Newbies Nest

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

So I am looking within, and maintaining my sobriety muscles

I think you're looking in the right place, Steady. I hope your MIL is not affected much if at all by COVID. I'm sorry it is definitely in your life now - and yours, too, Pav. It's great you have been taking precautions in your interactions with her but keep an eye on your health!! Can you be tested? It isn't hard to get a test where I live. My borderline hypochondriac nephew who was exposed to someone who was exposed has had 2 (negative) ones.

I'm in that camp, Kensho. I have personally observed so many people who could not get a Dx from a doctor find relief by removing gluten from their diet. And getting sick again when they reintroduced it.

Isn't it nice at this weird time to have Not Drinking be normal?? xx NS

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Hazy, hot & humid still. Had a sun shower today but no rainbow followed, feel cheated haha!

Byrdie, hope your neighbor figures out how to get her meds or at least ask for a cheaper substitute. I don’t have a lot of patience with that stuff - medicines are way too expensive.
Your hot pink recliner would definitely clash with my color scheme, LOL

Steady, good to see you & sorry about your MIL. Any virus can spread thru a nursing home like wildfire. Hope she’s OK.
Not drinking during this pandemic is the best gift we can give ourselves!

Ava, I’ll have to consider teaching my dog CPR, haha!!
You should schedule yourself a staycation, why not?

Pav, sorry to hear your secretary is sick, hope she recovers quickly.
Sometimes I wonder how many of us have actually been infected but not tested because there were no symptoms. It’s mind boggling, for sure. Be careful & stay well.

Kensho, hope your dog is OK. Do. You take him when you go backpacking?
My dog is 8 1/2 now & I’m noticing some small differences in her like falling down the 3 steps into the garage. Bad vision or bad knees, one or the other I guess.

NS, I’m another that’s had fairly good success by eliminating foods that my gut hates, go figure. I just can’t get into a conversation with a doctor about diet. My NP has hd good suggestions so I give her some credit!!
I hope your nephew remains calm, this virus is going to be around for a while.

Hello to the rest of the nest & wishing everyone a saf en ight!
Lav

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Kensho, 3 years ago, when I was having a terrible colitis flare, I kept a food diary. I went gluten free for a week and my doctor pointed out that my symptoms worsened. Now, that could have been a coincidence, my symptoms were worsening by the day. Cutting out gluten was hard for me, as it turns out. There is so much evidence to point at the correlation between inflammation and gluten, that it’s hard to deny that it would likely help with the inflammation I have. I need to give it another chance (not during a flare). I’m doing so well on Turmeric that it’s hard to get motivated on that.
Steady, so good to see you. Checking in is always a good idea! Stick around! I’m sorry to hear about your MIL. This stuff is scary.
Pav, I hate to hear about your assistant. I hope she has a very mild case.
Socially distanced hugs to all, Byrdie

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

but I need to be careful not to take on too much. I was spread WAY too thin for way too long (enter... alcohol).

Hi crew,

Friend Kensho, i agree. I found recently i had a lot on my plate (gluten free of course) and spotted myself beginning to go into overwhelm/sense of hopelessness phase mentally. So i cut back my tasks and kept it simple with a schedule i can handle. Worked a treat.

Yo Steady. Hope your MIL will be ok. This virus sure is a real worry, especially with more fragile loved ones. Looking within is an opportunity to clear out any crap. Take care of yourself you legend.

Lav, your joint sounds perfect!

My boss made us all some masks so i have a good supply. Pastel blue, poiple, and some kinda leopard skin look jungle theme design lol.

Big waves to evabody! Take it easy out there.

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

TODAY IS MY 4-YEAR MILESTONE!!!

The days really do add up and turn into big chunks of time if you just stay true to your quit, get past one obstacle at a time, and spend a few moments every day keeping your tools sharp (including your Lavitude of Gratitude).

Well, so much for making more frequent posts! My wife went on a socially distanced camping trip with her dearest friend earlier this week while I stayed home and worked (boo). It was super hot and that meant lots of extra watering-the-garden work for Wags, which meant there went my downtime. I'm happy it's Friday and I have today off.

I've said this before but I become keenly aware of it every time it repeats: When my wife would go out of town back during my drinking days, that was the signal for me to have a multi-day binge. I'd start drinking soon after she left the house, I'd cancel everything else on my schedule so I could stay buzzed or plastered all day every day, and the house would be a wreck within 48 hours. Then I'd frantically clean up myself and the house before she came home. As Byrdie says, those were the "not so good old days!" Now, capping off this potential binge week with a quit milestone is all the sweeter.

I am so so so grateful to not be in that place anymore.


Pav - glad you were able to talk things out with your co-worker and I hope things feel better for having addressed them (they usually do)

Steady - great to see you!

Ava - some vacation time sounds wonderful

Byrdie - Martha Stewart is secretly a badass. Her work with Snoop Dogg gave me a different perspective on her. How interesting that she ended up in your dream.

Kensho - glad the less early schedule is agreeing with you, and I hope work continues to go well whether your state locks down again or not


Hellos and waves to everyone else. If Byrdie could just whip up a 4-year anniversary cake, I invite you all to have a piece!

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good Morning!

CONGRATULATIONS, WAGS!! Never a doubt in my mind you'd reach this milestone, but I am happy to be here to celebrate with you. You've weathered a lot and come through shining. Thanks for sticking around and supporting all of us with your no-nonsense approach. I love hearing about your sober adventures. Here's to the next four, and the four after that, and...

