AF daily - Monday, August 17th

[Marshy]

Hello everyone,

Thought I'd start this early - might catch an Aussie/Kiwi before their Monday is over.

Beautiful sunshine here, I'm not working and I'm very happy to be sober. What better way to start the week? I'm going to an art exhibition and then to the gym.

From yesterday: Pamina - very glad you're able to check in and find comfort. I feel for you doing all that by yourself. And you're missing summer in London! It's happening tomorrow and Wednesday apparently. The weathermen are joking about the two days of "barbecue summer" they promised. Har bleedin' har.

LVT - that's a good anthem. On a shallow note, I like her hair like that. That's pretty much how I try to have mine although it never quite works :H and grows out very quickly. Maybe I need to go blonde...

Might not get round to this today but I'm going to try this recipe when I've been out picking blackberries. Blackberry & apple loaf recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food
I'll post a pic of mine to see how they compare :H

[Sweaty Betty]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Hi Marshy - you didn't catch an aussie or a kiwi, but you did catch a Newcastle girl in Singapore - will that do?

Can't stay as I'm cooking cornish pasties. Ridiculous in this sweaty heat, but I just had an urge......

Bets
xx

[JackieClaire]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Hey Marshy,
How very dare you to have sunshine. You're only about 300 miles from me and it's pouring down.
Bets. What's a nice Geordie girl doing in Singapore. The Toon needs all the support it can get at the mo.
Jackie xxx

AF since 7/7/2009

[Marshy]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Sweaty Betty;694982 wrote: you did catch a Newcastle girl in Singapore - will that do?

Geordies more than welcome!
Mmmmm, pasties. I don't eat meat but might track down a cheese and mushroom number on my travels.

[Marshy]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Jackie - another Geordie! I'll have to change my avatar to black and white.
Yep, sunshine and HEAT tomorrow. I'll believe it when it happens!

[lilmea]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Good Morning ABers,

Marshy-thanks for starting the thread this morning. The art exhibit sounds like a good way to spend the morning. Enjoy.

SweEty-Good morning?/good night? I've not managed to be on the same time you are in a while. How have you been? You are sounding in good spirits but I'm afraid I draw the line at cooking anything in hot weather!

Jackie-It's suppose to rain here most of the rest of the week. At least it's suppose to bring us some cooler weather.

Pamina-keep checking in during this difficult time. You have been doing a great job of staying af during this difficult time!

I'm going to try to get my bike ride in early this morning before the rain moves in. I've been trying to ride 18 miles a day. I missed yesterday and felt out of sorts all day. I'm beginning to realize how important excercise is to my sobriety.

Hello to everyone who follows. Wishing you a good, af day.

[Pamina]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Hello abland

Marshy;694974 wrote: And you're missing summer in London! It's happening tomorrow and Wednesday apparently.

I KNEW IT!! All that waiting and watching in July down the drain. Well, I'm getting a one-month membership at a local uni gym today. Then I'll just spend tomorrow and Wednesday in their sauna, thinking heatwave. So there!!

Actually, I suppose I'll have to emerge for a few hours so as not to lose momentum. I pretty much dislike everything I have to do here but am finding that completing whatever small task gives me a sense of accomplishment that brings me closer to getting this over with. Well, eventually. Yesterday I spring cleaned the bathroom and threw away old toiletries. Today I'm sorting through expired meds to return to the pharmacy...

My gardening career is off to a promising start. The flowers I planted in June have survived on rain water. And I replanted the roots of a potted lettuce which have now produced the only edible plant in the garden. Onwards and upwards!

Lilmea - thanks for the kind thoughts. 18 miles a day! Goodness me. That should keep you plain too busy to even think about drinking!

Have a good start to your week everyone.

[greeneyes]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Morning Abbers!!

Marshy, sweaty, jackie, lilmea, pamina and all to come.

We just have the endless heat and humidity here. Sweaty Betty, I just figured out the sweaty part of your name. You frequently reference the heat there. I must look on my globe as I wonder why you are in Singapore. I also need to experience a pastie.


