af day Tues 11 Dec

[treetops]

Hi there my friends

Good morning - drizzly weather here - yuk. I have a very busy day as I am off to India tomorrow. Yesterday - spent some great time with my daughter - nothing special - just doing our own separate ' things' together at home. I also stopped the traffic on a busy road to let a duck and her tiny ducklings cross the road. They were very determined to get from the sea to an inlet across the highway.

Mick - all the best with your gum op - that sounds ultra painful - so take special care and rest-up.
SL - how's it all going?
Porquoi - loved the cartoon.
Quest - welcome. I am a newbie on this thread but really like it - the honesty and the daily ritual of trying to check in. There is not any bullshit and people don't slam each other down. Kuya really says it with lots of guts!
Catbuddy - you sorted out the stuff with the probation officer?
CanToo - keeping warm I hope.
And hello to all the others!!!!!

Have a great AF Tuesday when you join this - am not sure when I next will be posting or what time zone I will be in. India is a great place for being AF - of course there is booze there - but its no big deal if you don't drink, there are some yummy AF drinks and in fact in many places AL is a no-no. But I will miss my family heaps altho I am back home for Christmas.

[kuya]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Wow TT, lucky you! I would love a trip to India right now, or somewhere right out of my norm.
I am bored methinks and would revel in the exposure to a mass of humanity doing life differently.

Any room in your suitcase

Other than that desire, today was fine. I am feeling tired cos of poor eating, gosh it really hits me when my diet is poor. I could always mask it with booze before but am having to learn to be more mindful.

On the last run to Xmas and will start shopping and decorating the house tomorrow.

Everyone seems a bit low but I think these phases are just PAWS. The mood swings and energy swings are part of the biochemical readjustments our bodies have to make because we have messed so badly with this complex machine.

I write about it so often but it bears repeating because we human beings are so impatient, me included. I drank heavily daily for 23 years, some people have only ten years abuse, some five. Say at the lower end of five years, that is 1825 days of putting the wrong fuel in the tank. For me it is 8495 days, 7000 days if I allow for some work nights and 'fake' quits.

How ridiculous of any of us to think that the machine can repair in 30, 60, 100, or even 150 days? !
We have damaged enzyme manufacturing pathways, digestive pathways, brain connections and this amazing body has reset everything to accommodate our food of choice .... Alcohol or sugar.

Patience, my friends, what was done can be undone...... It just takes a little more time than we would like.

What is truly amazing is how quickly something like near normality does return. It is truly an incredible machine, not infallible, but incredible.

[CanToo]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Hmm have spent 4 days eating crap and now I'm tired and lazy. I'm becoming more aware of how my body responds to what I've put in it. It seems sensitive to foods, where I never noticed anything before.

Now, what's with all the gas? Is it age, the food or lack of AL?

CT

[kuya]

af day Tues 11 Dec

CanToo;1425135 wrote: Hmm have spent 4 days eating crap and now I'm tired and lazy. I'm becoming more aware of how my body responds to what I've put in it. It seems sensitive to foods, where I never noticed anything before.

Now, what's with all the gas? Is it age, the food or lack of AL?

CT

Errrmmmm did you read my post oh batty one ? :H:H

[Determinator]

af day Tues 11 Dec

well, it's not Tue yet but I'm still up... ditto all Kuya said.
CanToo, you are a star athlete here and owe it to yourself to be eating better.
as do we all....
and with that.... I return to my crappy hotel bed.....

xxxxxxx

[Catbuddy]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Hey Det, you hang tough in the tempting wine country! MWO is great company on the road; I posted here ALOT on my business trip.

I met a strict vegetarian last night at the party. Now what would a Paleo Diet Dude have to say to him? Pick up yer damn knife? Lav mentioned a book, Forks not Knives. I'm going on a journey to catch up on the latest thinking.

Whole wheat spaghetti with fresh vegetable sauce tonight, side caesar salad. Yum, but not Paleo.

Cat

[ThreeDogNight]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Good morning, TT, KY, CanToo and Det--and all to come.

Great post KY. Reminder that after years of abusing our bodies, we want to be "cured" as soon as we stop drinking. I actually feel grateful to feel as good as I do, even though I have the slight headache and don't sleep as well or as long as I'd like. I think the supplements/vitamins help, and the Amoryn works for mood elevation. I'd never feel this good without it.

I have to go to the court in the neighboring state and not only get my documents that I have completed everything, I have to appear before a judge and get my probation removed "early." When the jackass PO had me come on August 1, again due to her on incompetence, she asked the judge to extend the probation for six months, so I could do my alcohol classes and counseling. I had no idea that meant I'd have to stay on probation even after fulfilling all the requirements. I would have asked for 3 months. And--this could have been taken care of over a month ago had she simply looked at my documents sent October 13. She didn't even look at them, I guess, called the place in NH responsible for my records and said I hadn't completed the counseling. It took several phone calls back and forth to get this straightened out. I am going to email my sister, an attorney, to see if I should get her attorney friend who handled my case on the first DUI. He knows everyone at that court, but having to pay him again. . . And it looks like my "extra" insurance could be $1700 for the year (and have to have it for three years), which is more than what we pay for the regular insurace for two vehicles no. License reinstatement fees for two states: $600. Court fees, over $2500. Not to mention rehab. Very expensive way to learn a lesson. But I am AF and not having any desire to drink.

CanToo, hope the eating well helps your mood. So many of us feel blue at this time of year. Nurdl, too. And SF--the anxiety is crippling. Booze only makes it all so much worse.

Mick--good luck with that gum surgery:l OUCH!!

