THANKING ELOHIM FOR HIS GRACE; Castle Rock-WA

Thank Elohim for His grace that carried me through today.

Allergies were giving me a migraine this morning, so I prepped for our supper meal early, so all I had to do at suppertime was put it all together & slip it into the oven at 4 PM for an hour. Easy-peasy.

Allergies had my head pounding this morning, so I prepared early for supper's quick casserole meal …

CHICKEN & YELLOW RICE BAKE Recipe; Castle Rock-WA:  (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2026/06/chicken-yellow-rice-bake-recipe-castle.html)

When Holland got up, I told him my face hurt with allergy pressure pushing hard on live nerves & asking him not to hold it against me if I got testy sometimes through the day. The pressure was really painful.

And he was as good as gold all Day, being as quiet as a man can be (given that he is a man & can't help that; LOL) & saying he'd make supper if I wanted to pass the baton to him - but I said, "No & thank you; I appreciate the offer & you are a good guy for offering to step into the gap, but this is a new recipe I want to try - and everything is already ready to go when it comes time to pull it together and cook it."

He is a good guy.

And he's come a long way in relationship.

I do appreciate him - but I'm not going to take advantage: my face is sore, yes … but his knee is still really painful, and I know he'd be in big pain to make life easier for me. He has a consultation in 2 weeks for an injection procedure, & hopefully something will actually get done to relieve the inflammation & allow him some relaxing quality of life that does not wrap up with searing pain at Day's end.

We are both learning to be more compliant with each other's limitations.

Bob was always there for me: no matter what - I came to him with a lot of baggage he patiently unpacked while giving me lasting security, and unconditional love. He came to me with a lot of baggage too. We were both privately dealing with emotional & physical handicaps … but, together, we learned to lean on each other to ease the burdens and make room for healing.

Holland is learning what I learned from Bob: he's relaxing in the knowledge that I'm not going anywhere: we are married & I meant it when I said, "for better or for worse".  He is learning that leaning on each other does is not weakness, but rather, strength. He is relaxing in knowing that no matter what, we will weather the storms and we will grow deep roots. Together.

Childhood abandonment lasts a lifetime. It takes someone very special to wade those deep waters with you. It takes the joint effort of 2, to ford the rapids of life's hardships, handicaps, and disappointments & make it to the other side; with the satisfaction of knowing you've beat the odds, and pushed through the limitations.

He's a good guy - and I'm glad he's my guy.

Through my dining room window, I watched a little squirrel; and that redirection of focus took my focus off the face pain:

A furry little beggar showed up, this afternoon; Toutle River RV Resort, Castle Rock-WA

While I was watching the squirrel, Holland was cleaning his vest pockets and found yesterday's grocery shopping receipt, saying, "Hey Baby, I'm going to have to go back into town tomorrow - we were charged $25.85 for that head of lettuce we bought. I want to go into town and get that straightened out"; and I agree. It was a good size head of lettuce - but certainly not $25 worth

Yesterday's grocery shopping resulted in a pretty spendy head of lettuce.

And, I checked my FB Page, and saw that I had a private message from a lifetime friend. I am thankful for the friends I have been blessed with - I feel privileged to have every one of them in my life: they have been anchors of open-handed friendship, genuine lovingkindness, examples of real caring, prayer partners, & true God-sends that crossed my life's path & stuck around. They are love personified.

I watched Victor's podcast tonight - the topic was interesting. I love History, and I especially love American History focusing on our hard won independence:

The Untold Story of the Declaration of Independence | Victor Davis Hanson:  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGRv-d3ihq0)

Original writ for the Declaration of Independence~1776

Then, I tried to upload a recipe post for at least an hour before crying, "uncle!": I couldn't post to any Blog Hops tonight, because InLinkz is refusing to work with my Google Chrome; I hope this is a glitch that will get worked out speedily … I would really miss my Blogs that I share with - most of them I have been interacting with for at least 20 years, they are like family. I was able to post to Blog Hops since Sunday with no issues & I've done all that I know to do to rectify the situation tonight, but nothing seems to be working: so, I am going to stop giving myself a headache, & knock off for tonight. Hopefully tomorrow will be better, in that regard.

But tonight, I'm taking my pounding head upstairs to bed - early. Thankful for Elohim's grace that carried me today … praying tomorrow will dawn easier on my live nerves.

