When the going gets tough - Weekenders 31 January- 03 February 2020
Magsie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: UK
Posts: 26,687
Morning Weekenders from a rainy North Lincolnshire. 
Willow, a roast dinner cooked for you sounds superb! Enjoy your afternoon. x
Jr & Suze, you’ve whetted my appetite for R.D. Laing’s book ‘Knots’.
Dragon, sounds like a good project you have there...I think I would’ve rather done woodwork and metalwork at school than needlework and domestic science!
Have a good day, see you later x
Willow, a roast dinner cooked for you sounds superb! Enjoy your afternoon. x
Jr & Suze, you’ve whetted my appetite for R.D. Laing’s book ‘Knots’.
Dragon, sounds like a good project you have there...I think I would’ve rather done woodwork and metalwork at school than needlework and domestic science!
Have a good day, see you later x
saoutchik
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: London
Posts: 16,204
Morning, wet here in London too.
I hope everyone got or gets through Saturday night without reaching for the bottle. That inner voice that says "you deserve" to get out of your head for a while never mentions the price you must pay.
A new book has been published about my Borough although I lived a few miles north east in a place called Haringey and further east in Essex at the time. The fact that the photos are in black and white is a bit of an affectation in my opinion and makes everything look even older and more remote from today's Hackney but it certainly has changed a lot since they were taken.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc...tures-51238335
I hope everyone got or gets through Saturday night without reaching for the bottle. That inner voice that says "you deserve" to get out of your head for a while never mentions the price you must pay.
A new book has been published about my Borough although I lived a few miles north east in a place called Haringey and further east in Essex at the time. The fact that the photos are in black and white is a bit of an affectation in my opinion and makes everything look even older and more remote from today's Hackney but it certainly has changed a lot since they were taken.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc...tures-51238335
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 941
Hi Mags, Sao and fellow Weekend travellers.
Still in.
5 sober Sunday mornings in (or so) this time and this one feels nice. Unpleasant as the weather is. There is no hangover again or ruminating how long until I kick-off with the first drink.
Sunday mornings are better.
Still in.
5 sober Sunday mornings in (or so) this time and this one feels nice. Unpleasant as the weather is. There is no hangover again or ruminating how long until I kick-off with the first drink.
Sunday mornings are better.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: London, England
Posts: 7,061
Hi everyone 
Glad you are feeling a bit better now Mags. New medication often has nasty side effects at first but hopefully soon settles down.
Great nostalgic pics Sao.
Oh Willow how lucky are you? Dinner prepared. I could do with some pampering like that.
Nothing much going on with me, had a few hospital visits and have a couple more coming up but nothing too bad I don't think.
Winter seems to be really long but come summer I will be complaining it is too hot
. Discontentment I guess. Suns out now so going for a nice walk.
15 months sober yesterday.
Glad you are feeling a bit better now Mags. New medication often has nasty side effects at first but hopefully soon settles down.
Great nostalgic pics Sao.
Oh Willow how lucky are you? Dinner prepared. I could do with some pampering like that.
Nothing much going on with me, had a few hospital visits and have a couple more coming up but nothing too bad I don't think.
Winter seems to be really long but come summer I will be complaining it is too hot
. Discontentment I guess. Suns out now so going for a nice walk. 15 months sober yesterday.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 546
Good day.
Sunday morning here in New England. Luv the Hackney photos saoutchik.
I used to drive a Hackney carriage in the 1970s when I was in school in Boston. The city's taxi commission was still (and I think is still) called the Hackney Carriage Division of the police force. New England = in some ways not so very far removed from the Olde England.
I used to muse that I should carry a camera with me to try to capture the city in all its personalities and moods that can be observed from a cabby's perspective, like a fly on the wall.
If only.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
I promised someone I would post my (easy) recipe for the lentil soup I made the other day. Tasty if I say so myself. It appears below, after a brief preface.
A brief preface: I've cooked more home meals in the 32 days of my sobriety than I had in the past 6 months of my drinking life, seems to me. We generally eat pretty healthily chez jr67, but over the years it has developed that my husband took on the primary role as the cook, probably 9.5 out of 10 nights, and I, who had somehow managed to keep body and soul together for the 49 years of my life before we met in 2001, many of those years as a single man who ate well and hosted dinner parties, happily acquiesced to this arrangement, and I did the dishes.
But in the days since 2 January 2020, (I'll keep this short, I could write a book): ... In the days since 2 January I have more energy (and no hangovers), more initiative for tiny things (put away my snow boots in the closet since there's no snow in the forecast for two weeks out), medium things (make dinner more often, get that indoor kitchen herb garden going), larger things (I find I have a newfound greater appreciation for what I have had all along -- for just one example, food is actually tasting better. I can't believe it, I am more consciously appreciating the taste and texture as I masticate each morsel.)
