AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

[Doggygirl]

Marking!!

Good morning to all in Ab-Land! I'm in a rush to get out the door, so this post will be mercifully short!

I loved yesterdays thread and all the great insights and exchange. The AF Daily thread has become an important daily afirmation of my sobriety. I'm very grateful to have all of you with me on this journey of ours. And I want Mo's Puppy. Yes I do. "No" can come live with me any time.

Off to leads group then Yoga then errands then Curves - a busy morning! Yesterday I got a pedicure AND a manicure, so I'm tiffed up and ready to go!

Have a great day everyone!

DG

[greeneyes]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Morning abbers!

Not much to say this AM. Heading off to work. Kind of in the middle of some home projects I never would have started - er, well.... didn't - when drinking. And I'm in the middle of them with stuff everywhere and it doesn't irritate me. In fact, I really don't get irritated like I used to. I used to have outright tantrums. Throw things. Eww... was that really me? Hummmm....

Later on!

[AAthlete]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

"Love is, above all, the gift of oneself." - Jean Anouilh

Morning everyone and happy Monday! Saw this quote this morning and it made me sit and think. It is so easy for me to get wrapped up doing material things for others, and I forget that all they really want is to spend time together. A new toy or piece of clothing kinda loses its importance when compared to a day out at the zoo or playing a game of catch.....

Anyway, here's hoping that we are all able to give a little gift today to the people that we care about and have a great start to the week!

[retteacher]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Hi All: I used to think that AL calmed me down. Now I know that it just distracted me & caused me to be obssessed & guilty. Sobriety is so much more calming. An example: On Sat. night, after b-sitting the g-sons for a few hours, I was getting dinner ready for the family. As I was doing that, I opened the oven door &:
-a large baked potato exploded all over (forgot to prick outside before baking).
-the dog threw up.
-the 3 yr. old had a fatigue-driven meltdown.

Normally, I would have been driven to AL sooner or later. Instead, we all pitched in & got everything under control. We even laughed about the potato, which sounded like a popping balloon.

Yes, love is the gift we give to ourselves & others. For me, AL blocks love. It numbs feelings & their open expression.


Last night, we went to our Italian cultural club. There's a program, potluck, & plenty of red & wh. wine. I didn't drink, but all others did. By the end, some people were pretty lit. Two of the guys went into a stirring, a cappella version of "O Solo Mil" & "Santa Lucia." They had lost all their inhibitions & were quite charming. There's no way I can think of to duplicate that experience sober. I think that's something I'm going to have to grieve as I give it up.

That said: sobriety is the only way for me. I'm incredibly grateful for it today. No regrets, no misgivings.

Mary

[Mohun]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

I always wondered why you have to poke potatoes. I never heard of one exploding though. Good to know.

I just had to go put the older dog out. The pup really wants to play, but our 14 year lab wants to sleep. It's hard to write these posts when you have to leave every couple of minutes to see what he is into.

Well, I'm off to work out. I hope to get back into shape. Much easier to wok out when you are not nursing a hangover.

Mo.

[Accountable for Me]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Mo, "No" is so adorable. Thanks for sharing pics with us!

Good morning everyone!

The weekend went kind of fast. We got in tons of fresh air and exercise. Other than that we made arts and crafts, watched a movie or two and I had the chance to really get into this book I am reading, yesterday. It is called "Happiness Now" by Robert Holden, PhD. It is a super read!

Today is pajama day at Hailey's school. So I shall get her lunch packed and put on a clean pair of PJ's. They say "get up and come as you are.." but that just grosses me out. I am a phanatic when it comes to clean - clean house, clean car, clean bodies, clean clothes.... Bleach is my best friend Just kidding!

I do not miss the days of when AL would make me irritable and short tempered. Not necessarily while I was drinking it; but when I wasn't drinking it. I have so much more patience and understanding these days. I really like who I am becoming.

Must get moving. Have a great day everyone.

[A Work in Progress]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Sounds as if folks here are doing great. Mary... I get it about the "grief." It's important, I think, to recognize that there are aspects of alcohol that ARE enjoyable to others... otherwise it would not have been used in, I guess, all cultures, over the millennia.... and some of us just can't go there. BUT... at the same time, we can recognize that it really isn't any worse than having a serious problem with sugar, or shellfish, or being intolerant of sunshine... whatever. It's a limitation, but it doesn't have to be a big deal...

I got beaten up pretty good on another thread yesterday, and am still feeling a bit skittish. After being here for more than 6 months, I have grown a bit of a thicker skin... but I'm not yet tough enough to just laugh it all off, and let it all go, instantly! It takes a little time.

