GREENING, FLY-BY, SNOWFLAKES, & CANARY ISLAND DATE PALM; Shabbat~Coalinga-CA

Romanticize 💗 your life …

Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s yours 😘

I enjoyed a slow 🐢 morning 🌤 before Holland woke up:

Know your body's limitations - do what's comfortable for you; use support if needed, and limit reps if necessary.

Started a preemie gown & got about a third done, before a drive was suggested.

Around noon, he treated me to soft moments 🚘🏔️; he is meeting me half way 💎😉, & indulging me 😍 with my Shabbat Rest ✝️ 24-hour peaceful 🕊️ recharge break: pouring some sugar on me & shaking the sugar tree 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

CA-198 E from Coalinga-CA

A relaxing country drive in Coalinga's hill country; Holland explaining to me the ins & outs of the oil fields~Coalinga-CA

Metallica - Nothing else matter lyrics: 

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

Holland was right - it does seem magical how the landscape changes when the rains arrive.

The ranchers are bringing their cattle down from the hills to the valley, now.

The greened-up landscape is the same highway we traveled to Paso Robles-CA, during the dry season in October … when this pictures was taken.

We turned around here this afternoon, and headed back to Coalinga. Holland says the green rock probably has copper mineral in them. I always like seeing green colored rocks.

A crop duster; Avenal-CA

Christmas in Avenal-CA

Old World Santa, evergreens & snowflakes; Avenal-CA experiences 0 inches of snowfall.

Getting the Queen Treatment, today 😎💘

Canary Island Date Palm - the dates are edible; the In & Out Burger in Kettleman-CA

Zig-zagging our way home, on backroads.

Sun sliding towards sunset,  seen along highway~CA-193 & Avenal Turnoff Road-CA

Love where you are 💖💞

Shabbat Shalom!

Joshua Aaron & Shilo Ben Hod 🎶 JOYFUL JOYFUL in Hebrew & English 🔴 LIVE at the GARDEN TOMB, ISRAEL: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tQTF94793Q)

CHRISTMAS IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR; Coalinga-CA

Morning coffee and morning exercises: a good way to start the Day 😊

We need to walk daily, and we needed to go after bread; so Holland drove the loop drive 🚘 to Coalinga (up the freeway and country road back home); this is a long way to go & there is not much to see but various sizes of oil pump jacks along the Coalinga side of Hwy #198 - but I like it because it's quiet open country … it's greening up nicely following the recent rainfall. And I appreciate my husband's indulgence 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨😘

Loop Drive from W Jayne, up Freeway to #198 to Coalinga; and back to W Jayne.

Main Road to Coalinga off Freeway. I like this country drive.

Of course we always come home with more 🙄 than we went to the store for 💸, but at least we got our daily walk in 👌

Back home, purchases were put away in 'fridge & pantries, the fireplace was lit & the Christmas Box was pulled out of hiding 👍 and I spread a bit of Christmas joy around our humble abode … nothing fancy … just enough to be festive, laundry was done, and Holland's cousin Bruce called to say he'd arrived in CA - he and Holland made plans to get together 🤝 when Bruce's schedule loosens enough to set time aside to shoot the breeze for catch up chit chat. I hope it works out this time - they talk quite a bit on the phone, it's the face-to-face that is hit and miss.

Electric Fireplace - warmth & ambiance.

Bruce is in CA; plans being laid to meet up.

Garland hung & candy canes set out.

Garlands & beads, hung.

MOD Crochet plant pot cover made with sparkly holiday yarn.

I usually start getting my December Holiday stuff in place as soon as the Thanksgiving stuff is cleared away … but this year, I've been dragging my feet; the Grim Reaper has been making collections this year (me = a beloved friend, a younger brother, and a cousin; my husband = an older brother). It is hard to be merry & jolly when the heart is dealing with so much heaviness.

Holland must be needing a little of December's special vibes because he's all of a sudden going soft 💞 about Christmas - the other day actually suggesting "a little Christmas tree"; and tonight wanting a little more of Christmas vibe than I skimpily spread around throughout our small spaces. Hmmm: I like this ... I'm already thinking ahead 🧐 to what I can add to the Christmas Box ✅ for Christmas 2026 👏

I'm a snow baby, born December 29th; Christmas is my favorite time of year 😁

Country Christmas Albums...Plus!

But this year the December excitement has been tempered with losses 😔 - as well as gains 🦋 This Christmas 🎄, we'll spend some time on the introspective simplicity of reflective memories of those who have passed on; and work on ourselves 💝, enjoying each other 💖 & rediscovering the friendship ✌️ that got sidelined 🤦🏻‍♀️😒🤷‍♀️🤔 in the shuffle of melding 🥰 2 totally different lives into 1.

