AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

[Lavande]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Morning April friends,

A bit chilly this morning but it will warm up

Cyn, Every time I think about changing my avatar the big blue guy winks at me, it just warms my heart!

Red, I am all about self care these days! I ignored myself way too long while I was busy raising my kids, caring for elderly family & working a job that doesn't give you time for a lunch break or even to pee. Now, it's ME first, then everyone else

Rustop, the Iceland volcano pictures on the internet are awesome! I hope the fog doesn't interfere too much with your garden duties.

Chill, Hope you are having a great day!

Dill, hang in there this Spring season. You have a good supportive group here with you

Greetings to Raven, IAD, Sooty, Spud, LBH & all who check in today.
Time for me to get to work!

Lav

[spedteach]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Morning all,
Just finished a little run around the neighborhood, last run before my half marathon on Saturday. Hate to admit it but I feel pooped. Working too much, not sleeping enough. Time to rein it in.

Dill, sending positive thoughts to you. Every school I go to is full of stressed out teachers. There are always plenty of jobs for substitutes in the spring. Everyone's taking mental health days.

Chill, I couldn't do AA either, but you're right, there's something to be said about people getting together and exploring their feelings/thoughts about life. I am in a women's therapy group that meets every 2 weeks. It's proved to be a wonderful experience.

Red, my self care plan for the day is to go to bed at a reasonable hour. And to not consume so much sugar. Red, you are always so good at throwing out questions for the group, to get everyone's brain going. I appreciate it.

Good Thursday everybody.

[sooty]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Afternoon April lovlies, another lovely day here - I can't get enough of it so have been for a long walk with my friend this morning and sat outside a cafe drinking coffee - in the UK in April - what a treat!
Great to see so many of us on here today - I hope everyone is having a good Thursday
love Sooty

[Chillgirl]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Lav - while we are on the subject of your avatar, who is the character? Is it from a TV series?

Speed - Re your woman's group, is it self governing or is there a qualified councillor there? I dont think many of us actually need a qualified therapist, expressing ourselves and hearing others life experiences can be the best therapy in the world.

It looks like my ex has messed up with all our finances which i trusted him with so not much to spilt up at the end of the day so it doesnt look like I will be moving on afterall. Im completely chilled about the whole thing as there is no point in going over the "if onlys". I am incredibly grateful for the privelidged life I have lead, I have travelled the world and lived a 5 star lifestyle that many could only dream about.

As a kept woman i find myself at 45 with no career or qualifications behind me so when the time comes to support myself it is going to be challenging! However, when I look at my estranged husband who is still drinking heavily, and who I used to admire as a good businessman, I realize i am now every bit as capable as he is! But even more than that I am so happy now within myself that I feel I can handle whatever life throws at me.......

[Raven.joy]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Sounds like a perfect opportunity for something new.

[Guest]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Chill,
You really inspire me!
Thanks!

[ladybirdheart]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Thank you for the inspiration (again), Red. I took myself to my first organized exercise experience in many, many years, and I had never been to a water exercise class. The teacher was an ageless African American no nonsense retired Chicago police sergeant (we are talking one major lady) and she nearly killed me (one hundred and twenty can-can kicks later, if these gams could talk?) but I had so much fun. I kept trying to keep water out of my eye so I would close them, only to find my teacher screaming orders at me as I drifted limbs flapping and unmoored across the pool. Thank you for giving me the push in. I shall love to see your life unfold, Chill, freedom is without peer, I have always loved the money I made myself far better than any other money. Counting down with you, our exercise guru, Shell, to your race. I?ll be having zippy thoughts. I wish I could see your young koi, Dill, they grow so fast but I think when they are little they are sensible and hide. Before long they will fat and taunting the herons with a fishy backstroke and wave. It is drop dead gorgeous here today. Hi Cyn, Lav, Sooty, Raven, Rusty, Grace, and all. Love, Ladybird.

[rustop61]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Good morning everyone

Another beautiful morning. Off for a walk with the doggies in a minute.

Sooty - Glad you enjoyed your walk yesterday, its a great way to start the day and coffee with a friend after, even better.

Lady - Your aqua-aerobics sounded like fun. It is meant to be a great form of exercise and very safe as the water prevents us damaging ourselves. Keep it up.

