Today was a bonus day.

Today I came across a bottle of Beefeaters that I hadn’t entirely finished off. This was a welcome surprise as I recently discovered the wonder that is the Gin and Tonic. It’s a decidedly yummy kind of drink and I throw some lime juice in it as well. Also, it doesn’t appear to induce the kind of next day effects that are detrimental to the start of one’s day but then again your mileage may vary.

I keep getting invites from a friend who lives locally to meet up for adult refreshments but I’m just not into that as much anymore as I might have once been. First off, I can honestly say I’m not out driving as much at night as I once might have been and secondly there is always this fear in the back of my mind of getting stopped and having to deal with a DWI or a DUI or whatever.

It’s just not worth the hassle truthfully and what good is having a house if you can’t get toasted on your own. It’s not like I’m a kid anymore and have to escape the watchful eyes of a parent although I can’t say for me that was ever really an issue.

I had been thinking about this the other day after writing the post about what someone at work had said about my being an election inspector and having done many things. What it got me thinking about is that I’ve done alright, maybe I haven’t done as well as I would have liked in life but considering where I started and what I went through at the beginning it’s really amazing I’m where I’m at.

I don’t write about that so much… I’m not inclined to share that much of myself but the truth is I raised myself for the most part. Maybe in some circles that sounds like I’m overstating it but now, in hindsight and looking back on it, I know it’s very true.

Aside from the tumultuous years of living with my mom after the divorce from the ages of 8 to 13 (and we moved FOUR TIMES in that period, I was ALWAYS the new kid in school), after 13 when I went to live with the EYOC I was on my own. I mean ENTIRELY!

Looking back now and looking at how friends raised their kids and just having a better sense of teenagers I am somewhat amazed by all of it because I had entirely no supervision at all. The EYOC was just absent in every possible. He worked during the week and on the weekend was too busy going out to dances and drinking to really be bothered with raising a teenager.

As far as meals and clothing goes, the EYOC thought he would just hand me what he was obligated to hand my mother in child support with the expectation I would feed and clothe myself and that’s exactly what he did.

When I moved in with the EYOC, my grandmother was still alive but she was just two years away from passing and had lost my grandfather shortly before. If anything she was not going to raise a teenager but I do have to say my grandmother was always a very loving and positive influence on my life overall.

There’s just so much fucked up shit that happened though… before and during that period. That I made it out alive is a miracle in and of itself.

Anyway, back to Gin and Tonics… finding that remaining gin was a wonderful and pleasant surprise to be sure but it made me think about this song. I’m just thankful that considering I lost a friend due to his alcoholism and had another go through a near death experience from his problem with booze that I’m able to manage to keep things at arm’s length and not as dependent on it as some.