We got food poisoning out of the way... NOW we're ready for Mexico! We leave Klamath Falls tomorrow after I get off work! 80 degree weather here we come!

Last Friday evening we joined two friends at Sergios Dos out on S. 6th St and had what tasted like a great dinner. Saturday night I woke up with severe cramps which evolved into throwing everything up, followed by violent shakes, and later the intestinal stuff began. Jack was considering taking me to the hospital when he started experiencing cramps and was laid low too! Sunday we each claimed a bathroom and tried to sleep between bouts! I can't remember being so sick.

I did NOT want to miss the second Monday of my new job but I couldn't go in! At that time we thought we must have both came down with the flu - 4 days before we are supposed to leave for our honeymoon! We called Jack's doctor and they said there was nothing to do for the flu except drink lots of fluids and take Imodium and eat NOTHING until the diareha stops whch could be weeks! Monday passed the same as Sunday for Jack and I. Mike didn't get the walks he is used to - to say the least!

Finally Monday evening my system settled down! Jack had never thrown up and was feeling better Monday morning but by evening he was feeling bad again. Tuesday I packed chicken broth and gatorade to the office with me and made it through the day feeling weak but Ok.
Tuesday morning Jack got word from the friends we'd eaten with Friday night that they'd been sick too. Another mutual friend had eaten at Sergio's also and had paid for his dinner with a credit card so he was contacted by the Klamath County Health Department about food poisoning at Sergio's, he called Tom and Tom called Jack.

Strange to say but it was a relief to know we have food poisoning not the flu!

The resturant closure and investigation made the front page in todays paper. 80 people got sick! Food poisoning passes within 72 hours usually! I'm feeling back to normal. Jack is still feeling pretty rough but isn't racing to the little room anymore. Hopefully this is his last bad day too! I lost 6 pounds and Jack has lost over 12! That's the good side of this!

This will be my last post until after the 13th. We're only taking our clothes and debt card! When you think of us know that we're smiling!

First week on the job ended with a challenge! The challenge for me is to not work on the task during my time! :-) I want to solve the riddle of how do you..... I love solving that kind of stuff and I am a bit competitive. The team has been working on the "riddle" for a week and the super gave me the parameters yesterday morning to see if I could come up with a solution. I had to repeatedly tell myself not to feel bad that I could not supply the solution in one day when others more familiar with the processes haven't solved it in a week! I quickly arrived at the same sticking point that has everyone stumped!

I'm shopping for an Excel reference book today! :-)

Mike is also going to get a bath today! He has to be spiffy for Goldie and Andrea on Thursday.

Other than that the day will be District 17 meeting and a run with Signe!

Hope all is well with everyone "out there". Haven't heard much from anyone lately - except Sis!

My passport is here! Yeah! We filled in the emergency info, made copies as directed... getting everything ready. Mexico is just a little over a week away! Hey! Hey! Hey! Jack and I have done our internet homework and have a good idea of what we want to do while we are there.

The itineary goes like this:
2-1-07 Thursday - get Andrea (our house/dog sitter) settled in to the house and drive to Medford to spend the night at Days Inn so we can get to the Medford Airport at 5:30 am Friday morning for our 7 am flight.

2-2-07 Friday - 7 am - 4 pm fly from Medford to Los Angelas to Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Check in to Casa Elvira, eat dinner and take a walk down the Paseo

2-3-07 Saturday- Bus ride to Petalan (40 minutes from Z) to visit the ancient church and the gold market - shopping - Back to Z for dinner

2-4-07 Sunday- 7:30 am - 2 pm Kayak tour of Luguna de Potosi - Wildlife reserve
Sunday evening at the Basketball court in Z

2-5-07 Monday - 9 am - 4 pm Nautilus Divers - certification class and 1st ocean dive
enjoy the beach, dinner

2-6-07 Tuesday - through 2-8-07 Thursday 4 more dives in the Zihuatanejo Bay area with Nautilus Divers Thursday Night is pozole night in Z at Tamales y Atloes Any with folk dancers!

2-9-07 Friday - Unplanned (can you believe it?) lay on the beach all day?

