AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

[Mackeral]

Good morning all,

Good day for me today, 1 month sober and my first AA meeting tonight. It's all go in the land of the living isnt it.
Had some touchy subjects come up recently, mainly promises and commitments i made when i was drinking and nowthat i'm sober were not the best decisions in the world. An example would be that my wife and i said we would get our marrage vows blessed next year, which at the time was a great idea. But in reality and the cold sober light of day we cant afford . The money should go on essential things and i could see us getting into debt if we did. Which when your trying to stay sober is a stress i dont need.
If i was still drinking next year would still be on. I feel like a shit going back on something as important as this. What do you think?

Hope everyone has a happy healthy sober day:l

[speedster]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

Mack - congrats on the 1 month anniversary! YAY!

As for the marriage vows blessing, I'm not sure what the options are but seems like you could do something financiall simple for you and meaningful to your wife. Renew them with a few close friends or family there and have a picnic pot luck. I guess it's a matter of openly discussing her expectations, offering her some less $$ ideas, and working on a compromise.

I'll check back later, it's raining and I'm going to prep green beans for canning.

DG - I have deer trouble with my green beans. I collect the occassional pupster poo and scatter to the edge where I won't step in it. Sounds like you can brush those awesome dogs and still scatter the fur. I feel for you. Evil bunnies are VERY frustrating. Very funy about her trying to bury the tomato. It probably looked like a red ball. She's thrilled to learn toys grow on vines!

[Cinders]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

Macks,

Good Morning!! and thank you for starting the thread.

Yes, I agree on the bad decisions we make when we are drinking. At least you remember the one you made to your wife. :H

One thing you will learn in AA, Macks, is to take this one day at a time. It is difficult for us alcoholics. Our minds are all over the map, especially in the early days of sobriety. Believe it or not, this is something you might want to discuss with your sponsor, after you get one. I know that seems odd to you right now but I would just put that worry on the back burner and deal with it later.

Right now, you need to take extraordinary care of yourself. Your sobriety is the most important thing. It has to be, because without it, you will lose everything you hold dear.

I am just thrilled that yet again I have awakened sober. I am exhausted because the grandkids just would not go to sleep last night. Somewhere after midnight I started getting a little surly and I finally got them all to bed. Whew. But it is with a glad heart that I can watch them, that my children let me watch them and don't worry, and that I can be the Granny that they need at this time in life.

Today, it is very good to be sober.

Love to all my AF friends,
Cindi

[Cinders]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

Good morning, Speedster, cross posted.

Last year the deer ate all my pumpkins and squashes.

They are tough on the vegetation, that is for sure.

This year the birds have eaten all our blueberries and huckleberries as they have ripened. We haven't had a one.

Cindi

[Pamina]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

Morning Macks, Speedster, Cindi and all to come

Nice going, Macks, on your month in the land of the living - bloody well done!! I don't think there's any time limit for renewing your vows if you feel next year is undoable. But I agree, don't worry about that for the time being. The answer will present itself as you get more sober time under your belt.

Enjoy the canning, Speedster, that sounds like an incredibly productive way to spend a Sunday. It reminds me of my grandma who used to do all that and live very much in each season. I'm finding it hard to keep up with all the gardening and recipes on this thread, though. Still working on the kale from whenever ago...

Wouldn't know about deer, but I also had an Evil Bunny in my dad's garden, DG. Must have been about April. He ate all the new crocuses that I had planted last autumn but didn't touch the older ones. Clean off the top of the stems. I'm such a novice at gardening I had no idea what to do, and I don't have a dog. :upset: Or a husband...:H So I follow your Bunny War with interest!

Cindi, you are an absolute joy to behold. :l And I agree with Det, yes we can (re)train our reactions.

M3 - how very nice to see you. I hear you on the stress. My sister's also been in and out of psychiatric hospitals, though she's stable now (knock on wood). It's an experience unlike any other. Strength to you, and touch base here any time you need to. :l

AFM - how did your new hairdo turn out? Are you constantly flipping your head from side to side...

Marshy, daahhhling, I hate to break it to you, but did you miss the headline about the Met Office cancelling summer?! Just a few days ago. The relaxing bit of your plan sounds great, but book it in Timbuktu. Quick now, before they sell out!

