Friday 3 November 2006

[Paddy]

G'day Abbers,

I did have to write something. Even if it's just to get Lizzy's October 2nd off my screen, ha, ha.

Mike has been relatively quiet, so I have to take the task of welcoming you to a new day in Absville. My third day off the booze. And it's Friday .... Anyway, hope all of you stay on the wagon, ok? Put your seatbelts on folks! Pop your Topas!

Have a safe w-end.

Best from this side of the globe,

:l

[gabby]

Friday 3 November 2006

lol! Strapped in for the weekend Paddy. Topa's popped and ready to be beamed up Paddy.

[Guest]

Friday 3 November 2006

Friday!

Hi everyone,
Thanks for getting us started today Paddy! Hope everyone's off to a great November. Today is my 30th day of abs. I feel good today, but must admit have been in the dumps the past couple of days dwelling on past issues. So hard to forgive myself at times. I have no time for a pity party today. The boys are home from school and we are taking my 13 yo's class to see "The Santa Clause 3" to celebrate his and another classmate's birthdays. Two of the girls in the class are dancing elves in the movie. Then, out to pizza after that.
Congrats to Kim on 91 days! Be proud of that chip, girl. You have worked hard!!
What's everyone's plans for the weekend? I am working. Any tentative parties set up for chat that I don't know about?
Will check back later. Love, Gina

[dilayne]

Friday 3 November 2006

Hey Everyone! 19 days AF for me! (I think)
My husband and I are attending a marriage workshop thingy this weekend. We'll go to Atlanta tonight and come home Sunday night. We don't really know what we signed up for, but are cool with whatever it is.. my only expectation is that we acquire some more communication tools to enhance what we've been doing lately..it's a nice hotel and we'll be fed good, so we'll make the best of it..who knows, we may have a thing or two to teach them..it occured to me that we've worked so consciously on our marriage for over 10 years..with other 'training (hate that word' that we may actually be the old timers there, even though we're only 47-48.

I'm rambling..but we are very much enjoying our abstinence..not just from alcohol, but from T.V. too (with the exception of rented movies)..he is getting so much done around the house and even started working on his boat, which he has only talked about for 3 years now..I'm taking care of the house, purging things and taking care of some business and planning holiday stuff...it's ALL Good...

I won't be checking in this weekend, so have a great one everybody!
dianne

[TracyA]

Friday 3 November 2006

Morning everyone.

I'm up early, need to run a bunch of errands and do a presentation for youth detention. It's sad to see kids so young already in so much trouble. Many of them are already parents, and I do a child abuse prevention class there every few months.

Then my son is coming over to spend the night since we have to be at the airport at dark o'clock in the morning. I probably won't post for the next week, unless I happen to get on one of the cafe computers.

If I do not drink today, and I don't intend to, it will be day one. I wish I felt more hopeful but when you fail enough times, you starting expecting to fail. I'm doing okay with the topa. It made me feel sleepy and kind of unwell, but I've felt kind of unwell anyway. I'm going to try taking it with food today.

I hope everyone has a good Friday and a good next week too.

Tracy

[YoungAtHeart]

Friday 3 November 2006

Good Morning All!

Just having my morning cappucino and reading the threads, and saying HI! to everyone.

I am feeling very grateful these days that I am starting to see the fruits of my labors paying off financially. The money is starting to come in, and the bills are starting to get paid better than on time. It is a good feeling. To have my sister here as the days get shorter and colder is a comfort. She has helped me so much through some dark times in my life, and it is a gift to me to be able to provide for her while she looks for work in this area. To be able to do it while sober is the greatest gift of all.

This is funny. Today is my "pretend" birthday. Don't ask me how, because my mother is able to do these sorts of things, but she was able to get hold of a birth certificate and FORGE it so that my birthday was Nov. 3rd and get me into kindergarten a year early (my real birthday was just past the deadline). So I was always the youngest in my class and somewhat confused as to what my birthday actually WAS during my grade school years! I suspect that I was driving her nuts with all of my questions about EVERYTHING, and she figured that the teachers might be better equipped to deal with it. She was right on that count, because I loved school! It would be hard for your basic solid citizen to get away with something like that today:H .

At any rate, I hope that everyone has a great day today!

Lots of love,
Kathy:l

[YoungAtHeart]

Friday 3 November 2006

Gosh, missed a few posts there! So,

Hi Paddy, and thanks for starting us off today! I'm all buckled up with Gabbs!

Hi Gina, you're such a good woman, why are you doing that to yourself honey??? Is it helping you in some way I can't see? If it helps you to stay sober, okay, but I hope you're not beating yourself up senselessly, love. PM me if you want, okay? And congrats on 30 days!

Have a great time, Di! You and your husband sound like you have a terrific marriage! I'll bet you DO have a few things you can teach people yourselves.

Good luck Tracy. Try to remember that many people have to start over a number of times before they get it right, and this onr may just be your time. Keep trying!

Again, lotsa love!
Kathy:l

[mikeupnorth]

Friday 3 November 2006

Good morning Absville!

Hey Paddy -- thanks so much for taking the initiative to get us started. Please feel free to do so any time you like. In fact, you can be our "standby mayor" if you like! You're doing a good job at it! By the way, I am with you, all buckled in and topa'd up!

