af day Sun 13 Jan

[treetops]

Morning peeps (at least its morning here). Really 'pissing down' as us Kiwis say - ie,in refined Downtown Abbey parlance, its raining very heavily. Just off to get another coffee.....

back - nice and strong (had a brief stint in Italy a few years ago when I saw the light on the coffee beverage)

Yesterday started on my cleaning frenzy - that diverted more into spring cleaning and what can we recycle/toss out? Essential things like bathroom/kitchen still to do - but our house plants have been given a makeover - my daughter even caught the sorting out bug! We watched Pan Am on TV together last night - that was fun.

Young - someone else cane explain a TENS machine. I might get theatrical.

Hiya Shue - I guess I am new here since you took a break from the thread. Great that you have returned. I dread relapses - OK - Mick and others say don't worry, don't look back (Kuya and Lavande sort of growl at us about that) but no point in hiding that I do worry about relapsing - but its getting easier each day/week/month to not worry so much. My main worry is my physical health but I won't bore you with that....

How's it going SL and SF? I appreciated Mick's chanelling of the spawn of Jock - just about every second male in my father's and Gf's generation was nicknamed or called Jock (and the Irish ones were Paddy - oh dear!)

TDN - $10/hour? You kidding me?? Thats really dreadful. I guess you have to weigh in the other benefits - but still it sucks.

Rain eased, mist swirling in the hills - so very mysterious - enough waffle, must go.

[Mick]

af day Sun 13 Jan

out early so I thought I would put a couple of jokes on...have a great day everyone


Donkey In The Well
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well.

At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

NOW --------

Enough of that crap . . .

The donkey later came back and bit the shit out of the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected, and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.

MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON:
When you do something wrong and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.

There were two church-going women gossiping in front of the store when a dusty old cowboy rode up. He tied up in front of the saloon, walked around behind his horse, lifted its tail and kissed the horse full on its rectum.

Repulsed, one of the women asked, "That's disgusting, why did you do THAT?"

To which the cowboy replied, "I've got chapped lips."

Confused, the women continued, "Does that make them feel better?"

"No, but it stops me from licking them!"

A man goes skydiving. After a fantastic free fall he pulls the rip cord to open his parachute but nothing happens. He tries everything but can't get it open.

Just then another man flies by him, going UP. The skydiver yells, "Hey, you know anything about parachutes? The man replies, "No, you know anything about gas stoves?

A man was seen fleeing down the hall of the hospital just before his operation.

"What's the matter?" he was asked.

He said, "I heard the nurse say, 'It's a very simple operation, don't worry, I'm sure it will be all right."

"She was just trying to comfort you, what's so frightening about that?"

"She wasn't talking to me. She was talking to the doctor.

Judi stormed up to the front desk of the library and said, "I have a complaint!"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"I borrowed a book last week and it was horrible!"

"What was wrong with it?"

"It had way too many characters and there was no plot whatsoever!"

The librarian nodded and said, "Ah. So you must be the person who took our phone book."

Two cows were talking in the field.

One cow says, "Have you heard about the Mad Cow disease that's going around?"

The other cow answers, "Yeah, makes you glad you're a penguin, doesn't it?"

[TheSunFlower]

af day Sun 13 Jan

Hello!

TDN...I agree that $10 an hour sucks! However, my company sends us a report of all the benefits they pay for.....and I make much more than I think I do. Also, the job I am in now....the pay I started with sucked....I have been able to double my income in just the last year....just by getting in and proving myself. Sometimes you just have to do things that are beneath you to get ahead.

Cat....in AA they are always saying that you stop maturing at the age you started. I reckon I am about 22 as well. Just wish I looked like it vs. acting like it

Mick...thanks for the sermon. For me I still struggle with the issues that caused this whole damn thing to begin with. I need to understand them (not over analyze them)....so I can see the warning signs. Nope.....I will not go out and get the box of wine (not a case).....because I am afraid of what will happen if I bring it into the house and open it. Not sure it would make it to the drain. I am not attending the event.....rather I will call hubby after he leaves....and let him know it is there....and to leave it at his event.

Shue....glad to see you back. I understand on the corporate thing.....my company is huge....so it seems like it would be crazy for them manage where everyone visits....but, I avoid it. Better safe than sorry.

YAH....it only took me moving hundreds of miles away from my parents It is sad that when I do visit them....they are still living with the same negative attitudes I grew up with. Moving away was the best thing I did for myself and my family.

SL....I like your thinking! It really is a change in our thinking.

Thanks everyone....I feel like I am turning a corner.

[LillyE]

af day Sun 13 Jan

Hi all,

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome back! Thanks especially to KY and Mick for PM checking in on me and TDN and Turn for your lovely comments that made me smile I have been struggling big time but I am back and ready to kick some booze arse this year. I want to be FREE from this bullshit in 2013!! I have goals and dreams for this year, both personally and professionally that I need to be sober to achieve. So. Back in the game.

YahYah, I missed what the tenant drama was but big hugs.

Turn, it was great to read your post on GABA/anxiety.

