Sober NOvember Challenge

[mollyka]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Anon, I echo every word that Choochie says, and you nearly make it sound doable!!
Molly

[Peacefull]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Nice to see you back Molly Tough times are so challenging......but making it through them without AL is amazing.

Anon, I have started running again and love it. I am gradually building up my run times, presently I am run/walking 5 mins each for 3 mins....I couldn't this week and boy do I feel it emotionally and physically. It is a great therapy tool for me.

Quick check in on lunch and glad to be back on track. I am really working it now and learning some self administered CBT, I have gone through therapy for a year and really focusing on getting my mind better.

Oh ya 90 Days today for Enja and I woohoo :l

[Dewdrop]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Molly I am so glad to see you back with your usual indomitable spirit, its tough when life kicks us up the arse but you know what that?s when we come out fighting. You have the courage and strength to deal with anything now that you have taken on this addiction :l The current financial situation across the world is really desperate for so many, it makes you grateful for the simple things in life.

Peace and Choochie I wasn?t able to get into the link on PAWS as it seems to be blocked for some reason but I must Google it and find out more it sounds very interesting. I am so impressed with all you runners, I?ve started to get into yoga not quite as energetic but still giving myself a work out.

?Dewdrop, are you one of those fiercely glamorous women that sit in hotel lobbies with pencil skirts and laptops???? I ALWAYS wanted to be one of them!!? Lord above Molly if only you knew me :H:H:H

Dewdrop :h

[mollyka]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Ah Dewdrop you've dispelled your glamorous image girl!! Don't do yourself down - go get the skirt!
Having a lovely restful evening here - sod the money and the rellies - we are alive, healthy and happy, and even warm - there's bout half a ton of coal on the fire and watching the Late Late Toy Show - Oney, Neart and Limers will know what I'm talking about, it sort of always started Christmas in our house anyway.
Have to work tomorrow so hoping it won't be too snowy or icy.
Just checking back on posts and Wow Enja and Peace - Well done on the 90 days - you snuck that one in quietly girls:goodjob::goodjob::goodjob:, so your 3 month celebrations are just a day or two off? When I started out here, the amazement and awe I used to feel about folks who had 3 months sober, there really are so many successful people here it is amazing, and it isn't easy, Peace you've had a particularly tricky time - but it is so worth it isn't it!!
Molly

[anon]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Wow Enja and Peace bloody well done.:goodjob:

Hope everyone is good this Saturday. it is a lovely sunny but very cold morning here still cheerful as I went out for a family meal last night and can wake up this morning with a clear head and conscience!!

Off to run 10 miles in the country which will be easier than clearing up after the(my lovely) family who are all staying with me.

Molly I love the picture you paint of the coal fire and the TV Toy thingy!!:h

Love to all:h

[Choochie]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Hi Everyone - just checking in to with you all a happy AF day.

Choochie:l

[enja]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Hello everyone-

Pretty quiet 'round these parts - hope that means y'all are keeping strong and enjoying life out in the real world!

Thanks Anon and Molly for congrats on Peace and my 90 days :thanks: and a special big hug to my fellow 8/29AF'er, Peace. I think you're going through tough times with PAWS, hang in there, hon, it WILL get better. :l

Must say that I didn't really miss the wine during Thanksgiving dinner but I sure missed it when I was cooking - until I had something special to drink - fizzy pear juice (they sell it in IKEA :H) in a champagne flute and that made it all alright somehow. Normally I wouldn't drink this, too many calories and a bit sweet for my usual taste, but it felt festive and a treat.

I have a question regarding keeping AF over the holidays....I usually drown the Christmas pud, cake and brandy butter (hard sauce) in brandy - I don't believe there is enough in any of them to get a buzz, only the flavor, but what is the consensus here? Wanting to stay AF I'd never drink, say, eggnog flavored with brandy or even have liqueur chocolates but I don't feel it really *counts* in those three things. Thoughts?

:h

[enja]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Dewdrop, congratulations on 3 months!!! :wd::yay::wd:
I bet you feel fabulous - it's wonderful to celebrate all these amazing "Team Challenge" milestones. :huggy

[mollyka]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Morning All! Another mad early morning here - can't stay awake in the evenings and then wide awake at 4am - it's a bugger! Anyway, gives me a chance to catch up with the cricket - it's on in Oz so therefore middle of the night stuff here!
Enja, re. the alcohol in food - personally I have no problem putting red wine in sauces and casseroles and stuff cos once it's cooked the alcohol is burned off. I'm not sure that I'd be comfortable with it poured 'raw' over cakes and stuff - I don't eat the plum pudding or christmas cake so it doesn't arise, I'm sure others will have an opinion on that! Good on you with thanksgiving anyhow, it's all about 'deciding' not 'hoping' not to drink on the day, I think DG posted that somewhere and it is very important, I KNOW I won't drink at christmas so it just isn't a worry - could be a bit boring at times - so be it!!
Morning Chooch, Anon, Choice, Dewdrop, Peace, Neart, JC, Oney, Limers and everyone else that I haven't mentioned cos you haven't been round all day:H:H (promise I'm joking!!). My hubs has now obviously decided that I'm an 'actually recovered' alkie and had a bit of a puss on last night cos I didn't want to go out - would have been to the pub, don't care, he can puss away I was working all day, buggered if I want to spend my evening in a pub! Talk later
Molly

