Dee74

Last part here:
https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums...t-10-a-20.html (180 Day Challenge Part 10)

D

pline

Jeez ....this has been going for a while.

The sari sari.
A little hole in the wall shop in the Philippines. It's way out in the country, just fishing and rice.
Online chat. I can write about the poverty etc etc...but lets just jump to starting the shop.
She's good, it works. We bought a big fridge so there is ice and cold drinks. Three kinds of rice,
there are 'ties' single serves in sachets, she also does a lot of alcohol and cigarettes.
I'm understanding the economy.
Mobile wholesalers come to the town every couple of days and she restocks.
But the alcohol truck isn't coming back till May, 2 months. Can you buy up front?
2 months. And there is only one store in town that can front that kind of cash.
Thanks to Western Union.
So, our little store is sitting on a small pile of alcohol and and she's going to be the only place in town where you can buy a drink in 2 weeks time.
I really feel concern.
Things can go wrong v fast in the Phils. Have I put her in harms way? Or will she sell it all and it'll be "Oh Mister A....you worry too much"
Hang on for the ride......

Pekelover2

Thanks Dee.

biminiblue

Shiny new thread. Everyone hang on to your sober time for the next 180 days! I'm pledging it with you.

Never forget.

advbike

Thanks for the new thread, Dee. That caught me off-guard, as it always does ha ha. Thanks so much Bim, and you too Free, for your words of encouragement.

Good morning to all. Yesterday I still felt like mush, so there were no bike rides lol, although I did get the motorcycle out for a short ride in the late afternoon, which felt really spectacular.

I am feeling better today, and am enjoying my coffee on the back patio - watching the quail, and industrious little wrens, and listening to the mourning dove. It is a literal beehive of activity, haha. This is a perfect time of year in the Sonoran desert, and a perfect place to get away from screens for a while, and enjoy a coffee.

Pline, All I can say is I wish you the best with that Sari2 venture. You have the right woman in charge, but there are a lot of risks over there, and unforeseen consequences at times. Does she live in the back?

It turns out I built a place that was a little too shiny, a little too far out, and now we have some security concerns of our own. She keeps a bolo in the house at night when she's there, lol, but it's not enough. And my anxiety is triggered by things large and small. They just don't think the same and assess risk the way that we westerners do.

Dickensen, the solar village sounds fantastic. Sam, glad things are going well – enjoy that crazy weather! Zura, thanks for checking in.

Well, time to get a few things done while I still have some energy. Possibly a bike ride this afternoon as rain and cooler temperatures are moving in the next few days..

samwitch

Pline, wow on the alcohol thing, I hope that works out.
Zura!! Yay!! glad to "see" you.
Adv--what's a bolo? Hope your GF is okay out there.

Bim--agree, let's hang in there, sober, for the next 180 days and beyond.

Pekelover2

Hope that your partner is okay out there Advbike.
I’m sure you’ll get a ride in to today.

advbike

It's a wicked-ass big knife with a sharp edge, Sam.. shorter than a machete.. usually used to cut back vegetation (the jungle) or even harvest vegetables and fruits, although she has a smaller curved one for that, haha. Stuff grows like crazy there, so Bolo knives are used heavily in the provincial areas, often worn on a belt. They also can protect you from a python if it grabs you, or of course a two-legged predator. Even the old woman who lives nearby doesn't go anywhere without her bolo, haha - she's quite the character.

She is only there a few days a month to do maintenance and gardening, the rest of the time we live in a nearby city on another island, that has better schools for her two sons. They do spend the school summer months there, and I need to beef up our security before school is out in May. Not as simple as adding a monitored alarm system like one would do here. There are no police to respond quickly in the middle of the night, no call center to take the call, etc. You're kind of on your own.

dickensen

Today I work the election polls for the early voting primary. Turnout will most likely be light as the national candidates have already locked up their nominations.

advbike

Great job Dickensen - we all have to participate in our democracy if we expect it to work.

Went for a nice 24 mi bike ride yesterday afternoon and it really helped me to get a good night's sleep. Feeling a lot better and getting back to some projects, of which there are many. Weather here has been fantastic - mid 70's every day with a few high scattered clouds. The desert is green from good rains. Many parts of the country are experiencing an early spring this year, but we are about normal.

Best to all.

samwitch

Whoa--a bolo sounds serious, but also necessary.

Pekelover2

Fun here in New Orleans. Weather is warm and sunny.
Taking it hour by hour. But feeling good.

advbike

Fantastic, Peke! So glad you're enjoying your visit. When is the wedding?