Ok, I'm getting hungry. Where's that recipe? Here:
Ingredients:
1 lb. lentil beans
olive oil
Whatever else you find lying around, which on Friday happened to be:
3 or 4 carrot sticks, chopped,or a handful of those baby carrots so big in the stores these days, chopped
1 bunch celery, roughly chopped
2 onions, sliced and roughly chopped
2 potatoes, washed (peeling optional, I don't see the point), cubed
Cooking instructions:
Pour a liberal amount of olive oil into a dutch oven, enough to thoroughly cover the bottom. Don't be stingy, it's good for you.
Heat the oil.
Add the rest of whatever you're adding (except for the lentils and potatoes), in order of longest cooking time to shortest. In this example:
Add chopped carrots, begin to saute, stirring as needed so nothing burns
Add chopped celery, continue to saute, stirring as needed so nothing burns
Add onions, continue to saute, stirring as needed ... (you get the drill)
Once these items are all well started, about when the onions are becoming translucent, then you:
Add about 4 quarts of water
(You can use veggie stock, or chicken stock instead of plain water, it is up to you)
Add the lentils, stirring so they don't clump together
Bring soup to a slow roil, stirring occasionally, while you bustle around the kitchen, maybe cleaning up the mess you've already made before it gets worse, or emptying the dish rack of last Tuesday's dry dishes, or setting the table
At this point it is the lentils that will take longest to cook through, maybe a half hour
After a while add the potatoes, they won't take as long to cook as the lentils, depending on the size of your potato cubes
Stir occasionally
Cook, simmering, until all ingredients are done, especially the lentils, as the rest could actually be eaten raw anyway
It's hard to overcook this, the longer it cooks the softer stuff gets, but that's ok, the textures and flavors blend better that way. Or if cooked less, they retain more of their individual textures, which is fine too, as long as the lentils are done.
Ladle into bowls.
Top off with croutons or soup crackers (optional), or maybe have a hearty sourdough or whole wheat loaf or a baguette on the side
Salt and pepper your bowl of soup to taste (mine was fine without either the other day)
Should hit the spot of a winter evening. Savor it.
Bonus: Only one pot to clean!
Sunday morning here in New England. Luv the Hackney photos saoutchik.
I used to drive a Hackney carriage in the 1970s when I was in school in Boston. The city's taxi commission was still (and I think is still) called the Hackney Carriage Division of the police force. New England = in some ways not so very far removed from the Olde England.
I used to muse that I should carry a camera with me to try to capture the city in all its personalities and moods that can be observed from a cabby's perspective, like a fly on the wall.
If only.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
I promised someone I would post my (easy) recipe for the lentil soup I made the other day. Tasty if I say so myself. It appears below, after a brief preface.
A brief preface: I've cooked more home meals in the 32 days of my sobriety than I had in the past 6 months of my drinking life, seems to me. We generally eat pretty healthily chez jr67, but over the years it has developed that my husband took on the primary role as the cook, probably 9.5 out of 10 nights, and I, who had somehow managed to keep body and soul together for the 49 years of my life before we met in 2001, many of those years as a single man who ate well and hosted dinner parties, happily acquiesced to this arrangement, and I did the dishes.
But in the days since 2 January 2020, (I'll keep this short, I could write a book): ... In the days since 2 January I have more energy (and no hangovers), more initiative for tiny things (put away my snow boots in the closet since there's no snow in the forecast for two weeks out), medium things (make dinner more often, get that indoor kitchen herb garden going), larger things (I find I have a newfound greater appreciation for what I have had all along -- for just one example, food is actually tasting better. I can't believe it, I am more consciously appreciating the taste and texture as I masticate each morsel.)
Ok, I'm getting hungry. Where's that recipe? Here:
Ingredients:
1 lb. lentil beans
olive oil
Whatever else you find lying around, which on Friday happened to be:
3 or 4 carrot sticks, chopped,or a handful of those baby carrots so big in the stores these days, chopped
1 bunch celery, roughly chopped
2 onions, sliced and roughly chopped
2 potatoes, washed (peeling optional, I don't see the point), cubed
Cooking instructions:
Pour a liberal amount of olive oil into a dutch oven, enough to thoroughly cover the bottom. Don't be stingy, it's good for you.
Heat the oil.