TDN: Whoo too Senior lady! thanks for the Drunkard recommendation too. I will order. You know I am always on the lookout for new books on sobriety/recovery. I've read a few e books lately but nothing I liked enough to recommend. I think I've read enough of them now that it's mostly 'yeah, already know that'. Personal memoirs can really speak to me.

Shue, I PM'd you but great to see you back.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

Lots of love,

Lilly x

[Mick]

af day Sun 13 Jan

Mornin all..just waiting for me lift to turn up on this seriously cold morning so thought I would jump on...Lills, great to see you...stick with us you WILL do it this year.:l just had some porrige, gonna need it today.....anyway have a great day.will try and jump in later ,but sometimes phone signal is poor


TDN.............Forgot to say congratulations to you Senior Member...well done you

Lills the thread is a down under thingy...where you are 3 million light years ahead of us every day.......

SL...Your quote.......Well dear friends – off to the party tonight - today my mantra changed from “I’m not going to drink” to “I don’t want to drink” – I was out walking (more about that in a min) and that thought popped into my head, and I stopped sharp – I have no idea where it came from, but there it was – and it was wonderful! Could this truly be happening?? I am so ready for this, and so hope that it is here to stay…..

Well McSpawn....you are well on the road with that statement............change that second hope to know and the jobs a good un...well done you

[RunningCourage]

af day Sun 13 Jan

Just popping in to say :hiya: affers. Always reading your thread. Serial affer-lurker is me.

Mick have a good day - is it a day of work or a day of bimbling? I'm off out early for a full day of bimbling in the hills.

Lilly - good to see you back. You too Shue!

SF - Mick's sermon was good winnit? And I agree with what you abotu SL's change of thinking... SL - thought about that last night, "I don't want a drink" vs "I can't have a drink"... and a thought I want to cultivate more. *like*

Right orf to get ready for my hobble about the hills.

[kuya]

af day Sun 13 Jan

Evening all

Great day here with family and friends. Eaten too much. Having a reeeellllaaxxiiinnnggg summer.
Right, time for my evening dip ..... Hmmmm togs or no togs? :H:H
(Mick are you safely home? )

[kuya]

af day Sun 13 Jan

Mick, just read back......the jokes get better with time, or are my standards falling? :H

[Mick]

af day Sun 13 Jan

Ky on rhe way into Lincolnshire now....weather closing in

[kuya]

af day Sun 13 Jan

Mick;1443109 wrote: Ky on rhe way into Lincolnshire now....weather closing in

Togs off it is then ! :H:H

[kuya]

af day Sun 13 Jan

TT ..... Just caught your note about relapse. I hate this word more than the word alcoholic. At least alcoholic describes a condition of being, arrived at over time, unwittingly often.
WTF is relapse?
It's not a disease that sober people catch, they don't wake up one day with a case of relapse.
Call it what it is, a DECISION to ingest alcohol again resulting in a RETURN to an alcoholic state.
You have no need to fear relapsing, you need to fear forgetting.

[Lavande]

af day Sun 13 Jan

Good Sunday morning Abbers!

Zero sunshine here today, just fog but it's going to be warm enough for me to wash the road salt off my car - yay!

Mick, my dogs think I'm crazy....sitting here & LOL over your jokes this morning :H
Hope you are safe out there today!

Glad to hear your thinking is changing SL
It adds a thick layer of protection for our continued sobriety.

Nice to see Lilly & Shue back

Kuya, I am with you 100%......drinking is always a decision, it doesn't happen by accident!
I wake up everday thankful for my clear head & lungs & pledge another AF-SF day for myself

Wishing everyone a great aF Sunday!
Lav

[porqoui]

af day Sun 13 Jan

Good Morning All....thanks for the kickoff TT.

Things are starting to get sorted around here but still waiting to hear when the lawyer wants us back to discuss "next steps".

My sister's son attempted suicide and no-one saw that coming. He's getting the help he needs now and the emotional upheaval has settled.

Big City project (Community Garden) I was working on blew up in my face yesterday. I think it's a matter of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing. My boss is a little hot under the collar (according to the emails he fired off to the city) so work could be interesting tomorrow.

My apologies for not replying personally to you all but once I get back into the swing of things I'll be able to keep up. My overall impression is that everyone is hanging in and welcome back Shue & Lilly.

Just want to say through all of this the thought of drinking never crossed my mind. I did ask myself why I'm not falling apart over all of this and I think the answer is because I'm AF and can deal with things on an even keel now.

Have a great AF Sunday all and all to come. Will check in again after my AA meeting.....PPQP

[shueaddict]

af day Sun 13 Jan

kuya;1443131 wrote: TT ..... you need to fear forgetting.

How right you are, KY ... To some extent this has been my undoing, actively choosing to forget just how bad things were ... More on that later, when I have access to a proper 'puter.

For now I'll say hi to everyone from the mounntain top - there is NOTHING like getting up at the crack of dawn to see the sun rising over the mountains, rendering the ski runs pink ... I am on a nature high and I am feeling quite fit after 2 months of working out like a fiend.

I'll let that feeling carry me through the week.

Wish you all a peaceful Sunday

[shueaddict]

af day Sun 13 Jan

PQ ... X post.

That is tragic ... Big hugs to you and kudos for feeling strong. How old is he?