April AF Flock

[cyntree]

April AF Flock

Evening greetings -

Lav - we MUST throw a virtual puppy shower for you - what a fun thing to see someone else get a puppy! BTW, how is your brother doing in MI? Thanks a million for the links - I remember that you used to get recipes from a vegan site...I can't believe that's how I'm eating now! Vegan, minus nightshade vegetables, any dried fruit, any fermented anything, aaargh. I'll check out the links...and yes everybody, sorry to say that dairy and wheat are both usually pretty high on the inflammation lists...

Fly - have a great weekend away, wishing you safe journeys. The story of your Mom is so sad, what you have been through. But we never know what it is that she is experiencing in her mind. I've recommended this book too many times, I know, but 'My Stroke of Insight' by Dr Jill Bolte Taylor will give you a few new ways to look at brain function and what it may mean for your mom...

Sunni - Thank You for that information...I'm excited now to delve into Chris Irwin. Also pleased to hear that you are into Centered Riding - the riding centre where I was in Italy last year was very into that, but I haven't looked any further. Your info is such a help.

I know there was lots more to write about, but I'm fading -- can't seem to get energized these days, maybe I'm detoxing, maybe I just haven't figured out how to get enough protein, whatever, I'm going to bed!

happy evening, happy morning all --

[Rusty]

April AF Flock

Good Evening Flying Easter Geese,

SD....whoa, girl....I do NOT have a daughter. If I did, it would have to be through immaculate conception.:H I think what happened is one of our newer members here called Rustop "Rusty" for short. Rustop has two daughters. I am a bachelor girl (as my mom calls me)I've never been married (imagine that) and I've never had kids.
Deep breath on the prospective job, hon. Remember....it's the holiday weekend and the powers that be probably left work in a hurry yesterday. The fact that the school called 3 of your reference checks is phenomenally positive. If you were meant to get the job, you'll get it....and how can anyone NOT like you??? If they don't like you, the problem is theirs, not yours.:l Don't borrow trouble....as my sister says....when I overthink something or anticipate the most negative outcome. I have to work on that a lot....worrying about something I can't control. It's a challenge for me.

Cyn-you poor thing....I wish there were something you could take to recharge your batteries. Regarding the rosacea....I have two topical products I used (when I am extremely anxious....my face turns red as a beet and I break out....zits on a 51-year-old?? Hideous) when I had rosacea....Prosacea and Eucerin. You can get these products anywhere...Wal-Mart, Walgreen's. I used Eucerin at night and it really helped. Wow, did I miss something???? You were in Italy last year?

Sunni-oh, your little grandson truly is a peanut. Thanks for letting us into your life.

Jolie-Did you end up buying a new washer and dryer?

Chill-absolutely you are cool....and we all know it.

Lav-we're throwing you a virtual puppy shower....we can't wait for the arrival of Matilda.

Life is pretty quiet here....I've been enjoying the lovely weather. I'm spending the weekend with my mom before heading out for Indiana next week :-( My brother and SIL are having Easter dinner and I am bringing shrimp cocktail.

To anyone I missed.....Star, LBH, Shelley, Rustop, Sooty (where are you?), G, Blonde, Fly, Bouv...have a restful AF night.

[Lavande]

April AF Flock

Sunni, what a nice pic of Peanut & his doggie
Hope he (and everyone) feels better soon!

cyn, my brother is doing better than we all expected really, thanks for asking. Just talked to his wife tonight for an update. He still has a multitude of problems going on but the actual bypass graft to his leg is functioning. At some point he will have to go back & have the other leg done. This is hard seeing your siblings go through the same problems our parents dealt with
I have successfully gotten rid of all the dairy in my life. After a while you do find appropriate substitutions. I still consume wheat but am trying to decrease that little by little.
I like a cookbook called 'Recipes for Dairy-Free Living by Denise Jardine and Fatfree Vegan Recipes
I have been relying on eggs, chicken & turkey for protein & have been using a bit of Rice cheese, not too much soy cheese. I'm trying to look at all this as an adventure & not a giant pain in the ass :H :H

I made a huge bowl of Italian style potato salad today for the BD party tomorrow & will make a green salad tomorrow morning to take along. Also baked a bunch of cut out cookies (bunnies, chicks, etc). Now I am tired......

Wishing everyone a good night!
Lav

[Lavande]

April AF Flock

Hi Rusty - cross post!!!!