Add the rest of whatever you're adding (except for the lentils and potatoes), in order of longest cooking time to shortest. In this example:
Add chopped carrots, begin to saute, stirring as needed so nothing burns
Add chopped celery, continue to saute, stirring as needed so nothing burns
Add onions, continue to saute, stirring as needed ... (you get the drill)
Once these items are all well started, about when the onions are becoming translucent, then you:
Add about 4 quarts of water
(You can use veggie stock, or chicken stock instead of plain water, it is up to you)
Add the lentils, stirring so they don't clump together
Bring soup to a slow roil, stirring occasionally, while you bustle around the kitchen, maybe cleaning up the mess you've already made before it gets worse, or emptying the dish rack of last Tuesday's dry dishes, or setting the table
At this point it is the lentils that will take longest to cook through, maybe a half hour
After a while add the potatoes, they won't take as long to cook as the lentils, depending on the size of your potato cubes
Stir occasionally
Cook, simmering, until all ingredients are done, especially the lentils, as the rest could actually be eaten raw anyway
It's hard to overcook this, the longer it cooks the softer stuff gets, but that's ok, the textures and flavors blend better that way. Or if cooked less, they retain more of their individual textures, which is fine too, as long as the lentils are done.
Ladle into bowls.
Top off with croutons or soup crackers (optional), or maybe have a hearty sourdough or whole wheat loaf or a baguette on the side
Salt and pepper your bowl of soup to taste (mine was fine without either the other day)
Should hit the spot of a winter evening. Savor it.
Bonus: Only one pot to clean!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: NC
Posts: 5,161
Phil says early spring!
looks like everyone is seeing the sun today! Gonna be 70* here tomorrow!
Going to a super bowl event later today at our Moose lodge.
Couldn't care less about the game but it's kind of a tradition with my parents and some of their friends and we have a good time.
All you can eat and drink. I will stuff myself and have a pepsi or 2.
Hopefully win some $$$$
Tuesday looks like a day to kill some fish!! Havent been out since 3rd week of December.
I've been having a combination of cabin fever and wet line withdrawal. Cant wait!
Hope everyone finishes the weekend off sober and happy!
looks like everyone is seeing the sun today! Gonna be 70* here tomorrow!
Going to a super bowl event later today at our Moose lodge.
Couldn't care less about the game but it's kind of a tradition with my parents and some of their friends and we have a good time.
All you can eat and drink. I will stuff myself and have a pepsi or 2.
Hopefully win some $$$$
Tuesday looks like a day to kill some fish!! Havent been out since 3rd week of December.
I've been having a combination of cabin fever and wet line withdrawal. Cant wait!
Hope everyone finishes the weekend off sober and happy!
Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 591
I’ve had such a productive weekend that I haven’t had time to post. I always think how on earth did I have time to drink on weekends when so much has to be done. I’m 29 days alcohol free. Tomorrow is the first solid 30 days sober of 2020. I couldn’t have done half of what I’ve accomplished this year if I was drinking. I show up on Mondays rested and ready for work. It would be awful to be exhausted from partying n drama. Having clean clothes, clean house, and food in my refrigerator is more exciting than any late night drunken disasters. There are still very tough moments but I get through them sober. Getting drunk over tough times we never get through them. We stay stuck and create even more problems.
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Kerry, Ireland
Posts: 2,706
Originally Posted by Kaily 
Hi everyone
Glad you are feeling a bit better now Mags. New medication often has nasty side effects at first but hopefully soon settles down.
Great nostalgic pics Sao.
Oh Willow how lucky are you? Dinner prepared. I could do with some pampering like that.
Nothing much going on with me, had a few hospital visits and have a couple more coming up but nothing too bad I don't think.
Winter seems to be really long but come summer I will be complaining it is too hot. Discontentment I guess. Suns out now so going for a nice walk.
15 months sober yesterday.
Glad you are feeling a bit better now Mags. New medication often has nasty side effects at first but hopefully soon settles down.
Great nostalgic pics Sao.
Oh Willow how lucky are you? Dinner prepared. I could do with some pampering like that.
Nothing much going on with me, had a few hospital visits and have a couple more coming up but nothing too bad I don't think.
Winter seems to be really long but come summer I will be complaining it is too hot
. Discontentment I guess. Suns out now so going for a nice walk. 15 months sober yesterday.
Ocean Lover!
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: You know nothing Jon Snow - UK
Posts: 2,604
Congrats on your 15 months Kaily! Heavy rain all day here so didn’t get to go out for a walk, the woodland looks fab!!
As some of you may know my sobriety plan is not working or I am not working it, either or the result is I need to do something different. So, taking a leaf from Sao’s book I am going to start getting up at 5am and go swimming before work. I want the results without putting in the effort, that has so far not worked, so it’s time to put in the effort. Hope everyone had a good weekend and take care xx
As some of you may know my sobriety plan is not working or I am not working it, either or the result is I need to do something different. So, taking a leaf from Sao’s book I am going to start getting up at 5am and go swimming before work. I want the results without putting in the effort, that has so far not worked, so it’s time to put in the effort. Hope everyone had a good weekend and take care xx
Guest
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 255
Thought I'd join the class. I've been sober for awhile but feel myself slipping so thought I'd join.
