Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

[cyntree]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Morning all!

No more bear sightings, thank goodness. But as I was battling with the bittersweet and virginia creeper on our low stone wall (I've moved on from garlic mustard), I spoke with a woman who walks our road every day. She wears an emergency whistle because she's seen the bear several times! And she swears she's seen a mountain lion - that is more frightening to me than a bear. Usually bears go away if you make enough noise.

Thanks Star for bringing up the point of how hard it is to break the negative thinking patterns. I have slipped back unconsciously to a lot of self-blaming, anxious thinking without realizing it. The warblers have taught me a lesson - don't get attached to outcomes! Yesterday I saw 2 of them inspecting the nest - who knows if it is the original 2 or different birds. Whatever it is, I can let it go (good thing, since I can't do a @#%& thing about it!)

Dill - I hope you had a good day with your granddaughter. That sounds like special time together.

Lav - I'll look into the resources you mention. For me, it's time for some 'outside' help, and these sound great. Once again, thanks for being the trailblazer and sharing your tools so generously.

Pap - did you have the huge storms again? Thunder like the gods were bowling in the sky? Sheesh! We were on our way up to the Berkshires for the evening, and fortunately all the storms skirted us, but it was a little alarming. Hope you are doing OK at work today.

I'm off to work in my office, which at the moment is pleasant with the window open. Later I'm sure I'll have to switch to the AC.

Wishing all a happy AF day!

[Stargazerlily]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Good morning...

First, thanks Lav for the links, the Mrs. Mindfulness was so interesting, I already subscribed. I know this stuff, I really do, it is just doing it, when in crisis, that is so important. It DOES take practice, and it really makes a difference. You find some really great sites and I appreciate the sharing of them. When you talk about the weather, I have been inside my own head so much, I have not even been able to enjoy the summer as much as I'd like to. Today is supposed to be perfect. 72 and sunny. Whew, I have to get outside.

I was offered two jobs yesterday, and need to decide. Although the job I really want is still lingering, more time is needed. I gave notice yesterday and it was hard. I have to find a place to live within a few weeks, even though our house is still on the market. Lots on my mind. One day at a time for me right now. Drinking would definitely send me over the edge, I can't imagine what I would feel and think if I was not AF. Showing on the house today and work, so I am up early and busy.

Dill, Cyn, and Pap, hello and to all, have a great day.

[dill]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Good morning All,
Whew! yesterday was a whirlwind. I loved have my granddaughter over night, but there isn't a moment's down time when she is in the house! She gets up ealy, just like her Nanna, so I didn't get my morning computer time. We were joined by our grandson later in the morning as his Dad had an appointment, so once again, the intrepid Nana and Pop Pop bundled everyone off to the beach! They love it so much it's worth the effort and hassle. After a long day day of fun it was wonderful to wave goodbye to them as they left for home. Now, finally I am enjoying a proper grandparent roll again: spoil them then send them home!:H

Star, that is so great that you have two offers! How much time do you have to consider them? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and say a prayer that you hear from the one you really want before you have to make a choice.:l You are right in the middle of so much change! Beilieve me, I think of you often these days and send you whatever extra strength I can muster. I hope you get to enjoy some of this sunny weather. Are your floating chairs packed already or can you still get to them?

Cyn, Wow! A mountain lion?! OMG! You and I share the same battles. I'm after the virginia creeper too! However I wish I could find some bittersweet. It has a hard time around here for some reason. It used to be plentiful (I love those orange berries in the fall) but someone told me it was a casualty of agricultural spraying practices. Anyway, my other nemesis is trumpet vine. Do you have that?

Lav, I was too busy yesterday to explore the links. I have more time today so will take a gander. Thanks as always for sharing!

Oh my, did I mention fresh peaches? We stopped at a stand last week. They had peaches from Georgia that were delicious! They were pretty expensive but I splurged and made a fresh peach pie. It was SOOOOOO good! Ate the last of it last night.

Greetings Papmom and all lurkers. (Join in sometime we'd love to hear from you too.)

Happy AF Humpday everyone!

[Lavande]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Good morning & Happy Hump day friends!

Had another one of those rip roaring T storms last evening with heavy winds - geez! It came from the west & it's supposedly brought cooler, drier weather - hope so!

Cyn, now all you need to do is have a tiger spotting in your neighborhood. Lions, tigers & bears - Oh My!!!!! Sorry, don't mean to be flip, couldn't help myself
There have been a lot of bear sightings in the northeastern counties of PA & NJ the past few years. They always seem more interested in looking for food than anything else. I suppose we have displaced them & taken over their food sources. Keep your eyes open & a cell phone with you when you're outside!

