A Satiated Saturday

[A Japanese Garden in Decatur.]


Too blessed to be Stressed.

~~So grateful for:

*A cozy evening at home with my husband
*A full stomach
*Windchimes on my porch that are tuned to the key of D
*Getting to listen to 2 relapsers who were struck drunk yesterday
*Knowing that if I do a few simple things, it won't have to happen to me
*The planning stages of the spring Gathering in June
*1 week old kittens who are fat as a tick
*The sunsets we have been enjoying, all purple and red and gold
*The awesome creation I see all around me
*Friends (You know who you are!)
*Being able to live, love and laugh
*For a nice soft bed to jump into--NOW!

Namaste.

Fri-da-licious-Friday

[A Basket of Cat}

A long day, and I should be heading to bed, as I have to be up early. I am chairing the meeting at 10 Am, so I have to be there by 9 to set up, so I have to get up by 7:30 so that I can make breakfast and get dressed and drive the half hour to get there. Grandson is here spending the night...he fell asleep watching a movie at about 7:45. That means he'll be up at zero dark thirty. And he MUST have scrambled eggs and toast for his breakfast! lol He loves the idea of eating eggs that he carried in from the henhouse.

We had a lovely, though short day. When I picked him up, he said that he was hungry. I got him right off the school bus. He said that his dad is drinking again, and that last night he drank so much he passed out in the floor. When the youngster woke up this morning, he was still there. He said that after his dad passed out last night, he dumped all his beer down the sink and threw away all the cans. I guess he had a hard time getting him to wake up this morning, and he needed to eat a good breakfast because they had to take the ISAT's today. He was afraid he was going to miss school.

I watch this sweet boy and think-dammit! he shouldn't be having to play the punishing parent with this guy. He said his dad gets mad all the time and yells at him when he drinks. And he said he told him that if he didn't quit the drinking, he wasn't going to stay with him anymore. I hate what alcoholism does to our children.

It's been a gorgeous day with temperatures in the low 80's...almost breaking a record set in 1956. Miss Caylee found the pond and has been throwing herself in it all day. I watched her come tearing through the back yard and fling herself into the water with reckless abandon. With a look of total and complete ecstacy on her little dog face. lol We can learn so much from our animal companions.

I have had so many opportunities today to be so filled with gratitude--I love it when I don't have to work too hard to find the beauty in my world. There have been so many things, from a beautiful sunrise, to a gaggle of Canadian geese out on the pond, to the cacophony of frogs down by the springs. From a kind word by a stranger, to the sight of a freaky young man helping his grandmother get out of the car, to the look on my husband's face when we tricked him about something tonight. From the sounds emanating from the new kitty box as the week old babies squirm and vie for the best feeding position, to watching my little dog run at breakneck speed around the house, after I thought she might never walk again. From watching my sick kitty recuperate with the magic of antibiotics, to reading my favorite bloggers and hearing what's going on in their worlds.

Especially blessed by the mundane routines of my life. Especially blessed by friendships near and far. Especially blessed to be here, now.

Namaste.

Th-Th-Th-Thursday

And what a Thursday it was! 65 degrees here in the heartland, with promises of low 70's the rest of the weekend. Unbelievable...

My darling grandson is coming to spend the night on Friday and will be here through Sunday. We have such fun...and he gets his animal fix. He is so excited about the new kittens he can barely speak. lol He called me on Monday and said he didn't have school because it was a holiday for some guy. Cashmere Sweater. No, wait. Not Sweater, he said, giggling. Some Polish guy. Turns out it is Casimir Pulaski and it's got something to do with the Revolutionary War. Seems that the holiday came about because Chicago has the largest Polish population outside of Poland, and this guy was some big deal. Anyway, clown boy had me laughing...

