Simply Sober October - Week 2

[Stargazerlily]

Lovely chilly morning, we are officially in frostville...

LBH, so great to hear from you, your vacation sounded fun. Lord BH story into financial stability took time and effort, but he did it. It can be done.

Lav, boys are just rowdy, my son hurt himself on a regular basis with his impulsivity and physical overactivity, never a dull moment!!

Pap, lovely to hear your quilt was so well received, you are an artist. How great to have an extra day off, another advantage working for higher learning.

Work today, some errands, exercise this morning and meditation. Have a great day.

[Lavande]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Hey Star!
I didn't even think about week two starting already :H :H

Glad someone is on the ball around here
Have a great day!

[Lavande]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Where is everyone?

Here's a nice website for allergy free eating
Allergy-Free Recipe Index

[ladybirdheart]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

It is curiously quiet but I am here Lav and glad about it. Had a rather socially complex day, odd interactions, edginess in the air, I finally gave up and raked pine needles, out by myself where I usually belong best. Lord Bird Heart is away and I just came in from taking the dogs on their walk and being caught by darkness, winter is knocking and won't give up. Enjoy the simple peace of an AF night. Love, Ladybird.

[papmom3]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Thanks for the kind words star-greatly appreciated.
LBH-loved your description of your trip. I felt like I was right there with you!
Also thank you for lord bird hearts story-you may be right that is easier to start from the beginning but it does give me hope that I can claw my way out of this mess.
Lav-great website with great links.had a lot if fun exploring.
Also had a great time today. Got a last minute invite to a friends house on a pond.quiet, serene, beautiful. 2 good friends from work, girl talk and crocheting.doesn't get any better than that. Also got introduced to a new food: ground cherries.they are in the tomato group but are very sweet. New fav food!

[dill]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
~Robert Frost, "Nothing Gold Can Stay", 1923

Hello SSO's, I'm here but just quiet. It's been unusually hectic in my virtual world so time online has been reduced. LBH, I'm so glad you're returned to us safely. I thought as I read your post that I might like to explore Seattle for myself! I've never been.
Lav, how goes the battle of the stink bug? We have had stink bugs here ever since I can remember but they don't look like the ones you have. They are all charcoal gray to black. Haven't been infested by them ever.
Papmom that sounds absolutely serene. It simply couldn't get any better. I thought about that scenario and adding a glass of wine and realized that for me, the wine would ruin the whole evening. It would blunt the senses and muddle the mind.
Star, the frost is on the pumpkin! I love this crisp weather. I did in fact buy a pumpkin this weekend. It was a small pie pumpkin though and the frost is not on it. I baked it in the oven last night and scooped out the meat. Pumpkin pie will not be far behind!

[Stargazerlily]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Good morningggggg.....

Lots of hot coffee and trying to wake up!! No stink bugs on the horizon.

Looks like it is going to be a warmer sunny day, so a walk is in order.

Dill, lovely poem, kind of reminds me of this book I am reading, recommended I think by Lav, by Pema Chodron, "When things fall apart." Just that we cannot hold onto anything, and that is the source of suffering...everything will always change. Kind of struggling with that myself, getting older, kids on their own (a good thing), winter coming...

Pap, what a lovely day, good friends, food, and crocheting! Now, you have a short week, so enjoy.

LBH, great to have you back. Curious about those social interactions you mentioned.

To all, have a great day

[Lavande]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Good morning kids

50 degrees with a light rain this morning & not a stink bug in sight - at the moment :H

Thanks for the poem Dill, I have not seen that one before. Star it does remind of 'When Things Fall Apart", good book

Papmom, the best things in the world are the free things.....spending time with pleasant & supportive friends really rocks!

LBH, I hope your pine needle raking was therapeutic for you
One of my biggest fears is being alone too much because I am a social person. BUT a little quality alone time helps me to reset & recenter myself.

OK, I have work things to do this morning & a service call with the phone company scheduled for this afternoon to figured out why one of my lines isn't working.

Wishing everyone a terrific AF Tuesday!
Lav

[ladybirdheart]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Thank you for the references to impermanence, change. I don't know if it is due to my very early history of big losses or to just being a big baby, but it seems to be taking me an unusually long time to let things simply run their natural course with acceptance and peace in the process. My garden has taught me that trying to hold on to splendor is absurd, rather like trying to hold on to a drop of mercury, it is impossible and could even be poisonous. It seems we are all going to be rather smart in the end, barring dementia, and who knows, if we prepare ourselves now to live in the moment peacefully, we may be able to manage even having no memory with less stress and strain. Love, Ladybird.

