Newbies Nest

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hey, Nesters!
Ava and Pav, outstanding work on the 8 years! It’s hard to believe, I can remember when you first started out. I thought it really would be a challenging time of year to begin your journey but you proved that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. I’m so happy and proud of you. Not only did you find help, you reached back to help countless others. Thank you for your service to others.
:dancin:
Tomorrow, a neighbor is coming over to make chocolates. She needs 80 pieces so it will be everything we can do to meet that goal. I hope the chocolate gods are in a good mood!
Keep up the good fight. It is so worth it. Hugs to all, Byrdie

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Still working to get everything done that I need for the Saturday craft fair. I have to take it all & get set up on Friday night since the fair begins bright & early at 8 am Saturday.
My December goal is the same every year - to get thru it without losing the last of my sh*t, LOL As soon as this craft stuff is done I will finish up shopping (mostly done) & begin baking a million cookies. Haven’t started any decorating yet so there’s that too. I have to feed 10 people Christmas eve so there’s some planning to do there as well

Wags, music is my fav & is always playing in the background on my iPad or Sonos radio. Definitely helps keep the mood light. Hope you enjoy your music too!

Pav & Ava - CONGRATS on your 8 years AF :welldone:
It’s been a pleasure to have you both here in the nest sharing your journeys. Life is so much better without that monkey on your back. Great job to both of you!

Belle, you’re doing just fine, keep moving forward!

Slo, it is because we are nurses that we know how to handle the medical community, haha!
I’ve never been to a chiropractor because our nursing instructors made us put up our right hands & promise we would never see one. They had VERY strong opinions & I figured they knew what they were talking about. I’m glad you are being proactive in your own care. Changing your diet & using decent supplements is helpful too. I didn’t want PPIs because they would only worsen my osteoporosis. My husband is on one now & he still thinks he can eat whatever he wants #stubborn. Yep, Amy Myers has some real good supplements, worth taking a look.

Kensho, I am grateful too that we all made the big life changing decision to kick AL out, once & for all. I love having no regrets, I’m sure we all do.

Byrdie, I was thinking of you today. Good luck with the chocolate tomorrow, sounds like a real challenge

Hello to anyone else dropping by & wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!
Lav

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

Well, I am 8 years today. I feel pride, humility, and gratitude. Thanks to all of you for hanging around and supporting. It is so wonderful to have a sober community right here!

I was talking to my son about it last night - it really took acceptance. Acceptance that I couldn't have the life I wanted with alcohol in it. Once I told a friend, my husband, and a therapist ALL of the truth about my drinking, I couldn't lie any more. From then on it was all about setting myself up for success - following the footsteps of Lav, Byrdie and NoSugar. My life is still my life, and I am still the partially lazy, imperfect me, but it is SO MUCH BETTER sober.

Lav, you crack me up. That is ALWAYS a December goal for myself. Here's to not losing my s&^t!

Happy Thursday,
Pav

[Slo]

Re: Newbies Nest

Today is Pav’s special day!! Congratulations on accomplishing 8 YEARS AF! You’re really catching up now to the long term ones whose footsteps you followed in!
And I follow in your footsteps. I’m amazed at how hard you work, and how many social occasions you manage, all while staying sober. You find substitutes for relaxing and staying balanced; such as hiking, time in nature, relaxing with a show, meeting friends, boundaries, computer breaks, etc. I am watching how it’s done! Thanks for introducing me to the Bubble Hour podcast too…although she doesn’t seem to be making any new episodes lately? Kudos to you for talking to your son about it. Enjoy your day!

[BelleGirl]

Re: Newbies Nest

Checking in this morning...I am proud to follow Ava's and Pav's footsteps in making my FINAL quit during this time of year. Heck I only drank alone, so going to parties is safe for me anyway. Weird, I know...so perhaps I should go to as many parties as I can to stay sober? lol.

I slept like the dead last night. Hubs had to see if I was still alive at 9am this morning. Yesterday, I forgot to bring my early afternoon dose of fibromyalgia meds with me to work and I was about to drop dead at 4pm. I rushed home, took it and went to bed. Had the kids figure out where to get takeout from, and order it. I felt better by dinnertime.

Off to the downstairs office today. Start of a new month is always interesting.

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Greetings Nesters,

I am ready to take all my stuff & setup for the craft fair tomorrow evening since it starts early at 8 am on Saturday. Then i will turn my attention to putting a Christmas together for the family

Pav, a big CONGRATS to you today on your 8 years AF :welldone:
Life is definitely easier , I agree with that & not perfect either, I get that. What we have is a clean slate to build the lives we truly want. Great job & thanks for staying around to help others!

