The Gambler

Who comes to Reno and not gamble? Besides me I mean. I have had no interest in the casinos and slot machines that are everywhere, even in the grocery store! Besides, the casinos are filled with smoke. The first night Dave and I were here, to get out of the cold and make our walk shorter, we tried cutting through the Sands Casino on our way walking to Hollywood Video. I took two steps inside and had to turn around as the smoke was just too much for me. I don't need a casino to gamble, I just need an alternative health care facility in Reno. I figure I am the biggest gambler of them all. Afterall, I'm gambling with my life here.

Reno has been good to me so far. Or maybe it's just the fact that I am away from home and all of my responsibilities. Or the fact that I'm not living in the fast lane trying to be 3 places at once and do 5 things at once. Or the fact that I'm only responsible for myself. There are no birds, dogs, kids, husbands or moms here to consider right now. Just me. And it's quiet. I can hear my own thoughts. It's peaceful and calm. Serene even. A girl could really get used to this.

I think it's also due to the fact that I'm feeling so well and sleeping better than I've slept in years. I've got a lot of energy, yet I can lay down and go to sleep and then instead of dragging myself out of bed, I wake up on my own and jump out of bed, eager to start my day and new routines. And I've been going to bed earlier and getting up around 830am or so. On my own. No alarm clock. It feels good to do that. And I'm dreaming. I always know I'm sleeping hard and getting quality sleep if I dream. I really need that. That's when your body repairs and rebuilds. I think that was one of my problems that probably contributed to this whole cancer thing.

I woke up this morning to about 3" of snow on the ground and the sun shining. It was so pretty and made me feel so alive. Last night I ended up renting "John Tucker Must Die". It was a cute little comedy. Light stuff. I made myself a smoothie for breakfast and read the paper while my breakfast settled. Then I went up and did the ellipital trainer for 30 minutes. I made myself eggs and sprouted grain toast and a salad for lunch and I read some of the books I bought recently. I then took a long bath and read a gossip magazine (US with Trista Sutter on the cover in her bikini after losing 30# five months after giving birth). I headed out for a drive up to Barnes and Noble and Wild Oats and got an apple/carrot/parsley/wheatgrass juice from the juice bar and then I treated myself to an organic coffee latte with rice milk. I stopped at another grocery store on the way home and picked up a shot glass so I could make Margaritas (just kidding!!! it's for measuring 1 oz of a ph supplement that I have to add to my water called pHnomenal). Came home and spent the next 3-4 hours on the phone as Paris, Shanna, my dad and my mom all called me back to back! After my phone-a-thon I stir fried chicken, almonds, onions, garlic, red peppers and pineapple in olive oil and made a salad and ate dinner about 9-10ish.

Now I have the kitchen all cleaned up, the dishwasher and laundry going, I'm in my PJs with my slippers on, I have my herbal tea steeping and I've got my blanket I brought from home (it was my Gramma's and I can't sleep without it!) and my pillow set up on the couch and "The Notebook" cued up in the dvd player. Life is good.

Cue phone ringing....now it's Dave on the phone! And Dave's mom and the kids called me this morning to check in. So now it's 11:20pm and I've got all of my phone calls out of the way and my tea's getting cold so I'm going to press "start" and watch my movie and go to bed so I can get up and start my 2nd week of infusing etc.

Sweet dreams.
xoxox
Shauna