Newbies Nest

[lead366]

Newbies Nest

Petrelhead;1631441 wrote: Hi Available,

Thanks, Friday is hard. It's my biggest challenge. It's always been part of my life to wind down with a drink at the end of the working week. When younger, I would go out. Later in life it was Friday night football (NRL I'm afraid, unless the Brisbane Lions were going well, which is never anymore )

As I've said, I have done 2 week stretches before in the last 6 months, so I know I can get through the weekend. I just have to make it happen. Thanks for the reassurance that it gets easier.

Hi Petrel:

I would suggest going crazy with the herbal teas and drink as much as you can to flush those toxins...you will be clear very soon. Welcome here and feel ever so free to post your heart out. We are all about big heart here!:welcome:

[DreamThinkDo]

Newbies Nest

Another windy day in my part of the Nest. The "Cape Doctor" as it is called is certainly out in full force.



Are we having an Oz invasion here in the Nest? :welcome: Bran! Petrel and Coco, all us dreaded First Friday. Distract yourself in any way you can. The Toolbox is a brilliant thread - have a look at it, Bran. Glad that Ava now has two more people to chat to when the rest of us are in La-la Land.

Better and Crocket, I've certainly contributed to an army of dead soldiers - these days it's so nice not having to worry about getting rid of the evidence. No more clanky rubbish bins! Crocket, so many members here have mentioned that their husbands/SOs simply did not notice they were not drinking - don't be too upset if he doesn't say anything. (Not saying that he won't, but we've had some amusing rants about people who just.do.not.get.it!)

Hano, well done on 42 days and best of luck with the new business.

Everybody - have a wonderful and AF Hump Day!

[available]

Newbies Nest

Petrelhead;1631441 wrote: Hi Available,

Thanks, Friday is hard. It's my biggest challenge. It's always been part of my life to wind down with a drink at the end of the working week. When younger, I would go out. Later in life it was Friday night football (NRL I'm afraid, unless the Brisbane Lions were going well, which is never anymore )

As I've said, I have done 2 week stretches before in the last 6 months, so I know I can get through the weekend. I just have to make it happen. Thanks for the reassurance that it gets easier.

Challenges are always good Petrel, just stay on MWO and post like a lunatic. I was/am not called Lunatic Linda for no reason and it made it easier to get through the witching hour etc. Al was part of my life 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year, 364 days a year also and now it is not. Think of your worst moment being pissed and you do so not want to go back to there. You can already feel the difference that not drinking makes so why pour the poison back in your mouth? Do you want to start on day 1 again just because it is the weekend? Sure you may feel like a drink and that is when you do something to keep yourself busy, it passes the urge. When i first did my weekend, i cleaned like a maniac and thought "god i would like a wine with this cleaning" and then thought that if i had that wine the cleaning would not get done at all, i would quite happily sit and drink a bottle or two, pass out and achieve nothing. My boys were amazed at how clean the walls, windows, floors were and so was I!

I used to live in Newcastle NSW so i am a rabbito's supporter. They are fanatical in Vic about the AFL, drives me crackers and the season has started already.

[available]

Newbies Nest

Dream, i am a happy woman that there are two Aussie newbies. Oh i can waffle on and on and on with all my wisdom haha.

Dead soldiers, mmmm, i used to tell my boys that they were sauce bottles used to make mince dishes. I was forever cooking up a storm and i dont cook! Now my recycle bin is the quietest on the street and proud of that achievement.

[Sarah42]

Newbies Nest

DTD- thank u for the link! That helped in seeing where my mind was at.

Jane- I chuckled at your bruises/dog stories...mainly cause I've gone thru those too...and NOT drinking LOL. I have 2 dogs who are consistently under my feet. They walk in front of me sometimes and then STOP and turn around to see where I am...BOOM! BAM! CRASH!!

I want to say the following b/c after reading all this for a few weeks, maybe it's important? Some may or may not know...I don't get drunk. I haven't gotten 'drunk' in probably over 3 years or so. (Probably more than that) Some might want to argue with me about my 'perception' of what drunk is, and that's okay. I remember my nights, I don't drive when drinking, I get all chores done, I haven't passed out in years, etc.,etc. That DOES NOT mean I don't have a drinking problem!!!

