Newbies Nest

[lifechange]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good Un-hung Sunday morning, Nesters!

Choices, Congratulations on 30 days of sobriety! You're doing a great job figuring it all out. I think I used to do what you described.. setting up reasons to drink. I'm certain that had a lot to do with the demise of my last 10 year relationship. Hang tight, eat some chocolate, watch a funny film.. have you seen, "It's Complicated" with Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, etc..? I watched it Friday and it was pretty funny..

Kiwi, Congrats on 13 days! Those funky days are difficult.. no doubt about it. But like you said, they just are. For everyone. Learning how to deal with the feelings is a big part of it for us in becoming and staying sober.. good for you, heading out to the ocean. Hope your mood lifts soon.

In the book I'm reading there was a good visual..
""Hard times in sobriety seem like a wall. But they're just a cardboard wall. That you have to punch your way through to get to the magical stuff in the next room.... if you just sit with the discomfort and trust it will pass, it always, always does.""

Good for us to remember!

The sun is shining like crazy, which is a real gift, as our weather forecast predicted 0 hours of sunshine today. Gosh, I need to clean the windows! The birds were chirping this morning which lent a Spring time feeling to the air. I'm so looking forward to a sober Spring and Summer! Last year was a mess of feeling like crap, the GSR brothers, not living life to the fullest.. not even a quarter full.

My neighbor is stopping by to use the phone to call her family in Croatia.. she is 80 years old going on 60.. Inspiring!

Let's do our best to make this a good day.. Sunday, a day to relax and fill up with energy for the coming week.
xx

[jvo]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good unhung morning Nest,

LC, great quote. Thank you!

Kiwi, good for you on day13. Byrdy always said that it's gets easier after that day.

Choices, hang in there. Happy 30 days.

Ava, you sound very peaceful and happy. What a perfect afternoon with the twins. Sounds perfectly right he put his whole hand in that lovely icing. Gotta love it and their young minds. Good for you on the no smoking. The voice is nagging you less.

I had a really nice evening last night. We went to dinner first. One woman had two draft beers, and three of us had a soft drink or iced tea. I drove into town, and when we got to Heinz hall, it was packed with teachers. Mainly women. It was really festive looking and drinks were flowing everywhere. Everywhere I looked, someone had a drink in their hands. I was a bit quiet, just observing. I know most of these people enjoy their weened drinks and most aren't going to drink dangerously like I would. The three women I was with got one draft beer each and that was it. If I'd been drinking I wouldn't have enjoyed the show because I would have wanted more, would have missed part of the show because I would have been standing in the long lines to get my fix, the. The long bathroom lines cause I drank. Once I we got to our seats, I enjoyed the show and laoghed for 2 1/2 hours straight. Great show.

It's a wintry mix again here today. Still going out to bob Evans shortly. I wouldn't have wanted to go out if I was hung over, and so I'm not! I just have to bundle up!!

Have a great Sunday all.

Jvo

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi,

Quick check in as I am meeting a friend this morning for a hike and taking son to work.

Narilly - it is hard to believe Canadians have a reputation for being so nice with weather like that! I don't know how you live there. I'm soft...

Congrats on that milestone, Kiwi.

J-Vo - Yes! I would have been looking for the waitress the whole time, standing in line at the bar or bathroom... Isn't is such a RELIEF not to have to do that? Glad you had fun.

Hi all around. Hope you have great sober and un hung days...

Pav

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Way to go on your 13 days kiwibro!!!!!! keep up the good work. It’s cool that your dreams are changing, it sounds like your mind likes being sober.

Pav, you would be fine up here. I would keep you warm

JVo, sounds like a fun night. It’s so good you could enjoy it without drinking AL. It’s funny how we notice other people’s drinking habits when we are sober. It alway amazes me that they don’t seem to drink more. What, you stopped at two beer..Why? I could rarely stop at two...or three...or four...ugh.

Choices, 30 days!,,,,yippee!,,, keep it up!

Life, It’s Complicated, omg, that movie made me laugh SO hard. It was hilarious. I think ladies ‘our age’ can really relate. What is the name of the book you are reading? I would like to read a good AL book. It’s good to keep learning about addiction and keep it front and centre so I don’t ‘forget’ I have a problem.

I used to say that all the time “Problem? What problem? I can drink, no problem.” I actually was a terrible drinker. I could feel a buzz after a few sips, I swear it went straight to my blood stream.

CER, hope you are hanging in. Please drop by and say hi.

It is -21c here today but should warm up to -11c, I might throw off a layer of clothes if that happens��

Grateful to be UnHung this morning. I have done some laundry, made cupcakes and am enjoying my day off. It’s so nice not to be laying in bed sick until noon.

Don’t drink today.
Xo

[lifechange]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hey Nar, the book I'm reading (first recommended by Choices) is called, "the unexpected joy of being sober" by Catherine Gray.. Lots of really good little nuggets in there and I'm enjoying reading an AL book.. Cupcakes?! yummy.. and let's hear it again for Unhung Sunday mornings.. I was so happy to be soaking in the sunshine instead of drawing the curtains to hide from it.. xx

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good afternoon!
A lazy Sunday here. Glad to be ina position to just sit and enjoy instead if obsessing about sneaking my next drink.
Hang in everyone. Byrdie

[available]

Re: Newbies Nest

morning nest

Oh Nar, i am blowing some of this heat your way. i just dont get why/how people can live or want to in that cold or the extreme heat for that matter also. brrrrrr. your clothes must be thick is all i will say. what is your top temp for summer?

