You are not going to believe this!

I walked over to the Circle K this morning west across the street and guess who I saw entering the store? Jack!! Yes, I went inside and spoke to him, most happily I might say, and he was clean, sober and in his right mind. He was limping some and walking with a cane. I gathered he had been in rehab as he said he was now renting a room at the Y down the street. He said it was different. And something to the effect that life was a challenge. We did not talk further. I am sure just walking to the Circle K where he was bound to see residents from the Westward Ho was enough. His smile was still dazzling.
Of course when I told Doc he let fly a few negative remarks, and I told him for God's sakes, be happy the man has fought his way back to sobriety. Course Doc has not done that yet, so that was probably why he could not be positive, but he soon dropped that attitude and recovered his civility.
I also got very cheered up day before yesterday by a visit to my son Gary's house who was also sober and not smoking. I was so pleased with his newly purchased house with many pictures Gary has painted on the walls. His collection of cranes were placed here and there. It looked like the house of an artist. In the other house, which became the scene of divorce, his pictures on the walls just looked lonely. Scott, his cousin had moved in, and my son Dan's bed was on the porch. As soon as he recovers from swine flu he plans to move in, too, just to get better acquainted with this brother 21 years older who was married and out of the home when he was born. And Gary since his heart attack a few months ago seems to be letting the family into his life a little more. We discussed our blood pressure meds which Gary is now taking faithfully along with plavix which he must take to keep the 2 stents clear leading to his heart.
After a tour of the house Gary took me to my favorite restaurant Thai Elephant which he likes, too before dropping me off home. He lives quite far to the east south of Camelback Mountain which is quite close. Dan's girlfriend where he is staying now just lives down the street, another reason he wants to live at Gary's for a while. Gary said that he almost got laid off but the company got another job. He did have to take a pay cut. Construction companies have been hard put to get work in the recession which has been deep in Arizona.
Dan called me yesterday. He sounded pretty rugged still but thought he was a tiny bit better. He says the cough is the worst. It started with a bad headache, achy limbs, and nausea.
I am expecting to hear from Raymond today who is coming through on his way to Austin Texas. He is stopping to stay with my daughter, Ronda, along with his dog Baby as she has a nice friendly little dog, too, Bailey. Ethan, my grandson, will probably have fun with the dogs. He is having fun getting his costume ready for Halloween. His mom took photos of him on crazy hair day. I believe he would win the prize. Raymond said he would call to meet for coffee this weekend.
Talking to family is a cheerer-upper.
I am a little concerned about this karaoke party coming up. Will just have to see how it goes!

In my new spring outfit, as dangerous as I am probably going to get

I got on the elevator this morning in this outfit and a man got on and stared at me. I told him it was my new spring outfit and he said he liked it. Doc was pleasantly startled when I got to his apartment and agreed to take this photo. I first posted it on the family site urging all the other ladies to have photos taken of them in their new spring outfits.
It is my theory that a new outfit is good for whatever ails us. I contemplated how men get some bad idea fixed in their heads and it cannot be dispelled. I remembered that my ex took a long walk into the desert three years ago in as spectacular disappearance as we had had in Utah for some time. I don't know what women can do when men begin to act out their dark and dangerous fantasies but go to the thrift store and buy new outfits. Which is surely a good deal less upsetting, reassuring the world that all is well.
My friend sent me a letter that President Obama sent blessing the national scrabble tournament. She is an enthusiastic player, and I know she plays scrabble when she is down in the dumps. I thoroughly approve. I would play scrabble, too, if I had the time, but Doc is like a big kid who might get in serious trouble with his fantasy life if I did not keep him occupied. We are working on another play reading where he gets to play a 22 year old schizophrenic retarded man and a 14 year old smart eleck 'basset playing' son and a high school Jock. This is going to stretch his imagination in healthy ways I am hoping.

My friend likes to shop for new outfits, too. I thoroughly approve of this one.
I haven't had time to work on the play I am going to send Raymond he says he will do a year from now. He is plannng two more play dates in Utah soon of his one man show, so he is getting ready for those. He has to build a mobile set which he tells us in his last post in Cowboys and Bohemians, "Finally in Boulder." If you want to read what he is doing check out my blog list.
I am preparing for my trip to Boulder in a year by resurrecting an old friendship with a woman up there. She is retired now from the profession of hair dresser so has more time for friendship now. I had trouble last time I went up there with an old girlfriend who had gotten mad at me years ago. She practically ruined my trip. So I decided I needed an ally who would help prevent this from happening when I go to see my play.

I took this photo of her when I was to the Boulder festival last time. Her hair is always lovely. She was always fun to stop and have coffee with, she is such a good hostess.
My sister Linda still has her numb hands if you can believe that which causes her difficulty in typing. But she finally went to urgent care this past week in San Francisco and they agreed to schedule her for an MRI. I was so relieved that they thought they needed to check out the cause more thoroughly. She is now waiting for that appointment, long over due, but she just had so much trouble getting into the system in both states after she could no longer work and ran out of money for co-payments. She had to get on medi-Cal in California or medicaid here and that takes time, especially now days when many have lost their jobs, health insurance and ability to pay.
I will be gone tomorrow out to my daughter's looking after my grandson, Ethan, so I will not be posting. I hope to be able to take in my older grandson Jamal's tennis tournament at his high school. His Uncle Dan will have to come and take us there. I hope I will be able to bypass the swine flu. We will surely be getting it here as people travel back and forth to Mexico constantly. Jamal got strep throat twice this winter, so I am hoping he can make it until school is out without another health risk, as this swine flu is pretty bad. Wish him luck with his tennis!