AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

[Stargazerlily]

Easter Monday. I wish I was off today. I ate chocolate yesterday and seriously feel not myself. I am telling you it is ridiculous how sensitive you get in your old age.:H

Today is day thirty AF for me and I am so happy. I am not really into counting the days from this point on, but maybe it's a good idea. Does anyone have feedback?

This is the nicest spring weather in a long time and I am enjoying every bit of it. I particularly love the spring rain, it is so soft and beautiful. The daffodils are spectacular, I never realized their great scent.

Today, I commit to being AF. Another great holiday AF, and I am so grateful.:l

[dill]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Good Morning Red and all who come. Thanks, Red, for starting off week 2.

As for counting days, I guess my first response is that the only day that matters is today. If you make it through today, isn't that all that truly counts? And if you don't make it through today AF, does that negate the 30? Absolutely not. So, I think it is good for one to see their daily achievement accumulate, especially as it can be so rewarding. And of course, milestones are great for celebrating! But the most of my focus must remain on today. Congrats on your 30! I am really happy for you!

I am starting to be frustrated by my weight. I gained about 10 lbs. this winter and can't seem to turn it around. I am eating too many carbs, so I that must stop: today. I have begun a daily exercise of walking for 30 to 60 minutes each day and that has begun to turn things around. At least, I have stopped gaining!

Enough about me. Here's to an AF Monday for all of us!

[Lavande]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Good Monday morning April friends,

Red, a big congrats to you today on your 30 AF days
I don't see anything wrong in counting days if it provides you with some positive reinforcement! As you move further along & your comfort level increases you will automatically find yourself thinking less & less about counting days. It takes 90 days to develop a new habit - so we need to keep the vigil for at least 3 months, I think!

Dill, My weight has settled too - now I need to start making it disappear! I have never been this heavy in my life, it's uncomfortable - yuck! I will be outside walking, working, doing something!!!!

Wishing everyone a terrific AF Monday!
Lav

[ladybirdheart]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Greetings on Week Two. Thank you so much Doggygirl for supporting this thread throughout Week One. It helped me a lot and I hope you hang around. Red, I consciously stopped counting days at some point as I can be so obsessive by nature and it was bringing out a side of me that I don?t live well with, but for others it is a great benchmark and incentive. It seems we just have to find what works as usual. I do know the few units I have had since last July stick out curiously like sore thumbs, peculiar flares in my memory even though isolated by months and ?controlled?; I can?t go back to when drinking was just a part of the things I did without question. Lav, I loved the image of you and your chocolate coated grandson. Hi, Sooty, Shelley, Dill (I am starting to enjoy snippets from my now not so baby dill, made a lovely turbot a couple of days ago even though I still usually hate to cook without wine in the food and in the cook), Cyn?do come visit one day if you would like to, you won?t even think about work as I am already organized (at least in the physical sense:H), Lil, Lode, Chill (now I get to vicariously enjoy the seeds of your new life as well as your new romance!) and all who visit. Love, Ladybird.

[cyntree]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Hey April Achievers - congrats on an AF holiday. Red, you rock! 30 days, well done!

Dill and Lav - good morning, and I know that your gardening and walking will bring you to a comfortable place -- good for you for being proactive.

LBH - I truly hope that I can get a visit in sometime - maybe this summer, when I need to escape the heat...HB will be gone for work for 6 weeks, so I will be fancy-free. No worries about organizing -- I love my work, it's life that I don't handle so well!

DG - I second LBH - great to read your posts here) OK, committing to an AF day today, and grateful for all your posts, everyone to come.

[Doggygirl]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

April Achievers! I like that! Dill, thank you for the heads up about the new weekly thread. I would have been looking around in the dark going "HEY!! Where did everybody GO????!!!" :H


:yougo:CONGRATS RED ON 30 DAYS SOBER!!!!:yougo:


In the time I've been hangin' around at MWO, the discussion of "counting" sober time (days, weeks, months, etc.) has come up a lot. It seems the bottom line is that there are many ways to do it, and we each have to find what works best for us.

I am the type who really digs my anniversaries! :H At first, it was days. Then I reached a point where I sort of started losing track of days but I always knew exactly what month I was on. Now I'm at a point where my eyes are just on the annual prize. This all happened gradually and naturally for me without giving it any thought or decision making.

Being a :bling lover, I will say that I am mighty excited about getting my 2-year coin at AA. So for just this one moment, I'm throwing "ODAT" under the bus and just saying that there is NO WAY I will be drinking any AL between now and 5/22.

Have a terrific achievin' day everyone.

DG

[sooty]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Hello everyone, I'm late logging in again cos I've been to see the grandchildren who live about 50 miles away and not long got back. Had a lovely day and hope you've all had a good time too.
I was thinking earlier - can we try chat again sometime? Perhaps next weekend or the one after? It was so lovely before .... anybody interested?
Great to see us all being so positive
see you all tomorrow
love Sooty

[rustop61]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Hi everyone

Late check in for me today as well. I have my SIL and two boys staying for the week so its very busy.

I too need to do something about my weight. I have not lost anything since giving up Al. Now that the early struggle to remain AF is behind me I must concentrate on it especially before the summer. Enjoy the remainder of Easter.

