Kris47

Good luck, Odelle!

Wish we could go together.

MesaMan

I forgot this was my 18 week 'Anniversary', being Friday and all. That's good news. I'm not permitting myself to become complacent. But, Drinking is becoming a bit like some old Sports Injury. You recall it, but it's not in your Consciousness every single hour.

Da Wife came running out of our remote House a few days ago, yelling 'Whoa, whoa'! What she estimates to be a ~125 lb., well-fed Mountain Lion sauntered by outside our huge Kitchen Window at ~6 P.M.. Not exactly stealth behavior. She grabbed our Goldie off his Leash and got him inside pronto. Me - hey - I'm expendable.

I grabbed my .357 and scanned where the Cedar Trees begin on the edge of our Mesa-top Ranchette. Of course, the Cat was gone. A Goat was killed nearby, and I'm always finding pretty-intact Deer Skeletons in one of our two Canyons with Springs and lotsa Cattails. A real 'Killing Field' down there. The Deer have now gone to high Valleys. So, the Sheep below us and the Calves adjacent become the new Deli. As do Pets.

My point, and I do have one, is that I can't imagine such a near-encounter with a Big Cat while lethally armed, hammered, and incapable of calm judgment. Not your every day Sobriety Story, but an experience I'll add to my growing List of them.

I'm hoping our Skies clear later for viewing Comets.

A resolute Weekend to all.

ArcticSA

Well, I was offered a beer today. Very directly, as if there was no other option than for me to take it. That was rough. He didn't hear me at first, didn't understand, because he knows me as a heavy drinker.
I had to speak louder "No thank you!" and sounds like a stuck up prude in my own ears, because it just looked rude to refuse an "innocent beer".
So I bit the bullet and said out loud, "I've been sober since January 8th." and you know what he said? "Ahh, had a bad one huh?"(drunk episode/hangover)"That's happened to me before"

I take it to mean he's gone on sober stretches before and then starts again. Then AV started talking again "Just drink for another couple years, everyone drinks when there in their early 30's, just quit when you're like 40..."
:P OH ugh.

Dee74

The trouble is a lot of us don't make 40 Arctic....a lot more of us don't make it there unscathed.

I dunno about you, but I didn't want to lose anything else dear to me.

I'm glad you stuck to your guns today

D

SilentCinemaFan

So glad it's Memorial Day Weekend here. I need that monday off, my work has been unbearable and co-worker/partner annoying. You know it's bad when you want to count down to summer vacation and look for another job ASAP.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and sorry I haven't been replying on here everyday. Day 138 for me.

adee

Good job today, Arctic. As someone who quit at 32 and went back again because I didn't think my drinking clock had run out yet, I would give anything to have my 30s back sober. To have had my physical ability, to have been fully engaged in my kids' lives when they were so small, to have had all of the potential of those crazy hard years raising little kids and growing myself and my marriage. Instead I chose the path of least resistance and drank my way through things I shouldn't have missed. You have given yourself such an amazing gift to have gotten sober now. In 10 years, will you look back and wish you'd stayed sober? Or in 10 years will you look back and be glad you stayed sober? Because I can promise you, you won't look back and wish you'd returned to drinking.

You are doing great. Keep it up.

Kris47

Another one here. I was sober from age 19 - 30. I did quit in my mid 30's only to return to drinking again. I am now handicapped from a few accidents that thank God didn't include anyone else; just freak accidents. If you think you miss drinking, think hard about how you may feel years down the road when you aren't up to things you'd like to do. None of us know how many more chances we'll have. I'm taking this one and holding on tight. good luck to you! And keep up the good work.

ArcticSA

Thank you! This meant a lot.

Odelle

Good morning Class. Halfway throught the long weekend and I've accomplished nothing! Procrastination has been a fault of mine for a long time, but has gotten out of hand. Normally, I wait until the last minute, but once I start (chores, etc.), I wonder why I built it up to such a monumental task to begin with. Okay, so off my butt and on my knees to clean grout today, yuk! But once done, the results are so worth the effort.