Gina: I have often had trouble forgiving myself for things I've done (or things I haven't done). I posted the full lyrics of this song under the long term abs forum today, as it's one of my favorite songs and its theme is living in today, but here's a snippet that's appropriate for us:

There is no future
There is no past.....
Forget regret or
Life is yours to miss

Di -- I hope you get what you are looking for out of the couples weekend thingy. (I love the word "thingy!") It sounds like you and your husband have a wonderful partnership already, and it is great that you are on this journey of sobriety together.

Tracy, I echo what Kathy said. It took a lot of us several tries before we "got" it. But guess what? This just might be the time for you. You are right that we are used to failure and almost set ourselves up for it. But you also have the power to change that belief in a heartbeat. You are capable of success. You have the power to change your mind. You have the power to stay sober. Believe that. :l

And Kathy, happy pretend birthday! I love that story! We all just keep getting to know each other better here, don't we?

OH! And happy birthday, or belated birthday, or early happy birthday -- to GABBY and PADDY. :wd:

Mike

[Hawk]

Friday 3 November 2006

Wow! So much going on here already and I have no time to really chat but wanted to check in. So here I am. Day 4. Will check back later!

Hope everyone has a great day!

[Newyear]

Friday 3 November 2006

Good Morning!!
I believe today is AF day #6 for me

Sounds like everyone is having a busy day leading into a busy weekend.
Tracy - This will be day 1 for you- you can do it. I think that is great what you are doing - the work with kids and child abuse. It is so needed- thanks for doing it.
And Dianne - can you tell me how you managed the no tv at night? I'd like to try to tackle that habit soon too. I am slowly changing my habits of the past several years of working - coming home- drinking and smoking and watching tv till bedtime (sounds awful just listing that all out). It is taking some time but all these have to change! So, any good tips on keeping the tv off - I'd love to hear about it.
Gina - enjoy the movie...maybe you can tell us which dancing elves to watch out for in the movie!?
Paddy - congrats on day 3 for you
Mike - you stay warm!!brrr I forgot to turn my heat on this morning and woke up to 57 degrees in my house! Just a bit chilly. I do like this weather though. Are all the animals hibernating now up there?
Do you have many Moose around? I love Moose....I know they are not supposed to be too nice but they're so darned cute.
Kathy - I'm so happy your sister is there with you - she sounds very supportive and just nice to have around. I had my sister live with me for 4 months a couple of years ago. It was just nice having herhere ( a bit stressful at times- but nice). Is this an older or younger sister? Oh- and Happy Pretend Birthday! :yay: Good thing we didn't have homeland security back then :H

Gabby - thanks for the pep talks too - I think you have inspired us all to keep going down this path!

Nancy.....you up? Are you away this weekend? You stay warm too! We can't take too much cold in this part of the world!

I'm excessively sore this morning from my workout with the trainer yesterday - had a hard time even getting downstairs this morning! I my treat myself to a massage today - since I'm having a vacation day!

ok...bye - hello to anyone I may have missed -
Have a great day today
Lisa

[cpn1004]

Friday 3 November 2006

"But you also have the power to change that belief in a heartbeat."
Mike, those are powerful words. I need to think and believe them. Actually we have the power to change ANY belief in a heartbeat. It is a decision away.
Thanks for all you do here.
Love and Peace,
Phil

[TracyA]

Friday 3 November 2006

Kathy and Mike, thanks so much for your messages of hope. I'm becoming very fond of you folks.

Kathy, happy pretend birthday! I love the story too and feel a kinship. I ran away from home twice when I was four years old - once to school and once to the bookmobile - both called my mother to come get me. She threatened to turn me over to the police if I didn't quit running away during nap time. Sheesh, what a kid had to go through for a little intellectual stimulation!

[TracyA]

Friday 3 November 2006

Thanks Lisa too. We must have posting simultaneously.

[dilayne]

Friday 3 November 2006

Kathy..I love the pretend birthday story too...sounds like you might have a little of your mom's moxy as well!

The t.v. thing was really getting in the way of our marriage..but more, my husband really abused it..his mom put him in front of the t.v. from the get go..meal time..anytime, he couldn't even go to sleep without out it..I could basically take it or leave it..I only endured it because he was so attached to it. First we moved it out of the bedroom..for obvious reasons, then decided to get rid of cable..while we were cutting unnecessary expenses..granted, he has managed to watch a movie almost every night..either rented or one of our own..but the t.v. is off now..in the morning and when we go to bed..he is much more productive too...I don't like it because it takes us out of ourselves..and away from our deepest feelings and intuition and creativity..many of us abuse it..

I agree, we have the power to change 'beliefs'...I read somewhere that in order to really believe something, you have to believe EVERYTHING that it means...I started looking at that when I found myself attached to some belief to see where I picked it up, why I believed it and if there were exceptions to what I said I believed in...I've been able to drop a few things that I just kind of took on unconsciously because I knew that I couldn't follow through with that belief unconditionally...now I could claim only a handful of solid beliefs...makes the load a little lighter..

back to work..nice and cold here in Georgia..we have a freeze warning tonight.
ta, ta,

[gabby]

Friday 3 November 2006

I love the pretend birthday thing. Happy PB-day to you my cute buddy Kath. Do you get real or pretend presents? When is your real birthday?
Oh and by the way....you all havent missed my birthday yet either. Have we missed yours Paddy?
Thanks Mike for the early wish. : )