Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

[Stargazerlily]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Good morning ladies,

Lav, what a great day planting. It will be so cool to have your own blueberries. Last year, when I went blueberry picking, one bush could be packed so with several you should have blue berries the entire season. It was nice here too, but not that warm, only in the 50s, and windy, so jackets were in order.

Pap, strict budget, huh? I am going to be on one too. Actually I already am as I am not bringing in money and we had to charge a few items. I can do it though. It is just more fun to buy whatever I want. I have been thinking how packed my house is, now that I will be cleaning it out. Most of the stuff I buy is more of the same. Do you have a lot of stuff? I have had a lifetime of accumulating even after I moved 10 years ago and decluttered. A lot is back or just needs to go. I like your plan to pay off the vet, credit card and family. You can do it.

We are thinking of moving south, closer to my daughter. There is a big city relatively close, so we will be able to get jobs. The only thing keeping us here is this house, and I love my house, so it is hard to think of leaving it. The other question is will it sell? This area was hit hard in 2008 and we still have a few vacant houses in the neighborhood. So, there are lots of unanswered questions. My husband just strongly feels that in this last part of our lives (we are in our 50s) that family is important and he wants to be part of his grandchild's life. Living so far away, we would just be occasional visitors. If relationships are the most important thing, than moving closer is important.

Decluttering. A completely new topic. I did it before and now have to be even more ruthless. We get attached to our things. Seriously. Just the thought of giving away things I have not used in over a year or two makes me slightly nauseated. Isn't that weird? But it really isn't. I know many of us are attached to our stuff. I think this is the time for me to let go. I want a new environment that is minimalist. I will even get rid of a lot of my books. It is time.

Hope things are going well Dill. I listened to another Bubble Hour yesterday, and it was so interesting: other addictions. Gambling and food. Glad you are enjoying the talks too. Interested to hear about how your DIL is doing. Have a good weekend.

To all, hope you can get outside today and enjoy Spring.

[dill]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Greetings All!

Not long after I joined MWO I also re-joined the Church, hoping that rekindling my spiritual side would help me quit. In the long-run it did, but in the short-run I spent many Sunday mornings in church hungover and feeling even more remorseful! I suppose I have my regrets about that and many, many other things drink-related, but today I am just grateful to be AF and preparing to take my place in the pew!

Lav, I'm glad you had such a nice day working in your yard. I love dogwoods. Ours is starting to bloom! We have it on the south/east side of the house. Thanks for the link to the site about fermented foods. I'll look at it later today. In the meantime I have bought dry red beans (a first for me) to make the rice and beans one day this week. I am debating whether to use long grain basmati rice as specified or substitute converted rice which holds up better in the crock pot that other rice. I've never tried basmati rice in the crockpot tho, so I don't know how it does. Have you made the recipe yet? My original crockpot recipe book recommends using converted rice in most recipes. I read about it the other day and was surprised to learn that it is actually better nutrition-wise than regular white rice because of the conversion process. Brown, white, and converted rice

Star, MOVE?!! Wow! Where, when and why? May I suggest southern Ohio? You would already have a friend nearby!:h Ten years of accumulation is daunting, but that is the ONE good thing about moving: shedding all the excess. It's much easier to decide what you don't need when you think of it in terms of what you want to take with you. I hope you don't let the uncertainty and stress affect your AF time. I can't say that it wouldn't affect mine which I suppose sounds silly, but there it is. Cunning, baffling, powerful it is. Stay close! No, my son does not have a job yet. Once he moves he will try to find one near his new home. He's starting from the bottom and has no car or anything. He'll need public transport until he finally gets a little ahead financially. I'm just so glad he has "stopped digging"! He has been doing really well with his recovery and we are so pleased. He is getting housing thru the VA.

Papmom, I knew you'd come up with a plan for yourself. I'm just so sorry that you are in these straights. But I am really impressed with you and your never-give-up attitude! As bad as things are financially you have not even really considered going back to drinking. :l Of course we all know it would just compound your problems, but still, it's wonderful to see you stay the AF course in spite of the difficulties.

One ship sails East,
And another West,
By the self-same winds that blow,
'Tis the set of the sails
And not the gales,
That tells the way we go.

Like the winds of the sea
Are the waves of time,
As we journey along through life,
'Tis the set of the soul,
That determines the goal,
And not the calm or the strife.
(excerpt from Ella Wheeler Wilcox's " 'Tis the Set of the Sail'", 1916)

[dill]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Cross-post Lav and Star!

