I am so sorry nmd that I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I feel bad now that I doubted your commitment. :a096:

Glad that your evening went well. I think that maybe when we were drinking we thought everyone was getting as wasted as we were and it was normal but I think now we are sober we realise that wasn't the case. Hopefully the more we experience events etc we will become less stressed about it.

Cider here is generally very strong but I like the sound of that drink, it sounds like a great alternative to traditional mulled wine that we drink here at Christmas.

Really sorry nmd but a BIG tick for you, well done :error::error::error:

Day 172... I'm still in this!
 

Good morning all, I did not budge on drinking and it didn't cross my mind. Surprisingly, I didn't even notice people drinking much at all besides my sister and BIL. My niece who is 16 was pouring a glass of white sparkly wine or some kind of alcoholic drink. I guess its just a matter of time for her before it'll hit her hard like my sister and BIL.
My brother did end up coming and brought my 6 year old nephew so he was my shoulder but I didn't really need him. I'm a lot stronger than I truly thought I was. As soon as I got to my mothers I went outside and set up a photo booth with the Fall theme and the little sticks with funny comments on them. After dinner I had EVERYONE outside taking silly pics even my 90 year old grand parents. It was a lot of fun and everyone loved it. This was something we've never done and normally pre sober ME would just be sitting around drinking and talking. Yesterday I was drinking bottled waters, holding babies, taking a ton of pictures, drawing on the ground with sidewalk chalk and just having an amazing sober Thanksgiving.
I feel so blessed y'all I can not even explain!

NMD: That cider sounds amazing!

JG: thank you for your positive words, you believe in me! LOVE IT!!!

Now, after this work day I'll be heading to a soccer tournament, then putting my Christmas tree up at home. I bought pine garland and bows to hang from the stairs. I can't wiat to hang it and make my house festive!

Happy SOBER Friday!!!!

sfm sounds like you had a fabulous time and bonus you remember every bit of it :) I feel really bad misunderstanding nmd and hope I didn't offend too much. As I said, here in the UK, cider is cider! And it's usually very strong.
Wow you are really getting into the festive spirit, I don't know where I will be come Christmas but I am hoping it won't be here surrounded by boxes. The buyers are pushing for no delay but if they don't tell me when they want to move how am I able to facilitate a speedy move?? Oh well onwards and upwards.

No offense taken JG, I just feel bad I left you hanging.

In years past, I would drink 2 bottles of wine myself plus beer and whatever else on thanksgiving. There honestly hardly any empties this morning and we had 17 people over. Kind of enlightening.

Congrats on getting through your holiday sfm!

I have to say, my cravings were all before the event. I think planning out alternative drinks and committing the check in kept it off my mind. So, another sober holiday checked off.

Nmd - I saw your post just before I went to bed and I felt very sad :( but so glad I misunderstood and glad that I didn't offend you. Now you know where all the empties came from on previous thanksgiving! I know what you mean, I was the same and also watching to make sure the last bottle wasn't taken by someone else! I don't miss having to keep a check that there would be a bottle of wine left for when everyone had gone home/ or gone to bed.

Off out tonight with the girls I was working with before the company went bust. Bit annoyed about it as one of them has assumed that because I don't drink I don't mind taking them home after the meal. It will mean an extra 20 miles on my journey and it will be late at night. I hate driving in the dark :( should have said no but I didn't so I can only blame myself AAAAARGH

JG - I can't say I've gone out with the guys at all really since getting sober recently, so I haven't been the DD. I kind of fell of the invite list a long while ago because I haven't been drinking off and on. I've been to a cards night though, and there is always the one drunk "friend" who grills me in 8 different ways about why I'm not drinking. It gets really tired really quickly, and drunk people can't course correct. They just repeat the same thing over and over.

One of our closest couples friends is sober and started AA this summer after a bad fall while drinking. We've done what is called an "escape room" together and it was a blast. We did one again last night with the family and had a great time. Basically you are locked in a room for one hour with some theme (a bank robbery, a haunting, etc). You need to solve puzzles as a group to open locks or find keys to escape. It's a really cool concept and a lot of fun. We haven't escaped one yet, but got 80-90% of the way each time.

Saturday
 

Good morning peeps!

I never got around to doing the Christmas thing yesterday after work. My 13 year old has a stomach virus so I had to tend to him. Bummer!!! I did do a little Black Friday shopping and got some great deals. This is so dumb but it makes me happy, I bought 65.00 Nike sweat/joggers I've been wanting for 25.00 shoot!!! Sorry y'all I like running and have been eyeballing them for awhile.

nmd: that game seems tedious I would get frustrated if I couldn't figure it out ya know!
I'm with you on the no invites anymore. I'm okay with it, I'm enjoying being alone these days and learning to love myself as I am and not my fake self as the alcoholic. I notice I have a tinge of ADHD though and can't complete or truly commit to one thing at a time. If I do it takes a ton of patience and focus to get it done. I get overwhelmed easily in my sober days. That's kind of why I run now, it seems to slow my mind down or something. Hmmm, maybe I should see a doctor. I wonder if that was why I drank also to chill my over active brain out.
Anyhow, looks like I'll be traveling to a soccer tournament today YUCK!!!

Have a SOBER Saturday guys!!!!

~SFM

Wrapping up the holiday weekend, our out of town family is packing up and heading out this morning.

Christmas is next I guess. Not looking forward to the shopping but the kids always enjoy the holidays. It was nice having their cousin in town this weekend though and as stressful as holidays can be, it's amazing how quickly they pass.

