Day 7

Good morning to all! Happy Hump Day.

I have a busy 2 days coming up with visitors in the office.

Last night was AF. I went for a bike ride, cooked and did some chores. Listened to Hypno track #2 before bed and MAN did a sleep well. Verry nice.......

Tonight is the weekly mtn bike ride, with post-ride weiner roast. I'm bringing cranberry juice and something other than those fat-free weiners I ate a few weeks ago. They don't EXACTLY fit into the fat flush detox plan. I can't pronounce 90% of the ingredients.

Give yourself a pat on the back for the things you did well yesterday and know you can do it again.

Take care! Lois

Hey All,

Yesterday was AF for me, as well. I am happy that a part of my brain IS changing, because, I really enjoyed last night, and to top it off, I slept like a baby to sleep learning.

Had a weird experience yesterday with the hypno cd though, anyone care to chime in?

It was at the part where he asks you to envision how you want to see yourself, to actually have a picture of yourself. I've always had a hard time with that one, because I also want to picture myself without a drink, but also about 20 lbs thinner as well Well, an image came into my head of myself at about 26 when my ex and I and some friends were all having a party in the backyard of my place in New Orleans. Of all things we had a watermelon bowl filled with smashed up watermelon and vodka and watermelon liquor. Well, I was thin, and it certainly was a time when I had a different relationship with alcohol. But that was not exactly the image I had in mind for myself during the hypno cd!!!! Clearly my unconcious is still very tied into my fun party-girl mentality from days past, when I wasn't drinking alcoholically! Maybe I'm wishing I wasn't 50 and could go back to those times, who knows? At any rate, those aren't the suggestions that I want to be planting into my brain NOW!!! Any thoughts?

I think I am one of those highly suggestible people, and I do go very deeply under, so I have to find a way to take a little more control with my conscious mind at critical points in the tapes!!!

Oh well. Just thought I would share that. It was pretty strange!!!

Have a great day all. I'm doing another abs day today.

Hugs,
Kathy

Wow!
Yesterday was FINALLY AF for me too!! Knew I would do it, because there was NO WAY I would mess it up, but still a bit of a white knuckler for some reason. Not the cravings per se, just the annoying "no drinking no drinking no drinking" monologue dancing around in my sick little brain all damn day. Oh well. I did it and slept great and feel great and am doing it again today (abstaining). Hubby still out of town. May go boating with M-I-L tomorrow (I know:eek ), because it's the kids' first day off school, and of course she said "we can't go boating without the cocktails!" She invitied me over there tonight for drinks on the deck tonight with a friend of hers, and last night came to the pool where I was with the kids, announcing "I'm feeling gooooood, had 2 glasses of wine and I'm so relaxed". AARRRRGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I went on to tell her calmly that I no longer drink when Hubby (her son...) is out of town. She said that's great cuz she "has heard that someone with THAT PROBLEM should NEVER drink alone"
Oh, I gotta stop, or I'm gonna blow. She still has the best intentions....said "you've gotta feel great about what you're doing... don't you feel great?"
oh yeah, great great great.... white knuckle white knuckle!!
Naw, not really that bad! Thank goodness not like those old days, huh girls? Knowing tomorrow comes and we have survived these days unscathed is very very reassuring. And the Tomorrow part is AWESOME!!

Kathy, your visualisation thing is funny. Sounds yummy....sorry! bad response!!:b ol . You probably know you want that normal relationship with the alcohol. Want it in your life because we enjoy it so... and want to picture yourself healthy and happy with it. That''s all I can offer, I suppose. You learn a lot from the hypno, that's wonderful. I fall asleep and get bored too easily. Going to try the shorter tracks today, maybe, but I prefer to do my "power thinking" with my running.
Lois, stay away from the rubberband dogs!! Have a great ride! You sound really good this week. Let's keep each other on track with a LOW drink count. I don't want to get anywhere near 20 either.
Judes, I need your help today. I might take on a painting project cuz now it's raining HERE! The half bath. Has a border that's really stuck though...my fingers will be bleeding getting the junk off...good project to keep me busy and hubby will be impressed if I get it done cuz he has no clue I had any intention of doing that! Neither did I! I was thinking "HMM, this bathrm would look nice in sage green" or maybe mocha ...
HOPE, ARE YOU OK??? 0] 0] 0] owwwee, babe! You know I know! Please get better soon. I hope that cleanse works.
Wombat, just really love the positive thoughts thought! I will be working on that. Great having you here

OK, everyone else and to all the fellow moderators and abstainers, have a great day! Let's keep each other strong.
Becca

I know this might be a bit strange but what is "AF"????

