About Me

My photo
Houston, Texas, United States
I am a native Houstonian. I have never lived elsewhere. I have had the opportunity to travel over the years. I am a recovering alcoholic. I have one cat who is indoor only.I love coffee very hot, popcorn, sweets, the sound of hummingbirds in flight, the songs of Mockingbirds, chirp of the Cardinals,butterflies, puppy breath, horse breath, the feel and sound of a cat purring (especially mine).

Saturday, July 21, 2007

life safari #37

Saturday finally is here. I smoke my last cigarette of the latest "hey, maybe I can do it again" fiasco decision.

I hasn't gotten any better this time around. I can not breathe when I smoke ! Got it !!!

I think I will choose to breathe today.

I am Grateful and Thankful for/that...

My friends who love me when I'm crazy as a loon
this pack of cigarettes is gone. Over. Finished.
to be in the company of so many wonderful people
AA and the Blessings it brings into my life
I am alive today
Precious and her loyalty when I don't deserve it
God's Grace
a new SW painting
that I'm loved, hard as it is sometimes to love me
for YOU

Friday, July 20, 2007

life safari #36 1/2

Hi all. This is it. Just wanted to see whether I could post a picture now. One small, seemingly unimportant tab can make the difference in whether I can post photos to blog or not.

There is one thing I know for sure, when I set up my next blog I will know the "ins and outs" of this hair pulling experience.

I do intend to do one more thing (oh, maybe two) then it's to bed and to sleep.

Three Sisters.
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life safari #36

TGIF and PD

I am Grateful for/that...

I finally got fed up and ordered DSL. And, I'm having it rushed ! Not 25X faster, 50X. I'm tired of this crawling speed

I scanned some slides and negatives to upload (when I get the DSL next week)

yesterday when I went into work I was able to apologize for my behavior toward my co-worker

I have let go of the "struggle" once again

We have some important things in common around the recovery process

She and her husband (who celebrates 18 yrs. weekend after this) are planning to come to my AA Birthday in Nov. - cool

for my really nice Nikon Scanner I got some years ago. I haven't used it in a couple of years and it works like a charm

I am grateful that, considering how befuddled I've been of late, had no trouble using it

I'm getting more comfortable with operating these programs

looking back over the past through my photos, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to do so many different things over the years

I realize that I have had, and I'm still having an exceptional life

That it isn't the activities that make my life exceptional today. It is the people in my life and the fellowship with them

today I am fine with the blog, picasa, flickr - I wasn't even close to tossing the computer out in the yard

tomorrow is Saturday and I look forward to Frank and Barbara's company. I anticipate some very meaningful conversation with Frank on the drive

I have a strong drive and excitement about completing projects that please me

all this drawing and photography uploading may cause me to drag out some of my cameras again - I'm getting the bug to pick up my 35mm and film again. Digital is nice but, it's hard to beat film, slides

God's Grace

Thank YOU

Thursday, July 19, 2007

life safari #35 1/2


Here's looking at you Chick. Meow.
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life safari #35

Hopefully my friend in Washington State will drop in and see me. Hi Chick !

Welcome. Come back and see what I am doing from time to time.

Blogging is just a journal. Keeps me off the streets and out of trouble. (and if you believe that, I've got another one for you).

Love you my friend.

Hello Annalee !

life safari #34 1/2


Ummmmmm. And so it goes.
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life safari #34

Good morning world. Nice rain today. The sky and winds looked very threatening at the onset of this system. Fortunately, all that calmed down.

I am Grateful for/that...

tomorrow is payday and Friday. I love it when that happens.
one more day of sober and clean and interacting in the world
a timely share about "struggle" -just what I needed to stand down
having small successes even though I hope for BIG ones
my mind seems more clear this morning. I've been befuddled lately
that is how "struggle" effects me
I am an alcoholic in recovery
I heard from Lady A day before last. Says she's sober and doing o.k.
the love and caring my AA family shows me every day
it's one day closer to my safari with Frank to Chappell Hill - yahoo
the change of pace the trip will bring
Precious. She is so patient and loving. I have not given her much of my time lately
the awareness that I can not take anything for granted
putting that awareness into action today
Grace and Blessings that are unearned. Just a GIFT
thank YOU

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

life safari #33



Somehow or other I lost these from previous post
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life safari


Life is such a trip. This bug is a new species (LOL)
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life safari #32 3/4

Hello msb. Thank you for visiting. I may scrap this whole site and start from scratch soon. And, get DSL very soon.

The past few days (evening I should say) everything I touch on the blog business gets messed up. There are changes now that I didn't have before. ???????????

I think all of these programs have minds of their own. Good thing because, mine seems to be fried.

I mostly think that I need to just step away from all things computer,picture,posts,flickr,Picasa2.

Get the picture?

life safari #32

I can not seem to remember the different processes for uploading things from one day to the next.
I took photos of Scott's artwork in my bedroom and, for some unknown reason can not get them into my Picasa program. That is one of the best programs for adjusting lighting, contrast, color of photos that I have ever used. Perhaps I will get them in there eventually (?).

I tell you, I feel my mental capacity is slipping. I wake up in a new world every day.

