DINNER(S)

DINNER ON SANIBEL--OURS AND HIS

DINNER

Today was Prayer-Girls and my 18th wedding anniversary. Years ago a counselor told me and either my second or third wife, that I was a "three-year" spouse. I never gave it much thought then, but after 18 years, well, I still haven't given much time to the predicted "three year" syndrome.

We drove the new small SUV to Sanibel Island, to a place called "Sanibel Cow". It is a restaurant, the kind which--midst very loud C & W music--sports signs on the wall, e.g., "Unattended Children Will Be Given A Double Espresso, and a FREE PUPPY!"

It is a place where I found out the rooms for "HEIFERS" and "BULLS" were NOT Hockey players' Locker Rooms.

Did I tell you the music was LOUD? Did you HEAR ME? I really truly LOVE Country Music (in lieu of my usual Bach or Beethoven or Dvorak or Mozart--all in my head) but I also enjoy knowing whether I'm still breathing--or not. Also, I wish to be aware if we have been hit by a suicide bomber or if the walls are shaking from quake-like vibrations of Reba McIntyre plus a two-thousand piece orchestra of guitars and basses.

My AA program of recovery has enabled me to sit uncomplainingly with cotton in my ears, as PG and I 'mangaied' on EXCELLENT Lobster Tails. A scrumptious dinner we enjoyed--yes, I broke that nasty, bad, old "fasting" thing after a couple weeks, and just added back five of the lost 15 pounds this evening...almost.

Whoever is reading this and does NOT have a GPS system in their vehicle, ya gotta get one. It is fabulous! I'm sitting here right now, still in awe over that technology. Of course, now I want--yes, really WANT!--an iPhone, or Blackberry or something similar...just GOTTA have it! Maybe someone out there who is upgrading has a "used" (called "nearly-new?") which they could format and sell?

"In five hundred feet, turn left, then get into the right lane for one hundred feet, then turn right..." (What a sweet-sounding voice!) "go straight ahead for thirteen miles..."

Driving home, we pulled back the roof door--well, it is an electrified sunroof--and sat in the cool breezes from the Gulf of Mexico. A Sea Gull passed directly over our sunroof--car moving--with a fine-looking fish dinner lodged in his beak. I mean we could have reached out and touched the bird--or could have stolen his 'catch'.

It is these brief moments in life which we cherish forever, and one day say, "Do you remember when....?" "Oh yes, that was back when we were......" "...And we were sober then, and are sober still..."

And Thursday morning I shall attend meetings at 7 and 8, and do yard work, and prepare some music stuff--read: practice violin! And I will do my best to stay sober and hope you will also.

Peace, and LOVE,
Steve E