dontlookbacchus

Hi all

Happy thanksgiving to our American classmates.
That sounds great, City. I love that you did your non drinking announcement in such a simple , off-the-cuff way. I know when we start, in the first few months, we imagine these big sit down or social media announcements . In reality, we sometimes just don't see people for a while and simply tell them in situations like that. 11 months later
FK, that looks great. What a smoker! I hope you get a pic right before serving of the same bird. I love that you are familiar with spatchcocking ( is that a word ??) I only tried it once and didn't tie the legs as you have. i will do that next time.
Have a great camping trip Willow. I hope you find some nice swimming holes. I know that 2020 has had so many extra challenges for you, but I think you are doing incredibly well. 2021 will be even better.
Thanks Dee for all your continues support of our nearly-one-year class

Have a healthy, thankful and giving day all

dlb

fishkiller

1st one done

Cityboy

I'm looking forward to brining a Turkey for the smoker now. I can probably spatchcock a smaller one and lay it out on a shelf as well. Maybe for Christmas.

dontlookbacchus

That worked out really well, FK. Great color. This might be the first non fish dish you have posted
I am with you on this, City. I will be trying a smoked turkey for the holidays also.

Just a quick check-in from me. Things are going well. A bit sluggish this morning but that will pick up.

Have a healthy, happy and sober Friday all.

dlb

fishkiller

Thanks dlb! Non fish dish 😃
My daughter doesn't care for it. Everyone else loves it.
It does have a smokey flavor, which is what she doesn't like, weird , but stays moist even through the breast.

Wife watched the babies while the daughter, SIL and I fished in the morning. Then the wife and the oldest baby came out for a while.
She had a blast and even got to see us catch a fish.
Getting ready to head out again this morning. Weather is great here.

Life is great

Cityboy

Sounds nice taking the family out in the boat. We may take the boat out for a springs run tomorrow if the weather looks ok.

Since we went to my sister's and had Thanksgiving on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning were spent on a big project at home that needed doing. Good to get it done. Then got wife a new phone and hit an ice cream joint yesterday.

Today will be football at noon.

Cityboy

A very good friend of mine had their family farm basically devastated by a hurricane over two years ago. No one was injured, but there was a tremendous financial loss. Luckily, I'm in a position with my small business to be able to help. For a long time, the news only continued to get worse. Gradually, there began to be positives. Within the next couple of months, there should be a culmination of positives. My buddy is an occasional drinker, and commented that when it all came together he would get me a case of oduls n/a and we would celebrate. Now I can joke about it without even getting any real urge to drink the real thing. A year ago, it would have been much different.

dontlookbacchus

Hi classmates

City, that is amazing about being able to support your friends farm recovery. I am glad it is almost there. They say, one way to help ourselves get better is to help others also. I rarely do that.I wish I did more. I guess some of us get stuck in survival mode, thinking only of ourselves and our loved ones and become unwittingly selfish. - Maybe 2021 has a resolution after all.

I am happy to see you in good spirits, FK. I am also. If this is a weekend to be thankful for what we have been given, than ruminating about what we haven't, maybe that is a good thing to do more often.
Have a healthy, happy and sober Saturday all

dlb

Cityboy

Helping others has been a large part of the consulting aspect of my work. I like helping others. Some people are appreciative, unfortunately it seems that the greatest percentage of people will always find the downside to everything no matter how well they came out. That dynamic has been a contributor to my alcohol dependency. As part of my sober plan, I have more or less quit trying to help every hard case that comes along. There is a special gratification that comes from helping someone in need though, so it is a catch 22.

venuscat

Well, yes and no. I hear you dear CB ~ I think there a lots of people who need the help who are willing to be helped.
Some just aren't and I know for me that can drain my energy so badly. (If that makes sense). s

Cityboy

Willow, hope you had a great camping trip with pleasant weather and very few pesky insects.

Up early here. A three hour drive to meet a contractor at 7.

dontlookbacchus

Hi all

I have an early start also. Just weekend work that wasn't completed. It is OK though. No three hour drive anywhere. I hope the dawn light is pleasant though.

I hope you didn't get too hot, Willow. I read in the news how hot it is in Aus at the moment.
Hope you are well also, Venus.

Have a sober, safe and healthy week all

dlb

Cityboy

Morning all.

Funny/unusual thing yesterday morning. Stopped to get gas and while pumping, saw a mouse running around in the back of my work truck. So when I got home, I cleaned out all the leaves and debris that accumulates back there. Then was talking to a friend and he had recently found a dead mouse in his work truck. It's a conspiracy, LOL.

