saoutchik

All the best Weekenders, I know it's a cliché but a bad day sober is better than a good day drunk.

Congratulations on reaching 200 Sober Weekends Koala! Well done.

The lousy weather VMan mentioned has reached London too, this weekend has been a washout.

I walked passed the Victorian gothic St Pancras Hotel this lunchtime. It's not exactly attractive but it has presence. I wonder what the occupancy rate is now?

saoutchik

Main entrance.

MantaLady

Thanks Vman that would be really helpful if you don’t mind. As for a plan Andy I am at a bit of a loss as to what to do. When I got sober before I didn’t work for 6 months which helped as I could 100% dedicate all my time to doing the right thing. My cravings are all during the day and I can’t just go for a walk when I want as have to work, but also not being able to go into the office I am home all day. It’s become so hard to resist. With not driving anywhere as there is nowhere to go really I have lost that motivation of knowing I have to drive and must stay sober aswell.

SoberLeigh

It is very good to see you posting, manta.

Loneliness is a very tough thing. I suspect that some of the people here know each other better (and in a much more personal and real way) than the people in their non-virtual lives; the people here care about you, manta, in a very real way.

Phil71els

For the first time in many months I actually feel properly relaxed and content. Its been a wonderful Saturday. I got to visit one of my favourite places on earth ( Mount Stewart National Trust) with my whole family (even my teenage daughter) and our new puppy (Charlie) today and it is almost like one of my life's ambitions has been achieved. I did it without even thinking of drinking once. The contentment and relaxation I feel is infinitely better than any amount of of booze could give me. Its chilly outside, we have the fire lit and I have some nice tea (English). I've visited Mount Stewart maybe 100 times before but to day as by far the most special and I dont know (or care) why.
Happy Saturday everyone

SoberLeigh

Glad you enjoyed yourself, Phil.

Sober Fun has just begun!

biminiblue

Aww, excellent Phil71els. I can feel the peace from way across the pond. Thanks for that.

least

Nothing like the peace and quiet of a sober Saturday evening. Just relaxing with Billie and enjoying our bond. Being sober really makes me feel good cause I know it's a huge reason I take good care of Billie and my cats. And every morning when I wake up sober and feeling good, it's a reward for staying sober.

(((Manta))) I hope you can formulate a plan to get and stay sober.

PhoenixJ

Prayers Manta.
I get the iso bit...I HAVE to force myself to be with humans.
Thanks for the crapulific, craptastic, crapmendous poem Mags

saoutchik

Sending positive vibes your way Kaily, MantaLady.

That's great Phil, Mount Stewart looks interesting, I hadn't realised National Trust places were open, cool.

It's raining again in London, that's three days now.

Mags1

Morning Weekenders

MantaLady, I’m glad you’re posting too.

Koala, Congratulations on 200 weekends!

Phil, It looks such a beautiful, peaceful place to visit. I’m glad your day was good.

Saou, what a building, very Austere, looks more like a prison than an hotel.

Weather’s still wet.



PJ, thanks for those new words. I’ll add them to my vocabulary.

Sober Sunday morning. I found a lot of peace in my life (after a train wreck of a life) a few years after I got sober. It took a while, but the more sober I am, the better it gets. I don’t mean my health or wealth, but inside my head. It needed a lot of clearing out (I didn’t realise I had much garbage in there). One day at a time in Recovery. Thanks to SR and everyone along the way,
I’ll get off my soapbox now!

CaptainHaddock

Morning Weekenders.

Hang in there MantaLady. I also quit while working from home during the lockdown and agree that it compounds the situation. After about a week of serious trying, I eventually made day one and it has gotten me to three months.

Sao, thanks for the St Pancras Hotel pics. I had a look on the Web and the interior looks very opulent. Interestingly, it seems that at least some (if not all) of the rooms are pet friendly. I bet a few Corgis have appeared on the guest list.

Best wishes to all those feeling a bit lonesome.

Phil71els

Sunday morning and sober for the first time in over 2 months. I am so greatful. Thanks everyone for the support.

theVman31

Nice one Phil 👍

Robbie64

My local National Trust place is still closed and unfortunately I can't see it opening again until next spring.

Weather wise, yesterday was quite literally a wash out. Surprisingly it's been sunny all morning though it's starting to cloud over a bit now and rain is forecast for this afternoon.

Robbie64

Congratulations on a sober Sunday morning - it's the best way to be.

lunar

Typical Sunday morning here.

Coffee at 3:00 AM, along with critter maintenance.

My albino Honduran Milksnake shed last night.

I'm tidying up the pine shavings in her tote.

Of course, the shavings get all over the carpet. (Thanks, Dyson)

She's calmed down with age; not as skittish as before, but still very inquisitive.

biminiblue

So awesome to wake up and read this, Phil71els.

Anyone who is struggling and lurking: if a public forum seems too vulnerable, I'd suggest to write it in a journal, make it a point to start to sort it out OUTSIDE your own head. Like Mags said, it takes time to sort it and if it is just "in there" it doesn't happen. If you don't want to post in a forum, something else that helps me is just start doing that journal every day for ten minutes. In the past when I was super troubled about something I started doing that. I call it the Worry Time. The rest of the day if I start to worry I tell myself, "I can talk about that at the Worry Time." It works. First, I know I will be able get it out of my head and second it's a very good exercise to learn that a worried thought doesn't have to continue on for hours, it's possible to change my thoughts. Additionally some things get forgotten entirely by the time it's the worry session and then I'm able to focus on just the most pressing problems that I have to solve.

Runaway random anxiety over stuff I can't control used to be my entire inner life. It becomes a very bad loop (habit.)

Then I end the journal session with three things for which I'm grateful.

Journalling taught me how to find solutions. Reading a forum might help every now and then, but the magic is in the mental-to-verbal exercise. Putting thoughts into words and finding solutions.

Blessings to all on this sober Sunday morning. My absolute favorite time.

biminiblue

.

(again with the deleted post...)

theVman31

Hey Bim never tried journaling. May try it out soon.

It's been a wet duck weekend. I tried to bake a deep pizza tart like dish this afternoon. I forgot an important ingredient called chapelure de pain, which is basically bread crums. You kind of have to put it in to soak up the juice of the tomates. Ah well next time. Hope it wont be too soggy. I think mrs vman told me not to forget it too many times and it was kind of mental Block.

Anyways cooking is a good way to spend a wet sober Sunday afternoon...

The pics :