Enough is enough

We got the call the other week that we are finally getting a Dr close to our home vice the current 90km one way we have to travel should we need to see a Dr. Thankfully we are both in fairly good health and don’t really require a Dr’s care at this time although I do take blood pressure medication and it’s well under control. I have however, have been feeling tired and sluggish but of course chocked it up to COVID… Then I started to think – perhaps Deborah you should get your ass on the scale and see what the numbers are as you don’t quite fit into even your ‘fat’ clothes. To my horror (no not really) I weighed in at almost 160, that coupled on top of my 4’ 11” frame is not good, no matter how you slice the pie. And there in lies the problem, we like dessert, most of it homemade for the better part, but we like it – a lot! Let’s not forget the bread I bake, which by the way is super yummy, however, you can’t eat great bread without butter, I’m pretty sure there’s a rule about that, and as a retired military member, I’m all about the rules! So 31 August was the day, I had my plan of action and fridge properly stocked and my meal plan all laid out, because if you fail to plan you plan to fail. For the time being I’m forgoing bread, dairy, sugar, caffeine, simple carbs and since I’m well into my 49th month of sobriety alcohol is not an factor. All that to say I’m eating as clean as I possibly can. I’m a week in and now that the brain fog has lifted and the initial headaches gone, I’m doing really well, and guilt by association hubster is reaping a few benefits as well. Here’s the thing, fresh food made with good healthy fats and a variety good spices are tasty and satisfying, and it sure doesn’t have to be fancy, at least as far as I’m concerned, it just takes some planning and in most cases little effort, quite frankly I’m worth it!

This isn’t about the numbers on the scale, although they are moving in the right direction and I’m pleased with that. This is about being able to speak to my Dr with respect to some issues and in turn I can honestly say that I’m doing something about how I feel and attempting to improve my lot in life through nutrition. This pandemic has caused a whole of issues for many folks and doing one thing to get control over your daily life is just a small step in the right direction, this is my step!

Here’s to one more sober day. Take good care, be well and be you.

Four Years

I hope this very brief note finds you all well and living your best life in the midst of this horrifying pandemic. Our life is a very quiet one these days and I’m good with that. The need to leave my cocoon other than to get the necessities is not required. We have a wee house on a lake surrounded by approximately 120 acres of forest and farm land, so much space to roam and enjoy fresh air while wandering aimlessly – I am not lost.

Today I am celebrating four years of sobriety, and as always I am grateful. Grateful for the journey, grateful to have made the decision to try for just 30 days, and then another day followed and another and here I am four years later. Here’s to one more sober day. Be well, be you and take good care.

Hello June

I don’t think that there is one of us unaffected by the current state of affairs, and the tentacles of the COVID-19 virus are so far reaching it’s overwhelming. Overwhelming in every single way, from the bombardment of news, some of it helpful, some not so much, to how we now go about our daily lives. The every day heroes that are doing everything possible to heal, to those protecting and serving us on some level all the while putting themselves and their families at risk. I don’t think you’ll ever know our gratitude.

We are still living the dream down at the very bottom of the Baja. We are however, cautiously optimistic that we will finally land on Canadian soil on June 6th. Our flight home changed four times before it was cancelled outright and we were not offered any other options. We are now flying with an American carrier through Charlotte, NC into Toronto, ON and then to our humble abode in Goderich, ON on beautiful Lake Huron for fourteen days of mandatory quarantine. It made no sense, at least to us to rush home into more uncertainty and chaos than there was here when it became apparent that this virus would take over the world. Where we are there has been no civil unrest, the stores that are open are well stocked – including toilet paper! We have been warm and safe with a roof over our heads and have had no issues with social distancing as there is no one here. Hotels, restaurants and bars have shuttered their doors and the tourists and snowbirds have gone home, even the beaches are closed and patrolled. We aren’t walking as much so I’ve taken to swimming laps every morning in our pool and it has been not only peaceful and therapeutic, but let’s not forget to mention healthy. In these uncertain, daunting and rapidly changing times, who doesn’t need an extra dose of something healthy. I did however, have a cookie before I had lunch!

