ODAT - Tuesday

[Bessie]

I'm wondering if this thread is dying a bit of a death (tbh I haven't looked that far back so maybe it is still thriving but just not over the last 3 days) Anyway, I am going to start it anyway and it's my best way of keeping in touch and just recording my daily progress for me and hopefully that of others who join the thread.

I've been away for a bit and slipped back. This is my month for 30 days - ODAT of course! - and also when I try to re-establish some good eating, exercise, reward and thinking habits!! I still have an astonishing amount on my plate but I just have to keep plodding on with it and not allow it to stress me. Keep calm Bessie!!

I will only do this thread as it does seem there is a more than amount of infighting going on in other areas. And that would be my advice to anyone new. Stick to an 'area' of the boards where you feel comfy. Maybe delve into the others when/if you need them (chat, Need Help etc) I'm not going to read any threads that are negative and bitchy but I will occasionally pick some of the more inspirational ones - and there are plenty of excellent ones! Basically this forum is a good support system.

Anyway, for those of you needing a 'farm' update...... Piggy Bessie had to go to the abbatoir (barren and arthritic) Should be getting her back this week. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the sausages and pork chops etc. There is nothing as rewarding as eating your own produced meat and whilst it wasn't the original plan for her there wasn't really any alternative. We kept her as well as we could for as long as we could but with her medicine costing ?50 for about 3 weeks (plus food) it was also getting to be a financial issue as well as a welfare one. Her sister is fine though and possibly pregnant again. Her first lot of babies are now 6 months old and just fabulous. Glowing with health and really active and fun.

Sheep are being a bit of a pain - they've got worms and another parasite and have needed treating for those things, plus spraying against fly strike and moving to different fields.

Horse threw me off onto the road and I am still not quite right in the hip and ankle. He had the physio last week - I've got my appointment this week!!

Chickens mostly ok. A few minor health concerns but I have got quite a range of types and ages now so it is interesting to see how they interact.

All the animals will be as fed up as I am today about the weather. It's just constant rain. Still, it has been pretty dry here for most of the summer so not too much to complain about.

There, that's me done. Waffling on a bit but it's nice to be back.

Hope to see a few familiar - (Uni, Cindi, JGBeany, Finally RN, the nutty Irish ladies (!!), CaptnJack? and how is Matthen getting on with the new hip?) and some new 'faces' on this thread when I check in later.

Love to you all.

Bessie xxxx

[Mad Mummy]

ODAT - Tuesday

Yo Bessie!

I've been very hit and miss during August - but Greeneyes and One2many have been keeping it going.

Really admire the 30 day thing, I can't even think about going that far, just know I wouldn't do it so am looking to steadily improve consumption (downwards!) and get back to running again (which haven't been able to do with kids at home).

I know what you mean about the Pork tasting different - lucky you!

Bx

[greeneyes]

ODAT - Tuesday

Ah... my buddy Bessie. I've been awaiting your return. The thread was waivering. I considered taking a break myself given that and the bickering elsewhere. Perhaps August was hot and bothersome for some. Anyway, I'm sort of engulfed in my situation which will come to it's first peak in less than a week and I am filled with anxiety and dread. I am amazed that I am able to abstain from alcohol. Must be the xanax :H that and fear of the biggest slip in the history of this board. I can get through this day.

[universal]

ODAT - Tuesday

Bessie! Welcome home!

Glad to hear the news of the farm! I am sorry about the fall from the horse though.

I am with you on the 30 days AF for September. It is time for me to seriously do this - as well, the smoking too. I have been doing really well with NF but the second I get a drink that goes by the wayside. So for September, it is NF and AF and get some good healthy days back! I love waking up hangover free.

Hope everyone else is doing well!

Love and hugs,
Uni

[Cinders]

ODAT - Tuesday

Bessie!! So glad to see you back and starting the ODAT thread. Sorry about the pig but at least some good comes from it. I cannot imagine raising my own meat. I would love it but it is so much work. There is another thread that is fun, too. The AF Army thread. Another safe haven. Lots of support if you need it. Really push for that 30 days AF. It will make a huge difference in how you feel. You have so much on your plate that I am quite sure getting AF for 30 days will amaze you in how much more energy you have to get all those things done. The first week will suck, though. Just power through it.

