SUNDAY~FUNDAY IN TWO COUNTIES-WA

August 11th: I woke up this morning, to hear Holland say, "I think my Baby needs a day out … how about we go see if we can find that spot across the river you've been hankering to check out?"

YOU BET!

I was out of bed, and dressed in a heart-beat :-)

Our exploration adventure started in Ridgefield - one freeway exit up the road.

Clark County.

This exploration adventure is Holland's idea ;-)

Holland had guessed that today's destination was somewhere behind the Ilani Casino-Resort (long a-lynn-long a); so, that's where we went.

A cute little windmill, on a back country road.

Sunny days bring out the old vintage cars …

Ford Model T: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Model_T)

This has got to be the right road...

FOUND IT! It was exactly where Holland said it would be, the other night when we drove by it along the Woodland Dike Road.

Pekin Ferry, Ridgefield-WA from Woodland-WA; 8 min (5.8 mi) via I-5 S

We are usually looking at this place … across the Lewis River, on the road directly across from it; when we drive one of our nightly river loop drives in Woodland-WA

We could never get Independence down that road - but, at least now {we know} ;-)

Holland could 'do it' - but it would be very tricky. We both agree that it probably wouldn't be wise to rise to the challenge.

When we left Ridgefield, Holland surprised me by extending the out-of-house drive :-)

He drove to Amboy-WA, on a road I'd never been on before - I have been to Amboy many times over the decades & I have driven myself to Amboy before Holland and I were "a thing".

Even though this new route tied into Chelatchie & Yale, I had never been on the route Holland drove.

I don't think Holland had been on this particular route, either. We were trying out the new Garmin GPS.

I love new adventures :-D

When we got to Amboy, I recognized the landmarks, and asked him if we could take a side road because I wanted to show him the ancient volcanic cinder cone - he agreed.

Back on the main thoroughfare, I kept mum on what lay ahead: a skinny bridge, and miles of winding switch-back roads. I wanted the bridge to be a surprise when he came to it (and if Betsy was too wide for it, he'd turn back); the snaky road ahead - over the bridge - couldn't be avoided; and I was hoping we wouldn't turn back.

I like this drive and have been missing it: being on it today, was an actual answer to prayer.

So, this brat (moi) kept quiet ;-)

And everything worked out just fine :-D

Holland is surprising me with an extended country drive - YAY!

Amboy-WA from Pekin Ferry-WA; 29 min (17.4 mi) via NE Lockwood Creek Rd

Ancient Cinder Cone in Chelatchie, WA - an old friend; across from Amboy Ranger Station.

Tumtum Mountain: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumtum_Mountain)

Yale Suspension Bridge; State Route 503 Spanning Lewis River, Yale-WA

Yale Suspension Bridge~12 pics, following each other:  (https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.wa0439.photos/?sp=1)

And the Sunday~Funday just kept unfolding with loving intentions.

It was clear I was being spoiled … and because I am a Queen, and not a princess, I was profuse in my praising acceptance of the loving Kingly surprises ;-)

We were now passing from Clark County, back into Cowlitz County.

We got to Cougar (and I was expecting a quick hot hog & coke lunch = road food), when a new idea was formed: pizza at Eagle Cliff :-)

(((Oh, yeah!)))

A nice long drive, and food I have been trying to get Holland to spend money on for weeks, because I know he likes it & is missing it: Holland hasn't enjoyed pizza since Quartzsite-AZ, last year … it was time :-D

Road work was still going on (we never see crews, but the machinery and horrible road tear ups are very present); we could see where cars have scraped their bottoms passing through the deep-drop road top removals :-(

My husband IS 'a good guy' - BONUS, all the way around ;-)

Road work still going on, on this mountain road - slowly; the teeth rattling road top drop-offs, are 6-in & deeper … like dropping the tires off a steep curb.

DEEP, and bone-jarring painful, road tear drop-off's.

Both our stomachs were growling by the time we reached 'The Pizza Place' at Eagle Cliff: Gifford National Forest Rd. 90 Mile Post 16.1; #NF-90, Cougar, WA (360) 558-1431

Eagle Cliff Campground: 

(https://www.eaglecliffcamp.com/)

Eagle Cliff, Cougar-WA from Amboy-WA; 54 min (35.0 mi) via WA-503 N and NF-90

When I saw this dog, & I thought it was 'an oversized Beagle'; but Holland said 'Hound Dog'; I'd never seen one before.