I have a Super Bowl party at my place in about 1 hour. Heavens. I won't drink, I'm more freaked out about having a bunch of people over here and having to host.
I have a Super Bowl party at my place in about 1 hour. Heavens. I won't drink, I'm more freaked out about having a bunch of people over here and having to host.
Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 8,762
Hooray for the sun for those of you who haven’t seen it recently. It’s probably because it’s been hanging out in Australia a lot lately. But we’re happy for it to go and visit you guys and let it rain here for a while, thanks
Kaily that’s a great photo of your muddy woodland walk, and congratulations on 15 months!
Jr I was wondering why you titled your last post with a sad face, I hope you’re ok. The lentil soup sounds delicious
Congratulations on 30 days Mariposa, that’s fantastic, well done
Manta early morning swimming sounds like a great way to start the day. I find my day tends to continue from how I start out, so exercise in the morning is a really good lead in for a good day and helps me stay in a healthy mindset and not drink.
Welcome to the weekenders Nathan
It’s Monday morning here. I’m having coffee and wandering through SR until I have to get ready for work. Have a great day/night everyone.
Kaily that’s a great photo of your muddy woodland walk, and congratulations on 15 months!
Jr I was wondering why you titled your last post with a sad face, I hope you’re ok. The lentil soup sounds delicious
Congratulations on 30 days Mariposa, that’s fantastic, well done
Manta early morning swimming sounds like a great way to start the day. I find my day tends to continue from how I start out, so exercise in the morning is a really good lead in for a good day and helps me stay in a healthy mindset and not drink.
Welcome to the weekenders Nathan
It’s Monday morning here. I’m having coffee and wandering through SR until I have to get ready for work. Have a great day/night everyone.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 546
Welcome to this Weekender Nathan57. You're SB party is starting well before kickoff. Have fun.
Willow: Sad face? What sad face? I didn't know there was any face in my post. I don't see it on my end. At any rate thanks for your concern. All is well in jr67's corner of Soberlandia.
Brunch went fine. Mild interest by my (drinking) friends in my non-drinking, and an "attaboy" for doing what I decided I need to do, but we moved on to the good food and company. Arancini balls with portobello for jr. Yums.
I'm out in the yard with the 2 dogs now, one seems bored snd whiney so it's about time to head back in to some workywork before I head next door to the neighbor's to watch the first half of the game, "for the commercials" (most expensive 30-second spots in advertising, anywhere) and the halftime show (JLo I am told).
Willow: Sad face? What sad face? I didn't know there was any face in my post. I don't see it on my end. At any rate thanks for your concern. All is well in jr67's corner of Soberlandia.
Brunch went fine. Mild interest by my (drinking) friends in my non-drinking, and an "attaboy" for doing what I decided I need to do, but we moved on to the good food and company. Arancini balls with portobello for jr. Yums.
I'm out in the yard with the 2 dogs now, one seems bored snd whiney so it's about time to head back in to some workywork before I head next door to the neighbor's to watch the first half of the game, "for the commercials" (most expensive 30-second spots in advertising, anywhere) and the halftime show (JLo I am told).
Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 546
Oh, now I see the sad face, Willow, on my laptop (it doesn't show up on my phone). I did not know it was there, I must have hit the button for it unintentionally when I created the post. No matter, I am fine, stealth emoji notwithstanding.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: German Village, Columbus with my love ♥
Posts: 88,509
Originally Posted by MantaLady
Congrats on your 15 months Kaily! Heavy rain all day here so didn’t get to go out for a walk, the woodland looks fab!!
As some of you may know my sobriety plan is not working or I am not working it, either or the result is I need to do something different. So, taking a leaf from Sao’s book I am going to start getting up at 5am and go swimming before work. I want the results without putting in the effort, that has so far not worked, so it’s time to put in the effort. Hope everyone had a good weekend and take care xx
As some of you may know my sobriety plan is not working or I am not working it, either or the result is I need to do something different. So, taking a leaf from Sao’s book I am going to start getting up at 5am and go swimming before work. I want the results without putting in the effort, that has so far not worked, so it’s time to put in the effort. Hope everyone had a good weekend and take care xx
xx 
s
Originally Posted by Nathan57
Thought I'd join the class. I've been sober for awhile but feel myself slipping so thought I'd join.
I have a Super Bowl party at my place in about 1 hour. Heavens. I won't drink, I'm more freaked out about having a bunch of people over here and having to host.
I have a Super Bowl party at my place in about 1 hour. Heavens. I won't drink, I'm more freaked out about having a bunch of people over here and having to host.
And stay safe....come and talk to us if the party gets overwhelming.
s xxxxxxxxxxx
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