Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

[gabby]

Well....I did it again and made my post go phoof. So I'm not gonna be mad at myself for the work I did the last 31 minutes and tossed away. Instead I'm gonna say "oh well" and....
Good Morning abbers,
Today is a busy day here in Absville. So I hope everyone gets in here and makes a good post and we can all put in our 2 cents.
And today is emergency AF day in Absville. So everyone has to stay AF at least for today. So absolutly no slips for today!
Big Smiles everyone! Gabby

[lushy]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Why is it an emergency? Did I miss something???? Has my sense of humour gone awry? Someone help me..............

[Bambino]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Hi everyone.

Would just like to thank you for your concerns about me , and the lovely PM's that have been sent. I was very hurt and saddened yesterday, so holed up on my sofa in my PJ's - comfort-ate, and me and doggies watched movies all day.
Gosh - I REALLY wanted to drink, but I'm not undoing this work, I could feel 'it'' breathing down my neck yestrday. Thank God for Chocolate and crisps ( potato chips ) .

I have a confidence issue - i'e don't particulalry like going out of the house on my own anyway , because 2 years ago I my nose got smashed in with a brick by a woman who is VERY well known to the police and she was absolutely paralytic and was in a blackout she said in court .
She was arrested but was pleading not guilty so I had to identify her in a police line up I had to have 2 really painful operations on my nose - and the case went to Crown court, and she was convicted of Actual Bodily Harm. -. I'd never even seen her before in my life - she must have been having ' an episode' .

But over the weeks since joining MWO, my confidence was starting to build itself up, but now a few layers of bricks have been built up around me again , so Lou has been really understanding and is going to re-arrange her appointment for another time, and we'll go then - Feel guilty because I feel like I've let her down by not going today, but I can't be strong for her today, because I'm not strong myself today.

Day 16 today... So I am pleased that I didn't ruin it and get sozzled yesterday.!!!

So Hello to everyone in Absville today... It's a bit wet and dreary on my side of town - but I'v seen the weather forecast - and the sun is due back any day soon !!

Love to you all

Liz
xxxxxx

[wellseasoned]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Good morning everyone in Absville!

First of all, Bambs, what a FRIGHTFUL memory for you. Oh my gosh, I can't imagine how horrible that must have all been for you. So proud of you that you chose chocolate and chips of drink. You deserve a huge pat on the back!!! Hope the sun shines bright for you today and that something really great and unexpected happens to make you smile today!

I have not been having success signing in to MWO this past week or so and when I am successful it is usually later in the day and I am at work or unable to take the time to read and respond to posts. Not sure what is going on with the site - must be some techno issues.

Everyone sounds busy and dealing with life in a positive way. All is well here - just very busy.

Today I am putting on the riot gear and tackling my daughter's bedroom (the one who moved out last week). I have opened the door and peeked a few time since she left, but closed the door right away because it was such an absolute MESS!!!! There is even a hole in her closet door from an epsiode with a "furbie" some years ago. Do any of you remember furbies? They were those little battery techno toys that you were supposed to take care of - little children. They woke you up to feed them, etc. Guess my daughter was no quite ready for the challenge at the time!!

Blessings and love all aroound to you in Absville.

Jenn

[cv1]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Good morning all. I've been staying quiet here myself and Gabby, I know it's frustrating to spend so much time composing something thoughtful and heartfelt, only to have the click of a button make it go away!

Although we won't see your words of wisdom and encouragement today, perhaps you're writing them did wonderful things for you.

I too am confused about the emergency AF day?

Bambs, keep coming back please. I too can have a prickly skin sometimes and wounds that haven't quite healed can be reopened in a split second, so just try not to take anything too personally and get yourself better. So proud of you for not going out or staying in and "drowning" the bitterness and hurt!

It sounds like the legal incident was very nightmarish, but I'm proud of you for standing up, identifying you assailant and facing them down to get them convicted so the legal system can take care of them and make the streets safer.

Now, things with me are still going well, although I'm craving something besides fresh veggies, etc, and a few drink cravings, but I'm not opening the door and I'm closing my mind to them...Like Nancy, I've locked the door and I have no idea where the key has gone!!

Stay strong all and have a great AF day.

[Lou]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Hello!

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all well today??

The weather here is absolutely horrid today...rainy and grey, does not help ones mood at all!! But im ok...have sorted out rearranging my docs appointment whch they were really lovely about it so no probs there I have a stinking cold so what with that combined with the weather i didnt really wanna go out today anyway...Have been in bed most of day being looked after and fed by my nan, bless her she's an angel...and im a big baby when im sick..lol!!

