AF August - Week 3

[rustop61]

Hi everyone

Back again so thought I would start us off this week. Had a lovely week away and stayed in two fabulous hotels. The first one was very modern but when the tide was in you felt your room was floating on the water. Huge window and the ducks were swimming by in the morning. The second one was more traditional, peat fire in reception etc. We got one of these last minute deals and ended up with a suite. It's our anniversary next week so it was a real treat. The food was fantastic in both and of course I endulged (popped my antabuse before I went to Al was out of the picture) so back to healthy eating this week.

Just did a quick read of last weeks posts.

Lav - So sorry things did not work out the way you hoped, hopefully they will in the future.

Chill - Keeping my fingers crossed that things work out for you as well. I remember the wonderful friends I made in the ex-pat community. You know what they say, friends are the family we choose for ourselves!!

Sped - Hope you are feeling a little better today. Cant give any advice on the fiancee as have not reached that stage yet. Dill seems to be dealing with it and has given some good advice.

Dill - I have read all Maeve Binchey's books. I enjoy them but used to find that her endings left a lot to be desired. It was as if she ran out of steam and just finished off too quickly??

Star - So glad you got the dress you wanted. It makes such a difference when we wear something we are comfortable in.

Rusty - I too was born in 1961. I dont envy you your busy work schedule.

Everyone else big hello and hope you all have a great week 3.

Rustop

[Rusty]

AF August - Week 3

Good Morning August Friends,

Rustop-thanks for getting us started this week. Good job on taking the Antabuse, staying AF and enjoying your vacation-sounds heavenly! Do you have pictures you would like to post so we can all live vicariously through you?

Lav and Sped-hope you are both feeling better today!

Dill-school starts tomorrow? Hope you are not feeling as anxious?

I can't remember who it was on our little thread who has seen the movie "Hangover" but it was on last night and I decided to watch it. I tried to think over the last 4 years and remember if I had ever had a day/night where I blacked out and couldn't remember ANYTHING and fortunately, I have to say no. That must be a frightening experience and I know some of our MWO members have had that frightening reality the next morning of not knowing whom they've been with, etc. I know if I hadn't addressed my AL problem I certainly could have had such a harrowing night. It's scary how fast it creeps up on us.

My client cancelled our visit today (I'm so glad!) and we will reschedule for later this week, so it's paperwork for me at home today, and I am going to challenge myself by improving by running time along the lake path. It is so great to be running, enjoying life.....unhung.

A cheery hello to Chill, Sooty, Star, LBH, Papmom, Paguy, Rebirth (where did you go?) and anyone else who stops by!

I hope everyone has a wonderfully AF Monday!

Rusty

[Hippy Chick]

AF August - Week 3

Evening you two rustys (Hi rustop dont think we have met before).

Rusty I cant count the amount of times I blacked out. Right from the first time I got blind when I was 16 I blacked out EVERY time I got drunk. Often it was just a case of forgetting what I said or did but the majority of the time I have absolutely no recollection of what I did, said, went etc. I have hidden things from my kids and not known where I put them, I have met people and given them my phone number (a long time ago now) then when they have rung me I had no idea who they were. Done and said the most outrageous things. Put my self in dangerous situations.

So I think one thing I am certainly grateful for ( my plan for the week is to find things I have gratitude for) is that I dont have to ever black out again.

Dinner is calling......Catch you later

Hip

[spedteach]

AF August - Week 3

Good morning,
Rusty that movie terrified me. Didn't they do more than al, like roofies, whatever, the date rape drug?? I remember reading about a black out during which a man got on a plane and ended up in an entirely different place. They are so not fun.
Sorry to say your mentioning of the movie also reminded me of wedding nonsense. I have only attended 4 weddings and I will be 60 tomorrow!! Have never been able to figure out why I've attended so few. Know my children's social set tends to live together and not formalize it. In fact I did exactly the same thing.
Must say dinner last night was nice. Ate wonderful Chinese chicken salad on a covered porch while the skies opened up and it poured. My daughter in law to be was fine, witty, engaging. They are both biochemistry grad students. They are perfect for each other.

Rustop, you get the most wonderful vacations. I love your description of the room floating on the water. Where were you?

Rusty, so glad you have the day off, or at least you can work at home. I'm putting running around that lake of yours on my to do list.

[Rusty]

AF August - Week 3

Hippy-I so know what you mean....and I have also had the same experience in that I have forgotten where I put things whilst drinking. I am glad that is now a thing of the past! ;-)

Sped-It was a terrifying movie! I almost turned it off. You're going to be 60 tomorrow...6-0? I bet you don't look like it all. I picture you tall and willowy with a great shape as athletic as you are. I am soooo glad last night turned out to be fun and your future DIL was enjoyable to be with. Biochemistry grad students? Wow, both very bright people and they share that common goal. I'm sure your son owes his education to you and your husband. Bravo on your positive attitude.