SOME DEATHS ARE CELEBRATED; Coalinga-CA

Yesterday, I got a morning phone call 📱❤️ asking, "Are you guys okay?"  I said we were, then I asked, "Why?" He said, "3 of my friends here, are in the hospital this month, dealing with life & death issues, so I thought I'd better call 🤔 & ask if you guys are okay!" I laughed at the way he said it, and assured him we were 🤗; and we enjoyed a good, 20-minute or so convo … but, we  are also mindful that we are [in "that" age group] where people tend to drop like flies. This has been a hard year of deaths (and impending deaths), across the friend & relatives spectrum - these deaths were not, and will not, be celebrated 😔

Speaking of flies: we are having a bit of fly issue here 😱 - as are several people 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Disgusting fly infestation … like ants; hard to track down & hard to eradicate. It just creeps me out.

We're doing what we can to safely get rid of them - and hoping that by the end of 20 days 🤞, they will have died and faded back into the Fly Hell 👇🏻 they came from. Holland has set out dish liquid & vinegar "bait traps" for them in at least 2 rooms … and we are using Flying Insect Raid, where it can safely be used while we are in-house.

This morning, when I got up, I saw that the traps have been working while we slept - this is a death scene I can celebrate with no guilt, whatsoever 👏

The soap & vinegar 'trap' is working … repeat process again, today.

So, I made a cup of Hazelnut flavored coffee ☕️, grabbed a plain donut 🍪, scrolled through a couple PM's 💻 - and saw that one of my last week posts ✍️📸 has been featured on another Blog …

My Amaryllis Post was featured on 1 of the Blog Hops …

I felt spry enough to engage in some low-key toning 💪 … and, because I'd been so exhausted with asthma flare-ups all week, Holland insisted I use  my fingertip monitor ⚕️ before getting busy with working up a little sweat:

Morning reading on my Fingertip Monitor; very good.

Oxygen level was great; & my heart rate was good, too.

March in place for 2-5 minutes to warm up; do 8–10 twists per side for 2–3 sets; perform 20-30 arm circles each way, in both directions~Mini Stepper also put into action = 2–3 times a week for 10–15 minutes.

I like the Darebee exercises: this Darebee Whirlwind exercise routine falls into the cardio category. It is designed to improve cardiovascular fitness and aerobic capacity without exhausting your energy - which is good for people like me who (even if we downplay the limitations that directly affect of life experiences) have physical limitations that seriously deplete our physical energy = mine, is asthma & angina. So, I tone my body with exercises that will give me the results I desire without draining my limited energy battery.

The mini stepper home exerciser effectively replicates stair climbing. It simulates the motion of climbing stairs, engaging the leg muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves: for people with healthy joints, mini steppers offer a low-impact cardiovascular workout that engages lower body muscles without the harshness of high-impact activities like running - the stair climber's weight-bearing nature also improves bone density while toning and shaping the legs and glutes … it also contributing to cardiovascular fitness and calorie burning.

You should start using a stepper 2–3 times a week for 10–15 minutes; the ideal frequency depends on your individual fitness goals, current activity level, and how your body responds, so listen to your body and adjust as needed. Listen to Your Body: if you feel intense knee pain while using a mini stepper, stop immediately.

If you choose to use a mini stepper in your home exercise routines, opt for a regular mini stepper with a direct up-and-down motion rather than a fancy twist stepper if you are concerned about joint stress.

When I was a young wife & mother, I did morning exercises with the #1 Exercise Guru, Jack Lalanne - almost religiously; it was fun, and Jack was entertaining. I missed him when he retired from his TV show; when he died in 2011, I felt his death as if I had truly lost a friend - Holland just remembers him from his juicer TV advertisements:

Always a good 'age' standard - no matter the decade ;-)

Jack Lalanne Dead at 96: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL0nupqVjUc)

Tonight, we enjoyed steamed supper fare 🥗🥩

Supper. 

STEAMED SIRLOIN & VEGGIES~DIY Montreal Steak Seasoning w-Fennel:  (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2026/01/steamed-sirloin-veggiesdiy-montreal.html)

After supper, I worked some more on my current WIP … and finally started a new Clive Cussler novel 📚

The other day, when WIFI 🌐 went missing during the rain storm 💧, I finally finished that Clive Cussler novel 📖 I started waaay back in August 📅 - while we were sitting in Ocean Park-WA. Normally, I will finish a Clive Cussler novel very quickly. But, lately, I have to admit that I have found it hard to get into a book since starting crochet projects, months ago. Quiet times that would in the past have been spent absorbed in the pages of a book are also valuable crochet times needed during pressing days: it has been so freaking cold and wet here in [sunny] calimexarabia, that we need the over-size afghan I have designed & am working on, hit-&-miss … hit-&-miss, because my phone started lighting up with responses 📱 to the queries I sent out months ago, so I needed to get busy working up 2 boxes 🎁 of promised preemie baby clothing designs (this last box still needs to be ferried to Hanford, before we pull stakes here). I enjoy making those little tiny things.