Bambs glad your back...sorry if i panicked a bit yesterday, only cause i care and worry. Please dont stress or feel guilty about today, its all sorted and thanks to everyone else for being worried bout bambs with me and trying to contact her too...its that kind of support that gets us all through the rough days.

Love as always

Lou-Lou x x x x

[sujul]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Hey Absvillers!
Just a quick check-in to say how glad I am to see you back Bambs--and PROUD of you that you didn't get sozzled! It's always easy for all of us to find an excuse--I certainly found plenty of excuses over the years!

For me it has been a real sign of how much this means to me (like, my LIFE , for godsakes!) that I have found other ways to cope with feeling upset or tired or angry...when I REALLY realized that a friggin' drink wasn't going to help me and that it would only lead to a whole lot more problems I knew I was going where I wanted to go at long last.

Actually, I think we forget that without alcohol we are better able to cope with the stress and anxiety that sometimes overwhelms us...I have definitely found that my own ups and downs have been much more manageable BECAUSE I'm not drinking....as you all know I certainly have my down days--but you know what? I can always hang onto the thought of: Well, at LEAST I'm not drinking...and eventually I make it through to the other side again...plus I get to shout stuff like: IT'S BEEN OVER FIVE MONTHS NOW! I don't know if I can possibly communicate to you how impossible that seemed in April....

I finally realized that alcohol was a liar and a cheat and kicked that sucker to the curb!

Okay, just a quick hello to Jenn, glad you could get back here today! I'm SO glad I was somehow oblivious to the whole furbies experience! Hey, Lush, how ya doing today? CV, good going on the cleanse--you're a total inspiration! Lou, it's a rainy day here in NYC also--I'm raising my cup of tea to you in solidarity! Glad you're here.

And Gabby--girlfriend, you're a fantastic mayor--and a wonderful loving spirit as well. Thank you SO much for your generosity! And I don't want to miss anymore of your wondrous wisdom--"copy" your post before you hit submit--then if it doesn't go through you can just paste it back in and send it again!

Okay, so where are our other regulars--Nancy, keep that lock on that door! And don't I remember you telling us that that stuff was filled with nasty sugar anyway!

Kathy, I'm missing your voice here! It's great that you're busy but take some time out for selfcare--you KNOW what I'm talking about! We need you here in Absville! You give us all so much of yourself--lean on US once in a while!

Macks, missing you! Can't wait for you to get back!

And all you other Abbers--see ya here later!
:h
susan

[southernbelle47]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Mornin Absville.......

I'm glad it is a new day here! The sun is already shining at my place so should be over to you all soon!
I think an af day is a good idea....then none of us have to make a decision! Besides........I don't have "the key" anymore! Thanks Gabbs!

Good to see new people signing on.:welcome: It's always a good time to move here.

Liz.........happy you made it through with out a drink..
Cv, you should get the prize for the cleanest colon in Absville!

Hi to everyone else........and I do remember Furbbies! And I understand how a hole could be in the wall!

More later
Nancy

[gabby]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Alrighty,
Buggzee!!!! (that's short for Bambs) I'm glad you're ok. I was worried. I did get your pm eariler tho and was relieved.

In the morning I have my plate full getting the little darlings off to school. Can you believe I talk that way about em? :H
And they are so big...he he. Anyway it takes me longer to get here then I want it to.
And Buggs, Good for you!....that you didn't cave and drink. I know that is something that would make me go ahead and do it. I can take things real personal and in fact I work hard on my self talk to keep my thinkin goin the right way.
I'm so glad Bambs that your here today. I consider you an important part of our town. I dont want anything to change that.
So dont let it. Wow....what an ordeal with the lady and the brick. I too am glad you stood up for yourself and I'm glad your up and goin again. What you are doin for Lou is incredible. I wish there was some way we could help with the driving. I sure would if I could.

Lou, glad your getting some rest. Sure have been thinkin about ya.

Jenn, Oh boy....thinkin of one of mine leavin the nest stirs a lot of emotions up and is just around the corner. I am glad the two of you are still so close at least and will be in contact. You're the first place she will come when she needs something. That's a good thing!

cv...uggh....writing the post and it disappearing. what can ya do? I even write it in mail so I can copy and paste and I have it ther for back up and still it left me last night. Obviously I ok'ed it before it left. lol

Warning: At night I get tired and when I need to go to bed I say funny things. lol.....well... I noticed that I typed some too. Thank goodness I caught myself and fixed it. :H
But if any of you see any funny or weird stuff on my late night posts.....that looks like sleep talkin...aka type talkin....and I missed it....PLEASE DELETE IT BEFORE ANYONE ELSE READS IT.
thanks...I appreciate this a bunch.

