Gilmer

I'm starting my final week of Greek I today.

tootsl1

Can you make a decent kebab now then Gilmer? Hehee. Xx well done sweetie.

PJ yes art has fewer calories. Unfortunately I can't draw curtains! ( though I could write about them in ten different genres!

PhoenixJ

A good day so far. Have asked 2 arty people (real artists) if they can get me in touch with a working artist- with a studio where I could possibly volunteer/observe- whatever- to learn more about how the whole art culture thing works, plus learning new skills. Too early to start doing exhibition stuff- because I have not really produced anything which is sellable- it is all about me and my journey. Also saved enough to buy a TV and a microwave and get a smartphone- which I will need for internet access. Big deal that one. Also paid off 2/3 of THAT ambulance bill now. Also went to a meeting and shared. Also bought art supplies, cooked 2 weeks worth of meals. Also my counsellor is spending hours of his time trying with his s-phone to work out how to connect me to internet- before I go buy stuff.Still I do not feel good about anything- the wave of sadness and anxiety rushes over like a wave. Sigh.

Saskia

PJ I hear your sadness. You've got a lot to process and it will take time. I'm impressed with how you are progressing. My hope for you is that you will find joy, too.

Babs, ginormous hugs and congrats on reaching one year sober!

Gilmer

(((pj)))

Gilmer

Congratulations on 1 entire year, Babs!

Babs1234

I DID IT ! I DID IT ~ I DID IT !
thank you for the Congrats. This isn't my first time. But, I sure do feel like it ! and do you want to know why? ? ? Cause it is different this time. I'm soo much happier and I'm very proud to be a part of the Marchers. Luv you guys. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for SR and I can't say that enough.
(((PJ))) and Gilmer, Toots, Sass, Dee, and everyone else I didn't mention thank you again.
Babs

Dee74

congratulations Babs

D

PhoenixJ

Duffster

CONGRATULATIONS BABS!!!!!

Duffster

Great post, Toots. Yes to the above! I am no longer squishing it down - I am letting myself feel and it can be very painful and overwhelming but it's amazing how it does work itself through. I had a difficult evening last night and day today but I allowed myself to experience it as painful as it was and I talked and talked and talked to some friends and family members and then talked some more.

My brother actually gave me practical advice rather than the typical "you just have to accept it and it will get easier with time." He told me that he's seen many of his friends hit a point in their life where they've had to reinvent themselves for various reasons and many took up hobbies or passions. Basically, he told me that I need to fill up my time when the boys aren't here so I just registered for a half marathon and I realized that my yoga studio where I do Saturday yoga has classes all week. I also have a more flexible schedule so time to get back into tennis. Those are physical but it's a start.

It's been an emotionaly exhausting day so off to hopefully get some rest. Training starts in the morning!

Gilmer

Gosh, I admire people who have 13.1 or 26.2 bumper stickers on their cars!

I once saw a guy with a white oval "0.0" bumper sticker. I wanted to pull up beside him and give him a double thumbs up!

You just know one of these days I'm going to fall over dead!

tootsl1

CONGRATULATIONS ON ONE YEAR AND ONE DAY SOBER BABS!!!!

Sorry I missed the posts yesterday Babs, but how brilliant! So very happy for you sweetie be proud, hold your head up and do a victory lap of the house!

tootsl1

Duff, reinvention is good. You tend to lose touch with yourself in a destructive relationship, I know that you have surprised yourself with what you have managed to do so far. Which makes me wonder how much the exh affected your confidence, self belief and your genuine personality.
I lost a lot of my 'bubbly' when I married the first Mr T, it took me a long time to get my self belief back and to feel like 'me' though it was 'me 2.0' . We get one go round at this life so yes, sweetie, use every opportunity to do the things you want to do. You will meet like minded people who will continue to bring more of 'you2.0' out. Xx

Gilmer, am I being dense? I don't get the bumper sticker references?

PJ, try to fit some meditation in with everything else, sounds like you are heading in a positive direction, don't stress if it happens slower than you would like. The great thing is... It is happening. Take a moment to think about how far you have come already, and be proud. X

Hi Sass, how's things with sassykitty??

