Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

[Chillgirl]

Welcome to week two guys

Blondie - I didnt realize your Mom had an issue with AL, stay strong on Wednesday and please please please come straight here is you are finding it a struggle. Remember all the reasons you quit in the 1st place. You sound like such a together person and happy in your sobriety and AL will only make you feel bad, there is no other way it can make us feel, it's poison!

Dew - thank you or sharing the "inner smile" exercise, it's a lot like a meditation I used to do with a wonderful spiritual group I was involved with a few years ago and had forgotten about.

LBH - I often contemplate that point you make about how nothing in the physical world actually changes, just how we see it.

A shout out for Rusty, where are you girl? We miss you!

[rustop59]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Good morning everyone

Just a quick check in from me before my daughter gets up and takes over the office.

Thinking of you all and going to practice the inner smile, thanks for that Dew.

All well here. Had my 3 hour hike and lunch on Saturday. I really enjoyed it but I think some of the girls found the hills a bit too challenging!!!

Will check in and read when I can but wishing you all a happy and AF week.

Rustop

[Grateful]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

I just wanted to say Hi to all you lovely people. Lav...I think of you often since you live so close to me and I really should get down to see you. I haven't really been keeping up with the posts here, but I hope you are doing well and enjoying your kids and grandkids. One of these days I just might surprise you and call and say "I'm in the area......"

I hope everyone has a great week!!

[Lavande]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Good Monday morning all!

Grateful, I would love that & send you home with eggs :H
I am doing just fine, grandkids are wonderful, thanks for asking!

Chill, I have a feeling we will all be walking around with an inner smile today ~ it really does change your mood/thinking, doesn't it??

I have to run to Curves & be back by 10:00 - the grandboys are coming for the day!

Wishing everyone a great AF Monday!
Lav

[spedteach]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Morning everyone,
Breezed through New Orleans. Ate gumbo and fried oyster po'boys, chicory coffee and beignets at Cafe du Monde. That town has so many memories for me. Going there as a little girl with my father. Having all my Mississippi aunts tell me how sinful New Orleans was, sending my first born to college here over 10 years ago. I jogged down St. Charles between street cars.
I was amazed at the alcohol consumption. Bars stay open all night and have customers at 5 in the morning, people are encouraged to get drinks "to go" so they are wandering around on the streets with a wine or beer in hand. Made me sad for all those still out there struggling. I got through it crave free.

Chill, sending you white light, good vibes, positive energy. Have you ever heard of the practice of tonglen. I use it everytime I meditate. It's like breathing in the pain of others, breathing out white light for them. Hang in there. Take your Vitamin D.

Off to Austin, Texas today. Love to all,

[BlondeAFAmbition]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Morning everyone and here we go swinging into week 2!

Thanks for the support Chill on the upcoming party I am hosting on Wed. Yeah, my mother drinks lots of chardonney daily. More than a regular bottle which she jokingly refers to as a "single serve". She actually starting buying me wine when I was in my late teens so I could sit with her at "cocktail" hour since my father didn't drink. My relationship with her and booze is a long story so I will not post here. I did talk about it in one of my very first introduction posts from Jan 2011 in the My story section under my post : Salutations.

Spedtech, wow, New Orleans. That seems like party capitol of the US, right up there with Vegas. You did so well! It's unbelieveable that they push people to take a drink to go. Sad, really. Love the idea that you mentioned about the practice of tonglen. I had not heard of it but I do my own version of breathing in "bad" air and releasing "good" air filled with healing white light. Love the idea of sending that good white light to others. Very powerful! I also agree with the vitamin D. I take 1000 IU's in the am and the same in the PM. It's also in my multi vitamin. They are recommending higher doses lately and I feel the difference in my mood, plus it's a good immune booster and great for the bones and teeth, which is good for us gals (and guys!).

Hang in there Chill and I hope the inner smile infects the rest of your wonderful self!

Lav, hope you had a great workout at Curves and have fun with the grandkids!

For everyone else checking in, have a super day and I'll meet up with ya all later! Off to work in a few...Mondays are always quite busy as we get a few big deliveries including my cheese order. I have to remember to get a big wheel of that English stilton today...too die for!

Love and peace to all!

[cyntree]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Thanks Chill for starting us out on a new week -- I'll be inner smiling with you, thanks Dew for that exercise.

Sped - what a great story about New Orleans - Cafe du Monde beignets, mmmmmm. Congrats on crave free. Happy traveling.

Good day all -

[cyntree]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Xpost, Blonde! Good luck with the party, what a history...

[BlondeAFAmbition]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Thanks Cyn...yeah, it's sad to say that my mother was instrumental in my addiction but I take full responsibility in the choices I have made and do not blame her for my alcohol addition. I forgive her for being a pusher and I am saddened that she drinks daily and usually by herself. I have to make the best of my time with my mother as she isn't getting any younger. This week, she will turn 74. She is actually doing great for her age, despite the years of heavy drinking. Anyway, thanks everyone for listening and sending me support. Love you all.

[Lavande]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Cafe du Monde!!!!!
I loved that place, makes me smile
I bought one of their coffee cups 10 years ago & still use it!
Glad you had a great trip Shelley! Did you notice how people tend to dress in black & wander the streets at night with drinks in hand?

Hi Blondie & cyn!
I only had the boys for 4 hrs today but that was enough!!! Phew!!!

