Sorry. Even the Weebly website (that provides me this space on the internet) has contacted me to see if I am still interested. I stopped writing probably because I was starting to feel that I either had nothing new to tell or that the things that are on my mind have been shared with me in a confidential setting.
My group has finally gotten off the ground - but I know that is not a guarantee that that will continue. I cannot stress enough that alcohol is an extremely serious threat for some people. Not everyone who drinks becomes a compulsive drinker, but for those who do, life is very difficult. For many, the craving never goes away, even after numerous years of sobriety.
A man I only met twice died this summer from the destruction that 30 +/- years of drinking alcohol did to his organs. The people close to him tried so hard to get him the help he did not want. He was a brilliant mathematician and numerous people described him as the smartest man they had ever met. He had serious internal bleeding that doctors could not control. He died in a hospital room held by the people who loved him dearly and now they miss him constantly as they try to resume life as it was. It was not a quick death, but one that showed terrible symptoms many months ago. The same week this man died, a friend's neighbor died the very same way - internal bleeding after many years of alcohol misuse.
On a happier note - summer is the best time of the year. The birds serenade us daily, the flowers beckon us with their beautiful petals and people are joyously out and about having fun with friends and family.