Sped-yes, please, please please put running around the lake in your vacation plans. There are many areas where it's challenging----hills, and unpaved, but I know you're up for it :-) When do you go back to work, Sped? This week?

I'll check back in a bit....want to get my run in before the humidity sets in!

[Chillgirl]

AF August - Week 3

Happy AF Monday Guys!

Star - You mentioned the book "the 4 agreements" its one of my most favorite books in the world! Its an simple guide to how our lives can be so much better by following these 4 agreements. I havent mastered them all but Im definately a better person for trying to integrate them in my life.

Rustop - Welcome back, your break sounds idylic!

Rusty - I watched the movie and did find it quite entertaining. (Sped you are right it was drugs too) Sadly like Hippy, I have blacked out throughout my drinking life putting myself into ridiculous situations, recently I have had terrible flashbacks to things I would rather forget and im just so relieved that part of my life is over.

Sped - Im so glad you enjoyed the evening with your son and future DIL, so often we build up things in our mind which we dread and find they are never as bad as we think.

I had a friend over for dinner last night and he designs websites (mainly for restaurants) and he had this idea that i could help out by writing the text for him. I have always loved writing but never saw a way it could earn me a living, he was full of ideas about me writing brochures for people and is going to design me my own website for free offering this service. I have no idea whether this can actually come to something but i woke up this morning feeling a huge bit lighter! The thought of doing something I love, which I could also do from home would be a dream come true. We got caried away with enthusiasum last night as we sat on my terrace and ended up registering my new business website which will be "PinkLetters.com. So guys watch this space....

[Rusty]

AF August - Week 3

Chill,

The new career opportunity sounds so exciting. Yes, working from home is WONDERFUL. Now, I MUST ask....so could this friend turn into something romantic? I need this information for MWO's National Enquirer Forum (or Daily Mail in the UK). hahhahahahaha!

[papmom3]

AF August - Week 3

Good Morning Everyone!!
What great news to wake up to!!
Sped-how awesome that your future DIL has turned out to be a nice person, perfect for your son. Had you never met her before or was your mind and heart just a bit more open last nite? Anyway, you sound tons lighter today!!

Hi Rustop!! Your vaca sounds lovely. Happy anniversery in advance!!

Chill, OMG, what a serendipidous event that happened last nite. (please feel free to correct spelling errors LOL!!). LOVE the name of your website, love the fact that you will be able to put your greatest talents to work and LOVE the fact that there is a huge calling out there for web content management. In, fact, it's something I hope to get into myself. Took a course on Dreamweaver, need another one. Writing probably isn't my strongest suit but it's not too bad either!! Good luck!!

Rusty-I'm so impressed you can run around a lake!! Once I get some weight off me and my foot and knee feel better, I'll try jogging again. It would be the best thing for DD (Devil Dog) and me.

Hipster-welcome to the weekly thread!! You'll like this one as well!

Be back later tonite!!
:l

[Rusty]

AF August - Week 3

Hi Papmom,

Great to hear from you! No, I don't run around the whole lake at once. That would take me about 10 hours to do as it is a large, natural springfed lake (like the ones in Maine, where my family is from). but portions of the path are paved and there is public access, so I take a 3 mile stretch or so and run that. I've never walked the whole lake on the same day....as several of my friends have. :-( Some day! :-)

[Lavande]

AF August - Week 3

Good morning friends,

Welcome back Rustop, sounds like you had a great time!

Rusty, working from home really does rock! No annoying supervisors to worry about, no annoying coworkers, etc. I can go to work in my PJs & the commute is simple

Hippy, so glad you are here with us! I have a membership to the ToDo Institute & do a lot of reading there especially when I need help in the gratitude department. You can do some free reading there:
The ToDo Institute: Mindfulness, Procrastination, and Gratitude using Morita and Naikan Therapies

Shelley, glad you enjoyed your dinner last night! I remember wrestling with a lot of fears when my kids got married. I just couldn't wrap my head around the fact that they felt ready to take such a huge step & wouldn't be [I]mine anymore. It's hard to let go of them.

Chill - our group's newest business owner, YAY! That's terrific news, I'm happy for you

Well, I do have a bit of work waiting for me this morning. Then I will be meeting one of my old nurse friends for lunch. We get along much better now since we are no longer stressed out with our hospital jobs

Greetings to Sooty, Dill, LBH & everyone who drops in today!
Have a great AF Monday.

