little by little by little.....

[maggymay]

I never thought it would work for me but i seem to be able to manage either no drink or just a glass or two of wine. I am taking it very easy and am surprised at myself. I have had no hangover for weeks and most of the time i just dont think about drink. I used to hate the bewitching hours between four and seven but I think that once I broke the habit of that I was able to continue with the evening. Now, that is not to say that I can be flippant because I know the state I can get into. I do think though that I have reached a crossroads where I just dont want to be suffering any more.

One happy girl here I can tell you.

I think My Way Out is a great help and I look forward to reading all the threads but I am also conscious that I can be okay on my own too.

Maybe this time I can survive it all........

Have a nice weekend everyone.

maggymay

[My New Beginning]

little by little by little.....

Hi Maggymay
Great job!! I wish it were that easy for me though. What did you do to break the habit during the witching hours?? Just curious. I try to do something different and not stick to the same old routine. It helps but doesn't always work for me.

[maggymay]

little by little by little.....

hi green house

well i am no saint but i just take a step back and try to make a choice about what to do. Today i have come home from work without heading out to the pub with my pal and am waiting for another friend to call for glass of wine. Even that is helping. I think I have to think it through all the time. I just dont want to be in trouble with drink. I hate the fights, the feeling and the stupid things I do. I am not sure if I can keep it up. But I am trying. I have put on a wash, watched a bit of Columbo, watered my garden and made a phone call. It is now 17.45 here and the worst is over for today.

Tomorrow another day though...... I am certainly not craving alchohol though and take vitamin B and evening primrose which i just found in the bathroom.

Will let you know how it goes.

Take care. xxx

[maggymay]

little by little by little.....

thanks

friend cancelled so no bad thing really. Got invite out but said No. I think I have to keep a real tight rein on myself but we can only do our best.

Think I will have the cleanest house in Ireland, the most ironed clothes, the cleanest face and the wettest garden by the time I get to bed!!! not to mention the fridge!!!

[lorisunshine]

little by little by little.....

Maggy,
if you should run out of diversions, please hop on a direct flight to Toronto, because you are just what I need to catch up with everything in my house. I will feed you well - promise!

[4theboyz]

little by little by little.....

Maggymay,

It sounds as though you are on the right track! It's amazing of what just becoming aware of your drinking issues can do for you in helping control the urge or *need* to drink.

Good job!

[maggymay]

little by little by little.....

afraid to tell you that i have also made some brown bread!!! This is such a novelty I suppose it wont last. But when you think of the time we have wasted......

Toronto sounds good........

[caseaday]

little by little by little.....

Good for you! Replacing drinking with something productive is very important. There are so many things that one can do with their time. If you think you have it bad...try volunteering for a cause that helps others. It is a real eye opener...

[vera-b]

little by little by little.....

Hi Maggymay,

It sounds like you're well on your way to putting your life in healthy order. I would add only one word of caution, which I speak from my own shameful experience. Always be vigilant. Alcohol is like a clever shape-shifter. It pretends to be benevolent when toasting a happy occasion, or innocent when shared in moderation with someone dear. But it has a way of biding it's time, always on the lookout for an opening to destruction. I, too, have been successful in controling my drink (occasional glass of wine, many al-free days) since coming to MWO (which wasn't, by the way, the first time I tried to gain control over the beast). However, I know me. And just about the time things seem to settle down, I can get quite smug and think I don't really have a problem afterall. That's the opening the beast is looking for. So while I'm happy with my behavior, I'm also going to remain "on guard." One way I do that is come here. It's become such a wonderful part of my day. I share with hubby many of the funny stories (you have got to read the Friday ODAT thread).

Congratulations on your success - hope to be hearing more.

v.

[Bandit]

little by little by little.....

Hi Maggymay,
How is it going?
Really glad to hear you are doing well as I think you posted a little while back saying that the AF thing was not going too good. Nice to hear that things are on track.
I am not doing too badly - had a good run lately, grand during the day but finding the nights, especially weekends very hard. I can't really get out so it is a hard habit to break when you are so used to watching a film or something with a bottle of vino or a few beers. As for the cleanest house, forget Toronto (although it is fab!) - I am nearer, could do with the help and LOVE brown bread!!
:h
Bandit

[maggymay]

little by little by little.....

now bandit, how much bread do you want? I have many loaves oh and struggling tomatoes too. I think i am becoming a domestic goddess in my twilight years. Wouldn't that be great. I better get out of the cot and get going on it so....

half eight so better shift myself and see if there is life in the outside world. this is my first weekend for a long time with no plans made; buddy going to hurling match, friends going out for a very social drink; now and again boyfriend in dublin but my son could be a good boy and come to see his mother and sit and listen to what I have to teach him about life - he is only 30 and needs his mother's wise words I am sure! ha ha ha. I am looking forward to the easy day and will take it easy and continue to be aware of what is going on and try to forget what I am trying to do as well.