AND … of course, Holland parked right in front of the sign ;-)

The Crystals - 'He's a Rebel'~1962): 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_SXJ18EkNw)

We decided to backtrack down the road a bit, and eat our pizza where we could enjoy the quiet buzz of nature all around us … and I ate more than my usual 2 or 3 pieces of pizza (the main reason Holland hasn't bought a pizza before this afternoon = there is no room for left-overs in the RV, or motel, fridges'): today was different - there wasn't any left by the time we pointed Betsy's nose back towards Woodland ;-)

Woodland straddles both, Cowlitz & Clark Counties.

Pizza was a 15" pie; tasty, and priced right: I can't remember the last time I had a good pizza for $20.

Song of the Trees; Eagle Cliff, Cougar-WA

A full tank of fuel … and a country road; and I'm yours for life ;-)

Woodland-WA from Eagle Cliff-WA; 1 hr. 8 min (47.5 mi) via Lewis River Rd

Today was as perfect as an Earth day can be.

I love spending time with (and being loved by) my King Bee ;-)

muslim FEMALE PRETENDER FILES OFFICIAL COMPLAINTS SUITS

This is NOT a woman … in ANY sense of the meaning: HE looks like a man, acts like a man, and in the moment is behaving exactly LIKE A MAN.

Mental Illness is a brain misfunction, not a physical thing: HE can believe whatever HE wants to believe, but fantasy is NOT Reality.

"Elevated Testosterone" is A MALE CONDITION.

The boxing matches were serious unbalanced = UNFAIR.

In reality, a man was being pitted against women in a purely politically generated program. It's shameful!

If he thinks submitting to an Olympic Games genitals examination is degrading, wait until those he is suing, start demanding he submit to their doctors' examinations while filing suit.

imane khelif files official complaint after winning gold medal: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxing/imane-khelif-olympics-official-complaint-33438678

This person is just another muslim doing what muslims do best: misbehave and grab any and all monies they think they deserve.

The "greatest stain on the Olympics" is that this MAN was allowed to beat on several women - and be cheered on by crowds drunk on blood lust!

And the men in this video are laughing and saying that "-- testosterone is {high enough} that -- could have killed the woman" - "can train like a man, and can beat up many, many men - including me! hahahah": NOT A LAUGHING MATTER.

Hormone Specialist explains the Controversy: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGDY31jyFrw)

Also, the mention of this man's "condition" comparison to asthma … I have asthma, and even after using my inhaler, I cannot run a relay, or a foot race! It's ludicrous.

"Technically speaking" this shameless muslim boxer is a hermaphrodite (I posted on this issue in a previous post on this topic) - this muslim IS MALE in physical and mental characteristics: MALE muscle mass, MALE facial features, MALE physical features, MALE attitude & behavior, train like a MALE, throw a punch like a MALE … NO monthly period due to the testosterone levels, NO soft muscle tissue or facial features, NO breasts (not even nubs!), and NO conscious: and should NOT be competing against females.

Period (no pun intended).

SHAME! SHAME! SHAME on a world that allows this ridiculousness.

WILDFLOWER~2024

August 10th: I've lived with Holland for 19 months - I can gauge his moods pretty well, now: and he's learned that I can give as good as I get, and still stay rooted ;-)

Holland has a short fuse (I do too, but his is a whole lot shorter than mine) … and when he's frustrated, he says a lot he doesn't mean: he's just blowing off steam. And I give him a wide berth until his temper cools down: I learned he cools off quicker if I go mute (I go into another room, or I go for a drive). He will never physically hurt me, but his barbed words can cut deep; sometimes they are hard to forget.

And he's always sorry about an hour later.

When I blow my fuse, I really do mean what comes out of my mouth … so, I run my fuse a little longer before the explosion occurs. But once someone has lit that fuse, my forgiveness recovery time takes about a day or two, before I'm ready to accept an apology.

I deliberately drag out the 'welcome back into my life', because I don't want him to think he can keep hurting me with far flung barbed words and saying he's sorry - I know he really is sorry, but I want a change in character, and behavior, that comes with the sorry.