[Lavande]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

I had a feeling you guys were online at the same time

Dill, I actually used Uncle Bens converted brown rice in that recipe!
I parboiled the beans for about half an hour before putting them in the crockpot.
Next time I will cook the beans in the crock a while before adding the rice - it was a little overdone for my taste.
I cook dried beans all the time! They are cheap, free of salt & preservatives that way & freeze well in plastic bags. They are a good source of plant protein & fiber & did I say cheap? :H

Star, you can all come over to pick blueberries next year

[dill]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Hi All,

Lav, thanks for telling me about the type of rice you used. I think rice in the crock pot is an "iffy" affair, but I am definitely going to try that recipe. I'll just watch so I don't over cook it. About the beans: I have used dried beans in the past quite often. I've just never used dried red beans before. I've also never thought about freezing them! What an excellent idea! Another question: did you soak the red beans over night before you parboiled them?

Star, I agree with your husband. Family is more important than anything and you two will love the blessing of grandparenthood. It will be really nice if you can manage a move and be close to your daughter and family. Decluttering is one of the hardest things to do, I agree! I am not a hoarder, but knowing how much everything costs does make it hard to part with things. And of course there is the sentimental value of some things. It is hard on a practical level and an emotional level to declutter. But if one doesn't then one drowns in a tangle of stuff than no longer serves a useful purpose. I begin to feel burdened by excess stuff, do you? I'll have a DIL update tomorrow or at least will try.

Have a great AF Monday all!

[Lavande]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Good morning Dill & friends

39 degrees here, is it really Spring?
It must be because the pollen counts are so high, yuck.

Dill, I do soak dried beans to get rid of the phytic acid that causes digestive problems. If I forgot to soak them overnight I at least do a quick soak. I actually used pink beans in that dish because that's what I had on hand. I warmed that dish yesterday for lunch & it was delicious. I fed it to YB too since he was here doing yard work

Star, my role as grandparent has been much busier & more involved than I had ever imagined it would be but it is the best job I have ever had! I hope you are able to relocate closer to your daughter so you can fully enjoy your new & best role in life

As far as decluttering goes, I need to do some myself!
I am not a hoarder of stuff but YB is & always has been. I have gotten rid of lots of stuff since he left but now I find him sneaking stuff into the garages - still hoarding.
My favorite thing to do is schedule a pick up by Purple Heart. They take just about anything & it goes to a good cause. My son & daughter both have stuff stored in the basement but it's out of sight & out of the way.

I have some research to do for a customer today & a trip to Curves to get my week started right
Have a great AF Monday everyone!

Lav

[papmom3]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Hi Everyone,
Thank you so much for the words of encouragement. I really needed that. I know that somehow I will dig my way out of this horrible hole. It will just take time and patience which I am kind of short on these days.

Star-moving closer to your daughter will be awesome! I remember some posts you made lamenting how much you missed her. You must do whatever you need to to make this happen! Don't let the house stop you. You can shortsale it if you happen. Not optimal but these days almost the norm. The banks are getting used to it. If you have equity (and you are one of the lucky ones if you do), you'll be in good shape. The house will sell, I'm sure of it but it might not be for what you want or think it should.
As far as clutter-I'm pretty good at getting rid of stuff-Freecycle, Savers or trash. My attic is a mess because its either too hot or too cold to get up there for any length of time. I totally cleaned it out back in 2002 I think. How the heck it got filled up again I have no idea! If you need help decluttering, a professional organizer might be worth the money. They got objectivity on their side plus resources. Sometimes just knowing our stuff is going to a good place makes it easier.

Dill-your son is doing so well!! You must be so proud. It really sounds like he's turned a corner and will be starting the second part of his life.
No, AL hasn't really entered my mind but junk food has!! These past couple of days I would kill for a BK original chicken sandwich and onion rings or a couple of klondike bars. But back in the first few months of my sobriety I got really depressed as well and didn't cave. It was hard but so worth it and I knew if I relapsed that would be it. So, I'm taking the same attitude about the junk food.

Lav-I have ALWAYS wanted blueberry bushes but have never gotten around to buying them. Maybe this is the year if I can find a deal? Craig's List, Freecycle?
I'm enjoying the talk about cooking. I made turkey chili last week but despite dumping in half a bottle of cumin and chili pepper, it is the blandest dish I've ever had! Not sure what went wrong! it's all portioned out and frozen now. I tried pepper on a defrosted portion but that didn't do anything. totally weird!!

