Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

[scottish lass]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

LB - I need to check out bubble hour too - I should have listened on my way home from work - when I read here I keep meaning to check in, then I forget about it!
Must put it on my to do list!
OK - out of office replies on - time to shut down...

[little beagle]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Morning all. Ava hope you are safely home and we begin to see those pics soon.
Day off for Hubby and I both.

[scottish lass]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Gosh quiet start to day here - on thread, and here in my bed!! I have day off too, just got up and made a cuppa, back to bed - I never get to do this anymore.
Trying to post on my phone, so maybe a mess!
Hi Jane and LB - glad you are around.
Jane - I know others have met from friendships here - I have pictures of you in my mind - I know when I read a book and then a movie comes out, the characters are never as I would have pictured - wonder what it would be like for us:H
Happy Good Friday all, I know I will be checking in a bit today, so see you around

[j-vo]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Morning Lovelies,

SL and Jane, I dream of that coming true for us one day - meeting, hugging, crying tears of joy. It will happen, and we will get Ava, LC, Giraffe, Roxy, and meet in the middle, wherever that may be!

I slept like a baby last night. No melatonin, and made up for lack of sleep during the week. Feels so good. Have a second cuppa today although it's half caff, and I just love it. It's gonna be a beautiful weekend here and so glad as Easter Day (Ava's 50th birthday) will be sunshine and 70 F and we're having 22 people here for dinner. DH is making spaghetti sauce now and it smells wonderful. I'm just the salad girl which is fine by me. I'm also the decorator, so I get to make things look pretty.

Jane, are you feeling better today? That was a great article that Pav posted. Did it resonate with you and where you may be in this process at 102 days?

LB, glad to see you and DH have a nice long weekend together!

Dot, my holidays are opposite and earlier in our marriage, we used to fight where we would go. It stressed me out as I would have liked to just not go with my high anxiety. I hope you find something nice to do that day.

Pav, I get guilt inside me when I get angry about co-workers. It's not good for my system, but it's real life to have to deal with it. The woman I work with is 'crazy' as they come. She used 15 minutes of instruction time to berate a boy in front of the class who said the word "clit" in the hallway to his buddies. I left the room and went to the bathroom as i couldn't listen anymore than I had. I've spoken to my principal about her, and it's kinda being a tattle tale but I've gotten so upset at some of her antics. BTW, this boy's mother had left him with his grandmother - moved to Florida. There are other ways to approach our kids so that they don't squash the already low self esteems they have. Thanks for that article. I'm gonna repost that in my journal. Some things really resonated with me such as "the fear of facing my life w/o a means to numb and hide from hard times," and "feel what you feel." Also, this is something that really connected with me - the spiritual connection reduces the feelings of fear." I've been very spiritually connected, and it's such a blessing in my life, to have my ears and eyes open to what I believe in. And, Good Friday off but that's it for Spring Break this year due to make up snow days. Glad your camping trip was wonderful! Whiskey was a killer hangover!

NS, yes, I think life isn't life without the normal range of emotions. The trick is that we handle each emotion that will be best for our mind, body, and soul. And on the subject of organizing our thoughts clearly enough to post and share with others - I agree wholeheartedly. I think it's the most therapeutic way to approach recovery. It's making us reflect on and learn about ourselves.

Nar, I'm glad you're ready to tell your friend. That is progress in your recovery. For me, the thought of someone asking me why I'm not having a drink (as I imagine it in my head) doesn't scare me like it used to. All I need to say to anyone that is not super close to me, and that I don't fully trust as a true friend is that "I don't have an off switch and don't drink anymore." But with closer friends, I've already talked with them and they're very supportive of me because they care about me. That means lots.

Moss, good for you for talking to your friend! And I like how he responded to you. That gave me a warm feeling inside for you. I hope your brother's health improves.

SL, glad you're enjoying your cuppa with me! Did you cook with the chocolate?????

Ava, our sweet dragon lady, glad you're home safely and in bed. Can't wait to hear from you later.

Ok, off my butt and onto treadmill. Have cleaning and organizing to do today as DS has make-up games tomorrow! Have a happy day and I'll check in this evening. Love you all.

