wingsfree

Oh Kath, so good to see you're doing so FANTASTIC here, you go girl.

Wow I'd love to have a lemon tree in my yard, but don't think they'd grow here with our winters. Here's an addy if you want to see what I mean about my winters here. These pics were taken last winter...http://members.shaw.ca/djcat/Snow.htm I hope the pics show up for you.

I know what ginger snaps are...I use molassas in mine. My family devours them fast too.

Take good care of YOU Kath.

Love and hugs......Denise

spirit

Hey denise the pics were just awesome,


WOOOOOOWWWWW, it looks great.

mind you it probably isnt, but it makes it easier to get onto the roof haha.

do you actually get out in winter, i would just stay home haha, pretend i was snowed in haha.

i have cousin in calgary and BC. That looks more like Calgary haha

thanks a heap

cheers
kath

wingsfree

Hey Kath....Winters here are great. You get those days where it's so cold out, the sun shines, and the snow looks like it has diamonds on it, just a sparkling.

Yep I get out in the winter, have to shovel the white stuff. There is lots to do, well if you can handle the cold. Skiing, but I'm not into that, I tried cross country, I didn't care for it, my hands and feet get to cold. My family snow mobiles, that's a real big thing here, so many do that to break up the long winters.

We have groomed trails, they can take you anywhere, to the next cities if you can stand riding them that long, not for me anymore, I get to cold. But it gets the guys away,,yippppeeee for that.

Have you went to Alberta (Calgary).....or BC? Both beautiful provinces, I'm in Ontario.

You're welcome Kath, hope your night is greatttttt.

Love and hugs......Denise

spirit

No denise i have never been, when i was younger my aunt and uncle threatened to take us over but it never happened.

Now i am older i am 'allergic' to flying haha.

I figure the only way to fly would be like in a bed, horizontal and unconscious during the whole event haha.

Over the years on the net i have met some fantastic people in the states and canada. i reckon if i got there i drive and visit people from the west coast to east coast of the states and then work from east to west in canada haha, like a big circle. probably would take a while though haha

in the meantime feel free to have a look around perth and west austalia!
http://www.westernaustralia.net

cheers
kath

mountaingirl

Good day (morning, afternoon or evening, depending) to all!
Loved the pictures Denise! I love Canada. Hubby and I went to Quebec city last year for our 15th anniversary, and stayed at the Frontenac - my brother pulled some strings! It was so great.
I too am in a cold climate, and love it. In New Hampshire, we are just getting into the real fall weather, and trees are putting on their colorful outfits!

So glad, Kath that you are doing so well! It sounds like you are getting the hang of this sobriety thing! I think finding new joys and new ways to please ourselves is actually so important. It is the one thing that makes my present journey work, when every other time I quit drinking, I always caved. The joy-thing. It is essential. Whatever it takes - cookies, lemonade, greentea, bananas....it's all miraculous!

Hi Laci, thanks for the congrats. I'm on day 45 and I can't even believe it. I feel like a superhero! How are you doing?

love to all

spirit

hey that is great!

actually tonight i went into bottle shop to get ciggies and it was a lot harder than before. last time it stank this time it was like a lollie shop hahah - mental note to self - do not buy ciggies from bottle shop anymore haha

today was a good day, had a big sleep this arvo, good thing i am on holidays haha, i dont think they would like me having 'nana naps' at my desk.

the only crappy thing that happened is my son was at my folks place and mum was in a mood and did the whole catholic guilt trip on my 15 yr old. some times she is bizarre. after i picked him up i thought "i need a drink" then i thought if i had a box of wine i would hit her with it haha. anyway took many deep breathes, talked to the boy about 'nana's attitudes' and got is sorted.

apart from that, things are cool - doing well

congrats again mountain girl, i knew there was a reason we needed one of you haha

ciou (helen says i cant say cheers anymore haha)

kath

wingsfree

Oh wow....that's great your days of sobriety......yippppeee......doing the Happy Dance for you mountaingirl....darn proud of you too.

Our falls here are beautiful also..it never ceases to amaze me the beauty in the trees when they change colour.