2-10-07 Saturday - Isla Ixtapa Day - bus ride to Playa Linda - panga (outboard motor boat) ride to Isla Ixtapa Snorkel, Swim, visit Nature Preserve on the island (crocodiles are their specialty!)

2-11-07 Sunday - ANOTHER Unplanned day! Shop, enjoy the Sunday Main Plaza activities

2-12-07 Monday - Last minute shopping, walk on the beaches, pack
2:30 pm Taxi to Zihuatanejo Airport
5 pm to 11 pm fly back into Medford - Spend the night at Days Inn again.

2-13-07 Tuesday - return home to Klamath Falls!

2-14-07 Wednesday REST!

2-15-07 Back to work!

Today was my 2nd day of work at Jeld-Wen. I think it is going to be a good job! I certainly like the people!

Life is good!

Lyle taped my "story" Saturday and gave me the CD of it at the Sunday morning breakfast meeting! He had taken a picture of me and has it burned into the cd! It looks so professional! I got to hear what I said! The timeline was a little jumpy but it was all coherent!

Sunday evening I spent organizing my closet so my work clothes were all in my bedroom walk in closet and that I have enough of them pressed and ready for my 9 work days before Jack and I leave on our honeymoon! Then I went to bed early so I'd be rested for my first day at Jeld-Wen! I don't know what was making noise but I remember about 1 am the house was finally quiet! I said it out loud even! Mike seemed to be restless, he would shake and his tags would rattle, Jack tossed, I know the heater is programmed to go off at 10 pm so that could not have been what was running but I could not seem to get to sleep and stay asleep. I suspect I was a bit anxious about the new job. When the alarm went off at 4:30 am for us to go the gym I told Jack I wasn't going and slept in until 6 am!

Everyone I met today seems very nice and happy with their jobs. The job seems real do-able. It will take me some time to learn all of it but the training period seems reasonable so I'm sure I'll be able to handle the job responsibilities! They had a cubicle all ready for me - login and passwords... very welcoming.

Glasses are going to be a must very quickly though. I'll be shadowing others for a while and I can't see the writing on the screens from the over the shoulder distance with my glasses off or on!

Today was Jack and I's second month aniversary too! Jack fixed a great baked chicken dinner and we are relaxing in front of the TV now. I"m blogging and Jack is surfing or watching multiple shows as he calls it.

I'm sure I'll sleep better tonight!

Whew! It is an honor to be asked to share your story at an AA speaker meeting but it is also a challenge! That someone thinks I can help others by sharing my story of recovery is awesome - for so long all I could do it take from others. I told "my story" at the District 17 Breakfast Speakers Meeting this morning.

Going back into what it was like and what happened is so hard. I tend to forget the bad events and feelings - it is the past and a great deal of it was painful. I would like to remember only the good stuff. To be effective I have to be real and that requires going back and reviewing what it was like, what happened, and what it is like now. It is in the telling of how it really was that new people can know that I lived a life just as crazy and chaotic as theirs and when I stopped drinking and starting applying the steps and traditions my life changed and is what it is today as a result of living sober and growing spiritually and emotionally with the AA way of life as my guidelines. The message being if you are sick and tired of being sick and tired there is a way out. If you want what I have you can have it by applying the steps and traditions. It is a miracle but it is one that is available to anyone that truly wants their life to be different... and I really wanted it to be - or I was stepping off the ride.

Now I think there is alot of things I wish I had of shared that I don't think I ddi. Funny how when I'm speaking I don't really remember what I share - I just try to tell the truth and share what comes to mind. I trust God will make what will be helpful come out of my mouth because I say a prayer before I step up to the podium. Lyle taped it and said he'll give me a CD tomorrow - I'll get to listen to it and know what I said then!

We're off to a retirement party for one of Jack's former co-workers now. You know you are getting old when your Saturday parties are held from 1 pm to 3 pm instead of 10 pm to 3 am!

Life is good! Full of friends and activities!

Later this afternoon Signe and I will go for a "jog". My back has been out for a couple of days and I have been sluffing off on running - giving it time to recover from the phisic ball workout at the YMCA on Wednesday morning that through it out. Not doing that routine any more!

