af day Mon 12 Nov

[Catbuddy]

af day Mon 12 Nov

Morning, afternoon and evening all,

PPQ, congratulations! and YAH, belated congratulations! You are lighting the way for me.

I'm going to be celebrating my first sober holidays since my teens as well. I like the idea of less *stuff* and more *experiences.* Last night, I played a new Wii game with my son that he just bought with his birthday money. At one point, he laid his head against my shoulder and said, "mom, I'm really liking today." I am so grateful I stopped drinking before he understood what was robbing him of me, and why I am now back. I'll save that for when he is older. For now, settling into being the mom I always wanted to be.

Damn, you guys make me grateful for my weather. Cold but clear here.

Three cups of Joe into my morning, still comfy in bed.


Cat

[YoungAtHeart]

af day Mon 12 Nov

Yes, you all congratulated me, so no worries on that score. I just haven't had time to go to a chip meeting until yesterday.

Cat, what a touching story about your son. It is good that you will not miss out any further on enjoying him while you can.

My sister's former boyfriend is now in rehab for drinking. I am so glad. I don't know if their relationship has any possibilities at this point, but it certainly won't if he continues drinking. Unfortunately, he was at his most personable when he was drinking.

That's all for now. :l

[Mick]

af day Mon 12 Nov

YAH...I was the same in drink...always pleasant...least that what it sounded like...might have been a peasant!!! :H:H

[scottish lass]

af day Mon 12 Nov

P and YAH - thanks for showing me that it can be done and done well! Many congratulations!!
HEY - enough of the Christmas stuff - I am SO not ready to even think about it yet. However, I am hoping that it will be my second sober Christmas, but one that I can keep on going - last year I was so proud of my AF Christmas and NY, that that thingy 'pride comes before a fall' hit me hard - and in January drank the wonderful bottle of wine that I recieved ( a really, really good one that I couldn't bear to part with) and kept on until now - so be warned!!!
Mick, Mum and Dad live in a little village just near Duffield (near Belper) - just off the A52, close to Matlock etc. My Brother lives in Leicester - and speaks as you wrote :H. Hmmm, clue about Sundays - do you have a double life as a travelling minister?? You are going to the little towns to do the Sunday stuff before heading back to your other life as joke master??
Monday off to spend with girls (no school today) - they are in bed still and I am waiting for the chappie to mend my heating so we can be warm again. Shopping went well, happy 14 year old and happy mother - could it be because I was not hungover - is that the secret to good shopping trips I rewarded myself with a latte instead of the wine.
Molly - you are right, this is a great group of enthusiastic abbers who are racking up the days, weeks and months - and the attitudes here are really helping me to see that this can be a good thing, not a depravation! This thread might be my lifeline to a better word...
OK - need another cuppa, see you all later - have a great Monday..
PS, thanks for the jokes Mick, love smiling in the morning......:l

[treetops]

af day Mon 12 Nov

This will be my second sober Christmas in many years (except when I was pregnant). I am keeping it small and low-key - just my partner and daughter - (unless any strays turn up!) - we will not focus too much on the food/drinks/presents and hopefully because its NZ we can have a picnic outside. I have found some exotic festive Middle eastern type desserts (that are AF) and hope to give them a whirl.
We don't have the extended holidays celebration you have in North America here in NZ and Australia but Xmas/New Year coincides with summer holidays - so can be a disaster for those who can't drink booze. But i figure addicts will find any justification to feed their needs.

[Mick]

af day Mon 12 Nov

Treetops .Chrimbo will be the same for me that way ...dont fink I ll be pregnant:H:H:H:H!!

[kuya]

af day Mon 12 Nov

treetops;1410000 wrote: This will be my second sober Christmas in many years (except when I was pregnant). I am keeping it small and low-key - just my partner and daughter - (unless any strays turn up!) - we will not focus too much on the food/drinks/presents and hopefully because its NZ we can have a picnic outside. I have found some exotic festive Middle eastern type desserts (that are AF) and hope to give them a whirl.
We don't have the extended holidays celebration you have in North America here in NZ and Australia but Xmas/New Year coincides with summer holidays - so can be a disaster for those who can't drink booze. But i figure addicts will find any justification to feed their needs.

Just copped on you are a Kiwi! Der!
Where abouts are you?

I think it is easier doing Xmas in good weather cos we can get out and about more. Also treetops there is a strong move in NZ to curb alcohol excess.

I was saying here a couple of weeks ago how my 23 year old son was saying how he and all his friends have stopped drink driving and frown on it in others ........... And he was actually laughing at his new sense of responsibility.

SL ....... I am amazed at how peaceful my relationships are with my children now. They haven't changed I HAVE. That shopping was not the challenge you feared because YOU weren't in post and pre alcohol anxiety. And well done, you, on the time you are racking up.........I have read your struggle and commend you for sticking at the task.........it is brave :h

[CanToo]

af day Mon 12 Nov

PPPQ - :yay::wd::yougo: You Rock:cheering:
I'm so happy you're able to :stomper: out those bad days.


At work today, our company takes an extra day off around x-mas. It used to be that our American customers were up and running on this day. I've been here for 16 years, things seem to have changed.

I guess I don't have much more to say today.

Have a great day everyone.



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[nurdl]

af day Mon 12 Nov

Starfish! I'm feeling lonely in the nest. Come visit please.
~n

[treetops]

af day Mon 12 Nov

Gidday Kuya - Glad to see another Kiwi here.
I prefer to keep my whereabouts a mystery - New Zealand is a small place as you know.

[TheSunFlower]

af day Mon 12 Nov

Thanks for all the support.

I am good. Happy. Still sober.

[LillyE]

af day Mon 12 Nov

YAY YAH YAH!!!!!!!!! :goodjob: :wave:

And PQ, I commented on your thread but I'll say it again here - SO VERY AWESOME!!!!!!!

Congrats on three months! That is so awesome! We will have a bunch of six month parties around here in no time. I was just reading last night that it's around the 5 month mark some key brain chemistry stuff starts resetting.

Kuya, that is interesting what you say about a move in NZ to curb excessive drinking? Really? That's good. I certainly don't feel that here in Australia! Do you mean there've been big campaigns? Or a sense of a shifting social sentiment? Or what?

I am here. Not drinking. Just still trying to shore up my motivation properly again. Kaslo very kindly sent me some ideas to help work through urges, which helped very much last night when the witching hour hit, so thanks again Kas if you're reading along. I may have to repeat tonight I think. I feel those urges sliding in but will resist.

Ironically one of my usual editors has just assigned me four stories about wine - great. So a minute ago I was on hold to a major wine seller while browsing MWO. I don't think I need to refuse to write the pieces - I don't think they will be a major trigger and I don't need to drink any wine to write them - it's just a bit weird.

Has anyone tooled around at all in the 'sobersphere'? I stumbled on this link:
Blogs Written by People in Recovery

And thus discovered there's a whole world of interesting blogs out there about recovery. Despite being a writer by trade I've never blogged or been into the idea - I guess I don't usually feel like writing for free at the end of the day. But this did get me thinking it could be a cathartic way to record one's progress and it's interesting to read about other people's experiences.

Yeah, let's not talk to much about Christmas yet. I'm in denial. :H

Economolly - heh, I like it Molly. I'm going to be grinch this year. Going away with one friend to the beach and not planning to do/buy much else. Christmas kind of makes me want to stick my head down a well.

Hope everyone's well & happy. :l