Anam Cara AF April

[treegirl]

Morning all! I guess it was a quiet day yesterday? I am up and et 'em this morning - a great sleep from 11 to 5 AM! That's a first for a long time. No wake-up from sweats, no doggy trips outside - heaven! Lav, I just received a new batch of my nutraceuticals; I had delayed ordering them because of $$$, but after your post, I realized that I do need them. And guess what, I took my b's (plus everything else) and I am feeling better today. That bad cold had me worried, it really knocked me out, but now I feel hopeful.

Star - thanks for asking, I feel really good, and I think it is mostly due to the meditation and the light yoga (at home). I still have my down times and 'crabbies', but I feel that many things that have been issues for me are coming up (gently) and I'm getting to understand my mind better and be able to separate my 'thoughts' from reality. I feel incredibly lucky to have started on this pathway -

I also feel incredibly lucky to be able to share with you all! Happy AF Hump Day (great job urge surfing, Star), and wishing all a good one -

[paulywogg]

Morning friends, Star,I know if I had waited and held out that day,the craving would have passed,I seem to get them between 1 and 4 pm then after that its gone, that's why I'm beating myself up so bad cuz obviously there's a piece of me not completely shutting the door to drinking,I thought I had but I guess deep down there's something that I've got to figure out,I had an emergency antabuse in my purse I could have taken,if I was willing to do whatever it takes to stay sober,I'd have taken it,I'm so frustrated with this,what 5 more years down the road I'm still posting day 4? I can't be doing that and besides there's no guarantee that if I continue on like this there'd even be a 5 years down the road,sorry to bring this up on here,I should have written it on my thread,I don't know why I didn't, just when you said you had a passing craving my dam burst I guess haha,Cyn,glad you're feeling good,I have a yoga DVD but it looks dated and hard to follow so I'll probably just look up YouTube one(even though my screens small) I've heard too many good things about yoga to not be doing it,hello Lav and Dill hope we have a wonderful Wednesday

[Lavande]

Greetings friends, happy Hump day!

Had a bad night with my older dog, geez. It's getting rough handling her.

Cyn, have you ever used Vistaprint for anything for your business?
I use them for business cards, have had flyers, refrig magnets (good handouts) & even had a large banner made to hang from tables at craft shows. You should take a look at them online.

Star, B 12 is measured in international units (iu) but yes, I decided to go with the 5000 iu once per day. I am pleased with the clearing of the brain fog already, that's a big deal!
If you decide to try it be sure to take it early in the morning so you can benefit from the extra energy during the day. I am sleeping better when my dog isn't having troubles.

Pauly, I really think we need to control our blood sugar to avoid cravings. That means eating regularly, getting some protein with each meal & snack and stay the heck away from SUGAR
Treat yourself with kid gloves, so to speak.

What are you up to today Dill?

I need to spend the rest of the day getting a job finished. No more delaying, ha ha
Have a great AF day evetyone!

Lav

[dill]

Hi All,

Lav, I'm just back from a day out with a gf. We did errands together, ate brunch out and then did some fun shopping at Half Price books and Hobby Lobby. Nice!

Star, keeping al out of the house is my saving grace. Thankfully Mr. D doesn't drink so it is not an issue keeping an al free zone. Sometimes I still get cravings too at the witching hour which is basically dinner prep time. If I'm really edgy I just say "Let's eat out tonight!" I shop at Krogers which does have a beer/wine section but I have trained myself to walk past. Many times I don't even think about it as I pass!

Pauly, feel free to speak about anything that is on your mind! We all benefit from whatever you share. I could relate to what you said about having to figure out what is keeping you stuck. It's something we all had to do.

Cyn, I'm glad you are feeling better.

Happy AF Hump Day everyone.

[SnoopyC]

Good morning...

Working to stay AF is ongoing, we need to talk about it, it helps all of us. Not much to say today, still trying to wake up, I could have slept longer. Have a good one.

[Lavande]

Good morning friends!

Dark & damp on this Thursday morning, I could have slept a bit longer too Star. My dog alarm really won't allow that though

I have work to finish up today so the rain is not a big problem. At least my gardens will be watered.
Appreciating our AF lives, each & every day helps reinforce the monumental decision to protect our quits

Hello to Dill, Star, Cyn & Pauly!
Have a wonderful AF day all.

