I'm Whining and Groaning

And I want to share it with you. Nice of me, huh??

I'm not sleeping well. I have no idea what is going on. I fall asleep without difficulty, then I wake three or four hours later and can't go back to sleep for an hour or two or three. Sleepus interruptus. This has gone on for a week or so, and it is beginning to wear on me. I slept well when I was on the trip, but it began shortly after I returned home. I suspect the time change coupled with time zones changes and fired by sleeping in different beds might have initiated it because of the timing.

Last night's restlessness I understand. The last three hours at work were in a meeting about the proposed open-pit mining project. The Gallery is helping to plan and host a silent auction to raise funds, so the meeting was about that. However, as is common, there are few volunteers who have come forward to help with any aspect of the cause. Mind you, there are several hundred who have signed up as being willing to volunteer or contribute financially; yet not one dollar has been sent nor has one person agreed to give time for anything. Everyone who signed up wants the mining project stopped, but they want everyone else to get 'er done!! There is a total of three people heading up the drive and five of us with the Gallery doing all the work. Shameful.

By the time our meeting was finished, the emotions were raw. I personally fear we will lose the beautiful view that I see every morning. Those mountains in most of my shots are the Capitans, the range that is threatened. Look at this picture, then imagine that on the left hand side of the picture an area of 2000 acres with a pit that is 400 feet deep. That's a 40 story building deep, folks.

So anyway, it was rough to realize that at least for now our efforts, this little group of eight, is all that stands between our beloved mountains and a corporation which would essentially rape the mountain, rip it apart and carry away the soil that comes from the pit. And once the dirt is carted away, they don't bring it back. There are other grotesque issues having to do with potential pollution of air and water, wear and tear on roads, displacement of wildlife, but I'll not go there at this time. Just imagine the damage to the mountain. That's enough for concerns to be elevated.

Da Boss is talking to a high level, extremely influential person, who I can't name at this time. This person has pledged to the cause in the way of free legal representation and whose name will knock the socks off many people. But without funding and physical support, will this person be enough?

We try to remember that we are just a few weeks into this, however, we don't dare waste time. So the pressure is high. I'm worried. That impacts on me at many levels, and I realize, however, that until yesterday this wasn't heavily on my mind. When I came home last night, I had a beer out of necessity, because I was so stressed. Then a little dinner.

I know I should avoid alcohol when I'm having trouble sleeping, but last night I simply needed some release for the pent up emotion. In the last week I have avoided alcohol. I've tried all my "tricks" to assist sleeping. Warm milk concoctions, meditation and relaxation exercises, even a muscle relaxer and Tylenol (when I don't sleep right, the fibromyalgia kicks up, so I'm usually aching when I wake at night), reading a while, etc. Nothing lets me sleep through the night.

I know I'm also pushing the envelope on my physical activity. I'm working on clearing the underbrush from my property. I hope to have it done before new spring growth makes it even more dense. I'm doing well, and I don't think I'm overdoing it. I work outside two to four hours every about every other day, quitting when I begin to feel tired so I don't hurt myself. But it is sitll more than I've done in a while. If I could just get the restorative sleep......

Possibly there are just too many things coming to a head in my life at the same time. I'm not sure of the root cause, but I can tell you I'm getting raggedly tired. Please send good thoughts to the universe (in whatever version is yours) for my rest. I really need it.

I'm going to end with a couple irreverent cartoons. I chose irreverent because that's the humor that suits my mood today. I need a good laugh, and these tickled me. Hope they do you, too!

Happy Humpday!!!!!

PS- I just noticed that I had another hit from someone in France who googled "l*adypa*nty"!! LOL! I googled it myself a few days ago, and I found that my blog occupied the top three positions. I think I'm going to disguise the word in all the previous posts to get myself off the top of the google list! But it is very funny, and lifted my mood, despite it all! OH, and the chocolate-dipped strawberries left over from the potluck that I just ate helped, too!! LOL!!