So anyway....the whole Emergency AF Day--That is just a throw up my hands deal in light of my loosing my whole post and needing to think up something else to post real fast. See? I had to have some sort of purpose for the post.

Susan...Hi honny bunch. I know the copy paste stuff....that's what I've been doin and still.....

Nancy....Good Idea on the cleanest colen prize! What should we give her?

Ok...gotta get my workout in. Scale up 3 lbs today. I know its my salt from yesterday. (Kinda a bad girl with corn on the cob.)
bye for now. gabbs

[Lou]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Gabbs

You truly are a marvelous mayor...so caring and supportive. Just wanted to let you know that my beauty salon will be up and running tomorrow!!!

Gotta get you girls all gorgeous for your friday nights...and of course all you guys too!!

Sun has come out here now and im feeling a lot more positive

Loves

Lou-Lou x x x

[mikeupnorth]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Morning, Abbsville,

I kind of like the idea of an Emergency AF day. That way if one of us iis having particularly hard cravings, maybe knowing it's a "special" day in Abbsville could help give us that extra incentive to abstain? It kind of reminds me of a saying I used to hear in AA: "Don't drink, even if your ass falls off." That always made me laugh.

Bambs, glad you are back -- as you can tell, you were missed yesterday. Kudos to you for choosing chocolate and crisps over alcohol. That's definitely the lesser of two evils!

And Lou -- wishing you a speedy recovery from your cold, and sunny skies soon! By the way, it is time to do something different with my hair. I need a new look! Let me know when the salon is open.

Jenn, good to see you. Hearing you talk about your daughter moving out makes me think about how my poor mom must have felt when I left home 20 years ago. Except I didn't just move out -- I got on a plane and moved 5,000 miles from home to go to college. I didn't realize until much later how hard that was for her. :upset:

CV you seem to be so steady and determined -- I really admire that and envy that quality too.

Hey Susan, you bring up an excellent point: that we are better able to handle stress and have less anxiety when we do not drink. That's just another one of the lies alcohol tells us -- that it will reduce our stress and ease our anxiety, when in fact it just does the opposite. It's good to remember this in those moments of temptation, when we are stressed and "need a drink to relax." Yeah right. I need a drink like I need a hole in my head.

And Gabby don't worry, I like it even when you do say funny things from time to time. It's part of your charm and what makes you a great mayor!

Hello in advance to everyone who hasn't yet posted today. Looking forward to a terrific Thursday! And remember, it's Emergency AF Day, so "don't drink, even if your ass falls off!" (I promise, you'll live through it!) :egad:

[YoungAtHeart]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Okay, Okay!!

Okay, well, maybe our Mayor is calling an emergency AF day because of the bit of slipping and sliding around here??? (Ummm, like mine??:blush: ) I love everyone's generousity of spirit around here and open arms. I am always afraid that I will be rejected if I screw up, but I seem to need to test it too!!

(Warning! Warning! This might get long!! Even longer than the usual! And psychanalytic too! Yikes!!:eeks: ) I was thinking yesterday after slipping that I start to feel more internal pressure as I get more abstinent days under my belt here. Like I have an "image to protect" with you all! A few weeks is okay, but then I start feeling the need to screw it up. It's like I start thinking that all of YOU have all of these EXPECTATIONS of me, and I have to meet them, OR ELSE!!! It makes me feel resentful and want to drink just so no one will have these expectations of me anymore. (This is aside from the legitimate stress I've been dealing with.) Of course, no one here is pressuring me!!! I'm pressuring myself--to get everything done, to be perfect, to be AF, and do it ALL WITH A SMILE!

At any rate, I was thinking yesterday, that this really has to do with my past, and not my current relationship with all of you, and the power struggle I was in with my mom, who I never felt like I could please when I was a child. I just "transferred" all of these feelings over to you folks!! I even mis-read Gabby's encouraging post to me yesterday and felt rejected at first, until I read it correctly! Then I breathed a great big sigh of relief!! Whew!

Of course, I'm trying to be Abstinent for ME, not for all of you, but after a bit, it's like my thinking gets twisted around and changes, and I get into this OLD PATTERN that sets me up to drink. Of course, it is QUITE CONVENIENT FOR THE PART OF ME THAT WANTS TO DRINK TOO!!! How nice!! Anyway, I don't know how long it's been since my last little "slip". Maybe I need to start counting days so I can keep better track. I didn't want to do that, but maybe it's time for me to start. Perhaps it can help me get a better handle on these patterns of mine.

