Newbies Nest

[Roobs]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy Friday nesters,

Thanks for all the reminders of how Rich our lives become when it's not revolving around alcohol. Bellegirl, truth be told, I would have probably driven to the emergency vet while intoxicated. Yep, I said it. It's a miracle I never got a dui. Knowing how alcohol can severely impair anyone's judgement, I try to drive that point home with my kids. "once you start drinking, you may feel a sense of self confidence and invincibility but that's when you make poor decisions. Your judgement becomes impaired." So far, I'm pretty sure my kids have not had any alcohol or gotten drunk. Fingers crossed. On another note, id like to learn about the whole legalization of marijuana and the medicinal vs the high. I think it would be good for my kids to understand the difference. I know they know a lot of kids that have pens, or jules or whatever?? I'm not sure what it all means. I did tell them, it's very different now but in my day people got stupid stoned.

I hope all of you under the weather are feeling better. At least you can take alcohol off the list of causes. Yay.

Lately I've been praying a little bit before I go to bed. This is new to me since I haven't been a praying person for sometime. I have to admit, I think it works! It helps me express some concerns/ insecurities I might be having but mostly it helps me express my gratitude for all the great things in my life, little and big. It only takes about 2 minutes and it puts me in the right state of mind for sleep. Winning!

Sending everyone hugs.

Roobs

[BelleGirl]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hello fellow Nesters,

Thank you all for the good wishes for my fur girl. She seems to be feeling poorly again today and will not eat the scrambled eggs I made for her. it has been impossible to get her meds down...I truly have tried everything. Her belly feels distended and hard...we are going to the vet this afternoon. However, she is peeing, and not panting or crying. it is good to have a clear head to make good decisions.

So many good stories from all of you that reinforce all of the reasons to remove AL from our lives. Roobs I just love the paragraph you wrote about how AL can give you a sense of self-confidence and invincibility...but in the end contributes to poor decision making. I would like to frame that paragraph and give it to my kids as a gift. There is so much truth to it.

Ava...sorry your pup is not feeling well either. it is so hard to know when they are suffering and I think they have a higher pain threshold than us humans. My girl is always so stoic.

KENSHO glad you enjoyed your vacay and came back AL free!

Pav...hope you are feeling 100% soon. Sucks to be sick and have to maintain all of our responsibilities at the same time.

My daughter returns from her cruise tomorrow. Have not heard much from her, except some photos of her on the beach in the Bahamas. We will celebrate her birthday on Sunday when Grandma is here for easter. Hubby and I are scrambling to figure what her bday gift will be. she wants a trampoline. the only thing that really jazzes her and gets her out from her room and electronics is gymnastics. She has decided against gymnastics camp this year (probably feels that she is not in good enough shape due to time lost from her concussion)...so that puts extra $ in the pot. I have always been a proponent of making sure healthy activities are encouraged for our kids...even if we have to forego in another area. And foregoing the booze is a big :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Gotta run off to do some errands before vet appointment. Enjoy your AL free day all!

Hmmm. just had to calculate. This is day 28 for me!

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good good friday, all!
I have thoroughly enjoyed my day off. We went looking for some new barstools. We ended up buying from Amazon. I kind of hate to do that, I want the actual retail stores to survive, but they just didnt have what I was looking for. Im excited to get some new ones, these are rickety!
Crusader, I enjoy making basic shortbread cookies and decorating them. I have fiddled with the recipe and Im really happy with how they turn out. They do not move as they bake! When I cut a shape, it stays just like it is cut. (No spreading) I think they taste good. The good news is that after I work with something like a cake or cookie, I am not inclined to eat it. Like if I put something in the crock pot and smell it all day, I dont want to eat it. Too bad that didnt work with AL.
NS, always good to wee you! Im with you, before, I was just existing....now Im LIVING!
Hoppy Easter, everyone!!! Xoxoxoxo, Byrdie

[Crusader]

Re: Newbies Nest

Afternoon Nesters...week six complete.

Just a quick drop by. This was a rough day. I woke and was up around 3:45 a.m. this morning, and depression hit me like a freight train. Maybe PAWS or whatever. Hopefully, get some sleep and be out of this low.

I can understand that, Bryd.

Have a good night, all.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

I have a question for Byrdie......why are you buying bar stools?? Ha ha!!!
I'm assuming you are talking about seating for your kitchen island maybe
I bought new ones for my kitchen a few months ago from Wayfair - online & I love them.

