Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

[DeeBee]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

It's been 8 months since the last "slip" and damn my body is just not used to the abuse. Funny how 5 glasses can have me man down now when 8 months ago I used to drink that, and more, daily.... sheez!!!
Oh and the cracker is DH doesn't understand why I am kicking myself -- to him, it was just a "night off" WTF!

Thanks for the support Gals!!

St J, girls day sounds like fun. I promised my Mum a day at the Spa for her birthday (which was in Dec) and we still haven't been, I think I must book for this weekend.

Eve, I loved your post. Now that I am not smoking I find that I am going to resturants and places I would've turned my nose up at previously. Coffee Shops are also a new experience for me, as they don't serve AL.

Vladster, how is the foot doing? Any news on the results yet? I am thinking of you:-)

Sun, I have been thinking more and more of the "Sunbeam Style". Also whilst reading St J's thread I was wondering whether I jumped the gun when I quit the Topa. I have definetly been having more AL cravings since quitting smoking which has left me edgy (to say the least). I might go and see my Doc about Topa again.

Welcome Dove!!

And Moo, you just jump right in when ever you are ready:-)

Vera, I love reading your posts. I agree that life is just too important to miss out on.

Zed, if you are lurking, know that I think of you often and hope the mod life is the good life.

(((J-Vo))) Thank you for the support!

CF, I feel for you with the job situation, it must be horrible to lay people off. In SA, out local bus service which was recently sold by the municipality to a private company has now gone bust. So for 2 weeks now the bus drivers have been without work and people are without transport -- can't get to school, work, hospitals etc. We do have taxi's but they are 3 times the price of the bus and they are just not safe.

Betty, keep posting and let us know how we can help you, k!

Right, I must dash. Horrid wet and cold weather today and I must travel to see clients, so catch you all later.

[j-vo]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Morning all,
Today is day one of no nicotine for me. I started a few weeks ago and blew it. I'm not a heavy smoker, so I guess it's just the habits and mental cravings? I usually smoke about 6-7 cig. a day and I need to get them out of my life. I don't need this dependency anymore. Jeez! That sounds quite familiar. My triggers are when something goes bad. My anxiety goes sky high, and I just lose it because that causes me so much depression. I'm going to pull out my bag of tricks and distractions. Wish me luck.

Have a great day everyone.

p.s. St. Jude, I hope you're feeling ok. Anything we can do to help?

[DeeBee]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Good Luck J-Vo!! I know all too well what you are going through.
I found a BIG bag of toffees really helped me when I was craving although my tummy disagrees LOL!!
8 weeks on and I very rarely have a craving so there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[j-vo]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Good for you Deebee! 8 weeks is such an accomplishment!!!!!! I'm sure you're feeling great.

[Eve11]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

I forgot to welcome Dove and Moo I don't think this is your first time posting with the group but if so welcome to the mod squad. Always fun to hear a bit about the newbies if they desire to share.

Vlad-pm me if needed about your foot.

To the smokers or ex-smokers out there I have a story to share. I had a man literally take his shirt off one time when I was sitting at a desk (secretary at the time) and smoking. He said "Look at these scars! (portion of his lung had been removed). "I got these from smoking!" The sweetheart had such good intentions. He hated to see this young person (at the time) ruining her health by smoking. But I wasn't ready to quit and it made no impact on me.

When I became a nurse and started taking care of patients with chronic obstructive lung disease who were the meanest people on earth (not being able to breathe causes horrible anxiety and anger in turn) and I realized that these people were in this situation because they had "chosen" to smoke...that made an impact on me. I took care of a cranky, horribly ornery man one day who's choice of smoking was killing him. I went home that night and quit cold turkey after 16 years of smoking.

That was my rock bottom. I think sometimes smokers need rock bottoms too.

It was cute and so true when St. Jude quoted her dad or grandad? about reformers being the worst critics sometimes.

The other night hubby and I were having the most beautiful dinner and this stenchy, rotton smell from 2nd hand cigarettes came floating my way. We got through it OK but it was disturbing this nice dinner for sure. When she lit up the 2nd one I had to force myself to not have words with her. Hubby smiled at me and said "I bet you used to wreck people's dinners too."

Oh how life can be such a circle...what goes around comes around!
Have a beautiful day friends and lurkers.