Lav

[dill]

Hello all,

Star, I have days like that! Hard to wake up, hard to get the brain engaged. Today I woke up thinking about aging gracefully. Perhaps because I turn 64 this weekend! LOL The Beatles song will be on my mind that day. YouTube

I see people, friends actually, who are aging and becoming stodgy because they stop learning and stop trying new things, becoming set in their ways. I want to focus on keeping my mind, heart and spirit young by staying open and seeking new experiences. That'll be my wish when I blow out the candles on my cake this year!

Greetings Lav, Cyn, Pauly. Have a good af Thursday.

[paulywogg]

Morning friends,rainy here,this weather is all over the place! Dill,I have many customers who are in their 60's and 70's and Ilike to analyze them,seems the ones who still work,think positive and stay active look great and seem years younger,the ones who complain, sit around,smoke,look years older and act like they're sitting around waiting to die,my coworker is 64 and she's so great cuz she acts younger than me,very social,goes out,still drinks,gambles and is always on the prowl for men haha!! Louie's great-grandma is the same way,I'm just happy they're enjoying life my mom text me last night(another wild one) and told me one of my brothers is in jail for his second DUI,he had just got a great job two days before,was ready to move into a new house,darn kid! I told my mom we never learn,not sure how long he'll serve or what kind of fines,meh,hello Lav,Cyn and Star,hope we all have a nice Thursday

[treegirl]

Morning all -

Lav - I love that; "our monumental decision to protect our quits". That's really it, isn't it, knowing that this is a life-changing endeavor. PS - I've ordered new rack cards and a banner, and even a t-shirt from Vistaprint. Just in the nick of time - all is arriving today!

Dill - Happy Birthday - what is the exact day?! Your attitude is wonderful -- and btw 64 is just a pup these days. You have put everything in place to achieve all your goals, congrats --

Star - hope that you get some more rest later today - slow mornings are probably a signal --- they are for me at least.

Pauly - keep on figuring it out! I agree with Lav, it is so much about keeping our blood sugar level. Have you tried the L-Glutamine powder? If you take it during the 1 - 4 time (that was always my bad time too) it might smooth things out so that you can think straight if an urge comes up. Good luck, and keep at it. So sad about your brother - I hope that he gets back on track. I do only a little very gentle yoga - it is part of the Mind/Body/Stress Reduction program that I have been doing at home.

Wishing all a great AF day -

[Lavande]

Will you still need me will you still feed me when I'm 64??

Happy pre-birthday Dill
You know, 64 is the new 40, right?

Cyn, sounds like you have things in good shape. Good for you!

Pauly, sorry to hear about your brother. Now can you step back a little & see what AL does to us? Honestly, it's no damn good.
Focus on what is good for Pauly, OK?

My planned afternoon of work was delayed due to frequent power failures. Why? I have no idea. All we had going on was a bit of rain, weird.
So here I am, after 7:30 pm & just getting to the work. Oh well.

Peace to all tonight!

[SnoopyC]

Good morning...

Pauly, so sorry to hear about your brother's problems. Darn. Isn't that just what happens, things start going better (new job) and then drinking ruins everything. Hope your week is going well, let's focus on an AF weekend! I need to do things this weekend that build me up, I have felt tired, not sleeping so well. So, lots of self care, plans for healthy food, and if it doesn't rain later today, some walks are in my future.

Dill, happy birthday, 64 is a wonderful age! I love the Beatle's song, hope you have a wonderful celebration! I agree, keeping busy, always being open to learning new things, new ideas, new adventures, keeps us young. Plus of course, healthy living which does not include alcohol. A positive attitude makes all the difference.

Lav, sorry about the electrical problems, darn. Any plans this weekend? I am finally going to definitely order my new granite counter tops on Saturday, and then helping a fellow worker with some landscaping ideas, so that should be fun. Emotionally I feel so firm in my resolve to be happy with the home I have and to work on making it the way I want it. I am just focusing on being positive and filled with gratitude for what I have and it makes life so much more peaceful. Always grasping for more, looking at what others have and wanting it, what a waste of time. How did you find out about the CSA in your area? On the internet or at the grocery store? I am interested in getting veggies that way this summer.