My sister and I were at mom's on Monday and had a nice long talk, which happens rarely. The cat is now out of the bag, and it is such an enormous subject to me, I brought up having quit drinking. My sister likes a glass of wine and drinks the second most in my family, but I think pales in comparison to how much I drank. She immediately became uncomfortable and deflected the conversation away from that topic. I suppose that I would have done the same thing before.

4.5 hour drive as soon as I get going this morning.

dontlookbacchus

Good morning Januarians.

4.5 hour drive, City ? Hang in there. At least it sounds like you may have a companion hiding somewhere in your truck.

Great news that you brought your sobriety up with family before the holidays really get going. This is can be the hardest time for everyone, to me anyway, as far as getting complacent with our AV's. With more commercials and TV shows having people drinking, friends and family's who might not know wanting to celebrate, I feel that I almost need to be even more vigil. I don't think that I have ever done a whole Christmas/New year before.

Good news that our January group is into December. Not bad at all.
I have yet to get my work head on my shoulders. Maybe one more coffee will do the trick. It is snowy outside and I am determined to have a jog regardless. I will take a pic.

Have a healthy, happy and sober December day/evening all

dlb

fishkiller

Do you think your sister may feel she has an issue with alcohol also?
If so it is good she knows you quit. Maybe she will reach out if she feels the need.

I have family I know has issues but doubt they will ever address them. Alcohol is so much a part of their life and they surround themselves with like minded folks. I know it took a couple huge changes for me to get this far. Not sure they will ever be ready to make such changes.

Wife starts new job today!
I'm going to the tackle shop. Down to my last 5 trolling rigs Annnddd I just love going there.

Made a goal to finish interior of house this winter.
New doors, trim and paint.
Thennnnn I kept looking at the floors. Oak plank but in bad shape. Had them refinished when we moved in but it didnt hold up. There are creaks and pops when you walk on it and the hall is a little buckled from something.

Soooo I mentioned replacing the floors also and the wife jumped on it. Damnnnn.lol
This will require removing existing hardwood and adding a 1/2" layer of subflooring then the new laminate.
This will be painful but I have a couple people already volunteering to help.

I am hoping this will eventually eliminate a stressor for me. I hate that it is half finished. So hard to get motivated when you dont know where to start.
Once we get the major work done I am hoping to be able to pick and choose small projects we Want to do instead of have to do.

We shall see. Usually when I complete a project my mind automatically focuses on the next.
Maybe I will get a weeks peace. Lol

Have a great day all!

dontlookbacchus

How productive, FK, you put me to shame.
I understand that completing home improvement tasks to your standard is important. Like my work with me. It seems to be tied up my identity somehow.
Congrats on your wife starting her new job. If it is over zoom or Skype, I am sure it will be extra challenging getting to know her coworkers. Hopefully, she will meet everyone in person next spring. Best of luck to her.

The UK is rolling out the first vaccines next week. Waking to hear that makes me happy. Hopefully other countries will follow on soon. If that isn't something to feel grateful to begin the day, I don't know what is.

Have a healthy, happy and sober Wednesday all

dlb

Lixie

Wow, I can't believe that some of you are actually coming up on one whole year of sobriety. I'm amazed, impressed and so grateful for your personal growth. Great job! I myself am back at day 5, still struggling with this poison, but I am not giving up. I look to you for guidance, you are my role models, my heroes. Thank you. <3

Cityboy

Great to hear from you lixie. I hope that you can work through your thoughts of drinking. It is worth it a million times over.

That is great news DLB. Perhaps things will begin returning to normal. I still have a $100 gift card for the movie theater from before the pandemic that we can use one day maybe.

Hope the new job works out great for the wife FK. There use to be a locally owned tackle shop that was an institution and I would stop and browse if going by. A local guy that was big on the bass circuit worked in there and tried to be helpful. They closed the doors during a bad stretch of fishing though.

Cold this morning.

Cityboy

Morning all.

Working out of town, waking up in some hotel, holds no glamour anymore. A means to a pay check and helping out an old friend. (reference to previous discussions about helping people) In the quest for a phased in retirement, and desire to spend more time with family, neither of those hold the same value. No longer look forward to becoming inebriated each day. In the very early days, not drinking while out of town was nearly unimaginable. All first world problems I suppose.

I've got some exterior carpentry work on the house that needs doing, and painting. Would be good to get it done.

Hope everyone is having a good week.

dontlookbacchus

Hi Classmates

Lovely to hear from you, Lixie. Thank you. Maybe you can someday turn these shorter sobriety steps into one permanent solution ? You are here, checking-in, and a Januarian with us. Lots of good signs.
It is cold here too, City. Probably more snow than you have in Florida It isn't deeo though. But possibly less snow than Lixie has in Iceland ?

Not too much to post about today. I do have a big to-do list myself to get to.

Have a healthy, happy and sober day or evening all.

dlb