Hi to all others, I've actually got to dash now. I'm meeting someone I don't know (friend of a friend) who's brought me back some jewelry from India. Will report on it later.

Happy Sunday!

[Accountable for Me]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

Pamina;680932 wrote:
AFM - how did your new hairdo turn out? Are you constantly flipping your head from side to side...

Ummmmm, yeah! How did you know??? :H

The new 'do' just rocks. I loooove it. It is so easy, and has lots of body! I am so pleased. I couldn't believe how much hair was on the floor when it was all done. Little AFM keeps saying she likes my new haircut. I am feeling all confident now.

Although we didn't do anything overly exciting we did have a full day, yesterday. First the haircut, and then a trip up island. We stopped off at markets and I bought some local, very fresh, produce for us to enjoy this week. We then came home and had a rest. I did some laundry, knitted some more of dishcloth number 2, finished reading my book, and then we went for a nice, long, walk as it was so beautiful outside.

Today, my mother is coming over and we all are heading to Costco. Then I have no idea what we are going to do, but, we will just 'wing' it. I want to get in some rest and relaxation this long weekend. We are always on the go since I quit drinking and smoking. It is a good thing, and we love being active and healthy.... but this chick needs some down time. I can't seem to sleep much past 5am lately. I was told it is because I gave up the smokes and booze over two months ago and now I have energy. You see, the energy I have had over the past few weeks is something I haven't seen since my late 20's!

I love my sobriety. I love the fact I am not chained to cigarettes either anymore. Life is good. I also believe that seeing we are 'addicts', we actually appreciate things much more than a 'non-addict' when we rid the addiction. Life through our 'sober' eyes is so much more rich, enjoyable, and we tend NOT to take the simple things for granted anymore. I honestly believe this. It certainly is the way for me!

OK lovelies! I am going to read some of the threads, then once my Nana is up I am going to quickly run the vacuum in the bedrooms and clean the bathrooms.

Have a great day everyone! xoxo

ps. Congrats, Macks for your 1 month. I say go for it in renewing your vows. It is a year away still and I imagine you will be working so finances might be a little better by then. Plus it doesn't have to be expensive. How about a vow renewal and a pot luck afterward?

[momof3]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

Good Morning All,

I'm on the road to NH with my family and will probably stop to see my brother in RI.

Macks, I have followed your posts and journey from afar and I am so very happy for you that you are 1 month AF. Have faith that each day of sobriety will make things more clear for you and you will become more and more settled within yourself. And, programs such as AA can accelerate your progress . I think the promise you made about marriage vows is quite lovely and under sober eyes it might not be practical. It seems like your wife is a wondefully supportive woman and that she will understand. And, of course you know that your sobriety is the greatest gift you can give to her and your children.

Cindi, you sound just delighted with yourself that you are maintaining your sobriety and I am just delighted for you.

Panima, LVT, DoggyGirl, Determinator and others. Thanks for the kind thoughts and best wishes for my brother. He is very seriously ill and I fear for his life. Please send prayers and healing thoughts his way.

M3

[Lavande]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

Good morning all!

A great big congrats to you Macks on 1 month, that's awesome. Keep it going, no matter what

Hi to Speedster, Cindi, Pamina, AFM and M3.
Sending prayers your way for you & your brother M3. Have had close calls with both of my older brothers, I understand your fear.

We're in for a long, rainy day today so no big plans for me. Gives me more time to think about things and just be happy & grateful for the blessings I've received this year.

Wishing you all the best
Lav

[Doggygirl]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August


:yougo:Congrats on 1 Month Sober Macks!:yougo:


I know you've worked hard to reach this point and I'm very happy for you!!! I think Cinders brings up a very good point - at least it's something that I have to really watch out for. I tend to over think, predict, and obsess about future events. That characterized my drinking (including promises that were difficult or impossible to keep in the bright light of day) and even sober I worry way to much about a future outside of my control if I allow my pea brain to go there. The AA program is really helping me learn to stay in the "now" and my brain and body and soul is much more peaceful when I can do that. (and my marriage is much more peaceful too!) And I also like what M3 said - that the greatest gift you can give your wife is your sobriety. I suspect the vow renewal will work itself out in a good way if you can maybe shelve that worry for now and just focus on sobriety today.