The truth is..everyday... I still feel like I need a drink, irregardless of HOW MUCH I drink.. and that IS a problem. If I didn't have a drinking problem, than I wouldn't need to be here b/c AL would be to me a 'nothing'; 'take it or leave it', but it's NOT. I'm not so certain that my body craves it more than my mind does. Does that make sense?

Maybe my physical body doesn't 'need' AL, but it's my mind and the 'habit' I have to heal.

I wanted to state this b/c other's might be 'lurking' and say to themselves "well that's not me"...and I'm here to tell you, it IS. If you have 4 drinks a year, you're probably ok. If you have 4 drinks a week or more, you probably aren't. Just had to get that off my chest LOL!

Tonight was a little better for me. I still drank a few beers, but less wine as the tapering site said to have less wine cause it's higher in AL content. It sucks, cause I do prefer wine over beer (go figure.. LOL). I still have to eat earlier...(and more often), that's something I just have to force myself to do. I have many habits to overcome...that is apparent.

I *think* I decided I'm going to need my hubby's help in the eating part, and probably need to add that to my plan. It's so easy for me to cook or him cook and make sure everyone else is taken care, except me. I guess my life with my Crohn's sparked more bad habits than I recognized.

So! Starting tomr ... I will ask hubby to 'make' me eat..even if a little by no later than 9:00 p.m. As I type that..it's sounds so crazy to have to get help in the 'eating' dept. The fact of the matter is...it's true and needed. I don't want to put that on my hubby, but he's in this with me...and he'll do it.

I know if I eat and stay full, AL will be easier to obstain from. I have to conquer these things!

-Sarah

[Petrelhead]

Newbies Nest

lead366;1631445 wrote: Hi Petrel:

I would suggest going crazy with the herbal teas and drink as much as you can to flush those toxins...you will be clear very soon. Welcome here and feel ever so free to post your heart out. We are all about big heart here!:welcome:

Thanks Lead,

I've heard chamomile is good for sleep. Getting a good nights sleep is about my only problem so far. Once my running routine gets back into full swing, I should sleep well again.

Any other tea suggestion are welcome. I know there are so many resouces on this site and forum. Just have to make the time, I guess, because it's important.

[Petrelhead]

Newbies Nest

available;1631481 wrote: Challenges are always good Petrel, just stay on MWO and post like a lunatic. I was/am not called Lunatic Linda for no reason and it made it easier to get through the witching hour etc. Al was part of my life 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year, 364 days a year also and now it is not. Think of your worst moment being pissed and you do so not want to go back to there. You can already feel the difference that not drinking makes so why pour the poison back in your mouth? Do you want to start on day 1 again just because it is the weekend? Sure you may feel like a drink and that is when you do something to keep yourself busy, it passes the urge. When i first did my weekend, i cleaned like a maniac and thought "god i would like a wine with this cleaning" and then thought that if i had that wine the cleaning would not get done at all, i would quite happily sit and drink a bottle or two, pass out and achieve nothing. My boys were amazed at how clean the walls, windows, floors were and so was I!

I used to live in Newcastle NSW so i am a rabbito's supporter. They are fanatical in Vic about the AFL, drives me crackers and the season has started already.

Available, thank you. Honest stories like that are so useful. And I don't just mean being a rabbitos supporter must be tough being a Rugby league fan in the heart of AFL land. Maybe you should follow the storm?

I've got plenty of stories I'd like to forget, mostly from my younger days, but recently still not great. After my wife cheated almost 4 years ago, we both drank and argued within range of our 2 children. I'm not proud of that. I wanted to end the marriage and she
screamed at me for wanting her to leave, blamed me for her cheating ( classic personality
disorder blame shifting traits ). Anyway, that's for another day and another forum.

Thanks for the support!!

[crockettaa]

Newbies Nest

Good morning everyone in the nest! Almost 6 am here on the east coast of the US & need to get up but wanted to post one quick thing.

My daughter telephoned last night after dinner. She lives in another state. I remember EVERY word of our conversation. Didn't sleep great but I am so happy about that!

Thanks for always checking in on us Lavande, Ava & other senior members. I'll be back later. Good luck to all my fellow newbies today. Day 3 here we go!

[available]

Newbies Nest

Crocket i can so relate to remembering the phone call, feels great. I used to write down the important things when i was talking on the phone pissed and even then they made no sense in the morning. I am glad those days are over and so probably are the people i speak with.

