January Generosity Week 4

[papmom3]

January Generosity Week 4

Hello from the frozen Northeast!!

So sorry I've been MIA but it's been a crazy week. Up an hour earlier but not home an hour earlier. It was a short week-holiday on Monday, Boss at a retreat all day Friday. I don't have all the tools I need to do my job but hopefully that will change this week. Everyone is very nice and I've realized that the building I'm in is very condusive to a couple of walking laps around. Will wear my Fitbit tomorrow to see just how close to 10K steps I can get.
It will take a while to get used to the new routine and I'm already seeing that this job will be an evolutionary one. Already my job description is changing!! A huge plus is that EVERYONE I've met so far has gushed over how nice my boss is and how much I'll love working there. Sure never heard that at my old job-esp. about my ex boss!!
To end the week I had to take my old kitty to the ER on Friday nite due to acute constipation. He was crying and very uncomfortable so at 11pm in the snow storm I headed out. He ended up pooping without the need of an enema which is great but it was an expensive litter box rental!! :H. He seems fine now although I'm watching his box very closely and have started some Miralax to help him along. I got home at 1:30 and finally to bed at 3. Up at 6 for my demo in W. MA yesterday a very hurting papmom. Stayed for my nephew's hockey practice and prayed all the way home that I wouldn't fal asleep at the wheel. In bed by 7pm for 9.5 hours sleep. Much better today!!

Kas-LOVE LOVE LOVE Nelson!! Don't think I'll ever get back there tho. My Aunt has her cabin on the market and will never return to BC. She's in an assisted living facility now in S. Carolina and has suffered a second mini stroke. :upset: My dad is going down there on the 20th to spend a few weeks helping everyone get affairs in order. My Aunt is recovering so that is good.

Lav-I was wondering when you would visit Longwood again!! Thanks for the pics!!

TDN-please hang in there with that danged device. It will get better!!

TT-I started out in the Newbies' Nest, migrated over to the Daily Abs thread when I had a month under my belt and somehow was also referred to this thread. For 2+ years I posted on both. Sometime this past summer I fell into a deep depression and didn't post anywhere for a long time. When I felt strong enought to come back into the light, I found that the drama of the daily thread was too much and so I stuck to just posting here. I described this thread as falling into a big soft pillow. Just what I needed. We love newcomers but we definitely don't have the drama. We respect each other immensely and are here to support and encourage. Welcome.

Rusty-safe trip! Do you ever watch that new show-Nashville? Interesting but not one of my favs.

LBH, Star, Dill, Sooty, Rustop-thanks for your shoutouts. I'll try to post more this week.
Better hit the hay as it's up at 5 tomorrow. ugh.

[ThreeDogNight]

January Generosity Week 4

Good evening, all!

Too tired to write much, but wanted to say how much I loved those pics, Lav!! Those flowers are gorgeous!!! I hope I can see Longwood one day. Must be so uplifting to be there among the beauty of the flowers and plants in cold old January Thanks for sharing them.

Pap3, so glad you posted. Saw the post about the kitty on FB and I'm happy that he's okay. But I can't even imagine how you got up after almost no sleep and did the demo! Wow. At least you got some much needed sleep last night. I know you'll love that new job. Sounds like the boss is just what the last one was not:H

Heading off to bed soon, so will see you tomorrow!

TDN

[dill]

January Generosity Week 4

Hi All,
So happy to hear that you're new job is going so well, Pmom! I'm also glad to hear your kitty is OK.

Lav, thanks for the pics. They really brought a moment of joy to me as I imagined such a place really exists while I am sitting here surrounded by snow and ice.

Kaslo, that tea sounds wonderful! I'll look for it. I have recently begun drinking more tea. I generally drink coffee, but I find that it's often hard to get a good cup of coffee anywhere else but at home. Especially out here in rural Ohio. It's 20 mi to the nearest starbucks for instance. I had been enjoying McD's coffee but they must have changed their supplier because the coffee just isn't as good anymore. It's so easy to pack a teabag for a mid morning or afternoon break.

Rusty, thanks for the quote! I have been dropping the ball lately on looking for good quotes. I like the reminder not to judge. It's so easy to slip into that mode. Oh, and I love your signature. "AF4ME4EVR"

Star, the greenhouse is a very simple affair about 10x20 wood frame covered in a special corrugated plastic made for the purpose. I was out there Saturday helping and it was 84 degrees in there. We have a couple of lawn chairs we put in there during the winter. Mr. D spends a lot of time out there, me not so much. Yesterday he went out there to plant some very early seeds but I stayed inside baking biscotti. I have more indoor projects to keep me occupied than he does. I'm glad he has his wood shop and his greenhouse!

LBH, I like the framing of your pruning ritual as an AF activity that was joyful before the scotch took control and is thankfully still there after. I still engage in the exercise of remembering my life before alcohol took control. It happened so gradually and insidiously, did it not? We thought we were grown ups enjoying a grown up privilege. Then one day it wasn't a privilege, but a cruel master.

TDN, Cyn, TT, Rustop, everyone, let's seize an AF day.

[ThreeDogNight]

January Generosity Week 4

Good morning, all.

