Dearly beloved,

We have gathered here today (on Slushkitty, Facebook, and email) to celebrate this thing called life. Electric word ‘life’, it means forever and that’s a mighty long time, but I’m here to tell you, there’s something else: the after-hystie world. A world of never ending happiness. You can always see the sun, day or night.

 Today is the one-year anniversary of my hysterectomy. It’s a very sad day for me (and for all the fellas who wanted to impregnate me), but I have so many blessings to be grateful for. Today, I am grateful that/to/for:

* Prince.

* The few months I was recovering from surgery that I was able to spend with my sweet Leroy before he went to Kitty Heaven.

* Penelope and Oliver and having this time I’m not working to spend with them.

* Not working!

* Working! Temp work at a pleasant office at a pleasant company with pleasant people and feeling appreciated and liked.

* Liking and being liked.

* Loving and being loved.

* Making mistakes, bad decisions that I thought were so awful and embarrassing until I reluctantly shared them with Lily who reminded me I am human.

* Making mistakes, bad decisions that I thought were so awful and embarrassing until I reluctantly shared them with Nay Nay who gently told me it’s normal human stuff… and funny. Of course!

* Knowing  (and trying to remember, as always, in real time) that making mistakes and bad decisions are opportunities to learn, not opportunities to self-flagellate.

* Making good decisions, doing the next right thing.

* Estrogel estrogen replacement.

* The few minutes it takes for Estrogel estrogen replacement to dry that I can also take to practice the self-care of body moisturizing.

* My health. After 41 years of good, clean living, I’m fit as a fiddle and fresh as a daisy. (Friday night, I walked into a restaurant and got carded!)

* I GOT CARDED!

* When I GOT CARDED, I was able to say with a very happy smile, “I’m not drinking”.

* Having the most wonderful friends to not drink with on a Friday night.

* Having the most wonderful friends to not drink with on a Saturday night, too!

* Being sober, thus able, on a sad anniversary Sunday to go out with my delightful fellows to share my experience, strength, and hope with addicts and alcoholics who are not as lucky.

* Luck (Love, God, HP, Friendship, etc…) because why else am I still here?

* Being here.

* Prince.

xo