And it has.

The room mate didn't work out. He wasn't paying his share of the bills and we ended up getting evicted in January. Karma is an interesting thing. He is, 3 months later, still couch-surfing, from what I hear, while I am renting a manuafctured home on 1/3 acre of land that is completely venced in, giveing Monster LOTS of space to run around in.

I not living with anyone, but I AM dating again. We started dating right about the time the eviction went through, maybe a week later. He has spent time learning Monster's communication methods, and bonding with him. That dog absolutely LOVES Adrian. Adrian being the new boyfriend, who has also been playing "ameture handyman" around my new place. To date, he has planted flower beds, laid patio blocks and built rails on my front porch, not to mention helping me move into this new place, from the temporary mobile home my family got me into when the eviction happened. He lives about 3 miles from where I am now living.

But the biggest thing that happened is that I went back to working in an office on December 17, 2012. On April 1, 2013, I earned my first promotion. I am working full time. Monster goes into the office with me every day (and gets spoiled rotten from my co-workers), and we are supporting ourselves. That made a BIG difference to my self esteem. It's starting to fel like my life is getting back to where it was before the stroke. I am rebuilding my career. I have a man who loves me (we'll see where this realtionship goes, but Adrian has mentioned a few things like "when we become grand-parents"), and I am getting my financial feet back undernesth me.

There are still ups and downs. Things about me are still different...and always will be, but I don't feel so uprooted, lost and panicky, like I did just after the stroke, then again after my husband left me.

That reminds me, he called me the other week. I didn't take the call and deleted the voicemail.