[Sweaty Betty]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Hi All,
I hope you don't mind if I hop on the AF daily thread? I need 30 days, modding isn't working for me at the minute. I haven't got much to say today, except I'm in a bit of a 'strange' mood - expect its the full moon? My oldest teen (15) is also in a 'funny' mood - am so hoping that's down to the full moon as well. I'm in Singapore so weird timezone, am often saying goodnight when everyone else is getting up to start their day. Anyhoo, I look forward to popping in each day. B.

[A Work in Progress]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Good for you, Betty! Stick around! This is a GREAT thread... you'll get a lot of encouragement.

[hulagirl]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Good Morning from Paradise! Which is actually a state of mind rather than a geographical location. Ahhh patience. I find that as I continue with AF days I am becoming more tolerant and understanding of other people. I inherited a critical streak from parents. They could sit and people watch and have something negative to say about everyone that walked by. "Oh get a load of those pants on that woman" "Oh check out his comb-over" "I guess I'm not so fat after all." and on and on with the shared "knowing" looks and smirks. My criticism with others is more internal and personality based, but it is there. "She is so boring I don't think I can take another lunch room day with her" "She is so controlling with her kids..why can't she lighten up" and on and on. Funny thing is...I am not such a great person to be around either...sometimes I just don't know what to say or talk about. Hoping that I'll get some personanlity back and I find out who I am AF.

[Accountable for Me]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Welcome Sweaty Betty! This is a great thread. I hope you stick around

[Marshy]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Lookin' good everyone!

Mohun - gorgeous! At LEAST one pic a day please!

Hulagirl - I wanna be on your beach! London is grey and wet and cold today. But I love it anyway...

Mary, I was really surprised to find out when I first went AF that I was a lot less agitated without alcohol. I'd always thought it calmed me down too. Crazy.

Wip - how are you feeling? You know you're valued here and some people I suppose will be jealous of that. Focus on YOU and what works for YOUR sobriety (easier said than done, I know). Chin up!

Hello to DG, Greenie, AA, AFM, Sweaty (welcome!). Have a happy day!

[Accountable for Me]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

YAY! I just got the call saying I am going back to work tomorrow! YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!! I was getting so tired of being laid off - and not to mention bored out of my skull! I have been off since December 1.

I am SOOOO EXCITED!

[lilmea]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Good for you AFM on the job. Also congrats on the 3 weeks AF.

Good morning to everyone else. Busy thread already this morning. I like the idea of coming here for my daily commitment pledge. Adds such a positive spin to the day.

Hulagirl-I have drank most of my adult life. So I understand about trying to find out who the sober me is. It's not a matter of going back to who I was before I drank as trying to figure out who I am sober. Does that make since?

[Janice]

AF Daily - Monday Feb 9

Hi everyone....just got back from work. Monday are my longest hours of the week and so I'm always glad to get it out the way. Not that I don't enjoy it, I love it!! Its just the time factor. I have got so much enthusiasm back for the other parts of my life, I just can't fit everything in! When I'm AF its like the fog has lifted and I get so much enjoyment from the simple things in life eg I work with a class of 6 year olds and the things they come out with never fails to put a smile on my face. When I'm nursing a hangover my time is spent just trying to get through the morning .....you miss out on so much.

Next week is our half-term and I'm looking forward to getting out in the garden weather permitting. Before that I've got a stressful weekend up in the north-east visiting mam in the carehome and financial stuff to do with Dad's will. This has been a trigger for me in the past but I'm confident I can handle it this time. This weekend should see everything sorted at last (fingers crossed, its only taken 19months!) after losing dad and I know it will help me move on.

DG, I'm jealous of your manicure and pedicure!!! My kids bought me a voucher for a manicure for Christmas which I haven't used yet. I need to get my nails in a decent state before I let anyone go to work on them!! Sounds like a busy day ahead, hope you enjoyed your yoga and curves.

WiP, I felt sorry that you were in the firingline yesterday, you certainly didn't deserve it but handled the situation brilliantly. Thats what's so great about this thread, there's never anything like that on here. Long may it continue.

Welcome Betty to the thread, I'm sure you'll get all the support you need here to get to your 30 days....and beyond.

Hula, know exactly what you mean about getting your personality back. Drinking turns us into different people and not very nice people at that.

With all that said....I'm off to put the kettle on and grab a slab of cheesecake....I know, I know, I'm hitting the sugar. But, a girl's got to have some vices. I'll sort that craving out later!

love Janicexxx