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    Spain.....

    ?Fasten your seat belts , its gonna be a bumpy ride??????I always loved that line. Betty Davis. I?ve been waiting a long time to use it???it doesn?t belong here, but I don?t care. I?m using it anyway.
    I like going home to Spain. It reminds me of how I use to be. No stress, no baggage and no addictions.
    The plane landed in Malaga late Monday night. As soon as the doors opened, I knew I was home. The smell of garlic was in the air. I grabbed my luggage, rented a car, ( diesel??gas is over $ 7 a galloon! No wonder they?re all skinny over there. Between all the walking and the Mediterranean diet of fish, olive oil and garlic?I could be skinny and beautiful too!......Penelope Cruz would have nothing on me!!!!! ) So, I?m in my car heading down the coast to my pueblo and my local bar. Now Chief, calm down. They?ve known me since I was in utero and I?m just stopping to say hi. So there I am, sitting on the beach with a plate of their home cured olives and the catch of the day????what a home coming.

    I wake up the next morning at 4am and go to the beach to take pictures. I capture sunrise and the fishing boats coming into port. The seagulls in Spain are pretty aggressive and follow the boats all the way up to the dock. Its kinda creepy to watch because it looks like a scene out of Alfred Hitchcocks ?The Birds?. Seagulls dive bombing onto the deck grabbing the fish???..?run for your life!? I started a triage spot for all the victims??.thought I was at work! ( just kidding )

    Lunch time, I go see mom????..ta ta ta dummmmmmm!
    She looks the same, its only been 2.5 years but when you?re up there in years, that?s a long time. Externally she looks fine, internally she is aging rapidly. Mom has arthritis, has trouble walking and her ankles get very swollen by the end of the day. I start to panic, depression sets in, I envision myself having to take water pills at age 60, having to stay home so there?s a bathroom in close proximity. I return to my hotel and put on my running shoes! I?m not going down without a fight!
    The first day we go have a leisurely lunch, mom?s is mostly liquid, mine is mostly fish and then we go home. This went on for the 10 days pretty much. I?d see her once a day at the time she tells me to come over. I?m treated as a visitor, not as a daughter??its always been like that. We make appts. to meet. I?m not allowed to stay with her. Haven?t since I was kicked out at 15. Having said all that, there is no anger, I?ve come to terms with it a long time ago. I expect nothing more.

    So out of the 10 days I had one bad day/night. I went out to dinner with my mother and step-father for an amazing meal. That night I decided I would have wine with the intent of moderating. Need I say more???.Its hard to moderate when the waiters are topping up your glass each time your head is turned??..I went back to my hostel and started talking to the night watchman. Of course he kept giving me free drinks??..We solved all the worlds problems that night, too bad I can?t remember any of the solutions. I woke up in the morning, shaking, anxious and with heart palpitations, and lets not forget guilt??..I scared myself half to death. Stupid me???.. I felt like such a loser. I pretty much stayed in my hotel room for 24 hours writing in my journal and analyzing my ?slip???.I couldn?t stomach getting up and facing the world again, let alone the night watchman. I stayed the rest of the trip AF which was no easy feat with my mother. That was my bad day, the rest were great??.
    So that?s pretty much it???.My vacation consisted of lots of meals, lots of journal-ling and lots of reading. In that sense it was very rewarding. I made a few decisions while I was gone. I need to loose weight, ( in Spain I felt so HUGE, and I?m not even that big ) I want to continue on track with my alcohol consumption or lack of it I should say???.I joined the daily tracker. I?ve kept one for years but having it exposed to all I?m in struggle with is going to be helpful I think. Then, there are the personal decisions I need to make about my life. Son?s going to college in Sept, so now its all about me! Career change? Degree? We?ll see????fasten your seat belts, its gonna be a bumpy ride!

    #2
    Spain.....

    Hi Finally,

    I was almost there with you on the sights and smells, and fish my favorite too!

    I too have had a similar experience to you recently, But you did fine and we are all here for you now whenever you need it!

    Bumpy ride? The path that leads us through the most obstacles often provides the richest journey!

    Take care and thanks for sharing that with us


    Eastx
    In life we can live out our dreams its true
    the one who decides,takes chances,makes choices is YOU.

    Comment


      #3
      Spain.....

      RN have read your post with a mixture of pure elation for you tinged with sadness. I know how much it meant to you going over to visit your mum. Reading between the lines I think Mum situation has probably been part of the reason why you like partying with AL a little too energetically. I have to say that I had a love /hate relationship with my mother (I loved her???????? but she hated me and I was always trying to get an understanding of why - which never, never came and I now have to live with that) She also lived abroad and I always made the effort to go and see her which was a mixture of much anguish but some pleasure. My mum is now dead BUT I can only say you are doing exactly the right thing by keep going over because you will have nothing to regret when she is not here. You have done your best and TRIED take comfort from that and enjoy the good parts. I had so much counseling after my mum died - such a bad, bad time but the one thing that came out of it was that it would have been even worse if I had not made the effort. You sound as though on the surface you have accepted the situation BUT I know how deeply the wounds have cut. So look at all the great parts of the visit and hold them dear because you will never live to regret not going. Keep strong my friend so much of what you wrote I could put in my own journal. As for the weight thing HEY Pea could do with losing loads of weight so how about starting a weekly weigh in - Cheaper than weight watchers :h

      Take care

      So pleased you enjoyed most of your visit

      Sweetpea xxxxxx:h :l
      :flower: Keep strong and focused things do get better and you will find your happy :h

      Comment


        #4
        Spain.....

        hi there..rn ...welcmoe back it sounds like you really enjoy yourself. sorry to hear about the slip oh well get back on track..and have a great day and thankx for sharing
        :beach: life does change as long as you are willing to change yourself ..
        best thing about the future it comes one day at a time..