Eve11

[Saint Jude]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Eve,
Thanks for a great post. Congrats on going cold turkey with the smoking too!:goodjob: I wish I could get Hubby to cut down or quit...
His Mom had part of her lung removed a few years back & she's still smoking
He has high blood pressure, etc... and smokes...He's been telling me he'd like to quit since we met, but I sure haven't seen it much...
I don't say anything much to him about it, don't want to pressure him... he doesn't give me grief over my drinking,...unless I'm wayy out of control & missing work, etc... Hopefully those days are in the past. (that hasn't happened in a long time! Thankfully)

Thanks EVERYBODY, for your concern,... but I'm really not hating everything!:H If you listen to the whole song, there's a different messagr there @ the end...

Hope everyone has a great day!
Hugs,
Judie

[Ask For Help]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Hi all;

Have just done all my reading to catch up. Lots of "action" in the mods world.

Judie stirring things up again. .. you go girl. Thanks for the thread on "Why I love modding' - that balance is needed on these boards, despite the reaction it can provoke. It's good to see you so active again. . . you helped me so much when I started a year ago when there really wasn't much going on in Modsville.

Now we've got a good strong community, except our "GUY" has a cold: Glad to see you check in last night Kid, sorry your feeling poorly, but will want to hear all about the cattle ranching. I've missed your posts!

However Sunbeam, J-vo, Vera, Eve, DeeBee, Vlad, Mooderator and Cycle fan have done a great job keeping the home fires burning!

All is well with me, finally seeing some signs of spring. I'm thinking of getting my bike out, it's still a bit too chilly, but soon, very soon. I will start riding my bike to work several days/week, then ride long on weekends. I LOVE the tight buns (and all the compliments) I get.

Still struggling w/ my 14 year old although we had a nice weekend. I think all this Facebook, phone, texting stuff is too much stimulation for her. She started LaCrosse yesterday and came home flushed with pride about finishing the 1 mile training run in first place. Good for her!

Went back to my counselor today, which is a time for reflection. So much progress: but still have to be watchful about drinking amounts creeping up. I've been thinking about how Sunbeams' approach feels right to others: I'm different: I enjoy my AF days, but by day 3 or so my body honestly feels better physically with some alcohol. It feels "right". Aren't we all so different?

Well: it's my day off and LOTS to accomplish. Know that I think of you daily even tho I don't get her that often.
Fondly

Ask

[Saint Jude]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Hi Ask,
Great to see you too!
I don't know how to stir things up.

"A wise woman, even when she is silent, says more than a fool when she talks..."

:l
Judie

PS I like to have a beer or two on my days off, it feels good! I understand about feeling better with a little bit... People have been doing it that way in Europe for ages! They dilute their wine with water, @ lunch.

[DeeBee]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Hiya Gang!

I can't believe the weather today -- it's supposed to be the middle of summer, was nearly 40 on Monday and down to 14 today WTF? Our weather system is seriously confussed!!

I have been reading a great book called "TriEneretics" which is about balancing Nutrition, Exercise and Mindfulness. It is a 6 week programme for creatng dynamic energy, mastering stress and achieving diet and weight-loss goals and the program has really grabbed me.... just seems so obvious! So stand back and be ready to see a new DeeBee in 6 weeks time.

Ask, you know I sympathise with you.
I have only recently got my daughter a cell phone and it is purely for emergencies so the phone is as basic as they come -- she can only make and recieved calls and SMS's -- no mixit! Already she is pushing my buttons about the phone, sending SMS's after bed time or during class. I've already taken the phone away from her once which I know really hurt. But what to do?

J-Vo, how did the first day NF go?

Eve, my Aunt was a heavy smoker all her life until 4 years ago when she got cancer in the lungs, both her and my Mum quit smoking. This weekend we found out that the cancer has returned to both lungs and she has lesions on her brain so the hospital is not going to do any more treatment for her. Basically they have sent her home and we've been told to make sure she has her affairs in order. The diffficult part for all of us is my Aunt is being so extreemly difficult about everything -- she is refusing to bath, or eat the food we have bought her or take her medication on time. We have hired a full time nurse to look after her but my Aunt didn't "like" the first one so we have already had to replace her and the week isin't even out yet.
It's hard on the family to try and look after my Aunt who is being so un-gratefull and unpleasant. I can't judge though, because maybe I'll also be full of sh*t if I knew my time was coming to an end.