Slo, please keep in mind you can build your life anyway you like now with no one grumbling in the background. Being AF while going thru major life changes is a definite plus

Belle, sounds like you’re catching up on some sleep, good for you. Sorry about your med mixup yesterday but glad you’re feeling better today.

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

Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Ava and Pav - HUGE congrats on 8 years (plus a day or two now)! I feel so honored to follow in the example that each of you has set here, with NS, Lav and Byrdie leading the way ahead of you in turn. Thank you both for all that you share here and for bringing your steady wings to the nest. We are all better off for your contributions.

Lav - hope the craft fair goes well Saturday! We will look forward to hearing about it.

Byrdie - how did the chocolates turn out?


Hellos to Slo, Kensho, Belle and everyone else stopping by the nest. I'm ready for this week to be over!

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

Way to go Ava/Pav twins! You're the only quit buddies I know to have made it together so long. Not wanting to let someone else down is a powerful motivator, especially when you're not feeling great about yourself (which I certainly was not when I quit!). You've both faced some big life challenges without resorting to alcohol for escape, setting a great example for all of us. xx

The first month AF is probably the hardest anyway but making it through December yields an especially powerful sober muscle so maybe it is actually a good time to quit, Belle. I also didn't drink much in public -- wanted to show how 'normal' I was and how little I cared about alcohol. What a farce! I would have been much better off if I'd had a social commitment every night of the year.

Well whatever is wrong w/ my leg and back decided to settle in my hip. Had an x-ray yesterday and start physical therapy Monday. Here's hoping it works b/c I really miss my walks. Last time I injured my back badly several years ago I had to stop drinking due to the medication I was taking. Now I don't have to stop something I'm not doing. So nice to not have that extra suffering this time around!

Have a great weekend!

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

Thanks for the well wishes. I got sushi and ice cream last night for my celebration, and watched an episode of Queer Eye. Nice and relaxing...

NoSugar, sorry you're suffering like that. I know walks are important to you. Can you do little walks just to keep yourself loose or is it too painful?

Quitting in December seemed logical to me. I sort of get depressed this time of the year, and so I would just tell people that and that I was experimenting to see if alcohol was partially the cause. SO MANY people nodded in understanding (mostly while sipping a drink!!). I really feel that we are meant to be in our caves in winter, hunkering down and resting. Setting boundaries this time of year is key to me - I can feel overwhelmed and over extended very quickly.

I can't believe it is Friday. This week has FLOWN by, and I have so much to do at work! Ah well, focus today.

Happy SOBER Weekend, folks.

Pav

[available]

Re: Newbies Nest

Morning nesters

Thank you all so much for the warm 8th birthdway wishes. I am so grateful to have had Pav along with me for the journey to keep me accountable in the beginning. i had let so many people down in my life, i was not going to let her down and i didnt. I think accountability is a major factor for me in continuing on this sober ride. I am just happy to enjoy life now, al just gives more stress into an already stressful life, it was never my best friend and was a pretty shitty companion over the years.

Lav, i hope you do well with the craft fair, i am sure you will, you do some lovely things.

Went for my MRI the other day, we had a big storm (of course) just as i got there and was hailed on, got inside and they had a power surge so the MRI machine needed to be rebooted which took half an hour. The gods are with me, i am sure NOT. I am learning patience with this injury i must say. I now have a chondral fracture and an ACL tear and lets add a bakers cyst also. I go to the GP tomorrow and will get a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon and see what happens, nothing will happen till the new year now. i did go and buy myself a new splint which has only two velcro bits instead of 4. Im so over taking it on and off. I have to look for an automatic car as this is not going to heal anytime soon. But it is what it is and the positive is i am getting over my sugar addiction as i cant get to the shops lol.

The man i see is coming over today to take me to the shops so that is good. he lives over an hour away so its hard to just ask him to take me somewhere but it will be nice to see him. He goes to the UK in 10 days. He was telling me he has to pay $150 for a covid test before he leaves. I cant believe that as they are forever telling us to get a covid test if we feel unwell and its free. A money making venture from the government.

well time for a coffee take care and big hellos to everyone. xx

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Greetings Nesters,

Just got back from the craft fair site where we were all allowed to set up our tables. Nice to get that done the night before as the event starts early at 8 am. This is the last event for the year, time to rest

Wags, I hope yo have a quiet & easy weekend.

NS, sorry about the hip pain, ugh. Have you noticed joint pain tends to travel around the body? I thought I was nuts until other people told me they had it too. I hope it’s something PT can work out for you.

Pav, I laughed at the ‘sushi & ice cream’ because I don’t eat either one, haha but glad you treated yourself. We should celebrate our big milestones, we deserve the recognition after all the hard work

Ava, oh boy, sorry about the findings of your MRI. please take it easy until you can see a surgeon. Sounds like you’ll be having some time off in January.