I just got back from a 28 mil bike ride, 15mph avg. That was about all I had - no gas left in the tank, but feeling pretty good about it despite being well off my early 2023 pace. Sigh. Age and illness happens I guess. I'm just so competitive, in fact I wouldn't have even done that well if some clown hadn't passed me 1/3rd of the way in - and it was on for about 8 miles.

Hope everyone is doing well and having a good week.

Free2bme888

“Bolo” in our house stands for “Be On the Lookout”

We send out a BOLO when we’ve misplaced something…..reading glasses, paperwork, that certain dish plate 🤓

glad to catch up here, hugs to all

Pledging for another 180 here.

Zura

Lunchtime check in, busy morning.

pline - thanks as always for sharing, always interesting to hear about people's lives. I can understand being a little concerned under those circumstances.

advbike - I had a good laugh on the way you described a bolo, but certainly not funny about any security concerns.

Hey Bim and Sam, hope all is well in your worlds.

Peke - glad to hear your having a good time, you sound like your going strong.

Dickensen - good to hear your keeping busy.

Keeping on, keeping on here. Best wishes all 😊.

EDIT: waves to free who i cross posted with.

dickensen

Today is another day at the election office. Very few people are voting because the national outcome of the primaries has already been determined. Early voting will end tomorrow, then the official primary election will occur next Tuesday. It is easy duty but boring for the election workers.

samwitch

Dickensen, I've been thinking about becoming an election worker. Glad you mentioned this, it reminded me.

advbike

Haha, funny about your BOLO, free.. and glad to hear all is well, Zura.

Good job, Dickeknsen. I don't care for politics - the process, the egos, the money involved, etc. But it is what it is, whether I like it or not, and our democracy depends on people being educated, and voting. And not getting completely caught up in tribalism. So I participate when we are in voting season, because I want to try and get more people out to the voting booths, and or help educate them on matters that they may not be aware of.

It's a lazy Friday afternoon here - windy and rainy. Have tons of delicious food in the fridge, and an early dinner planned.. I can't for the life of me remember why I felt it was so enjoyable to drink on Friday nights to "unwind" or whatever.. - it has lost all appeal, and the thought of the 3 AM anxiety is frightening. I have been busy most of the day running errands and catching up on things, but it hasn't caused me any undue stress. If I want to rest I simply take a break.

I am still focused on eliminating sugar from my diet, and have lost 9 lbs (5% of my total weight) since I went to the tropics in early Dec. This is huge for me, but I admit I was a bit heavy at the time, so I had motivation to improve, lol. And we worked on it together, by not eating dinner most nights, and eating lots of veggies. I am continuing with that., and hope to lose another 8 lbs over the remainder of the year through diet and exercise. Thankfully, my knees are in good shape again.

Wishing all a great weekend, especially friends down under, who have already started it.

Pekelover2

Thanks Zura.
Hi Advbike. The wedding is tomorrow night.
Tonight was the big pre-wedding party. At a beer hall. I’m so glad that’s over. I was very anxious at first. But as everyone else got drunk, I became less anxious. When ppl drink they stop making eye contact. They close their eyes a little more, they forget their train of thought. So you end up feeling more confident. At least that’s what happened tonight. I felt like I was watching myself drink. It was like a big mirror was being held up to me.
I think just myself and two other ppl weren’t drinking. I felt tired towards the end, I kept shifting my feet back and forth. (No chairs!).
Glad I could support my little cousin. She was very intoxicated.
As we ubered home I looked out of the car onto the streets. And I realized that New Orleans reminded me of Vegas. Everyone had drinks…just walking around. Adults acting like spring breakers (US thing).
Tonight I felt tempted just once. But then I played the tape forward. Drinking one drink is never just that. And tomorrow is my bday. I can’t wake up hungover.
Thanks so much for listening.

Zura

Sat Evening here

Dickensen - sounds like i overestimated the busyness factor, productive and engaged may be more apt.

Advbike - good for you for keeping so well on track. So pleased to hear your knees aren't bothering you too much atm as well. Haha let's not go crazy, good is a bit of an over statement bit more like that kitten hanging in there poster 😄.

Peke - way to keep strong 💪 but you strike me as someone who likes a challenge, way to transfer those muscles and discipline over to your sobriety!!

Not a good day here but I managed to not let despair take over and am enjoying my evening with some Billy Connelly. There's just something about the Welly Boot Song that lifts my spirits.