Magical AF May

[Stargazerlily]

Magical AF May

Good morning, we have had storms with so much lightening and thunder, I have never heard it that loud for so long. Wow, spring is officially here.

Nothing much new to report, just getting through day by day, working hard and enjoying being AF.

Have a great day. Lav, hope you are having a good relaxing time.

[dill]

Magical AF May

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.

~Alan Watts

Happy Hump Day!

Star, the other day you asked for stories about periods of big changes in our lives. I have thought about that and I can only think of one time when I went thru such a period. The rest of my changes altho sometimes huge, like becoming a mother or moving, came one at a time or sometimes in pairs. The one time in my life that things were in great flux for me was when I graduated college. I had broken up with my BF (He was getting into drugs in a big way and I gave him a choice: me or drugs. He chose drugs, not surprisingly.), graduated school, moved home for the summer to earn enough $$ to move out on my own, moved out on my own, started graduate school, quit grad school in the first week realizing I was not mentally/emotionally up to it, and then having to land a new job in a new city far from my family, this time it was my first job in my professional field. I basically was striking out on my own, no friend or partner with me. All this happened within 4 short months! I was young then and thanks to my youth I could handle all the change, but it was definitely stressful! I hope you are coping well with your changes. You are right that drinking would only add to the stress. During the time of change that I just described, I was not drinking. I didn't drink on a daily basis at that time in my life, only socially. And during that particular time, I had no social life to speak of! So I was pretty much AF throughout.

Have a great hump day everyone!

[Lavande]

Magical AF May

Quick hello to everyone! Using my phone cause my iPad won't connect to the hotel wifi for some reason.
We have had a great time, very relaxing even with a three year old present

Hope you are all well. Heading back home tomorrow afternoon!

Lav

[Stargazerlily]

Magical AF May

Good morning...

Lav, you deserved to relax and just have fun. Sounds like you were able to do that. I bet the ocean was beautiful. I love being by water. Looking forward to hearing about your trip.

Dill, thanks for taking the time to relive a period of changes. We are doing OK, lots of ups and downs right now, but being positive and moving forward helps. If I was not AF it would not be going well at all. Life has enough challenges without dragging myself down with booze. It sure is fullblown spring here, really lovely out. I hope to spend time outside this weekend.

To all, have a great day.

[dill]

Magical AF May

Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomforts.
-Arnold Bennett

I'll be seeing some changes here very soon. My son will be moving out starting this weekend. He will be moving in stages as there is no hurry. The children still have one more week of school/daycare. He is ready in many ways to be on his own, but we all know what a challenge single parenting is. I will definitely be be worrying about him and my gkids. But it is for the best. He has appreciated being able to land here this past year and to work on the changes he needed to work on. He expresses his gratitude openly and frequently. But he has never been comfortable living with Mom and Dad and he longs to be in his own space. I'm sure we all can relate to that!

I'm off to a funeral this morning. It is my SIL's Dad and I was not close to him. I am really not close with my SIL, but we do get along and I want to be there for her. So today I will be pondering mortality and the shortness of life. One thing I will be remembering is that life is truly short and I need to make the most of what I have left on this earth. For me that means embracing life AF.

Greetings Star, Papmom, Cyn (hope you're enjoying your VIP guest) and welcome home to a well-rested Lav!

[Lavande]

Magical AF May

Good morning friends,

We're back from our mini vacation, it was nice
Sad to see some severe storms did some damage in a portion of mid-Delaware. We just drove through that area yesterday

The girls have decided to stay here all weekend. YB has decided he's staying permanently as well. More on that later, everything is changing once again. This time I am prepared for anything!!!! :H :H

Dill, I sure hope everything works out for your son!!!
The kids will likely see all this as a big adventure

Greetings to Star, Papmom, Cyn & everyone.
I'll drop back in when I have a quiet moment.

Have a great AF Friday!!

Lav

[Stargazerlily]

Magical AF May

Wow, lots of changes for all of us. We could benefit by taking a deep breath and lots of self care.

Lav, cook that YB wants to be back with you. Do you want to go back with him? I know it will work out, you are in a much better place and surely have helped him to be in a better place too. This journey is all about moving forward.

Dill, your son is moving out, must have a job, he will still need you. It will be so peaceful to have your house to yourself. Enjoy.

Hey, Pap and Cyn. Hope you are both doing well.