Before I get onto other things ...8o

alcohol free, Wombat! sorry

Alcohol Free

Yeah, thanks, just figured that out and am now wondering why the abbreviation? It is so important it should be SHOUTED out, methinks. But maybe I am just jealous
:x

So here are my good things from yesterday, though it is nearly bed time here now. I had to revise my plan though, coz I found I had no time to think about the good things before I got out of bed because I had to go to the loo. (btw I am practising saying "loo" instead of toilet coz I am going to live in the UK soon ... can any of you UK people tell me if that is the correct word?)

Now I will say them whilst showering instead.

My good things from yesterday are that: I went to the gym and did a full hour and a half on pilates, weights, stretching and aerobics. I took all my supplements and medications. I rang my eldest brother and organised for him to organise the local priest to keep visiting my parents (some of these priests need constant kicks up the bum to do their job, I have found, bless their souls). I cleaned all the mould off the walls and ceilings in our apartment. I organised an economics tutor for my son. I bought a present for a friend here in HK. I cooked (and ate!) one good meal that included fresh vegetables. I mouisterised every inch of my body.

Good Morning Everybody!!:b I'm up finally! Sorry I didn't get my post in before getting dragged off to bed last night...(but, someone was very persuasive...:rolleyes )
Well I certainly feel like the "Leader of the Pack", in terms of moderating...sounds like I'm the only one having a few drinks around here!:b That's OK... I've been the designated drinker before!!:b :b at

Lois: Have fun on your bike ride & Congrats on your AF day..I'm still thinking of doing that, maybe this week while I'm working....

Kathy: You too! AF! Geez That's great! About your dream, I don't know, I have the strangest dreams ...on a regular basis, I could write novels with them. But I have noticed a lot of nostalgic memmories popping up lately...:rolleyes

Rebecca: Af Again! Boy do I feel like a lush! (I only had 2 beers while kayaking, by the way!) And a glass of wine with dinner, ..... I hope you guys don't kick me outa here!!ol
Sounds like a full time job biting your tongue around MIL!! Keep that Barbie Doll handy!!(Smack! Bonk!...maybe just visualize the duct tape over her mouth...:b )

Wombat: Hey your place sounds like a spa! can I come over? Actually, mine's kinda set up like one... now that look around the room... all but the hot tub...:rolleyes maybe someday!
Helensback: Hope everythings going OK with you! Congrats on the AF day as well! Or was that an answer to Wombat's question? Anyway, hope you're having a great day!

It is possible to make such grim serious business of recovery that we forget to enjoy life. But the whole purpose of recovery is to learn to live joyously, to delight in beauty, and to experience freedom.If we work so hard @ recovery that we have no time or inclination to be with friends, to laugh, to discover & revel in beauty, then we have missed the point. There doesn't have to be a serious reason for everything we do. The gift of sight has been given us that we may see; we need no reason to look for beauty other than the fact that it exists. And it DOES:D :eek Beauty surrounds us.... in the people & world around us....and in ourselves.

Good Morning All!

I don't know how you all keep track of who wrote what and what to respond to who!?! Maybe it is my topa or the Zyban or just my lack of memoryol , cause I can barely keep track of what I am doing these days:rollin ! OR do you all keep notes? Hummm...may that is what I will start doing if my brain doesn't start behaving!

Okay Day five Alcohol Free for me! I have gone back to my original Moderation plan from back in January! Drinking socially at social occasions only! Sound familiar Kathy? It worked for me the end of Jan to mid Feb. And it worked great for me in April! So I am back full force with that plan!

Along with quitting smoking....which I do have a QUIT Day set up (I am just keeping that a secret to myself, very personal issue for me. Not even my family knows that date.). I have been doing tons of research on quiting and found a quit support site very much like this one! Also have set up "responses & actions" to put into place when a major craving hits those first few days and weeks! So I believe I am just about ready to quick that major 23 year habit in the BUTT!

Anyway...didn't mean to go on about me!ol Through the readings it does (if I remember correctly, lol) that we are all definately being much more aware of our drinking habits!
Which I believe to be a very healthy and growing experience for this group! Awesome job Gang!

Have a great Day All!
Tammie