courage2

Thanks Ready. It actually was a lot. I've come back from sabbatical to a lot of problems I knew about and some surprises. And I taught a 3.5 hour course, mostly lecture. I've lost my voice now.

Tomorrow I have to make face time with mucky-mucks -- do they say that on other continents? What can I wear that simultaneously says, "mess with me & I'll destroy your testicles" and "you really want and need me"? There's a name for the particular kind of high-heeled shoe I have in mind, it just escapes me at the moment.....



Is your week off to a peaceful start? I'd guess your weather is beautiful now - is it?

ReadyAtLast

Hope your voice comes back soon

Your work situation sounds very stressful. Do you have the assistant again this year who can take some of the burden? Hope tomorrow goes well and you wear the appropriate footwear for the occasion

We've had a dreadful summer weather wise. We live on the gulf stream so usually have great summers even in Scotland but this year has been awful.

The week has been good so far though. I remind myself the difference between a bad and a good day or week is just a few hours

courage2

Good thinking, Ready!

The meetings all went ok, probably because my input was minimized. When you can only whisper to people, it's funny -- they either start yelling at you like you're deaf, or they start to whisper too.

I'm currently sans research assistant but hoping to hire one soon.

ReadyAtLast

How are you feeling courage? I hope you are feeling better. have you managed to get some rest?

Was your meeting successful or did you have to use your shoes
I hope you get a new research assistant soon to assist you.

Not much to report here. Feeling much better than last weekend!!
had bit of a holiday crisis here. Booked some months ago for Cuba next year for when the school holidays are. Only the school holidays have now changed which I found out a couple of days ago. Do I take him out of school or try and change. £500 to change when I read the T&CCs - no no no! Can't afford that. The old me would have been annoyed and drank I called the agent and explained. she looked into it and changed the hols to the school hols and it was £400 cheaper than the original booking so whilst I had a small amendment fee to pay I've saved overall. Am overjoyed

I found out I had 1000 days yesterday too !! I remember reading others saying that and thought wow that seems a long time. Do you still count days Dee?

Happy Sober Saturday everyone xxx

Dee74

nah I don't count days anymore Ral.

Sobers the default now.
I have no idea what day it might be LOL

D

ReadyAtLast

Great thinking Dee

courage2

Great job on 1000 days & the Cuba vacation-save!

I read your post on Newcomers -- it was wonderful & I'm sure it will be helpful to many. So glad you overcame last week's woes.

ReadyAtLast

Thanks Courage.

How are you feeling? How was your week in the end?

courage2

OK, Ready. Spending way too much time alone, too much time in my own head.

What do you enjoy doing with your son? Do, tell.

ReadyAtLast

Do you find your thoughts have eased a bit since you stopped drinking though courage, if not completely. I don't seem to spend as much time in my thoughts as I did when drinking.

Oh kiddie stuff I'm not a creative, arty, crafty parent. We love outdoors stuff though which is great as we live in such a beautiful place. We walk, run, go to the beach, treasure hunt, blackberry picking ( very nearly ready !!). He has a new seed kit this week so we are planting salad stuff today This week we have been building a new hen pen to put the henhouse in so they have more security in winter to avoid Mr fox. They are truly free range at the moment and are wandering off into fields which is great but security has to be more important now.

You know how it is just having the one child - they don't have a sibling on hand to play with. I'm lucky as he enjoys playing alone sometimes ( habit?) Yesterday he had a friend round to play all day so took them out and they had a great time. I was pretty tired by evening!!

What plans do you have today courage?
How is your son settling in London? Do you speak often ?
happy Sunday

courage2

I think I'm just about as full of thoughts as ever, maybe more (absent the blackouts LOL) -- I just hope that my thoughts aren't so depressed or irrational.

It sounds like you have a wonderful environment for Jr to grow up in. Beauty & space and things to do & care for. Remind me -- does he have a pet?

Today I'll catch up on some chores (in a very small apt that's pretty easy) and then go to the office. Even though I like to take a day off once in a while, above that I prefer not to have to stress and do 10 hour days in order to get one.

My son hasn't gone to London yet, although his wife should be there about now. He's working in upstate NY until his British work visa comes through. He can't afford to be unemployed long. The good news is that they found an apartment in a good location. God knows how it's being paid for -- he's gainfully employed but still scraping the poverty line. I can only imagine that her family is helping out.

Happy Sunday to you, too! & D! And anyone else coming 'round!

ReadyAtLast

Hope your day is going well courage and your chores are all done now. Do you tend to go into work every day courage even just for short while? I'm really loving the structure and routine of having a 'proper' job again though love me weekends off. It has stabilized me so much mentally. Can't believe how lucky I've been to get this job.

