af Sun 10 November

[treetops]

MAE ? well its morning ? Sunday here. Remembrance Day is tomorrow ? I think you call it Vetarans Day in the US. There is a little bit of Rem. Day here but our main event is ANZAC day ? which was in April. Best wishes to those who are remembering their loved ones on 11th of the 11th.

Mick ? I guess it will be a special day for you. Great that the back is tickety-boo.
Sorry ? but you won?t have my mug-shot on MWO. I personally like a degree of mystery. I thought being two green birds was pretty enough!:H

PPQP ? nice to see your smiles! I am not an ogre who is always on exam revision ? but its so bloody drawn out here (excuse the archery analogy!) Tomorrow is the English exam.
Its great when you get positive pats on your job. Liked your pic too.

Pauly ? I dropped you a wee suggestion on your own thread ? so I hope that might help. Eer ? maybe don?t see Dr House ? although he would give you a reality check! :H I also watch Grey?s Anatomy ? which is much more tear-jerky than House and too lovey-dovey. I always laugh how in these soaps ? the professional Mums and Dads seem to just spend about 30 minutes of ?quality time? while OH sips (note they always sip) their pre-dinner wine and they discuss complex ?matters of their professional work?. Reality ain?t like that for any working Mum! And many working Mums don?t sip their wine as we all know.

Hope you are getting well paid with that soapie you are in Yah. Seriously- it sounds draining so you look after No 1.

Sun ? I read your thread ? how is the quit going? Are your horses part of your business as well?

Lav ? yes, tell all about what your bought.: I made a major purchase yesterday ? a new bed! Time to get rid of this bed of nails I have had for the last 14 years (and it was second-hand so goodness knows how old it was). Now I am looking afresh at the bedroom ? colours etc. Ordering a new bedhead as well. It definitely will not be a frou-frou boudoir.

Sam ? hope the weekend is going well.

Bear ? enjoy your holiday as you deserve it.

Cinders- any plans for the weekend?

Well I better make some coffee but I have some tea here for the early risers. I will be going for a walk today to inspect the progress of summer :H:H - and doing some of my ?work? work.
Have a great sober Sunday.

[scottish lass]

af Sun 10 November

Checkng in to see what tomorrow looks like - will have managed two weeks! Put it down here and that makes it even harder to fall back!
Good to see you all continuing life with its ups and downs without wine - or other AL - it really does show that this is possible, so thank you!
Have a good weekend all, and those who have special memories for Rememberance Sunday/Veterans Day, we thank you

[DreamThinkDo]

af Sun 10 November

MAE all
I have some bright red Flanders poppies in my front garden - just in time for Remembrance Day!
Have a lovely Sunday, everybody.

[TheSunFlower]

af Sun 10 November

Mick...glad to hear the back is on the mend. I start PT next week....it shall be interesting to see what they think I need to go 3x a week for.

TT-it is starting to get a bit chilly here....so ice cream isn't one of my food groups these days When we lived closer to family the holidays were just nuts. Now that we live away from them we truly enjoy just the 4 of us. We had intended to invite some people over for Thanksgiving....but, the kids said that they preferred the Thanksgiving where it was just the 4 of us. Plus, being away from family the kids don't get an insane amount of presents at Christmas....so I now rather enjoy the holidays.

Sam...congrats on 6 months! Truly awesome!

Bear...should be day 54. Sounds like you have the right state of mind.

SL-congrats on 2 weeks! Those are truly the most draining to get through. The physical is one thing.....my brain kept talking to me....draining!

Lav....my kids would do the same thing. Tonight I opened what I thought was a full package of cookies....to find that they had snuck and eaten every last one...put the package back so I would think it was full!

I have stepped up my Hot Yoga. I was just reading an article on all the benefits.....and it is nice to see that they are happening. Physically and mentally. I sleep like a rock, I have laser like focus when it comes to work and tasks.....and I have more time to just do the things I like to do.

