Newbies Nest

[K9Lover]

Newbies Nest

Hi Fellow Nesters!

Was out yesterday, finally took a sick day and let myself rest. Feeling much better with the crud finally out of my lungs.

Today is day 30 for me, but I don't feel much about it. I've done it so many times that it doesn't "mean" much to me. I think I'll feel a lot more accomplished around the 100 day mark. I'm just trying not to think about it too much, and just keep my momentum going. I haven't felt any desire to drink, but I guess I'm just tired of always having it in the back of my mind. I hung up last years calendar next to this years....last January I had 11 sober days, and I noted that "this" week last year I drank everyday. Kinda wish I'd noted down why (if there even WAS a reason...probably wasn't). At least I'm moving forward, and not backwards, that's why I hung up the old calendar, so I can SEE it. I do know from experience that I have to be especially careful around the 60-70 day mark....and on that note I will be picking up my next month worth of Antabuse at lunch today. Oh, and also my dog's prescription. It's funny, I have so many calendars going with stickers indicating that everyone has taken their "pills". LOL

I'm gonna spend some time catching up with other threads, but will check in later. Have a good day everyone!

K9

[Starfish1]

Newbies Nest

Congratulations, k9! :goodjob:
I am pretty new here (today is day six for me!) but I have been lurking since last Nov and really have enjoyed reading your posts and I think thirty days is great! Thanks for all your inspiration !

Welcome to all the other newbies. ( laughing ,ranger , the and, today, others?) you are doing great!
And thanks so much to nest moms Byrdie and Lav. And to those who have been around a while and offer so much great advise ( c g, Lola, Ann , Jane , SL, UW, Andrew , belle , irie , alswell , mwo lady, nursie, Jolie, S H , shu, daisy, and I am sure I have left someone out .

I am depending on all of you to gets to thirty days..... No pressure here. :H
But I am having a tough time and Really don't want to blow it again :upset:

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Lola, would you come looking for me if I disappeared? :H

Congrats on 5 AF days Laughing loud & on 30 K9 :yay:
No getting complacent now - OK?

Starfish, hang in there & please make sure your plan covers absolutely every trigger you can think of - OK?

jane, sounds like you had a wonderful & successful trip! I'm just a little jealous.
Not sure how I would fit in a vacation right now but I'd love to go somewhere........
In addition to the gransons I also have a grandaughter who will be turning 1 next month. (Last year was a very busy year for my family) :H

I don't live on a farm but I live in a farming area so no one cares what sort of animals you choose to house.......
Here are my latest batch of 'girls' as hatchlings & as grownups.



You can post pictures here, I use Photobucket

[lolab]

Newbies Nest

well, Lav yesterday I was about to come looking for you....but after spending the day with an 8 month old myself, I could totally relate to you not checking in here all day...

Congrats on 30 days K9!

Starfish, you've got the hardest part done - listen to Lav and work on that plan! :-)

jane - you make me laugh...loved this comment. "I have never met a chicken before. ":H

And yeah, I think I know what you mean...and honestly looking back, it's kind of hard to figure out how I did it myself! I know that for long time there were tough times in the afternoon and evening...and weekend mornings...and honestly, yesterday when I walked in the door after being away all day, I had one of those freakin' drive by thoughts of drinking! Where the hell did that come from? Oh yeah. I was hungry. and thirsty. Most of the time if I turn my thoughts to one or both of those activities, forget about drinking alcohol. yeah,yeah, I'm blonde - I'm easily distracted...thank goodness! :H the whole thing really is such a gradual progression...

And for the weight - I think KTAB on the other thread is so totally right. Our bodies are shocked by this good treatment that they're getting. :-) I had many many symptoms that didn't seem to make sense to me...when I quit. Even after 30 days, I had the worst aching in my body - mostly my hips - that it kept me up at night. Last spring when I quit, I remember trudging around barely able to lift up my feet to walk! This time was much easier....but I still ached. And weight didn't come off initially. Think about how chronically dehydrated we probably were...I don't think these things correct themselves overnight - maybe our cells are so thirsty they're holding onto fluids desperately hoping you don't start with the alcohol again?!?!? Don't get discouraged...things will level out - just think of that pendulum....hey, it applies in this case too! You'll get back down to the center again and things will start to normalize. Just think - by springtime you'll be feeling great! (I've lost weight - but really not mostly until the last 2 months ?)

[lolab]

Newbies Nest

oh Lav, that photo of the chicks is beautiful!!!!

[Starfish1]

Newbies Nest

Love the Chickens!