Tomorrow there is a Linkville Lopers 5K run out at the Wildlife Habitat that Signe and I want to run. It used to be called the Bald Eagle Run and it was the first Fun Run Signe and I ever did together - that was 10 years ago! I still have the tee-shirt. Since the sign up fee is only $5 tomorrow I don't think there will be tee-shirts this time. It feels good to be signing up for a fun run again. I haven't participated in one for several, several years now.

And so my life goes on! Hope all of you are doing well and enjoying your lives - it's the only one you get!

Sunday we had a great time on shoe shoes! Signe, Leo, Aleesha, Wolf, Jesime, Jack and I met went tramping through the snow at the Day Use area in Fort Klamath. Signe demonstated snow shoe running techniques, Wolf pointed out the different animal tracks in the snow, Sarah tested the Wood River water, and Mike romped like he was a young stud in the deepest snow he's heen to date! Jack and I just enjoyed it all - the clear blue skies, the brisk air, talking and laughing with friends! As we circled around the area we saw freshly fallen alder that beaver had cut down. Wolf pointed out river otter track which explained why Mike was looking into every bush so intently!

Suddenly, through the trees, a streak of golden fur came hurling towards Jack. It was Max! Nancy and Ed's golden lab who dearly loves Jack. After coming as close as possible without body slamming him Max circled around us. Close behind were Pan and Clydie - Tracy and Carl's black labs, followed by Little Max and Jesse - their snouzers! So we knew who was on the trail coming towards us before we saw them. Great minds think alike! It was such a great day - to walk the dogs outside was the only way to spend it!

We all chatted for a bit and then went in our seperate directions. They had just started their walk and we had been out there for 2 hours already! At the parking lot we agreed that stopping at the Mexican resturant on Hwy 97 was a great idea too. So we filled up that little resturant and continued our conversations over good hot food!

All in all a great Sunday afternoon!

The plan is for me to start my new job on January 22! It seemed like I was interviewing "everywhere" in town for a long time but the reality is that I'll start work on Jack and I's two month aniversary so my job search in Klamath Falls was about 6 weeks.

The job is as a techinical asssistant primarily working on data integrity and database server maintanence for 1 department. One element on what I used to be responsible for, just like I asked for from God. I had said several times I'd really like to leave for my honeymoon knowing I was coming back to a job! I am astounded at how many of my prayers have been answered in the last few months!

I go in for the drug screen and to fill out the forms for the background check this Monday and start the following Monday! I am excited about working again. Sis reminded me that it'll be 17 years before Social Security will let me retire with full benefits! :-) That doesn't seem so far in the future these days! And the company is fine about Jack and I's honeymoon in early February. I'll work for 9 days and then be gone for 13 days! What a deal, huh? It will be nice to have an idea of what my job is and what I'll be coming back to!

Benefits, lots of paid days off, 401K - the whole bundle! And it is about 2 miles from our house! I can walk it! Life is good!

It was interesting how Jack took the news and we had an opportunity to learn a little more about each other! It takes me a couple days to get mad... it takes Jack a while to show joy/happiness. He knows now that I like to celebrate good news and spend at least the same amount of time being happy and discussing the positive possibilities as was spent worrying and discussing the problems of a situation! It's a different approach/response for him but I have every confidence he'll love it when he gets used to it! I think it is very true that if humans don't concentrate on the positive and celebrate the good things they gravitate and dwell primarily on the negative. I made the choice a few years ago to be aware of this and make the changes in how I spend my energy. I hope Jack will make that same choice. My life has become "happier" just from that one change and it has lead to others that have all improved my outlook on life.
Enough philosophy!

Off to bed for me.

I did 5 laps in the pool this afternoon and then they closed it down! We didn't time our swim session well. In reading Jack's dive manual last night I found out the things I have to do to get certified. Be able to swim 10 laps in a regulation size pool without stopping and tread water for 5 minutes. I can't remember how long it has been since I swam laps! I've spent a lot of time in water but I'm not positive that will carry me through ten laps so Jack and I started our swimming regime at the YMCA this afternoon. Unfortunately 5 minutes before it closes for cleaning be for open swim at 3 pm. We'll try again tomorrow - now that we have the pool schedule.