Today, I am Grateful and Thankful that/for...

the fact that at least I wake up every day - I'm here
that I am sober and clean
I'm having a restful morning (except for stressing over these processes)
that I can and do choose not to stress over it starting NOW - oh, if only my emotions came with a Delete and Enter button
that I was finally able to share some of my photos. No matter how I finally got to it-thats to all who have gone on my site and looked
that the pressure in my right eye is now down to "normal" after all these trying months
that my dental work is complete
I have a full set of teeth - most crowns now but, hey, they're mine
I have hair
I have wonderful/horrible memories. All of the instances of both have shaped who I am today
To have the AA program and friends/AA family to help me sift and integrate the "positive" ones into my behavior (most days now)
Thank YOU, and YOU and, of course, YOU

life safari #31

Well, I finally got finished scanning some slides and posting them. My favorite topic and subject for years - my 2 African Safari's (photo, of course).

I am Grateful for/that...

my scanner. I haven't used it in some time, just like riding a bike
these cool photo/album programs of today (Flickr and Picasa)
that another day at work is over
tomorrow is "HUMP DAY" and one day closer to Kat and Frank's outstanding adventure
an interesting storm this afternoon
Payday at the end of this week
Steel Claw is out of town
I'm sober and clean
Precious is still here with me
the things I've been fortunate to do and see in my life
Bob was in a playful, cheery mood today
my paintings from Scott - I enjoy looking at them
that I can sleep in later today
that DSL is out there and I'm going to get it
I'm almost ready to go lay ddown - I'm tired all of a sudden
that I have a bed to lay in and a roof over my head
thank YOU

African Safari



www.flickr.com








peanut1997's set #2-Africa photosetpeanut1997's set #2-Africa photoset



Monday, July 16, 2007

life safari #30 1/2

Well, I thought I had the adding the HTML process down. I guess like most everything else, it will take me some tries before I "getit." And right now - that's just A-OK.

Mike, my boss got a kick out of going to my blog site when I got in and looking at the photos.

He actually requested a print of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. And so, he shall get it. It is his birthday on Thursday. Perhaps I'll cook up an ARTRAGE painting just for him.

Well, it's almost 10:00 pm. I'm going to catch the news tonight.

Oh, I got an invitation to go with my friend Frank to Chappel Hill this Saturday. We have alongtime AA frind there. We'll make a day of it. It will be a great change from this Blogg Site, tending to the yard and eating. I look forward to the journey. We'll have some quality time to talk on the way there and back.

I am feeling better tonight. It was really fun to watch Mike today. He got a kick out of seeing those photos - made it all worth it. That's really all I wanted to do with them anyway.

So, the news is starting. I feel great at this moment at the prospects of a day trip.

I have the Eye Specialist tomorrow morning so my Gratitude List will be late.

Happy Trails to all of YOU.

life safari #30

I am Grateful...

for a new day and a new week
for the sunshine this morning
the possibility to see friends in a couple of hours
another payday next week
I'm sober and clean today
I still have some hair on my head after yesterday's horendous struggle
my yard looks fabulous to me after so much sweat equity on Saturday
that I have a yard, home, car. I could have lost it all drinking and acting a fool
Precious and her companionship
for another challenge today - I get to try and learn to improve an area of my blog later
for help from SW
for Grace
for having ARTRAGE - I can put feelings into pictures
For the possibility of getting back to a comfortable place Spiritually. I have been "out there," untethered, feeling alone and lost. Once again, I moved
to have the strength to get the ox and cart out of the ditch I've driven it into this weekend
thank YOU

Sunday, July 15, 2007



www.flickr.com








peanut1997's Set #1 photosetpeanut1997's Set #1 photoset



life safari #28 1/2


my world has turned on a dime. strange-the difference one day can make.
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life safari #28

Happy Sunday -what a lie. I am soooo unhappy today

After hours of trying to set up flickr zieghest, I give up. I seem to be inept at all things website.

Perhaps my friends do not realize that I am a neophite at this posting,blogging,flickr'ing stuff.

Once again I have to fall back on... this process is more to stay busy and "TRY" to learn new things. I am disgusted that results are non-existent given all the hours I have put forth the effort. I have tried and failed once again BUT, I tried and tried again.

I am Grateful...

I have some physical work to do to get rid of my pent-up frustrations
one more day off from the job
movies to watch after I complete my yard work
antidepressants
rain today
forecast for rain tomorrow
to realize and accept that I am depressed at this moment
acceptance
AA
friends and family
SW for doing his best to help me figure this stuff out
for coffee
Precious

thank YOU

life safari #27 3/4


My parents. My father told me that this was one of the happier moments in their life together. Year - around 1960/61 (?)
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life safari #27 1/2

I worked in the yards all day and some this evening. I over-did it and feel it in every molecule of my body now.

I have been puttsing around on my Flickr account, trying to get it where other's can go in and view my photos. Not that they are anything to write home about. Just a way to share a bit of my life thru some family photos and things.

I must cut up branches that I trimmed from my ash tree tomorrow. That is all I have to do in conjuction with yard work tomorrow.

It was a pleasant evening tonight with Precious. She spent some time in the atrium which always makes her very happy. She (fortunately) has not found any critters to annihilate lately.

Rented some movies and watched one earlier tonight.

Just wanted to mess around before going to bed. Now I will lay me down to sleep. Goodnight.