November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

[dill]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Ahoy, Mateys!

Welcome back, SD! It's wonderful to see you! No deck swabbing for you, my friend! Maybe you could take a turn up in the Crow's Nest being Look Out for a spell.


Red, I'm glad you shared a little bit about yourself this morning. I didn't know much about your journey over the past couple of years. You sound like you are very similar to me in this being a journey and it taking a lot of learning and changing over time. And, about 'surrendering': That doesn't mean giving up. It just means accepting what is. It may mean waiting until you can take action, giving a situation time to develop, or something like that. It doesn't mean give up, by any means.

GFO, thank you for sharing your your challenge. I'm glad you were able to over come! Lil, Lav, LBH, Soots, lodestar, findng, red, 1MC, pnut, all who post here, (I just know I'm leaving someone out, and for that , I apologize.) Thanks to all of you for being here.

I must make an admission to you all that I fell off the boat last night. I will not call it a slip, as I know better. I simply gave myself permission. I deeply regret it today, as it ended just as it usually does. I went overboard, watched a movie I don't remember, and toddled off to bed. Woke up in the wee hours with high anxiety. Slept poorly. Got up this morning, searched for a life boat (MWO) and will live to fight another day. I am sorry to let you all down, but felt I must be honest.

Today will be a beautiful day, so I will plan on enjoying it AF and feeling grateful for that. At the end of the day, I will take time to reflect.

[lilmea]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

SD-So glad to see you back! :l You have been missed. You know the drill. Here's your life jacket, so jump on board.

The paint guy is done so I can finally start getting this place cleaned up. I usually do all the painting around here but I have discovered paint fumes are a big trigger for me. I had this guy do it so I could be out of the house and it could air out some before I got home. I have also found that the smell of certain cleaning products can be a trigger.

I think we are all aware of the most obvious triggers, don't keep al in the house, don't go to the liquor store, stay away from big drinking events. But I wonder if some of you have also discovered some 'unusual' triggers that you would like to share?

Time to get to work. Hope everyone has a great af Saturday.

[lilmea]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Dill-cross post. You know the drill. Here's your life jacket, jump back on board. :l

[dill]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Lil, Thanks!

[Lavande]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Good morning kids!

SD - welcome back we did miss you! Stick with us, we're headed in the right direction

Dill, sorry last night was hard for you! I would probably be doing the same thing if there was any AL in the house. I've firmly stuck to my commitment to keep it out of the house. It's a basic thing but very, very helpful. Feel better today!

lil, I somehow find myself not so pestered by triggers these days. I keep the memory of me falling on my a$$ last Christmas Eve forefront in my mind - it serves as a shield of sorts! I am not about to repeat that event - not for anything!! I think that helps keep me on track

Greetings to Sooty, my soggy UK friend. Our wind driven rain has stopped for the moment - we'll see how the day shapes up!
Greetings to everyone stopping in today. Enjoy your day.

Lav

[sooty]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Afternoon everyone. I've been awake since before dawn listening to the gales and rain lashing the windows. Weather warnings all over the place, floods, roofs off - 80mph winds, its absolutely horrible.
I've been out to the gym this morning, nearly didn't go as I'm nervous of these high winds but I'm glad I did, had a good workout and saw my friend for coffee afterwards.
Now I'm in the house on my own, Mr S at the pub watching rugby - peaceful and quiet - might even have a little nap!
Here's to a good Saturday to all of you. Keep safe and warm.
See you later
Sooty

[sdlovespackers]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Good Morning!!
Omigosh...I was so excited to wake up this morning and get back on here...and then to find all the warm welcomes....yippee!!!!! What an awesome hangover-free Saturday!!! Thank you all!!!!
Red--You asked me if I would mind sharing, which I feel being open and honest with yourself and others trying to help, is the only way to 'recovery' (whatever that is for each individual). I honestly think my first mistake was when I started the first time...I still had the notion I could moderate...or would be able to handle it after I went 30 days af...you know, then I proved to myself that I didn't 'need it'. So when summer came around (and I don't work in the summer) and after my son was hospitalized (which I was sober for) and I bought a house and moved and a death in the family....as you can see...I can come up with as many excuses as possible as why I made the decision to stop taking my meds and start drinking...somehow, I deserved it (plus everyone around me was...I felt it was unfair...yea...waaah, poor me, huh?!)

I'm going at this battle with a whole different mindset. I CAN'T drink!! It WILL destroy my life and my son's! I HAVE TO be stronger than AL and I will be!! I WILL STAY SOBER!! Lav, I'm kinda like you...I have that one memory now of my conversation with my 7 year old son that WILL keep me on track...I NEVER want to relive that again...for anything!!!

Again, THANK YOU ALL for the warm welcome back!!! I will be checking back often...trust me
SD:l

[lodestar]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Great post, SD, and glad you are here!

Dearest Dill, you have not let me down and your honesty is much appreciated. Welcome back on board. I think there is a big pitcher of water and lemon right over there with your name on it. Let me get it for you

A beautiful day here and I enjoyed my first evening out with friends since I stopped drinking. I had 7, yes 7!, sparkling waters with a splash of cranberry and lime. Perhaps I'll change my name to Shirley Temple. The first one taste like a real cocktail and I about freaked out! I asked my friend to taste it and said what's in that? He said, "ermmm, tonic and juice?" I said there isn't vodka in that? and he looked at me like I was crazy. I've only been drinking water and sparkling water for over two weeks, so the sweetness of the drink shocked me. LOL Had a great time and feel like a million this morning!