[cyntree]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Hellooooo?!! Hope everyone is OK - Rusty...PMom...Sooty....
Chill - sending you lots of light to wrap yourself in. Giving everyone good thoughts.

And PS, according to my local 'stars' guru, Mercury has been in retrograde since thanksgiving, and will finally be moving out of that pattern tomorrow, the 13th!! Maybe that's the ticket!

And PPS, I think today was my first anniversary (I'm pretty sure, there was not a specific incident or date, but 12/12 seems to stick in my mind). Anyway, onward and upward...

[Rusty]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Good Evening AF December Friends,

I am in Stratford, Ontario, Canada....working (yes, it IS a theatre town, as in Stratford-Upon-Avon). The drive from the airport (London, ONT) was just lovely....people here put the coolest outside lights on their houses/trees, etc. In the States, white lights, particularly icycle lights....which hang from your home's gutters and are meant to look like icycles...are the most popular. Not here....and it's really refreshing. In an hour-long ride from the airport, all I saw were beautiful multi-colored and multi-sized lights...and if you weren't in the holiday spirit before you got here...you would be now.

Shelley-I am so happy for you that you are enjoying your vacation and you breezed through New Orleans AF. I am also thrilled that you have that perfect someone to take a long car ride with...that's hard to find, I think. You sound so peaceful. You said your oldest son went to school there so I am guessing your son went to Tulane?

LBH....I'm glad you and LordBirdheart have survived the horrible weather unscathed. How I wish I had your gift of prose.

Yesterday, I had my annual holiday brunch with my Mom, sister, and SIL....it was a beautiful day....I managed to get all my decorating and cleaning done within ONE minute of my guests arriving. And they all loved their little gifts....holiday pillows. Thank you, Ms Lav. :h

Ok, here's a Catholic holiday chuckle for you....RUSTOP.....you could probably appreciate this. I went to Catholic school YEARS AND YEARS ago...and as you know, although I am a godmother to several nieces and nephews....I am not always faithful about going to church and have lapsed in my knowledge of Catholic practice. Well, I had my Nativity on my buffet in the kitchen, and I placed all the people (Mary, Joseph, Baby J.., 3 kings, and sheep) in kind of an amphitheatre setting. No method to my placement at all. So... my Mom, a lifelong devout Catholic, scrutinizes it....and says to me, "Oh dear, your Nativity is just lovely, but why don't you have Mary and Joseph standing next to each other, looking over the Baby?" I said, "Mom, Mary and Joseph got into a big fight and they're not speaking to each other. I had to separate them.":H Well, at least we all had a good laugh. She told me the correct placement just a little while ago. And then she said, "well, you USED to know how to do it.....you put up my Nativity every year from the time you were in grade school." Um, I forgot that lesson.

Hope you are all well and have a peaceful AF Monday evening.

[Chillgirl]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Good morning everyone

Rusty - great to see you! Stratford-upon-Avon England, home to Shakespeare, is a beautiful town with some stunning architecture where I have been many times. It's full of lovely little tearooms and swans gliding on the river.

Cyn - 1 year! Awesome, awesome, awesome! Doesn't it feel just great?! It's so lovely to have you back with us, you are indeed a wonderful light. :l

Sped - I was astounded at New Orleans allowing drinks "to go", drinking on our streets in the UK is illegal. It just sound like a licence for trouble.

More high winds and rain here and temperatures of 6c/33f. Trying to get decent walks with Elle is difficult and she is so bored being cooped up inside. Wishing you all a wonderful Tuesday....

[rustop59]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Good morning everyone

We too have gales promised but had black ice last night. Mixture of everything. The sun was shining yesterday morning so I cleaned my windows, glad now.

Rusty - lol, here's another twist to your nativity. The churches here dont put baby Jesus in the crib until Christmas morning! Enjoy Ontario, I miss Canada this time of year.

Shelly - glad you got through NO ok, its hard when there is drinking everywhere.

Cyn - congratulations, I posted on the other thread. It is indeed an honour sharing this journey with you.

Blond - Good luck with the lunch tomorrow. You will be fine, get them to take the left over wine home with them.

Everyone else big hello.

Rustop

[Stargazerlily]

Dazzling and Diligent December - week 2

Good morning to all....

Chill, whew, your weather is not for sissies, that is for sure. Hope your mood is improved. Sending you positive energy and warmth and light.

Rusty, loved your story about your mom and the Nativity scene. You have a quick wit. Sounds like you are in the Christmas spirit, the lights in Canada sounded awesome.

Lav, you are such a devoted grandmother!!

Blonde, your positive energy is bursting through the computer screen, interesting about your mother drinking with you. Does her drinking effect her at her age? I find it interesting that she is doing so well and able to drink. My dad, seventy-eight, told me that quitting smoking and drinking is one reason he is able to function so well.

Cyn, congrats on your one year. You hav made so many changes.

Sped, the drinking culture in NO sounds like Vegas. That is why I was so uncomfortable and would not go back. NO has lots of history though, and that is worth visiting. I hate being around people drinkng nonstop, especially annoying is drinking in the morning. Glad you are having fun, you always seem at peace on the road.

Just working and doing my best here. Nothing exciting to report, but that is good news. No more snow, so driving to work is easy. I am listening to Christmas carols on the way to work to get in the Christmas mood and it is working. Lots of memories and feelings.

To all, have a great day.