MadMummy, If 30 days is too daunting, truly do it ODAT. Make a promise to yourself that you will not drink today. You can do it. Those days start piling up before you know it.

Uni, You CAN do the 30 days. Just have a good plan in place for those weekends when with BF and drinking around you. Planning helps.

Greenie, I am inspired by your determination and sheer guts. As you face this horrible week, please know you can reach out and get support here. PM me if you need to. I will be there. This too, shalll pass. :l:l

I am starting my 4th week AF and ecstatic. I am happy, smiling and full of energy. My anxiety has not popped up at all this time and I am grateful every day when I go to bed sober and relaxed.

Love to all,
Cindi

[evie]

ODAT - Tuesday

Hi everyone!
Welcome back Bessie! Yes the thread has been slipping, maybe cos of holidays etc. Plus there does seem to have been quite a lot of unpleasantness on some of the threads which I stay well away from!
I'm really pushing for 30 af days this month. My sis is due to give birth and is relying on either me or my mum to give her a lift to the hospital! Plus it feels the right time for me now- trying to get my eating on track too as that all went pear shaped over the summer.

Well done Cindi! 4 weeks is brill
Madmummy- your goals are just great- taking it a day at a time is all any of us can really do whether we are aiming for today or 30 or 60+!
Greeneyes- thinking of you as the difficult situation approaches
Uni- well i admire you for giving up 2 things at once! It can be done and keep believing that!

Take care all
Evie

[LVT25]

ODAT - Tuesday

Hello everybody,

I haven't been here for awhile either Bessie. My Internet isn't working right. I really hope he comes today like he said he would.
I'm happy to hear you guys are going for the 30 days. Truly it is so worth it! When my 30 days was up, then I went 60, at day 69 I had 3 beers and a glass of wine at a wedding. That was August 9th, since then I've drank once. I love my sober self, it gets better all the time. I wouldn't think of having a drink unless I really, really want to, and it is a special enough occasion. I've also promised myself I would NEVER drink and drive, so that helps. Bessie, I think you will be suprised how much easier your chores are when you are af! I don't think I realized how bad I felt, until I felt better--you know.
And Uni--I absolutely had to give up the AL to be NF. It's been 3 months since I've had a ciggie, but I still think I want one sometimes--especially with a beer. So it's SO much easier just to not drink beer, then not so much risk to smoke again. I am going to beat that beast this time!!
My monster garden doing quite well. As usual I'm getting a little tired of it. I canned some more green beans yesterday. I tried some fried okra, but will not be using that recipe again!
Wishing everyone a great day ODAT! :h

[New Day]

ODAT - Tuesday

Good day to all ODATer's ---- nice to see you back Bessie. I'm also joining the 30 days AF for September challenge --- and a challenge it will be! However ... ODAT! Start of Day 2 for me. Now that my daughter's visit and the friends wedding are over, will settle into a peaceful stretch here (I hope!). Even going to start back at the gym too.
Will check in later to see how everyone's doing.

[Bessie]

ODAT - Tuesday

Ah this is nice. It's like walking into a room of people you know well and haven't seen for a time but know you can just pick up where you left off. I have a couple of good friends like that - I probably only see them once a year but we slip straight back into our easy happy friendship as soon as we are together.

Well Uni, you know how we nearly always follow the same track? Looks like we're still there, joined at the hip! LOL!! Let's make sure we both follow the same AF track through September. I know what you and LVT25 are saying about alcohol and smoking. I rarely smoke but the only time I do the desire is fuelled by alcohol. There must be some chemical compatibility between the two.

Lovely Greeny - sorry to hear about your approaching tough time BUT I am totally proud of you for being AF through all this. You are right - drinking would be the biggest slip in the history of these boards!!! You would have to fess up to us all and that would be so bad as we are all rooting so hard for you. Don't go there. Like Cindi says, stay close, pm us, whatever it takes. Happy to send you my email address via pm if you want to get speedier responses.