Magnificent Chickens, Lav! They don't LOOK stupid (LOL) which one do you have to chase back into the coop in the middle of the night? (HA).

Thanks for the support everyone, I ate a big salad and then a candy bar and felt better. I am having rough times every day and I need to beef up my plan, but have a houseful of people and animals that I have to care for Every Day ( a DH, 4 DDs, 2D dogs a D cat and 2 D birds And I am ususally the Very Last person that I take care of, that is part of my problem.

I am trying to eat better and relax more...need to force myself to exercise though...
I got some med for depression and am going to see a counselor soon.

Have managed 3 years AF, previously (3 and 1/2 years ago) and 3 to 4 months last year, and have relapsed countless times....the scary part is that it has just been "out of the blue" - no real trigger to cause the relapse...I just did it. Anyway, I had never had the support of you guys before and now I do and I think that will make the difference this time. Thanks again..

Love, Star

[InChains]

Newbies Nest

feel like i may need to come back, alcohol getting in the way o my music, having trouble wanting to quit but sick of having a cut off point where i become incapable of playing music properly...

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

I never knew that you could actually talk to/befriend a chicken before I started this project about 8 years ago. :H
Actually the breed I have are known for their heartiness, friendliness & large brown eggs.
They are not housebroken so they stay in their own place :H
I have 5 of another breed (Aracaunas) (blue egg layers). They are not quite as friendly & they are the ones who manage to hop/fly out of the fenced yard
I do have a 26+ year old cockatiel........he's one crazy bird.

Starfish, take good care of yourself first so you can care for all of your animals! I imagine they keep you real busy.

IC, glad to see you again!
Moderating simply does not work for most of us. I tried it for years & failed over & over.
Much easier in the long run to just klick AL out & enjoy your AF life.
What's your plan?

[allswell]

Newbies Nest

Jane,

Congratulations on the AF vacation, doing that should be a real confidence booster.

There is only one thing that has sunk all previous attempts to rid myself of my desire to drink excessively every night and that was complacency. I really disappointed myself the last time after going 4 1/2 months because I really felt I was at the point where it was finally behind me and my resolve weakened. I became complacent, went to a gathering and the rest is drunken history. I am super vigilant this time around, I'm working much harder now to maintain and enhance my motivation to continue a sober life. There is nothing like it, I have no intention to take any steps backward.

[allswell]

Newbies Nest

Take all the time you need for you Jane. When you're back to your best everything else will fall into place.

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

jane, sometimes avoiding the soul-sucking friends is what we have to do.
At least until you feel strong in your quit & your emotions have stabilized. They'll be fine, worry about you!
Hi allswell & everyone, hope your evening is going well.

Wishing everyone a safe night in the Nest!
Lav

[lifechange]

Newbies Nest

hello everyone!
just wanting to say hello the morning of my day 6 before heading off to work.

jane, i understand how frustrating the weight gain can be. please continue to try to be easy on yourself. i think what lola said is true--it really does take the body some time to find balance again. i've started some easy exercising and stretching on most days and that helps my entire being. hang in there. don't flush those 16 days!!

lavande, i, too, love the chickens. when i was a girl we had a chicken named toby--she came with the house we bought. she had free run of the back yard and each day she would lay 1 greenish egg and would baawwkk until we found it in one of her many hiding places. i used to hold her in my lap and paint her nails purple.

hi starfish! what's a DH? ive been wondering a long time.--damn husband??

see you all later

[Nursie]

Newbies Nest

Jane so happy to see you! Screw the weight! It will come off in no time. The friends, do they know you're sober?

Lav, love the chickens!

Inchains, get back on the horse, we can't moderate. It makes us go crazy trying. I hate crazy. It finally finally finally clicked that I don't drink anymore. The more I say it, the more I believe it and accept it in my heart and soul. And I can rest knowing I'm not gonna wake up despising myself again. Woo!

Off to work. Busy day today again.

Muah muah! Sprinkling sober dust on everyone for today

[Australia]

Newbies Nest

Lola b - congrats on 4 months , that's awesome!
K9- yay for your 30 days- woohoo!
Welcome back from florida Jane- good job on ur goal, we have quite a few shells here but you aren't allowed to collect them

[Australia]

Newbies Nest

Jane- are you a shy person? I am until I know people well and I have the exact same feeling with my friends lately!!!!it freaks me out too, hopefully I can get over this.

I've also gained weight and in the last couple of weeks using food as a substitute, just started Atkins 3 days ago which makes it hard as now I have no treats��. But am determined to lose weight! U would think we'd be losing without all the al calories- go figure!