I'm so glad to hear this Lynn. I hope that you take some time just to breath it all in. You've been so very busy going from one thing to the next, between you trips, helping your daughter, and spending so much time on here helping others (which I greatly appreciate). But it's too much. Yes, balance. You deserve it.

Free - you have been very supportive of everyone here in our class as well as other places around SR. I don't know how you do it all. As CP said you have been going from one thing to the next and its good to take time to find balance. Check in here when you can, but I totally get you spending the majority of your time on the One Year and over Club.

Viking - sorry to read about your Mother. That's got to be tough, but in my opinion, you handled it perfectly.

Bodhi - it is indeed strange about your sister and her kids but sounds like you have the right idea in that you and your family don't need all of that drama in your lives. I feel bad for your nephews and I don't know their ages, but perhaps there is some way that you can show them you are there for them if they need you. A card, perhaps? I don't know....

CP - was thinking of you last night while watching the Chiefs almost get beaten by the Raiders. Some bad play calling in that game, but in the end a W is a W. Hope you are settling back into the work routine okay.

As for me, I'm so busy I don't know if I am coming or going. The Condo Council stuff is almost a full time job. Seems me and one other guy on the board are the only ones who really know how to run a business meeting and get things done in compliance with state and local laws overseeing condo associations. It's baffling that things got done around here with such a haphazard manner of doing things. It's very frustrating. The average age on the board is about 83 so I am a good 20 years younger and I can tell they view me as the "young whippersnapper" who thinks she knows it all. I just try to politely and firmly point out when things go sideways. Mr. LHW said my personality has changed somewhat since I joined the board....in his words "you display so much more anxiety and frustration than I have ever seen since I met you." I need to fix that. I find I am snapping at him over petty things and he does not deserve that at all.

The eye is doing okay...still don't have the glasses adjusted properly and I could see better with my OLD prescription. I'm tired of going to the eye doctor every week but hopefully will get squared away soon.

Anyway...overall things are going good. Just so busy. We have friends coming to visit tomorrow night, then we are leaving for vacation next week and will be spending a few weeks down in Hilton Head, SC. Mr. LHW has a timeshare there and we need to use it by year end and we will soon celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary there. Then after that comes 2 Council meetings in November, Thanksgiving, a business trip in early December (been asked to dip my toe back in the business world so going to check that out), then Christmas, then our winter trips which takes us right through to April. I'm doing okay with sobriety though it takes a lot out of me to fight off the urges while attending so many family functions. We just learned that two more neices are getting married next Spring so the wedding merry-go-round will start up again then. Both destination weddings. Ah well.

Venus and Dee -- thanks as always for being so supportive of all of us. You really are truly appreciated.

Hope everyone has a great rest of the week.

LHW

I am just listening, dear LHW. :hug: s

And you know, I am here for me, too. :)

I am glad you are going to have a lovely wedding anniversary celebration. :) :kiss:

Hope everyone has a great week :)

D

Thanks, Dee and Venus!

I forgot to add that I have been spending a lot of time on the IAS app....I Am Sober. It is good for me because it is an app I have on my phone and can INSTANTLY get support if I need it. Not that I can't get that here on SR, but the "app" is a lot quicker than signing into SR on my browser and waiting for a response, though I know it's usually quick. But just "clicking" on the app is a lot faster. Maybe the "owners" of SR will develop an App!!!!

They did once...maybe they will again :)

D

From my first year sober log……:)
 

Here is a quote off of SR, that resonates with me today:

Stoic philosopher Epictetus on taking action:

"Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer.

Put your principles into practice – now. Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This is your life! You aren’t a child anymore. The sooner you set yourself to your spiritual program, the happier you will be. The longer you wait, the more you’ll be vulnerable to mediocrity and feel filled with shame and regret, because you know you are capable of better.

From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do – now."

Source: The Art of Living

Great stuff Lynn! Alcohol causes us to do exactly the opposite of taking action. Put off who we really want to be? It kept me from even being able to figure out who I wanted to be. Principles into practice? My principles were fuzzy, at best. "You aren't a child anymore." Alcohol keeps us in a child-like state. Instead of facing life, we run from it. Mediocrity, shame, regret. That was all part of it for me. Knowing that I was capable of better is what kept me coming back here, year after year.

Thanks so much for sharing this. Really resonated with me as well. I hope everyone is doing well this week. Love you guys!

Thanks, Free. Very good stuff.

I have food poisoning. Not feeling so great.

Hope everyone has been having a good week.

Feel better, LHW.