I am pretty proud of myself tonite for a couple of reasons. First, I was really down in the dumps when I left work and so very tired. I entertained the idea of crawling into bed when I got home but somehow found the strength to change and hit the gym for an hour and a half. Feel much better. But, I didn't know what to have for dinner. Had chicken for lunch so that was out, couldn't deal with the bland turkey chili, had no frozen dinners. Guess it was pasta and sauce but sooo boring. So, I decided I would try my hand at pasta primavera. I had some fresh asparagus, frozen pepper strips and fresh mushrooms. Sauteed them in 1/8 cup of EVOO while the wheat pasta cooked and then stirred the pasta into the veggies. Added basil and 1/4 c parmesan and OMG was it good!! Never did this before but will make it much more often now!!
So that is my grateful item for the day-creativity.

Have a great nite all!

[Stargazerlily]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Good morning to all...

Pap, that primavera dish sounded really delicious. It is fun to be creative. I think it is great that you went to the gym after working all day. I am excited to move but really scared too. I love my current house, just not the location or being so far north. Looking for a job from a distance is not easy. I remember when Chill (I know we all remember her) relocated two times. It was tough but she kept her essentials and found a new life. I want to take my time, maybe rent for a year to find the area I like the most. My husband does not feel that way, so we will have to see. I am a good cleaner and declutterer, will start today on a room, with the closet and book cases. Nothing in our attic, but our basement....yuck. Filled with junk. So, lots of work for me.

Lav, you are an involved grandma, and I want to be too. It is just so hard to start over at my age, but not crazy about my job and ready for change. I am so anxious I am only sleeping about 5-6 hours the last few days. I think it just takes time to get used to change, at least for me.

Dill, so great your son is moving forward. I have continued to listen to the Bubble Hour and find it fascinating. Such great stories of courage and change. Facing their fears, being honest open and willing and doing whatever it takes. It is also interesting to me that people have different bottoms, some had so much trouble, others just suffered in quiet agony till they decided to become AF. Hope you are finding time to listen too.

Well, yoga this am, then computer work and decluttering. Work later in the day, so I will be busy. Have a productive Tuesday.

[Lavande]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Good morning friends,

Dark & damp here but at least there's no threat or tornadoes - geez! That's a sad situation down south, total devastation & 24 lives lost so far.

Papmom, pick up a bottle of chipotle seasoning if you like things really hot!!!!!!
I don't but others do so I have it to offer. Yummly has a lot of good lower sodium turkey recipes.
http://www.yummly.com/recipes/low-sodium-turkey-chili
I now have 7 blueberry bushes waiting to be planted, they seem to be multiplying :H
Too wet out to do anything today!

Star, change can be frightening but it can also be healthy!
We built this place & moved in when I was 49 1/2 years old. It was the first time in my life that I was no longer going to live in the same town where I was born & grew up. It was time for a change!
Of course, I had no idea of all the other BS that was going to befall me but I still think it was a good move. I am starting to think it may not be a bad idea to down size in a few years. This place takes a lot of work to maintain!! Your daughter & grandbaby can be great motivators for you. You won't want to miss a minute of grandmother-hood

Dill, I soaked a bag of dried chick peas overnight & will cook them later. I'll use half of them to make a chick pea salad & freeze the other half for later use. Everyone loves hummus around here too & it's easy to make in the food processor.
I hope everything works out for your son in his apartment & job search. Great that he is feeling solid & moving forward!

Cyn, are you still away??

Have a great day everyone!

Lav

[dill]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Hello!

Hey Lav, I love hummus too but have never made it. It's pretty expensive to buy already made, so I just don't have it much. I think I'll try making my own. If you feel like giving a recipe or link to one, I'd appreciate it.

Star, I have been listening to the Bubble Hour quite a bit and feel exactly as you do about it. It's amazing to hear the similarities of experiences and as you say, the courage and effort it takes to face recovery. But also they give the perspective of how absolutely worth it the work is.

Papmom, I had to google EVOO! :H I used it last night too on some pasta, but I didn't know it! I mean I didn't know the acronym for it. Good job on plowing thru the difficult mood/fatigue and triumphing!