Rustop

[spedteach]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Hey everybody,
Hope everyone had a splendid Easter. The Lady, Lord and I appreciated daffodils, crocus and tulips galore as well as fine weather. Tried wrestling with that durn leaf blower yesterday afternoon but it got the best of me. Will try again tomorrow. Still home alone and still enjoying it though sleeping poorly. Am going to make myself stay up past 9:30 tonight. Otherwise I will again wake up at some ungodly hour.

DG, I'm with you. Don't really need the ODAT mind set any more. I do perk up on the 10th of every month though. Counting days of sobriety for me is deep rooted from years and years of 12 step meetings. I got sober when I gave myself permission to stop going to them. What ever works.

Sooty, yes, yes let's do another chat.

And Cyn please come see us this summer.

Hello Dill,Lav, Rust, everyone, sleep tight.

[cyntree]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Good night (morning!) all - Rus, good luck with the family around this week. Sped - I'm with you, staying up to 9:30 is a real challenge! But since the doggies get me up around 5:30 a.m. (noisy happy dawn birds drive them crazy), I don't worry too much about an early bed time. Good thing HB is away - I'm not the most winning of company...but I am AF, and he rather likes actually having a normal conversation with me when he calls to say good night....

It's windy and dramatic here tonight -- hope everyone is snug and happy. Wishing you all daffodil dreams.

[Stargazerlily]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Doggygirl, you still like to celebrate, only AF. I appreciate the fun contrats on 30 days. I guess I am more focused on life change rather than how many days. But it will be fun to get to six months, a year etc. Life is worth living when you take time to acknowledge the victories on your journey.

Dill, you are right too, the only day that matters is today. I mean, I have been on this site for a couple of years and have gone from almost daily drinking to a being upset about once or twice a month. Because when I drink, it often ends up being till I pass out or the booze is gone. Not healthy at all. So, I think I will just focus on today.

LBH, I agree that now when drinking, it is just not the same. I often think of it as someone spitting in my soup. Gross, but it is ruined for me. I analyze it too much and know what is to come. HANGOVER!!! No thanks.

Lavande, thanks for the reminder that it takes 90 days to form a new habit or way of life.

The weight thing. OK ladies, one thing at a time. We must be realistic also. The models we are given to look like do not exist in real life. I will never be the weight I was at 22, so I just want to be at the high end of what Weight Watcher says my highest weight should be. I need to lose about 20 lbs for that. I am just trying to eat better and exercise a little more. I bet if I do, then in about a year I may lose that weight. It is rather upsetting that not drinking thousands of calories a week does not result in losing tons of weight. :upset: Living healthy is my goal.

Slow at work this week so I am going in a little late, and what better way to spend my time then with chatting on MWO. Doggygirl started a great thread on Just Starting about making a plan. You might like to check it out and even contribute. I remember how scary it was at first. This is some journey.

Today, I commit to being AF.:h

[Lavande]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Good morning April friends,

Had some April showers move in overnight so outdoor activities will be delayed a bit! Have some work stuff to do anyway this morning.

Red, I was doing Weight Watchers to lose my 20 menopause pounds. Very slowly I lost 5 BUT then I quit smoking last year & gained 13!!!!! That's why I'm so freaked out - it has nothing to do with wanting to look like a model - I just feel like a slug! I still can't believe eliminating the AL calories didn't make a bit of difference. Harsh......very harsh!!!!

Greetings DG, Dill, Sooty & everyone!
Sooty - a chat this weekend would be very nice

Wishing everyone a wonderful AF day!
Lav

[ladybirdheart]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Good Morning. Sounds as though everybody has their spring spruce up plans in place. I have really small bones and any excess weight looks dreadful on me so I shall join in not substituting my huge weakness for large chunks of warm rustic bread (with butter) for alcohol. Audio books have been a great discovery for me (thanks to Dill and Shelley) as I really don?t like to listen to them sitting around and find it easy to keep moving. Today if it is not too-too windy I am going to vigorously attack the last vestige of the patch of vines where Moses lost his way, and it is beautiful there as Lord Bird Heart installed a little (six foot long) arched bridge nearby. Two of the four resident turtles have emerged from hibernation and I?ll put out saucers of water for them to have long slow soaky spring baths. Should be a good day for reptile and girl. Love, Ladybird.

[sooty]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Hi everyone, the holiday over here and its good to be getting back to normal - I get all confused about what day it is when the routines change
Been out for lunch with old work colleagues today - lovely to see them and so happy that I didn't have to go back to work afterwards!
We are promised better weather late in the week so I hope to get out into the garden again then, far too wet and sludgy at the moment.
Have a good Tuesday one and all
love Sooty

[cyntree]

AF APRIL 2010 ~ WEEK TWO

Hope all are having a good Tuesday eve. (Sooty - let me be the first to wish you a happy hump-day when you awaken and check in!)
I am slugging away with paper, paper, paper and making good progress. Caught myself spiraling down a negative mental path earlier today, but thought of the good energy here, and mentally pulled the 'rip cord' that opened my chute, and I floated easily to a better place - making a concious decision to use different language in my head. Not so easy, but helpful. So I am grateful to be having an AF and productive evening.
Best to all -