Get well soon LHW :)

D

Good Saturday morning to everyone. I attended a wedding last night for a friend of my son's. Very devout Christian family and the reception was at the church. No alcohol allowed. And it was a blast. All of the same great music and festivities that you would expect at any wedding reception. They had catered BBQ from a local establishment and spared no expense. The drink choices were tea, lemonade, and water. That's it. There was dancing, laughter, silliness, all of it. What a concept. We don't need alcohol to have a good time and to celebrate life's big events. Alcohol is, and always has been, a big lie.

Wishing you all a good weekend. I hope that the food poisoning has passed LHW.

Hitting the 4-month milestone tomorrow. Seems longer. The old me is dead and gone.

Woohoo CP 4 months tomorrow! In your posts you definitely sound centered and confident in your sober ways.

I also have a wedding this weekend. Although the wedding you were at seems a lot more pleasant. This wedding is for my husbands side of the family and there’s a lot of heavy drinkers. They all know I’m pregnant now so they’re like oh first sober wedding? And I’m like no it’s not. It’s funny because the sober has 2 totally different meanings they’re thinking temporary sober. Anyways the rehearsal/welcome drinks was last night and boy were people sloshed and obnoxious. I just really can’t stand drunk people and I’m noticing a lot of unhealthy behaviors like one person was saying how stupid everyone at work was and they can’t take a day off without being asked questions because they’re the only one who knows anything. I know that thought pattern too well and it just makes me think of all the resentments. Im getting kind of annoyed with myself because I’m feeling like I’m being a bit judgmental and self righteous in my sobriety. Im trying to remember people can do whatever they want and it’s their choice. They just sound so stupid and obnoxious. Just like putting their opinions out there like they're god/know everything thing.

It’s also my husbands birthday tomorrow. I got him a nice record player. He’s over indulging in alcohol and I can’t stand it. I wish he wouldn’t drink. I tell him how it makes me feel not supported. It’s not easy being sober especially when everyone is drinking all around you. I just wish he would be my sober buddy in this. Ugh I’m praying he comes around to quitting drinking too one day. I worry that’ll drive a wedge between us which I’ve brought to his attention before. Idk it’s his choice to drink and he has cut down quite a bit, but he definitely goes through these cycles of little to no drinking to drinking quite a few a coupe of days in a row. It’s just hard to watch him be in the trap. I wish he would just see how pointless it is. Hopefully he will in time.

CPATH!

Woot woot! Moving on to month 5! It’s so wonderful to have you here, and to ‘see’ you practicing self love.

more later, peeps

I swear, it seems like every class member except me goes to a wedding every weekend. 😊

I hear you SS. That was my first, and hopefully last, wedding for quite a while. I know that my son isn't anywhere near ready. His friend that got married is only 21. Seems way too young to me, but what do I know? They appear to be very happy, and have supportive families on both sides.

Bodhi, I'm sorry to hear about the tension with your husband's drinking. I sure hope that the baby's arrival will change things. I pray that he's a "normal" drinker and will continue to taper off over time, as he understands that family responsibilities come first, and drinking interferes with what's important.

Got out and did a little volunteering yesterday, picking up trash on the biking/running trail that I frequent. Met a few new people and got some exercise. It was a nice way to spend a couple of hours. I definitely feel much more social these days. Amazing how one's perspective changes when they start liking and caring for themselves.

I hope that everyone has a good week.

Just bought a little kitty with my eldest. Sooooo cute!

Like you, SS, she doesn’t have human babies. She’s in love, and excited to be a fur mommy/parent.

🎊🎉❤️🤓🐱🐱🐱

So, my private time to come here and post has still been very limited. I was just about to put together a nice reply to all of you, and an update, but alas, more private time is being stolen.

No private time with coffee this am and SR, which is a routine I enjoy very much. It’s a great way to start the day.

Weird dreams lately, but they are just dreams, a realistic drinking dream where I was in a position to sneak a bottle of white wine, but in my dream, I was stronger than that VERY strong urge to drink, and I played it forward in my dream, and chose not to. That’s very satisfying, that my subconscious retraining is working.

Hope all is well with all our classmate peeps, and perhaps will try to post while hubby is taking his turn to drive to our next destination later this week.

🤓❤️😀

What a cute kitten! That one will keep your daughter busy, for sure.

Very interesting about playing it forward in your dream. Our brains are amazing. Especially when we are fully functioning.

Sorry to hear that your private time has been compromised. I hope that your next destination brings more Lynn time. You need it.