With that said....I almost had a WTH moment today. We had gone to see some friends play at the Hall of Fame today....I hadn't eaten, which made me tired and cranky.....the kids were acting up (which is normal.....but in hungry and tired mode....my patience can go quickly).......by the time we left to come home....I was just in angry mode. We had to drive through the middle of tourist city to get home....which is still going full throttle from the CMA Awards. So I am hungry, tired and angry....driving by all these people having a good old time. Never mind that none of them were actually drinking.....for a second there I got caught up in the.....screw this....let me out of the car....I want to go have fun...without a care in the world. I came home took a nap and ate.....and I was back to my normal self.

Its these little flashes that remind me......that even though it has been quite some time....and I have a new life now.....that my brain will try to revert to default mode of thinking that a drink will relax me and I will enjoy myself. What a load of crap. When I say a drink.....I mean 10...there was never A drink for me

I have to remember that not eating is not good for me. It starts the cycle of being hungry to tired to angry to brain circuits going out of whack. Most days I put off eating and I am certainly not on a good schedule. So getting a healthy eating pattern down is next project.

[treetops]

af Sun 10 November

SF. What's. PT?

[Mick]

af Sun 10 November

MAE everybody ..how are we ? ok I hope ..well Jack frost has been in ,the whole place is covered in frost ..was really cold last night ..even the rabbits had their hot water bottles!!Was supposed to be out early doors today ..but alas ..back is too sore ..even with a shed load of painkillers ..its a 2 hr drive to where I was supposed to be going ..no way can I sit for that time.

ok on with the show ..Remembrance Sunday today.....

hiya tt ..how are you today?bright n breezy?was going to say hows work going on the boudoir ...but probably not the right phrase !!!Yeh for me the piccy of green parrots are sound ...are they yours or is it just a random pic?

Hiya SL....well done you on 2 weeks ..see it soon mounts up ..when I started out .I used the drinktracker on here ..was great to see all the colours notch up..have a great day..as we speak I have just made a big pot of leek and lentil soup..it is 0830 and madam thinks I am off my trolley!!

Hiya DFD...Goie dag..hows the Cape today?any plans going on?have a great weekend.

Hiya Lav hows you today? ok I hope ..get any good bargains? Could start that as a sport ...buggy dodging...or maybe not..whats your weather like? need a big brew to start the day?

Hiya sunshine ..hows you today? any better than a meh day? ...take it thats similar to a blah day!!..my back is getting there ..just not at the speed I want it to..Laundry month..woweee...soon be shower month then!!

Hiya Sam..hows you /well done on the weight losing..beer n bred that used to be my downfall...sounds like you were having a proper wee ceilidh with your friends.good for you

Hiya ppqp...how are you? all the best to your dad..as for today in a vets home...wow you be careful ..you are gonna be dodging bullets and swinging lamps all day!!!I remember thinking listening to people when I was a soldier..Iaint ever going to be like that ...but now I am just the same we get together even on face book ..and the box of "when I s"comes out!!!you drive safe n have a great day.

Hiya Pauly ..you ok?hows things today then?

Morning SF Well so glad you didnt give in to the auld divil!!Been listening to the country awards on Radio 2 over here ..some cracking music..Kristofferson is one of my favourites, me n Bobby McGee, Sunday morning sidewalk, blame it on the stones etc..love his intro to me n bobby mcgee ..."if it sounds country man ..than thats what it is ..1234 bustin down to Baton Rouge n headin for the train..yeehah!! have a not so cranky day ..and well done.

right folks thats me..will put some jokes up later but for now little bit of history.... did you know