Sped - Good luck in your half marathon, you must be one fit lady. I walk all the time but am thinking of taking up jogging to try and loose some weight.

Lav and Red - Self-care, you are right ladies, we all have ignored ourselves for too long and Al was too happy to try and convince us that he was making us feel better!! We know better now.

Dill - thanks for all the quotes, hope you Koi are doing ok.

Chill - Of course you are as capable as hubby. Now that you have a clear head you can do anything.

Cyn, IAD, Star, Raven and everyone else big hello. Have a great week-end everyone.

Rustop

[Chillgirl]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Good Morning Rustop and all to follow...

Sped - Best of luck for tomorrow, I hope in any tough moments you think of your MWO buddies and get a surge of AF energy!

LBH - Where have you been? We'v missed u

We have serious thunderstorms here and Im going to have to drag my dear doggy out as she normally runs and hides when she sees rain!

[Stargazerlily]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

My favorite day of the week, Friday. The whole weekend to look forward to.

Well, I already received a rejection from the only application I put out there. It has really made me realize that it is not easy finding a new position. It hurts, they don't want me. I am going to put a few more out there. I have been evaluating my current position and the pros and cons. Ah, such is life. Decision, decisions.

Chill, my heart goes out to you. In the past, my husband was also in charge of finances and messed up big time. We came out of it, but it was hard. It was also good in that I went back to school and started my journey to find work that I am good at and love. There is something that says when something bad happens it can always be a chance for opportunity. I believe that. You are AF, learning more about yourself every day, and able to think clearly and plan. I know I am surely in charge of my financial situation, I will never leave it up to anyone again.

LBH, so happy to hear you are exercising and having fun. You sound like you are feeling better every day.

Spedtech, keep on getting enough rest. I often feel like I can only do so much in one day. Sometimes I just don't get everything done and it is OK. Maybe it's not, but I have to rest. Last night I came home and just melted. I was supposed to go to something for work, but was afraid if I pushed myself after a 10 hour day, without dinner, that I would get sick. So I came home, ate and relaxed. Sometimes our jobs expect too much. In this economy, we are often doing the jobs of two people.

Lavande, sounds like you spent many years in a job that was really demanding. I know at my job, they will push you harder and harder. I take that lunch break, and really try to take care of myself.

Dill, you sound strong and more than ready for spring. Any plans this weekend?

How is everyone doing with cravings? The weekends are the hardest times for me. I think it is the unstructured time and the many years of entertaining myself with alcohol.

Greetings to all.

Today I feel at peace and commit to be AF.:l

[dill]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Meditation For The Day

I must try to love all humanity. Love comes from thinking of
every man or woman as your brother or sister, because they
are children of God. This way of thinking makes me care enough
about them to really want to help them. I must put this kind
of love into action by serving others. Love means no severe
judging, no resentments, no malicious gossip, and no
destructive criticism. It means patience, understanding,
compassion, and helpfulness. ~Daily Readings

It doesn't seem like this quote has much to do with staying AF, and yet, it does. If I can manage to show patience, understanding, compassion and helpfulness, even to those around me that irritate me (work especially) I can maintain my inner feelings of tranquility. I need that to stay AF. Lately at work I have been engaging in some gossip and feeling anger and resentment. I read this meditation and my initial thought, I DON'T love those people and won't even try! Then I realized I am confusing 'liking' and 'loving'. I don't LIKE some of these people and never will. But I still must try to behave in a loving way toward them for my own good! Does that make sense to anyone?

Red, cravings are hard, but I just try to keep myself in situations where I can't give in. Like, no wine in the house, don't go to the grocery alone if I'm feeling weak, etc. I took a walk last evening after work but was tired, so it was just a liesurely one. Say, Red, is Mr. Red still on board with you and trying to be AF? No major plans for the weekend here.

Chill, I agree with what others on the thread have said. You are AF and you are capable! You have amazing grit and strength. And you know the old saying, "When one door closes another opens." You keep a sharp eye and an open mind and things will work out!

Sped, we will be cheering you on this weekend.

Rust, what kind of dogs do you have? I have two mixed breeds, one is an aussie/chow and the other is akita/lab. They are fab farm dogs! Not a ground hog in site around here which is really good. When we first moved here there were ground hog holes all over the fields that a cow could step into and break a leg. Now we have no ground hog holes and the cattle are safe.