Yesterday my paver project went south and of my personality traits seriously inconvenienced me. In the middle of pissing and moaning and saying I hated that part of me, I stopped and remembered to love and accept all parts of me. I forgave myself and let it go. I'll have to keep remembering that as the inconvenience part is still on my front walk.

I know that such feelings in the past would be good reason to drink. It is very uncomfortable to reject aspects of yourself or to hold them in distain. Seeking relief from such discord is what I often did with AL. I need not do that anymore. I will strive to love all parts of me, even the one that bought those cute sandals with a heel last week that hurt my feet.

You know what's great is that as I type this, my bed hair looks like Don King's.:H

Love all of yourself today! :h

[LVT25]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Hello friends!

From yesterday....:welcomeropartychief! Stick around and you'll get loads of support here.

It's feeling more and more like fall here, it has cooled down a bit for now anyway. I picked sweet corn last evening--seems pretty late in the season for that, but will be nice to have in the freezer. Finally getting some cucumbers and I think I have one or two surviving zucchini's out there! I've found some great recipes for my vitamix blender I can't wait to try out! I said this the first of the month, but today for sure, I re-start my fitness and eating healthier routine!!! I have dropped a few pounds, and REALLY need to tone up what is still hanging around!!:H

While we were in Colorado we went out to eat and as we were leaving, I waited for an elderly couple to back out of their parking spot. He was parked next to a pretty big pick up with a flat bed (probably hard for some of you to imagine) but anyway, we could see what was going to happen, he was too close and caught the corner of the truck with his shiny red car and oh, ouch! We sat there watching helplessly as he stopped, then pulled away, catching his tail light and drove off! Of course it didn't hurt the pickup, but I assumed by his behavior he had had maybe a little too much to drink at the restaurant. I can't even imagine doing that anymore--I am way to paranoid!

Ok, gotta go for my walk, then a busy day ahead!

Have a great week all! :h

[Lavande]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Morning Abbers!

Glad to see everyone this Monday morning! We remain mired in the extreme heat & humidity here. I for one am looking forward to the cool, crisp Fall air................it will come, eventually
I can imagine the conditions you're dealing with Betty, good luck!

Greenie, I believe I've been blessed with some of your personality traits. I've been told that I 'am my own worst enemy'. Does that sound familiar to you???????? Trying to drown those certain flaws in wine just didn't work - so glad I don't do that anymore. BTW, the humid weather here has my short hair style looking a lot like a Q Tip

LVT, please send your cool, dry weather this way, soon!

Hi to Pamina, Marshy, JackieClaire & lilmea.

Have a great AF day everyone!
Lav

[universal]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

HI guys,

Feeling good today albeit a little tired (what else is new!)

Had an interesting day yesterday - found out how strong adult peer preassure is. Went for a family lunch with BF's family (very european sister in law, her entire famiy was present). Well as you know the European way is lots of food, lots of wine and loud conversation. Well I had my ginger ale and his SIL poured me a glass of her homemade wine - I tired to refuse and basically got bullied into her pouring it in the glass and "drink, drink, I made it, you must have it" - and of course everyone there is watching me and listening because she was so preassuring and so loud. So I ended up having half a glass of wine and then getting a coffee (I find that coffee will stop me from drinking wine). So I'm not happy about that at all - the preassure that is. Told BF that I will not go to another event like that where I don't feel like I am able to assert my own autonomy due to preassure. It proved to me though that it is just easier not to have any AL as of course after the half glass I craved wine all day. I didn't succumb to my craving but man it would have been easy to. I would rather just not even put myself into that situation again.

Ah well, no harm done at all as it was such a little amount but I am still not impressed by the preassure I felt. It's okay though cause I won't let it happen again.

Here's to a sober Monday,

Love and hugs,
Uni

[Determinator]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Happy hangover-free Monday ABerooooos!

Greeneyes, I love this: I stopped and remembered to love and accept all parts of me. I forgave myself and let it go

fabulous! we all need to remember to do that more often.

Uni, sorry to hear you got stuck in such a spot. I agree with your observation that it's best not to be in those tough spots at this time in your recovery. it's just not helpful at all. so glad it didn't trigger a binge for you.

