Valhalla …

Valhalla has just concluded. The fleet mourns the loss of Captain Phil. It was quite an emotional episode. But I think it was done with class and honesty.

“If you see the seagulls, they are the image of the sailor who is gone…”

Sig Hansen, Northwestern.

We send our thoughts and prayers to the Harris family. Eternal rest grant him and may perpetual light shine upon him.

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So the day today was a good day. Things did not go according to plan for either one of us, but, at the end of the day we survived those issues. Thank God for sobriety and a program to guide us. These little graces remind us just how precious the journey through sobriety is. Tomorrow the sun will rise and things will be better.

My birthday is quickly approaching on Saturday. I went out of my way to plan a little party with a few choice friends, and right now, I cannot guarantee that the main attraction will show up. And I am powerless over people, places and things. But if this does not go off like I hope, you bet I will be a bit resentful, for a spell. But plan B is in my back pocket.

Like I said things did not go according to plan, but with those lemons, we made lemonade. I had to shop for the group on the way out. I get to Zeller’s to buy coffee and it was on sale. But what store does not stock decaf coffee? I had to buy it at Five Seasons at a much higher rate, because that is a boutique Westmount store. Oh well.

It was our business meeting tonight. We were short a few bodies. Our chair did not show up for the last meeting of the month, so we had to improvise a topic and Rick chaired instead. No Call, No show.

It was a good topic… H.A.L.T.
Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired… What do you do each day living one day at a time to stay sober? Do you use the slogans? Do they mean anything to you?

I have a routine to my day. It begins quietly and proceeds that way. I keep my friends close. I don’t carry around baggage nor do I carry anyone else’s baggage. I keep to my side of the street, and I keep it clean. I am powerless over people, places and things. I don’t get caught up in others business. I follow a couple of principles and procedures.

The weather outside tonight was amazing. Blue sky with a breeze. The birds were singing, and the squirrels were squirreling. We should have had the meeting outside it was so nice. We had low numbers at the early meeting, but what we lacked in number we gained in open, honest gratitude.

I don’t get why people come to the meeting, sit for ten minutes and then get up and leave. I mean you committed coming here, why not commit to the whole hour? I got that excuse during the break looking for readers for my later meeting. “If I read, that means I have to commit to the whole meeting and I am not ready to do that!”

You win some, You loose some.

Our speaker tonight was fresh. Six months fresh. But what she lacked in time, she made up in spades during her share. She began with, “I am nervous and I don’t know how long I will talk,” and slowly progressed into speaking for the rest of the hour.Nobody moved. Nobody left. Everybody was glued to their seats for the entire hour.

We didn’t close the meeting till after 9p.m. We went long tonight. But that’s ok. We have a good group of hangers after the meeting, which facilitates sharing and communication between members. Katie knocked it out of the park tonight. We were so proud of her.

It was a good night. It was a sad night. It was night.

Tomorrow the sun shall rise and it will be glorious.