[Dewdrop]

Sober NOvember Challenge

I?ve been awake for hours too Molly, my sleep is the only thing that I?ve had trouble with since going AF and I don?t know if it will get back to normal, actually not sure if I remember what normal was like

It?s freezing here, has been snowing all night and looks like a picture outside but has scuppered my plans for today. I?ve found a yoga centre about 30 minutes drive away and was booked in for a morning session and then meeting an old friend for lunch but the roads are terrible and the advice is to stay off them unless you have to drive. I do a lot of driving for work and really don?t mind driving in these conditions but the centre have cancelled the classes today and my friend is not keen on stepping outside her door.

So here I am still in bed with my laptop and a good book and I think I might just have a pyjama day ? haven't had one of those in ages, what do you think?

Enja I think you?ve raised a great question regarding the booze in food for the holidays and I understand Molly?s comments on the alcohol burned off in the cooking, I?m not sure that I would want to have a bottle of red wine in the house even for cooking at the moment. It?s a tricky one. I think I?ll just avoid anything with alcohol this Christmas, even the trifle just to be on the safe side as I?d hate to trigger a relapse because of a bowl of Christmas pud.

Dewdrop :h

[JackieClaire]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Morning All,
From a very, very snowy Northumberland. 4 days we've had it and more to come. A fine excuse for putting the heating up and doing a jigsaw.

Don't think I need to do the naggity nag this Sunday but do pop over to the SHOUT OUT thread.

The last Sunday for Team Sober NOvember and haven't we all done well. I hope you're all as proud of us as I am.

Funnily enough I've never liked alcohol in sauces, chocolates or even a Irish coffee, I just used to like it poured straight into the glass and forget the food.

Have a great day, evening, afternoon where ever you are in the world. Because I sure intend to

[anon]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Good Afternoon November people. Where is everyone? Hope we are getting ready for our sober December.:goodjob:

[Choochie]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Morning All -

Had a tough night last night at dinner - really wanted to order a glass of wine, but didn't. Wasn't fun, though (at all). Bothered me that I felt that way because I had really been doing well on not wanting alcohol. I seem to be ok at home but when I go out, it's harder for me to not think of drinking. Funny, no matter how much logic I use, the thoughts still creep in. Ugh. It was that feeling of not being able to imagine not drinking for the rest of my life. So, I resorted to trying get back to the ODAT thinking, ordered some tea and food, and then things got better. I sure hope this doesn't happen again - it was depressing. But, the good news is, I didn't do it and an not hung today. Molly, you were smart not to go out to the pub IMHO!! Please tell us again how the struggle gets easier!!

Mol - did I miss it or did you tell us what kind of illness your bil has? What did you ever do about that situation? Just curious - you don't have to talk about it but I just wondered how you handled things.

Jackie, Dew, Enja, Anon, Peace, Limers, Choice (where are you), Spirited Oliver, Oney, Peace - and all others to visit today, stay warm and have a wonderful day.

Choochie

[anon]

Sober NOvember Challenge

:goodjob:Well done Choocie Somebody wrote here that no one ever thinks "I wish I had drunk AL last night"

Cold ,cold here but temperature is rising here as I am getting more cross with having a houseful staying with me for another week. It is not the little ones but the grown up chidren that are driving me mad. Washing machine going non stop , we keep running out of food etc. etc. I have even given up my bed!!

Oh well at least I am sober but this could drive me to drink!!:upset:

[mollyka]

Sober NOvember Challenge

Anon, I am an absolutely antisocial cow as regards having people staying in my house. I hate the housework involved, being polite all the time, but giving up my bed - no bloody way!!
Yes well done Chooch. going out to pubs and restaurants definitely triggers the 'I'd love a drink' feeling, of course we can feel deprived - a little bit anyway. If you went into a sweet shop and were told we couldn't have sweets we'd feel deprived - my trick is to project the chaos when I can't say no to drink no. 9,10 or 11, the cosy buzzy feeling rapidly dissipates!! I have no idea what's wrong with BIL. my eldest son read on facebook that he was very ill and in hospital, my way of 'dealing ' with the situation was to completely ignore it and hope it all goes away, only so much shit I can take from that lot. I'm very sorry if he is that ill but nothing I could do would make him any better anyhow. He was his own worst enemy - he's a doctor who drank 24/7 it seemed and denied it flatly, and generally had a very bad lifestyle resulting in gout and diabetes and mental health probs, that was 3 years ago when I was still in touch with them so.............??!!
We haven't much snow here but frigging freezing, so like JC, heating is on full and fire blazing. Went out with my eldest son and hubs for gorgeous lunch today, am absolutely stuffed and feel an early night coming on. Oh Dewdrop, the reason I specified 'red' wine going in the cooking is even back in the day when 'I would drink alcohol off a scabby leg' I hated red wine:H, other than that, again like jc deffo I missed out the middle man and just glugged the bottle!!
Molly