[Rusty]

April AF Flock

Hey, Lav,

Italian style potato salad? Sounds delicious. What time is dinner?:H I kept forgetting to ask about your brother.....sounds like he will be in some pain for awhile.

Has anyone heard from Papmom?

Dill-come back from New Orleans safely. I miss you already. Since you've been gone, I've sifted through some of your previous quotes to motivate me.

Well, I'm off to bed. See everyone in the morning.:l

[sdlovespackers]

April AF Flock

:H:H Rusty--back on page 10 when you posted to Cyn...I misread the post!!!:H I get it now!!! you were quoting her previous quote that she had written about HER daughter (regarding inflammation)!!! Wowzer!! You guys need to type slow so I can keep up!!!!:H

Sunni, Rusty....had to laugh...telling me to relax and breathe....I can even come across high strung through the computer huh??!?!:H It's all good!!
What a cutie pie you got there, sunni!!

Cyn, Lav--I admire your healthy eating styles so much...I'm not sure I could be so dedicated or disciplined!! I love me my oreos and mini donuts!!! LOL!!
Well I suppose I better head to bed...after I posted earlier I did a little online retail therapy...and then more at the mall...I've felt so much better all day!! Heehee!!!
SD

[rustop59]

April AF Flock

Good morning everyone

SD - good to see you sounding more positive. The great thing about this thread is that you can sound off and get great feedback. Hard to keep up though!!

Lav/Cyn - I admire you both for adopting such a healthy diet. Sugar is a bit life Al pure evil, it causes nothing but trouble for us and yet is so addictive we crave it.

Took my visitors to the local shopping mall yesterday. It was absolutely packed but the girls enjoyed it. These are extended family on my side Lav, about third cousins. I guess we choose to be together and there is a connection there. I am an only child and if it were left to most of my husbands family, my girls would not know the meaning of family. Hubby just keeps his distance and after about 20 years I realised he was right, why bring that kind of nastiness into your life. Better off without it.

Hoping to get a nice walk in when my visitors leave, apart from that nothing major planned. Have a lovely Saturday everyone.

Rustop

[Chillgirl]

April AF Flock

Good Morning Gaggle

I hope you are all enjoying your Easter break, Papmom where are you? Perhaps out posing in your new jeep

Rustop - Enjoy your walk, i intend to hit the beach shortly before the rain starts.

Jolie - After your confession regarding peppermint patties which I'd never heard of, I googled it and came up with this before finding the real ones :H

and you keep her in the fridge :H

Lav - I too ditched dairy some time ago, I start the day with porridge and blueberries made with soya milk and its yummy.

Rusty - enjoy your family time before your next jaunt. Talking of having children, its funny cause even although I'm 47 i still don't feel old enough to be having kids, somewhere in my head I'm still 21. Pity the body isn't too!

Cyn - re the protein, I have to watch this too as I don't eat eggs or red meat but actually the daily amount we need can easily be reached from eating almonds, beans and green vegetables as well as some tuna or salmon every week.

Right I'm off for a good walk then meeting my Sisters later and sometime soon i really DO have to start packing. I leave on the 19th for England.

[Chillgirl]

April AF Flock

SD - I really want to reply your earlier post about your fears and doubts about the move. That negative voice inside our head tries to sabotage all our hopes and dreams, its the voice of the ego, the same family as the voice of AL, trying to convince us we are weak.

sdlovespackers;1292745 wrote: I think the reason I go back and forth is that I'm just so scared to go...all the what if's play out in my mind...
what if the teachers don't like me,
kids don't like me,
they don't think I do a good job,
I can't handle living somewhere "by myself" with no family around...
I'm just scared...and of course the drinking scares me...and I only fail there if I let myself!
I'm scared my son is going to hate me or that I'm not making the right decision for him
even though he and I both know I've been SO unhappy at my job....
SD

If you really examine your fears you will see there is nothing to fear except fear itself.
1. Why would the Teachers not like you? Everything I know about you is likeable. And you know what, we cant be popular with everyone and it really doesnt matter.
2. The Kids will love you! You are amazing when it comes to kids, its what you're good at.
3. The amount of dedication you have shown in the job you do has been outstanding.
4. Your family has been a source of pressure on you and difficult to be around. Maybe some distant will help.
5. You have been through incredibly hard times and havent resorted to drinking.
6. Your Son loves you and if you are happy he will be too.
7. Dont keep doing something that makes you unhappy.