I agree with you there Kath on moutaingirl being a person we need here.

Kath oh boys on that Catholic guilt thing, lordy huh.

Take good care mountaingirl.....and CONGRATS again.....you go girl.

Love and hugs.....Denise

Laci

Hi Ladies! Happy Tuesday. Oh my Denise....your photos brought back memories of Canada. Made me so homesick! Didn't know you were on Ontario! I was born in Winnipeg & we moved to Toronto (Etobicoke) when I was 3. Dad was transferred to the States when I was 11. What part of Ontario are you in if you don't mind me asking. I recall how lovely the snow looked and especially when the ice would coat everything....just gorgeous. And snow mobiling...oh yes!! Hey, throw me a snowball this year would ya!

Hey ya Mountaingirl! New Hampshire....just like Canada! Brrr! You are doing so great with 45 days! Whoo hoo!! You go girl. I am proud of you. I was in Maine about 7 years ago and camped in Bar Harbor. That was an experience as I am no camper! My sister dragged me there as she is a mountaingirl herself. It rained for the first 5 days and nights. Ended up really liking it though and love the New England states especially at this time of the year. Hey, save me some of those fall leaves would you! Okay, got a snowball and fall leaves....let see what I can send you guys from lovely and hot LV, Nevada. It is 87 degrees and it is 10:30am. Yesterday it was 100. I can send you some lizards, some scorpions, black widow spiders, cactus and lot's of sand! Our fall here lasts about two weeks! We have to go to Utah if we want to see the colors. I miss change of seasons but honestly don't miss all that snow!

Mountaingirl, thanks for asking how I am doing. I am doing well, having a few dark moments but making it thru sober. Denise, my doctor put me on Zoloft which is an anti-depressant. Kath, you mentioned you were on an anti-depressant. Ever heard of this one? My doc said it won't cause me to drink as that was my main concern. The black cohosh is not working and I also heard Denise that it can stir up cancer cells. I stopped that also. So, we will see what happens with this zoloft as it is used for prementalpause and depression (guess they both go hand in hand)

I just received a call from my old drinking buddy. Have not called her back as it kind of shook me up. We got loaded together about two months ago and have not seen her since. I am actually afraid to call her back as I know she is going to say let's get together and I want to as I love her dearly but she will encourage me to drink and don't know if I am strong enough to say no right now. I am going to return her call but just make up an excuse for now not to see her. It just shook me up to hear her voice. Anyone else gone thru this? Help! We don't want to let our good friends go but we don't want to be around someone who is tempting us. She is a full blown functioning alkie and can do it as she is only 29 and still hasn't hit that bottom even though she got a DUI and was in jail last year!! Any advise from you guys would help.

Kath, you are doing great. Loved the story about your son and nana doing the Catholic trip on him. I bet you felt like a drink after that but you didn't drink and that is what is so great. Keep up the good work and keep sharing your journal with us. I know it helps keep me going. Would you send me a little baby Kangaroo. They are so cute!!!!

Love and hugs to you all....Hey, Tashia....where the heck are you? Have not heard from you. We miss you here on Spirit's journal.

Laci
(Staying sober one minute at a time in a 24/7 town)

mountaingirl

Hey girls,
On the subject of medications, I have to jump in and say that I too am on some...Hmmm I knew we had a lot in common.
I take seraphem for panic attacks.
Laci, I've heard Zoloft is a big help. Good for you, discussing the drinking with your doctor. That is hard to do!!! And you get gold stars for getting meds too - there is no need to suffer when you don't have to. I was pretty proud of myself when I finally did it last April. For me it took a month to really kick in, but I feel tons better. No side effects. If Zoloft gives you trouble, ask for seraphem. I feel like a pimp! Sorry, its just good to be honest!
As far as seeing your old friend, if I were you I'd set up a breakfast thing, or anything but an evening gettogether. It's too hard to fight when we're tired!
love,

Laci

Hi Mountaingirl,

Thank you so much for your good and kind words! I feel better already. If the Zoloft doesn't work I will try the seraphem. Is that an anti-depressant? I just felt a bit "guilty" taking something but you made me feel better saying that there is no need to suffer. I was scared to talk to my family doctor but he totally understood and I told him about our group & going to meetings and he said keep doing this! Made me feel good.