Well mum had some blood pressure issues and ended up calling the paramedics out the night before last. My bro & SIL ended up staying the night with her. She has a really bad cough at the moment which is exhausting her, so I don't want to call & make her talk! I message her through the day though. To add to the woes, when they were getting my dad out of bed for his physio, he managed to twist the knee on his good leg, and possibly damaged the ligaments. He won't be getting up any time soon. Which means he won't be going home for a while.
Hubby arrives today, I just hope I get a few days in the sun with him, as I've a feeling I might have to fly back home sooner than planned. Ho hum.
On the plus side, I almost have a kitchen! ( should be finished today!) woohoo!!
Most of the rooms are furnished now and looking good. We need to get some home decor stuff and some nice bright pictures ( PJ! Do you ship to Spain?!!)
And I finally found time yesterday to finish the first draft of my latest book. It has taken so long because of everything else. I need to read it through to see if it reads OK to me, then look at where I want to make changes. Now I need to try and finish of the other one that I started in tandem when the characters in this one started sulking and wouldn't talk to me for a while!

Have a great weekend my fellow Marchers!!

Dee74

Continued best wishes for your folks Toots

D

Gilmer

Toots, that was wonderful encouragement about emotional adversity turning us into our versions 2.0.

About the bumper stickers: it started with the small white oval bumper stickers with two black capital letters in them. The letters were abbreviations for foreign countries. At first not many people had them; then they became common, with the letters representing anything from beaches to bars to elementary schools!

One thing that emerged were stickers that said simply "26.2" and 13.1." Those numbers represented the number of miles run in a marathon and half-marathon.

I will never be capable of running even a 5K, much less any portion of a marathon: but you can bet if I ever did, I'd put one of those bumper stickers on my car!

What an accomplishment! I hope you are able to do it, Duff. I will be proud!

Conversely, the bumper sticker "0.0" must signify the anti-marathoner: a totally shiftless couch potato!

tootsl1

Haha get it now! The only way I will run 26.2 if is someone is chasing me with a big +<#$$ spider!!!

I will be cheering loudly for you Duff!

Saskia

Duff, you are on a very positive journey - finding your real adult self! You are leaving yourself open for new experiences and that's positive in so many ways.

Toots, congrats on the Spain house progress! So sorry your parents are getting to that difficult stage where they need you more often and sometimes in a hurry.

Gilmer, thanks for the explanation. I've always known about the stickers for other countries (when my father bought cars in Europe and had them shipped over after using them over there, they had those stickers).

Sassykitty is great ❤️ ! As she settles in more, her playfulness is really showing up though she does sleep a lot. Her fur has improved dramatically and is so very soft now. She likes to get up on the arm of my chair and gently bump/rub her face against mine. Priceless!

Duffster

I thought that's what I remembered! That the stickers were on the cars back in the 80s/90s of people who had them shipped from Europe. We brought a D back from our trip to Germany for my brother who had an '83 911 at the time and everyone thought it was cool. Now they're on every other car with every initial you can think of.

Ah Toots, when it rains it pours. I am sorry to hear about your parents and am continuing to add to them (and you) to my prayer list. I'm so glad you've found your inner author. I have to catch up on your books!

Sass, love the update on kitty -- she sounds like such a love. Such comfort our furry family members bring to us.

PJ, how are you doing? How is your anxiety? I had to wrestle with it over the past few days but I'm determined to stay AD free. I've had terrible side effects from them over the years.

Off to my Saturday am yoga stretch class - I love this class.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

PhoenixJ

Hello accidently clicked on you once March class. I REALLY appreciate the support. Had a milestone of sorts today. Saved enough mony to actually take my sponsor to a la-de-da 'barista' café where he did the grill me about the steps with me. I am doing all the right things. Then at the meeting I shared and received feedback y share was productive, raw and very relevant to stuff. Still after all that, plus art, plus starting writing (not journal- but for perhaps publishing short stories- been umming for years so another milestone). Then broke rules- out of empathy for a new guy in this recovery place who locked himself out of the gated community- my unit opens onto the street as well as the back- entrance walkway. He would have no where to sleep for 2 nights. Still feel anxious and sad and wrong. Sponsor said he was at this stage much later in years of sobriety than me- and a usual occurrence. Humbug. Perhaps but it sucks. The main thrust of the meeting was anxiety/depression- did not feel the love. So with strength, what I assume is courage and a belief in HOPE- I rage against the unnatural default.
Stay cool adoptees.