New Year: January 2010

[Adam_Cartwright]

New Year: January 2010

Me neither...

Another cloudy day on the ranch...
Mrs Cartwright is reading.
I've had 3 cups of coffee;
and the day is starting to move away without me.

I'm heading to the gym to fulfill my
minimum daily requirement of having done something good
for myself.
Did 3 days AF; but don't know if I'll do more.
How's everyone's drinking patterns?
Sunbeam still rarely if ever:
our "Poster Child of Moderation"?

Well, have a great day,all.
I'm going to do the gym
then take the Mrs to town for lunch.
~Adam~

Addition:The Mrs got a little "frisky"
after I got home from the gym...
was it my "manly-man" sweat????

So we worked up an appetite (at least I did)
and then I took her to town for a late lunch.
The place was empty so the chef told us what he had
in the cooler and he offered to make us up some kind of
seafood dish from heaven!!
I'm still squirming...
It's like sex TWICE in the same day!!!!!!
Anyway...where's my cigarette??
I had a martini with lunch, the grouper,pasta,
Italian wedding soup, Caesar salad...
3 days AF and then a martini...
I'm in heaven.
~Adam~



Deebee said:
"I don't feel like I have much to contribute to the squad right now, but I l:h being able to pop in and say hi to you all, ramble a bit about my day and really just connect with my cyber friends."

[Sunbeam]

New Year: January 2010

Mistah Cartwright,
I'm soooo glad to see you here, dahlin'. Welcome home!

I'm doing great overall, but my drinking isn't as moderate as I have led you good people to believe. I had wanted to spend January AF, but didn't make it past last weekend, which was a holiday. Worst part was, I drank a whole bottle of wine on Sunday - ugh! It is funny that there is wine in the house all the time in the basement, even an open bottle, but I don't touch it. Then, once I start, I keep going and drink the bottle, on occasion. That vampire drinking thing, as Eve calls it. I really don't want to drink at home anymore.

Other than that, life is grand. I am 55 years old, and am planning to finish full-time employment in June. I have a good lead on a part-time job after that, and there are other part-time opportunities in my field if the one I want falls through. My work is pretty satisfying but I look forward to having more time for doing things I enjoy for fun. Drinking isn't on the list.

Take care, good friends

[Ask For Help]

New Year: January 2010

I'm not doing the greatest either although I find the Subs AF thread inspiring. Combination of feeling frustrated by the robbery's thwarting my exercise plan (although I know there are alternatives to my 30 day challenge for heavens sake.) and kind of overwhelmed by lots of paperwork and responsibilities. Gave myself a "bye" for the last few days and am trying to be OK with that. Sometimes the best you can do is the best you can do.

Deebs: I stopped my Topa about 6 weeks ago and am thinking about restarting too, although I can't stand the word-finding problems. . . which I have enough trouble with already. Will be interested to hear if you experience the symptoms upon restarting . .. and also how you do on that. I've been reading the Campral and Bac threads a bit just to check that out. So do update.

Will keep checking in. Am enjoying the new folks on the thread: Mr. Cartwright and Agapanthus - WELCOME!

Ask

[Emmy]

New Year: January 2010

Hi Modders , I'm sorry that I have been MIA ~ We had company over the holidays and I've just been busy with family and getting ready for my twins birthday ~ I really want to take some time and read the posts , I miss you all , your posts give me alot of inspriration, I'm still using drinktracker , it keeps me accountable to myself. Thats it , I'm tired , we've had alot of rain , hopefully the sun will come out tomorrow .....take care:l Em

[DeeBee]

New Year: January 2010

Does anyone venture out of Modsville into General at all?? Please go and add your prayers for MA on the Cowgal Update thread. MA was a huge source of inspiration for me when I was on Bac wagon -- she is an amazing woman who needs our prayers and support right now.

[Adam_Cartwright]

New Year: January 2010

Damn..rain AGAIN!

I guess the buffalo will like it..
more grass growing out on the prairie.

Mrs Cartwright is at work again.
I'm taking care of ranch chores and keeping the help in line.

