Reasons to be thankful...

     Holy crap! (you may be thinking or something a little stronger)... two blogs in one week! To what do we owe the pleasure? (or not so much).  I seem to have found my voice, my muse, or whatever it is that compels me to sit at this keyboard and type.  I have suddenly come out of a recently undetected funk and though I do not know the cause, I sure know what the cure is...Sister and her family are coming to the Valley to visit! (You thought I was going to say an extended beach vacation in Aruba, didn't you?).  While Aruba will be a beautiful and long awaited vacation, it is the opportunity to see my sister and her family that has perked up this blogger.  I didn't have the chance to visit Virginia this year because of the new job, but that will be rectified next June when paid vacation time enters the portfolio...Which brings me to the title of this piece...

    -- My sister and her family...  With all that I have put myself through (alcohol, drugs, related car accidents, etc.) and involving her, my sister has stood by me through it all, giving support and love when I surely didn't earn it or deserve it and for that I will be eternally grateful.  She was there to help me pick up the pieces and was there to support my decision to come out here when others were not...The debt is enormous and I cannot possibly repay it except to say that without her in my corner I would never have made it this far and would never have survived the ordeal.  The extra gifts of my brother-in-law and my two beautiful nieces are icing on a cake that keep on growing with time.  I will be forever thankful that she is my sister...

   -- Arizona... Can't believe it has been 5 years already out here... (as of November 15).  Seems like yesterday that I drove into the state across the New Mexico border to begin this crazy chapter in my life.  I am constantly amazed at the beauty of this wonderful area and it never disappoints to show me something new.  The desert landscape and the "critters" (yes, even the rattlesnakes), the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, the beautiful golf courses that are carved into the landscape to preserve the natural beauty, the laid back and slower lifestyle that I have come to embrace and of course, the weather...(even the 100+ summers).  It took me a long time to get here but I will never regret the decision to come.  And I am proud to call Arizona my home...  

     -- Friends and family...Those still in New Jersey and those around the country and those I have met here are all very special to me and I am thankful to have all of you in my life. Even though I do not stay in touch often enough...(a habit I still have trouble with) I want you to know that I love all of you and thank you for everything you have done for me.  Again, it is a debt I cannot repay but I will keep all of you in my heart and my prayers.

     --My health...Not only am I blessed with living in a paradise, I have been blessed with good health this year...(still have the arthritic knees and cranky back, but who doesn't at my advanced age?).  Nothing, outside of the weirdest bug bites and reactions to them, has taken its toll on me.  Allergies returned with a vengeance, but are now a painful memory that lasted a couple weeks.  The weight loss (25 lbs.) seems to have stuck and the trips to the gym are increasing and I generally feel really good.  The weather has returned to comfortable and "beats anywhere in the country in winter" (sorry, I couldn't help myself).  The golf courses are lush and reseeded and I am playing more thanks to the job...

     --Aruba...In two days I will be jetting to my island paradise.  I have decided to stay an additional few days this year because it may be the final visit (at least for awhile).  I have been writing my bucket list and there are so many places I want to visit and really want to get moving on the 50 in 50 project...(50 rounds of golf in 50 states) but I will never say never to another visit there.  The opportunity to visit with Bob and Toni Ann in one of the more beautiful places on earth is something I will never rule out...

     ---The United States of America...I can't ever be thankful enough to be living in the greatest country in the world.  A place where someone like me can chase their dreams and be able to move around freely and express myself (like in this blog) freely.  Yes, there are problems (I'm not a stupid man, Jenny!) but I wouldn't trade my citizenship for anywhere else in the world...

     ---God... It wouldn't be right not to thank the one being without whom none of this would be possible.  I am not so arrogant to believe that I accomplished anything in this life without the grace of God.  Talk about a debt that can't be repaid!  I am not the best church goer (in fact I could be the worst) but I do worship Him and talk to Him and thank Him in my own way...I seek Him in the sunrise and natural settings of nature where I believe He does His greatest work.  I thank Him every day for the life He has allowed me to live (even though I tried to ruin it all those years ago).  God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference...

Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you...Thank you for allowing me to share in your lives...

T-Minus 7 days and counting...

     As the title suggests, 7 days and counting until a well earned and well deserved vacation on MY island of Aruba... (well earned and well deserved in my eyes which, let's face it, are the ones that count here).  It's the perfect day to resume blogging (I know it's been awhile but I hope you missed me) here in the Valley of the Sun because there isn't any sun and probably won't be until Monday of next week.  Cold (by Arizona standards---mid 50's) windy and rainy from Thursday night through Sunday.  I realize that other parts of the country, including Northern Arizona, are getting wicked cold and snow (chuckle!) but cool and rainy for more than a day is a big event here.  I am actually loving it...I have a fire burning and coffee brewing and dreams of the beach I will be on come the 30th of November...

     The only problem with cool and rainy is that I work outdoors...last night in particular was a bit messy and even the critters I see on a regular basis were under cover.  But work supplies me with a three quarter length rain slicker with hood...(picture the grim reaper without the scythe) so the rain really isn't a bother.  And since most of the members are back there aren't as many weather related alarms going off at all hours, so basically I do even less on my shift (if that's even possible...tough job but someone has to do it).  I have five work days left until my unpaid leave of absence begins...(no paid vacation until next June) and I can't think of a better place to go than a tropical paradise.  The best part is that without an international calling plan I will be virtually out of touch with the rest of the world...(pretty much like I am now because of the infrequency of these blogs).  And even better is that I get to see Bob and Toni Ann.  I haven't seen my NY peeps in quite awhile and it will be great to catch up down there.  

     Sheba, (aka. Mrs. Wafflepuss), my cat, will be away on vacation as well.  I will be boarding her here in Tempe and she will have her own cat "condo", personal play time with one of the attendants and will have her food and toys from home with her while Daddy is away.  She is unaware of the plans and will scream the whole time she is in the car carrier...(lucky for me the place is local) but I checked it out and it seems nice enough.  I just didn't want anyone I didn't know coming to the house to take care of her and since my buddy Jody moved back to Ohio, I don't have anyone close to take care of her.  

     Over-seeding of the golf courses is finished and it is was the roughest month ever.  I had the worst allergy attacks for about 3 weeks...I usually went to Virginia to visit my sister during this time so I must have missed it before, but it was brutal. Couldn't breathe, couldn't stop my eyes and nose from running, couldn't stop sneezing (personal record of 9 consecutive sneezes without stopping while not passing away from the heart stops during each sneeze).  I took an allergy medication (non-drowsy...Ha!) that made me dopier than I already am (if that's possible) and so sleepy I almost couldn't work.  Thank the Lord that is over with. So all the courses are extremely green and lush and very beautiful.  And I am enjoying "cutting the lawn" every opportunity I get (love working the late shift).

    Before I go I would be remiss as a history major to not mention that today is a famous anniversary in world history and personal history.  Fifty years ago today, John F Kennedy was assassinated by one or many (depending on which conspiracy theory is your favorite) as he traveled by open motorcade through the streets of Dallas (those Texans and their guns).  I can still remember watching the funeral procession on black and white TV as a child of 5 or 6 (amazing I can remember that but not where my keys are...Where are my keys?).  On a personal note, it is 20 years ago today that I was arrested for DWI as I traveled by car through the streets of Clark New Jersey.  Unfortunately, it wasn't until April of 1995 and another DWI (including waking up in a jail cell) that I began my second life as a clean and sober member of society...It took a long time for my head to come out of the sand (and for me to remove my head from my ass) before I saw the "light".  And with the help of many special people (I hope you know who you are) and one awesome "higher power" (who never gave up on this hopeless sinner) I am sitting here writing this message.  Wow...what a long strange trip it's been (thanks to the Grateful Dead for that line) and what a long strange trip I hope that it will continue to be.  Ciao for now!