Crusader, congrats on your 6 AF weeks :welldone:
I get it with the moods posr AL, they come & they go. You also having been feeling terrific with your GI issues, things can & will pile up on us. Take care & know that the mood will change soon.

Pav, I honestly do not like labels & have never thought of myself as alcoholic. For me it was never about the AL. It was all about 'emotional pain relief', honestly. I only turned to AL when my usual coping methods no longer worked. I knew it was a bad choice but by that time, I didn't really care about anything. I am not even going to consider drinking again because I learned that after I achieved some emotional pain relief I ended up even more depressed after. So AL is out for me!

LC, nothing is like when I was a kid & Good Friday was as you described. These days everything just stays open around here except for the Amish businesses.
Glad you had a quieter day

Hello to Roobs, Belle & everyone.
Wishing a safe night in the nest for all!

Lav

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

I am not even going to consider drinking again because I learned that after I achieved some emotional pain relief I ended up even more depressed after. So AL is out for me!

Hi Lav and y'all.

This is it in a nutshell for me Lav. Getting some solid short term relief, yes indeed, BUT! Then i have to deal with even worse emotional pain when i'm coming down! It just wasn't adding up, and became more pain than it was worth. Simple as that for me.

Byrdy, what's 'rickety'? the southern word for 'awesome' or 'epic'? lol. Glad you had a relaxing day and getting some 'you' time. My Sth. american trip is music focused, but may include some romance if that's what some trickster somewhere has included in the plan.

Congrats on 6 weeks Crusader! Hyuuuuuge my friend!

Speaking of friends, good to see friend SB, friend Kensho and friend Roobs dropping in.

Belle, hope your pooch is feeling better.

Booze seems to become less and less of a go to attraction/coping mechanism the further i am from the last drink. Word.

Have a gr8 weekend evabody.

[Crusader]

Re: Newbies Nest

Morning Nesters...day 44.

I'm with you, Lav and G. I was reading some information on PAWS last night. Under the current circumstances, it's hard to make informed conclusions on what is going on in my body, and it may be two separate issues. I know my neurochemistry is going through changes. I found the information about how we think everything is great after we come out of the initial detox, but have so much hard work ahead of us very interesting and applicable. That is so true for many of us who used alcohol to cover up pain and other issues in our lives. Now, comes the hard work of dealing with those issues we were trying to stuff in a box. I'm very interested in Emotional Mastery and have been even before I stopped drinking and Neuroplasticity. I need to get through my doctor visit/visits on my other issues before I can fully engage in that work and get the full benefit. I am doing it, but the benefits are muted until I get the answer for these physical symptoms I've been dealing with. Some points that helped yesterday included how when we feel bad we think 'I might as well use' if I'm going to feel like this anyway. 'Wait for the magic' which can take months.

Everyone have a nice Easter. We have a brunch on Sunday with my boyfriend's kids and grand kids. We are bringing a tray of Twinkie cars. No baskets this year. They get too much candy from different relatives, so the basket era is over.

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Having a wonderful and relaxing Sattidy.
Gman, Im so happy to hear you say that booze is losing its allure. Just wait, you will wonder WHY the heck it took so long to finally give it up! Very proud of you for keeping your distance from the stuff. When is the trip? May? Im excited for you!
We were invited to an adult Easter egg hunt. The folks are heavy drinkers and the darn thing doesnt start til 8:30! Heck, that’s practically the middle of the night! Bah! We have retreated to downtown, we’d have had a hard time avoiding it had we stayed home, its across the street.
Wishing everyone a very blessed Easter! These couple days off have been just what the doctor ordered!
Hang in, everyone! I promise, its worth it. Byrdie

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Netsers,

Thin crowd here today, ha ha but I imagine everyone is getting ready for Easter.
We stopped in our local feed store & they had a bounce house set up outside for the kids, fun stuff. They had lots of lambs, bunny rabbits, chickens & ducks just for show & tell. The cutest was the playpen with three tiny piglets

G, I have always know that AL is a depressant but I had no idea just how effective it was
I never want to put myself back in harms way like that again, never! After kicking AL out of my life the next best thing I did was seriously change my thinking. Certain people, things & situations will never affect me the way they did previously. I'm done with all that!!!

Byrdie, glad you are having some down time lady

Crusader, it does seem that we have a giant list of things to 'fix' when we begin this journey. Tackling one thing at a time is the best way, honestly. Get your health concerns addressed so you really do come thru all this feeling healthy. The way I'm looking at this is that we have the rest of our lives to figure out all the other stuff. First we have to concentrate on getting healthy.

