Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

[retteacher]

Everyone: Yesterday, I overcame a craving. It popped up out of nowhere. There are a bunch of stressors in my life at the moment, & I think I wanted to blot them out (though it was purely unconscious). My drinking doesn't have anything to do w/social drinking anymore. It's pure escapism. Bottom line: I came to MWO, wrote, read, received support, & the craving went away. Also, in the Research Forum, there is a thread called Sobriety Toolkit. I go to it when I really need a refresher course on why I shouldn't drink.

Today I feel strong in my resolve...although that can change in the wink of an eye if I'm not careful. I will not drink, because I want to experience life & solve problems in a timely manner. When I drink, everything goes on the back burner & no closure can take place.

tkeene: I hope you are doing OK. Keep going the way you have. Do you realize that today is day 7? That's one solid week wo/booze. That's one solid week wo/a hangover, wo/wasting money, wo/feeling rotten about ourselves. Pretty big stuff if you ask me!

Cindi: Hopefully you're doing OK. I know how much pressure you're under. Life has a way of building up as we reach our middle & later years: grown children, g-children, aged parents, the whole 9 yards. Keep your chin up & don't drink. It won't help anything.

Love, Mary

[treeman]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

good morning everyone....

after doing a poor job of moderating last friday, i have really felt recharged this week....
the times that i drink now have become painful; i guess the re-training of the mind and body has begun....

If i drink more than 8 beers, i am physically ill the next day (hangover that i am too old to want to experience..plenty while in my 20s and 30s).

If i drink only a 2-3 beers, i have a mental conundrum the next day (i didn't catch a buzz, why did i waste my money on the AL?, i stopped my string of AF days for what reason?, etc.).

well, everyone have a good day.....time to get to work....

[YoungAtHeart]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

Hey Mary, good for you on working through a craving. You are sounding more and more like the Mary I know every day (except wiser, of course ).

tk, you sound like you get stronger in your own quiet way. I, too, liked to lay low at first, and avoided everything that might tempt me.

treeman, it gets to be so not worth it, doesn't it??

I am hoping that I don't slip, although we can never know that for sure, but one thing that helps to keep me sober is realizing how NOT WORTH IT drinking would be. I'd have a hard time having a good time, and I would feel remorseful the next day. Yuck. I learn so much from what you all have been through as well as the slips and relapses that I have had in the past.

Good day all!
:l :l

[Cinders]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

My dearest friends,

I watched my daughter take a "swig" of Gatorade yesterday and then throw up. No, not a huge swig, just a little swig and then she was pulling over and throwing up 'BIG TIME.'

I have decided my sobriety is an important piece of this whole issue.

If I am drunk, which I love to be, I simply cannot take care of my "baby."

Sorry if this seems "down" but this is what I am dealing with. Without my MWO friends, I would be soooo lost.

Thank you ALL for being there.

Love,
Cindi

[rustop61]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

Hi everyone

Well done Mary for working through the craving yesterday. It's amazing how they creep up on you out of no where. I must check out the thread you mentioned. My thoughts and prayers are with you Cindi, I hope everything works out for your daughter. Health really is wealth. My cousin who has cancer is coming to stay with me tonight. She has a hospital appointment in the morning. They have stopped chemo and are now giving her some type of new drug intravenously. She cannot have too long left. I'm just thankful that I have had the opportunity to spend so much time with the over the last year.

Take care everyone

Rustop

[meditation mama]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

Good morning all...

Just a quick check in to say hello.

I'm not feeling at the top of my game these days - a little beat up.

I am sure it will pass.

All the best,

MM

[retteacher]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

I just read this thread all the way through: word for word. There's so much here.

tk: You're sounding great. I know we're early into AF, but I think you seem more committed than I've ever seen you to be. It encourages me tremendously.

Cindi: Yes, we cannot be of help if we're drunk. Adrienne will heal in baby steps, & you'll be w/her all the way. My daughter is going through some emotional hard times as a working mom. I overheard her tell someone that she would not be able to get along wo/her mother. It made me feel good to hear that. Even though I've had my slips, I've mostly been sober & there for her & her family. Take care of yourself.

Love, Mary

[retteacher]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

treeman: 1 or 2 drinks doesn't do a thing for me. If I can't have a whole bottle, I don't want any. So that's my choice: all or nothing. I choose nothing. M

[retteacher]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

Rusty: Thank God you can be fully there for your friend. M

[YoungAtHeart]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

tkeene, you are so kind to inquire after me. I don't think I'm on the verge of a slip, in fact, I feel pretty confident. At the same time, I know how easy it seems to suddenly be on the other side of AF, wondering what the heck happened. I was thinking after the number of slips that we had (right at the full moon, too) that I hadn't even thought about drinking and suddenly everyone around me seemed to be struggling. It was weird. On the other hand, I have been a little down--a combination of Maddy going back to school and having a hard time making a dent in all the work I have to do and feeling resentment about it. I know that at one point in time that would have been a set up for me to slip, so I'm trying to be very aware of it.

Actually, my therapist thinks I am doing very well. She just thinks I am at a point in sobriety where I have to start making some other changes in my life, but they scare me. How true. Part of me wants and needs a different life, but I'm the only one who can do it, and I'm in a bit of a rut. So that's what is going on with me. Thank you so much for caring about me. I am moved, and I send the caring right back atchya.:l

Cindi, I feel your pain, sweetie. I can so imagine myself in your place and how horrible it would be. You do need all of your strength to be there for Adrienne, and alcohol isn't part of that equation. I'm sending :l 's your way.

rustop, your friend is lucky to have you around. I hope that you have some good time together.

MM, I hope you get some rest too. Emotional stuff can wear you out as much as anything.

I hope everyone is having a decent day. No more tornadoes, and goodbye to 70 degrees :upset: , but at least I'm not getting slammed with more snow like our friends in the midwest. They must be snow blind by now.

:l

[reallywannagothere]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

Hi all

Sorry I don't know names yet, but I've been trying to follow and learn. Everyone seems to know so much about each other.... guess I'll get there at some point. I've related to so many things, like going to liquor stores within a twenty mile radius. Living in a small town, I only went to our local one in a pinch. I wonder if my daughter who used to be one of my best shopping buddies had started to catch on that I didn't ask her to go with me when I shopped in a near-by town. I couldn't make my stop at the liquor store if she was with me! Not like she didn't know. I just couldn't let her see me go in there. Never even let my husband see it. I'd often thought about buying a case of AL when I was out of town, but always chickened out, worrying that the clerk would think bad of me.

My baby girl was here to visit today. She's going through this with me too, and is great support. Showed me the now barely visible evidence that I've got a precious grandbaby on the way. Now that I'm able to remember some of what I am dreaming, I've been dreaming of that little angel. What a gift from heaven.

Speaking of gifts from heaven, the kindness and support I've found here is at the top of that list. :h

Today is day four. I know I'll have lots of struggles and arguments with myself, but four days AF is something I can't remember in years. Thank you all

[charlee]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

Really
Congratulations on Day 4!!!..I hope you are feeling very proud. A new grandbaby on the way..so much to look forward to.

[meditation mama]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

Thanks, tkeene.. I'll be fine...

Thank you for your inspiring words.....

xoxoxo

MM

[YoungAtHeart]

Thurs. - Feb. 7 - Daily Thread

Congratulations, Reallywannagothere. We're here to help. If you can make Day 4, you can make many more. Just think of one day at a time. Welcome aboard!