Things are quiet here right now, the way I like it. Doggies are outside doing their final business before retiring for the nmight. Sick kitten is much better and having been thoroughly medicated for the night, has curled up on the ottoman. Assorted and sundry cats are napping wherever they please, and one little mama kat is making her babies cry as she settles down in the box to feed them. I pulled the little yellow guy out today, and he is fat as a tick. So, they seem to be eating well and healthy.

I am ready for sleep, lots of minor chores for tomorrow before going to pick up angel-boy at 3:15.

I was playing some really beautiful Native flute music today by Carlos Nakei...it soothed my soul, as native flutes always do. I'm grateful to have a spirit to comfort. And grateful to be able to sit and listen to great music.

Sweetest of dreams, all....

Namaste.

Wacky Wednesday

And thank goodness it's almost over. LOL

On the bright side, I found 2 pairs of jeans for hubby

at Goodwill, nice ones, Eddie Bauer, for 4 bucks a pair. Woohoo! They make great work jeans and it doesn't matter so much that they get all funky from making pipe. I also found one pair for me and a pair of almost new capris (almost time for those!!-today was 55 and tomorrow is gonna be 65!!) and a T shirt for hubby, and spent less than twenty dollars all together. I am ALL about the bargains, baby...

And I know what you're thinking....laa-dee-frickin'--da. Right? lol

After stopping off at my sisters house (post bone cruncher) I headed home and just stayed here til time to get himself from work. Sis gave me a really nice air purifier. I mentioned to her that I was going to start looking for an air cleaner to keep in this room wehere the computer is, and she said "I have one you can have." Seems she bought this thing and then her husband couldn't stand the way it smells --(all bleachy) he said. It's actually an air purifier and creates ozone. She paid over two hundred dollars for it, she said. I have it on top of the bookcase and we shall see if there is any discernable difference in the next couple of days. FREE. (I'm ALL about the bargain, baby).

I'm heading to bed, just wanted to stop in and say hey. Too tired tonight, and thankfully, tomoorw I get to sleep in and stay home. I have already made hubby's lunch and his breakfast (he likes egg sandwiches), the kitchen is all cleaned up, the critters are all in and everyone is fed. The sick little baby kat, I am relieved to report, is MUCH better. She has been medicated within an inch of her life, and the antibiotics seem to be working. Thank goodness. I was very concerned about her. But tonight she is sitting on my lap again and even purring through her congestion (probably a lot like our Pammie! lol). She's not fighting the medicating procss nearly as much either. Hallelujah!

Goodnight you princes (and princesses) of Maine, you Kings (and queens) of New England. Sweetest of dream time to you all....

Namaste.

Too,Too Tuesday

[The famous sign on the way to hubby's work....]

Life is just full of mystery, isn't it? ROTFLMAO....

Took the baby cat to the vet and almost 350 dollars later, she seems no better this evening. We have antibiotics and eye goop and all sorts of various and sundry things to help her get better. The good news was, after $165.00 worth of xrays....she has no pneumonia. arrgghhhhhh.. I nearly laid a golden egg when the receptionist gave me the total...I was NOT my usual gracious self.

I had to stop and take a picture of that sign above today. I have been meaning to do it for a couple of months, but never had the camera with me. Today for some reason I remembered and went into the house and grabbed it.

Just finished watching an episode of Saving Grace with Holly Hunter. I love that show and am so glad it's back on again. It was a new one, made in 2009. Also watched the new one with Eric McCormack in it, Trust Me. It was okay, but I don't think I would bend over backwards to watch it. I LOVE him too...but not this show so much.

I am tired and crabby and need to get some more sleep tonight. I have to get up and keep the car again in the morning, as I have a chiro appointment. I almost called today and rescheduled it...I still might. I am just so darn tired.... If I go to bed in the next 15 minutes, I might feel alot better in the morning. Novel idea, eh?

I'm going to try to give kitty a dose of Clavamox before I go to bed. Hubby and I wrestled her to put the antibiotic drops in her eyes and the ear mite stuff in her ears tonight. I swear, you'd think we were trying to kill her ! I feel so bad for her...she's just miserable.

