Newbies Nest

[Justme Again]

Hi Nesters

Great that it is Tuesday - my kids are coming the weekend, so the week needs to fly!

Thank you guys for the support on me quitting the smokes. Really appreciate it.

We don't really have Halloween here, but the youngsters are picking up on it and some restaurants/clubs have parties with the Halloween theme. No trick or treating in South Africa - you might get shot!

G-man - I am not good with meditation, but have attended courses where I was so far away that when he said " you are coming back, earth is pulling you closer again", I nearly smashed my head on the floor! It can do a lot for your soul and help with focus. When alone at home I don't reach/ enter that level. There is something where you lie on the floor and shake (forgot name). They observed children in war areas. They shake uncontrollably and process the events, but adults don't shake and later develop PTSD. I find that easier and feels destressed afterwards. Should make a priority to do it!

J-vo - I love coffee too! Need about 3 cups before I can start my day. Now sober I need less and less. But it tastes great! Consider decaf for a while. Know it is less healthy, but it can help you throuh this time? I am still big on the chocolates. My pants are uncomfortable, but going to do it till that phase is over.

Pav - Feel for you and needing more sunshine. We are luckily entering summer now and my mood is much better. Winter can be horrible. I want to place a couple of skylights in my place to maximise the amount of sunlight. Hope your work shedule slows down.

On that note - I am very anti- work these days. The past couple of months got the better of me. Instead of working harder and longer hours for more money, why not cut costs and live simpler? I have reversed all my previous ideas. I want yo fix up my place. Convert the garage to a bedroom for my son. It can take up to two years while kids live with their dad and I get healthy. Then I would like for them to come live with me and homeschool while I have only one job. A halfday job But it is a very new idea. Will take about two years to get there, but it is exciting. Gives me a lot to work with. Motivation to stay sober and get better.

Lav - I did go down to the pharmacy and bought some nocotine gum. Feel much more in my skin. Will be chewing away till I get tired of chewing. And then stop that.

One day at a time.

[Byrdlady]

I had a wonderful birthday dinner last night, hosted by my next door neighbor. I am still full, my word at the food! I was the only non drinker, as usual. I tell you, as I approach the 6 year mark, any struggle you may be feeling now will go completely away if you just wade thru it. I did not have one pang or wish or pipe dream about a glass of anything last night. Can you imagine this??? From an alkie? It is blessed relief, I can tell you that. Yes, it took time, but I had time. I HAVE time. Do whatever it takes to break free of this awful addiction and it will pay off in spades down the road.....just like anything else worth having, it takes work.

Thank you for the wonderful and warm wishes. I just love this nest and all of the people here.....you are some of the finest individuals I have ever 'met'. Hope everyone has a wonderful day!! Byrdie

[wagmor]

Byrdie - sounds like you had a lovely birthday! Wow, 6 years... Congrats to you on nearing that milestone, and thanks again for sticking around the nest to help guide us newbies. It's really helpful that we have folks in here who are at many different stages.

Justme - Your new plan for the next two years sounds awesome. I look forward to hearing how things unfold. Great job with quitting smoking as well!

Jvo - Glad to hear you had such a good Monday. I'm not a coffee drinker, but what you described doesn't sound like over-consumption. For me, I can't do anything with caffeine after around noon or it'll affect my sleep. Keep on with the water, and maybe try the half-caff for the afternoon if you want to experiment with cutting back.

Ann C - great to see you!

LC - glad you stopped in. Looking forward to your updates on Thu.

Congrats to Kensho and Gman on 80 days!!!

Congrats to Starty on 60 days!!!

Shout out to Ava, Lav, Eloise, SL, Mr V, NS, Pav, TTC, Elvis, and others I've missed - have a great day/night all

[j-vo]

Congrats to Kensh, G, and Starty. Good stuff!

Well, damn...my day sucked. I probably jinxed myself with my comment this morning. A kid who is in a wheelchair (broken leg) through a chair at another boy. The other boy screamed F-ing Asshole. Ok, so this is while I was right outside my door as we have to be in the hallway between class changes. Then one of our mean boys (don't know which one of the five) destroyed one of my new textbooks. I wanted to cry over that one. So shitty mood here. But if I'd have had that kind of day in my boozy days, I'd have gone to the liquor store after I left work. I didn't think about it, only throught about crying it out a bit. So I did. And I decided I'm not doing one damn thing tonight except relaxing.

Hope everyone had a better day than I did.

[Justme Again]

Wow J-vo

That sounds like a real shitty day. Good for not drinking over it.

It is amazing to me how we used to believe a drink will help us to feel better and to cope with such days. Can you imagine how the next day would have been with a bubble head?

[Struggles 106]

I'm having fun reading here. I've missed this place!

So my "remember when" for the day is from back when I lived down the street from my sister who also,drinks WAY too much. I can't remember what I drank before, but at some point I went to,her place and took her wine and drank it.
She was not home-door unlocked. Woke up the next morning with a broken bone in my right foot. Missed work for a week. No idea at all what happened. Talk about insanity!
Thanks to you all for being here. I hope no one minds if I share my stories. Writing them down is ok but putting them here seems better somehow.

