Ladytron

Hi Tufty! Hi everyone, had a bit of back and forth earlier will I won’t I, all the reasons why I should. I finally used my logical brain and did a quick CBA in my head, decided it was definitely not worth it. Got fish and chips for tea and had a nice bath. All safe and tucked up in my jammies now. Thanks everyone for being here 👍

venuscat

this is Leigh's pic of the full moon the other night.

DesertDawg

Thank you, MLD51, you really hit the nail on the head, at least for me. I may have (had) it easier than some others, because I wasn't using booze to escape some sort of turmoil or trauma in my life, as there really wasn't any. But boredom was always a big deal for me, and if I could make it go away in minutes just by drinking something, instead of actually *doing* something, why not? Rhetorical question of course, because the easy answer to "why not" is because, notwithstanding the potential for health issues, dangerous behavior, alienating friends and family, etc. you are are foregoing living for alcohol. Eventually, of course, it becomes addiction. Why we (and I include myself in "we") can't automatically internalize that logic is beyond me. But staying vigilant, and then acting, to avoid boredom has been a key for me.

saoutchik

Good to see you too Desert Dawg!

Truthbetold76

Thanks. I needed to read this today

Willow00

Thanks Mags
I’m still working on my onion…
I’m in for a sober weekend x

Introvrtd1

Friday night, 9pm…Used to look forward to a binge drinking weekend…That also came with a very crappy monday and a crappy work week full of panic, anxiety, and insomnia…

Fast forward 120 days sober today…Like most weekends recently alcohol free, there’s hard, but satisfying yard work, chores, home projects, and general weekend warrior stuff to keep me pleasantly occupied for a nice, calm and rejuvenated start to a monday work week!

Onward!

Purplrks3647

Welcome, Jo43 and Tufty!

Congrats Introvrtd1 on 120 days!

Kaily

Morning all,

Nice to see lots of new names.

Not much going on here. I had a brief AV visit the other day, luckily it passed quickly, rather than fester away for days as it does sometimes.

Spring has sprung in my garden and the blossom is blooming beautifully.

Mags1

Good Morning Weekenders

I never tire of no hangovers. After years of living with them as if it was normal, it’s great to be free of them.

Saou, fantastic playing. I love the pic, reminds me of an old Sherlock Holmes film.

Leigh beautiful moon. ❤️ Thanks Suze too.

Hi Tufty good to see you

Hi Willow, pleased your tech probs got sorted

The sun’s shining, looks promising.

Mags1

Kaily, great pic, good to see spring has arrived.

tufty13

Thank you so much for the welcome, everyone.

Waking up with a spring in my step and a clear head is a gift I can give myself for as long as I chose. Lucky me.

Lucky all of us.

I have three more days at work and then I head back home. I won’t be drinking today.

Robbie64

Morning Weekenders

It's lovely to see lots of new names so hello to all!

Lovely photos from Leigh and also Kaily. It's definitely spring outside though the downside is that the pollen count is high and I've been sneezing this morning.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Mags1

tufty, hope work goes well, it’s makes it easier when you have a clear head too.

That’s so true Robbie. Do you bother with antihistamines. They may help.

Canadian Koala

May finally and another happy sober weekend ahead!

Have a good day Weekenders! ☼

Robbie64

I tried antihistamines years ago and got dreadful anxiety and insomnia plus a fast heart rate. My hay fever isn't too bad, I get some days where I sneeze a lot and others where I am fine. The trigger is tree pollen, rather than grass pollen and the problem lessens from May until making a return in October for a few weeks. Instead of antihistmines I am prescribed a nasal spray which reduces the worst effects of the pollen. Sadly, it doesn't always stop the sneezing and red eyes...

By the way, I love the above picture! Very spring / summery.

saoutchik

Happy 2st May Weekenders! Always the most promising month imo.

I'm slightly in the wars, I slipped on wet concrete washing the car and banged my elbow on the way down. It was right on the boney bit. It didn't hurt much at the time, I finisged washing the car with no problems but it has started to throb in the last hour. I have taken a couple of ibuprofen and rested it on ice for a bit. How annoying.

tufty13

Ouch, ouch, ouch!

Perhaps a good excuse to do nothing for the rest of the day Saoutchik? 😬

I hope it mends soon 👍

Mags1

Robbie, it’s a nuisance, one of my allergies is tree pollen too. I don’t put my washing on the line when the pollen is about either. Yeah I thought the May pic was very spring like

Saou, ouch from me too. I hope there’s no lasting damage on your elbow.

Grateful09

The pictures are so wonderful to see, as well as everyone's thoughts on the sober weekend, whatever number it might be (major congrats to those who are piling them up, let's all keep going and counting! This is my 15th (or 16th?) and except for the first couple, I have increasingly grown to appreciate what a sober weekend can bring to life). Mags love the woodpecker - a Hairy? We currently have both Downy and Hairys here, and I love the jerky way they jaunt up and down the branches.

Last night (Friday night here at the latter end of the int. date line) was the first tough Friday in a while though. A really tough work day, full of stress, and the one saving grace was not having to drive home past stores, as it all comes right to me in my own home on zoom during these pandemic days! But hubby still drinks, and though the sight of him cracking open a beer has been OK until now (I do not at all care for beer), last night it woke up my AV. Well. "Peeling back the onion" a bit, SR has helped me to reflect on how much of my after work drinking habit was about "dulling" - dulling the stress of the day, deadlines, irritating co-worker behaviors, you name it. So no waiting for it - I got up, walked out, and walked three miles before I could do anything else! Just did it! And got some processing done on the work problems, and then put those away until Monday. So a small victory - a different way to cope than the "dulling." And now a Saturday ahead of me, clear-headed, what a gift. Hope everyone is doing well!