I also enjoy warmth upstairs to stave off the bone aching chill, when we go to bed - so, I am glad to get back at it.

MOD Afghan design; Coalinga-CA

I had put the afghan aside, and worked quickly & practically non-stop on the baby items ✨ because every month 📅, we had thought to pack up and move to warmer climate 🚘🗺️ - even If the dust devils would be a bother. But, the month of November unleashed hellish floods in every region 😳 we had planned to travel through 😒; even where we had planned to set Independence up 🤔: so, we stayed put 🙏 And the unfinished afghan waited, while we waited to see if, when, and how the flooding would recede … and how we could progress forward. All travel access to Quartzsite-AZ is pretty much blocked off by flood damage that lifted blacktop off roadways, where landslides bypassed - dumping their muddy messes elsewhere along the travel roadways: repairs were sidelined by crazy storm patterns 😬 that seriously hampered everyone's holiday travel, much needed road repairs, as well as lengthy orchard harvest delays. Holland's Colorado cousin can't even get his bees into the orchards 🍯🐝; because they are lethargic almost to the point of hibernation in this cold snap blowing through.

Bruce will be coming here from Colorado on the 17th - and Brenda's funeral will be in Kingsburg-CA, on the 23rd: it's not clear if we will be attending, or not - that is Holland's call to make, and he's undecided at the moment. There are valid reasons for the indecision - mainly his pain level & how that will be affected by the long drive and lengthy standing/walking around, as gathering cousins visit and comfort one another. Funerals stretch into hours and he's debating the desire to go with the certainty if a burning pain fallout that will follow. Whether he goes or not, death will not be celebrated 💔 - but Brenda's Life, will be 💓

But, for tonight: I'm going to be avoiding the disgusting fly frenzy 🤦🏻‍♀️ (and gleefully celebrate their deaths 👏👍 when morning dawns), rest my hands after 20 pattern rows worked, & be tucked into bed with Clive 🛌📖; enjoying some down time and aiming towards ✔️ having that afghan finished and on our bed by this month's end.

WAITING ON ELOHIM'S TIMING; Ocean Park-WA

The Simpson Family - 'In God's Perfect Time' song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0VOD3j06eI)

August 6th: The Day dawned cold and wet, here in Ocean Park-WA …

We were still waiting.

Praying 🙏

LIMBO~Scott Continued; Ocean Park-WA: (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2025/08/limboscott-continued-ocean-park-wa.html)

Anticipating.

Trusting in Elohim's perfect timing.

Hoping.

When there was a break in the weather, Holland drove to the Park Office to collect the box waiting for us there:

This love gift (ordered for me by my loving husband) was stored away until Winter Holiday time; it was ordered now because we have a physical address here for shipping and receiving.

Phone calls & texts flew back and forth from 9 AM 'til 3:55 PM:

Phone tag with various family members, was touch-n-go.

And then the call came that no one wanted to make - and no one wanted to receive 💔😪

I gave Holland some space to adjust his thoughts, feel the pain, and relax his heart, body, and mind. The past several days have been very hard for  him - and it hurt my heart to watch him struggle with the suffering 💕😢

I went on FB to thank my friends who have been holding us up in prayer; they are good friends ☝️❤️🤝 They are loving friends. I am fortunate, and very grateful to have them in my Life:

{{Thank you all for praying with … and for … us, and Scott's family. Your prayers were much appreciated and helped a lot in bearing this hard situation.

Scott's spirit is no longer this side of the blue. Holland & I both prayed that Yeshua was ministering to his spirit in that in-between time, and that Scott's spirit was receptive.

As I think on this, a {knowing} thought popped into my head, and I told Holland, "I believe Scott made it - I know in my spirit that he made it: the songs that came to mind after the first hospital visit a few days ago, were the exact same songs that were the ones that came to soothe me when Bob' spirit left Earth. And there was a new one, too, that I don't think I've heard before. A song by Jars of Clay. The lyrics were about resting in the Father's arms. These are confirmation songs Holland. I watched Bob's spirit leave his body; I know where his spirit lives … you prayed that Scott would not leave this Earth like your other siblings did, in the death grip of overdose - we both believed that Yeshua would minister to Scott's spirit and extend saving grace to him. The Psalm 91 passage you read at Scott's bedside yesterday, was the same exact passage of scripture that Elohim gave to Bob in 1981 after he died his 2nd death and came home to recover … it is the same exact scripture I quoted over laying Bob's cremains to rest in Eden Valley, on his BD, in 2019. These are confirmations. I believe that Scott will be waiting for us on the other side. You can rest easy tonight knowing he made it."

