wiebe

Since everything changed here, I noticed threads from January and tried to respond to a long one by Don S and it didn't work so I'll do it this way.

It contained lots of good stuff and familiar thoughts from last summer when I first came to SR.

Browsing through the old stuff I also came accross this by Niner Fan.

Mommy, everyone is picking on me. Make them stop.

How pathetic is that? I wanted to respond to it but it was locked.

I see the champion of "all or nothing" thinking got some attention. Reading all that stuff made me glad I went away for awhile. If sobriety is as black and white as it's portrayed in that thread, how do you make progress?

If I think back to the shape I was in last summer and compare that to today, it's a whole 'nother world. So, still chugging away at staying sober here.

Anyway it was nice to read those posts again.

Take care,
Wiebe

SJRRN

Welcome Back! This too, was a chance to review and reflect past post for me too. Although I don't post much, I do visit the boards daily and remember the whole niner saga. I am just waiting to get back in chat - Steph

Dan

Pleased to meet you wiebe.
And Steph, you got the alternate chat thing figured out?
Hope to see you soon.
Dan

Anna

Wiebe, you're still going strong!! That's great. And, how is your garden doing? We still have cold weather here so gardening's not even in the picture yet!

Love, Anna

Justme57

Hi there ! good to see you again . Hope you had a great Easter ,Wiebe , how do you like the " new look"?

Come to think of it , I haven't seen Niner around since we " moved in"

Glad to see you're going strong

HUGX
Lee

Rotten

hi wiebe, good to see you again - hope you are doing well.
all the best

Chy

Hi my friend, how's the tulips coming? Glad to see you going strong! Yea, when we lost everything it was either loose the last 3 months or the last 3 years. So I guess we're not to bad off! I found a post when I was 7 day's sober omg that was to cool!

wiebe

Hey guys, great to see everything is sort of working here again. The log-in is still a bit cumbersom. The user name and password is needed each time.

Lots of good memories in some of those old posts. Too bad three months worth of them was lost. Better that than the last three years though.

Take care,
Wiebe

wiebe

P.S. Chy I think I really do have tulips growing in the garden. I may be sending pictures of real Dutch tulips from my own garden within a week or two.

Wiebe

Jhana

Hi Wiebe,

Good to see you here. I like Anna's analogy of moving in (to a new place). That's how I feel; don't quite know my way around yet...

Hugs, Gianna

wiebe

Hi Gianna, glad to see you too. With 3 months worth of posts missing it's hard to catch up on how it's been going recently with everyone. So, how've you been doing? Did you stay on track the whole time since Christmas?

Take care,
Wiebe

Jhana

Hi Wiebe,

Yes I have (stayed on track, that is, with the drinking). Last one on Dec. 23. I was determined not to fight that battle over Christmas.

Goodness knows there are other battles to fight. Pretty depressed and depressing here today. I just got news that another cousin of mine died. Life is so short, and I thought I would have all the time in the world to see the two who are gone now. Both of them alcoholic, I might add.

Money worries have me down today-of course, it is tax time here so there is a good reason for it. Oh how I wish I had spent the last 30 years more wisely. Well, it could be worse. Oh yes.

Good to have friends like you,

Cheers, Gianna

Don S

Hey, wiebe, I just figure it's like a metaphorical flood: cleaned out a lot of debris, but swept out the good with the bad.
It is odd seeing those old threads reappear. Some of them are better left further down the board.
Good to see you back, gianna!
Don S

wiebe

Hi Gianna, sorry to hear about your cousin. Great to hear you're well into 4 months. I've also given a lot of thought to those years that were wasted drinking. Like you say, we're not getting any younger. Those years aren't coming back, but I refuse to throw away any more though.

In the last months when I have had some drinks my mind automaticaly starts to wheigh the small benefits I get from them against the enormous damage they do. That's taken out what little enjoyment there still was in drinking.

Don S, you ruined my drinking! This morning on the way back from the store I thought of something you've often suggested and I did it, I took the money I saved by not buying beer today and spent it on a little tree. It's planted in the front yard now. Every morning when I open the curtains I can look at it, and think of what better uses there are for the beer money.

The weather has turned beautiful here. Our B.B.Q. is ready, and we're looking forward to the first sober summer in many years.

Take care,
Wiebe

Jhana

That's a beautiful sentiment Wiebe! Thanks to you, and to Don for the original suggestion. I think I will drop by the Orchid show at Rockefeller center tonight and buy one of those guys to remind me of the beauty of a day without drinking.

Hopefully I won't kill it...

Gianna

Don S

You've figured out my whole ulterior motive! If we could redirect all the money from liquor towards garden centers....
Watch out for orchids, gianna, they are addictive (maybe that's the wrong word to use...).
Don

Chy

Hi Wiebster!! That's a great idea, I really love the sentimental implications it has for you. I think it will be a good means of support watching it grow into something strong and beautiful.

I read your still having problems logging in. On your browser find your "tools" or "settings" Find your cookie manager and delete all the cookies and the internet sites. Log out, and log back in. Then go to your profile and make sure you have "remember me when I log in" enabled. Let me know if that works for you, I'll have a look and see if there is anything else I can help you with.

Gianna, I am sorry about your cousin, but I'm glad you know you don't have to drink over it.

Don, how's the plant business going? You must be staying very busy! It's a beautiful spring so far!

Hugs you guy's!

Don S

Hi, Chy,
It ranges between controlled chaos and splendid pandemonium. The weather in No Cal has been wonderful, and everyone's in a great mood.
In the past I'd end days like this 'rewarding' myself with extra drinking. Now I have a cup of coffee when I get home, and go enjoy the extra daylight among my roses.
I'll provide a link when I get my digital slide show finished....
Don S
Hey, wiebe, I forgot to ask: what kind of tree?

wiebe

Hi Don, Mira said it was a Conifer. That's the Dutch name and I imagine it's derived from conifirous? I'll send a picture. It only cost me 1 Euro 50 for the tree. There's a flower next to it that's much taller.

Doesn't matter though, it does remind me of the beauty one sober day can bring. And it can grow! Thanks Gianna.

Chy, I sent a photo of what I thought were the tulips. They weren't, but they are nice.

Cookies? I'll have to ask Mira how that works.

Take care,
Wiebe

Chy

Also when you log in there is a little box to check mark that ask you "remember me" make sure it's checked. Got the flower pic, thanks!