Still very cold here--7F--and snow later this afternoon/evening, followed by the dreaded freezing rain! I am supposed to drive about 90 minutes (each ay) tomorrow a.m. to meet the friend who is going to train me on the educational products. She has a longer drive--plus a ferry trip--so I've emailed to see if we can do it on Wednesday. I will not drive in freezing rain!

Dill, the greenhouse sounds so inviting!! 84 degrees would be amazing. I also like your thoughts about how AL snuck up on us, and it was no longer a social thing. I will hold that thought today.

Kas, I have really gotten into herbal teas, and will look for the tea you mentioned. we have a new place in town that does great coffee and teas, and I had some small sample tins of tea. One that I didn't care for was a lemon roobos (?) and wondered what that meant. I have a couple of others to try out, too.

LBH, I am like you with no children by choice. Guess that's why I have always loved animals, especially dogs. Sometimes wonder if things would have been different if I'd had children. I know that it was a conscious decision, as my childhood was not good. Mother had several nervous breakdowns, one when I was born and another after my sister died at age six (I was seven.) My sister has one child--she's 13 now--and had her when she was almost 40. My brother committed suicide when he was 31--sister had ordered a restraining order when we discovered he'd been liviing with our parents and "terrorizing" them. He used alcohol and drugs to do it. But he did have a child who is now late twenties and whom I do not see.

Lav, Star, Cyn. Rusty and all--have a great AF day.

I am going to exercise at 10:30, working on project before and after It doesn't seem to end!

TDN

[Lavande]

January Generosity Week 4

Good morning friends,

Yep - snow & ice happening here right now so I'm changing my plan for the day!
I cannot trust other drivers on the road, had a very bad experience coming home from work one night. My car was almost totaled as I was hit at a red light & pushed clear thru the intersection. What a nightmare that was
I'm glad I got to go to Longwood yesterday. I'll just look thru all of the pics today & be happy!

Papmom, glad you are enjoying your new position. There is always an adjustment period but you'll settle in & make it your own soon
Glad your kitty is OK too!

Dill, the nearest Starbucks is only about 8 miles from me but I honestly never go there. Don't know if you are familiar with WaWa convenience stores but their coffee is actually good & costs a whole lot less & you can fill up your gas tank there too :H

Greetings to LBH & Kaslo.
Hope you guys have a great day!

TDN, I'm sorry you have such a painful past:l
You are still here for a reason & you are gaining strength every day. Take some comfort in knowing that & just keep moving forward with us.

Stay safe out there everyone. The schools around here are opening 2 hours late. I'm thinking maybe they should have called a snow day.

Lav

[Stargazerlily]

January Generosity Week 4

Good morning on this foggy grey Monday...

Dill, what a great description, "a cruel master." It is so freeing to relearn how to live without that master. Your greenhouse sounds especially great in the dead of winter.

Kaslo, your life has improved so much since your decision to be AF.

Lav, loved the pictures, how comforting and lovely.

Pap, so happy your new boss is liked by the other employees. So important. Sorry about your kitty suffering so much. Have a good week.

Rusty, safe trip.

OK, off to do yoga and meditate before work. A busy week, scary driving.

[ThreeDogNight]

January Generosity Week 4

Well, I am in my hotel room. Friend suggested that I come down this afternoon and she'd pick up the room. We will do the training tomorrow and weather should be better then. And another former colleague is here and we will all have dinner together. And I'm meeting the one who is already here for coffee--although she said "coffee or a glass of wine."

The drive down was not pleasant, as the snow started just before I left and was steady all the way. And I had been thinking that it would be hard to pass by the big liquor store on the highway on my way down. I was really worried. First time I even had a real thought of drinking. Always drank in my hotel room. But I drove past and felt stronger. I had brought some herbal tea--sounds somewhat like the tea Kas recommeneded--and figured I'd make that in my room.

I was happy to leave home, as Mr TDN upsets me with his never ending OCD ways! Yesterday we went to have lunch about an hour from home, near a mall, and he drove me crazy with his comments and worries, etc. That was actually when I started thinking of how a drink would just help me tune him out. I'm trying to tell myself that the thoughts will come--I just need to ignore them and stay focused. Upsetting, though.

I did to go to my exercise class and worked up a sweat--just a small one:H Will go again on Wednesday and maybe Thursday. It helps my psyche and gets me out of the house!

Okay, I feel better now. Going down to the lobby for that coffee!

[Lavande]

January Generosity Week 4

Good for you TDN

I told YB years ago that wine helped me keep my mouth shut (when I really wanted to tell him what I really thought). I don't know whether to laugh or cry thinking about that now :H
I hope you have a lovely evening!

The weather stuff stopped here & the temp went above freezing so a lot of it has melted off already. Tomorrow oddly is supposed to be >50 degrees. How strange is that??

[Stargazerlily]

January Generosity Week 4

Good morning to all...

Lav, it is suppposed to be in the 60s today...enjoy it while it lasts. Tomorrow, a 40 degree drop and of course snow. I am awareof this crazy weather and working to stay healthy. Eating lots of grapefruits and oranges, making sure to get my vitamin C. Of course wine would numb feelings and annoyances, helping to keep your thoughts to yourself. That way, nothing would have to be faced, dealt with, managed. AF it is a different story...

