Awesoome AF August

[dill]

Hello All, I could not get on yesterday the two times I had opportunity. I don't like it when that happens! It used to panic me but now I have learned just to wait and try again another time. I do wonder what was wrong tho.

Pauly, I do remember when you said you were going to try returning to your religion. I have mentioned to you that I returned to mine. I think organized religion has value but like all institutions run by men/women, there are imperfections. I have chosen not to throw the baby out with the bath water tho! LOL. Beyond that I will not go into discussing religion. Religion and politics discussion on the thread is something I shall not do. Others may do as they wish, of course.

Cyn, thank you for your comments regarding my family issues. We all have these things in our lives. We will get thru it. It sounds like you are pushing yourself somewhat. I hope your meditation practice helps balance that tendency in you. I realized a couple mornings ago that we are moving toward that time of changing light when we are blessed with special light, sunrises and sets.

Star, you have been af for so long! It doesn't seem right that you are counting days. That's always been a conundrum to me. But, if it helps, do it! I'm glad you are feeling better and stronger with the passage of time. Did you ever decide if you are going to do something in addition to MWO?

Lav, How is the greenhouse progressing? I wonder what YB will plant in there when time comes. Mr. D started some cherry tomatoes mid summer and he hopes to keep them going thru fall in the greenhouse. He had some luck with it last year.

LB, sorry for all you and everyone in LA are dealing with! My brother is there too so I have been following the news reports closely.

Nothing much planned for my day. Just cleaning up from the weekend with the grandchildren. Let's all have a peaceful, productive AF Monday.

[Lavande]

Good morning friends & happy Monday!

Hot, humid, same old thing here, ugh.
I am expecting my daughter & granddaughter later today. They will be spending the night so we can get an early start tomorrow morning. Heading to the beach for a 2 day one night excursion. Short & sweet but better than nothing I guess, ha ha!!

Dill, the greenhouse work definitely requires the work of two people, I can't help much. Our son was here a bit this weekend to help & will be back later this week. YB has a bunch of plants that he's been keeping in his heated garage over the winters so they will definitely be going inside the greenhouse - figs, green tea & stuff like that. I'm sure he'll fill it up without too much trouble.

Hello to Star, Cyn, Pauly, LB & everyone! Wishing everyone a wonderful AF day!

Lav

[treegirl]

Happy Monday all -

Yes, Dill the light is really starting to be special at sunrises and sunsets. I have been experiencing it, because I am still trying to help find this lost foster pup. She's been sighted not too far from my house the last 2 days; but we were really vigilant last evening until dark and didn't see her. I was out with the dogs this morning early (the pup likes dogs but is scared of humans...). No sightings so far, too bad. But being outside in the evening air and watching the sun rise while standing in the middle of a field really does have its perks...

Star - I really do consider food as medicine - I believe that food choices are that powerful. The sites I read say that what you put in your mouth will affect your gut microbiome in a matter of hours, for better or worse. I am frustrated with HB, as he is always looking for the drug that will make everything OK, and in the meantime eats inflammatory foods. How surprising is it that after 3 weeks of antibiotics (even with taking probiotics) , his arms are full of hives that are making him crazy. I tried to suggest staying away from gluten, dairy, coffee, and sugar until the hives start to get better... but that's not going to happen. I'm trying to detach!!

Pauly - good luck with all the things you are balancing. So glad the site came back up for you to post.

Lav - a little getaway is definitely better than nothing! And sometimes just as refreshing as a long trip. Your daughter really does deserve a celebration for all she's accomplished (with her Mom's help!). Have fun tonight and tomorrow as you head out!

LB - hoping that you are doing OK in the flood area - it must be very disconcerting to have that chaotic energy around you. Take care.

Names? I don't know - the word that popped into my head was Simple. Maybe it's time to keep things a little more Simple this month... I'm good with whatever is chosen!