DIL update: She made the week! She showed up at the clinic this morning and submitted to the drugscreen. She has been staying clean and has been taking her meds. I saw her briefly this morning and she seems so much more "human", for lack of a better word. I gave her praise for her efforts and she seemed truly to appreciate the positive comments and notice.

Happy AF Tuesday everyone!

[Lavande]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

BRRRR!!!!
Feels like winter us trying to make a comeback

Dill, very happy to hear your DIL is following thru with the plan!
Miracles can happen, we are all aware of that

There are millions of hummus recipes out there & they're all pretty much the same. Here's a basic hummus recipe with instructions: http://www.inspiredtaste.net/15938/e...hummus-recipe/

I cooked that one pound bag of chick peas today, put half in the freezer (will make hummus) & used the other half to make a bowl of chick pea salad. Just added some tiny diced red onion & celery & a vinegar/EVOO dressing. I like seasoning with a lot of thyme, little salt & pepper.
Buying tahini for the hummus can be expensive so if you want to just skip it you can, I sometimes do myself. I like a LOT of garlic in my hummus. You can flavor it with anything you like. The kids like it pretty plain but they do like it on pita breads or carrot sticks. They just like dipping stuff :H

Good night all, stay warm

[Stargazerlily]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Good morning...

Thanks Lav for the encouragement about moving. I am freaking out...change is really hard for me, I realize all I have here and leaving this house will be hard. Also, getting a new job again, navigating my way around. I am just tired, I guess. I agree that being around family is so worth it. I cannot imagine how much I am going to love my grandchild and being able to see him on a regular basis will be wonderful.

Dill, great to know you love the Bubble Hour too. I feel inspired when I hear the stories, inspired to stay AF. I know that everything they say is so true. Life is horrible drinking. Period. I was also interested and touched by the spirituality part of their recovery. One person shared that without this illness, they never would have taken the time to think about God and their values. I like that. Your DIL has to feel so much better this week, sending her hope and strength. She might like the Bubble Hour, too. Hey, I love hummus. I just make it with canned chick peas (2 cans) a little Tahini, lemon juice and lots of garlic. My food processer makes it so easy, and I save the water from the canned chickpeas to add to the hummus, as we like it smooth and creamy. Oh, some add EVOO, but remember, it has high calories, so a little goes a long way. My son used to add hummus to chicken, veggies, bread, and sometimes eat spoonfuls of it. It is delicious.

I dropped off some stuff at Good Will yesterday and will clean today generally and continue decluttering. It is soooo hard to get rid of my things, things I have not used for a long time. I just can't figure it out. I gave away an old boom box, in good shape, but I had used it one time in the last several years, so out it went. I keep thinking about it and miss it. Silly, right? I believe in and want to simplify. I know I have too much stuff. I like the look of, decorating theme of, minimalism. You know, basic furniture, a good picture or two on the walls, and lots of space. So, I will soldier on.

Lav, one more question. I have been having hot flashes like crazy. I wonder if it is the stress I am feeling. Other than that I feel great. When you are stressed do you experience more hot flashes? Let me know.

Hope everyone has a great productive day.

[DreamThinkDo]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Happy birthday

Dill!!!!

[Lavande]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

Good morning all on this final day of April

Dark & extra damp today - 2-4" of rain predicted today, no kidding.

Star, stress sure does ramp up my hot flashes.
I was just thinking the other day that it's been nearly 20 years since this hot flash nonsense started for me. You would think, at some point they would stop
The best thing we can do is treat ourselves well with healthy foods, exercise & some meditation/downtime to increase those zen feelings

I keep reminding myself of Dill's recommendation years ago of 'The Power of Now'. Keeping myself in the present & not stressing about the future & the unknown has really saved my behind!!!!
We can't control anything (or anyone) but our responses. I make it a point to get up everyday & choose to be as cool as a cucumber no matter what comes my way. So far so good

I stay away from canned beans these days because of the sodium hit, the preservatives & the BPA can linings which have been proven to increase certain cancers esp. breast cancer. I look for tomatoes in cartons instead of cans too. It's always something!!!

Going to try to get to Curves then back here to continue searching for the best prices for shirts for my current job. It's not easy finding blaze orange, polyester T shirts in 2X Tall sizes :H
Have a great AF Hump day everyone!

Lav

[Lavande]

Abundant April AF ~ Week 4

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER DILL!!!!:bday7: :goodtime:

I hope you have a lovely day