cb12

My grandmother passed away over the summer and she was a recovering alcoholic for over 15 years (if my memory serves me correctly). I moved into her condo after she died for a couple of reasons, but that's besides the point.

She had unopened bottles of alcohol hidden in different places around her condo. She was an active AA member, sponsored people for years, and continued to do so until she absolutely couldn't anymore.

Why would she hide alcohol around her home?

Verbena

Either they were there from before she stopped drinking and she forgot about them.

Was your grandmother ill or in pain? Maybe she drank secretly.

cb12

She lived alone for the last 15-20 years of her life and eventually died of cancer. I don't know when she bought them, but they all had a good amount of dust on them.

I don't think she relapsed, but I couldn't tell you for sure.

Thumper

My Grandpa was a scary, raging alcoholic for years. Apparently one day he decided he was done and buried a half drank bottle of whiskey in the back yard. When he moved from his farm he dug it up and it sat it in his cupboard for the rest of his days. It must have been 30 years old.

Not sure if it would at all be the same thing but your post reminded me of that story. I know the story is true since the bottle was always there. I cleaned his house for him when I was a teenager and he'd talk but he did not talk about the past. As far back as he talked was when I was a kid and we'd go to his house and go down fishing...and he was not drinking at that time. He quit drinking quite a bit before I was born and he died when I was 21.

LexieCat

My guess is that they were hidden and she forgot about them.

Hell, I'd forget where I hid the bottle by the next morning, at times. I remember wondering whether the SO had found it and thrown it out, or whether I had simply forgotten what great place I hid it.

If I were you, I'd go on the assumption that she died sober.

cb12

I am going to continue to believe that she died sober. I am so proud of her accomplishment.

It seems so risky to her sobriety though. I can't seem to figure out why she would test herself that way. There were one or two bottles of beer sitting on the floor of the kitchen (once again closed and with a good amount of dust).

It's probably not for me to know and I should be ok with that.

wicked

Yeah I would assume that too.
It is a mystery though.
But I never hid booze around.
Oh, dang, I used to hide weed and forget where i put it.
Yep.
If they were dusty, I say sober.

Beth

LexieCat

At one time when I quit drinking for 30 days (to prove I could do it, lol) I felt "more secure" having the booze in the house, even though I wasn't going to drink it. When I was ready to quit for good, I got rid of ALL of it.

Still, I've heard of a good many sober alcoholics who refused, on general principle, to throw out the booze. I think it's rare, but it does happen.

StarCat

I know someone at work who did that with cigarettes.

Somehow it was easier for him to quit smoking if he always carried the remains of his last pack in his pocket. He never touched them, because he felt safe that they were there.

It did not make much sense to me, but if it helped him, that is all that matters.