LillyE--if you are lurking, I miss you here. You helped bring me back once, and I so want to see a post from you, no matter what is happening:l

Working--or volunteering--again today. Stayed until 6:00 last night, but won't do that today. Leaves almost no time to do anything but eat dinner and go to bed:H

Have a great AF day, everybody.

TDN

[ThreeDogNight]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Daisy--how are you doing? Been thinking about you.

[Mick]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Still here just got out dentist.......ouch...and thats it still numb!!! Still on mobile..trying to get puter fixed..its a pain
TT..njoy India...I luvd it....Delhi...Taj mahal Ranthambore Jaipur Mumbai Amber fort etc...next time Igo back we are going to Keralla
Big hugs to you all..big hi to Questy lets make her welcome
Have a great af day

[Quest for the key]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Afternoon all - just on me lunch break - Mick, hope yer gob gets better soon

Big *waves* to everyone !!!

[caysea]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Hi All

Kaya great post!!! We all want to be back to feeling the way we did before the al took over but as Kaya points out it may have been years of abuse. The aspect of PAWS she brought up should be read by all. As you get more time in recovery it can help you understand why and at what time periods to possible expect problems. Enjoy each new day without al, by doing that you are doing something great for yourself. Not having a drink is the most important thing we can do each day.

Stay Healthy and Keep Fighting
AF. 5-16-08

[Lavande]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Good morning Abbers,

Looking forward to the return of some sunshine today after days of rain

Mick, hope you heal quickly friend!

CanToo, the book Forks Over Knives (and the documentary) really convinced me once & for all that we truly are what we eat
I feel much, much better than I have in YEARS!!! Since I have cleaned up my die &, eliminated the biggest offenders I feel like a brand new person. I have lost weight pretty easily, my B/P is way down & I'm in the process of getting off the meds - which is great! I have no more unhappy digestive issues, yay!

TDN, I wish your legal problems disappear quickly! Please remain calm & know that we are all here offering virtual hugs :l

Gotta run, meeting friends for lunch, work this morning!
Lav

[porqoui]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Good Morning All...

Quick post to stay accountable.

Feeling down in the dumps this morning...but this shall pass.

Have a great AF Tuesday all and all to come....PPQ

[YoungAtHeart]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Hiya all! Sorry to MIA for the last several days, but my daughter has been here, and she pretty much took over the computer. I just read up on the last several days, finally.

Sunflower, so sorry to hear about your slip, yet, sometimes we have them, and wisely, you did not fall back into the pit but climbed back on the wagon. It is rough, and I hope you are feeling a little better now.

Mick, ouch! on your gum surgery. Are you getting implants, or did you need to have your gums shored up? I hope you are feeling better each day.

Caysea, it has been nice to see you pop in and hear about your success. It is very motivating. Katie dropped in to subscribers not long ago, and it was wonderful to hear from her too.

TDN, boy, we are going to have to give you a medal for patience! Your PO sounds like a real doofus. I feel your pain about the car insurance. It is so expensive anyway, and to get whapped with those higher rates! You are doing a terrific job of keeping your head up, though, and I applaud you for that!

nurdl, I sometimes feel angry/sad about the fact that I cannot drink. I see other normal drinkers and wish I was them. Given that we are alkies in recovery ( Mick), the best thing we can do is get involved in things that mean something to us and just keep on keeping on. I know that drinking kept me from doing things that I enjoyed and that I have more energy for them now, but it is sometimes still hard.

Same for you SL--I hope your heater problems are getting resolved, as well.

I'm thinking of you, Cat, and I hope that things work out with your job. Hang in there, girl!

Hi Quest! Good to see you on here.

Treetops, when are you going to tell me what kind of birds are in your avatar? :H I love birds in the parrot/parakeet family, and I wish I had one, however, I know my cats would view them in an entirely different way than I do.

Lav, you sound pretty good and steady.

I just passed 4 months sober on the 5th. My daughter was up for the weekend, and we had a grand time. We made soap, bath salts, and body cream on Sunday, and she came out dancing with me with my ballroom club on Saturday. She is a terrific dancer and really livened up the room. She definitely made a couple of older men very happy by dancing with them. I am so proud of her.

Now I have to get back on track with all the things I have to get done. Ugh!

Well, anyway, time to run and start doing those things. Hugs to anyone I missed by name. :l

Hugs to all,
:l
YahYah

Cross-posted PPQ. What if I send a couple of the P's you have sent to me back to you? I'm good today, and you have been very generous with your P's. Feel better kiddo!

[scottish lass]

af day Tues 11 Dec

Just saying hello - tried to stay busy yesterday and did not check in, today not so busy and lots of thoughts creeping in - got a gift of three bottles of wine yesterday, my face must have given it away as one of the givers said "oh do you not drink wine" - immediate response was "of course I do - how could I not?" - and that comment has kept me awake all night.
I love SF's comment the other day about shutting the door, I am seriously considering therapy - for myself and the girls, we have got so much to work thru and i think it is holding me back. The british stiff upper lip thing, and hearing my mother say "therapy???? - thats the last thing you need!!" has meant that I have never gone this route ....
I am struggling to do this myself, I have tried really hard for well over a year, almost 2 years now and have succeeded to some level, know and understand the benefits, but the last step is alluding me.
Thanks for all the thoughts and wishes.....I know what I want and I will get there - 2013 will be my year one way or another!
PS - heating still not working, contractor back tomorrow.....hoping, hoping - as my youngest said, lets just hope we are warm for Christmas.

sorry for such a downer message - see that a few of us are in the dumps just now - BIG :l:l's to us all