I want him to stop thinking he knows better than I do what's best for me. I married him knowing he has health issues, and physical limitations: I am not blind or stupid. I fell in love with him - I was not looking for supplemental income (didn't need it, I was doing fine by myself with my income), or a stud muffin hunk (who needs the attitude that comes with that? Not me!); and it really makes me mad when his, 'I want a divorce!' verbal hurls center around those two meaningless (to my way of thinking) issues. If, as he imagines, I {deserve better}; I would have stayed a solo lobo and avoided all of it.

He's {hunky} enough for me; and in this case MY opinion is the only one, he should be focusing on.

He is a "big deal" to me: no one else on Earth, can fill my Life, like HE does.

He does not know better than I do, about {what is best} for me.

Especially when he is in a black mood.

Wildflowers are hardy plants that thrive in adverse circumstances; all my life, I’ve suffered adverse circumstances and attitude tempests that seem to center around love relationships - parental, siblings, marriage, children, grandchildren …

Apparently Elohim thinks I'm badass enough to weather the storms looming on the horizons of my continual evolving Life, without being seriously harmed or damaged too much.

I have learned throughout my life seasons, that everyone suffers tragedy at some point in their life; you can either wail, wring your hands and let tragedy overwhelm you … or, you can dry your eyes, determine to live despite the sorrow, and thrive in spite of it all.

So I thrive: I do not want to disappoint Elohim ;-)

I am a wildflower.

Tom Petty - 'Wildflowers' w-Lyrics: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRKS8Nd-SjA)

While watching the river this afternoon … at Austin Point, and later at Martin's Bluff beachfront.

Is the tugboat leading - or tugging on the trailing ship 'Pacific Honor'? Pacific Honor is a bulk cargo ship built in 2011, flying the flag of Portugal; home port is Maderia, an autonomous region of Portugal - an archipelago comprising 4 islands off the northwest coast of Africa. It is known for its namesake wine and warm, subtropical climate. The main island of Madeira is volcanic, green and rugged, with high cliffs, pebbly beaches and settlements on deltas of the Fajã River.

A following tug to help where ever the ship sets up; this is the first tug of it's kind I've ever seen, but I know what it is used for ;-)

White Egrets in a hay field; a white egret is a symbol of good fortune, prosperity, new beginnings, wealth, and wisdom. I can embrace behind those sentiments ;-)

White Egret; Internet Pic: 

(https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/how-to-identify-white-herons-excerpt-from-better-birding-book/)

Martin's Bluff beachfront; Woodland-WA

Crumbly gypsum, used for sheetrock wallboard; & drywall mud, used for plaster work; Holland's line of work before he retired.

While we sat and watched river activity, we discussed how much time we both wasted on anger, this past year.

Our honeymoon year, for Pete's sake; a year that should have been blissfully happy, was overshadowed by bad behavior coming from both of us; he'd start it, and I'd finish it - it was a constant stinging fireworks display :-(

Holland said, "Yeah, I guess I do have a short fuse - it was a lot shorter when I was younger, but at this age I try to rein it in because high blood pressure will lead to stroke, or heart attack; and you said the other day that you want me to stick around for a long time to come". Then, he shot me his killer sexy smile, and I said, "So, now that we have that situation understood, next time you pop a vein and announce, 'I can't take anymore - I want a divorce!'; I won't shoot you a fiery response... I'll just get busy with a yarn project, smile sweetly, and say, 'We're having pot roast for Supper tonight - do you want potatoes, or yams?'"

Then, we laughed.

It felt good to laugh. We know in our hearts, that neither one of us is going anywhere.

Today was also a day of growth and moving forward progress.

We are only going to focus on the good things :-)

We both like things to flow smoothly.

Things work better for our Life if there are no snafus to wade through - now that the issues have been sorted, and we are moving forward together … things can only get better :-D

AUGUST; Abernathy-WA

Yesterday we drove out Abernathy Road to a shooting area,  there.

Abernathy-WA from Woodland-WA; 47 min (38.7 mi) via I-5 N

Holland is a gun enthusiast and he likes to burn off energy, and shut out the world's stress & nonsense when he's firing off shots; and it's been a while since I could be considered Annie Oakley.

So, when Holland suggested we go, I was happy to go :-)

When we parked, I told him that I was glad to be doing this. I was glad he is in my life, keeping me activated and engaging fully with life.

Especially this month.

I said, "I'm glad you suggested this today Holland. August has always been a hard month for me to get through since Bob graduated to beyond the clouds - August is a month that holds most of my life in it, and I generally check out the entire month: but, I haven't cried at all in August since 2022. I'm glad you are in my life."

