saturday AF 8 November

[treetops]

Well it's the weekend almost half way through for me folks and quite nice today too. We ate dinner outside tonight – a bit of a treat as its usually too cold. Still have a blue sky and its 7pm and the birds are doing their tweeting thing. As you know I like birds and I am fortunate to have a garden and be near a forest where there are a variety of birds.

SL – are you running this weekend? I sort of got confused about your plans with that – or is the running over?

Sam – as I said nice pics and I hope you get to relax this weekend.

Good to see you back in form Mick and I guess time will see what happens with the personal issues you have to deal with. Whats this with the penguin ad- exploiting my friends – hope they get good rates for their stint in the UK!!!!

Sorry you are feeling poorly Pauly. Good advice from Lav about getting the sinus thing seen to.

What are your plans PPQP for the weekend? I hope my rendition of summery nights here has not made you grumpy. Just think – all that wonderful snow is on its way. I know, that's the last thing you want to think about.

Hope you got a good rest after yesterday Lav. Anymore kiddies for the weekend?

Hi there also to Det and SF and all others.

OK – I will leave it at that – and you all have a great weekend – don’t take any notice of the Christmas ads!

[Mick]

mornin all..how are we today?all good I hope..things wee bit better here ..as you say guess only time will tell..no sense sitting wondering worrying etc..the show goes on....brew time for me..reckon you want one too?going out for a run this morning,just to get the cobwebs out of me bonce, then out early doors tomorrow...

hiya Lav..hows you today then?all good?how did kidwatch go? everywhere I look it seems to be thomas this n that..dont know if its a raised awareness or its making a comeback..you up to anything today?big brew..here you go.

hiya Sam..thats a cracking picture..you need to do an idiots guide for me on how to download them ..that one you can click on it and enlarge it..more than mine do!!

hiya ppqp.....-19 eek thats a tad cold..better get a big hot brew going!!hows you?yep things are getting on ok ish here...any plans for the weekend..that is except for snuggling up to a big fire??

hiya pauly ..hows you apart from the sniffles?mebbes you should go n see what the quack says about it...hope it gets sorted tho..

hiya SL... hows Roger Banister today then?tell you ..looking at your fb pics..no way could you ever deny she is your daughter!!guess what one is having for ones dinner today?haggis tatties neeps!!

hiya tt....that ad cost.....

Meet Sam and Monty, the stars of what is fast becoming a Christmas tradition – the John Lewis tear-jerker advert.

The department store has spent £7million on a two-minute blockbuster featuring young Sam and his sidekick, an adorable penguin called Monty.

It took nine months to bring Monty to animated life after artists pored over hours of footage of real penguins to get his movements absolutely right.

Sam – played by seven-year-old Rhys Edwards, from Hertfordshire – makes Monty’s Christmas Day wish come true, with a typical John Lewis twist at the end.


The ad, which aims to match the magic of last year’s The Bear and The Hare, will be screened on social media on Thursday morning. It makes its TV debut on Friday on the first Gogglebox ad break on Channel 4.

After that, expect to see the backing track – Tom Odell’s cover version of John Lennon’s Real Love – storm up the charts.


And John Lewis is hoping to cash in with a range of toys, onesies and pyjamas as well as a book based on the ad.

John Lewis marketing director Craig Inglis said: “We hope this uplifting tale of Sam’s love for his friend Monty will remind people of the magic of Christmas through a child’s eyes and inspire them to think how they can make the festive season extra special for their friends and loved ones.”

The ad - now a British tradition - is expected to see hordes of children pestering their parents for a pet penguin and animal charity WWF is ready with adoption papers for Adelie penguins when the website goes into meltdown and phonelines are jammed.

Named after Adelie - the area where they live in the Antarctic - fans can adopt male and female penguins from a colony of up to 600 at the Dumont d’Urville base on Pointe Geologie which has been affected by global warming.

John Lewis/PAJohn Lewis Christmas advertAdorable: Sam with his little Antarctic friend
The WWF said: “Rising global temperatures mean the sea ice is melting, taking away precious nesting grounds and affecting vital food sources such as krill - tiny shrimp-like crustaceans that feed off algae found on the underside of ice sheets.

“We are monitoring the colony to find out how they are adapting to climate change.”

And John Lewis is hoping to cash in on the advert with a range of Monty and Mabel toys, onesies and pyjamas as well as a book based on the ad.

