Sorry I missed your post CG.

you can't run someone else's recovery, as hard as it is to stand by.

I think if you don't want to lose the friendship you're going to have to accept the odd argument, or step back a bit and let her make her own mistakes.

D

Just passing....... will be back to catch up properly when I get a chnce......big hugs xxx

Happy New Years Pix - and everyone in the Nov thread :grouphug:

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Happy New Years Pix - and everyone in the Nov thread :grouphug:

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Happy New Year everyone! Spent about a week in Hawaii over New Years - got back a week ago and am STILL trying to readjust. It was so amazing. How is everyone doing?

PIX! Please post an update, haven't heard from you in ages!

Hey all how we doing?

Hi Pix! I was just thinking about facebooking you. How are you?? I'm doing fine, just busy with work. Met with my counselor last week and during our chat I realized that I am 16 MONTHS SOBER!! I had stopped counting after a year.

Just running through. I'm doing good with 8 months based on the idea that this is a physical issue and taking my 1.1K a month shots to stay sober.

All I can say is it works and as far as the emotional stuff goes...now that is what I get to deal with and it is going "ok" not great, but really not that bad. I'm sorta like screwed up in a "normal" sort of way (LOL)

I've been realizing more and more over the last few months the parts of my relationships with my friends here on the November thread. It isn't all pretty. I made some bad mistakes. Overall...I wouldn't have missed it for the world and I consider you some of my closest friends despite the lack of communication lately.

But we had something that mattered, and I still feel something special for each of you. I truly miss feeling that closeness with each of you and with Jason, but I guess time moves on.

I wish I could reconnect with all of you and get that special friendship going again. But I guess I am not at the place I was at once where I could "make love out of nothing at all".

Know you are all in my heart at least every other day!

Hi all! Just an FYI ...

I'm STILL SOBER!!!!! lost 50% of my house and belongings in a flood on Monday and I've been able to keep negotiating the damage control and work through it and NOT DRINK :) :)

The kindness of others has amazed me, 2 hotels put together 5 nights of lodging for me and Chris to get away from the chaotic mess periodically and my work place has raised a lot of money to try and help with some of the cost. Graduate Students and Professors have been helping us rinse the mud off with a hose and take all the stuff we can to the laundry mat to salvage. We are months from getting things in order, but have progressed and I can't believe I haven't drank! I hope I'm not jinxing myself. The funny thing is I was struggling for 4 days before the flood with being on the edge of giving up on staying sober...strange how tha:thankst works!

OK .. gotta go surrender the hotel room and get to work on phone calls and more cleanup!

Love you all and hope that all of your are doing well. Biggest hugs!

Nands! http://s.emimino.cz/images/emoticons/icon_hug.gif

I'm so sorry about your house - but I'm very glad to hear from you and hear you and Chris are ok :)

You were missed :)

D

Thank you Dee (and paperdolls, and pix on facebook)

I'm pretty up and down, but its great to see all the support! I realized this morning I can heat water through the coffee pot and the microwave which are able to be used right now...so I had some warm water to wash my hair :)

I'll probably use the thread a bit like a diary for a while, helps me sort my thoughts.

The two hard things right now for me are that my perception is that we are barely into the recovery while everyone else sees just how much is done! They and I are probably both right :)

The other problem is that there are some real basic stuff that I could use some boots on the ground to help with, but would require someone willing to take charge a bit as I am not in a great decision making mode. It would help so much to just try and clean up the clutter upstairs (filled with wireing cords, boxes, stuff that just got tossed on the ground during the first chaos). But it takes a certain kind of person to be comfortable just coming in and taking charge for a day to do that... most people want you to tell them what to do and I'm not quite there yet ... if I were I guess it would be done already although I'm pretty exhausted and having some problems with the effect of the moister on my lungs.

After all the work help I do need to be sure all these people are paid for the summer and this is all due in about 10 days. I was in decent shape before this happened, so I have to not panic. At work I need to work, and I need to do that this week and then get some basic control at home this weekend. Next week I'll do more phone calls to get more stuff rolling, but we are a bit on hold till the basement is a bit more under control and we have full electric so that we can start seeing what needs to be done for appliances and stuff like that ... replacing the drywall, painting and stuff is several weeks off and ack...gotta go!

Anyways all is well, and I'm not whining, but if anyone else ever goes through this, maybe they will see this thread and it will help them feel like they are not messing up just cause they are overwhelmed and can't do it all as quick as they "should".

I thought I would be posting more, but really just too busy, too tired...

I'll keep checking here every month or so. My thoughts are with you all :)

Nands :hug:

D

Amazing day.

The company that is handling my restoration just called to tell me that they are working with local churches, volunteers and companies to restore my house to where it was at no cost to me. They have already received enough to come close. I'll have to shell out some money for things like the water heater, the shower, furniture, but now it will be soooo much less! And most of all, the way that people have stepped up, including a company that is suppose to make a profit ... it is just unreal!

It's weird that my brothers don't get it ... like it's no big deal. But my mom almost cried and is so heartened by it as am I.

I believe I will sleep a bit more soundly tonight and awake with more hope tomarrow :) In the words of the "starman" "human beings are at their best when things are at their worst".

Grateful to be born a human being :)

Thats really great news Nands :)

sorry for reply delay - I've been away.

D

Nands, sorry to hear of all your stresses but warmed at the support you are receiving. The world really is a beautiful place with beautiful people in it. Big hugs xxx Hi Dee xxx

All is well. We are adjusting to the "new normal". Chris and I are a bit "in each other's pocket" but holding up well.

Mom came for a day to just help get some basic cleaning done (vacuumed and did some dishes). I found out on Friday that I have 2 tick bites and bronchitis LOL. So with a temperature, I'm not quite as on top of things as I should be.

But I was able to get the regular laundry done, finish up some dishes and wash some Christmas deco's, haul some boxes to the garage and still get some extra rest!

Work is barely under control due to my missing a lot of work for appointments, but it is still on the edge of control and ok. I expect that to get better next week, especially since I'm on antibiotics for the tick bites (in case of lymes disease) and for the bronchitis. I should feel a whole lot better by Tuesday :).

Dee .. thank you and don't worry! I am a sporadic check in person so I completely understand that we all have times we can't respond quickly.

Pixie, thanks (hug). It has been uplifting, and I hope that I've made it clear that this experience has very much renewed my faith in humankinds desire to give and care. I always have believed in it (I think), but given my faltering on sobriety and giving to others over the past years, I'm awed that I still receive this sort of generosity.

I think I'm ready to give back. Anyways, I need to go finish dinner. Then I'm going to check in to chat and see if there is anyone that I can give some support to :)

Thanks again!

Get well soon Nands :)

D

thanks dee :)

Things are going ok. Lots of challenges between more floods and work furloghs due to the state not being able to agree to spend money as of next Monday...long story short ... just more stress.

But I am doing ok and I have it better than many others. I'm really having an opportunity to work on a problem I've had for all of my life. Pride.

I don't like people (me or others) expecting people to do for them what they can do for themselves, but I've always struggled to accept other people giving to me graciously.

I'm having a great opportunity to learn what I know in my head in my heart. Don't know if I can really do that..but this is an opportunity :)

Just flashing through and will try to post later. Hope that everyone else is doing great! I actually think it is cool that people are moving on to other avenues.

You're sounding great to me Nands :)

D