FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

[spedteach]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Good morning,
Just about to head out for my long run of the week...but just read the last post and had to ask.

Raven, what's a swingers club? I hope "we got to play" means monopoly.

[redhibiscus]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Good morning all.
Spedtech, I wish I were a runner. There are people in my neighborhood who run in the snow, truly devoted. I have been bad about the exercising, I need to do something.

Reading over the just started posts, my heart goes out to them. The fear, anxiety, shame, guilt, is just so overwhelming in the beginning. We are in a better place right now, and I am humbly grateful. I do not ever want to go back to drinking. It is just so stressful.

I had a horrible dream, that I was told I had cancer and had to take 35 pills a day. I of course, started arguing with the doctor, and woke up unsettled. I am working with a person who is going through chemo and I see it sapping her life force daily. It angers me that the treatments are so harsh....and there is no guarantee. She eats really unhealthy and I always wonder if diet would be helpful in the cancer treatment. It seems that the medical establishment just wants to give medicine, treatments, and not address healthy life strategies. This rant is coming from fear by the way.

I am going to make stuffed pepper soup, without meat today. I will let you know how wonderful it is. I live in an area that is getting more and more snow this week. I have to get through February, so let's think of things to do in the snow belt.

Spedtech, I think I know what a swinger's club is and it is not something I would be comfortable with, but if Raven and his wife are, more power to them.

Dill, how are you doing? I know you had a tough week with lots of cravings. It happens and is painful and confusing. We know what we want, know we feel so much better AF, yet the cravings come and make our lives complicated and stressful. Just wanted you to know I am thinking of you and your struggles.

[dill]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

And I still believe that any day without alcohol is a victory. ~ Sooty

For most, a day without alcohol is like every other day. For us, it's a victory! In this way, this struggle can be seen as a blessing. We intensely feel the gift of sobriety. We do not sleep-walk through it. Red, I think I am doing well. I must not let complacency get the better of me. That is why I said I "think I am doing well". Vigilance.

I like the concept of "knowing when I am having fun". Yesterday at the boat show I was keenly aware of being sober. The last "show" I went to with Mr. D was a gun show. I drank before I left home and all I wanted to do was to get home and drink some more. Meantime, while at the gun show, I spent my time trying to "act normal". I'm pretty sure I wasn't having fun. Yesterday, I enjoyed the atmosphere and looking at things. There was an accomplished bass fisherman giving a talk about how to fish for bass. He had a charming Kentucky drawl and folksy sense of humour. He was fishing from a deck by a huge plasic holding tank with bass in it. I can tell you this because I remember it all clearly!:H

Sped, I am running vicariously through you. How did we do?

No swinging here except for the kind that you find on a play ground.:H I'm pretty much a stay-at-home type. Spinach from the garden Raven? MMMM! We'll be planting some along with spring mix lettuce in the greenhouse very soon.

Chili girl, I love waking up without a hangover, too. What I like even better is that these days, I wake up and my first thought is not about alcohol nor a hangover. I wake up with other thoughts on my mind. The alcohol obsession is weakening each day.

Lav says it will keep getting better and I believe her!

[Lavande]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Good morning all,

It is better every day Dill, honestly
I have become very addicted to waking up guilt free & hangover free! Why the hell would I want to give that up now????

The beautiful sun is shining today, temps heading up to 45 degrees, snow melting like crazy - all is good with the world today Rain on the way Monday & Tuesday, that's OK because it's better than snow.

Raven, my kicks come from cooking & baking these days!! I turned out 2 loaves of whole wheat French Style bread yesterday to go along with the Mushroom, Barley, Cabbage Soup - that made me happy

Shelley, hope you enjoyed your run - I have never been able to do that......but I do enjoy walking.

Chill, hope today was a beach day for you!

Greetings to everyone checking in today! I have to get in gear & get myself to BJs - time to stock up on a few things.

I'll be back later - have a good one!
Lav

[Chillgirl]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Red - Im with you on seeing the Newbies posts, I cant believe that was me just 7 weeks ago... I feel I have come so far and im so very very grateful.

Dill - Every day is indeed a victory.. Maybe we are the lucky ones, if we had never gone through this awful addiction we might not appreciate each day as we do now.

Re Rav and his swinging, I would settle for a simple date with just one man! :H

[spedteach]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

I'm back. Thanks for joining me Dill. I felt your presence with me.

And LBH, I spent the first hour running around your neighborhood. Did you hear/see me???

Red, if I didn't exercise, you know what I'd be doing. And those Sunday morning hangovers. Yuk! I am so glad you're on the down slide of another af weekend.
And by the way, how do you stuff a pepper and make soup out of it?