This job may not be the right one but dont give up. You have been through so much with work, your family and your ex that you deserve a new start. I know its hard to keep believing in ourselves on the down days but we are so much stronger than we think.

I have this note pinned up in my bathroom where i read it every day:-
"FEARS HAVE STOPPED ME BEFORE BUT THEY NEED NOT STOP ME NOW,
WHATS THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN? AND IF "THAT" HAPPENS, WHAT THEN?
IF I GIVE IN TO MY FEARS WHERE WILL THAT LEAVE ME? RIGHT WHERE I AM NOW,
AND IF THATS WHERE I WANT TO BE WHY DOES THE OTHER OPTION SEEM EXCITING AND MAKE ME FEEL ALIVE!

[BlondeAFAmbition]

April AF Flock

Hi Fabulous Flyers!

Wow, busy day on here yesterday!!! Quick check in with me as I'm off to work in a few minutes. Gotta make sure the shop is open promptly at 8AM for those first early morning shoppers!:H

Welcome to Bouv:welcome: Glad to have you here! We are a great supportive "flock" here...stay awhile and get comfy! Congrats on your AF days!

Sunni, cute pic of the little boy and doggie! Thanks for posting! Definitely an "awwww" moment!

I think a puppy shower for Lav's new addition is a fantastic idea? Liver cakes? Ummmm....sure! And they'll be GF!

What are everyone's plans for Easter? We are looking forward to a Sunday morning off together. Hopefully a walk on the beach with Coco before we head to dinner where my cousin is making a HAM and TURKEY! Talk about a feast!

Well, gotta run for work...love to all!:h

[Lavande]

April AF Flock

Good morning Flockers
Slept in a bit ~ on purpose!

My day will be consumed with Will's 1st BD party, returning the Corgi to his rightful owners, stuff like that :H
I haven't even made any plans for tomorrow so it's likely to be very low key & that's OK.

Rusty, 5 lbs of red potatoes & 1 lb green beans went into that salad & not a drop of mayo
Much healthier & easier to digest!!! I did a double take when SD mentioned your daughter!!! I thought WOW, Rusty has been holding out on us :H

SD, I agree with chill - take some deep breaths & keep your thinking positive. The universe has a plan for all of us

Blondie, hope your day goes by quickly at work! I spent most of my life working every other weekend, holidays included.

OK, time to get myself together, Have a great day one & all!
Lav

[sdlovespackers]

April AF Flock

:lChill:l Thank you for those very encouraging words, (as I am now sitting here sniffing and wiping tears)...:H I'm going to print that whole thing out right now and keep it with me. You have such such a gift with words...a very powerful way of lifting people's soul/spirit. I thank you from the bottom of my heart--:l And I think I too should pin that fear quote on my bathroom mirror...or to my forehead!! LOL!!

Blondie--your walk on the beach with hubs sounds fantastic!! Enjoy your Easter feast!!

Lav--Have fun today at your birthday party!! I'm sure the salad will be a BIG hit!! Sorry I got everyone all messed up with Rusty's fictitious daughter...opps!

Rustop--this is probably a very personal question....so please don't feel you have to answer if you don't want to....growing up did you like being an only child...and as an adult do you feel the same way? My reason for asking as most of you know, is I have only one son...but I grew up with 2 other sisters...I always worry about him not having siblings?? Probably a strange thing to worry about huh?

Well...hate to say it but I think it's time....to BUST OUT THE PAINT BRUSH!!!!! LOL!!!!
Enjoy your Saturday!!!
SD

[dill]

April AF Flock

HONK! HONK!

Home again, home again, Jiggety jig!
~Mother Goose

There’s the best I can muster for now, Rusty. I’m just so happy to be back home and am settling in. Our visit was wonderful, however and worth every bit of the discomforts of travel. You travel so much, I don’t know how you do it! I am rather a home body I’m afraid.

SD, Calm yourself! You can do anything! If you can go af after all the years of drinking and with a family that doesn’t see the value or lend much support, you can do anything! And remember, ‘ do not distress yourself with imaginings’. Just deal with the now and I trust you to make the right decisions. You’re a smart one, you are!

