Hugs until Next Time
It rained all last night with temperatures dropping into the high thirties. At 6:45 AM, I watched geese cruise through the mist on the pond outside the house, while I had my yogurt and berries. I closed my eyes and meditated into consciousness for a half hour. I put on my sweatpants and Patagonia jacket and headed out for my morning hike up Adams Rib. The dusty trail had dampened with all the tall grass on either side bending over so I could brush a hand across them and christen my forehead as I ascended. All the multicolored wild flowers sang to me as I approached my favorite double trunked douglas fur that I hug each time I travel up the trail.
‘So good to see you again, D, walking up to me through the morning dew!’
‘My friend, my friend, my douglas fur friend…
‘Thank you Thank you Thank you
For all your loving strength and energy’
I hugged the thick wet bark with all my own strength, love and gratitude - as I am flying home tomorrow after two weeks of crazy alcohol fuled circus time combined with the surprise of sudden sobriety. Yes! My Guy has been off the sauce for an entire week now and Sober/hottie mamma has been a good partner in helping me get him there. I have to admit we work really well together, albeit, she is still baffled that he won’t just hop on the ole’ AA meeting recovery road because of her beauty and sober seduction techniques. She is beginning to realize he is the square peg in the AA round hole. Only God knows if he will ever fit. His eccentric senior drinkin’ buddy shared at two meetings about how grateful he was and how his lord and savior Jesus Christ has helped him stay sober and how he loved all the other AA people’s shares.
“I love the wonderful people in AA,” he said. “What a great outfit.”
Meanwhile after she gave him rides to the local fancy gym, supposedly for him to do – a little work out – he was actually shuffling over to the restaurant bar next door for – a little drinking. We all caught him on the third day nursing a vodka lemonade. No one wanted to say anything so I did.
“What’s that you’re drinkin?”
“Oh, this? It’s a cold pressed orange juice, D.”
“Oh, is that why it looks so pale yellow? Why is it in a rocks glass with no straw?”
“I couldn’t tell ya…”
“Could I try a sip?”
“Come on, D, you don’t wanna do that…”
Yep. So now he’s got two days back. Me and hottie Sober have to keep the faith he will continue – but I’m about a 105 percent sure he won’t. I suggested to her that she uses her sultry ways on our Guy and convince him to toss his buddy out on the street so we can concentrate on keeping him happily above ground, and now that I’m leaving, I have the experienced knowledge that she might fold with their dual devil driven insanity. I do pray for her. She is a good woman beyond her surface beauty. I told her to call my anytime if it gets gnarly and I’ll come back to help. Ugh. I also pray that won’t happen. I want S time and family time and grandson DZ time. Sue says he always asks “Where is Popso?” I am checked into my flight DZ and will see ya tomorrow!
Fuck. It is so astoundingly beautiful here too. I mean I melted pure into the mountain this morning. I couldn’t even feel my feet on the ground as I passed stream one and two, flowing steady with last nights’ downpour, christening myself again with finger dips in the cold water to my forehead. I leaned into a few more trees for close hugs. Sure I did.
Love you Cottonwoods, will miss you until next time -
Two down vested, middle- aged women in lycra sweatpants and new OC trail shoes, passed me with oddly perplexed, robust cheeked faces and alarmed whispers on their way down.
Is he humping that tree?
My God! Keep walking!
I felt like I was gonna yell out:
‘You think I give a shit you boring biatches! Mother nature loves me!’
I took a few deep breaths and laughed. I am so happy not to be a normal human being. I got to the top, thanked the pond and the sky with the sun, peeking through the ominous black clouds looming over head. Sober hottie texted me with our daily grocery list for our gonzo patients. I hustled down the hill. I got to the car and gazed back at the magnificent scenery I was blessed to have entered.
Adams Rib, my forever friend, you did save me again
Until next time -