[scottish lass]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

J-vo - cook with the chocolate, ummmm ....nope! Just like I would have really not cooked with the wine!!! Just ate it!!
Got to get out of bed and get my second cuppa - mine is tea mind you!
Spaghetti sauce, love home made - see you in a bit:H
Ok - no more procrastinating! Up I get now!!!......no, really......now.......ready, set, go....:H

[Pavati]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Hi, Ladies:

I would LOVE to meet, too. I think someday down the line we will. It is funny to think of how we imagine each other might compare to how we really are.

Last day of spring break here - there is a lot I SHOULD do, but the weather is beautiful and I think I'll go out for a hike instead. Family dinner tonight, big family picnic on Sunday - we are not religious, so celebrating Easter is really just a gathering with an egg hunt - I guess it is a bit odd that we celebrate at all, but I guess that is the same for Christmas in our family.

Enjoy your days off, ladies. I'll be back to check in later.

xo
Pav

[narilly]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Ok ladies, the weather here absolutely SUCKS!! It is snowing like a bejeebers (which means ALOT!)

We are so sick of the weather here. This year is has been coldest in the past 75 years and we keep getting precipitation.

Ya Lil B, sleet at -1 happens, believe me! I hope you enjoy the Bubble Hour, I really like it, it has helped me a ton.

Anyway, it is like a blizzard outside so tonight I am staying in with hubby and watching tv. Enjoy your dinner Pav, it sounds fun! You are so luck to have nice weather.

We are supposed to have a 'delightful' weekend, I will believe it when I see it.

Tomorrow. going to the in laws and I am not going to drink. Last weekend with them was enough. I am done with drinking. Need to give my brain a big rest as Dr. Kelly says. Jane, I can't wait to hear what you think of his pod cast.

Can't wait until we all meet. I imagine we would blab away for hours, it would be too much fun! I think we should all go to Ava's in Australia

I went shopping today and bought a whole bunch of clothes for myself as a 50th birthday present to me. I told my hubby it was from him and he was happy because now he doesn't have to buy me anything!

SL, YUM chocolate! I may have some myself.

J-Vo, that teacher sounds nutty. Good thing you are there for those kids. Telling my friend about my AL problem is a really big step for me for sure but as you said now I really am ready to quit and am looking forward to telling her and enjoying our weekend. Besides we are going SHOE shopping! Really, can you get any better than that? Going for a day in the mountains, getting a facial, massage, going shoe shopping and then a nice supper at a yummy restaurant then off to sleep at the hotel. Yup, I'm gonna love being 50!

Glad you landed safe and sound Ava sweetie.

Talk to you beauties later!

[available]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Hi loamers

well i am back and so exhausted i feel sick. The boys did not put the clock back when daylight savings finished so here i was thinking it was 9am and really it was only 8am. blah to that one.

The kids are coming over tonight for my birthday dinner and i would prefer to forget it till next week so i can be happy and refreshed and normal but 4 kids are pretty forceful to reckon with and the house needs to touch of a clean, i say touch mildly, more like a few hours clean.

Glad everyone is great, i will read back when i find matchsticks to open up my eyelids. Now i am off back to sleep for a bit longer (bout 7 days) and will check in later.

This morning i thought "gee a wine would be great to pick me up". Does wine pick you up really? I will opt for sleep, a much better option for this sober nearly 50 year old.

Have a great af easter and Nar good on you for shopping up a storm for your 50th. If i never buy anything again it will be too soon lol.

Pics are coming at some stage. Love you all and chat soon. xxxxx

was very sad to say goodbye to mum yesterday and she texted when she got home that she missed me already. That was a beautiful text from her and she told me she loved me. Life cant get better than that really and all due to being sober.

[scottish lass]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Welcome back Ava - glad you are safe, but sorry it is home to cleaning - that is not good!
I am so delighted about your relationship with your mother, that is just fabulous!

[j-vo]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Listening to the Kelly guy on Bubble hour. Am 45 minutes through and lots of interesting stuff! Thanks for recommending NS.

Hi Ava! Yay! Glad you're home and the kids will be with you today. Did you see Maddie yet? And you mom texted she loves you. Perfect ending to a perfect holiday for you and her.

Nar, when are you going away? It sounds like a lovely day of pampering. Enjoy.

Went to church tonight and that's it! Tomorrow baseball game and the cleaning I didn't bother to do today...