Cyn, say more about the L-glutamine powder, do you get it at a health food store and how much do you take? Do you get to relax this weekend or big plans? It is supposed to rain on Sunday, so going to the gym and indoor activities will probably be on our agenda. I agree with you and like the phrase, "the monumental decision to protect our quits." That means no matter what it takes, if we have to start over, let some people go, we just never give up.

Yay, it's AF Friday, have a great day!

[dill]

Hello All,

Pauly, that is dreadful news about your brother. Do you know yet if he will lose his new job? Had he actually started work to days ago? I hope he manages to hold on to his job and he can get control of his drinking.

Star, get plenty of rest this weekend. It sounds like you need some. How exciting picking out your granite counter top! I know 64 isn't as "old" as it used to be but I do find myself being more and more aware of what time I have left on this earth. That is why being af is so important. The time we have in this life is so short and it's senseless to waste it.

Lav, I wonder why you were having those electrical problems. The odd thing is our electric was out at some point last night too but the weather here is mild. We've had a little light rain, but that's all. Weird.

Cyn, Saturday is my actual birthday. Mr. D has promised to bake me a cake! I think that's a first. Your fair is tomorrow, is it not? Good luck with it!

Let's all focus on having a healthy, af weekend.

[Lavande]

Good morning friends, happy Friday!

Still dark & damp around here & I don't think there's any chance of seeing the sun today, oh well.
I actually woke up with a scratchy throat this morning, uh oh! I hope it's just an allergy thing. Time to make a pot of soup I think

Star, the winter CSA we're involved with run by the Amish community!
Our local farmer friend has signup sheets in his 'store'. Last week was the last week, now we will just stop in his store whenever we need something. We are usually in there at least once per week in the summer to buy fresh corn, big jars of locally produced honey, etc. He has also gotten in to selling garden plants, flowers & lots of stuff from his greenhouses.
I'm glad you are staying put & making your home all yours!!

Dill, believe it or not back in the 70's YB was actually capable of baking bread & used to enjoy it too. He never baked a cake though, ha ha! I hope Mr D. comes up with something nice for you
I have no idea why we had the power problems yesterday. I was just grateful I was able to rescue the batch of vegan strawberry ice cream I was churning at the time, LOL
Enjoy your birthday weekend!

Cyn, good luck with your event this weekend!

Pauly, I hope you are OK & staying on plan with us :hug:

Have a wonderful AF day everyone!

Lav

[paulywogg]

Morning friends,Lav,of course I plan on staying put! Just thinking of options and plans,different things all in an effort to stay AF of course,I think I'm just baffled cuz I don't know what caused the first relapse,then I guess cuz I had that one and let AL in,its been harder to keep the momentum up,I have too good of a life and too much stuff I'm responsible for to keep al in my life and look at my brother,poor kid,just 2 years ago his gf was drunk driving and rolled her SUV just a bad situation, not sure if he still has his job,its at the lake in my hometown and I'm pretty sure you'd need a license,I need to text my mom and make sure she's dealing with this ok,she tends to drink her worries away in times like this as we all did,feel groggy and I'm out of turkey sausage waaah!haha,hello Dill,Star,Cyn hope we all have a fab Friday

[treegirl]

Hello all-

Late check-in here today. I had to be at the place setting up my table early this morning -- and had to do all the dog duties, pack and fill the car, etc. It all went well, though I had to laugh at myself -- it's a TAG SALE - nobody going to a tag sale wants to hear about de-cluttering?! They are there to buy stuff!! But it all turned out well - I spoke with quite a few people (one woman who was in the midst of moving her parents into the residence). Most people said 'I wish I'd known about you xxxxx ago! But quite a few took my materials, and talked about the need to start decluttering and getting their houses ready to sell. I marked my postcards with 20 percent off deal for those being at the sale, so hopefully they will actually keep the card!

Really really tired tonight - I put in a full day yesterday, including another 2 hours finishing up the garlic mustard (almost). I fell asleep sitting up in the chair after dinner, and couldn't get myself to wake up until about 8 PM. Then raced around getting stuff together for today, sheesh! Going to try to get a few more things together for my table tomorrow, and then go to bed early!

Dill - happy happy birthday to you tomorrow! I'm wishing you a wonderful year to come ---

Happy AF weekend all -