Right, I'm being naughty being on-line so early so must dash off to work.

Have a great day all!!!

[j-vo]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Hi everyone,
Well, it's day two of NF for me. I've been a little tired, took some motrin, but fine. I'm putting distractions in place during my normal smoke times.

Both my grandparents died of lung cancer over 20 years ago. I actually was living with them at the time. I was close with them, and my mom and dad had moved to another city for dad's job, and I wanted to stay here, so I moved in with them. My grandfather had already been diagnosed with lung cancer the year prior to my moving in with them. Then a few months after I moved in, my grandmother was diagnosed and they had to remove her lung. Well, it was a few days after her surgery that she passed away. Then my grandfather couldn't fight his cancer after she'd passed, and he went downhill within months. As I said, I lived with him, had help of my aunt and a nurse in the end, but it was so sad to see them go like that. I was about 22 years old at the time, and I used to call my dad so upset because I couldn't understand what my grandfather was trying to say. His cancer had travelled to his brain and there was pressure on the speech part of his brain. It was a really hard time for me and my family. I was scared to death to say the least. I was angry. I had quit smoking before my grandfather died. For 6 years. Then I started slowly. It creeps up on us like AL does. It's as addictive if not more than AL. Oh well, enough of that. Thanks for letting me vent.

[Saint Jude]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

J-vo,
That must have been so heartbreaking and difficult for you to go thru that... and especially at such a young age. My heart goes out to you.:h
Congratulations on 2 days NF!!:goodjob: I think L-glut is supposed to help with cravings for that too? Seems like I've read that somewhere...
Might be worth a try.

That reminds me I haven't taken mine yet today. (slackin off!) Weird, I usually take it first thing with my other scripts. I'll blame it on Hubby, he's off work today, throws me off. LOL

Ok, I'd better get off the puter, before he feels any more like a widower...

Good day everybody.
:l
Judie

[Sunbeam]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Hi Everybody,
J-Vo, good for you with the NF days! Nothing like getting your life in order.

Judie, I'm really not a country music fan, sorry I didn't listen to your song all the way to the end. Most of the songs seem to be saying, my wife left me and my dog is dead or something like that.

Ask, your symptoms on day three sound like alcohol withdrawal. I'm not saying you drink too much because I believe it is the right amount for you. But if you give your body alcohol most days, then take it away, your body complains for awhile.

Deebs, I'm glad you found a new source of inspiration to strengthen your resolve. Sometime It feels like you spend a lot of thought here taking care of all of us, so don't forget yourself.

OK, I'm off to the great outdoors. BTW, my tomato seeds already sprouted - I planted them last weekend. The variety is Fourth of July, and I plan to use several strategies to insure that I get fresh red juicy ones from my garden in July.

[DeeBee]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Happy Friday All,

I am super excited that it is weekend again, physically I have been pooped this week so I am looking forward to some extra zzzz's before I travel again next week.

J-Vo, keep up the good work. The L-Glut definetly helped me when I was craving.

Sun, I am chasing monkeys around my garden again today!! Sometimes I dont know why I bother.

Here is a pic I promised DM ages ago..... DM I hope you are lurking:-)

[Saint Jude]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

DeeBee
Great pic!:thanks: Is he stealing apples? I can't imagine having monkeys in the yard!

I remember when we were camping in Costa Rica, one morning when the guys were out surfing, I was hanging around camp (I thought I was alone), I heard a noise, looked up & there were 3 white faced monkeys just above me watching from the tree. They're so human looking in the face!

It was the morning after I'd had to jump out of a (pretty fast )moving truck, when these people gave me a ride & then wouldn't let me out...Needless to say I had a major concussion! (I was lucky I survived that one! Probably wouldn't had I not jumped...)
Looking up into that tree, had a very surreal quality to it... I almost fell over because my "equal "living Room" was wayy out of whack! Then to see these little faces looking down @ me!:H

[Sunbeam]

Mod Squad Weekly thread week of March 16

Hey gang,
I'm up and out digging in the dirt. I'm expanding the front bed. Many garden centers are not yet open, but I went to one that sells bare root stock, and bought four items: clematis, witch hazel, Sunny Knock Out Rose, and Spirea Van Houti.