Star, awesome on the job offers!
The universe is starting to open up for you - keep those positive thoughts going & be ready to receive an abundance of blessings!!!! I never realized how closed off I was primarily because I was so busy trying to control outcomes. No more of that for me either. It was quite a lesson learning to gratefully accept changes in my life but it's something we all can do. Hope the house showing brings an interested buyer today

Dill, the total grandma infusion is exhausting but lots of fun too - keeps us young I think
So nice that you can take the kids to the beach - fun times!
My two peach trees are in sad shape so I will be buying some myself from the farmers market!!

Papmom, hope you are OK! I know these storms head right up your way when they leave here!

Monday was the one year anniversary of my brother's passing. There was no funeral or burial the family has had no opportunity to grieve or memorialize him in any way. His atheist wife made sure of that! So, with perfectly honest intentions I posted a picture on his Facebook page of me & my brother taken way back in 1967. We were both young, happy & had a whole lifetime ahead of us. The post received various positive responses from family members. It also received an absolutely horrendous volume of crap from his widow. I didn't see her post myself since we are no longer friends on Facebook or in any other way. I received a message about it from someone else. She claims that the entire family treated her badly after his death & that's just not true. I am grateful that I severed ties with this woman, she is one mean, miserable woman & not a friend in any way. I continue to support my nephew but have no contact with his twin sister (another mean & miserable person).

So that's my story!
I'm off to Curves & deliver eggs now.
Have a great AF Wednesday everyone!

Lav

[Samstone]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

I stuck my nose in the door here and saw your links Lav, I bookmarked them, thanks
Sam

[cyntree]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Happy Hump Day!
Wow, lots on the family fronts, eh?

Star - congrats on the job offers. I feel just as Lav does - the Universe is showing you the bounty that's there. So sorry that giving notice was hard - I'm sure they are sad to have a wonderful colleague like you leave the nest. I'll be sending good wishes for the showing today - it only takes the right people coming in the door! Stay strong and positive - you are doing great.

Dill - what a whirlwind. I'm so glad that you can send them home at the end of the day. You continue to be a great gift - above and beyond - to your son. Any news about the mother? RE: bittersweet. Don't wish for it! It climbs up the trees and chokes the living daylights out of them, and it is a haven for deer ticks. I laugh that we used to go out to the 'country' and harvest it to make fall wreaths. Yikes - not any more, thanks. I will send you a picture of a decades-old bittersweet vine on one of our trees in the woods - very spooky looking, like a Tarzan vine or something.

Lav - ah, letting go of outcomes. Major. I wonder how many of us tried to drink away the frustration of outcomes that didn't match what was in our head? Interesting thought.

Hi Pap - hope you are OK.

Wishing all a great AF day -

[Lavande]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Cyn - letting go of that lifelong picture in my head of HOW THINGS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE was one hell of a challenge but it certainly can be done
That kept me stuck in the pit of anxiety, depression & self-medicating with wine for way too long. It's all kind of stupid now looking back but apparently I came here to learn the lesson. And boy, did I ever learn!!!!

Just watching the news & hearing about all the storm damage from last night's storm - sad.

[Stargazerlily]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Good morning...

Dill, fun times with the grandkids, then relax. Good for you. I am so happy that I was offered work. I need to work and have stability. We don't have a pool so years since I had pool chairs. But I have the memories.

Lav, I will have to remember that the Universe is opening itself up to me. Now I have to find a place to live, move some furniture, and still have the house on the market. I can't sleep as I don't know where to start. I will keep positive though, and gratefully accept changes. I thought about what you said about controlling outcomes. I can't and it is making me crazy. Plus, trying to think of all the stuff I need to get rid of, fast. I actually and really only use about 10% of my stuff, the rest is in closets, drawers, the basement, shed. It needs to go and I have to set up a plan and get to work. A lifetime of things needs to be downsized quickly. Working will also help my mind to calm down. Again, sleeping is hard, too much to do and think about. I have to keep in mind that I cannot control the outcome.Thanks, Lav.

Cyn, giving notice was OK, but yesterday my boss started to get angry and crappy. I do not need that at all. Today there will be a meeting and I don't want to go, but will dress nicely and act with dignity and respect for myself, all I can do and what I must do. Work was the place I could go and feel sane, now that is taken away from me to, for now. I think the next couple of weeks will be complicated. How do you live in two places at once, Cyn? I have to get an apartment, move some of my stuff, but keep my house open. Have you known people that have done this?