A happy AF day to all...I'm off to do something

[redhibiscus]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Hey Dill,
Thanks so much for sharing. It takes alot of courage, as I know, having been there myself. You are getting right back into the swing of things, the only thing to do. It IS a beautiful day, so enjoy being outside if you can. We are having a gorgeous day in the good ole Midwest USA. Wow, it is so nice out I think I am going to cook out steaks.

We are all here, care about you, and appreciate your honesty.

[dill]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

I think we are all aware of the most obvious triggers, don't keep al in the house, don't go to the liquor store, stay away from big drinking events. But I wonder if some of you have also discovered some 'unusual' triggers that you would like to share?

Lil, I realized yesterday that the scent of Christmas Wreath candle by Yankee Candle is a huge trigger for me. Yes, it is indeed.

[sooty]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Evening everyone. On the subject of triggers - this time, late evening is a big one for me - having one glass (or ten) before bed... so I'm taking myself off to bed with my hot chocolate and my book.
Sorry to be so selfish but I'm safer out of harm's way.
Hope you all have a good Saturday, see you tomorrow - without a hangover!!!
Lav and Dill are in the control room so the boat is in good hands.
Keep safe all of you
Sooty

[ladybirdheart]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

It is so good that you are here SD. I used to read your posts when I was still lurking and you helped me join in whether you knew it or not. Lil and Dill, right now it is hard for me to think of something that is not a trigger if it either occurs between the hours of four and seven or so. All of the sounds and scents of fall and the coming holiday times. My desire to prepare glorious food. I have not properly had a dinner party since I started this process and I can?t keep hiding. Thanksgiving will be at my house like it or not and there will be expectations and a good history to live up to. I have a plan but my confidence is unstable. In the meantime, yesterday I impulsively invited a couple of lovely new people (new gentlemen friends of Lord Bird Heart to whom I owe a meal) for a dinner next week, and immediately went to a liquor store to choose wine for the ?guests?, did not buy any, purchased a bottle of scotch for myself, poured a glass, looked like a wind-up doll picking it up and putting it down, picking it up and putting it down, poured it out, put the bottle away, got up in the middle of the night, poured it out, had a good hot cry, and went back to bed. Lovely. While I am now going to ask my new guests to bring what they choose to drink, I sure wish I did not feel so fragile. I am free tonight but tomorrow I fear it will start all over. Very frustrating. Let this pass, please. Love, Ladybird.

[dill]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Ladybirdheart, thank you for sharing your arm wrestling bout with that scotch. I wish I had been as strong as you. I truly do admire your strength pouring that out without drinking it. I know what you mean about the holidays. But we CAN do it and start new ways of enjoying. It will take some time and a great deal of adjustment. I am free tonight, too, and grateful for it. I am certain this difficult time will pass and there will be better times ahead.:l Guess what helped me get through this evening's witching hour: Listening to the audio version of Devisadero. I very much enjoyed it.

[Lavande]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Evening friends,

Busy but good day, I am grateful!

So good to see so many people here, love the company.
Sooty, LBH, Dill - we have to put our heads together & plan exactly how we're going to get thru the holidays AF. This will be a first for me, I assume for all of you as well. I gave it some thought today and have decided to put Mr Lav in charge of holiday drinks for any guests we may have, most will be family. The men are all beer drinkers, not interested in wine & the women basically can take it or leave it. So I don't feel extremely pressured at this point. I know of one event that we will be attending but it won't be a problem to stay away from the bar area. I'm not anticipating feeling terribly deprived because I haven't felt that way all along - I'm just too darned grateful for all I've gained this year

SD, hope your day went well!

Greetings to everyone else - I really need to head to bed.
Have a good night!

Lav

[girl_from_oz]

November Navigators ~ AF -Week 2

Afternoon Navigators,

Just checking in and thrilled to say I'm mid way thru day 7!! :yay:Have had a really busy weekend and it's been glorious - so nice to be able to achieve things like a normal person on the weekend. Just been catching up on the odd jobs that have been sorely neglected and piling up while being under a drunken/hungover haze.

Have been 'hiding' from AL and escaping the heatwave by spending the weekend down at my parents place at the beach and it's been so nice to spend some time with them guilt free and hangover free.

MM and 1more - how's the weekend treating you?

Dill - welcome back onboard, don't beat yourself up and thankyou so much for your honesty. That would have been hard to do...I personally am dreading the inevitable day when I have to 'fess up. Well done for getting past it.

LBH - you're amazing! I really don't know if I would have had the strength to do what you did but good on you! Perhaps in your rock wall you could place a tiny special something to signify the tough, almost unbearable days that you beat AL, just a reminder to yourself about how strong you really are.

SD - belated welcome! I love my new family here and would not have got through nearly a whole weekend AF without them. They all hold a very dear place in my heart and are a very big part of my recovery...now you do/are too!

Too all others that I haven't mentioned, hope you're enjoying the weekend and getting through it. Really hoping my cd's and supps get to me early next week. While the weekend has been a lot easier than I thought it would be, I can't hide at my parents forever and the niggling thoughts of AL constantly in the back of my mind and starting to drive me a bit nutty!

Love, strength and peace to all x