LBrain

welp, back to dumping water on the lawn again... until ALL of the seeds show signs of growth this will continue. then just drown it once a week until thanks-o-ween
made us burgers on the grill for lunch - and it didn't agree with me, could have been the over month old almond milk I had fo b-fast tho...

why don't they call an endoscopy a begining-o-scopy and an end-o-scopy for where it all ends? just wondrin...

the grass in back needs to be cut. anyone? I also need to shoot the bow - every day. fish for dinner, hmmmmm, if I have oats for b-fast and fish for dinner, can I eat a hamburger for lunch every day?

Behan

Leftover mexican for dinner. Delish.

Been surfing the couch with Gid Coe for company. I texted an old drinking buddy a happy birthday today. He asked to meet for lunch. Think we need to work out how to hang without the booze.

Fear not a shortage of pumpkins Ruby!! They grow in abundance in Portugal!!! We mostly use pumkins at Halloween to make scary heads, although they are becoming more part of our cuisine.

I do like Halloween and all things scary.

B

Behan

Lovely photo Tetra. Galway has such ominous sky's.

B

Behan

The week is thankfully flying in Sao. I'm looking forward to a lie in or two this weekend.

Ruby2

Brain, the dietary rules are changing all the time. I heard this morning that whole milk may be preferable to skim. Changes all the time.

Behan, the pumpkins reminded me of my trafficking of canned pumpkins to England. My cousin lives outside of London and wanted to make pumpkin pie for Christmas dinner for her in laws. She couldn't find canned pumpkin so since I was going to be visiting her, I carried two cans with me. In later years she bought a pumpkin and roasted it but it wasn't apparently the same. Those two cans got to be awfully heavy as I was dragging them around on the tube.

Time for me to get out of the office! I'll see you all later!

BixBees505

Question, friends... Every now and again I see people mention "playing the tape". What does this mean? I get that it is a way to remind yourself of ... well I am not sure what it means.

Behan

There are still whispers in the halls of MI6 of the mysterious american who smuggled illegal pumpkins into the very heart of the British empire!!!

biminiblue

Play the tape through - basically playing a movie in your mind that goes from that first drink all the way through the episode, to include the embarrassing behaviors, the next day's regrets, hangovers, illness, shame, and any other consequences you've previously suffered.

It is important to remember. We tend to forget.

Tetra

My mother is driving me crazy tonight.

The latest is that I want to change my travel plans to next February. She thinks I am not able to travel on a plane by myself. Or that I'll drink during the flight. I don't know.

I am determined to go by myself. I feel it will be good for me and my therapist sees nothing wrong with it.

I'm so weary right now. There are times when I wonder is it me or her?

I was assessed by a psychiatrist the first time I got sober. I wept in the chair and I told him that I was crazy and depressed. We talked for about an hour before he told me that I was neither of those things. He said there is a huge difference between depression and low self esteem.

I wonder what he would have to say about my mom?

Behan

Hi BixBee,

My understanding is playing the tape to the end, ie, try to clearly visualise your intended course of action right through to the end in your minds eye. It allows us to move beyond the appeal of immediate gratification and experience the likely consequences of our actions.

I hope this helps!

B

Sorry bb, just saw your much better reply now!!!

biminiblue

Tell your mom you'll be fine, Tetra - because you will be.

She's a worrier, that one

Beautiful photo, T.

BixBees505

Thanks to both of you for answer to my tape question. Appreciate it.

saoutchik

Ruby, your cousin need be deprived of canned pumpkin no longer. According to Chowhound.com Libbys canned pumpkin is available year round in Waitrose.

Tetra, it sounds like your mom doesn't want to accept that you are not her little girl anymore

Glad your examination showed nothing wrong DM. The Edinburgh Festival is definitely on my bucket list

Venecia

Hello, Wednesday W'enders,

Wow, Tetra! That is an exceptional photograph. You've got a good eye.

Ruby, trafficking of canned pumpkins sounds like a Garrison Keillor story. I cannot speak too much to the current state of the Minneapolis farmers market as I go to its St. Paul counterpart (which, like a good Capitol City type, I consider quite superior).

Although the majority of vegetable and flower sellers are from our Hmong community, very few of their traditionally grown veggies are for sale -- it's the more common fare. Now, though, there are a couple really large farmers markets in which the all the vendors and most customers are all from our Hmong community. In fact, I'd say the one on University Avenue may be just as large as the "regular" markets, from which I posted a couple pics on Sunday.

The cold making its way through the office has caught up with me. Sniffles and hot tea are both on my agenda.

I hope this note finds all are well.

Tetra

I've just applied for another job at a hospital so fingers crossed that I'll get it. I loved working in hospital administration, there is always something new going on and new people to meet. Ok the first time I had to go to the intensive care unit to collect a file I nearly fainted and my dad asked me what was I expecting to see up there? I replied "I thought it would be like on TV and the movies, you know with the paddles". At this point he burst out laughing and said "nothing is like television and the movies". I remember standing at the nurses station and seeing a patient looking at me with big sad eyes. I hope he is ok now, whoever he was.
Also I saw the movie 'Coma' at a very young age...don't watch it!

trachemys

I think my WTF4? mood is dissipating. I went looking for uplifting music in my memory and new versions of said.

I ran up on some concert footage that made me feel better. 'Course, anytime you put a bunch of legends on stage and turn them loose it's uplifting.

BixBees505

Good luck, Tetra!

MLD51

Thanks, Trach. Yes is one of my very favorite bands. Would have loved to have seen them live. I have a bunch of old Yes on vinyl. Might have to dig that out one of these days.

I had a frustrating day with technology. Too complicated to go into - think I've got most of it figured out. Partway through the day I started having fantasies of moving to a tiny house in the woods and unplugging completely forever. I'd like to try it sometime for a week and see just how nuts I go.

I slept like crap last night and finally gave up at 4:30 and got up. If the Cubs weren't playing for their lives right now I'd be in bed. I just took a nice warm bath and I'm sipping some tea. I probably won't see the end of the game.

Have a good evening, folks.

happyandfree

Bixbee...for me, playing the tape through is thinking it through to the end. It helps me with cravings. When I feel like drinking, I think about how I will drink too much and mainly how I will feel in the morning. The physical sickness, the remorse, hating myself, and the shame. The possible risk involved if i drove, and the embarrassing things i might do. It usually makes any desire to drink vanish quickly. None of those negative consequences happen when I don't drink.

MLD51

It just occurred to me that a year ago I would have been watching this baseball game at a bar, using it as an excuse to get lit up. Now I'm happy to stay home and relax on my couch with chamomile tea. What a difference.