SATURDAY'S STUFF

HELLO BLOGGERS!

This is Steve E, reporting from Tampa FL, where spring is truly showing itself, raising her skirts just above her ankles, know what I mean? Prayer Girl and I are here for her son's wedding, his first...and he's almost age forty!

I always have trouble believing that someone is joining together with someone else "until death do we part" for the FIRST TIME. I don't think I ever experienced a "first time" being married (or anything -grin!). Funny, the only "first thing" I can recall now is my first day of not drinking, and I shall NEVER forget that! Never.

OH! And my first girl friend. How could I ever forget her? I was age 4, and when she and her family moved away 10 years later...life ended for me. Nellie Jane Wynn, 3 or 4 years my senior, was from Kentucky, but lived on the farm with us near Cincinnati. Oh, God, what do I do to myself, forming attachments which should never have been at all...but which last lifetimes? Nellie Jane and I shared everything...everything.

On the other hand, incidents which linger still in memory are what and who I am. That is one of what makes our program so wonderful. Good or bad, the "stuff" is in there, and our steps relieve me of the bondage of the past, and the present bondage of self. Ha! Who would have guessed? And God will do it, if I let Him! Holy Moly, Batman!

On the way to Tampa this morning, I developed an attack of vertigo. If ya never experienced it, believe me, you do not want to. It is so debilitating, defines itself instantly, and does not let you have any idea how long it will be in residence. It is characterized by extreme dizziness, the falling-down kind, nausea, and a definite longing for immediate death. Fortunately, I had earlier adhered to Prayer Girl's wishes that we NOT bike it to Tampa. A few hours in bed and it went away. Sometimes an episode has lasted me three days.

At noon Saturday, I'll be playing violin at the children's wedding. Families have arrived from many places, east and west. Most of the attendees I have not met until this evening. I got to identify more than a few "members-in-training" for our AA program! What fun, to notice that we will never die out from lack of prospects. I should not call it fun...but it IS exciting!

Again, I certainly began this, to write a few brief sentences. But nothing spoken or written is BRIEF with me, hence another Blong goes out to its spacial residence. Glad we're all here.

Pray with me for those who are looking toward a huge approaching snow storm in the Rockies today and tonight (Saturday!), and I will close with that.

In Love and service,
Sincerely.
Steve E.

BREAKNECK EXPRESSWAY

QUICK TRIP--QUICK BLOG

Monday and Tuesday I went on a short 3 hour ride to visit Firefighter-daughter-girl K. She has a good job, her own house, four dogs. One dog is named Chief, same name as her boss's title--who is not a newspaper editor, as in "Good morning, Chief!" K and her mother N share the same house, and also lots of stuff.

On my run up to her city, I must admit to traveling at a speed just above the limit--well, an honest program begs me to say, I went well--that is, waaaay above the posted limits. Seems to me a speed limit should be set by the driver, when there are none others in the area...within 40 feet, anyway. So, I told myself that it was high time--after 8,000 miles--to "blow out the carbon" as we used to say 120 years ago.

Once the carbon was blown out (is that when it feels like I've broken a couple of bones AND the sound barrier?) I couldn't get the bike to slow down, it seemed to have a mind of its own which said, "What's the difference between 90 mph and 95 mph?" As it turns out it's only about $140.00 difference. Let's see...well, WOW! let's double check that. OK, $140 buys enough gasoline for me to travel 3,500 miles. Hmmmm! I may have to rethink this whole 'speed' business.

Back to the topic--chocolate.

My daughter and I went on a five-minute grocery shopping spree, well just a couple small items, ya know? And one of our choices was a big box of red, ripe strawberries. The sign read $3...save $6. So, anytime I'm getting something at 33% of it MSRT, I'm IN! Anyway, they were LUSCIOUS! And my daughter's mother N (yessss, ex-wife (#3) OK? So NOW ya know...) heated up about a thousand Hershey's Chocolate Chip pieces, and they smelled SO GOOD aflame...and she burned the living "H" out of them.

Firefighter K came home, and was running for the extinguisher, when she saw she would be attacking a small bowl of "chocolates-en-purgatorie". So, another "pot-o-choc" was heated, and do you know, that dish of chocolate-covered strawberries was the best I've had...ever. We all three pigged out.

Went to an AA meeting with N, a disappointment. About 70 people around a circle of tables, with about 5 guys, (leaders) explaining the Big Book line-by-line, sometimes word-by-word. These fellows were "Joe and Charlie" wannabe's--and it was almost pathetic. You who know me, must realize that for me to describe it that-a-way--it had to be B.A.D. But it was a good lesson in the virtues Patience and Tolerance. So there IS a reason for everything, Santa! And we met a few people, made a few friends, spread a bit of good cheer, you know the drill. And I LOVE that drill!

Long ago, then-wife N had arrived at the door of AA one year after my entry, and daughter became a member of the newly-formed Alateen group in Naples. Yesterday we all three had a "Blong" of a long session, remembering old times: again, the good, the bad, and the ugly...and there were plenty of all three components. But it was fun, a family which used to live together--now good friends--enjoying, sharing, and catching up on times past, present, and a bit of daughter-future tossed in.

Twenty years ago, I could not begin to imagine a scene of us three sitting during an evening, on the same lanai, speaking in civil, normal tones, civil and normal words--words of tolerance, support, understanding, and yes, even of love...the love of God for us all. Next trip up there, Prayer Girl will accompany me...she's been there already. That will be probably in about a month.

Meanwhile, I'm going to be a part of those joining MC in staying sober today--whatever day this is..."I'm IN".

In love, and service.
Sincerely,
Steve E.