TDN, good for you, getting through the craving time, putting your goal first. I like how you are making sure to take care of yourself, getting out of the house, managing your husband in the middle of winter, a hard time to get along, in my opinion. This time of year is a struggle in so many ways, if you live where the weather is cold, snowy, brutal. Great job in managing positively some tough situations.

Hey, where is everybody? Hello to all, nothing exciting to talk about over here. Just getting through the day. Last week of January, yayyyy!!!

[ThreeDogNight]

January Generosity Week 4

Quick good morning to Star and all to come.

I made it through dinner last night. i had some tea hile to of us were waiting for my poor friend to arrive in the snow. She had taken the ferry from Long Island, then had to drive to MA to get things out of the former rep's storage unit, then got stuck in traffic and didn't get to the hotle until 6:30. My other friend and I had some snacks at the little bar, and she had wine while I had tea. And at dinner, they both had wine. I decided to order an AF beer--don't like real beer--but they were out of it, so I had water. Felt really good about that and now today I don't have any guilt or shame and can start off AF. I did take a Kudzu before I left the house, as I had some and thought it might help the cravings. Maybe that is what did it. AL can still whisper in my ear, but I am more prepared for it.

The friend who was with us has the job my former manager offered me about four or five years ago. She doesn't even know that he made a territory for me, and I turned it down, thinking I really did belong in the pet industry. I have kicked myself over that, as I would have had a great job, all kinds of benefits and perks and a vehicle. The job was eliminated last year, and this rep had to pick up the territory (she has a huge territory now), but I would have been better off financially and probably wouldn't be where I am now. And I was let go from my pet job the six months after that. Oh, well. Things happen for a reason.

We will train this a.m. and I will be out by noon, and the roads should be better then. Tomorrow we will have temps up to 50F, then back down after that. Crazy!

Hope everyone checks in today. And hope you all have a great AF day!

[Lavande]

January Generosity Week 4

Good morning friends,

Waiting for some sunshine but all I see is fog & clouds. Warming up today & tomorrow ~ weird.

Star, staying minful during this shitty period of weather extremes is a good thing!
Eating the right foods is every bit important as remembering to take your medicine (if you take any). The better I eat the eat I feel, no two ways about it
Looking back on my drinking career I can now clearly see what happened, when & why. I was absolutely 100% fed up with YB! I spent all of my life doing things his way, doing everything he asked & thought he wanted while serving & mothering everyone else on the planet. I was totally spent! Even though I did consider picking myself up & moving on I just did not have the energy. I spent all of my energy trying to make HIM happy, didn't save any for myself
I know I am damn lucky to be alive & resaonbly well now. I am in the process of trying to convince myself that this is enough....I'm getting there slowly

TDN, you did quite well last night - good for you!
Keep your focus & keep moving forward

Greetings Papmom, Dill, Rusty & everyone!
I see Chill posting on FB everday, she seems fine.

Wishing everyone a wonderful AF Tuesday!
Lav

[ladybirdheart]

January Generosity Week 4

Frigid fierce wind here. I had a very early start and have already cleaned the house, organized a tax file, been to the gym, done laundry, practiced Tai Chi, and made a quiche and salad for a late lunch with Lord Bird Heart. It's now 2:30, Lord Bird Heart went to work, the dishes are done, and I am going to hide from the wind for an hour in a dark room filled with music. I was like you Lav, alcohol helped me keep my mouth shut and tolerate loneliness and fatigue and being over-extended, it put me behind a wall and still would if I would let it. As with Dill, it started out to be just for fun but then I needed it for other things and it worked. Time for a bit of rest now instead. Stay safe in the storms, I remember having to drive all over in the snow and ice when I was working, and I am sure people could see the whites of my big scared eyes miles away. Love, Ladybird.

[Lavande]

January Generosity Week 4

We all seem to have a lot in common, don't we LBH?

Well, my day brightened up quite a bit when I received an invitation to go to the PA Railroad museum with my son & grandsons. The boys are getting big enough to really get excited by this stuff ~ as evidenced by the look of shock on EB's face as he was getting off of one of the trains :H:H



It really doesn't take much to make me happy
Have a cozy night one & all.
Lav

[rustop59]

January Generosity Week 4

Good morning everyone

Just thought I'd check in this last day of the month. Have been busy dealing with snow, school exams, one daughter and physio the other one (repetitive strain injury). Alls well albeit busy but I guess that's a good thing. Try to read when I get a chance. Delighted Papmom is settling into her new job, Rusty has her new clients, Dills son is out of hospital. Lav, Star and LBH looking after themselves, nutritionally and spiritually. Big hello to Sooty, TDN, Cyn and thinking of Chill.

Evenings are getting brighter but will be glad to see an end to these dark mornings. I'm usually wide awake before the alarm but lately I have been hitting the snooze button. Well better get my ass in gear. Any ideas for February names?

Rustop

[rustop59]

January Generosity Week 4

Ps Lav love the photos.

Rustop