[Lavande]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Having no memory with less stress & strain sounds an awful lot like Alzheimers LBH :H
It would be kind of fun & interesting to meet 'new' people each & every day

I have piled on extra layers of clothing to ward off some of this damp chill that's been hanging around the past few days. My hands are almost ready for gloves. Can't believe I had the AC on last week.

I have one of those looong days tomorrow with the grandsons - oh boy.
Better get myself some extra sleep tonight!

[papmom3]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

ahhh Dill, luckily for me my "stitch and Bitch" was an afternoon get together and neither one of the other 2 lady's drink anyway so i was in great company!! I have a hard enough time remembering what row I am on sober-I can't imagine doing this craft whilst drinking! :H
I actually finished my little infant hat last nite and brought it to quilting tonite to give to one of my classmates who volunteers in the neo natal unit as a "holder"-not sure that is the right term. Lav? Anyway, she was very pleased to get the hat and we are hoping it is along the guidelines of what they accept. She'll find out tomorrow and will bring me the actual guidelines next week. She is normally a very sarcastic teasing type person and I really expected her to give me a hard time or find something wrong with the cap. She totally surprised me!!

Yes Star-short week but I do have to work all weekend for the pet food company but I am grateful to have had yesterday to spend that wonderful afternoon with my friends. Not totally free Lav as we got Subway subs for lunch but our hostess made a wonderful salad to go with so it wasn't too bad.

Totally screwed up my baby quilt tonite and had to rip all the panels out. Will try again next week. Rookie mistake of not double checking the pattern before sewing. grrrr.

LBH-we will be fine now that AL is out of our lives. We've already cut our stress in half right? I do want my memory to the end however. No dementia for me-I don't want to go the way of my mom.

did anyone else get a PM from someone named Dilip? thinking Troll. Asked me to go into chat right that moment. Deleted it without replying.

[Lavande]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Papmom,
Dilip has been a member for 5 years & has only posted 26 times
Maybe he likes your doggies :H
That's kind of creepy when people just pop out like that.......but if someone needs to talk they would get a better response by just hopping on Chat & waiting a minute until someone is available - don't you think?

I pretty much gave up sewing papmom - my dyslexia got the best of me after I whacked my head :H
I miss it & always wanted to be able to sew for the grandkids but I guess it's not to be.

[papmom3]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Lav-maybe you could start with something really simple and see how it goes? A pillow case maybe? Can't really screw that up no matter how hard you try!!

[rustop59]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Hi everyone

Think we have solved our broadband issue, needed a new dish. On iPad so excuse typing. Have a lot of catching up to do.

All busy as usual, my daughter was 20 at weekend so we were out to dinner and she had friends over for sleepover, relieving her teens! I was chauffeuring as usual.

Off to walk the dogs, catch you all later.

Rustop

[Stargazerlily]

Simply Sober October - Week 2

Good morning to all...

Up early today, rainy day, kind of cozy but hard to tell as it is still dark out.

Pap and Lav, I went through my sewing period, it was fun. Made Halloween costumes, stuff that had leeway, no gifts for sure. Then, my sewing machine broke and I was done. Then, I started school again, so was busy with that as my creative outlet.

Pap, have to agree that being AF cuts life problems in half. I have been going to Just Starting Out from time ot time, to remind myself of the hell of the past. Don't want to go there again, it is just too hard. Your afternoon out, AF, was as it should be. When I go to a social activity, even if booze is offered, so many people just get tea or soda or water. I was thinking that only another problem drinker would comment or encourage someone to drink....a sarcastic response I was thinking up was, "Why do you care if I drink, do you have a problem with alcohol? I have to drive." That sounds rude, but so what? If someone makes a comment about alcohol intake, in my opinion, they have to be ready for a response in kind.

I was just thinking about this as I read a thread about a person who relapsed after going to a party in early efforts, a poor choice as it is hard enough staying home. It is so important to be protective of your sobriety, rehearse responses, make a plan, have a list of things to fill your time. Being AF in the beginning is WORK, and needs to be treated with respect and lots of planning. After a time, it becomes a way of life...although caution and planning continue.

Thinking about my upcoming trip, that will be AF. No matter where you go, there is booze. Family, resorts...it is so cool to be able to say, "No thanks, I don't drink, I'll have a water with lemon, tea, diet coke, cranberry and seltzer...to be prepared and know that you will wake up feeling healthy, conducted yourself with dignity the night before, no regrets. The rewards of AF are endless.

Today before work I will have time for meditation, strength training and yoga. Hello to all, and miss you Chill, Rusty, SD, hope to hear from you soon.