I stayed off gluten for three years - actually wheat (I still ate stuff like soy sauce). I didn't notice a change in pain but by taking the categories of pasta and bread out of my eating I was able to lose a lot of weight and keep it off. I slowly allowed it to return to my life, and now I am having trouble taking the full plunge back. Maybe I'll try this summer. I am waking up with joint pain, and I know you all swear that I'll feel better... I am thinking as with most things moderation is the key. For me, because I am an all or nothing gal, maybe I'd be better off with nothing. We'll see.

Not much to add. TGIF and I have a week off!! I am going to stay home, but I look forward to a lot of hiking and sleeping past 6am.

xo
Pav

[KENSHO]

Re: Newbies Nest

HAPPY 4 YEARS WAGS! Here is a cake that reminds me of you hitting the trail. You've returned to your nature and deserve all good things.

Screen Shot 2020-07-24 at 8.39.32 AM.jpg

We are hitting the trail this morning, so lots to do. Best to all, keep your sober muscles strong!

[narilly]

Re: Newbies Nest

Happy Un Hung Friday everyone.

Way to go Wags!! 4 years is amazing, you raaawk as G would say.

A week off Pav? That is great. I read a post earlier and thought Ken said there was a camp Kensho, lol. We could all go there on our week off and buy Martha Stewart masks from Lav. We would have a blast.

Sorry about your MIL Steady, good to see you.

Off to the market today, there is a lady selling masks there with small air filters sewn in. They really make it easy to breathe. I am buying a few today.

The weather here was nuts yesterday. It was hot and then around 2pm we had a series of three storms blow over, there was a tornado warning, rain, and then it hailed. Holy crap! This went on for 3 hours.

Have a good one everybody.

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

Congratulations, Wags! I'm also not surprised you did it this time but I'm very happy for you :smile:

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Wow Wags! Congratulations! :spin::moonwalk::woohoo2:

Have a beaut weekend.

A week off Pav....stylin!

Have a ball friend Kensho!

Hi Nar, NS, Lav and y'all. Take it easy.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Friday evening greetings Nesters!

Still yucky with heat & humidity here. Add in some thunderstorms & extra mud, you get the picture

Wags, CONGRATS to you on your 4 years AF :welldone:
I hope your weekend is good & you get some time to chill too!

Byrdie, I guess you’re stuck in this annoying weather pattern too? Stay in & enjoy the AC.

G, the leopard skin mask sounds rather intriguing, Lol
Hope your weekend is good!

Pav, enjoy your hiking time & do some for me please

Kensho, out backpacking, nice. I hope you brought your air mattress along, haha!

Narilly, your weather sounds as crazy as ours, changing almost minute to minute. Have a great weekend!

NS, hello to you & hope your weekend is good.

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

Lav

[paulywogg]

Re: Newbies Nest

Congrats on 4 years Wagaroo!!! So super happy for you!:thumbsup:

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

4 more years! :rara: 4 more years! :rara: 4 more years! :rara:
Wags, congrats on this big milestone! Isn’t it such a blessing? Gosh, you don’t realize how low you were until you can see it from the top. You are such a wonderful part of this nest. MWO is a better place because of YOU! Look how far you’ve come! We are so proud of you!

Hot as heck here, like opening up the oven door when you go outside. My mercy, the humidity! My hair!

on the crafting front, did a little bead work this morning and realized my beads were in disarray. Was working on organizing them, then sis called. I told her hubs what I was doing and he said ‘maybe you can put us on Face time and we can all join in to watch’! Ha, they must be really bored! I chased a fly all day yesterday and last night as we were going to bed, hubs announced he found him, floating in his drink. Dear lord, can you imagine drinking a nasty fly? I’m surprised I didn’t have dreams about that. May I say that the outrageous hot pink memory foam recliner from the Martha Stewart dream was, in itself, a dream. If someone isn’t making those, they should. Kensho, love your ‘go big or go home’ comment!
Hope everyone is having a relaxing Sattidy! Byrdie
.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Greetings everyone,

Still hot in this end of the nest too, ugh! This is just too much for a winter girl!!
My grown kids are trying to figure out the best course for their kids for the upcoming school year. Right now, nothing looks perfect or easy. I’m doing my best to keep my mouth shut but I have to admit I hope they keep all of the kids home & let them learn whatever they can online at least for the first half of the year. I admit I’m feeling some anxiety about all this but I can’t make their decisions for them. Oh well!
Not much else going on with me.

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

Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Thanks for all the congrats and support everyone! It has definitely been a challenging 4 years, and if there's one thing I've proven to myself it's that I can get through anything difficult without drinking. I rarely think of al at times of intense stress or when major life challenges hit anymore - if there is ever a temptation it's more for the "light social buzz" that most non-alkies probably feel and enjoy, and that always seemed to get drowned out within minutes by my addictive drinking behavior. Since that buzz is as elusive for me as getting pics of sasquatch, I've been much better off just deciding to not entertain the thought at all.

Lav - I hope your adult kids and all other parents, students and teachers find solutions that are workable for everyone. As the wife of a retired teacher, I understand very well the reservations (to say the least) if not abject fear teachers would have about returning. Elementary schools in particular are petri dishes of germs during a regular school year, so this virus is on top of already health-challenged conditions. But I also get the kids missing their social time and movement, plus the parents who need schools (or childcare) in order to be able to work. I think there is no single right answer and I hope that most schools and communities offer multiple options.

Byrdie - the thought of drinking a fly gives me an idea for the next time al sounds tempting: as I picture whatever it is I think would make a "good drink" I'll just mentally put a fly in it! That might be just enough of a deterrent and negative association to re-program my brain even more in the direction of maintaining my quit


I hope everyone has had a great weekend in your corner of this planet. Here in the PNW we are bracing for 100+ degree days. In a region where almost nobody has AC, these kinds of days are almost unbearable. Ugh!

See you all on the flip side.