I have a busy day, lots of errands and resume sending. It is not an easy task, but my idea of hell is having nothing to do, feeling useless, helpless. Positive action is the way to resolving life challenges.

Have a good Friday.

[cyntree]

Magical AF May

Hello all -

Wow! So many pieces of momentous news -- change must definitely be in the stars. Looking forward to hearing about how everything works out for all; good luck this weekend, Dill, with the move. I'm sure your son knows that you will still be there for him emotionally and in other ways. How wonderful that he is openly grateful to you. Lav - well, I look forward to the story of YB! So glad that you had a little change of scenery. Pap - I hope you have been OK this weekend, and that you will feel good by 4:00 today. Star - you are absolutely amazing, taking all of this in stride. Hang in there!

I am completely exhausted. I worked right up until my husband drove up the drive with our guest on Tuesday, and then it was non-stop while she was here. This was not a 'normal' guest, but someone who has a family foundation which gave a lot of money to fund one of the projects that HB works with. We didn't know her very well, so it was a little uneasy - I just wanted to make sure we got all the food, sleep, activity issues just right, and to make sure she was comfortable and happy. As it turned out, she was wonderful - likes dogs, thank goodness - and all went well, including the big dinner party I gave on Wednesday night. We took her to her next destination yesterday afternoon, and I was thinking that I would then be able to catch up on all the work I've missed, but when I walked into the house, I was absolutely useless - a noodle. I finally ate a little leftovers for dinner, and went to bed at 8 pm.

Just made notes for what should get done (yet) for HB's best friend from hi-school and his partner who will arrive on Wednesday. Sheeesh, I just want to go back to bed!

Will check in soon when I have a little more brain-power - big hugs to all -

[dill]

Magical AF May

Lav I am stunned by your news about YB! If he stays I will not know how to refer to him. He won't be just a yard boy anymore...:H Anyway, I assume since he is staying permanently that this was a mutual choice so I am happy for you.:l

Cyn, the guest situation sounds as if it was a bit stressful for you. I know it would have absolutely exhausted me! Well done to you getting thru without caving. I would have curled up like a noodle too! I kind of felt that way today myself as I was out of my routine and was having to socialize much more than I am accustomed to the past few days, related to the grandkids, then the funeral, and then a friend in need. I thought at the end of the afternoon today that it was really good that I had no wine in the house because I was feeling very vulnerable. I wanted to completely withdraw and escape. I managed to settle myself without tho and of course, I feel much the better for it!

Star, my son actually does not have a job yet! However, he is going to start receiving a disability check from the VA for conditions he acquired as a result of his time in Iraq. It will not be much but it will help. Once he moves he will start looking for work in his new location. It is a 45 minuted drive from here so it makes sense for him to wait and find work in his new location. It is a much more densely populated area and there are many more places to work as well. I love my rural life, but I think it will be better for him to be in a more densley populated area so he can meet people and help him continue to build his life back. He has really been thru a lot with his horrible marriage and then his addiction problems which started with prescription pain meds he was prescribed for injuries suffered in Iraq.

Papmom, greetings to you. Did you see the news story on Brian Williams Nighlty news about the rescue dog that worked at an airport keeping the runways clear of birds? It was a border collie. I thought it was so amazing to watch her work.

Have a happy AF Memorial day everyone. :h

[Stargazerlily]

Magical AF May

Up early today.

I went to a painting party with some female friends last night and it was so fun. They take you through it step by step, and I did OK. It was good to get out. One of the women drank wine, no one else did. They had wine there, pop too, but most were not takers. I think lots of people just don't drink, much. Anyway, new experience, fun.

Working on being calm, affirmations, exercise, lots of self-care.

Dill, great news for you, to have your home back. Glad to hear your son will be in an area where he will have a greater chance for work.

Lav, let us know the news, happy for you.

Cyn, I was exhausted last week from one guest for four days. Entertaining is all consuming. Very sweet of you to be so good to your guests.

Hope everyone has a relaxing weekend.

[cyntree]

Magical AF May

Good morning!

Wow, Star, you really are up early! I admire you so much, taking steps to protect and nourish yourself in the midst of all of this change - I think you have a very good approach to life that you've built in your AF time.