Best to all on this AF Monday --

[paulywogg]

Morning friends, I think simple is nice Cyn,I tend to make things too darn difficult, I've been taking bromelain and turmeric for my allergies and I think it's causing insomnia, I'm gonna have to cut it out,doesn't seem to work all that great anyways, I just need to get through today, Dill,no more on religion or politics from me,I just thought I'd mention it cuz I was dealing with feeling bad about my choice not to commit to the religion but I'm over it, FTWD was pretty good last night except those two getting wasted and then here comes the zombies! I don't think anyone could effectively fight after sharing a bottle of tequila between 2 people, I'd be passed out! Gotta run to Sprouts and pick up my magnesium of choice, kinda hafta be picky with mag cuz each one works differently in my experience,hello Star and Lav,I'm off have a great Monday

[Lavande]

Wishing everyone a peaceful night.
Will check in when I can. You never know about the wifi in hotel room, ha ha.

Lav

[paulywogg]

Have a fun, safe getaway Lav

[SnoopyC]

Good morning all...

Lav, wishing you a great time on our trip. Getaways, and shorter ones, are wonderful, I love a good road trip. Living by the ocean is really great you will have a wonderful time at the beach, the light, sand, waves, birds, I am picturing it right now. When we moved, we moved away from Lake Michigan, a wonderful big lake with good beaches, so no beach for me except for little lakes, that while fun, are not the same. Have a great time with you daughter and granddaughter.

Cyn, thanks so much for mentioning the light, I will make sure to be mindful of sunrise and sunset today, nature gives us a free priceless show daily. Your husband is on what I call the man diet. He eats whatever junk he wants! My husband used to do that to when we were younger, gained alot of weight and did not feel well. I would pack him a healthy lunch and found out later he would toss it and eat junk. Nothing I could do about it either. Lately he has been so good, loved the Vitamix we bought and has these green smoothies 1-2x a day and lowered his intake of food, going down two pant sizes in about 8 months. I am proud of him, he feels better. Your husband's work schedule sounds grueling though, and that gives him little time for self-care. Hope you find that foster dog, that is so sad. I hate when animals are abused or neglected, they are so sweet.

Pauly, how you feeling? I am so much better on my day 9, really being mindful of my AF goal, taking time to be grateful. I watched this Tony Robbins show with Oprah, and he talked about letting go of expectations and focusing on gratitude, which I have been doing, and it is helping me to keep my thoughts, then feelings, on a higher level. Last night though, I became irritated about something and it was hard to let it go. I realized I was tired, and just lay down and breathed deep, finally feeling a bit better. The problem is still there though, I am just not make a big deal about it. Sorry if this was TMI.

Dill, I am counting the days again because it was SO BAD. My son came over on Sunday and said, Mom what happened to your leg; a huge bruise is still there. I don't know what happened. Can you imagine how I feel? I mean, this has progressed with me, really progressed, and I cannot afford to ever drink again, as I do not know what could happen. I have been really lucky, no arrests, as I would lose my job, and it would be a nightmare. Plus, my marriage, health and self respect. I am really scared, so I am being vigilant this time, feedback is welcome.

Hello to LB and Kuya, hope you are doing well. Have a good one. Oh,and I like Simple September, let's keep it simple, I know I need too.

[paulywogg]

Morning friends, Star,I had a huge bruise on my leg too! Couldn't figure out where I got it but then at work I was putting towels away and hit my leg on a shampoo chair in the exact same spot so I figure that was where I got it,my hubs was pissed too,of course I used the "but I've been doing so good!" line on him he wasn't impressed, other than allergies and lack of sleep, I feel ok,I don't want to drink again it just makes me sad and sick but there's still a mental block that I've got to push through, I'm so much better than alcohol, I look at myself and wondering how it became an issue with me? How? I'd been through a lot of hard times and never even thought of al,it was out of the question, until I turned 31/32 somewhere in there I just went crazy maybe, started smoking cigs,then the drinking came for hubs and I,it's just so weird to me I could see if I started drinking at my teens and 20's like most people do and it escalated but no I started late out of the blue,maybe that's why I have such a hard time, I'm still baffled by how it started, who knows, poor Kell is having a tough time, they have her working too many hours! A person with degenerative disc disease, pregnant, cannot stand and cut hair for 8 hours straight! Plus she can't take her pain meds, I dunno if she'll be able to keep up as she gets bigger, she text me last nite from work that her back was on fire,I hope all of this doesn't make her back condition worse! I was thinking about that icy hot tens thing? Shaq is in the commercial for it,I'm gonna Google if it's safe for pregnant peeps and if it is I'm gonna get her one today, hello to Dill,Cyn and Lav(lucky)! Hope we all have a terrific Tuesday

[dill]

Hello All, I like Simple too. Can't beat that concept.