He chuckled, and asked, "Are you sure? Even with everything I put you through?"

I replied: "I've never been so sure of anything in my Life. August was my Anniversary month; I got pregnant real quick in 1974 after Bob slipped that gold band on my finger - because I refused to use birth control pills, we were both pretty sure Stacey was on her way into our lives before August rolled in September; in 2018 Bob went into ER the end of August, on his Birthday which was 3 days after our anniversary day; and the next year when his birth day arrived, I ferried his cremains to Eden Valley to be placed in a family plot, in the family cemetery there. I have shed tears of joy, happiness, and sorrow in every single August since I was 17 years old … until Elohim placed you in my Life 2 years ago, Holland."

"I think that was October, right? Jake was holding a Revival at Oak Point, and you and Crystal were sitting on the bench along the back wall. Until that night, I had successfully been ignoring Elohim's prod - but that changed when I heard you burst out laughing. When I turned towards the laughter, it was like a bright neon arrow sign was lit up over your head, and Elohim whispered to my heart: "This is the man I have chosen for you". 

"I don't know what was so special about you that night - you looked the same as every other time I'd seen you. Maybe it was the laughter, that was the first time I'd ever actually heard you laugh. I liked the sound of it. Maybe it was the way you were so relaxed, with your arm across the bench back, and your left leg crossed over your right knee in such a masculine way: I don't know. All I know is that it appealed to me, and I was paying attention that night after ignoring all your flirtations leading up to this night - and you weren't even focusing on me, that night. You were talking and laughing with your cousin. I went home a different person, that night because Elohim was opening my eyes, my ears, and working a new feeling in me."

"My tears dried up that night … but they hit again when you shot me that text a few weeks later, in November telling me what you felt for me; I found a place to pull over, and I let the tears flow until there were no more because I knew I would never cry about the loss of Bob in my life ever again. My life would never be the same because Elohim was shaping a new life for me. Tears of loss stopped with that text. And my heart was making room for new love in it."

Etta James - 'At Last' lyrics: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtZ-IgUjALo)

"I only cry tears of frustration now, when you are in a poor-pitiful-me, mean mood; you can be pretty mean … but I haven't cried tears of heartbreak loss in the August's that you have been in my life … and I haven't shut down, or shut you out, when August rolls around. I stay present, and focused: for the most part, you're good for me Holland."

The whole time I had been talking, Holland had been resting his left forearm on the steering wheel, and gazing out the windshield … and hearing me.

When I finished talking he turned to me, and he said, "I was married in the month of August, too; the 22nd, I think. It was so long ago." I said, "I married the first time, on the 27th. I don't think it's coincidental that our lives have always dove-tailed in a weird parallel fashion - month events, camping spots, grocery stores, fellowships, ect … all those years you were looking for me, patiently waiting for me to show up & we probably passed right by each other without realizing it; yet we never met face to face until the time was right. When my life needed you most, Elohim put you right in front of me - and made sure I got the message you held in your heart for decades."

Then we smiled an easy smile across the console between us before we slipped our ear plugs in, and collected our hardware and ammunition for a little sport shooting: I need to get more comfortable with handling the wedding present I received from my new husband - we spent about an hour shooting at various targets, and Holland showed me some things I need to know about how to work the slide & load the clip (he's been doing this for me, but I insisted today that I do it).

The day was pleasantly warm with a light, cool breeze. The forest was peaceful, even though there was some brief traffic. One guy pulled up alongside us laughing and said, "You must have been right behind me - I was just here in this spot about 10 minutes ago." Then he gave us a thumb up, and drove on. Guys get so excited about shooting exercises - strangers seem to find a fast friend in range areas.

When we left, I said I'd like to practice more often while we are still in WA, I'd like to visit shooting ranges on the road … and I need to learn how to break my compact Taurus GX4 down & clean it, too. Aside from being fun to target shoot, the reality is that the demonrats have made America a seriously dangerous place to live in the moment. I need to be able to meet trouble if it comes my way, I need to be able to competently cover Holland if a situation gets dicey; and I need to keep my gift in tip-top shape.

And so, sharing an enjoyable activity, as well as memories of August past that kick-started our individual lives 'back when' … it seems only fair that this August, at this time in our Life, should be the month that kick-starts this marriage too, with a fresh start :-)

I'm so glad we're back on track.