Lav

[ladybirdheart]

AF August - Week 3

Hello! Welcome home and certainly glad your evening went well, Shelley. Your description of driving through ?Wizard of Oz? weather certainly struck a chord with me; I remember a surreal trip where I couldn?t decide if I should just keep driving as if it was a magnificent, thrilling movie or abandon my car and dive like the pussy I am into a ditch. Welcome home, Rustop, the hotels sounded lovely. Speaking of coming home, yesterday I walked in, albeit from only an errand, with my bags of fresh groceries to find that Lord Bird Heart had covered every inch of the kitchen with the contents of the soon to be former laundry room. Every pristine counter had piles of big bottles and tubs and paint cans, boxes of canning jars, even the cat box (the cat box?), there was a cabinet blocking the refrigerator, and a washing machine blocking the door. There was a pile of rubble six feet tall waiting to go to the dump. His demolition skills are now legendary. We each had the industry that comes with not drinking, and by dinner time things were crated, the debris had been delivered to the landfill ?convenience center?, and the cat had a temporary set up of his litter box in the guest bath. His food bowl is in the bath tub. He is baleful but so far a team player. He does not know that any day now a wicked, wicked man will show up to add to the general mess by replacing the seventy year old furnaces. Bad timing. It is a good thing cats don?t drink alcohol and/or shoot guns. Love to you Lav, Rusty, Dill, Sooty, Chill, Rebirth, Redstar, Papmom, et. al., Ladybird.

[Stargazerlily]

AF August - Week 3

Good evening, good to hear everyone had a decent day. I had a bad Monday. Work was awful and then I came home to my son having a pity part for himself. Just what I needed. But, handling it AF, or I know I would go over the top.

Chill, so great to have a new career idea with someone to help you along. I think web design and writing sounds cool. You have to let us know how it goes. I have been thinking alot about the four agreements, simple but deep at the same time. Be impeccable with your word and don't take things personally. I am working on that. I usually do my best every day. I like how he talked about some days your best will not always be THE best, but that is OK too. Lots to think about.

Sped, good to hear your DIL was engaging and you had some fun. I like my future son in law lots. He is a bit intense, but loves my daughter and is so good to her. I made up my mind I would always do my best to get along with whomever my kids bring home. And sometimes it is trying.

Well, I am glad this Monday is almost over. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Thanks everyone for being there and sharing your news. I look forward to hearing how our days turned out.

[dill]

AF August - Week 3

Good morning all,

:day5:Happy Birthday, Sped!! :day5:

Welcome aboard, Hippy Chick! :welcome: Glad to have you add your voice to our chorus.

Red, sorry your Monday was tough but I'm glad you didn't make it even worse with al on board! I can relate to your son being down. He is in a transitional state and unsettled. I know I am at my worst in that state. Still, I am sure it is difficult for you to deal with. Especially after a long day of work. I am sending you strength.

Rustop, I understand what you mean about the endings to M. Binchy's stories. She definitely doesn't tie everything up at the end. But it seems realistic to me, although maybe a bit unsettling.

Rusty, it is Back to Work for me today and I am not at all pleased at the prospect. I wish I had some of your energy and perkiness. By the way, you absolutely have become much more upbeat with all your AF time.

LBH, I am impressed at how well you rolled with the flow yesterday coming home to the 'heart of the home' being clogged with foreign substances. Magnificent rebound on your part.

Myself, I had a very bad day yesterday. You know that black cloud that sometimes follows us around? Well, yesterday, I didn't know if it was following me, or if I myself was the cloud. I was very low all day. I was very short fused, too. I kept to myself as much as was possible. We even had our grandson over later in the day and that didn't help! He did make me laugh and smile in spite of myself a few times, but when he left I was still exhausted and down. I was happy to turn off the lights and go to bed last night. I was especially glad to be doing it AF.

Today will be a better day. Greetings Lav, Papmom, Chill, Rebirth, Cyn, Soots and all. Peace and strength.

[Rusty]

AF August - Week 3

:groupluv::disco::disco:



HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY, SPED!!!!!

[Rusty]

AF August - Week 3

Good Morning AF Friends,

Dill-sorry you had a down day yesterday and I hope your first day of school goes well today. I don't know if I'm more upbeat because of my AF time or my time off work time. I really did need a break from my hectic schedule and I've had many days off in a row this summer and am feeling more rested.

Star-hope you're feeling better today!

Hello to Lav, Chill, LBH, Sooty, Rustop, Papmom...have a wonderful AF Tuesday!