The month of December holds so much for me: my birth month, the month my life with Bob permanently ended … and the month Elohim blessed me with a new love. Where once sorrow reigned - hope now makes big gains.

There is something so blessed in December's special vibe, so tonight if you’re feeling stretched thin, tired, or a little heart bruised; I hope December's soft joy wraps around you like a warm blanket, and reminds you to walk gently with yourself - we are all doing the best we can with the cards we've been dealt, and grace goes a long way.

AUTOPEN SCANDAL~Victor Davis Hanson

Victor Davis Hanson: Biden’s Autopen Scandal Is the ‘Biggest Sham Perpetrated in My Life Time’: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mgpnFng0YU)

DECEMBER VIBES; Coalinga-CA

This morning we'd be driving 🚘 into Hanford to visit Holland's Uncle George ❤️, & cousin Brenda 😘 … then over to Hobby Lobby, where I'm hoping to find skeins of needed yarn to finish my WIP 🤞 - the black, red, yellow, & green won't be hard to find, but the pink ombre & sparkly white only shows up during the Fall & Winter holiday season: I hope there will be some left to snag.

Holland wasn't snapping the whip to be out of the house at dawn, so I had time to put some color on my face 😊

Temple Repair Kit.

Sparkly 'Highlight' eyelids; 'Sparkly Black' for upper liner, 'Green' for lower liner; 'Auburn' Brow Gel; 'Glam Brown' Mascara; 'Neutre Enflamme' Cheek Cream; & 'Cherry Flash' L'Oréal Lipgloss.

Neither the highway …

We reside in Fresno County-CA

Chill enough for a jacket, not cold enough for a heavy coat.

… nor the freeway were very busy, so we were able to make good time.

We will be shopping and visiting in Kings County-CA

We spent about an hour at George's, and around noon Brenda asked if we'd be staying for lunch: we both passed - with Holland saying, "Thanks, but I have to take Val over to the yarn barn …" & Brenda said, "What? Where's the Yarn Barn?" I started laughing, and said, "It's the Hobby Lobby store - but he calls it the yarn barn." And with laughter trailing, we parted with hugs all around.

I did get to Hobby Lobby - and left empty handed because the yarn aisles had significantly shrunk to 2; and those were pathetic offerings. So, Holland drove me across the way to Michaels Craft & Art Store, where I found skeins of black, red, yellow, & green; but again the pink ombre & sparkly white were nowhere in sight. When I climbed into Betsy's cab & saw Holland was struggling with pain, I said, "If I have to, I can just put this project aside until holiday yarn hits the shelves again next Fall. I have yarn for other projects to keep my busy." He said we'll be going back into Hanford again to take care of some 4x maintenance, and maybe I can find what I need at Wal*Mart there. Maybe.

An hour on the road every day doesn't bother me, and if that works best for Holland pain-wise, I'm 100% agreeable if that works for him: it’s not about doing it all in one fell swoop … it’s about finding peace in unhurried ways that make each day feel warm and whole. And, the back and forth drives can be counted as a getting out of the house activity for me 👌

Back home, the yarn was stashed until needed.

Yarn purchased at Michael's Craft Store in Hanford-CA~2/3rd's of what's needed.

And when I went online, I saw I had a PM waiting - I opened it … and couldn't believe what I was reading 😳 It was from a redheaded nutcase Bob & I had cut out of our life, 10 years ago. The angry tirade was inexcusable. The message was inappropriate. The unwanted intrusion was highly inflammatory. I debated for several minutes the best way to respond 🤔 How the heck was he able to jump my safety precautions? No one can access my FB Page without my consent - how was he able to tap my Page and harass me with his craziness? I could have shot an angry reply back at him. I could have singed his ears with the same intensity of the twisted PM. I could have reported him to the FB Team. Instead, I surprised myself by calmly erasing the crazy talk PM, and blocking him. He won't be able to jump that safety precaution.

Holland stretched out and napped for a while, and I worked a few muscles before starting supper:

Stepper = 3-5x week, 10-15 mins.; Toning exercises (with or without weights), 3-5x week, 10 to 15 min.; Cardio Mini Cycle = 5-7x week, 30-60 min.

Star Stretch Toe Touch Exercise = 10-12 repetitions of the standing star toe touch exercise per leg, for 2 to 3 sets

Back & Shoulder Toning = 2-3 sets of 8-15 repetitions, performing them 2-3 times a day or  3 times a week.