Drink has certainly lost its power over me - for today anyway.

slainte

[lorisunshine]

little by little by little.....

Maggy, half eight? Does that mean 7:30 hrs. or 8:30 hrs. Need lessons in Irish speak.
BTW I like brown bread as well.
Have a grand day.
Lori

[maggymay]

little by little by little.....

that is eight thirty. lovely day here. has been raining all the time so the bit of sunshine is lovely. my son called to help in the garden, so the demons are at bay. my friend gave me the secret diary for my birthday and was reading it the other day - talking of making demands of the universe and my demand is to be sober..... I was never good at saying what i wanted but this might be the answer.

xxx

[vera-b]

little by little by little.....

Hi Maggie,

I haven't read the Secret, but have seen many discussions about it on Oprah. I think it's a grand idea to put our desires out there in the universe. If nothing else, it forces us to really think about what it is we want out of life. For me, I'm happy to just be living. I felt that when I was drinking heavily, it was just an existence going from one drink to another. Am off to a Saturday party - will be AF (it's wicked hot and humid outside) even though the host is V.P of Marketing for a beer company, and you can bet the coolers will be overflowing. I'm not there to drink, though. Just to enjoy my friends. Take care.

V.

[maggymay]

little by little by little.....

Vera b, you are so right. I got the old urge back last night when a friend called and i decided great i can manage a drink with her and i will be fine. We had things to discuss to do with my man and so a second glass followed the first. but that was all. we sat in the garden and really emjoyed the time together but I was a small bit worried because i knew of how many nights start like that and end up on a downward spirrall. So we both left it at the two glasses adn we poured the rest down the sink. It was the first time of the moderate drinking not really working out the way I hoped. The demon was certainly lurking. When she left - soon after seven i ate my lovely dinner (Irish potatoes at thistime of the year are to die for - in Cork called balls of flour and smathered with butter) nice steak and courgettes and then some of my pear and almond tart (a must if i may say so) and then boomp terror and sadness hit it in over life, loneliness and a dificulty I have with a relationship. Hope you have a minute or two...

I am 55 divorced with three grownup children - i live alone and my daughter works with me in my law practce. She lives with boyfriend in this city. One son lives in NYC - working for my brother and is doing very well managing one of his bars. The other darling is nearly 30 and is starting over education with law. he has two degrees in writing but thinks law might suit him. Maybe he got it from me

I have been seeing a guy from Dublin - 160 miles away- for over three years, We met on match.com and we felll madly in love It was grand for a good whilel. We got together all we could. MY work brought me to Dublin regularly and he came down regularly for weekends. After about a year he told me he did not want to get married and that hurt a lot. At this stage I was crazy about him and would have moved in with him and worked out of Dublin for some of the week. This was not a runner either as he has three adult children living with him..... the ex has nothing to do with them and might see them three or four times a year for dinner. So he gets to do everything for them - cooking shopping cleaning, supplementing the income of the only earner and the lives of hte other two. They are a complete drain and are very spoilt. the daughter is presently travelling in central America - being subsidised now on a weekly basis by Dad. So I am finding it hard to handle. I try to be busy but nights like last night when my friend went I hit a slump and of course called him to tell him how down i was about it. He would have loved me to come up but then I am surrounded by the two boys and their friends for the weekend. It seems I never see him anymore andyet i am still mad about him. He puts his kids first all the time and now both boys (23 and 20) will be away at the first weekend of August adn I have been told it is okay to come up. I know I can visit when I like but I hate it there kids everywhere and nobody all that delirious to see me. I am conscious that ii is the house he was married in and nothing changed since she left. I managed to get him change the bed for a new one and tht helped.

With my own divorce, my children moving on and my twilight years approaching I am not sure I can handle much more of this - travel also a factor- but then I am afraid of losing the bit I have.

Oh my god on reading over this I wonder what do I have at all?

Sorry for the long moan, but bothering me a while...