Signe and I ran this morning. I experienced difficulty in breathing for the first time to the extent I had to stop and couldn't even tell her I needed to stop. It was rather painful. I just could not get air in to my lungs! It felt like the air stopped at the end of my throat and hurt. We walked to the top of the incline we'd been jogging up after I managed to stop wheezing and then I was able to run again until on the return (about 15 minutes later) we started going up another incline - again the air jammed in my throat and we had to walk. It was very cold - about 19 degrees but Signe wasn't experiencing any difficulty. All we can figure is I'm not completely climatized to 4,200 feet yet and that combined with the extreme cold and running uphill caused my "breathlessness".

21 days until we leave for our honeymoon! We've made the arrangements for the house/dog sitter and for a room in Medford the night before and after our flights. I'm diligently studing Spanish but only a few words seem to be sticking in my brain!

Still no word on any of the positions I have applied for so I continue to read the Help Wanted ads.

That is my life today. Hope all is well with all of you out there!

We've had two days of freezing fog! No sunshine! Jack told a friend he is convinced I suffer from SAD - I've been grumpier than he's ever seen me the last two days. Could be true.

The interview process today took from 8 am to 11 am. Several different tests followed by a group interview. Everything I heard was positive - including them saying they would contact me by the end of the week to let me know their decision. The position is as a technical person but has more to do with databases and data integrety than hardware and network maintanence. It would be a nice change! Knowing that things will work out as they are supposed to really takes a great deal of the tension out of the interview process but I do hate it. The feeling of not being good enough is a tough one to keep at bay. Countering it with thoughts that its a matter of a right fit not a matter of "good enough" and remembering to trust God are my antidote to the self-defeating feelings. It's really nice that they said they would call - It will be the first ones to do so... if they do.

Last night Brett and I instant messaged for a good while. It's the first time Jack has witnessed that mode of communication. It is pretty neat to chat with a loved one so far away.

Nothing else is new in my little realm. Hope all is well with every one of you out there!

Shopped until we dropped today - Signe and I hit our favorite stores! I now have a cover or wrap for the three bathing suits I own so I can get to and from the beach and eat at resturants without changing more than adding the cover. I have accepted the fact that I am not likely to develop a body that should stroll down the boardwalk in a bathing suit! :-) I've got all my travel sized lotions etc in the quart zip-lock baggie as required. I'm getting ready!

Jack thinks I'm bueatiful just as I am so I'm not going to get crazy about losing wieght before our trip. If running and excersizing make things better before then that will be great but I'm not going to do any big diets or fasts. It is wonderful to be accepted just as I am!

Tonight Jack is playing poker with the boys at Eric's and I am working on getting his notebook computer updated to XP SP2, watchig Sci-Fi TV, and just relaxing in general. Life is good!

I've resolved to work atleast an hour on learning Spanish. I have a CD that seems pretty good. I am going to work on that now.

Hope everyone is having a great Saturday night!

Happy New Year! We brought 2007 in with a Murder Mystery Dinner called the "Chicago Caper". Staying awake until Midnight on New Years Eve was never so easy! Everyone came dressed in character and throughly got in to solving the mystery! Along with a ton of laughs we took a good number of pictures and I edited and loaded them today!

I got it all done today because my back is out from walking around on 4 inch heels for 5 hours! I forgot to sit down New Years Eve! Lots for a speakeasy owner to do when the house is full! I woke up this morning and was barely moving. Other than soaking in the hot tub until completely pruned I have done nothing but work loading, editing, and getting the pictures set up for viewing. Enjoy!

The night before New Years Eve Lyn and Cheryl hosted a reception for Jack and I at Cheryl's house. Most of our friends where out of town when we married in November so they got togeather to wish us well on December 30th. These are the majority of Jack and I's closest friends in Klamath Falls. The big celebration where we hope all our family and friends will be present will be on June 9th.

We now have exactly one month before we leave for our honeymoon!!!