September Serenity - week 3

[Chillgirl]

Week 3 Guys
Sorry I am getting sloppy this should have started yesterday......

[Guitarista]

September Serenity - week 3

Hi Chilli and all to come,

Don't be too hard on yourself Chilli, you've been far too busy dreaming of faraway places.......

Have a great day everyone.

[Chillgirl]

September Serenity - week 3

Guitarista;958809 wrote: Hi Chilli and all to come,

Don't be too hard on yourself Chilli, you've been far too busy dreaming of faraway places.......

Have a great day everyone.

Yes Mr G my head is in the clouds and my body floating on deck of a boat somewhere exotic

[Stargazerlily]

September Serenity - week 3

Thanks Chill for starting the new week. I used to start it sometimes, but have just had it in my head recently. I agree that I would not buy a kit, check out the other web sites suggested. Unfortunately, caution has to be used as there are so many people ready to take advantage. Your doggie is darling, what a sweetie.

Rusty, LBH, Cyn, thanks for your comments about my son. LBH, he did recently come out to us and is a diamond in the rough. We are looking into something for him right now.....it will cost us some savings, but he is worth it. These are tough times, and can you imagine putting out 50 or so applications and not having one reply? Rusty, in the future, I will say something to people who feel it OK to be rude. I still like, what an insensitive remark, that really hurts. We'll see if I have the nerve.

Sped, good for you in taking time for yourself. I have to have time every week to clean my house or feel unsettled and restless. I too take time for myself and it is so important to me for my peace of mind.

Loved the pictures of all the doggies. All pets are special gifts to us, trusting, unconditional love, joyful, eager, innocent; they are bright spots in our lives.

John, keep on healing, good to hear you had a better day.

Papmom, it is OK to want to watch Oprah. I too do not know how to tape shows.

Today, I am grateful for many things: my job, the weather, good health, family, friends, and being AF. It is amazing how anxiety and depression decrease with no alcohol. I am so grateful for peaceful feelings, too. And my friends at MWO. Sending you peace and strength.

[dill]

September Serenity - week 3

Greetings Sereners,

Chill, thanks for the start up! Hello Mr. G.

Redstar, thank you for the reminder of gratitude. I took a moment when I read it to reflect on the truth of your words. Especially, " It is amazing how anxiety and depression decrease with no alcohol. I am so grateful for peaceful feelings, too."

My close friend's mother fell and fractured her hip last week. She is 86 and this is a big set back for her. She is able to stand and walk, but is in rehab for the duration. I wanted to do something for her but at her age, she really doesn't want much. I settled on sending a card and decided to search for a poem or inspirational quote for her. I searched for quite awhile until I found this lovely little Robert Frost poem. I'd never read this one before:

Lodged
The rain to the wind said,
'You push and I'll pelt.'
They so smote the garden bed
That the flowers actually knelt,
And lay lodged--though not dead.
I know how the flowers felt.

I hope she likes R. Frost. It reminded me of LBH's hail storm event. Of course, I had to look up the definition of 'lodged' and sure enough, it means to be beaten flat by the wind or rain. Anyway, I know that she is feeling down and in a sense beaten by conditions of old age. My friend is worried that her mother's attitude right now is very low. I think she knows "how the flowers felt".

Well, that was just a little literary diversion for the day. May we all be grateful for all the blessings we have at the moment. Peace and strength.

[Lavande]

September Serenity - week 3

GM friends!

Dill, missed you yesterday, good to see you today! Sorry about your friend's Mom. Unfortunately hip fractures are life altering for the elderly. One problem leads to another & another. That's why we (50ish women) are supposed to do whatever we can increase bone & muscle strength.

Red(Star) have you tried the testing/counseling services at a community college for your son? That could be very helpful in getting him situated in an apprpriate career path!

Chill, any luck in your internet search for employment possibilities?

Hey Mr G - is it time to go to Paris yet?

I have a full day of EB watching today so work will have to wait a while. He is all the work I need when he's here.

Wishing everyone a terrific AF Tuesday!
Lav

[rustop61]

September Serenity - week 3

Hi everyone

Thanks for getting us started Chill. Regarding the kit, I vote if it sounds too good to be true then it is. I got stung with something I bought on the internet once and am very wary since. Loved the picture of your doggie, what a sweetie. My JR is very unhappy this morning. We walked with a friend of my friend who brought her black lab (not knowing about JR's anti-social tendancies). He grumbled and complained the first bit of the walk and then seemed to have come to terms with it. However, I knew from experience that he was just waiting for an opportunity and he would nip the poor lab on the bum so I did not give him the chance to. He's in his bed sulking since!!!

Dill - what a lovely poem. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Have to dash as I have a dentist appointment, ugh! Big hello to one and all.

Rustop

[paguy]

September Serenity - week 3

Good Morning!

Well, I did manage to watch the Oprah show yesterday. My goodness, she has such loyal fans. And, most of the show was centered around calling out specific fans who have followed her over the years and helped make her become what she is today.

The coolest part was a group of women from Massachusetts who who were given a car to take a road trip from Massachusetts to Chicago to see the opening show. The only glitch was they thought the show was on Tuesday and their driver actually drove them onto the set of the show LIVE as they arrived. They thought they were pulling into the parking garage of their hotel. It was alot of fun watching their expressions after being in a car for 2 days and arriving center stage on the Oprah Winfrey show!