Jr has a kitten and we have several hens which are great for eggs and we've grown so fond of them too

Hope your son is soon reunited with his wife. Trips to London for you and Mr courage then?

I'm off to Edinburgh this weekend and so very excited

courage2

Yes, I go to my office almost every day, weekends for only 1/2 a day -- I always say I'll take one weekend day entirely away, but seldom do I have a big office in walking distance & a small apartment, so it just works out well. Without the structure of work I can't imagine that I'd still be sober -- I learned a long long time ago that without work I'm in big trouble in a lot of ways.

Jr sounds like he has a good life & a good mom who surrounds him with nature & love.

Eventually yes, we plan to visit them -- when they're settled more.

Have a great time in Edinburgh!

Hi, D!

ReadyAtLast

Thanks Courage, I try and be a better mum than when I was drinking. I find it so hard at times though- I'm responsible for a little person and how he's totally dependent upon me. Don't always get it right but we try. We are having a lot of fun nowadays too so that's got to be a good start.

Hope you all have a great weekend. Anyone reading and not posting and those posting thinking of you all

Tomorrow night I am going on a haunted graveyard tour at 9.00pm in Edinburgh!!! I'm off to the castle the next day, museums, underground tours, galleries etc. Never be able to fit it all in!! Anyway hope you all have a great weekend.

p.s will not be going to the Scotch Whisky Experience which apparently is one of Edinburgh's most famous tourist attractions

courage2

Ready, a haunted house sounds better than scotch. My mother was a big scotch drinker. It never did that much for me. Have fun!

I hope I get a chance to spend some time with my son before he leaves the country. I think I need to have some kind of amends-making talk with him. He's a lovely young man, and we're very fond of one another, but I was a mess for a long time, and that's had an effect. He & I both know it, and we've never talked about it. That's the way I was raised, and maybe it's right, but my parents never told me anything about themselves, and now they're dead I wish they had.

ReadyAtLast

Hi Courage. Talking with your son sounds like a great idea and it sounds as if you are ready to do it. I'm sure your son will really appreciate it and value you speaking to him in that way. It is hard when you're not an emotionally demonstrative family. My family are not either although I am. Maybe it's a generational thing too - few people of the last generation and before that were open about themselves. Especially here in Britain - stiff upper lip and all that

How is your weekend going? Back from Edinburgh - had a fabulous time though now tired from driving and miles of walking. Saw from amazing sights- it's such a stunning, old city.

happy sober Sunday.x

Tamerua

Hi all, I've been reading but not saying anything. Just busy with work again.

Courage, now you have someone to visit in London! are you feeling better? I know you were sick for a while. And did you sort out your work issues?

RAL, how is Sam liking school? We start as early here in Florida too. You sound like a creative mom to me. Have fun in Edinburgh.

Teaching my son to drive stick shift now, he hot his permit a couple of weeks ago. And it's as hot as ever here. We won't get a break until December.

Off to

courage2

Hi Tam!

Is it stressful to teach your son to drive? I'd find it so, I think. Are you still doing a lot of AA? And how's your health? Mine's much better, thanks for asking.

I had coffee w/my former sponsor today and she volunteered to be my sponsor again! LOL I dumped her, then asked her back, then she dumped me, now she's asking me back!!! We're 2 peas in a pod -- neither one of us has a clue how to have a stable relationship without a drink. At the same time, a possibly-crazy total stranger semi-bag lady spontaneously approached us to say it made her happy to see such obviously close friends. And she didn't even ask for a handout.

Ready, I'm glad you had a good time in Edinburgh. It's always sounded wonderful to me.

Tamerua

Hi courage, are you going to take her back? I have not been good at AA lately... To be honest, it worries me. I don't want to drink, I remember very clearly why I quit... I just have been working and don't go as much. I've also made real friends with Zumba... Like my age and with kids my age and same interests. I haven't had that since... Before I pushed everyone away with drinking.

It's not too stressful teaching him to drive. it's kind of fun.

courage2

Take her back? I don't understand why she has to put a name on it. She's a lot more program than I am or ever will be, though she's not a thumper. I think she feels like she can't talk to me about the program as much as she would like unless I'm "in it," and if I'm "in it" she wants to sponsor me "in it." Which in a way is fine, because I'm never going to go through the freaking steps with anyone else, so if I'm going to have a sponsor, it's her. I just don't like the formality of it. But I don't like any formalities, do I? -- degrees, certificates, titles, rules, laws...