Had left over grouper for breakfast.
3 cups of coffee...
Went to the dentist and got a molar capped.
Made an appointment for cat and dog at the vet...
"Don't forget the stool sample!"...
How COULD I forget???
Talked to the carpet man about the summer place.
Took the leather jacket in for zipper repair
(as attractive as it was; having the zipper come apart at the bottom
opening up to my neck so that I was wearing a leather cape!
My life...
I love it.
Best to you all...
~Adam~

PS: I'll check it out DB...
Welcome back Emmy
Thanks for the welcome ASK (I don't know much about the meds though)
Sunbeam, be careful when you go to part time. That's when I started drinking earlier and earlier..
(it's 5 o'clock somewhere)

[Emmy]

New Year: January 2010

I'll go there right now , thanks for letting us know that someone so special is in need of our prayers :l Em

DeeBee;793582 wrote: Does anyone venture out of Modsville into General at all?? Please go and add your prayers for MA on the Cowgal Update thread. MA was a huge source of inspiration for me when I was on Bac wagon -- she is an amazing woman who needs our prayers and support right now.

[Adam_Cartwright]

New Year: January 2010

Keep on keepin' on...

DeeBee,
I caught up with MA's situation...wow.
No wonder the sensitive hearts drink.
There's so much pain out here...
But I hope that this proves to be accidental.
She seems to be someone who would seek help if she needed it.

The Missus is safely home.
Cookie rustled her up a pork chop with potatoes and gravy.
Daughter is doing her homework.
IT'S STILL RAINING.

I've got some new reading glasses
(you guys are crisp and clear @ 1.75 magnification)
Picture me dropping something...
looking down to see what I dropped...
hearing a crunch as I stepped around like a dancing moron.
And there went my glasses!
That's OK...
I have new glasses.
Have a warm and cuddly evening, my friends.
~Adam~

[Eve11]

New Year: January 2010

Adam, Adam, hmmmm??? Welcome...
Welcome back home to the Ponderosa!

Ask, I am incredibly saddened about your robbery. My boys are teens and we've had many an I-Pod vanish into thin air. You hate to suspect kid's friends but I'm afraid for us that's what's happened. I would be very angry about big, expensive gaming systems like Wii's etc. One does feel so violated and it's just an awful thing. We actually had 2 statues in our front yard that take 3 people to lift. We came home from vacation last year to find one of them gone. Then this year the other disappeared. Made me extremely angry as well...but what can you do? Eventually you know it's best to let it go and not let the bad energy about it pull you down - but you still need to go through that anger, venting process.

Mod squad friends - we've all been slipping. It's good to post again. We need to all get back up in the saddle and keep being here for each other. I've missed you guys!!!

Big :l
Eve11

[DeeBee]

New Year: January 2010

Morning Squad,
Well, first day back on Topa and I was in the foulest of moods ever last night! Thank goodness my brother was on dinner duty so I plonked myself down in front of the goggle-box and caught up with my favorite programme -- this is a very rate treat let me add.
Anyway, today is going to be a better day.

My parents are coming to spend the night with us tonight as there is a canoe race on called the Duzi which takes 3 days to paddle down the river and comes past our house so we are going to go down and support some friend we know.

I am also waiting on tender hooks for my test results to come back from the Docs -- she didn't look happy when she took the tests and there was much muttering and shaking of her head so fingers and toes crossed that the results come back positive today!!!

Anyhoo, that's enought ramblings from me....

It's good to have you back Eve, I missed you -- your support and advice is always much needed:-)

Adam, I love love love the rain -- even when it seems to be never ending and borderline depressing I just have to pick up the phone and call my MIL on the farm where it just NEVER rains and they are always in a semi state of drought. Life is very challenging (and uncomfortable) without water.

I have to HAVE TO phone the dentist today and make an appointment to fill a crater that appeared during Xmas. We won't have medical aid from the end of this month so I must make the most of it while I can.

Hi Em and all to come.

What's everyones plans for the weekend??

[Eve11]

New Year: January 2010

Hey DeeBee,

Yes, was good to take the time to post again. I've gotten busy with fb where I can see the latest pix of all of my old and new friends that aren't just cyber so at times it's been more appealing to go there. Have reconnected with childhood friends, etc. so it's been pretty amazing.