I had 2 AA newcomer calls tonight. One is an older woman who's wanting to get into a detox, and they are few and far between around here. Is that true everywhere? The ones around here all lost their funding. I guess the really bad alkies just have to shake it out and die under bridges now. I finally found a place...and I pray she'll actually go. This is a woman who was once sober for a vey long time. She did all the things we know not to do, and then hasn't been able to get sober again. Or maybe it's better said that she hasn't wanted to badly enough yet. She sounds pretty desperate this time. I can only pray for her and I told her I will do anything I can to help her, but I can't do it for her. So I found a place, and gave her the phone number and told her she has to call them herself. There but for the grace of God go I...

I am so blessed to be sober. People in my family usually just drink until they die. I don't know why the grace fell on my head, or what plans Creator has for me. I only know I am thankful to the very core of my being.

I am so blessed to have 2 people in my life today that relapsed after having double digit sobriety as long as or longer than me. Because it puts a face on alcoholism that I cannot ignore. It puts a definite line right down the middle of the road for me. This side--you get this. That side-- you get that. The choice is mine, every single day of my life. Do I want to be drunk or do I want to be sober? Every morning I get to ask myself that question. And so far, every day the answer is the same. I want to be sober. I never want to live in that hell ever again.

Say goodnight, Gracie.


Namaste.

Manic Monday

It's been one of THESE kind of days....

LOL.

I have a very sick kitty who is going to the vet tomorrow, and in the meantime I am cleaning up puke everywhere. Little bits of it, everywhere. And she is miserable and cranky and just generally yucky.

I have a husband who spent the end of this evening on my very last nerve. THE very last one. He emptied the dog food container without telling me, he ran the car almost out of gas, so when I had to go out at 10 PM to find dog food, I had to also gas up the car first, in 23 degree weather. My back is hurting, and this cold is nailing me to the wall. Of course, HE can't go get dog food, he needs to get to bed. No matter that I am also getting up at 5 AM to keep the car so I can take the cat to the vet.

ARRRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, all the way to the town (10 miles away) where there is someplace open that I can buy dogfood, I am counting to ten and meditating some and trying to listen to some beautiful music on our local jazz station. I am trying to talk myself out of this icky pissy place. On the way home, I have to come to a complete stop and let about 2 dozen deer make their way across the road, from one cornfield to the next soybean field. And as I watch them carefully step and prance, I am reminded that there is a lot of beauty in the world, and a lot to be extremely grateful for tonight. I am reminded in those few moments that I do love that man, flaws and all, and that most of the time he is considerate and loving and kind. And that I am tired and hurting and over-reacting to all this.

The Voluntary Simplicity class started tonight. It was good. There are about 10 people in the class, all of us different and unique and bringing a new perspective to the table. It was pretty awesome listening to everyone sharing their stories and ideas.

Grateful too for blogging, which helps me gain perspective and stretch my wings and fly.

Grateful for that big old bed I'm about to climb into!

Namaste.

Suddenly Sunday

Whew. A full day of Area Assembly and committee meetings and reports. Took a drive over to my brothers before coming home and a light supper with them. Stayed for only about 3 hours, since the drive home is over 2 hours and we l;eft all the dogs in as it was so cold today. The wind was brutal and the wind chill fractor for most of the day brought the temps down to single digits. Must say, when we finally got home, 14 hours later, no one had made a mess in the house, with the exception of a magazine Pat had left on the couch. (That just makes it his fault, right?) But I was impressed with the puppies and their amazing bladder control ! I had put some piddle pads down, but they didn't use them.

I am so exhausted I am going right to bed. But I wanted to stop in and say Happy March and send blessings and good wishes to all.

I am crabby and tired and my body hurts hurts hurts. It's hard for me to ride for too long and andall that sitting takes a toll too. BUt--it's done and all's well in my world...

Namaste.