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

Lav

[Slo]

Re: Newbies Nest

That’s the perfect way to treat yourself, Pav!

I was a chauffeur yesterday to drive my mother to her hometown for her friend’s sister’s funeral. Her eyes don’t work well enough anymore for night driving, in case it got late.
My mom plays favorites with her siblings, and with my siblings. I realize that that’s why my brother died by suicide last year; because she had turned on him as a teenager, and made him an outcast. I realize that this is what happened in her family of origin too; that Grandma had done this to my young uncle, and then when my brother was a teenager then my mother re-played her family-of-origin dynamics onto him.
My uncle is still the family scapegoat and stays ostracized from his family. I realize that I can’t bring my brother back, but I can reach out to my uncle in his place, to try to heal these terrible family dynamics, and to no longer be passively complicit in them.
Mom said to go visit her favorite sibling, my young aunt, at her work while she was at the funeral. Instead, I paid a visit to my aunt who is one of the scapegoat-ed ones, and her partner.
Then I went out to lunch with my ostracized young uncle. I am so proud of him: he celebrated his 10th year of sobriety this year! He got sober right after grandma, his mother, died -and I don’t think that was a coincidence! He went cold turkey, and struggled through terrible dreams, with hallucinations of snakes all over him and everything, and made it through.

Then I got a text from young uncle this morning: my cousin, my young aunt’s son, was killed fighting a fire last night in the line of duty in his job as a firefighter. He was 38 years old, and leaves behind two tiny daughters and a wife who is sick now herself with ulcerative colitis, possibly Crohn’s, disease. He followed his dad into firefighting. I was just there yesterday! I passed a fire department station there while driving, and wondered if he was in there at work. I knew I would see him next weekend when I drove down for a gathering -if he wasn’t working. Now I’ll be going down for his funeral instead.

So…lots of emotions and thoughts on life. Take care, everyone. You just never know what’s around the corner.

[available]

Re: Newbies Nest

Morning nesters

Lav how did the markets go?

Oh Slo so sorry to hear of your cousins death, that is just so sad. Sending you hugs during this time. Makes my problems seem very very small. Such a waste of a beautiful young life.

Your dynamics sound like mine. My mums mother was a cruel, angry woman, would not talk to my mother when we visited and no reason. sadly my mother thought that was a good trait to carry through in life and i felt the brunt of that one many times. My brother was ostracised also and died of al, she didnt have anything to do with him for 10 years but when he died it was like she had seen him yesterday. Sadly my brother and i were behind the door probably drinking when parents were handed out. apparently my brothers and my alcoholism were not my mothers fault but my fathers! Now i dont put up with her, i tell her if she doesnt want to talk to me that is her choice and i am a good daughter. end of story. She is my mum and i want to be in her life, i wont feel guilty when she dies, i know i am good to her in the way i can be without being hurt. she is 85 tomorrow and i just sent her flowers, i do wish i could have been there but i cant drive. i will have her over xmas for a few days, i am sure she will complain i am lazy or something lol but i will get lots of cups of tea and dinner and lunch made. woo hoo.

going looking for a car today, just to see what is out there, not something i want to do and i cant walk around for long so it will be quick.

attaching a pic of little Jasper and my 3 nurses who are helping in my recovery. take care xxx

263303311_195160239483313_9028845657493990134_n.jpg 263003892_205881761729813_4499423631707354432_n.jpg

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening Nesters,

Happy to report I had a very successful day at the craft fair & now I rest for a while, haha! It’s nice putting a smile on a stranger’s face simply by helping them cross items off their Christmas shopping list

Slo, family dynamics can be stressful I know. My family wasn’t great but my husband’s family really took the cake.
I am so sorry to hear about the young firefighter. He died doing what he loved to do but that doesn’t make it any easier to accept. My son is a firefighter in DC & it worries me every single day. Sending our prayers & light to the young family.

Ava, I’ve watched you handle your mother’s difficult ways over the years, you have done very well in my opinion. She’s lucky to have you whether she knows it or not.
Hope your car shopping is successful today. Jasper is adorable & his nurses are excellent

Hello to all & wishing everyone a very safe night in the nest.
Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Slo - I'm so sorry to hear about your cousin, that is very sad.

Ava - sorry to hear your news about your knee as well. Good thing you got the MRI and I hope that you eventually get the surgical help you need to mend.

Lav - sounds like a wonderful day at the craft fair. Glad you made some sales and helped brighten people's days.


I had today off except for a couple of new student consultations (both signed on for lessons to help them prep for a January test). I've got 3 classes tomorrow so this was just a short weekend off for me.

Hellos and waves to you all, and Happy Sundays all around!