For any of my long time MWO buddies who dare to go there with me - private mail me and we can discuss it. It's fun to see all the latest pix people post, etc. The problem with sharing that here is everyone has to be a subscriber to share pix and I know (esp. with the economy) everyone can't do that here.

However, many of my fb friends don't have the problem we all share here and for those of them that I know do have the problem - they have never come to terms with admitting it. So, it's good to come here where I can get the support from friends who understand my struggle and don't judge me. Thank you all for that!

The last time Adam12 and I went out we both went over our limit (although he is such a light drinker he is always safe to drive). He had 3 over a 3-4 hour period and I had 4 and then promptly got home and did the stupidest thing by finishing off one more glass in the wine bottle that was left from the week-end before. Needless to say I felt like crap the next day. Plus, there was no rational reason to have had that drink at home...the vampire effect got me again and I get so tired with that particular battle.

I will have to focus on a new goal this year and that will be to really keep within my limits of no more than 3 for an event when I'm out as my body just can't handle more than that without feeling wretched the next day. I have easily been AF all this week since that episode as it felt so good to recover from it and I have come to the realization that I do sleep so much better with absolutely none in my system. Even one can affect my sleep so I really want to work on as much AF time as possible.

We are going out with a couple to a very exclusive restaurant tonight. That becomes more challenging as it's too easy to have the drink before dinner - the drink with - and a nightcap after. It will be a few hours event so I am pacting "here's to you my old friend Kid" not to go over three and to try to just be through with two and happy about it.

I have seen many patients where I work this last week come in with life threatening medical problems from too much alcohol. One patient was sharing with the social worker (who will DIE if she has another drink... she is truly in end stage liver failure) that her biggest concern was what she would say to people when she had to tell them no to a drink because she didn't want to be labeled as an "alcoholic". I was extremely saddened not only by her denial but because our society has made those of us with drinking problems feel so ostracized.

I won't argue it.

I am a functioning alcoholic. Alcohol affects me in ways that it doesn't affect people without my problem. How I know that I am is the fact that I can't always quit when I start. I don't have that mechanism (like being full when you're eating) that works properly to say "that drink was enough" everytime that I drink.

Yet, I love the taste of a good wine with a dinner. I love the nice little buzz I get when I've had two and the fun conversations flow - I just don't like paying the price when I go over my limit.

And so I choose to keep struggling to make it work for me. Sometimes it's much easier than other times.

At least I'm aware of my problem and I do have to admit there has been significant improvement in many aspects of my life. I am no longer embarrassed by my behavior as I'm so much more aware of NOT going overboard - even though I slip here and there and have had a full bottle of wine in an evening when I've only wanted one glass - I am not killing my liver or pancreas because I have done that so rarely...not daily like someone with a full blown problem.

So, that's my week-end plan DeeBee and friends - work on my pact of no more than three. A big, fun Sat. night as well with friends who both go over the recommended limit so that will be a challenge as well. But with the support of you - My MWO friends - I'll be fine.

Big :l
Eve11

[Adam_Cartwright]

New Year: January 2010

Good afternoon Modders!

So there's still some life left in Modville,eh?
Glad to see us starting to post again.

Maybe we can throw a rope around last year's
"Plan for the New Year Thread" and
drag it up from the bottom of the pond...

Just finishing up at the gym here.
At least I'm keeping ONE New Years Resolution.

Good luck with your "pact" Eve.
DeeBee: What test results, Hon?
And you are SO right about rain.
I'd rather have too much than too little!
Remembering our drought of a few years back
makes me sorry I used Rains name in vain!

Well, speaking of rain.
I guess I'll go back out.