Had a lovely day yesterday and a nice long bath to end it. we were driving home from brunch yesterday and i said to the SO that i would not have enjoyed myself if we had of done this in my drinking days. He asked why. Damn it was awful to reflect on that one but something i am truly grateful for now. Well....... i started it would have gone something like this:-

Drank the night before (a lot)
gone to bed and snored and basically been in an al coma for a few hours
woke up and felt awful then tried to get you to talk about last night in the mere hope i might remember something we talked about or acted like i remembered
Made some flimsy excuse as to why i really didnt want to do brunch and i so didnt want to drive as i drove all week and i was tired of driving on weekends.
Popped paracetamol like they were going out of fashion, cleaned my teeth like there was no tomorrow in the hope i didnt smell like a brewery, maybe taken a xanax to quell the tremors and found some very dark sunglasses.
Gotten to the cafe only to say i was not hungy and wishing we could just go home so i could die a quiet death only to come to at 3.30pm to suggest a wine as it was such a nice day and hit the repeat button.

he asked if it was always like that and i said yes pretty much. He then did say he would not be with me if i was like that now and also that he was so very proud of what i had achieved. It also made be definitely strong in my committment to sobriety. No way in hell do i want to live that life again.

Back to work i go. take care x

[Choices]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi all!

Thanks for the 30 days congrats! I'm happy to hit this milestone after a long time. I'm still not feeling too well, so taking it easy. I bought my groceries online, I'm tidying the house slowly. Hubby was great yesterday but tired from his night out so did nothing around the house to help. Kinda annoying but no biggie. I did end up eating way too much chocolate last night. When I woke up I had this awful feeling that I drank, but then just remembered it was only chocolate.

I'm really excited to start my new school. Orientation is this Friday and I can't wait. I'm trying to go through paperwork from last semester and get rid of heaps of rough draft essays and notes. Towards the end of the year I was just shoving important papers in with recycle papers. I'm really looking forward to not drinking this year (and beyond) as I used alcohol to cope with every emotion under the sun while I studyied. The whole thing exausted me and I know I'll feel better now.

It's complicated is a hilarious movie! I ended up watching The Reciever on Netflix and listening to a really great bubble hour podcast last night. Then the Aristocats with my little girl. I never wanted a drink, but I know I need to keep breathing through this kinda sadness I'm feeling. I think the busyness of getting ready to go camping and really prepping meals and housework last week, I have been avoiding feeling down about some things I need to process emotionally. I'm good though. All manageable not drinking that is for sure!

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Thanks Life, I will look for those books.i love soaking up the sunshine, it’s the best!
Nothing like a lazy Sunday Byrdie, I am having one myself. Hubby is snowboarding and my kids are not living here right now so it’s pretty quiet. Just hanging out with my 2 daschunds, Mary and Elvis.

Ava, I love your synopsis of a Saturday and Sunday of drinking. I think we can all relate to that. I love taking baths, I usually take one every night in winter because it is so cold out. I find it SO relaxing. I usually listen to a poscast while I soak.

Choices, it is so good you are going to school and are sober. It is So much easier when you are not drinking. I did my MBA and drank through parts of it. I was trying to quit but was not quite there yet. There are things that I said and did that I never would have if I would have been sober.

Happy Sober Sunday everyone.

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Nesters,
I have some very sad news. Our nestmate, LilBit lost her battle with metasticising breast cancer on Dec 26th. One of her proudest accomplishments was her sobriety. She put up a monumental fight. Godspeed, beautiful lady. RIP.

[available]

Re: Newbies Nest

RIP Lil, you were quirky and full of life and yes Byrd she was so proud to stop drinking and have a life she loved and enjoyed.

[paulywogg]

Re: Newbies Nest

RIP LilBit

[jvo]

Re: Newbies Nest

So sad. RIP Lilbit.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Thanks for letting us know about Lilbit Byrdie. She was a strong woman, I'll remember her fondly.

The SuperBowl is on but I'm not actually watching - not my thing even though our team is playing, ha ha!
Started with snow flurries this morning around here then it changed over to rain & it's still raining.

Kiwi, you are doing great. Please don't worry too much about the mood swings, we've all been thru them. I really believe our brains have to heal from the abuse & we have to be patient while we build new neural pathways

Grateful to see everyone working on their plans & moving forward to an AF life
Wishing a safe night in the nest for all!

Lav

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Nesters,
I have some very sad news. Our nestmate, LilBit lost her battle with metasticising breast cancer on Dec 26th. One of her proudest accomplishments was her sobriety. She put up a monumental fight. Godspeed, beautiful lady. RIP.

So sorry to hear this. thanks Byrdy. Lilbit was a beautiful person indeed. She was a real diamond. Gone way too soon! R.I.P. It's a sad day.