Ann Carolina

[Lavande]

Good evening Nesters,

Glad to see everyone survived Halloween, ha ha!

Justme, great to hear the nicotine gum is helping. The research shows that using a nicotine replacement product greatly improves you chances of quitting. It worked for me, glad you are finding it beneficial too. Your long range plan sounds pretty good to me

J-vo, sounds like those kids in your class were suffering a sugar hangover.......they probably ate pounds of candy last night.
My daughter told me that my granddaughter was up at 2 am & they only let her have 1 piece of candy!!

Ann, fractured bones are something we want to avoid at all costs, goodness. Get your gratitude list going & make a note - AF now, no more fractures!!!

Hello to everyone & wishing for a safe night in the nest for all!

Lav

[Byrdlady]

Ann, sharing those stories helps us all. Talk to us, we are all ears. Hugs, B

[Struggles 106]

Hey Byrdie! Soooo glad to be back
Hey Lav- agreed that fractures are no good.
That was 7 years ago and more stupid stupid stuff between then and now.
I see now that I was rather glossing over these horrendous episodes, but when thinking about them clearly and in detail-yikes! I am very serious when I say I am lucky to be here.

[Pavati]

Hi, all:

Thanks for the well wishes. I'll be fine.

Ann - You are brave to put those stories out there, but I agree with Byrdie, they help us all.

Sorry about your day, J-Vo. I go for 75% strength coffee so I can drink a little more...

I downloaded a meditation app (Calm started charging - I'll have to pay eventually, I guess!). Headspace - didn't someone here recommend? It sends reminders.

Off to bed. Night.

Pav

[j-vo]

Good morning. Thanks for your thoughts. It was a tough day, but today will be better. I'll focus on the good stuff. Grateful I have a job I love most of the time, the people I work with who are like family, the majority of the sweet kids we have and I could go on and on.

Going to see my great nephew after work today and Dad has come back from Philly and staying at my other sis's house, so I'll have a nice visit. Dad's blood pressure has still been inconsistent so the doc will have to readjust his meds.

Ann, thank you for sharing your stories. We all have them and it's a good reminder that alcohol will take us there if we continue. Maybe not the first or second time we drink, but eventually it will.

Have a great hump day all.

[Justme Again]

Hi Nesters

Everyone seems to be in good spirits.

Thank you for the story Ann. It instantly brought back a similar memory at my sister's house...

[Byrdlady]

Morning, Nesters..... speaking of stories of broken bones....
I broke my tailbone in 2 places (and cracked 3 ribs) on Christmas Day 2005. I slipped going down stairs at a neighbor's house. It took 2 years before I could sit for any length of time without pain. It was early in the evening, about 8, hubs thought I'd just had a couple glasses of wine with our big Christmas dinner, but as always, I was drunk when I got there and had some in my purse for back up. I still have issues with my left hip (that I had surgery on after that). That SHOULD HAVE been my wake up call, but of course, my bottom got lower. Don't wait too long to find that rock bottom, you will be amazed at just how low it can get.

I hate AL.

Hope everyone has a wonderful hump day! Byrdie

[KENSHO]

Ouch ladies! Yes Ann, it helps to remember the bad about drinking.

I had one of those sleep-all-night-without-waking events - and I feel fabulous! I did awake though remembering when we used to go camping and I was "moderating". My husband would buy enough beer for him and one for me - but I never wanted just one, so I would drink his and he was so mad. It is WAY easier just not drinking - moderating is NOT worth the effort and consequences (I still hated my habits, and had all the same thoughts about myself). Now, I don't bargain with myself all the time, and even better, I don't get any of the negative side effects of alcohol - a poison. Just this morning my husband was saying that he wishes he had a better memory! I said, "alcohol makes that worse!" Then he said that it was his poor sleep that he thought caused it, and I said "alcohol makes that worse too!" I try not to intervene much with his choices, but when I see truths to sling in at times, I do. He doesn't always like it, but at least he can mill it around a bit.

PAV, are you referring to the Calm app? I just downloaded that yesterday too on my phone. I LOVE the sounds on it - particularly the water ones. I can't wait to explore that more too.

JVO, hang in there. Hugs to you.

To everyone else, it is beyond worth the work to get and stay sober. I am a different person - and I live an authentic life. :love::love::love:

[Inthesky]

Good Morning All,
I've made it to Day 7 and Mr.S is still on board at Day 4. Unfortunately we both have come down with some pretty bad colds. My poor immunity from all the AL and lack of sleep is probably the culprit.
Ann, I too give myself little chats of remember when....it's a good wake up call to keep moving forward one day at a time.
Kensho, i was saying the same thing to my hubby when I was trying to get us both to quit. It was like speaking in a foreign language to him until the doctor told him he had too quit.
Just me, I hope the gum is working for you sometimes we need just alittle help to get over the hump.
J-vo, lol teachers should all get double pay after Halloween.
Byrdie, so happy to hear that you had a wonderful Birthday and that it does get a lot easier.

For anyone I have missed have a great day!