Stay strong everyone and enjoy the long weekend!

Kris47

Just stopping by to say Hi!

We're putting the rest of the dock in today.

a beautiful sunny day...........

SoberBike

Arctic this happened to me this weekend as well. I told them I haven't drank since January. They began to ask how much I was drinking and their conclusion was since I was only drinking mainly beer and not vodka I don't have a problem. By this time they were pretty drunk and I just finished my seltzer water and left. I really didn't need my AV saying "maybe their right and I don't have an issue". I guess I just look at this test as another battle won. Good job to yourself for staying strong!!

Kris47

Happy Memorial day.

Hanging out and always looking UP.

adee

Happy Memorial day.

I'm planting flowers in pots today with my kids who are arguing like cats and dogs in between complaining and whining. Oy. But it's really nice to have a day off. And nice to be sober in the sunshine working on making my backyard a nice space. I can't remember the last time I filled pots with flowers - I just felt like there was no point. It's nice to feel like there is a point to beautiful, tranquil things again.

Kris47

Adee,

I'm so happy to hear you're feeling like living is worth enjoying again.

Myself, I have been dealing with some stressful things lately, and keep thinking about drinking. It's only drinking thinking but it has me worried. The stress is just getting me anxious and you know where that can lead. Any help anyone? I can't change anything in my life and things just seem to be piling up.

Dee74

Hey Kris - it's difficult without specifics, but if you really can't change *anything*, then you'll need to look at changing your reactions to things I think?

D

Odelle

I concur with Dee, Kris. If your work is piling up, let the household chores slide or hire a cleaning lady for a while. There's only so much a person can do and women tend to try and do it all. It can be exhausting. Remember, drinking won't solve a thing, if anything, it will only make the situation worse, not much gets done when passed out.

Hang in there Kris, and pray for the strength to work through this.

Odelle

Good job, Erik. I haven't put myself in that situation yet but I hope that when the time comes, I'll pass the test too.

Adee, it sounds like you had a very nice day. I need to spend more time tending to the flowers and plants too, like you, I find it very relaxing.

Happy Memorial Day everyone and let's get through this week safe and sober.

ArcticSA

I've had this horrible, miserable feeling creeping up on me lately.
Like an overwhelmed hopeless feeling, and I don't know why.
I pretty much have the perfect life. I have nothing horrible going on, no illness, injury, crises, dramas, hardships, nothing.
Which in turn adds guilt to the mix.
Today is especially bad because it is a beautiful day and there are so many wonderful things I could be doing with my kids but I keep bursting into tears when I think about having to get through the rest of the day.
AV is creeping in on me at the same time, "sheesh, just drink some wine, at least that will make you feel good for a little bit!"
Its saying "You didn't even feel this bad when you were drinking, so drink"

I don't know what to do. I just want to change my brain. I wish I could smoke a big fat joint and be by myself. I haven't even smoked in 10 years but I want to.

Done rambling now.

Kris47

Artic, Adee, Odelle, Everyone,

I think we're all over the pink cloud and now living life as it is. Also, we have to remember HALT and PAW's too.

I've decided it was one of those that had me thinking the way I was the other day.

I am blessed with most everything in my life too. At least materially. I do have an aging husband who is ill and I have a thriving business that is too much right now with everything else. I also have to deal with chronic pain but heck- most all of us have to deal with something. lol. That's life.

We do need to find help and support when we are feeling like this. it can come from many places. And in the end, we just have to realize, too, that there are going to be days that just suck. That's when we need each other.

Today is a sucky day all around here. But, I am very grateful for where i am in my life right now and I don't want to screw it up.

Thanks to each of you for being there for me.

I hear hubby calling...............

Finnie

Just checking in... Still doing ok.
Psychotherapy is getting me places.
I'm finished with aa. Didn't work out for me.
I can never drink again.

Best of luck to everyone. Stick with it.
Love, good thoughts and positive vibes