It is just one thing but its suppresses so much of what is possible for us

.
LBH, I am continually surprised by what life holds and by all that I was missing. Not necessarily on a grand scale, although that certainly can be true as well, but more on the small scale, the details and nuances of life that gives a richness, or maybe a texture, that I was blinded to. Not anything I can really describe necessarily, but the kind of you-know-it-when-you-see-it kind of thing. It’s kind of like seeing things in a new light, or like a veil lifting. So why, when it is so obvious the benefits of af outweigh the pain, do so many of us continue to struggle to maintain? I know, the short answer is addiction, behavioral and emotional, long after the physical is overcome. It does get easier over time though and the positives become a way of living that you begin to cling to and don’t want to let slip away, so I’ll just have to keep on keeping on!

I’m not trying to sound negative, and I hope I don’t. I’m just being reflective.

It's so hard jumping back in here after all my time away, I hope you'll all forgive me for not addressing everyone. This thread has been incredibly active and I have considered it a blessing. The few moments I could hop on the internet, I could read and feel the comfort and support this place always offers. Happy af Easter weekend to all!

Must go boil some eggs now. Tomorrow is Easter and there must be hard-boiled eggs!

[Chillgirl]

April AF Flock

dill;1293289 wrote:
LBH, I am continually surprised by what life holds and by all that I was missing. Not necessarily on a grand scale, although that certainly can be true as well, but more on the small scale, the details and nuances of life that gives a richness, or maybe a texture, that I was blinded to. Not anything I can really describe necessarily, but the kind of you-know-it-when-you-see-it kind of thing. It?s kind of like seeing things in a new light, or like a veil lifting. So why, when it is so obvious the benefits of af outweigh the pain, do so many of us continue to struggle to maintain? I know, the short answer is addiction, behavioral and emotional, long after the physical is overcome. It does get easier over time though and the positives become a way of living that you begin to cling to and don?t want to let slip away, so I?ll just have to keep on keeping on!

Oh Dill, you have put so perfectly exactly how I feel too and not negatively at all. It seems like for years I lived in the confines of a movie set like the Trueman Show with total tunnel vision and once I broke out I could observe the whole of my life and the world around me through eyes I had no concept of pre-sobriety.

[papmom3]

April AF Flock

Never fear goslings, Papmom is here and doing just great!

SD-I totally know what you are going through, believe me. I went through it last year multiple times. You will hear something this week I am sure of it. Checking references is the last thing and they were probably trying to get ahold of the 3rd person. Just don't make a snap decision if they do offer it to you. Get your questions answered that you couldn't ask in the interview and ask them for some time to think about it. You have some hesitance about it so you really need to make the decision with everything weighed out. :l

Chill-what does freedom feel like? I'm so happy for you! Can't wait to hear all about your new "home" in England. Between the Reiki and Nutrition course, the meditationa and yoga, I think you are well on your way to carving out a new career for yourself and a more populated area should be just the place to do that.

Dill-so glad you are back home and that you had such a fab time in NO.

Rusty-I can feel the happiness of being home for Easter with your loving family right through the internet! Have a great time tomorrow!

Lav-hope you're having a wonderful time at Will's first Bday party! The salads sounded really yummy!!

Blonde-hope the store wasn't too insane for you today! We both have tomorrow off from work-yippee!!!

It's been a busy week for me and today was just insane. Car is registered (yea!) but not inspected as they were closed when I went to get it done. No big deal-will hit them on Wednesday on my way to agility class.

Did a massive food shopping spree as I hadn't gone in quite awhile. Then it was Pappin' in Pink Project time after a hearty lunch:







(now why I didn't think to open the window to take this shot I can't figure out-but you get the jist)

Ater wrestling with the seat covers and steering wheel cover for 2 HOURS I brought out my neice's totebag to finally repair and finish (I hadn't secured one of the handles good enough so had to rip out the seam and try to do some invisible sewing the best I know how):
Notice the pig button-I put one on each side:





I'll give this to her tomorrow at our family get together at my bro's in Western Ma. I sure hope she likes it!!

I've been battling a little cold the past 2 days which is probably why I've been so fatigued the past week but fingers crossed it won't get any worse. Hoping for a very good nite's sleep so I'll be bright and cheery tomorrow as I'm driving my dad to the get together. My sis got a smaller SUV so no more Happy Bus! (all 7 of us were able to fit in the previous SUV)

Have a very Happy Easter for all those who celebrate, Happy Passover for those who celebrate that and just have a wonderful AF weekend for all the others.