When Caller ID told me that it was the vet's office calling this afternoon, I was scared. But it had nothing to do with Gladys. The receptionist said that she had a "strange question." There was a woman there in the clinic who had an injured, homeless sugar glider. Could we keep it for at least three months, until a permanent home could be found? Ooooh... That was a tough one. As much as we wanted to help out, as much as we wanted to be good Christians, we just couldn't. We have our hands (and cage) full with three sugar gliders already. But, we said, if they absolutely can't find anyone else, we will make room.

(As Phillip pointed out, after the phone call, there is also the bonding issue. Sugar gliders are extremely bonding creatures. They have been known to literally die after being separated from whoever they've bonded to. How hard will it be so say goodbye after three, four... six months?)

My counselor told me today that there are no failures in meditation.

He also discovered that I have a gift for creative visualization. (What was that blank card in my pocket?)

I've had two successful attempts at reaching a meditative state, so far. I've had many "failures." I figure that my failure/success ratio is about 3:1. I think of this as a good ratio for someone who just learned meditation a week ago. I'm proud of myself.

Gladys Night has us scared last night. I thought she'd lost mobility in her right, rear leg. Phillip thought her leg was out of it socket. She didn't seem to be in any pain, but she was definitely having trouble walking and climbing. She was holding her leg and foot (hand) at weird angles.

The vet had an opening in his schedule this morning. He poked and squeezed her. He watched her walk. He determined that there were no broken bones and no signs of serious pain. He diagnosed it as either a simple muscle strain or something Gladys would not want posted in a public blog. (After all, a dignified, middle-aged sugar glider would not want the world to know that she has constipation.)

Once again, the vet and his assistant remarked that they had never seen such a well-behaved sugar glider (except for Gladden) before.

My 2004 tea/tisane log:

1. yerba maté, 1 January
2. genmaicha, 9 January
3. South African Rooibos (with honey crystals), 10 January
4. chamomile lemon herb, 15 January
5. Northwest blackberry, 17-19 January
6. lime herbal teasan, 6 February
7. aged Earl Grey, 17 February
8. black cherry tea (organic Ceylon tea with black cherry flavor), 5 March
9. black tea blend (organic), iced, 17 March
10. oolong, 19 March
11. iced green tea with apple, peach, ginger, and elderberry juices, 21 March
12. artificially flavored "raspberry tea", iced, packed with dyes, preservatives, and possibly tea, 24 March

My 2004 tea/tisane log:

1. yerba maté, 1 January
2. genmaicha, 9 January
3. South African Rooibos (with honey crystals), 10 January
4. chamomile lemon herb, 15 January
5. Northwest blackberry, 17-19 January
6. lime herbal teasan, 6 February
7. aged Earl Grey, 17 February
8. black cherry tea (organic Ceylon tea with black cherry flavor), 5 March
9. black tea blend (organic), iced, 17 March
10. oolong, 19 March
11. iced green tea with apple, peach, ginger, and elderberry juices, 21 March

My shaman and my pastor both had interesting, encouraging comments about my recent experience with meditation - specifically, my question of how a person afraid of heights can find peace floating in midair.

Pet wrote, in an email entitled "Peace is where you find it": "Only your conscious mind is afraid of heights. Always remember this: nothing can harm you in the other realm."

Shannon remarked that I had found a place of comfort in the middle of a scary situation. Then she compared it to my present situation - getting my work published in the middle of all this awfulness.