Shuffling...

Shuffling through the day.  Feeling better, but still not quite good...husband says I may have malaria, when I told him I don't feel feverish anymore on the outside, but it's hot inside my head and my eyes hurt.  lol

The cough is lessening and I have a little more energy every day, with the help of some over the counter chemical concoctions. Slept very well last night. Everyone keeps telling me to go to the doctor and get antibiotics, but I try to not do that, as they affect me in more ways than they help.

  I have a big crockpot of chili going and have been cleaning my master bathroom. I'm only here while waiting for the floor to dry that I just mopped. It's a HUGE room, and gets so messy and dusty and I don't clean it nearly often enough, and for that I am penitent. I bought some new rugs for the floor in there and it seemed like the perfect time to clean. I have to go sit with my little lady at 2:30, so I'm running the clock here.

  Been conversing with family about the state of the BIL...everyone is worried and no one knows what to say or do. One sister said...You mean we have to wait for him to want to do this on his own ??!?!?!  lol   Yes, afraid so, I said.   Recovery, as we all know, is not for people who need it, but for people who want it.  

 ON the bright side, it's a glorious fall day here. The sun is shining, the skies are blue and it is dry, although they are talking about possible rain in the next night or two. We could use it, it's pretty dry out there. The colors are lovely and the trees are all shedding their leaves at an amazing rate of speed.

  Okay, the clock is ticking and I realize I haven't eaten anything yet today.. not a good thing. Hard to find an appetite though...

  Alrighty then...I am outta here and shuffling off to finish another day. Tomorrow: APPLESAUCE !!!

Namaste

Thursday night Musings

...it won't be long before the eagles come back....
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I started this last night, in the wee hours, after getting home from the speaker meeting, but it was stormy and the satellite signal kept going away. It was late and I was tired and finally ran out of patience and energy and went to bed. I had to get up early this morning to head to another meeting that I had agreed to chair. And now, I am home and ready to catch up...God willing. It's still very windy and brisk today...temps hovering around 60 and feeling like 40. Overcast and grey. I thought about coming home and mowing, but it looks ominous out there, so maybe I'll just focus on the house today. After I eat. lol

We had a good turnout for our little speaker meeting and chili potluck. Surprisingly enough, I only brought home about a quart of the 3 gallons or so of the white chili I made. More than half of the vegetarian black bean chili was eaten too. And there were 2 other regular chilis there as well. The speaker was a young dynamic woman who did a great job. A good time was had by all.

After everything was cleaned up and everyone gone home, I took my little sponsling who just lost her job out for coffee to the IHOP, where we talked for about 2 hours. She was heartened by the speaker as well as several other women who shared their ESH with her. She admitted she was glad I made her come. lol

I love the magic that happens in Alcoholics Anonymous. I love watching lives transformed, families reunited, and people recover from that soul sickness of addiction. I love that I get to carry a message of hope today and not live in the problems of life. One of the most enlightening things I ever learned was that I COULD change myself...even though I could not change you, or the world. That I could fit myself to be of service. That I could be a part of the world of recovery and be a productive member of the world again.

I am especially blessed to be sober today. When I think of all the things I balked at when I was new here, it makes me wonder how I ever hung around long enough to actually dry out.

God's got a deal for drunks that don't drink. It's really that simple.


Namaste.

Tuesdays in the country

[Leo de Catrio]

It was a long and busy day today. I just finished cleaning up the kitchen from supper and the remnants of the chili endeavor. Tomorrow afternoon I'll start the big batch...today I made a lovely white chili. It's made with cannelini beans and ground turkey, onions, garlic and chopped [mild]green chilis. The spices are breathtaking as well....cumin and oregano and cinnamon and of course, cayenne pepper and white pepper. Sea salt. It makes a great soup, and you puree about half the beans to thicken it and give it a rich full body. It is a little time consuming, but well worth it in the end. I made about 4 gallons of it, maybe a little more. Tomorrow the real chili gets made. I'm using about 20 pounds of ground beef and it should make my water bath canner full. That's probably the best pan I have for making it in. I'll make a batch or two of cornbread as well, and K's German Chocolate birthday cake.

Had a good day, all in all. A couple of phone calls, but mostly just me and the critters, here in the Peaceful Valley. lol We went outside and played for a bit, Caylee and Molly and Lucy and Junko Taibei. Caylee can only go out with an adult present, since the great escapade. Just until she's a little bigger and a little older. I did a little house straightening, a little chicken tending, and fed the cats and dogs. I worked on the story I'm writing some too.

These are the days when all the blessings are so obvious, I don't even feel like I have to write them down. The days when I feel confident and present and serene. The kind of day that you wake up with a 'thank you' on your lips.

I love the green of the grass and the golds and reds of the trees and the blue blues of the sky. I love the purring of my cats as they deign to honor me with their presence. I love that my husband and I are both sober and that no matter what, we are there for each other.

I am feeling especially blessed tonight. Off to bed...5 AM comes early.