7 million...eek!!

hows you today?still busy busy?Julie went up to her ex bosses place yesterday..think that moves on the cards too!!interesting times..

right peeps..apart from all the personal stuff ...which actually I can do bugger all about until each thing happens..got lots to do..sanding filling making a coupla floorboards so best move my bum...

big shout to everybody.....

heres the irn bru ad that was banned..you need the sound on for it ..and check their faces!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iyAcMi8rjk

There were three blondes stuck on an island and they had been there for a few days, when they stumbled across a magical lamp. One of the blondes rubs the lamp and sure enough a genie pops out and offers to grant each of them a wish.

The first blonde says, "Make me smart so I can think of a way to get off this island."

He points his finger at her, and she turns into a redhead. Then she heads to the water and swims towards land.

The next blonde says, "Make me even smarter than her so I can get off this island!"

So he points his finger and she becomes a brunette, and she builds a boat and sets sail.

The last one says "Make me smarter than both of them combined!!"

The genie points his finger at her and turns her into a man, the man then walks across the foot bridge back to mainland.

I was in a weapon's store and I asked one of the people working there if I could test out some of the police batons to see how well they worked.

He said, "knock yourself out."

So I did.

I love the Olympics because it unites races of all different kinds.

Like the 100m 200m 400m and 800m

Hire a Dwarf"has had complaints.Customers say the midgets are too tall.The manager said the company has no alternative
but to downsize.

I'm barred from every pub in town.

Just for being twelve.

I was putting our youngest to bed when he asked for a bedtime story.

I checked my watch and saw that the football was starting in ten minutes, so I quickly took down the "Bumper Book of Fairytales" ...

... and knocked him unconscious with it.

[Lavande]

Good morning Abbers!

Below freezing but sunny here this morning
It will warm up to 50 though so I'm not complaining.

TT, it is nice to actually be able to eat outside & take in a bit of nature. Glad you enjoyed yourselves!

Mick, thanks for the coffee. I sure needed it this morning, Ha ha!
I haven't made any special plans for the weekend but I have a feeling I will be seeing kids at some point. At 3 1/2 my youngest grandson is still thoroughly enthralled with everything THOMAS. Makes it easy to shop for him

Greetings to everyone & sending wishes for a great AF Saturday for all!

Lav

[porqoui]

MAE ALL...

TT...thanks for kicking us off. Nope won't make me grumpy it's your turn to enjoy. We have a reprieve today but the Polar Vortex should reach us Sunday night and last the week. Looking at temps to -21C and 15cm of snow. Positive in all of this is it warms up for next weekend just in time for our annual Christmas Craft Sale which I have to work this year.

Mick...glad things are a wee bit better and you're right, the show does go on. Glad you're able to post as we'd miss you dearly. Visit with Dad today will be celebrating his 90th Birthday so am looking forward to that. Remembrance day on Tuesday is a holiday so in lieu of working next weekend I'm taking Monday off. Good timing as like you said I'm snuggling up to the fire instead of having to go out in deep freeze. Hope your early out tomorrow is a success.

Lav...below freezing, same here but I think it's a little different for me. LOL Hope your grandson hangs onto the Thomas fad as you're right it does make shopping easier.

Well, better put something in my grumbling tummy and get ready for my day. Have a Super Sober Saturday all and all to come....:smile:PPQP

[Samstone]

Afternoon all
market starts an hour later in November so got to sleep in till 4!! Felt like I was on vacation or something. Love this time of year where there's a chill but not to the bone and the sun's warmth feels good. It was a goodly market all in all.
had to change my avatar to show off my new banjo. One of my brothers GAVE it to me. What the hey!! Very generous of him.

TT, I've always been intrigued by the home place from that field. It is interesting to look out and try to envision what everything looked like 160 years ago or so. The place had about 1000 acres but now, of course, homes are sprinkled all around.

Mick, glad to hear things are moving along for you. This life stuff can really get in the way of things, as you know. I don't understand the picture stuff at all really. I went to my "profile" thinking I'd load some up in an album and I just can't get it to work. I'm sure it does but I've not been able to do it. Took me forever to get the avatar thing figured out.

Lav, nice morning, eh? My chicken lights are finally on this week. For some reason the timer was acting goofy but now works. How long before you noticed a difference?

PQ, just did a conversion for your temps... seems that there is pretty ding dang cold!! And in my translation close to 6 inches of snow coming your way as well. Some folks here would swear that it would be too cold to snow! Perhaps we went through this last year, but just in case, thought I'd mention it.

SL, still very dry in your neck of the woods I gather. Hope there's relief in sight soon!

Off to enjoy the remainder of daylight. Greetings to you Det, Pauly (hope you're feeling better), SF, and other good folks I may have overlooked

Sam

[Determinator]

hidy ho ABeroooooos!

feeling all bright and happy after morning fencing practice. being home helps too!