Wherever this brief note finds you I hope that you are well, safe and have what you need, as I think by now most of us have figured out that we don’t need near what we thought we did. Please be kind to your self and do what you need to do for you. On this 46th month of sobriety be well and be you. Here’s to one more sober day.

Hey Dad

Hey Dad, just dropping in to say hello and to wish you a very happy birthday on what would have been your 82nd. It’s been almost five years since you crossed to a better dimension where your memory is intact, your joints no longer ache and you don’t have to hide your forbidden candy from mom!

I took mom shopping in the US yesterday. Yes, she still cannot pass up a good sale when she sees one whether or not she needs it. She misses you terribly and remembers you fondly. We talked a bit about your sobriety journey and at the time of your passing you were 51 years sober if memory serves me, at that point my drinking had begun to ramp up in earnest. You were always and remain an inspiration to me, I was after all your little girl, albeit your one and only. So I guess in some respects I came by my penchant for drinking honestly. I’m not certain where or when it all got out of hand for me, but it did. I just wanted you to know that as if today I am 38 months and five days sober and I’m doing well. I know you always worried, cause that’s what dads do.

Anyway I’ll keep this letter short as I know you’re hanging out with the coolest of the cool guys and likely getting ready to hustle some pool or hit the pitch.

Here’s to one more sober day, be well and be you. I love you Dad 💜

The gift of life

Giving the gift of life yesterday I was drawn back several years, around 2007-2008 when there was a blood drive at work. I dragged my sorry hungover butt (a daily occurrence) down to the concourse to due my duty (only 2.5% of Canadians share my blood type). While going through the screening process a very kind nurse pulled me aside and told me to go home, chew on a big steak, and then get some rest. Turns out my blood pressure was pretty high (I now take medication), my iron was so low I was nearly anemic, and my ‘resting’ pulse was no where near resting, I was overweight and exhausted. It was definitely one of a few low periods in my life. I was working like a dog at a stressful job and not only drinking way too much but clearly wasn’t even coming close to looking after myself, even though I did make a daily trip to the gym and tried to eat well. That was my first big wake up call, however, not big enough to make the all important change just yet. I would periodically dabble with brief periods of not drinking – I would never say sober because I was merely biding my time until I could enjoy my next glass(es) of wine or snifter(s) of Grand Mariner; who was I kidding, I’d be enjoying both hands down any given day. In my first year of retirement in 2015, I couldn’t drink either fast enough, and trust me I drank enough of both. Although, I have to say I was quite discerning, I had standards and rarely drank before 2pm unless of course the start of the day involved mimosas… However, once the flood gates opened it was there was no stopping me.

Today, 1 August 2019, marks three years of sobriety, I can say that now as I no longer bide my time waiting for the moment I can have my next drink, my brain doesn’t think that way any more. I still don’t take any of it for granted as that would be foolish in my part. I remain surrounded by alcohol every single day as hubster imbibes every single day, most days too much, sorry to say. I do my very best to not enable him, but at the end of the day the choice remains his and I can only live my sober life for me, so continue my journey living with as much grace and gratitude as I can, all the while remaining in his corner.

Here’s to one more sober day, be well and be you. 💜

Happy and Grateful?

Is there a difference between being happy and being grateful? Can you have one without the other? I ask because I am truly grateful for all that I do have, and I try to live each day with gratitude, as I have much to be grateful for – we all do! I’m just not in a good place right now and haven’t been happy in a long time, I need to find my way back, sooner rather than later.

In all honesty I’m not even certain where to start. I said this year I wanted to spend time on my yoga practice and I did that in January and sadly got very sick, coupled with a terrible bout of vertigo at the same time so yoga fell by the wayside, although I do continue to work out and walk every day. I also wanted to pen more poetry but I’ve yet to pick up my pen. That perhaps is a good place to start, just pick up the pen and put it to paper. Express how and what I am feeling and to look objectively at what I’ve written and find someone to talk to about it rather than allow the capricious thoughts ramble through my brain.