I better hobble my self over to the weight bench and do a little repair from a weekend of oinking.

be well everyone and all to come

[dancelot]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Good morning all! I was so clearheaded this morning I went to the grocery store BEFORE my morning coffee- absolutely unheard of for many, many years!
What Greeneyes said is so, so true. Remember this and you will take an unbelievable amount of stress off yourself. Sometimes we stand in our own way so much, it makes the other very real obstacles seem even more insurmountable. It gets too easy to do the "why bother" when we subconciously or not call ourselves screw ups, instead of realizing we are human, and screwing up is part of what ALL humans do, it's a part of us, not the whole of our being.

Universal- I'm sorry you got put on the spot like that. Sounds like you did your best to get out of it and still be polite. The point is, you DIDN'T go have a bottle of wine later, even though you wanted to, so that is a big, big positive. Give yourself credit, accept, forgive, etc. There's always the excuse that you're taking antibiotics that don't mix with AL.

Hey, Det-Thanks for always being so welcoming and positive on live chat. It is very much appreciated!

Have a happy, sober week everyone! I'm starting my second one, and am feeling so fabulous! Thanks to all here- you make it so much easier and keep me hopeful.

MUCH LOVE!!!!!

[bear73]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

hello all - well day 2 af and smoke free for me here - shattered!may well just have a big bath, watch vampire tv programme (true blood, amazing!) and then go to bed early.
Hard day at work, cooking dinner from scratch (healthy fish and veg stir fry yum!) and doing some clothes washing so feeling a bit virtuous.
Here's to day 3 - met friend for a coffee after work and was really really nice - quite often just come home and beat self up for not exercising!have a good eve x

[Doggygirl]

AF daily - Monday, August 17th

Happy Monday / Tuesday to all you Ab-Landers! Marshy, thanks for getting us started today, and with talk of food to boot. I had to go make a snack before I could even start a post!!! What time should I be there for some fresh blackberry good-sounding-thing?

:welcome: Propartychief from yesterday!!!! It's good to see you here. It is NEVER too late. As long as you are still alive you can get sober. There is HOPE my friend. One moment at a time.

Pamina it is really good to see you and I admire you for keeping your spirits as high as they are despite what you are doing. You are an inspiration!

Greenie that was a great post - especially the part Deter quoted. I need to remember that - especially on days like yesterday!

Uni, nobody EVER should be able to make you eat or drink ANYTHING that you say "no" to. I'm very happy to hear that you were able to keep from going on a bender!!!! Awesome job with that. I think you are wise to avoid those folks for awhile. Mean time, just food for thought..... If you were alergic to shell fish and had violent reactions, would you let your SIL talk you into eating some that she caught herself????? (I know...it's really hard.....)

Bear, good to have you back on the wagon and congrats on Day 3 AF/NF. You are brave to get both out of the way at once.

Congrats Dancelot on Week 2!!!

Hello LVT, Lav, lilmea, Jackie, Det, SB and anyone else I am missing and all yet to come!

Of course I got through the parade yesterday without dying of Obligation Fulfillment Disease or anything. It did get me thinking about how I used to use alcohol to make things "tolerable" that I didn't want to do. (believe me, that parade would have been a DRUNKEN parade in my previous life!) I think is used alcohol a lot where a more appropriate tool would be acceptance of those things (i.e. obligations) I can't change or courage to say "no" if it really doesn't need to be an obligation for me. Hmmm...where have I heard THAT before?? Anyway, as is obvious I still have a lot of work to do in my sober life to achieve the peace and serenity I desire!

Just an observation....lots of adults handle obligatory parades in the exact same manner I used to do....:H Hopefully most of them have an "off" switch they can use on other occassions.....

It was really hot and especially humid yesterday. I was dripping after the parade and then went on to can a bunch of tomatoes. I felt like a potato head doll by the end of it all, and fell asleep about 30 seconds after falling into bed. It felt good to be productive in a sick sort of way.

Anyway....today has been peaceful. We had monsoon level rains last night and this morning and so I suspect the seeds I planted on Saturday all washed away. Time will tell. I have more seeds. Life is good. It used to be that green tomatoes were abundant, and now red tomatoes are abundant. I will be canning again soon.

Ciao you abbers!! It's a good day to be sober.

DG