Sorry this is all about me right now, but hope you understand. Again, I am grateful to you for being there. Being AF is the only way I can survive this. I really think if I drank I would die. Does that make sense to you? I read about the horrible hangovers, anxiety, and know that that could be me if I decide to drink. No way, I am struggling enough. I choose health and wholeness despite the challenges I am facing currently. And the opportunities.

Cyn,

[Lavande]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Good morning friends

No sun here today so I thought I would insert one anyway

Star, when we teach ourselves that change really is inevitable, stop fighting it & go with the flow the pressure really seems to disappear.
I know I've posted this before but be sure to take a look everyday:
http://positiveoutlooksblog.com/

I still remind myself daily of the importance of staying present, focusing on doing the best I can do today & not worrying about the rest. Now that we no longer beat ourselves up with substances we need to focus on being kinder to ourselves on the mental & emotional level
Is there any chance of finding a furnished rental for a while? I'm thinking of Marriot & other hotels that have extended stay deals. Maybe something like that?

Nothing big happening in my world today & that's perfectly OK with me.
I can do any of a thousand small things!!!

Hellos to Dill, Papmom & Cyn.
Let's all stay open to wonderful things!

Lav

[cyntree]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Morning all -

After another shocking downpour last night, everything is cool and sparkly this morning. (I'm sending it over to you, Lav)

Opportunities - that's the ticket, Star! Yes, do find an apartment, that will clarify your thinking. Notice the things that you use every day - those are the things that you need to take with or find a version of where you are. Once you have the apartment all set, (even in your head), you'll know what to get rid of at home. That's the way I recommend starting. If you start trying to downsize all the stuff you already have, it's too hard to find the forest for the trees. When you get into your apartment, you may feel wonderfully calm in your living space, having just exactly what you want to have around you, nothing more. (Be sure to include some 'comfort' objects to take with you to the apartment.) If you are unsure about furniture that you may need when you move into a new house, you can put it in storage when you house sells. I don't usually recommend storage, but sometimes it's worth it - just weight the cost. $200 a month for a year could buy some nice furniture on the other end!
Sorry about your boss - but people get frightened when things change, even for other people! Maybe he/she is jealous!

Lav - thanks for another wonderful link to look at. Dill and Pap - hope your days are productive and happy.

[dill]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Greetings All,

Sam, stick your nose in whenever you please!

Star, what you said about being AF being the only way you could survive this time of transition, and that if you did drink you fear you could "die", well that really struck me! So powerful because it is simply true. Drinking would only make things harder and things being harder would increase the drinking. It is a deadly cycle.

Cyn, Lav, Pap greetings to you. I am short on posting time tonight. I hope you all enjoy another AF summer evening.

[Lavande]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Good morning friends,

Another overcast day in the works here, more storms likely later in the day. I see on the news there were a lot of overnight storms & damage just south of here. Hope it missed you Sam

Star, thinking about all you are going thru right now & am grateful there is no AL messing things up for you! We can get thru anything with a clear head & a grateful heart

Greetings Dill, Cyn, Papmom & Sam too
Nothing special going on here but am starting with a trip to Curves.
Have a great AF day everyone!

Lav

[Stargazerlily]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Good morning...

Thanks ladies for all the advice and support. I tend to really be anxious in the morning and being able to post is helpful. Thanks for being there.

Lav, I will look at the link you sent, sure it will be helpful. I like the idea of just doing what I have to TODAY, and leaving the rest. I will make a list today, get done what I can, and that is all I can do.

Cyn, I will notice what I use on a daily basis, and just take that with me. I know I have tons of stuff that I don't need, and will start today to clean out one dresser and closet in particular...that stuff needs to be sorted and to go. I little bit every day and soon I will be done, I don't have a big house or lots of stuff, but enough accumulated over the years. I will be making a few trips to goodwill too. Any other advice will be welcome.

Dill, the weather here i the Midwest is heavenly, hope you are able to enjoy it. I woke up this morning to 58degrees, sunny and green. Beautiful.

Hey Pap, and Sam.

[cyntree]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Hello all -

Wishing you a happy day. Lav, I 'm sorry about the storms - we have been lucky to miss them yesterday and hopefully today. Like Star, it's cool and sunny here - unbelievable for July! The window is open, and I have to keep plugging away, but the birds are cheering me on ---

Star - you sound like you have a great plan.

Greetings Dill and Pap - Lav enjoy Curves!

[dill]

Come Fly in July! ~ on AF wings

Hello AF friends,

It's been another beautiful day here and gratitude abounds! I did little things to move the ball forward around the home front. One major shift is that I took down the crib and stored it. Granddaughter is going to be using a big girl bed now! She will be 3 at the end of this month. I can't believe how the time goes...

Lav, Cyn, Star, Papmom, et. al., enjoy an AF weekend!