Hi Evie! Auntie Evie! Funny how September feels like a fresh start on lots of levels for lots of people.
LVT25 - cherish that garden and all that lovely produce. I've done pretty badly in mine but at least I have had some time for it this year. The best bit is the sweetcorn bed which has yellow and red chard growing at the foot of the corn plants. Looks really priddy!

And hi to New Day. Another one inspired by the new month.

Love to all.

Bessie xxx

[Peanut]

ODAT - Tuesday

Hi odaters!
I tried to stay away from here a bit through August - I had sadly also fallen back into daily wine drinking too, although I did manage I think 5 days in mid-August. Funny, alot of people say that once they have one night of drinking it turns into a week or two. Well, I think that happens to me too!! One night and then the whole next week I drank wine every night. Damn if I didn't even buy a couple of boxes, which is never a good thing for me!!!! So here we are, back at it again. I joined one of those 30day threads, but am really aiming for 20, as I leave for Hawaii for a week on the 20th. I'm hoping that a good stretch of AF will also help me control myself a bit while I am there, as it is a conference and I get tired of being hungover and sleepy and trying to look alive at early morning meetings or talks, reeking of wine!

So welcome back Bessie!
Best to you Greenie in the difficult week ahead - my heart is with you.
UNI - great about the smoking. Like so many others, my smoking is totally linked to drinking. No drinking? Then I only smoke 1 or 2 before bed, no more, sometimes not even that!!!
LVT - so nice to hear from you. I am so happy you have pretty well stayed AF. I know what you mean about tiring of the monster garden - I used to have one of those when my kids were little and spent days canning and freezng and pickling! Alot ofr work!! But it always felt so good to have company out to that farm I lived on (a university farm, not our own) and be able to feed everybody with almost all the food grown by oneself or from the barns (that farm had a dairy, beef and pigs, plus sheep - I loved those sheep the best- they are so goofy!!).
Hi to everybody else on this thread!

OK - to work, to work!
Have a successful Day 2 AF for all you reaching for AF September!
xoxo Peanut

[vera-b]

ODAT - Tuesday

Hello all the Tuesday ODATS,

I've been away all Labor Day weekend, visiting my folks who moved about a year ago to northern Virginia. Their condo is lovely, and the community has many activities for seniors. But my, oh my, northern Virginia is one big, stressed out place! No wonder our government is crazy most of the time. Everywhere you look there is building going on - and everything is BIG. Big office buildings, huge neighborhoods, big houses, big shopping centers, heck - even the roads are big. Felt so good to get back to New England this afternoon.

It's hard to believe September is here. August was busy getting daughter #2 back to school - but now everyone is where they're supposed to be, and I can get back on a schedule. I do much better with AL control when I have a routine. Didn't have a bad time AL-wise, but just feel out of whack after 2 weekends traveling. Thank you Bessie for starting this thread. It's my favorite and the one sane place I can see how everyone is doing. Cindi - good for you. You are always an inspiration for me. Uni - you remind me so much of myself. Always looking to do better, and constantly striving. I look back on the last 3 months and cannot believe the progress. One of the aspects of MWO that is so helpful is that it's never just over. We keep going through ups and downs, sharing the celebrations and challenges. It's real - not just a quick fix (which never works in the long run). Hope everyone is feeling postitive about September - I am!

Vera-b

[caseaday]

ODAT - Tuesday

Hi Everyone...

Well...summer is officially over! Back to the daily grind of whatever we do here in the U.S. after Labor Day weekend. Who is the idiot that declared summer over anyway? They could have moved it off by another 3 weeks in my opinion.

I took some time off from the site unintentionally over the summer as I was distracted by having fun again. Funny how that happens when you aren't drinking as I am on day 115. My energy level is back up to when I was in my late twenties and I feel really good. I used to be really adventurous when I was young and then I slipped into being a "no" person for about 14 years. Never wanted to get to far from the ice box, cooler, tavern or bar. Now I just want to be out of the house doing all of the things that I missed out on. Sort of feel like a fool making up for lost time but what the heck.

Glad to see that the thread is still here Bessie. I was worried it wasn't going to be around! Loved to hear about your animal stories. Also glad to see that everyone is still hear making progress and keeping together as a "family" of sorts...a place where everyone understands.

Talk to you all later...Case