As for my old buddy, I think she would probably drink at breakfast! I believe I will just have to avoid her for now. She sent me an email today inviting me to her wedding (in a vineyard in California! Right...just what I need) and said come over and have a couple of bottles of wine with her. Yuk. I can't even imagine doing that right now. So best I take your good advise as we are so new to all of this and I don't have the energy to place myself in a dangerous situation and then have to fight it off!

Thank you Mountaingirl! I am so glad you responded to me. Feeling a little blue right now but you cheered me up! You are my "pimp" LOL! Kidding.

Love,
Laci

(((((((((((Mountaingirl))))))))))))))

spirit

morning all.

day 14 - good god, who would have thought, in some ways it feels like forever, in others i feel like i have lost a week haha, how do you do that sober haha.


Laci re your friend take her to a meeting haha. i think breakfast is a good idea and maybe say you are antibiotics or something therefore cant drink. But at some point maybe not the first visit you need to tell her. she probably will be ok with it, if she is a true friend and not just a drinking buddy, if you know what i mean. i dont mean to put your friend down, but i think you know what i am on about.

ah baby roos, hate to disappoint you but we tend to run them over in motor vehicles, and/or eat them as steaks from supermarkets haha. only in australia can you eat our naitonal animal emblems, emus and roos haha.

well i am off to play on the net, then take the kids food shopping they decided they want to get healthy. the youngest, who is a chocolate a day boy said yesterday "mum if you stay off the booze i'll give up the chocolate haha"

cheers all, shall report on the outcome of day 14 later tonight.

bt the way wednesday looks fine and sunny down here

ciou
kath

Laci

Happy Weds Kath. Sounds like another beautiful day in Australia. Look out for those baby roos! Ha Ha...made me laugh. I've never eaten roo and I guess it is like us eating cows here in the US. Have to try that some day.

Thanks for the heads up on my friend. She does need AA! I think that it is a marvelous idea to say I'm on antibiotics. We don't have to go off telling everyone right away what is happening now do we. Good idea you have there. Maybe eventually I'll let her know but not now.

Hope you had a good time with your boys. Hmmm, you got a chocolate a day kid! He'll quit chocolate if you stay sober...sounds fair! Smart kid.

Have a great day and look forward to your journal later.

ciou back at you,
Laci

Helz

Hey gals

I didn't see this thread before and boy have I missed out on some good laughs! Anyway, I'm gonna chime in here too if no one minds.......

Hi mountaingirl, nice to meet you, day 45 is an absolutely awesome effort! Well done!

Hello to Kath, Denise and Laci on this thread too!

It's been interesting hearing all about where everybody lives in their own part of the world. Well Kath, I know lots about where you live already though! Hahahahah. Perth is a small town!

Ciao for now
Love Helen
xoxoxox

spirit

very afraid helz - i will find you hahhahaha

insert spooky music!

kath

wingsfree

Hey Helen.....gosh we are gonna get confused here, well speaking for myself that is....oh by the way about Mags blue eyes and hair.....she mentioned it some where in one of her posts.

Hugs

mountaingirl

The more the merrier!
It's all about joy, remember!

Tashia

Hello Sober Girls...
Sorry it's been so long since I have written..Arrived home on Monday night...& Was really depressed for a few dayss...Missing home like crazy..But know it is necessary for me to be here in NeW yORK...fOR MY RECOVERY..I start my outpatient tommorrow morning..A little nervous..But know I need it ...& I'am looking forward to it....I have 76 days of sobreity today...Wow..I can hardly believe it...I felt strong back home..Attended meetings & didn't go anywhere I didn't feel safe...Well I have missed you all...& Hope you have been feeling strong...Hello to Spirit & Laci...I've missed talking to you.... to you..