I took a little time today & baked up two poppy seed rolls - my favorite treat from childhood, yum! I'm hoping we are smart enough to save some for tomorrow, LOL
Wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good Morning, Nest:

Crusader - that is TRUE. We have the hard work of dealing with everything we've been masking with the booze. I found it interesting to even have to think about boredom, or celebration in a new way. I have NEVER been to an adult party without booze. I can't imagine anyone doing that. However, I have noticed that more people are making the choice not to drink...

Heading to an Easter picnic today. I'm sure there will be booze - my husband isn't one to miss beer at a picnic. I do have a strong memory of an Easter picnic once where I was drinking. After we went to a friend's birthday party where I continued to drink more, and I made an ass out of myself. Sigh. I wish such memories weren't painful, but at least they're painful enough to be a huge deterrent. I will enjoy the wildflowers and the views today (an most likely a bit of chocolate, too!)

Happy SOBER Sunday,
Pav

[BelleGirl]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good Day, everyone,

Just a quick fly by before prepping easter dinner. Thanks for the reminder Pav about previous easters and drinking and making an ass out of oneself. We always celebrate my daughter's birthday with family at easter. On her 2nd birthday I got so blasted I really don't remember anything after her opening the gifts. My in-laws knew I was toasted, though I tried to play it down the next day. Ugh........never again.


and ohhhh. I almost forgot! Today is Day 30...I like to think of it as "the first 30" of many.

[Roobs]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy Easter everyone,
Today should be our sober treat day. I was reading Belle's (tired of thinking about drinking) and she reminded me to reframe what a sober treat can be.
" the thing about treats is that it doesn't have to be a big thing. it can be new oven mitts. it's how you frame the thing. you go to Target, you get new oven mitts, and you say to yourself: "this is my treat for being sober because I rock and this shit is hard." and that's enough. you think it doesn't work, but it does."

I know that I will enjoy good food and good company today and I will not miss trying to pace my drinking, felling loaded and dehydrated by 5 pm nor will I wake up full GSR and totally depressed. Nope, not worth it!

Happy sober Sunday
Roobs

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Bellegirl, congrats on your first 30! Woooohooo! Here is your hat! :guy: We are so proud of you!
Enjoying a beautiful Easter day!
So glad I woke up with morning without the GSR Brothers!
Hoppy Easter! Byrdie

[KENSHO]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy 30 Belle!! Keep going!

Happy Easter to those who celebrate it. We did eggs and jelly beans today and Passover dinner last night. We are religious mutts. The in-laws behaved themselves and did not push the wine on me. Part of it was probably my confident energy; I would not have fallen for pressure.

I did have a challenging Friday evening. Husband wanted to stop by a tasting room on the way to dinner, and actually mentioned that if he didn’t have booze for a couple days, he craved it. I suggested he just get a beer at the restaurant because three of us don’t drink, and he said, “It will be really quick, I can drink it fast.” And I said, “you might as well just tap a vein.” Not the most polite thing, but it evidently resonated with him because it turned on me the rest of the night with his comments about my driving and how I can’t “just hang out and have fun any more”. I now know this to be due to the fact that my drinking and eating choices make his more prominent. He wants to be with people that support, encourage, or at least don’t draw attention to his unhealthy choices. This is not my fault, and I don’t own it. All I have to worry about is what it right for me, as he him.

Anyway, being summoned for a walk in the hopeful (but still chilly) Spring day. Keep up the work everyone... more and more perspective comes to me every day!! 100 and beyond!!

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy 30 days off the freakin sauce Bellegirl! Wowza! That is hyuuuuge 'round this joint. I like your quote Roobs about treats for ourselves. I c,co, concur, i say agree. You Belle, totally Raaawk. Get yourself something nice.

Ola friend Kensho! Your confident energy raaawks all who come in contact with you i am sure. With respect to your hubby, it sounds from here like he has an unhealthy focus on booze, either the physical effect, or culture/ceremony around it? Great work on sticking to your principles.

Boozing has no benefit for me anymore. None. It just takes and takes. I dont need to run, escape, hide, or get numb anymore. There is far too much to live for. There is so much left to be experienced in this one life that i have. I'm liking my current gung ho attitude of 'no fear - just get out there and do what you love G fella'. It's just so crazy it might work. I think i'd better git cracking! And i am. Boozing stunts, kills, depresses, belittles, diminishes, destroys, strips away spirit, soul, confidence, dreams. This simply equates to - boring fker!

Don't be bored nesters, be brilliant. Ooroo.