get it underway :-)

Tomorrow we will be taking care of more {business}; but tonight is for relaxation and unwinding …

A cup of cocoa and a relaxing read before welcoming the Sandman.

FOUR WEEK DEADLINE; Vancouver-WA

Living in Woodland for a few months is actually an answer to prayer … I like Woodland, and off-n-on thought it would be kinda nice to live here; Elohim answered that musing of mine, by putting Holland in my life - and arranging for me to live in Woodland; I'm grateful.

BUT

We want our road gypsy home back.

The first week of motel living was fun. It was a new experience for me, and Holland was liking the open room environment. The Insurance representative had called, and we were assured he was "on it".

The second week wasn't bad either; but communication between RV PRO in Vancouver, us in Woodland, and Joel on the east Coast had come to a dead halt with the approaching holiday - phone calls and texts were blatantly ignored, so we were not being informed about progress in Vancouver. He had driven up there twice during this week, and couldn't get information out of anyone: the Office girl was no help, either. Holland was not happy.

The prospect of this week's stay is wearing thin - we are paying a hefty rental fee with a limited income (all other motels are steeply out of our budget): so, last night, Holland decided to drive to Vancouver this morning to fetch Independence … and take it where someone may actually get busy settling accounts & working on repairs issues (he had already spoken to two other RV Shops, this weekend, that were willing to help), so we can get back to living in our home again.

Hopefully down South. He is not keen on PNW winters spent in an RV - and I agree, having lived through several winters in another 5th Wheel RV from 1995 to 2001 with my first husband and granddaughter, during her infancy through 6th year. I don't mind the RV life … but I, like my new husband, do not like the body aches or constant chill of PNW winters.

We need the road damage to (and our towing concerns about) Independence to be satisfactorily addressed so we can get on getting on, instead of living in expensive and clueless limbo.

Neither one of us are good at waiting - and neither one of us like being jerked around.

I am 100% behind Holland concerning this issue.

Vancouver-WA from Woodland-WA; 19 min (17.5 mi) via I-5 S

When we arrived at our destination point to hook up … the battery was dead. Holland hunted someone down to jazz the battery back up so we could hook up and haul away. While waiting, he received a call for Joel saying RV PRO had sent him memos with repairs costs that included roof and pin box work. Holland said, "How can they possibly give repairs quotes when they haven't even removed the nose to inspect the pin box! I'm standing right here looking at my RV, and the nose is still intact - it hasn't been inspected, at all. They've had our home for three weeks and all we've gotten was motel room fees. If the roof and pin box aren't scheduled to be repaired, I can't safely tow my RV: these are my main concerns." Joel said the motel fees could be reimbursed, and he'd get back with RV PRO as soon as both men hung up their phones; letting Holland know something one way or the other, by the end of this week.

3 weeks of sitting & waiting; we planned to kidnap it, but the battery was run dead.

As we were leaving Vancouver, Holland received a phone call from RV PRO, assuring Holland that the roof and pin box would "most assuredly be  taken care of, as requested"; and telling Holland "the nose would be removed this week, inspected, and a notation sent off; I'm gonna call Joel right now." Holland then said, "Fine. I'll drive up towards the end of this week to see how things are progressing."

Holland was establishing a four week deadline. And I'm in agreement: this needs to get underway and wrapped up.

Hopefully a fire was kindled under RV PRO's butts, and things will start moving along.

When we got back to Woodland, the outside temperature was hot, so we let the day cool some, before Holland suggested a drive.

We took a drive around the backside of Woodland; Holland has fished the river here, and passed through jetting between jobs … and I had visited a Tulip Farm & a Lilac Garden solo lobo, a few years back; as well as passing through the backroads on my solo lobo drives to my Messianic Fellowship in Vancouver - and had done Winter Bazaars here for decades: but neither of us had ever actually explored Woodland, before today. Our individual ventures here were always with a specific destination in mind, and we never deviated from those destinations.

Today we broadened our recent explorations: and Holland gave me another peek into his Life :-)

Holland had spent a lot of past fishing hours here … and he shared this place (as well as the fishing stories) with me today.

Deep waters - 50 ft deep shoreline; 90 ft deep by the pylons.

Green Mountain in the distance - for decades I spent a lot of time driving backroads, up there.

Heat Wave on 'til tomorrow evening.

Back at the motel again, I dug into the food cache and tried something new:

Something new; it sounds interesting; soba noodles, beef bits, cabbage, cilantro … a definite repeat ;-)

Today was informative.

Today was filled with curiosity.

Today was fun.