Greetings from the snow cover Heartland

Hey all!! This is the design for the t-shirts for next years 30th Nebraska NA convention to be held here. Because of my background in purchasing I am the merchandising chairperson, I found a local company which will make us 250 shirts for $5.50 each, nice deal for us and we get to support and local business, win win deal.

So it is Christmas eve, Mich is working 8-4 and I am watching my little buddies; Angel is watching Sponge Bob and Carter is running around being Carter, wanting to eat everything in the house and only staying focused on one thing for a couple of minutes before moving on to something else.

After Mich gets home I need to go over to my mom's and get their presents; I stashed and wrapped them at her apartment for obvious reasons with a 4 and 2 year old in the house. I found Angel a dollhouse at for $20.00, not the Dora house she wanted but it has little people and furniture, plus I bought a Dora and friend just the right size to go with; my sister gave the kids a small farm set with farmer and animals which will go nicely with the dollhouse too; also bought her some small odds and ends. I bought Carter a workbench and tools, so he can have his own tools to fix stuff instead of stealing Papa's, managed to find a battery operated drill with bits also. Carter is my little apprentice fixer, when ever I get my tools out to work on something he is right by my side helping me; I keep some tools in the house and when he gets a chance he takes them pretending to "fix it".

Wednesday we received 6 inches of snow, the wind was kicking about 35mph also, they had to shut down the interstate due to visibility. I was working at the hotel and there were times when I couldn't see 50 yards. I found out my little Cavalier does really well in snow, good tires helped. Saturday Angel and I made her first snowman. Yes Virginia we are having a white Christmas in Nebraska.

I am taking advantage of my break from classes to read non-thinking books. The hotel is very dead this time of year so I have plenty of time to read at work. Like anyone else who is around talkative little kids or people most of the day it is a pleasure to sit in perfect quiet and read; after I get my work done or in-between task.

J and I sat down Saturday night at a coffee shop. Part of our talk turned to camping. The guy who was our on again off again cook at camp-out's committed suicide Thanksgiving, he had Schizophrenia and stopped taking his medicine. P was a good guy but the double whammy of mental health problems and addiction kept him at a distance from the steps, he attended meetings periodically, stayed clean and sober but was never able to get rigorously honest enough to work the steps. We would suggest working the steps to him, on camping weekends give him a bit of tough love when he was pity potting it but his mental illness just held him back I guess. It is sad when someone takes their own life, it is sad that we can't help someone who for whatever reasons can't find the solution. We will leave a chair empty for P at our camp-outs this summer.

I am looking forward to the challenges of the new semester. Really interested to find out more about the change in degree. This new direction has boosted my enthusiasm; I want to work in medical management but it is just different enough to really kick my need for new learning in gear.

All in all life is good, recovery is great, would be doing any of this stuff is I was drunk and stoned. Merry Christmas everyone and have a blessed new year!!

Peace Love Light
Scott