Oh sleeping, i so missed sleeping in the early days but i figured i put the crap into my body so takes time to get the crap out and to be precise it has taken me about 8 weeks to get to sleeping a good 8+ hours. My advice is to sleep when you are tired, i used to force myself to stay awake until a decent time and then i was overtired. There is nothing wrong with being awake at 2am if i have slept beforehand. The days being af can only get better Crock and i am total proof of that. 20+ years of drinking and nearly 100 days sober now. As most of us women say the only time we had had that many days sober was when we were pregnant, this must have been why i had 4 children!

Petrel i cant stand the afl, did i mention that and yes i do follow storm but trying to get a tv station that actually plays a nrl match is a miracle in itself. Share you stories Petrel, everyone of them can help someone else and we all have plenty of stories we are not proud of but the past is the past and should be just that. I am just lucky that my children have grown up into beautiful adults that i am proud of and now they are proud of me and i stay sober for them and for myself. Oh i have been blamed for an ex's cheating also and i was like wtf! Now i would like to meet this person and shake their hand and say thank you for taking him. Single has its definite advantages and the next person i meet will not be a drinker.

Well my bedtime but just wanted to say hi and keep those af days happening. I for one am counting to the big 100 now and 87 days ago i thought i would never have it in me to succeed. How wrong was i! But it has also been to Byrd, Lav and my fellow MWO nesters and myself of course and the children. god i am getting ready for a big speech already haha.

[crockettaa]

Newbies Nest

Oh just looked out the window & yippee! No snow to scrape off the cars this morning! We've had such a bad winter here.

Petrel I can relate...did I mention that my husband is my biggest drinking buddy too? But we have had some horrible fights on alcohol. Kids were older & the worst ones were when nobody was around. But I am still ashamed of them. I always wonder if they wouldn't have escalated that way if we were sober.


PS going for 100 Ava? Woo! That is awesome!!! And lol I would write stuff down & next morning could not decipher my lovely drunken handwriting!

[Petrelhead]

Newbies Nest

Thanks again Ava. I'm with you about AFL. Don't like it at all these days.

You must proud so far of 87 so far. You will be an inspiration for me to reach my 3 month goal. Perhaps I may go longer. I think I mentioned Jill Stark in her book "high sobriety" whose goal was 3 months, and went on for a year. She now drinks in moderation. It changed her life.

[Petrelhead]

Newbies Nest

Thanks crockettaa.

Yes, makes it a lot tougher to break the habit when your spouse was your drinking buddy. I'm actually very mellow, even when drunk. My ex was very different. ( and I'm being very mild with that description)

Anyway as Ava said, the past is the past. A new start, a new future.

[Stupot]

Newbies Nest

Day 7 for me. I have been out of action for a few days with a streaming cold which has made being AF easier so I kind of feel like a cheat! Although I had substantial cravings yesterday and am struggling to fight them today too. I am supposed to go out for lunch the next 2 days where drinking would be the norm (and one is a work thing so hard to avoid), and dinner and drinks with friends on Friday night. I am oddly hoping to remain visibly ill enough that I can use that as an excuse for not drinking! (But I really would like to feel better now please!)

[Lavande]

Newbies Nest

Good morning Nesters,

Stupot, Congrats on your 7 AF days!
That's a major accomplishment & something definitely to build on. Practice your 'No Thank You' before you attend those lunches & btw - you don't need to give anyone any excuses. A simple 'No Thank You' is enough!!! Stick to your guns

Remember everyone - nothing changes if nothing changes!
If you are a habitual Friday night wind-down drinker then change that. Friday nights can be devoted to other, healthier AF activities! Look in the Tool box

Wishing everyone a great AF Wednesday!
A light snow is falling here this morning but not enough to get in my way :H

Lav

[little beagle]

Newbies Nest

Ava love that about thanking her. Funny.
Jane I bet you feel bad about tripping over your dogs. Mine get stepped on. They tangle me up in their leashes and then look surprised when we all trip.
I dreaded my first weekend af. Probably the first 3 or 4. But it got SO much better. I actually look forward to my weekends now. Just relaxing, sleeping when tired, watching movies all night if I want. Whatever I want. And I am rested when the week starts. It is so worth it.