On September 7th 1920, in strictest secrecy four unidentified British bodies were exhumed from temporary battlefield cemeteries at Ypres, Arras, the Asine and the Somme. None of the soldiers who did the digging were told why. The bodies were taken by field ambulance to GHQ at St-Pol-sur-Ternoise. There the bodies were draped with the Union Flag. Sentries were posted and Brigadier-General Wyatt and a Colonel Gell selected one body at Random. A French honour guard was selected, who stood by the coffin overnight. In the morning of the 8th a specially designed coffin made of oak from the grounds of Hampton Court was brought and the Unknown Warrior placed inside. On top was placed a Crusaders Sword and a shield on which was inscribed 'A British Warrior who fell in the Great War 1914-1918 For King and Country'. On the 9th of November the Unknown Warrior was taken by horse drawn carriage through Guards of Honour and the sound of tolling bells and bugle
calls to the Quayside. There it was saluted by Marechal Foche and loaded onto HMS Verdun bound for Dover.....The coffin stood on the deck covered in wreaths and surrounded by the French Honour Guard. On arrival at Dover the the Unknown Warrior was greeted with a 19 gun salute, normally only reserved for field marshals. He then traveled by special train to Victoria station London. He stayed there overnight and on the morning of the 11th of November he was taken to Westminster Abbey. The Idea of the Unknown Soldier was thought of by a Padre called David Railton who had served at the front during the Great War and it was the Union Flag he used as an altar cloth at the front, that had been draped over the coffin. The intention was that all relatives of the 517,773 combatants whose bodies had not been identified could believe that the Unknown Warrior could very well be their lost Husband, Father, Brother or Son.... On the morning of 11 November 1920 - the second anniversary of the armistice that ended World War One - the body of the Unknown Warrior was drawn in a procession to the Cenotaph. This new war memorial on Whitehall, designed by Edwin Lutyens, was then unveiled by George V. At 11 o'clock there was a two-minute silence, and the body was then taken to Westminster Abbey where it was buried at the west end of the nave. To the surprise of the organisers, in the week after the burial an estimated 1,250,000 people visited the abbey, and the site is now one of the most visited war graves in the world. The text inscribed on the tomb is taken from the bible (2 Chronicles 24:16): 'They buried him among the kings, because he had done good toward God and toward his house'.......... Every year on the 11th of November remember the Unknown Warrior...


For The Fallen
With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

[bear73]

af Sun 10 November

Morning everyone, just having quick cry at 2 minute silence. I now know friends in RAF who have lost people,they have been out to Afghanistan etc and have just read some Wilfred Owen poetry online.

It is day 54 - I had lots of fun yesterday,a few friends weren't drinking because of driving and were really struggling. I did smoke a few cigarettes though,but at least I didn't drink.I took my own AF beer, lot of quite drunk people, but being funny and sociable drunk not irritating stumbly/repetitive idiot drunk -- I didn't feel left out but able to join in chat and silliness. Gig also went really well, bands were great and lovely people and we didn't lose any money putting the gig on - yay!

Today is big lunch with OH's mum and tidying house,packing ready for tomorrow.We leave in the evening tomorrow so I will clean and do a bit more tidying if needed and potter about,maybe go to the gym.Feeling much more relaxed today,yesterday felt a bit hectic and it's nice to have a bit of a nothing day.

Have a great day all to come,it feels like it's coming together I'm not feeling awkward socially anymore than I would with booze tbh. I remember feeling like this when I did 3 months around Christmas in 2009,it's a nice feeling.

[Lavande]

af Sun 10 November

Good morning Abbers,

Sunny & chilly here, seasonal so I can't complain. The fireplace is getting a good workout, using that nice new firewood

TT, tomorrow is Veteran's Day here! The flag will go out, I have it ready!
We did come home from the outlets with three bags full :H
Jeans, shirts, sweaters, a new purse......all the necessities :H

Greetings SL, DTD, SF & PQ.
PQ - PT = physical therapy around these parts

SF, I am not a country music fan but I did watch the CMA show the other night & it was pretty darn good!

bear, so glad you are sticking with your plan & accumulating AF days!