Dill - I am so sorry to hear that all of your son's troubles started with Iraq. My heart just breaks for all the service people and their families that have suffered because of the terrible price they paid to serve the country. My family is filled with service people, and I know so many families whose lives have been disrupted by war...children as well. I'm sending prayers your son's way - it sounds like a bigger town will be just the ticket. Again, I have to congratulate you on this amazing journey that you have had this last year, and how phenomenal you have been as a support and guide.

Lav - waiting for news! Have you told the chickens yet?

I didn't mean to sound so whiney in my last post (about house guests). I could just ease up on all the things that I want to accomplish, and that would help. I'm caught between my vision of how I'd like things to be, and the reality of the clock ticking. I think I'm just better at 'doing' than I am at being with people - I'm really such an introvert at heart that too many people around can really make me crazy...time to practice some detachment, right? Ah the Universe always gives us what we need to work on! Funny Dill, until you mentioned it, I didn't even notice that I had not thought about drinking...maybe I've gotten over some kind of hump now...

Going to try to do one last sweep of the dreaded garlic mustard and then will clean up and do inside stuff for the rest of the day, sigh. I did accomplish a big item from my wish list (while my guest was here): I got pots on the deck and have so far put in 3 tomatoes and some lettuce. I have a big raised bed garden, but it's so far gone with weeds that it will be awhile before it gets cleared and planted. I just wanted to have a few kitchen things close at hand - toms, lettuces, herbs, some pretty flowers to pick for a bouquet.

Wishing all a happy AF day - I'll be thinking of you all -

[Lavande]

Magical AF May

Hello friends

Actually, there's not too much to tell :H
I asked YB to stay here & take care of the animals while I was away - he just decided to stay :H
There's a lot that needs to be discussed, obviously but I'm not pushing anything in any way, shape or form

Later
Lav

[Stargazerlily]

Magical AF May

Good morning all...

Lav, well, you'll have to wait and see what happens, right? Hope you have a nice sunny weekend.

Cyn, I am up early because I am so anxious I can't sleep too long. This is really stressful. We have done a few more things to our house, but early days for new jobs, so it is a waiting game. I am repeating my affirmations, eating well and taking care of myself the best I can. I think house guests are stressful. I like shorter visits myself.

Dill, hope you are enjoying your weekend too.

Have a peaceful Sunday.

[dill]

Magical AF May

Good morning,

Lav, I think I have been remiss in forgetting to congradulate you on your 5 year NF anniversary! Sorry I'm a week late on that one. Well done!:goodjob: And I think it is a pretty big deal that you have allowed YB to stay, even if you don't think so!

Cyn, you described me to a "T" when you said: "I think I am better at 'doing' than I am at being with people - I'm really such an introvert at heart that too many people around can make me crazy..." I can so relate to that! And thank you for your thoughts and prayers for my son. He enlisted after 9/11 and like so many young men (and women) before him he learned that war is hell. I did not want him to enlist, what mother does?! But I am never-the-less proud of him and proud and grateful for his service.

Star, I'm sure this is a really stressful time for you. Change is harder as we get older. It will be worth it tho to be near your grandbaby. How far away will you be from your son when you move? How is he feeling about it? Might he move as well?

Have a great AF Sunday everyone.:h

[Lavande]

Magical AF May

Would you believe I finally have half an hour to myself??

Daughter & family have returned home. There is actually an independent film being filmed this weekend in their neighborhood. The movie people asked the borough to close off their street & surrounding streets so they can't even park, let alone get into their house. What a hassle
If it turns out to be too much they just may be back tonight. Apparently the filming has been going on until 2-3 AM.
I now have ownership of the INSANITY TWINS for a week (my son's Goldens). I just don't understand why they didn't take the dogs along on their vacation to the Outer Banks, NC :H :H
YB still hasn't said why he's returned but he has been pleasant. He's still never told my why he left 4 years ago this month. I have worked hard on letting go of the need of knowing all the 'whys' in my life. Sometimes shit just happens!
So that's where my head is at the moment

Star, I really hope you can find some peace soon. I know you are very aware of the importance of taking care of yourself thru all this. Changes happen & often lead to good stuff

Dill, thanks for the congrats. I am so happy to be free of all that expensive & unhealthy addiction. I really wanted to be a good role model for the little ones - so far so good!
I hope everything works out for your son, he deserves the best for himself & the kids

Hope everyone is having a nice day!!