Ttops, sounds like a lovely avian dinner. Sam, any day that includes a new banjo is good!

shouts to PPQ, Pauly, SF Lav (keeper of all things Thomas), Mick and all to join in the fun AF'ing

got a big batch of tomatoes in the oven for 'oven dried tomatoes'. putting up things on ebay and further
making ready for new home transition.

be well everyone

[porqoui]

Sam...nice avatar and the banjo has you written all over it.
I always thought it could get too cold to snow till last winter. Hit -30 and stayed there, with snow.
The perk for living in Alberta is the Chinooks but we only got 2 of them last year. Looks like this winter is going to be a repeat.

Det...you're sounding very up, well done. If you're further making ready for new home transition does that mean you and Dx have found one?

Had a great Birthday party with my Dad, loaded up on all kinds of food, now to hunker down and be grateful that I have 4 days off.
Have a restful evening/great day everyone....:happy2:PPQP

[Lavande]

Happy 90th birthday to your Dad PQ - good for him
Enjoy you 4 day vacation, nice!

Det, good question. Have you found a new place yet? We all wanna know, LOL

Sam, we have had lights in the chicken house from the very beginning of the chicken project ~ 10 years or so.
If your girls are molting right now that will slow production as well. They usually molt around age 18 months so I expect mine to start that process in March. All good things in time I suppose. They will pick up production when they regrow their feathers. Feeding them extra protein usually helps.

I had my son & family here for dinner - short notice of course. I told them all to go home when the pants dropper started his routine, HaHa!!!! He was mad because he wasn't allowed to have a second brownie for dessert. I swear my son never behaved like that, thank God!!!

[TheSunFlower97]

I know I saw this coming. I am about to fall off the wagon. I have not yet....and hopefully tomorrow will be different. But, dang I would really like a drink or 10. Hopefully tomorrow is better.

[treetops]

Oh dear SF - I thought the Amoryn had helped you a lot this week.

So Here's the short answer SF - Don't you bloody dare drink.!!!!
Now answer No 2. Lets not call this falling off the wagon. That always sounds so cute. No whats going to happening, is not falling, but you are planning to drink. You are talking yourself into this route. I know you don't mean that - but you are reinforcing the voice that says a drink won't hurt. No one can force a drink down you. Someone has to buy that AL and get it into your throat. And someone has to deal with the repercussions - the day after, maybe the day after that and so on. Then the slow build up to quitting and staying quit. Thats you sweetheart. Do you really really want to do this to deal with your anxiety and stress because just writing about it fills me with buckets full of anxiety, self-loathing and stress.
As you say tomorrow is another day - and you will feel a damn sight better than if you drank. But the anxiety and stress and problems you have may still be there. So lets talk more about dealing with them. Or living with them. Talk it out, rant and rave here - tell me I am a mean old tyrant. But drinking won't take the pain away and it will just make it worse.
Sending you lots of hugs - keep posting - or if you can get some rest and sleep - that will be even better.

[TheSunFlower97]

Thanks TT...there is ALOT I don't post here.....due it being a relatively public forum. Nor will I ever. A drink is always close and sometimes faraway. Today it is close. Because there was a reason I drank....but, I still believe being sober is better. Just today I got really close to saying "screw it". My life really never got better not drinking.....it changed so much that my head spins.

[treetops]

"My life really never got better not drinking.....it changed so much that my head spins". Thats very sad to me as I read it. Its getting late where you are so probably not best to dwell - leave this for another day. Maybe sometimes we invest too much in hoping that quitting AL will lead to a radical change in our lives. Its often - (but not always) - a lot more subtle than that. I recall reading and hearing recovering alcoholics and addicts talking as if this was a miracle cure for everything. Like a flash of lightening or a profound spiritual experience. I am not decrying that this may happen for some - but for many of us it aint like that. We still have the same tedium, relationships, drudgery even, cranky bosses or workmates, other health issues, teenagers, elderly parents, pets, accidents, financial crises, unemployment - the list is endless. Thats not going to disappear with sobriety. But hopefully we do learn to feel better in ourselves and more healthy - and that makes it somewhat easier to put all the other stuff in perspective. Every single one of us here on the daily ABS thread has been dealing with a whole range of things - and our past demons and fear of the future. But we try to take this in our sobriety and we try to support one another. I have found a certain peace in connecting with others who have to face the AL demon. This may be through the internet but I don't feel strange, or angry, or think its unfair anymore. I am not the only one like this. The deal we were dealt with how AL came into our lives - as problematic as they were already - is so common its normal.
Try to be kind to yourself and value yourself. Its not easy and sometimes the only person who can do this - is ourselves. Its a lonely business is life - but is a darned lot lonelier when we hide in a glass.
Lots of hugs.