Plans for the weekend?
WORK!
Love to all of you,
~Adam~

[Sunbeam]

New Year: January 2010

Happy Saturday, friends,
Adam, you hit on my worst fear a couple of days ago. You mentioned that your drinking increased when you went to part-time work, and that could happen to me. I know that already I am not tempted to drink on a work day, but I do think about it on weekends, when I have more free time. I have been posting here at MWO for two years, and I continue to work toward better alcohol control. I stopped using Drink Tracker in November because I don't want to depend on that for the rest of my life. In December I started using it again, but keeping my information private, trying to replace peer pressure with self-control. I adopted my new signature line right after New Years, reflecting my desire to allow myself a couple of drinks even less frequently than my previous "occasional" drinking (less than weekly). When I get my drinking down to an even lower frequency, I shouldn't need to use Drink Tracker, because I would be able to remember the occasion. Last weekend, when I consumed a whole bottle of wine, was a mistake. Learn from mistakes, don't keep making the same ones. I simply can't drink at home, because I end up drinking alone. My husband spends a lot of time in his basement TV room, and it is way too easy for me to fall right back into that habit of drinking alone in my chair by the fireplace - or out on the patio. I really hate wasting even one day of my good life due to alcohol abuse. It isn't just the day I drink, it is also how crummy I feel the day after. Whew, thanks for the opening to get that all written down. It is SOOOO easy to just post the social stuff here.

OK, we're off to an RV show. We may rent or buy one sometime in the next few years, so we can do more traveling.

[Eve11]

New Year: January 2010

Sunbeam;794865 wrote: OK, we're off to an RV show. We may rent or buy one sometime in the next few years, so we can do more traveling.

Hey Sunbeam,

I wish you'd buy the one my new neighbor parked in his back yard. When I look directly out my big kitchen window to admire the sunset - now all I see is this honking big R.V. We talked to him nicely about it and even offered to store it at one of our rental houses but he didn't want to:
a. be inconvenienced when he has to get it
b. park it vertically and not horizontally because then he and his wife would have to look at it out of their window.

I'll admit. I was upset for quite a while. But then the only thing to do was to let it go. One day the thing was gone and I didn't even notice it was until the end of the day (it was back ofcourse) but it taught me that we can just hang on to old upsets, make ourselves miserable when we don't have control over things and sometimes the problem isn't even there and we're still holding on to it. So, I choose to react differently to this situation and I'm feeling much better about it. It is a beautiful RV btw and I know you'd have fun if you bought one Sunbeam. Just wish you could buy his-haha.

Adam, you perked me up to post more. We had a lag going and we gals have to get back in the saddle and be here for each other a little bit more.

Sunbeam, I work part time-2 days a week and I think the saving Grace for me is the kids are still home and have school the next day so I don't have time to just sit and relax with a glass of wine at the end of a non work day because I'm getting them ready for school with supervising homework, making a proper dinner, being available to talk to them about life, friends, etc. But if I didn't have them here - I can see how it could be much easier to slip into that dark hole of..."I don't work tomorrow...I'll just relax and drink today". Then my drinking could be on a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday night as well as the week-end.
Wouldn't that be nice -haha!!

Hello to all my other buddies and lurkers. The drinking plan went as planned last night and no cheating once I got home - yeahh!!! Forgot we have a big church event this Sun with lots of food and wine called "It's the Good Life" so I'll be drinking that day too and really need to work on my limit. I'll be pacting that one later.
Hugs,
Eve11

[RejuvenateBodyMindandSpirit]

New Year: January 2010

Eve11;789492 wrote: Hi all,
I'm hanging in there. Not keeping to my goals well at all this month of January. Have been under a lot of stress at work & actually interviewed somewhere else (My 24 year anniversary with my company is tomorrow!). So that was major!!

Anyway, have decided to stay put and follow the advice of: Be the change you want to see in the world. I know I can't change who some of the difficult work people are in my life but I can change how I react to them so I'll be working on that for awhile. The downside to work stress is I like to escape by having a few glasses of wine at home but home drinking doesn't work well for me as I keep going back to the bottle for "just one more!".

Hoping to get back on track - have to remember that tomorrow is a new day!!
Hugs,
Eve11

I can identify!...stress at work...just back from vacation...sheeesh!
I look at where I was before MWO & where I am now though & it's still a major improvement.
Hi Mod Squad...been absent since I got back from vacay...had a bug...feelin kind lazy...decided it was time to check in....spent sometime lurkin &catchin up on your posts, meetin the new folks.

Rejuve:l