Sooty, have you been affected by the ash cloud from Iceland?

Lav, any plans for the weekend, maybe with your grandson?

LBH, if I were going to sign up for an exercise class at this point in my life, I would choose water exercise. But it sounds like your instructor is a bit of a Nurse Ratchet type!:H I have been meaning to ask you what you are "listening to" lately, book-wise. Do you listen on an Ipod or a CD? I love the freedom of the Ipod. I recently listened to KIM by Rudyard Kipling, narrated by Ralph Cosham that I downloaded from an audible books website. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was narrated very well as far as the different dialects of the speakers.

Hi Saving Grace, Raven, IAD and all to come.

[spedteach]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Morning all,
Red, I'm with you. I melted yesterday after work, after tutoring, after a trip to the grocery, I was done!! I actually sat and watched an entire episode of The Real Housewives of NYC. What frightful women!

Chill, my group is therapist supervised. We are all current or former clients of a wonderful therapist. She was instrumental in getting me sober and staying sober. The group is comprised of 6 women, all around the same age, nearing retirement, at least thinking about it. The general feeling going on in the group is "Now what???". For me, I'm ready to try living alone for a while this summer in California. Maybe try some solo camping trips.
How about you? You're staying in Portugal, right?

LBH, I'm so proud of you. Imagine, an organized exercise group. Remember, our marathon's in October.

Dill, hang in there at work. When is your last day of work?
I'm listening to "My Name is Charlotte Simmons" by Tom Wolf. It's amusing but not profound in any sense. It is 25 CD's long. Feel like i've been listening to it for weeks. Well, I guess I have.

Morning everybody else. I'm outta here. Anyone ever try Greek nonfat yogurt. Like eating sour cream; I'm hooked.

Weather forecast for tomorrow: high of 59, 70% chance of thunderstorms. Picture me running with an umbrella!

[Chillgirl]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Sped - Your women's group sound good so does your solo camping in Califonia!

I have evolved over the years from the party girl into someone who now really enjoys solitude. Maybe that was one of the reasons that drinking was no longer any fun? I like to travel alone, two years ago I did a 1000km charity cycle in the mountains of Vietnam for breast cancer which I went on alone and formed part of a group of 30 strangers living in the most appauling conditions! The bonding we went through was amazing and the experience was completely life changing for me.

I often think I could now join the monks in Tibet and sit in silent meditation all day...... However I think I will give life a little longer before I take that route :H

Yes I will be staying in Portugal for the foreseeable future although i intend to invent ways to make life more interesting and hopefully do quite a bit more travelling

[Lavande]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

Good morning April friends,

I'm moving like a slug here today ~ sleep has been a bit iffy since the seasons changed.......hope it straightens out soon.

LBH, good for you getting out to exercise, I should do more of that myself. Right now, dragging bales of hay around for the chickens & chasing my toddler grandson is my exercise.

Rustop, how's the garden??

Chill, rain in sunny Portugal? I hope it doesn't last too long.
Your future is wide open, that's exciting! Have you thought about returning to school? Just a thought!!

Red, keep those applications going. One of them will open just the right door for you

Dill - speaking of Nurse Ratchet!!! I had some real fear of turning into her myself......the job does that to you! I enjoy my nurse friends much more now - we've all retired the job except one & she's looking for a way out now. Stressful job + stressed out people = disaster!! You don't have to like everyone you work with but you do need to find a way to work together peacefully. I get it!

Shelley, I hope your rain gear doesn't slow you down too much tomorrow - wishing you much luck & strength! Speaking of yougurt - turns out my grandson is a bit lactose intolerant like me, so I make yougurt for the two of us using Lactaid Milk. Just made some yesterday & flavored it with Mandarin oranges

OK, I NEED to get myself in gear now - wishing everyone a wonderfully AF Friday!
Lav

[sooty]

AF APRIL 2010 - WEEK 3

hi all, just letting you know that I was out walkiing this morning and I took a rather nasty tumble banging my head on concrete - consequently got sprained ankle, badly bruised shoulder, lump on head and 2 black eyes so feeling extremely sorry for myself :upset:
typing isn't easy so I might not be around too much in the next few days.
Take care everyone
love Sooty