Anyway, psychoanalytic session is over. Thanks for listening! Thanks for calling the emergency AF day, Gabbs, I think it will help me today, your Honorable.

Thanks for your encouraging words, Susan, I'm missing being here, too. I'm very glad to see you around more these days! I'm counting the days....only a week and a half until things settle down somewhat, or at least enough for me to start to feel a LITTLE more in control of my external life. I was so looking forward to sewing this time around--I just wasn't thinking that my client load would double in the course of four weeks!!! Never a dull moment. I know I'll be grateful for it later though.

It's good to see you back, Jenn! I've missed your thoughtful posts and commentary. I remember Furbies!! I thought they were annoying at first, but then I got to like them, especially when you tickled its tongue and it would go, "Yummmmmmm." We have a few lying around here somewhere, too. I hope things get better signing in to MWO, cause I've missed you!

Bambs, I'm happy to see you back, too, and I'm so glad that you held firm and didn't drink!!! Way to go girl!! What a nightmarish experience you had. Isn't it crazy how we can sometimes be the victim/survivor of a traumatic experience that really is just so random and had nothing to do with us??? It just comes out of the blue, and we're at the wrong place at the wrong time! It can hurt us deeply, and yet, it really had nothing to do with us. We just got in the way of someone else's craziness!! At any rate, I'm glad to see you, cause Absville wouldn't be the same without you!

CV, what are you doing for protein on your cleanse? Or aren't you? I'm glad that it's going reasonably well, though. Good for your for fighting off ALL of your cravings!

Lou, the weather is dreary here, too. I'm sorry you're not feeling well, but I'm glad you have your Nan to look after you!

Just saying hi, Lush!

Nancy and Belle, hi down south!! Please send some sunshine up this way!! And a few homegrown tomatoes, too! Yummm.

I miss Mr. Mack a lot!! Absville isn't the same without him!

And Hi, Mike, when you sign on later!! Oops, I see now that you beat me to it!!!

Thanks for all your love and support, everyone. Sorry that you sometimes become the object of my "old stuff"!!!

Hugs,
Kathy:l

PS: I guess I'd better keep my nose clean, huh? I'm taking over as Mayor for the weekend!!!

[lushy]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Hello Everyone! Just popping in to say Hi. Susan your post was just so true. I did not realize you have FIVE MONTHS under your belt. That is just amazing. Like Mike said as well alcohol is such a short-term instant gratification thing but it has such a pull that we buy into it. I don't know why the agony of a hangover and the worthlessness I feel is not enough for me to completely abstain. I am moving closer to where I want to be, all because of this board.

Keep it up everyone!!! Kathy, your e-mail was very insightful and I could relate to the expectations issue. You have a lot to be proud of as well going from moderating, which I thought you were doing well at, to abstaining. Be proud.

Have a great day! Sorry I do not address everyone by name. I am bad with names and would take me forever to personally address everyone, and as you know from my other thread I am already behind on my work from checking in here so often.

[Lou]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Kathy

I miss Macks too...he is an absolute star.

Dont wanna sound corny but just reading all your posts and replies really warms my heart..am so glad i found you all.

Mike..salon will be up and running tomorrow AM, Gonna sort you out that restyle mister!!

Love

Lou-Lou x x x

[gabby]

Thursday, Sept 14th, 2006

Hi ya Lou,
Oh gee thanks for the nice compliment. You guys are who makes Absville. Cant wait for your shop to be open. I'm dyin for a hair job. Work me in as soon as ya can. : )

Ya know we have two newbies.
Tartan and Lindee. Welcome you guys!
Like I said, pick a house. Their all free. Settle in and let us know what we can do to help. Most anything ya need can be provided but the key thing is ya have to figure it out and ask for your need. Then we can help!
(we're all just learning this stuff)

Lush, all ya can do is keep on working. Glad your here.

Kath, I'm glad I declaired the Emergency AF day then. I knew there was a reason I threw it out there.
And if we didn't have the psychoanalytic stuff....I wouldn't have any ideas of anything to talk about on the next days post!

So see guys.....I am just sittin here waitin for you all to be psycho! So I can get my psycho books out and look you up and think of something to write about the next day. :nutso:

What would I do without you?

Thank you all so much and I wuff you. : ) gabbs