Gonna finish my pedi and mani as it's 11:20. Funny I'm not even tired tonight. Talk in the a.m. Sleep well.

[narilly]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Glad your back Ava. So nice that things have changed for the better between you and your mom. It's great being AL free.

J-Vo, my trip is next weekend, I'm looking forward to it. Your weekend sounds nice too. Ya, I totally enjoyed that talk by Dr John Kelly. It is amazing to hear the science about addiction.

A few points I found interesting:
He says 65% of Problem drinkers or drug users will stop drinking once they start to abstain. He also says some periods of remission are normal but become less and less as time goes on. Some people don't have any remission.

Recovery= progress not perfection

Goodnight sweeties

[j-vo]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

I thought it was good too, Nar. I just finished listening to it.

Dr. Kelly mentioned about the "language" being changed to reduce the stigma of people in recovery. Instead of saying "alcohol abuse" they're trying to model the phrase, "substance abuse disorders." This denotes a more therapeutic approach to the condition as opposed to drug/al abuse which people automatically think "loser," or however they stigmatize our condition. I think Pav, you mentioned that the stigma of recovery is what bothers you, and I get you on that, too.

The next podcast will discuss how to communicate this condition to others and I think we're all interested in how to approach others about this, so should be good.

Almost 1:00 and way past my bedtime!

[little beagle]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

Narilly that shopping trip sounds wonderful.
Ava sorry you have to come home and clean. I know that feeling all too well. Have a good birthday. You are awesome.
I did a mani, pedi in Easter colors. Fun.

[NoSugar]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

NARILLY!!! Someone with your avatar in another thread posted "...but, I don't want to stop drinking". My heart just lurched because I thought it was you. I am so so so glad it wasn't :l. (And I hope the woman who feels that way can do the work needed to change her mind).

I wrote a long post last night and somehow lost it. That hasn't happened to me in a long time. I'll assume it was a message from the universe to be quiet but I did want to have a gazette for Ava to read on her 50th birthday, which begins in just a couple hours!

One thing I wrote was to those of you being concerned about not always being happy and grateful about not drinking. I think that is normal about any big change in life. I miss lots of things (and sometimes reminisce about them) but that doesn't mean that overall I'm not glad that they changed - like, I miss some of the foods I used to enjoy but I'm glad to have my health back. I miss my little kids but I'm glad they are capable, happy adults. I put my thoughts about drinking in that category. I miss the easy escape from tension and frustration but I'm glad to be back living my life. Just yesterday, some interactions with (non!)service providers gave me that urge to drown those uncomfortable feelings. My stomach was in a total knot. I wasn't feeling grateful about anything or anyone. I thought about what I would have done previously, was kind of bummed that I'd lost that option, and moved on. We ended up having a fun night doing an activity I wouldn't even have considered agreeing to in the old days.

Hope you're all enjoying an AF holiday weekend!

[j-vo]

Ladies on a Mission: The Official Site

NS, thanks for always putting things into perspective. Can I borrow your brain for just one day?????

LB, cool! I'm sure they're pretty.

About the Dr. Kelly interview...I really enjoyed listening to it. The only thing I question is that they talked about bringing awareness to people so that the stigma is reduced. If people don't read about it, they'll continue to have a misunderstanding. Just like I would have a misunderstanding about someone with a disease that has nothing to do with me. It's not that I don't care, it's just that we can't know everything. But this is a condition that people are more likely to judge, and maybe they would open their eyes and ears to something that has scientific evidence. The genetic factor being half of the reason, the environmental factors, and then the brain "change." It's all really empowering to have all of these facts and knowing it's not a moral failing or character defect.

And the more I get to know and love you ladies, the more I am accepting of this condition. I guess in my mind, I too, am guilty of putting the alcoholics in a "morally failing" category. I felt that way about myself. But now that I know more and more, that's not the case and it lifts a heavy burden off me. To me, you ladies are so wonderful, loving, caring, kind, encouraging, determined with goals, and so much more, and if having this condition means having all of those other positive traits, I can certainly deal with it because I want and am proud to be associated with all of you. It doesn't define us. It's a part of us like someone that has lupus or a food addiction. WE ALL have something! We all have to deal with something. So it's made me less judgmental of others overall.

Just finished school work now getting ready for a baseball game. Lots to do today!! Have a great day.