Assisted Chin Tuck = 8 to 10 repetitions, holding for about 5 seconds each, and can perform 3 to 4 sets per day.

As I was bustling around the kitchen, my husband shocked me by asking me if I wanted a little Christmas tree. What on earth? Christmas does not bring out warm and fuzzy feelings in him - he hasn't said anything about the little bit of Christmas I spread around the house … but I know he's not into the festivities, so I keep it light and sparse. All I can think of is the string of twinkle lights hung along the length of the kitchen push out, & lending December leftover vibes all year long when I plug them in, must be working on him, to loosen him up a bit. A little lit tree 🎄?

Not this year - but maybe next year 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

My husband just gave me a "WOW!" moment.

There’s something so special about living a quiet little life. Slow mornings, simple joys, and settled routines that bring us more happiness than we could have imagined.

Last night, I managed to finish that Clive Cussler book 📖 I've struggled 😑 to finish; so, tonight I'll start a new one - hopefully 🙏 this one won't be a hassle to get through:

HAPPINESS IS NOT LINEAR; Coalinga-CA

Today was a lazy Day; neither of us did very much beyond the bare minimum.

Holland napped off and on.

I snipped Minerva's spent flower stalk, worked on my WIP, and watched vintage movies.

I cut the spent Amaryllis stem back, with a hope & a prayer for new blossoms.

Watching this Hedy Lamarr movie today, from start to finish, was introspective: not because Holland & I struggle with the ailment behind the suggestion of the movie's backstory - it was introspective because it highlights that struggles are complex, and truthfulness can be tricky when there is a gamble involved.

It also highlights the dicey position of unconditional love - in the best of situations, love struggles to overlook and accept flaws we see clearly in others, and tend to ignore in our own lives.

Dishonored Lady ~1947: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBguxB2Fo10)

Thankfully, as the end of 2025 draws near, Holland has decided to stick tight despite his inner struggles. I'm glad. He really is a good guy, and we are good for each other 99% of the time. That truth is what keeps us together.

As our 3rd Anniversary approaches, we are finally getting down to building a solid foundation to establish a companiable Home, on.

We are working through our individual problems … together. It isn't easy because my husband still keeps secrets - and I insist on honest openness, & a spouse first relationship  policy. He is not used to openness; not because he is a male, but because the redmills are sketchy people engaged in sketchy behaviors. Behaviors he is ashamed of, yet behaviors he vehemently defends with 101 ridiculous excuses for ridiculous people. "Don't upset the family" & "take care of the family" is how he was raised, and he staunchly stands by that misguided creed. MPO is that it is not Holland's sole responsibility to sacrifice his own life's stability or happiness to keep shiftless, aimless, soul sick relatives afloat in their poisonous gene pool fed by a cultish religion that bears no healthy fruit; and is unrecognizable to actual Christians. And I'm fairly certain Elohim agrees with me. Holland disagrees with me - and Elohim's view of marriage: that makes our homelife difficult … even though he is sticking.

Holland insists on more submissiveness - and I admit I struggle with that. I am not used to handing the reins of my Life over to another so completely. Even Elohim allows me a fair amount of freedom to "come around" in my own time, in my own way. I am not used to an overbearing male, pickled to the -nth with exaggerated sense of machismo. I am understanding that this trait runs through both sides of his family tree; though the Harris branch is more relaxed in testosterone rush than the redmill branch.

The crux of our relational situation is that becoming who we are is not a steady, linear ascent into happiness: no one … and no healthy relationship, grows in one direction only.

When our lives get bigger, it expands outward.

We touch more.

We feel more.

We come to know more.

We tend to see more.

We become more.

The reality is that spicing 2 lives together to become 1, is not glamorous - real life marriages do not follow a lovey-dovey hollywood movie script. Real life marriages are not a 24/7/365 hollywood star cake walk. Real life marriages require diverging from the the well-worn path we know and have been comfortable treading. It will lead us to leave the safe trajectory of our well laid plans to risk everything, by trying anything that will bring a compatible balance.

The reality is that couples wanting to keep each other will blossom in the moments we are most convinced we are failing; and falling behind.

The reality is that when we are jolted awake by our own life's journey, we’re on the brink of a revolution. And the truth is that it won’t be easy, and it won’t be beautiful, but we’ll get to the other side and realize, that all along, there was a reason, there was a rhythm, there was a plan, there was a destination.

The reality of the situation is, as we come to find out, "it is what it is": and that realization gives us the freedom to enjoy the relationship we find ourselves in; it balances our expectations and gives us the blessedness of experiencing unconditional love … and that stabilizes our marriage.