Although, I do know with absolute certainty whatever is going on at this point in my life, happiness will not come back by returning to the bottle, as my 32 month sober journey has proved time and time again. Here’s to one more sober day and happier thoughts.

Thanks for stopping by today. Be well, be you and if you can, be grateful, I know I am.

2019 – Ready or not it’s here!

Whether you make resolutions, set intentions or just go with the flow, I hope that you have a healthy, happy and prosperous new year.

I, for one am happy to have 2018 in the books and look forward to each and every opportunity that may present itself in 2019. I know am up to any challenge thrown my way, save for an Ironman or something equally as daunting.

I continue to become more proficient in Spanish every day thanks to living in the Baja and Duolingo. Great app if you’re interested in learning a new language and it’s free, albeit with annoying adds, but free nonetheless. It’s not a paid advertisement for the app just my opinion.

This year I would like to write more, especially poetry, and spend more time with my camera, I love black and white photography, and I think it speaks to the overall beauty and simplicity of life. However, the one thing I really want to immerse myself in is yoga. Most days I can’t touch my toes to save my life, that is of course a wee exaggeration but close to it. My getting older bones and joints creak, crack and protest at every turn, I will after all turn 57 this year. I know yoga will help to alleviate some of those aches and pains, but I actually have to get on my mat and practice, and be consistent about it. Funny how I can be 31 years smoke free and 29 months sober today, but I have trouble committing to 30 minutes let alone five on a practice that will only assist me further, in all of my endeavours. I am however, determined to get there, and get there I will, damn it! I’ll get there because I have a plan, a simple one but a plan all the same.

As you travel your chosen path I look forward to reading all your blogs and posts and sharing in your triumphs and struggles equally throughout 2019.

Here’s to one more sober day, be well and be you!

Namaste

A well traveled journey

We lived to tell another day after our incredible 7000 kilometre journey from South Western Ontario to our home in San José Del Cabo, which began on 29 October and ended on 7 November. We traveled through Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, and finally California before crossing the border at Tecate into Mexico. Thankfully, it was all without drama and mostly uneventful, save for one small crack in our windshield just before Yuma AZ. We also took the opportunity to stop along the way to knock off a few items on the old bucket list.

We spent a couple of days in Flagstaff AZ, and made the trek to the Grand Canyon. I was in no way prepared for what would greet us once we arrived. I cannot possibly begin to put into words what I saw and experienced as we walked, hiked and wandered our way around. I was awe struck and it served as an enormous reminder that we are mere specks on this amazing planet we inhabit.

One thing which I did find interesting were the number of folks who were walking about with their face in their phones and not paying any mind to their surroundings. Case in point this lovely gal laying about enjoying the day, if you weren’t looking for her you wouldn’t have seen her and certainly not with your head down focused on your phone. Taking pictures and videos is one thing but carrying on a conversation for all to hear is another… Baby rant over.

In a way I was exactly the same whilst my face was buried in a bottle. My focus was at times singular in thinking what would I drink next and when. It saddens me to this day, but I am so grateful that I ended that love affair, as it was most definitely one sided, and my only reward in the end was heartbreak.

1 December 2018 will come and go without much fanfare as I celebrate 28 months of sobriety and because it is my journey, I do keep it close to the vest, even though I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve. Today I will do my Spanish lesson and I’m getting quite proficient – muchas gracias, email my mother, and do my 22 pushups, all while soaking up the warmth and sunshine that the Baja offers. Amongst other things, I will read fabulous blogs written by fabulous people about their trials, tribulations and successes, I take strength from them and perhaps offer a word of thanks or encouragement. But of one thing you can be certain, I will be sober.

Until next month, and one more sober day, be well and be you.

Remembrance

You once were young

Not yet a life lived, yet all too soon a life taken

When you arrived home a hero to those that mourned

There were no loud cheers, but rather silent sobs and spilled tears

Please take a moment in time to stop and reflect, where would we be today for it not for those brave souls who came before us to lead the way, and we live to tell another day

Their ultimate sacrifice of service before self must never be forgotten

11, 11, 11, we will remember them