Speedster I decided to take the day off from gardening today as I canned tomatoes and am dehydrating stuff over night and then storing it - hopefully properly - in the wee hours of the AM. So I don't know if any of the dog antics of yesterday worked. Don't want to know....yet. I will also say that I hope the coyote family and fox family are as "useless" when we get our chickens as they are with this Evil Bunny situation! Bunnies will probably move in by the thousands here next year as it appears to be a very safe neighborhood despite the appearances otherwise. I can certainly try some dog poo. Got plenty of that. That will be my next tactic! :H

:youg: Cinders!!! I am just so happy for you. It is wonderful that you have the opportunity for your grand kids to exhaust you.

Pamina, so far in the Bunny Wars dogs, husbands, coyotes and foxes (both real and pee pellets) have proven useless. So don't feel bad that you don't have these particular weapons.

AFM I want to see a piccy of you and your new do!! It sounds fabulous. I can relate to your love of "action" now that we are rid of the balls and chains of our addictions. I can also relate to the need for down time now and then!! I'm thinking about lounging out with some movies once I get the dehydrator going. Yeah. That's a good idea!

M3, travel safely! Is this the same place (in NH) that you went to during the winter? At least I think I recall that you took a winter holiday that sounded lovely...... (my memory isn't what it used to be. actually, it's never been very good. I used to be too drunk and now I'm just too old! :H)

Lav I'm going to just pretend it's rainy here and lounge out with you!

I'm thrilled to be sober today! While canning some tomatoes which is the ONLY sort of "preserving" of food I have done all by myself before, I thought of previous years doing this while drinking. The mess was sure a lot bigger! And the project was a lot more complicated it seems. LOL I only had 5 pints today but still - I was done in under and hour and that inlcludes clean up. Sober canning rocks. Oh the little things!

Hope everyone is making the most of NOW!!!!

DG

[Marshy]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

Hello everyone,

A quick fly-by from me. Tired after a ride with my cycling group. It was only 35 miles but a few hills and a head wind have done me in :H I'm off for a wallow in the bath with a book.

Pamina;680932 wrote:
Marshy, daahhhling, I hate to break it to you, but did you miss the headline about the Met Office cancelling summer?!

:lalala: All this torrential rain is merely a red herring!

Mackeral, congrats on your month AF!

[Determinator]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

Happy Sunday ABerooooos!

Macks, huge kudos to you mate!!!!! can't really add much to the above advice.

we had the most breathtaking lightning storm here last night.... I hobbled out there to watch and a bolt came down right in my neighborhood and scared the twinkies out of me. and I was there leaning on my aluminum crutch! so I scampered back into the house just in time for the power to go out for the rest of the night. well.... that's ok. Just went to bed early and got lots of rest.

so great to hear of all your fun and healthy activities. I'm trying to be good and stay off my ankle so I'm catching up on listening to music, email and calling family.

be well everyone

[hulagirl]

AF-Daily Sunday 2nd August

Aloha All. Just spending a little time here catching up on the week-end sharing. Tomorrow is a big day for me. First day of school, new students and even a few parents may show up. So I have spent time both Saturday and Sunday working to get ready. With 8 classes and 165 students one has to be prepared. At least I do. My husband has no problem "winging it". He has spent no time getting ready and I have spent hours and hours and still have loose ends. Hmmm... maybe I'm in the wrong career. One of the best aspects of teaching is that you get to start over and try new stuff every year.
I also have gardening "issues". The slugs and giant african snails ate my beans in my first plantings. Now the Brazilian Cardinals seem to find the seedlings interesting. We have been pretty lucky keeping wild chickens out but they can destroy a garden in no time. I am so glad I don't have to grow all my own food. I'd starve to death! Oh, we do have lots of bananas right now but how many can you eat?
I also love to make big plans (even while sober) and then realize that we can't afford it. Tonight I spent a couple of hours planning a trip to Yellowstone next summer....Sure is fun to dream.
Mack, I don't quite know what's involved in getting your wedding vows blessed and why it costs money. We do that every wedding anniversary in church. (Episcopal) Is it the celebration party with friends that your planning that is the expense? What ever you decide just remember that a few simple words of love and commitment between a couple can strengthen the marriage. Oh, I'm getting all mushy. I love this stuff!
Anyway, have a great week everybody, welcome to the newbies over the week-end and I'll try to check in more often to keep up on all your exciting going ons.