life safari 10-31-08

Well, it's Friday. This is my least favorite "hollowday" so,excuse my not in the mood of it.

I tried twice to post yesterday but just couldn't get in the mood. All this election business and smear -type talk has just saturated me lately. I, too look forward to it all being over. We've lived this stuff for almost the entire year ! Good gosh, I dread the next election -over-kill.

I am Grateful and Thankful for/that...

I can take my mind off of the political scene with All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day this weekend

Precious is out in the atrium enjoying this wonderful weather day

although I am years from losing several people I love, I am missing them very much right now

It seems that I get melancoly around this time each year. I begin thinking of those whom are no longer with me. Those whom gathered to eat together at the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables.

This is one reason I had such a difficult time posting yesterday - putting these feelings into words is difficult

it is my intention to go to a Rosary service Sunday for All Soul's Day, honoring my deceased parents

I will be eternally grateful if I can get through the service without blubbering through it all

I have my doubts

I am going to try-I can always leave if I am unable to make it

Thank YOU

God's Grace

Photo above - my parents in better times

life safari 10-29-08

I wish I had not opened an E-mail from a friend.

I had a morbid curiosty regarding the smear campaign inclosed in the E-mail - I regret reading it.

Not only am I sick of friends who claim to be so very pious and "good", I am disappointed that they are so ignorant and shallow. It is these very people that fuel the desires of the "skin-head" killers among us.

I am sad today that these so-called "friends" of mine continue to send this Hate-Monger mail after I asked them to pass me by on all political subjects PERIOD.

Today, I am Grateful and Thankful...

to be working toward a more peacable and loving kathy
to be genuinely saddened by the kind of lies and half-truths - smears and defaming things that people use in the name of being "Republican."
that yes, I am standing up. I DO want CHANGE and, a lot of it !
that although something I wrote yesterday was misunderstood, I know what I meant and I was not complaining
And, I am not complaining now, now I am stating my disappointment and shock
Precious
God's Grace
Thank YOU

and, no more of this HATE-MONGER mail - you know who you are

life safari 10-28-08

Wow, already it's Tuesday ! Was a bit "nippy" this morning. But, it sure beats the heat of this summer - especially when I had no power after Ike.

I am Grateful and Thankful for/that...

a new contact on my Blog. Welcome and thank you for writing Peek-A-Boo Street !
I have much to to research and will not get all the articles printed this morning. I am reading up on WWI and the resultant condition of the Middle East (BBC has a very unbiased outlook)
I read some of the articles at work yesterday - it opened my eyes to much
the desire to be more open minded/open hearted regarding peoples who are different than I
for the life I have with Precious in it-I love to watch her in cold weather. She fluffs up like a bird and lays on her little hands(paws)
I will trade any trips for a longer life with my Precious girl
the fact that all the "Hate-Mongers" out there do not faze me-I love my "delete" button !
I pray for peace. Just a day of World Peace. And, if we can do it for a day, it can be done longer
I work on "dropping the rock" every day. Some situations I fail at it but, I now re-group and remember the bigger picture
God's Grace and Salvation
thank YOU

life safari 10-27-08

Monday. What a beautiful weather day in H-town.

I am heartened by a response from a friend regarding my blog yesterday. Thank you, dAAve.
Have no fear that I am staying sober and clean. The last months of my drinking almost killed me. And what I am really in touch with is that, I might have killed someone else.

I am completely understanding on the point that our celebrating at birthday nights can inspire other's. But, I have truly run out of things to say up there. The past two years - especially last year - I thanked AA and God for my sobriety and the life I have today. No more than that can I really say. AA led me (after many, many years) to a Spiritual awareness. Then, after some years, I needed something more than Spirituality. That need was for a religion. I set out to add to a rudimentary beginning in the Catholic faith. Now, a few years later, I worship and lead a life as a Catholic. My journey in becoming a Catholic Christian is not what anyone wants to hear at an AA birthday night celebration. And, that is my story today. So, my inspiration has a pretty limited audience, I suspect.
I don't believe I need to appear so people can see me-as if to prove that I am still sober and clean. Some people will believe whatever they want and make up whatever they want to believe with or without any facts. What has that got to do with me?

I am Grateful and Thankful...

for this Fall day. What a beauty !!
for friends and family
for Precious who knows me and loves me anyway
for Frank who knows me and loves me anyway
for dAAve and his up-lifting words and support
God's Grace
my life today after a period of dryness and strife
to KNOW that God performed a miracle in my life the other day
and, to know that that was absolutely NOT the first or only Miracle
thank YOU

life safari 10-26-08

Well, Sunday evening and the close of another weekend. Once again, it has passed too soon.

This Friday will be the end of October. Where has this year gone? I will celebrate 11 years sober and clean November 17th. I am happy about the fact that I am still sober and clean and now too, smoke -free.

I do not think I will be celebrating at Lambda Center this go round. I am not attending meetings there much - actually, hardly at all. My AA friends most likely will feel that I am making a wrong decision on this. I can not help what they will think. I do not want to lose the few friends and family I have from AA either. They mean very much to me. I do, however find that when I go to Lambda, I feel discontent and wonder why I went. I go to see the few folks that I love. That is where they hang out. It is just not my hang out any more. I find more solace and peace in church and have for some time now.

The above is difficult. I have needed to say it for some time, however. I guess there is never a good time to risk losing friendships after several years. My hope and wish is that I will not, of course. The path I have been on for nearly a year is one I have wanted to be on for many years but was too afraid I would not want it after I got into it.

With all that aside, I have been honest and have told my truth. I only trust that my friends will accept my truth and support me and love me. Even if it is not the path they want me to follow.

I only ask: love me where I am and for whom I am. And stay in touch as we do through our blogs.

Friday evening had a beautiful experience at the Villa de Matel Chapel. It was a Taize' Prayer Service and the chapel was absolutely stunningly beautiful ! The grounds, the Mother House, they have a Villa Grotto, it is very serene there.

I will include a photo or two at the end if they will transfer.

I have been over-whelmed with emotion of late. I will be going to a Rosary for All Souls Day at the cemetary where my parents are both buried and I am already crying when I think about it.

These devotional experiences are exactly the reason I am so happy to be a Catholic. It is a beautiful religion (to me) and I can not keep a from tearing up even at regular Mass. The words to songs, the words we say in our Mass, the thought of why we are there and what we are celebrating - just an over-whelming of emotions to me.

Not that I mind. I feel deeply any more. I am not ashamed for tears to stream down my face any more. There was a time I did mind. I was a "closet cryer."

Well, I guess I have rattled on enough. I just needed to get some things out in the open.

I am Grateful and Thankful...

for God's Grace

for Precious

for friends and family

to be sober, clean and smoke-free

for the experiences of new things

for the courage to speak out and risk being hurt or rejected

for voting my conscience

for the All Souls Celebration and walking through my fears to attend and participate

Christ has died. Christ has risen. Christ will come again

thank YOU