Still Sober

spirit

so glad you are back, i think in an earlier post i here or on dont quit i asked where you were. i forgot you said you were going away - dumb me, but it you look on dont quit you will realise i am 42 and heading towards what the girls call 'mentalpause' haha

but 79 days is fantastic, well done girl and congrats for keeping yourself in safe places.

good to see you are look forward to your next step. will you be able to maintain contact?

if not good luck with everything,you are going so well and have gone so far it is great inspiration.

i am on day 16 and have to say the last two days have been a bit testing, so i am now inspired - thanks

hugs, keep well and great to see you

ciou
kath

spirit

given i started this post i guess i should do an official report haha

tonight is friday night and day 16, my third friday night in a row sober.

the last couple of days have been a bit hard.

first there was the visit to the bottle shop for ciggies which somehow mysteriously turned into a lolly shop right before my eyes. that was scary, the last time i had been there, it stank, this time i could have just rolled around the aisles and begged people to bath me in anything from apple schnapps to vodka!!!

then yesterday another neighbour delivered two bottles of merlot (yum) which as i said on the other post, i resisted. i gave them to another neighbour, who said he would have a couple of drinks for me - which i thought was cool. love that guy.

i even told my folks today that i resisted the wine last night, they were very impressed. mum said to bring them to their place. i said right (they are dry alkies) i said if anyone 'deserves' them i do haha 16 days, mum said, try 20 years haha. then she told me they had a bottle of whiskey and rum up in the wardrobe which are covered in dust they think the bottles have disolved and the dust is just an outline of what was there haha. so we had a laugh, havent done that for a while with her, which was nice.

this arvo i watched a dvd with my oldest son, contact with jodie foster, which was nice, even though he went to sleep haha.

and the best bit was i didnt drink in panic or ring my Hubby who was out with his friends at a farewell for a work collegue.

that would be an ok activity in the normal scheme of things, but i knew that the lady he had confessed to having become 'emotionally' attached to recently would be there. how brave is that of me not him haha

anyway pretty well a good day, roll on to saturday.

ciou all

kath

spirit

hi all, i am losing count of the days, i think it is about 18, somehow it doesnt matter so much anymore.

yesterday was a nice day, pottered around with the kids, slept etc.

because i have been eating healthy everyone in the house is getting into the act and wanting to eat salads etc. but the boys are lazy so i thought, hey i could chop up things like celery, carrots and cheese etc and put them in plastic containers in the fridge and then they could help themselves to that instead of bread or bikkies.

anyway while i am doing this yesterday arvo the wife of the bloke i gave the wine too called in and said, hey we're having a barby tonight, with another couple of neighbours etc, come on down. we live in a party street and there is often impromtu parties etc.

i said hey cool, i'll bring potato salad and tossed salad etc and organised to meet them at their place at 6.30.

well after she left i panicked. this was to be my first street party 'dry', this was do or die haha. well i bought lots of cool drink and was fine. through the night a couple of them asked me about why i was off the booze etc. i was honest and said it was getting out of control, that i probably would drink again at some point but at the moment i didnt want to, i was losing weight getting healthy etc. I did cheat though i took half a valium (which i obtained of my ex husband) before i went. i thought of this as cheating but then i also thought, i much rather do that to take the edge off the nerves than have a drink, which i knew i would.

about 9pm i felt really tired and was thinking of heading off and sue said, hey lets have coffee, so i said yeah that would be nice so we had a coffee and left about 10ish. very civilised. normally we would leave about 2am haha. some of them teased me gently, and i even made some jokes about out, eg "if i was drinking those sausages would be half cooked etc". there was only one guy who was a bit 'thingy' about it, but he is a bit of a stirrer anyway, and by the time he started on me he had drunk half a bottle of scotch so i just said, hey dude i will feel better than you in the morning. it was all good natured.

the hardest bit was, not automatically reaching for the bottle of wine or scotch on the table, or when i did it was like waking up and pulling my hand back haha. oh and making sure i only drank my coke haha. even when i ran out of coke they offered me more and i said, i was fine, that is when sue offered coffee, which was nice.

anyway that was my story of last night surviving the first street party!, albiet with half a vali. but i think i did ok

hope you are all well and hanging in there.

ciou for now
kath