I know that most of you will have no sympathy when I tell that this past winter was one of the mildest and wettest in Arizona recorded history, considering the pounding Old Man Winter put on most of the country, but the price is being paid now. Because of the mild temperatures and rainfall (it got to the point where I could remember the last time it rained rather than having to look it up) the cactus and trees are blooming early and we have hit 90 degree days (several in fact) and its only April. And with the blooming...(and the flowers are beautiful on the cacti) comes my old nemesis...pollen. I have been eating an allergy pill every morning for the last two weeks and it seems that there is no end in sight. When I first moved here my seasonal allergies almost completely disappeared except for the occasional dust attacks, but this year that hideous green crap falling from the trees...(yes, we have trees), that coated the cars and streets of New Jersey and New York State is now coating the inside of my nose and throat. If only mucus (gross!) had monetary value...I would be a rich man. So the windows remain closed and the AC is turned on and Old Man Summer begins to rear his ugly head (remember this is Bizarro World where summer is the winter of the Southwest...felt the need for a Seinfeld reference there). If its in the 90's in April, who knows what July and August will bring...(I believe bucket loads of sweat and more heat than a furnace is in my future. God, I love it here!). As I write this at 9:30 am it is a balmy 70 degrees and the highs for the next few days are predicted to be in the mid 80's (must be a cold front moving in). I still firmly believe that a weatherman in Arizona is the easiest job on the planet.
I want to wish everyone a Happy Passover and Happy Easter...(whichever applies). I hope you all are well and enjoy the egg hunts and baskets and family gatherings. As you know I will be celebrating the season on the golf course with a golf marathon on Sunday and Monday, followed by a work-a-thon from Monday until the 18th of April...(next day off). Looking forward to Country Thunder and some really good music...(April 11-12). Anytime I can work with a cowboy hat on is a good time.
April is always a special month for me. It was in April of 1995 that I came back from the dead (or soon to be) and got clean and sober. Yes, if you do the math, this year marks 20 years without drugs and alcohol. I can't believe it to say it and it looks even more unbelievable when I write it. It brings with it a lot of emotions...tears, joy, happiness, shock, disbelief, gratitude and a multitude of others. Sometimes the enormity of it all is overwhelming...I can't describe the hopelessness I felt on Day One back then...(and many, many days after that) I never in my wildest dreams believed that I would be alive this long, let alone be alive and sober. I never believed that I would receive so much support and love from everyone that has given it...I felt so alone then. I never thought that God would forgive me for the life I was leading...but by His grace alone I was able to survive. There are so many people to thank...people that didn't even know they were helping at the time. People who by their example, good or bad, gave me strength or encouraged me to prove them wrong. This will be a personal victory when the 28th rolls along, but there are countless individuals who share in this victory and as the day gets closer I will share some stories about them...right now I have to go because the tears are here and I can't see the computer screen to continue writing. God bless all of you!
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