Holland is a strong man, but seeing his older brother laying in ICU hooked up to just about everything there was to hook him up to; just about did him in. He broke down at Scott's bedside and honestly declared war on the devil fighting for Scott. Holland grabbed his brother's hand and said, "I speak Life over you! You WILL LIVE and not die! You are not leaving here like the other's did - you will live and NOT die."

Yesterday, when we arrived at the hospital, Holland slid right into witnessing mode - I was momentarily surprised because Holland never presses anyone; especially when it comes to salvation necessity (I'm the fire & brimstone, he's the live & let live & don't get involved). Then, I was proud of him 👏😁 because it means he is letting go & letting Elohim work through him 😘}}

Life does come out of death.

In Elohim's perfect time.

My husband's older brother, Scott & his SIL, Lana.

Scott & Lana, with their son Jake - and his twins sons: dark-haired Jacob, & red-haired Levi.

This song showed up on FB a couple days ago … and wouldn't stay out of my thoughts, or off my lips -

Jars of Clay - 'All My Tears' song: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ic0Xx8hHvs&list=RD-ic0Xx8hHvs&start_radio=1)

This song is a song of deliverance. A particular favorite of mine - it's even underlined in my Bible …

Matthew Ward - 'Psalm 61' song: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM3zOBd3s5A&list=RDwM3zOBd3s5A&start_radio=1)

I bought this LP a year before Bob died his 2nd death … and then it was the only LP Bob listened to for about 6 months the Fall & Winter of 2018, following his miraculous resurrection and recoup at home. This song Bob claimed as his own testimonial song. It is the song I was singing in my head while speaking the Bible passage at his Celebration of Life gathering:

Maranatha! - 'Because He Has Loved Me (Psalm 91)' song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfm7vndIm2s&list=RDdfm7vndIm2s&start_radio=1)

This song kept running through my mind 2 nights ago, while cooking bacon for supper. And it never stopped until 3:55 PM this afternoon - 

Trace Adkins - 'Wayfaring Stranger' song: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPpV1Wcsgk0&list=RDiPpV1Wcsgk0&start_radio=1)

This song popped into my thoughts while I was making the bed yesterday, after we got back home. Also, first thing this morning:

Emmylou Harris - 'Beyond The Blue' song: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKY99siT8Qc)

Scott's passing is not the only grief we've known in our lives: we have both been through the mill several times over. We are survivors - we learned the hard way how to thrive. We cry … and we move forward. It's the only way we know to live this Life Elohim grants us, to it's fullest.

Holland & I ate a light supper …

Val's 4Patriots Mac, Cheese & Spam Hot Pot for 2: (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2025/08/vals-4patriots-mac-cheese-spam-hot-pot.html)

… and are now focused on just praying whatever Elohim has for us in the near future.

Relying on Elohim's perfect timing - it can be trusted even if it doesn't match up with what we think it should. He knows best what is best for us, in the long haul.

Of that, we can be sure of.

FOCUS; Ocean Park-WA

July 2nd: Holland's goal today, was to get the little generator working off propane, again - we have had success with it before, but for some reason it will only work using gas … and even then, it sputters. So, today he and David will put their heads together over it and see what can be done 🙏

Guy Day; leaving with a hope & a prayer that this flakey thing will get sorted to fire up on propane - the reason we bought it.

Holland wants it running on propane when we leave here in a month, or so 🤞

As soon as he aimed Betsy's nose towards Long Beach, I got busy too: the laundry needed done, and the dust bunnies needed to be rounded up and laid to rest 😉

Bed made, first load of laundry sorted and spinning in the washing machine, and dust bunnies collected and dispatched to the trash bin … I got busy with self-care business:

Today's 'Supper'.

I had just finished my cup of soup, when my husband arrived back home.

And he had good news to share with me - they had found the problem and solved it 🤠👍😁

SUCCESS! Yippie 😊

I finished up the last few loads of laundry with a smile, and feeling blessed ❤️

Divine appointments that led to mingled laundry is a blessing in both of our lives; such a small thing that means a lot.

Evanescence - 'Bring Me To Life' Lyrics: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn7Y2dSUIrY)

The bird of paradise is happily roosting in our domesticated nest - and we are both thanking Elohim for His faithfulness, as we work out our differences 🦋👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨 and learn patience 🕊️