Lav, have safe travels and enjoy your get away! You deserve it and so does your daughter. I do hope you can check in while you are away, but will understand if you can't.

Star, I do understand you needing to count now. Your last event sounds like it was horrible and very frightening. I am getting the impression you were not at home for part of it and I know that if I had a black out while not in the safety of my home it would add a level of fear exponentially! I have had black outs but at home. If I have had them while out, it was so long ago that I don't remember doing it. Or, I have blocked it out of my mind. Very likely the latter. So, long and the short of it, I think I understand where you are coming from and I am pulling for you! We all are. Heck, we are all pulling for each other!

Cyn, I can picture you standing in that field trying to catch sight of that pup in the waning light. I do hope you find the dear little thing and if/when you do or hear of someone else who has, please let us know!

Pauly, I hope I didn't inhibit you by my comments about not wanting to discuss religion on the thread. I certainly don't want you to feel you can't talk about it, especially if it helps you in your sobriety. There are many different denominations of faiths. If you think it will help you stay on your path maybe you should explore different congregations. Or, just be like Iris DeMent, and Let the Mystery Be:
YouTube

Beautiful weather here! I'm headed out for a walk in the woods. Let's all have an AF Tuesday.

[paulywogg]

Dill,if I wanted to talk about religion I would, I don't, it wasn't helping me actually, I was feeling a certain guilt and I actually think it kinda added to the emotional shit that I drank over in a way,you know I love ya

[treegirl]

Hello all - happy Tuesday -

Lav, I hope you're having a great (quick!) time. Soak up those waves and the smell of the ocean for us all!

Pauly - wow, I never heard of turmeric keeping people awake - bromelian I always thought was for stomach issues... whatever! Hope you feel better. I loved the Sprouts store when we were in the desert. Lots of great stuff. So sorry about Kell - hope that those issues get sorted out.

Dill - how are things at home? How is your daughter? I'm still so sorry that you are having to be a witness to all of that. But from a personal perspective, I can say that sometimes change (that doesn't make sense from the outside) is really crucial for those involved to move forward with their lives. It was that way for me when I divorced after 20 years of marriage; my ex was very close to my folks, and they ended up having a separate relationship with him. Both he and I are in much better places now than when we were married; it took a lot of courage for me to buck the whole family system, but I knew that there was a better way. It's taken over a decade to see the results, so perhaps you'll just have to have faith that this will all work out - and take the Long View! I know how hard it is on everyone...

Star - I read a great thing posted by Chill on FB the other day; it shows a glass of water, and asks 'how heavy is this glass of water?' It then relates that if you don't hold onto it for long, it's not so heavy; but the longer you hold it up, the harder it is on your arm, and the more exhausting it is. That's how it is with worry or irritation - OK, so you feel it, but the longer you hold it up, the more exhausting and painful it is! It sounds like you found a way to put the Glass of Worry down - good for you!

Wishing all well and AF in this day-

[paulywogg]

Well the Icy hot tens thing is out,big bold letters on the back"do not use if pregnant" great, I wonder why? Maybe the vibration or something

[SnoopyC]

Good morning...

Great posts, I have an overnight guest so can't stay on long.

Cyn, great feedback, I will remember holding that glass of water, and the longer I hold it out, the heavier it gets. I am really focusing on gratitude. I saw a Tony Robbins show and he stated that first thing when he wakes up, he thinks of three things to be grateful for, and I know from past experience, that this is very helpful to me. Counting my blessings.