I am so excited about my son's job. He is moving to Indiana. Anybody live in Indiana? I know some people would think that's not a place to be excited about but I love the midwest. Despite the snow. Sometime in April we're going out there to help him look for and buy a place to live.

Sunday plans: pretty loose, nice to have the run out of way. Book club this afternoon. Maybe time to start puttering around in the yard. LBH"s got a jump on me.

Dill, I'm with you hon, down at the playground swingin on the swings. My type of swinging.

Love,
Shelley

[spedteach]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Cross post
morning chill and lav.
chill, it's probably not morning anymore is it? Please tell us your favorite Portuguese meal.

[ladybirdheart]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Good morning from here. Hope each and every one has a sweet AF day and evening. Dill thank you so much for the ?blues blower? image; it was just right and I will never forget it. Did not see you on your run, Shelley, but did get the sense of a firefly or wood fairy zipping by in the crisp air. Raven, you have given a whole fascinating dimension to my concept of a vegan family man; I may be a bore personally but I love it when my world tilts without warning. I think I shall take a day off gardening, there is pine sap in my hair, my hands hold the scent of pulled English thyme no matter how often I wash them, and the jeans on the hook smell like oregano. Love, Ladybird

[sooty]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Hello everyone and Dill thank you for posting me as a quote - I feel very important
Well I got back from my adventure - the train journey was quite pleasant although very crowded but it was nice to just relax and watch the scenery go by.
And the cheerleading competition - what can I say? A huge room full of probably 1000 young people (mainly girls) and their families, the loudest pop music you've ever heard and the noise that those girls made when anyone did anything remotely interesting was absolutely deafening. They all scream at the top of their voices!!! My ears are still ringing.
Anyway it was all worth it cos daughter's team won their category and are the 2010 champions of Senior co-ed cheerleading Group 4 or something like that!
We got back pretty late and it was all very tiring so I didn't have the energy to fire up the old lap top and went to bed instead.
Beautiful day here, I've just walked around the village and I can see crocuses or is it crocii?
green shoots of daffodils and lots of snowdrops in people's gardens. Spring is definitely just around the corner :H
I hope Sunday has been peaceful and happy for us all.
love Sooty

[ladybirdheart]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

I forgot to answer your question, Red. I get almond butter at the natural food co-op but it is increasingly common everywhere (look by the peanut butter), I have even seen it at Costco. Yes, and how do you make meatless stuffed pepper soup? Enjoy your cooking, Raven, you are correct in that you have joined a group of foodies, and it is wonderful that you are having spinach from your garden! Today I am fixing spinach ravioli with basil pesto, sun dried tomatoes, walnuts, and kalamata olives. But first off for some restaurant curry to warm the cook?s bones. Must do something with all of this appetitive energy that would otherwise reach for a martini. I trust your ears will stop ringing soon, mon capitain, Sooty. Love, Ladybird.

[Raven.joy]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

How very Italian lady bird. Except for the kalamatas of course (how very greek). Did you know sustainable spinach is the most food effeciant crop.

[dill]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Just finished eating a bowl of mushroom soup with home-made oatmeal bread. MMMMMMMMMMM! I used baby bellas. This recipe is a keeper, Lav!

I remember my first martini. I ordered one on my 40th birthday for the first time. It was fun at the time, but in retrospect, I see that it was not such a good idea.

[Lavande]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Dill,

Glad to have you hooked on mushroom soup too

Here's a truth about Lav - I have never, ever had a martini in my entire life! Guess I never will now!!!!!!

I'm about to begin a new project with my daughter.......make at home mozarrela cheese! I'll let you know what happens

[lodestar]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Hi friends,

Been struggling for the past several days...some old family hurts needed tending. I am not NF :upset: but I'm sure I will be one of these days. I haven't had the energy to prioritize it, while dealing with these other things. That's my excuse anyway. I'm basically hiding out and sorry I haven't been around to cheer all of your amazing successes. Regrouping as I type.

One crashing realization this week for me was: It doesn't matter how perfect I try to make myself or what I accomplish. If I don't reconcile the past, I will never feel my power and accept the woman that I am. Huge achievements tend to mean nothing to me. I simply move on toward the next thing trying to escape my inner turmoil by outward successes. Whew. That's enough for one weekend I think.

Love as always.

[ladybirdheart]

FEB FAST ~ WEEK THREE

Funny, Lode, I was just sending you a PM when you were posting this! I am glad you are around. I understand how achievements can mean nothing when they are taken on a certain way. I just ended up feeling more and more like an impostor. Now we get to be us (eeeekkk!). Love, Ladybird.