There were special guests John Travolta, Don Johnson, Paul Simon.. and of course, the big surprise is that she is taking all of her 300+ studio guests (who were all hand-picked because they are such loyal fans) to Australia for an 8-day vacation!

Nothing on my agenda today that can be exciting as yesterday :H other than making some progress on my new book (The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon) and taking a sponge bath :H:H

I did post a couple of recipes in the Recipe Corner last night. I have a problem with the template they use – it doesn’t always work for me and I can’t seem to figure out how to edit it. If anyone has suggestions on how to make the template work better – let me know!

The Pumpkin Spice Muffins really are yummy – I just had one for my breakfast with a yogurt and some coffee

Hope you all have a wonderful AF Tuesday!

[rebirth]

September Serenity - week 3

Good afternoon chill,. Guitarist,rustop, star, dill, lav and John

Saw your recipe John and will definitely try it out.

I am also in a dreamy mood. Business is slow so i have been looking at holidays in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. It's my big 40 next august so i want to treat myself to somewhere exotic.

Just not sure which one to choose...

[rebirth]

September Serenity - week 3

Hey Rusty- So how come you wouldnt let him kiss you last friday? He sounds really nice. Do you like him alot? like is he sexy? Come on spill the beans

[Chillgirl]

September Serenity - week 3

Good afternoon guys

Star - thank you for reminding us to be grateful for what we have, I'm trying to focus hard on this at the moment.

Rustop - when I started reading your post I thought maybe JR was your husband until I got to the bit about nipping the lab on the bum then I realized it was surely your dog :H

Paguy - how are you finding The Shadow of the Wind? I know Rustop has read it, I'm only on chapter 2 but was put off by a friend who told me it was hard work.

Lav - I felt a bit disillusioned when filling in my cv on one of the sites, I realize how little experience I have in doing anything but I will persevere.

Dill - I hope the lady liked your poem, I think we have all felt like that flower at times....

Rebirth - I have been to Vietnam and found it the most beautiful place I have ever seen although I'm sure Laos and Cambodia will be equally so.

I had a meeting with my ex today, not good news I'm afraid, he is now defaulting on the mortgage repayments and trying to get the bank to agree to a 6 month break from repayments. Everything we had is slowly disintegrating and I feel like every moment is now borrowed time. I feel totally calm about it all and can picture myself sitting here on the terrace as all my belongings get taken out the door until there is nothing left. I wonder how that would feel.....

Thank God I'm sober guys, the darkness that drinking would have cause me would have been the end. I could never have kept this in proportion, I would have been hysterical and most definitely attempted to take my life. As it is through sober eyes and clarity of mind I can see it for what it is. It's happening around me but not to me, what is inside me is unaltered, it doesn't change no matter what happens. I'm grateful for everything including this experience.

[cyntree]

September Serenity - week 3

Good morning from the desert -

Chill - you are so strong amidst all this chaos; I'm sorry that you are going through this right now. RE: work, I was thinking that a slightly different take on my business would be for you to help ex-pats move and get settled. You know how to do that - you've done it! Are there still people moving into Portugal? I could give you all my move and settle-in templates...for info on what a move manager does (for seniors) see: National Association of Senior Move Managers - -. I'm sending you tons of of shielding vibes...keep remembering what the clairvoyant said....(and PS - the Zafon book is not for you right now - too dark).

Dill - what a wonderful poem - may I 'borrow' it for my friends who are suffering? It is exactly the right tone. RE: your senior friend, and her journey. You can tell your friend that there are lots of people out there now who specialize in senior services - home care, transitions, moving, assistance for caregivers, etc. If there's something specific, let me know and I can research it for you.

Have a good Tuesday, all. Rusty, our temps are still over 100 each day, but the mornings are cooler for walking the dogs, thank heavens.

If you need a chuckle, be sure to check the last posts from week 2 - Mr G, you got me on that one.

[ladybirdheart]

September Serenity - week 3

It has moved me to see how well people here are doing in spite of severe interpersonal, financial, and physical stresses. As such I am horribly embarrassed to blurt out that I blew it later last night. I don?t remember exactly when I last had a drink, it was a night in the first week of June after I sprained my ankle. Last night I too had a ?reason? of sorts, a state of mind or emotion I could not handle, but it is not important other than as one more thing for which I have to prepare a more adaptive response in the future. There will always be a perfect storm. I have not had a hangover since last November and I am rather relieved that I feel as lousy and scared as I do as it would be awful to drink with immunity again. The only thing that would make me feel worse would be if my behavior affects anyone adversely; I know we each have to find our own way out ultimately alone, that nobody pours the sauce down our throats, but I have also seen fragile people tip. Don?t tip:l. Wonderful poem, Dill. Love, Ladybird.

[rebirth]

September Serenity - week 3

LBH all I want to do is send you a big hug. x

Chill - how long was the trip to vietnam? You deal with life so well. God I hope I can do the same when it's my turn to face something dreadful

[paguy]

September Serenity - week 3

Chill - so sorry to hear of your ongoing dilemma. Have you ever thought that a higher power was at work leading you to becoming AF so you would be better prepared to handle this situation? Trust me, I am not preaching about religious beliefs but situations like this lead me to believe that there is a higher order out there. You are doing such an admirable job dealing with the current situation. Sending :l your way.