Well, it snowed here yesterday evening so I guess the marked snowman can still be in action!
From yesterdays thread...hello to all who posted after me. Special AF DAILY welcome to Narilly. I can relate to the "I'm so over it" feeling. For me, looking in the mirror day after day and seeing a middle aged drunk looking back at me was just......yuk. WE CAN DO THIS.
And special welcome back to the wagon Auntie Mame!! No matter how hard it was to come back and post I am so glad that you did. You and your pink fluffy avatar are terrific around here. The hard work just keeps coming but the hangover free life is sure worth it. Glad to hear that you found a good counselor - I'm sure that helps a lot! So how about some updated pics of Wookie and his pals????
Speedster - thanks for offering some of your thoughts on the athlete thing. I'm sorry you have gone through that pain and I think it's wonderful that you are working to keep a good balance in your newer endeavers such as agility. I still think that looks like fun and when my turn comes (hopefully that will be lots of years off yet) to pick a new family dog, I would love to pick a dog / breed that shows promise to at least be able to learn the basics. My situation was a little different in that I did not love my sport nearly as much as my mother loved me being in it. She was very much in love with having a daughter to dress up in sparkly costumes and gowns and win trophies. This involved a lot of hard work and a wicked daily training regimen. I learned a LOT of valuable stuff in the process that has served me well in adult life. But I've had to deal with some "issues" as well. The athletics came long before the drinking so they were never going on at the same time, and yet they seem connected as alcohol became part of my "rebellion and breakaway" years. I love my Mom to pieces despite our difficulties over the years and am very happy for her as she finally got her OWN competitive sport in her twilight years and she is a fierce little competitor all for herself.
There was lots of wisdom on yesterday's thread so I thank everyone who contributed. It's great that we share so much and can learn from each other the way we do. Cindi, I hope your day ended on a positive note with hubby.
Lots to tell so I might break this into more than one post. (I can hear the sighs of relief through the internet, mingled with fear of how long each of multiple posts might be!!!)
The most important thing about yesterday is that I did not drink alcohol. Everything else is icing on the cake of life after that! The event that I worried about last night was not so bad in terms of AL thoughts as I feared. I actually didn't feel much pull in the AL direction at all. I drank Sharp's. It's been a long time since I've chosen an AF beer instead of water or soda or whatever - since last October when we took our back to back dog vacations in the camper. Long enough where I totally forgot that a third one is a complete waste because I'm too full after the first two to finish it! The event was a raging success for our new "Buy Local" group. We signed up lots of new members and had a great turnout. The restaurant that hosted did a wonderful job and I'm sure will get future business from people going back there. I stayed busy taking pictures which I need to edit and put into a slide show today and tomorrow. One of the women who is on the board - so I have spent more time around her than most of the members at this stage - said something that made me get teary eyed. She said "I am so glad I got involved in this group because there are a few people who I'm so glad I met qnd you are one of them. You bring an energy to things that is amazing." She of course has no idea that this time last year I was little more than a shell of myself - mainly a house bound drunk. I am SO GRATEFUL TO BE FREE OF ALCOHOL!!!!!!! I am so grateful to HAVE energy now to BRING to things. The event last night feels like it was an important step in my recovery in ways I may not have even figured out yet.
I also went to my first "Closed" AA meeting yesterday. That was very interesting. I am keeping an open mind. I certainly don't know it all about sobriety, and I want to surround myself with every possible weapon for this life long journey. I think I will save my observations and questions for a separate post in the hopes that you here who have experience with AA - whether it has been positive or negative or mixed - will give feedback.
Today I may go to another AA meeting and definitely to Curves for a workout. Other than that, photo editing is my big priority.
Have a WONDERFUL AF day everyone!!
DG
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