Class of July 2019 Part 3
 

last part here:
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...rt-2-a-20.html
D

Welcome Gurra!
I made to an art fair, then another art fair. Two art fairs! Had a great day, and will soon be off to dinner with the family. I agree, life is better sober!

Love and strength to all!

Everyone’s doing so well this weekend!

Managed to get a few chores done (lawn mowing, housekeeping, etc) early this am before the heat kicked in (we only get about 3-4 weeks of actual heat here a year, so we’re rounding the corner to fall pretty soon I suspect..enjoy it while it lasts!) and then took the crew to a local strawberry u-pick for the afternoon. Had some good innocent fun! Spent the evening out for a walk and making some jam and pie.

Found out the FIL booked a trip over to visit us from abroad at the end of the month, so we’re looking forward to that. It’s been about 10 years since he’s made the trip to us (we usually go there), so it should be nice for our son to get to spend some time with his grandpa.

That’s about all that’s rumbling through my mind tonight. Look forward to reading from you guys again tmw!

Finally checking in after a busy but wonderful day. Day 8.

I ran a 5K this morning and actually placed in my age group! Yea, it's been awhile since I've received a medal. There is no way I could have done that if I had been drinking the past week. Really felt great. This is what I'm supposed to be doing. Living. Enjoying health. Loving the outdoors.

My husband and I then went for a very long walk, so I am beat. Going to read and go to bed.

Welcome to the new members. This is a great group.

Sober369 Karen, ARe you out there? Thinking of you.

I am sooo sleepy. Night all and I'll check in tomorrow.

Good morning from my side of the world. As much as I seem to have an extra struggle during WEs, Sunday mornings AF are great!

Totally crazy how Friday and Saturday are harder. I was drinking the same amount Monday to Thursday! Somehow it is ingrained in my mind that for some strange reason 2 days out of the random division of time decided by humans, are days made to drink.

Delighted to remain in part 3 of this thread.
Well done on that medal Quit! you certainly deserve one. Happy Sunday everybody. I hope you have a day with few struggles and lots of peace. Out for a run too (not aiming for 5 k or a medal, but very happy to be able to do it)

Hello part 3. Day 18 and I'm waking up with energy and feel good, very strange! Hope everyone's doing well. I've saved an eye-watering amount of money, for me, and I was thinking yesterday, I've never in my life woken up and thought - I wish I'd drunk more last night! :)

Just fantastic love!!!! :)
Congrats honey.....put a big smile on my face.
Really happy for you. :hug: s xx

Karen is also on my mind....hope we hear from her today. :)
Happy Sunday Julyers....it is a beautiful day here. :)

:grouphug:

Morning.

I wanted to reply with quote to several posts, but since the thread was closed I couldn't. Anyway, thanks to those that replied.

Backand Scared. you said "it would seem to me that any programme based on open meetings will struggle to provide an structure that fits specific individuals. By their own nature they seem open to a wide range of persons/genders/abilities/age/stage of sobriety/social class, etc. It seems that you need a more individualised approach and perhaps these kind of programmes are just not designed for it?"

This was at a professional rehabilitation facility that claims:

"The Mission of Senior Hope

To provide high quality, science based, compassionate and comprehensive services to mature members of our community, 50 years and older, and their families.

I don't think having everyone in a room ramble about how they are doing and how their week has been and then calling it quits with no advice, no tools, not a word about what the group title is (Dealing with Emotions in Recovery, Relapse Prevention), not allowing someone to enter because they won't be there a full hour and the facility can't bill for that person, is anything more than a sham with the intent to make money. Not a whit about service, or real help for the clients.

On the other hand SMART meetings (open to anyone) have been extremely benificial. AA might have worked for me if it wasn't for the complete turnoffs of the dogma that I am helpless, only god can save me, the cult ritual of reciting the 12 steps, etc.

SMART meetings do allow for a quick check in but the entire meeting is not devoted to that. After checkin (5 minutes or so) the rest of the 1½ hour meeting is devoted to scientifically proven tools that work to help build and maintain motivation, cope with urges, manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and live a balanced life. Real tools, tools that work. Sitting in a room with people and listening to them jibber-jabber about how they are doing and how their week was is no help to anyone - except, in a very minor way, the person jibbering.

Good morning! Checking in on a beautiful and sunny Day 9. I've been MIA the last couple days but I'm sober! Just very busy. Friday I took my son and his friends to an amusement park a couple hours away. We left at 8 am and got home at midnight! It was a long but good day. My son was injured in a jiu jitsu tournament earlier this summer and has been recovering ever since. It's been a hard journey for him but this day was just what the doctor ordered. Plus I got over 18,000 steps on my fitbit so bonus for me, too!
Yesterday we finished moving my 2nd oldest daughter to her new home where she is going to college. Lovely, old home. We finished moving a few of her things, took her grocery shopping and installed an AC window unit in her bedroom.
I have had 2 long but gloriously sober days. I won't lie and say I didn't have any cravings...I did. But I just kept reminding myself that I have two options for drinking. I can drink alcoholically or not drink at all. I have surrendered to there being no in between and each morning I wake up hangover free I never regret NOT drinking.
Onward and upward! I hope everyone has a wonderful day. I'll try and check in later after I get caught up on everyones posts.

What a lovely few days kgirl! :) :hug: s

I am glad you like the SMART meetings Charon....they sound pretty fantastic to me. :hug: s

Well done in adding to the days sober FreshStart and Kgirl. Missing quite a few class mates this WE; hopefully they are too busy enjoying the AF life.

Charon, thanks for answering me. As I said, I have no idea about what happens in meetings because I have not being in one. I tried but I am still waiting for an answer. The SMART meetings around me are very far away and I know I will never make it. I already struggle to juggle my job and my children's agendas. I never get home before 8 pm. There are no meetings after that time either, even if I did not need to cook dinner and stay at home with kids.

It helps to know what happens during these meetings though. Sounds helpful and supportive, so I will keep checking if something feasible opens up around my workplace or home.

Spending lots of time here today, reading posts and answering if I feel I have something to say, despite my very limited experience on all this sobriety journey. I will have much less time during the week, so trying to 'absorbe' as much energy from here as I can now.

Hi all. Finishing day12. Has been an uneventful weekend. I'm traveling to South Carolina this week to help my son rebuild part of his deck. Should be fun, except that I'm stopping by my 91 yo mother on the way. No one can stand living with her anymore and my brother is about to get her a room at assisted living back in Florida near him, and she is going to fight this with everything she has. Even though this is best for her and everyone else, it's tough sending mom where she doesn't want to go. Already did this a few years ago with my wife's mother. It's not easy.

Hope everyone has a great week!

Congrats hopingwishing on 2 weeks. That’s great!

A bit of an emotional day here. It’s sunday, and I begin to feel the weight of all my responsibilities I face in my home and the week to come. It’s overwhelming, but I know drinking will only make me feel worse. So, I went out for a drive, got a soda and some jelly belly’s, shed a tear or two, and now I feel better. I’ll check back in tonight.

I hate to be a downer, but I have to let you all know that I drank again starting Friday and haven't been able to stop yet. I will come back as soon as I get my bearings.
Please hang in there everyone. It's like we all said, it's awful.

Remember that you have the power Karen, not your addiction - I really believe you can stop drinking today - and I hope you will.

We're here for support :)

D

Karen, We’re here for you. It is awful. Come back quickly.

Ending day 9 and feeling a bit better. Had a heart to heart with my husband about needing more help around the house. He said he would do better and enlist the kids to do more. I feel successful in that I dealt with the emotions rather than stuff them down with wine.

Onward and goodnight....💤