Mick, I didn't even know until my son told me this week - last Sunday two Amish girls driving an open wagon pulled by one horse were hit broadside by a car driven by an older woman. It happened within walking distance of here too. It was actually the horse that was broadsided! The old lady hit the horse so hard she flipped it up & over her car!!!!! The horse had to be put down at the scene by the State Troopers & the girls were transported by ambulance to the hospital for minor injuries. The old lady was definitely at fault - she ran the stop sign at an intersection - very sad!!
My visitors went home last evening so today I need to catch up with stuff around here

Greetings to everyone, sending wishes for a fabulous AF Sunday!
Lav

[TheSunFlower]

af Sun 10 November

PT...is physical therapy. I've been having the muscles clench up in my back. After seeing the specialist he was very concerned that my spine isn't very supple....touch toes...leaning back...for as much yoga as I do. I have slight scoliosis that was never treated as a kid...and it's really more genetic...the spine thing. But it causes the muscle to weaken and clutch up....age catching up to me. I of course want to do all the things possible to prevent future problems....I can see going a few times and learning what I need to do....but going 18x...seems like a bit much. But I am going before this Affordable Healthcare Act sets in....not looking so affordable Mr. Obama. I know corporations are being hit hard....our monthly out of pocket is going up.....but, I still need to get clear on the changes within the plan....that is most likely where the real kicker is.

Kids has quite the assembly for Veterns Day. We did not have those as a kid, I am glad to see our military get the recognition they deserve. Just a regular workday for me. We really only get MLK off in observance of those types of holidays.

Mick you are not listening to same CMA's I watched But I know several things are done earlier in the day and not aired.

Lav....I don't much listen to the radio, which means several of the bands are new to me....and I live here! Tend to listen to the really good stuff that never makes the radio. Georgia Florida line...who? Big Stink about how all the artists had to keep straight faces during the Obama jokes.....truly a touchy subject these days. Call it what is is.....a big mess! While I agree with the original idea of it....politicians and insurance companies sure can mess it up. The whole pre-existing thing is crap. I know several who are getting hit with what they now call "riders"...which is "pre-existing"! Thus I digress...

Bear those milestones are the truly most awesome....when you realize you can survive things you never once thought possible and even enjoy them. Who would have thought!

[paulywogg]

af Sun 10 November

Mae everybody,that was a nice tribute to the vets mick thank you,ugh daughter and baby spent the nite last nite and he wakes up so darn early! only to turn around and take another nap,i feel tired plus it feels like im catching another cold i was sneezing all nite,the weather jumps around too much here i think,well everyone have a nice sundayrest that back mick!

[Determinator]

af Sun 10 November

well I'm not feeling very smart this weekend. drank on Friday night which destroyed my sat. thankfully I didn't carry it on to last night so today I think there's hope for me, but pretty fragile, shaky, and stupid feeling at the moment.. 6 1/2 months of sobriety down the crapper.

thanks for being here everyone. day two...

[Mick]

af Sun 10 November

Det...and you were doing so well..what happened? youve been through some shit and manged to survive it mate

[bear73]

af Sun 10 November

Det - you can do this,and your 6 months aren't gone,you still had that time and it shows you can do it. Don't beat yourself up and think what you would say to someone else,I am usually way more harsh on myself and suspect you may be the same.Just concentrate on now,you are sober now,that is good and you can do this.
Think about what triggered it and how you could handle it differently next time and keep on keeping on.

[TheSunFlower]

af Sun 10 November

Det...this can happen to any one of us, at any time. Sounds like a slip and not a full blown relapse. I am sure you have had time to reflect and see what caused it.

Sometimes I would manage to get through the craziest of times/emotions only to fall days later. Things would build up on me and then when I seemed out of danger....it took me down.

You know what they say....baffling and cunning. Hope that you are feeling better.

[Samstone]

af Sun 10 November

Det
as SunFlower says, it can be any of us at any time. I've been telling myself that lately. Hope you're doing ok there
Sam