Hope everyone is well, have a great day!

Day 175
 

Day 175 for me...

Holidays are in full force guys and stress has seriously kicked in. I sometimes think to myself how a drink would be nice right about now etc. I wake up the next morning thankful I did not take that drink to take the edge off. It's alot easier now that we're this far into it but it's also hard at the same time because it's the holidays and pressure, stress, money, gatherings, company parties, etc are in full effect. I'm so stressed about everything right now. That stupid rental property, Christmas presents, work, my daughters soccer tournaments and two different league plays etc. My son has two hurt knees so he's out of sports at the moment and I'm kind of thankful because anything else would just throw me over the edge. My mother was laid off on Halloween and while i know she's trying to stay positive she told me last night she just can't get in the spirit. It makes me sad for her, she's always the person who is prepared for things and is not much of a risk taker. This was kind of expected but she thought it would be in February and not at the holidays. She's the type that becomes depressed and I just wish I was rich so I could help her.
Things suck right now!

Happy Sober Monday... I will not drink today!

Howdy y'all. Been out of town for work for the better part of a month. Then Thanksgiving. And darnit I remember all of it - didn't drink a drop! A year ago I'd have been so hung over by now I wouldn't have been able to stand up. Happy holidays to all of you

Hey sfm - don't let that stress take you down. Keep up with the exercise, it will keep you on track (no pun intended!) - things will get done when they do and it's no big disaster if something gets missed. Try and relax a little. I know what you mean about the thinking about drinking, I sometimes think, 'yep just one to help me chill' but funnily enough, I never wake up in the morning & think sh&t I wish I had had that drink ;)

Hey Trying, good to see you back and fabulous news about remembering Thanksgiving.

Good to see you around tryinginTexas!

The holidays can be very stressful sfm, I'm sorry about your mom's job and the bs with the rentals. My kids keep me busy as will with scouts, band and now wrestling. I've just become resigned to finishing things whenever I have time and energy, which isn't as often as i like.

I got a little bit of Christmas shopping done on "cyber Monday". The kids all had their lists made out so i knocked out a few of the big items and they are honestly almost done. Each year I put lights out on spruce tree in front of my house and each year I need a longer pole to reach the top. I'll probably get decorations out Saturday. My wife didn't want anything or before dec 1. ;-) I'll admit the store displays out before Halloween were way too early.

I'm feeling pretty peaceful having gotten through thanksgiving. I don't have to worry about hosting for the family any time soon and any AV whispering has faded away. I also feel like i have a good sober base and support here to fall back on. Today is my day 52.

Office holiday party coming up this weekend. Dang what a difference a year makes. Last year I was trying not to drink and actually had been at it for a few weeks - didn't drink the whole party in fact. But there is a difference between "trying not to drink" and "not drinking." Not sure I said that right but I am sure you know what I mean. Not long after last year's party I slipped into some of the worst habits I'd ever gotten into. But here I am, 20 pounds lighter, with a beard, and with six months of no-drinking behind me. I like myself better this year

Good luck with the office party. Yes I understand what you mean about the 'trying not to drink' & 'not drinking' there's a big difference :) Well done on the weight loss. Have you done this just from not drinking or have you been exercising too. I lost almost 28 pounds but a couple have crept back on. But I am not getting out as much as I did in the Summer & also sat around a lot, wrapping & packing china etc. ready for the house move. I am not going to get down about it though,as I think some of the loss was also due to stress.
Looks like I will be moving out before Christmas but our purchase won't be sorted. Hopefully I will be able to hang onto some sort of wi-fi connection so I can keep coming here and checking in with you all :)

Made a solid dent in Christmas shopping, and made some progress in a home improvement project. I should feel accomplished, but I'm mostly just tired.

A friend of ours had a second stroke and went in the hospital last night. I picked up her son to stay with us for however long. Her first stroke was about a month ago and he stayed with us then too. I'm not really one to pray, but I will in this situation.

My day 60 is Thursday. Trying to not celebrate in advance. ;-) my longest stretch sober was in 2014 for 74 days. I had a lot of unresolved feelings about "forever" back then though. Now, forever feels like a daily reprieve from a life sentence . I'm sure I read that on here, but I understand it now.

Today's my day 60, the 10th will be 2 months. Just glad to be sober.

:You_Rock_

Nmd - I hope your friend is recovering. My thoughts on prayer are a little mixed but it never hurts does it?
I don't know how many days for me but it's 6 months on the 22nd. My daughter is back from Madrid for 2 weeks on the 23rd so maybe a little celebration in a tea shop with lots of cake! Still surrounded with boxes and being told our buyers definitely want to move before Christmas! Going to stay with the husband until our purchase is sorted which I am not sure will be great. No broadband :( need to sort all the utilities etc out but with no date I can't even begin to start cancelling ............ Hate this stuff that I have no control over. Hope everyone is busy Christmas shopping and not struggling with sobriety. Heading for a sober Christmas, first since 2006. Looking forward to it :)

I started eating better a couple of months before I quit drinking, and that really drove the weight loss more than not drinking to be honest. I know all those empty calories go to your waistline but if you're eating a bunch of crap otherwise, cutting them out won't move the needle that much in my experience.

I also try and exercise - Dallas Half Marathon coming up on Sunday! I'm going to walk a good bit of it but I think I should do better than the last one I did, since I'm thinner and my poor body isn't all dehydrated etc. !!!

Six months this weekend. Wow.