Dill, yes, I was out when I blacked out, it was not a good thing. I am focusing on how good I feel AF, how well I am sleeping, and my desire to be healthy and of service to al the people in my life. I certainly have enough to do to keep me busy. Alcohol should not be a part of it. Period. Nice to hear you were able to enjoy the weather. I hear it is going to cool off for a few days. Looking forward to that!

Pauly, dear friend, we are in this together and will focus on all the good in our lives, feeling healthy, and being of service to our families and friends. No time for booze. I hope Kelly is able to get through her days with minimal pain. When is the baby due?

Hello to Lav,

Have a good Hump Day.

[treegirl]

Good morning all -

Star, I thought that image of the glass of water was powerful, too. I'm keeping that in mind, as I can definitely over-think and over-worry things, and if I've done something wrong I really hang onto it. Sheesh! We're human. Love the gratitude first thing in the morning; will add that to my toolbox!

Pauly - sorry about the patch. Since I went off naprosen (forever!) I use a Chinese liquid which has mainly wintergreen and some other essential oils. It really helps with my headaches and muscle pain generally, it's all I use now: it's called White Flower. You can get a small bottle on the internet for about $8... it might be worth trying. Good luck to Kell.

Lav - here's hoping that your trip is going well!

Dill - we are still looking for the lost foster dog. (I saw another great sunrise this morning!) Remarkably, the dog came into my yard yesterday - I saw her by accident when I went to the window for something else - we both startled each other, and she took off. Darn!!! I put my girl dog outside to try to lure her back, but no go. Fortunately the pup was sited again late last night, and we put food out for her. I hope this gets resolved soon - my pet sitter (who works for the rescue org where the dog came from) is the one heading up the search - early in the morning and late at night, and now she is back to teaching at the high school as well. She's going to get worn out! In the meantime, the foster mother put her wallet on the top of her car and drove off, so today I'll be hunting for her wallet as well as the dog. She's living one of my bad dreams - lost dog and lost purse! I feel sorry for her...

All of this leads to me feeling really grateful!! My dogs are here with me, I know where my wallet is, I saw a beautiful sunrise, and life is good!

[dill]

Oh my, what great posts to wake up to!

Cyn and Star, you are both so right and thanks for the reminders to focus on gratitude! I am the one who would put my wallet on top of the car and drive off.....oh definitely a page out of my playbook!

Star, thanks for expanding on your experience and for sharing how you are reacting. You couldn't be more right that al has no useful place in the life of one who wants to be of service to others. A main component of being of service is reliability. That goes out the door when al comes in! I'm so glad nothing really terrible happened to you that night and that you made it home safely.

Cyn thanks for sharing your perspective on divorce. I know objectively that what you say is true and by hearing your perspective I am more able to accept our personal situation. I know you are right. If she weren't my daughter I'd have been able to see it that way all along, but objectivity goes away when it is family. And of course, there is a little boy involved. I would like to think we will keep a relationship going with my SIL but the reality is he is just too far away. So that will be a loss I must accept. We will be on good terms with him if there are ever occasions where we will meet and we will remember him with a card on his birthday but we will never have much more than that. Switching topics: that is great that you are still having sightings of the pup! I wonder if you could just sit very still on your porch some safe distance from the food you set out if she would some time approach you.

Pauly, I do hope Kell can find some relief for her back pain. She may simply have to reduce the amount of time she is on her feet and I don't know how that will be possible in her line of work! Sorry the icy hot tens isn't going to work for her. I'm kind of interested in trying it myself tho. I'd never heard of it before. It is really strange how you started drinking so late in life. Does Mr. P still drink or has he quit because his number one drinking partner has quit? Mr. D was never a big drinker and if it hadn't been for me I doubt he would ever had used alcohol. He had no problem putting it away when he saw that I couldn't drink normally anymore.

Lav, I hope you are relaxing and enjoying!

Mr. D and I went to a matinee yesterday of the latest Star Trek movie. We are both huge Star Trek nerds and enjoyed ourselves immensely. The matinee price on Tuesdays is just $6.00 where as it is $9.75 on the rest of the days. Yikes! That is way too much, IMO!

Happy AF Hump Day everyone.