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          #5
          Spain.....

          NURSE!
          I am JEALOUS! I love Spain! (You already know that! LOL) So gald you had so many good days! Thank you very much for sharing your trip with all of us!
          Yeah, family can be..trying...at times. We've talked some about that.
          You sound so upbeat and happy right now! Please keep that attitude!
          HUGS!
          Stay Strong!
          BHOG
          War isn't working. Let's try Peace!

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            #6
            Spain.....

            Lovely post Finally. Yes, it`s all about you now........I hope you continue to enjoy your sobriety and realize some of your dreams.

            Starlight Impress x

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              #7
              Spain.....

              Finally, I'm glad your trip was a learning experience. Your mom knows you are there for her. It's sounds like her life is a bit of a struggle too.

              Good for you and your decisions about making greater strides in your future. I wish you nothing but the best.

              Love, Me
              :l
              Alcohol is simply the device between success and failure.

              Comment


                #8
                Spain.....

                Thanks for sharing your trip with us FinallyRN. Your description brought back many happy memories. As the others have said, you are doing the right thing and you will have no regrets.

                Rustop

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                  #9
                  Spain.....

                  FinallyRN - 1st Good for you for analyizing your slip and then going through the rest of your trip. You really did a great job.
                  2nd - Have you read Eat, Pray, Love? - I think you might like it.
                  3rd - If you join the drink tracker then I will. I have the same hestitations about it that you do.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Spain.....

                    RN!

                    WOW, sounded like a learning, soul-searching experience..............glad you got to go..........thanks for sharing it w/ us.................se are so lucky here at MWO!!! Get to go all over the world!!

                    MA:h :h :h
                    :rays:My happiness is my greatest gift to others:rays:eace:

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                      #11
                      Spain.....

                      my girl!!! I missed you!

                      Glad you had such a great trip - too bad you can't remember the solutions to all the worlds problems...........can't tell you how many times I have solved them as well, only to forget them later..........hate it when I do that!!!

                      Love ya, glad to have you back.
                      Every day is a day to start over and remember that I am powerless over my addiction. I will no longer give the BEAST any power over me - he can go straight to hell.
                      :h

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Spain.....

                        That is so awesome!!!! You know what you want to do, and you're going for it. We never like to slip, but if you can use it to put everything in perspective, good for you!!!!!
                        Goal 1: Today
                        Goal 2: Tomorrow

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                          #13
                          Spain.....

                          I re-read this post. Just love it!!! I just love it!! It has a romantic under current to it. I want to go to Spain.

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                            #14
                            Spain.....

                            Wow, I feel so humbled. I felt like I was back at school writing "What I did on my summer vacation"
                            Croft, someone just told me about that book..........gotta get it. I sounds like something I need right now. And Croft, if you ever went to Spain, especially the south coast, you'd never want to come home.I started the daily tracker 2 days ago...........come and join me.

                            Sweetpea, maybe we had the same mother?! I too have done years of therapy. 2 things were turning points for me. People see in you what they hate in themselves. If you are like your mother, you were the mirror of herself. And, 2nd, nowhere is it written that you have to like your parents.......I love my mother, she is an accomplished woman, foreign correspondant for north Africa and Spain. How could you not admire that. She just wasn't mother material, not nurturing, we were in the way of HER life........but thats ok because now its MY life.
                            As for starting a weight watcher thread.......CAN I JUST DEAL WITH ONE ADDITION AT A TIME PLEASE?
                            You know, I don't know what I would do without this site now and all you in it. Its make me choked up as I write this.............oh my god!!!!! Is this ANOTHER addiction!!!!!! Do I have to start a 12 step program for MWO addiction??? I can't think about that right now. Its too much.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Spain.....

                              Hi RN!! have been looking forward to reading about your trip! I was in Malaga once .. sigh... I was 20 and most invested in trying to pick up Spanish guys . Three girlfriends and I spent 5 days in Torremolinos (sp.) spending our evenings in the discotecha. Well my friend Rena did get a dude :H
                              wow, amazing post, you have the writing gene also. it seems like you have achieved SO much clarity since coming here. wow. And amazing how well you've worked through the "mom" issue, although I certainly understand it's always an uphill battle. I remember your "my story" post and it was powerful.
                              Oh and hell, those damned skinny women , Italy , Spain , augghhhh. Please don't worry about that right now -- we'll worry about our butt-size contest later in the year
                              :boxer: Get the hell out of my house, Al, you worthless bastard!!

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