100 Day Club members/Maintenance Thread

[Byrdlady]

Congrats Cherokeer! 150 days is awesome!

Hubs and I were spraying some sort of flying ant/mosquito/termite group on our house this afternoon and a neighbor came up and started talking. She has a mother, 93, she needs to bring to NC to live with her. Hubs asked if she had brothers and sisters to help, she said she had one beother, but he had problems of his own and she mimicked drinking. She said, 'you cant imagine how frustrating it is to have an alcoholic in the family....they are NO help to anybody'. OUCH, I thought. The truth hurt. When I was in that pit, I really wasnt any help to anyone, in fact, I was dragging others in with me. I didnt volunteer my own personal experience (bad news travels fast around here!) but it made me so grateful to be where I am in this journey. Recovering. I hope her brother is able to get some help too.

Some days ARE harder than others, but I am here to tell you that a hard day sober is 1000 times better than any day I spent drunk. Byrdie

[Pavati]

Hi,

Glad you like the book, NS. It has been a while for me - maybe I'll dig it out now that I'm sober.

Byrdie - My mom was a pretty big slob and consequently I have pretty low standards for how I keep my house. My excuse was always that I work hard, I deserve down time, only Martha Stewart, blah blah blah. One of the bonuses of quitting alcohol is that I actually DO things in the evening after dinner - like clean the kitchen and straighten up things. I mentally ticked of in my head yet ANOTHER thing that was made better by my quitting. They just keep rolling in.

Honestly, my house is still a mess, but it is much less of a mess than before - or my DH who is NEAT and I at least don't fight about it all the time.

Way to go, Cherokeer!

Night.
Pav

[peppersnow]

Some days ARE harder than others, but I am here to tell you that a hard day sober is 1000 times better than any day I spent drunk. Byrdie

Hey Byrdie, we should convince Halllmark to create a line of greeting cards for alkies -- you could make a small fortune and retire early. Can I be your agent? Wonder what the artwork could look like...Ha!

I love the lines you come up with, and that's yet another one I'm going to remember!

Pav, my house is the same way. I'll never be neat, but at least my kitchen is clean before I go to bed which is a GIANT change from the way I used to live. I read the article linked to Elizabeth Pena. That was sad, definitely. Thanks for sharing that.

Have a nice day, all!

[NoSugar]

ANOTHER thing that was made better by my quitting. They just keep rolling in.

That is so true, Pav! I don't think there has been one day since I quit that I haven't thought at least once that "This is better". I'm usually pretty resistant to change but not here :smile:.

Hope your Giants make you proud tonight!

[Byrdlady]

Thank you, Pepper! My own line of cards! I wonder if Hallmark has an 'addiction' division? Bahaha! Thank you for the kind words! Xxoo, B

[Myluck]

Hi everybody !!!! Miss you all!!! I am glad everybody doing ok! I am fine and I am feeling good. I have a question to this group - when you see somebody you have not seen for a while - and they like let's meet for drinks! What do you do? Do you tell them right there and then - we don't drink, or you play along and meet and drink our nice AF drinks throughout? Any recommendations?

[abcowboy]

Byrdy, I like your idea! Those of us, no matter how long AF, that don't have to fight daily with our AV can still discuss how we got to where we are....and I'll bet that the stories are very similar...and the newcomers need to know that! We're not special, God didn't pick just us, everyone can do it if they want to, but, you have to want to!

[Cherokeer]

Birdie, your one liners are legendary. :happy2:

Thanks everyone for my congrats on 5 months. I think when I reach 6 months I will really feel like I have accomplished something. I'm not sure why I feel that way but half a year seems like a real accomplishment. Speaking of not drinking and house organization. I tell you I used to be a ball of fire doing yard work, cooking, cleaning, and doing projects. The last 2 years I drank instead. Went to work, came home, and cooked dinner and that's it. These last 5 months I am getting my fire back. Woo Hoo!! My family loves having me back. The "ME" that got lost the last few years. I got my life back. Some days I think for a moment I wish I could relax and have a glass of wine then I remember I drank until blackout and couldn't remember what I had done. Then I shake my head and wonder what the hell is wrong with me. Stupid brain

[Byrdlady]

Hi everybody !!!! Miss you all!!! I am glad everybody doing ok! I am fine and I am feeling good. I have a question to this group - when you see somebody you have not seen for a while - and they like let's meet for drinks! What do you do? Do you tell them right there and then - we don't drink, or you play along and meet and drink our nice AF drinks throughout? Any recommendations?

MyLuck, this was never my MO anyway....if someone had asked me to meet for drinks before, I would have prolly declined because I wouldnt drink and drive. If I really did want to meet them, I might say, "Im not much of a drinker, but I love a good salad, or coffee". If you could meet at a bar and be resolute in your quit, then you could go there, but other places are more conducive to conversation. Thats the way I plan to handle it, it hasnt come up yet for me. B

[Samstone]

Hey all!
a check in here to see what the hey. Congrats Chero on your 150!!! MyLuck, I pretty much tell a person flat out when asked to join them that I really just don't drink any more if there's a direct asking to go have a drink. (To mislead them is to mislead myself, kinda the way I look at it.) But I quickly follow I'd enjoy having something whilst you enjoy yours, etc. however you want to word it. My friends pretty much know I'm not and I don't pass judgement if they do. I just know I can't go down that road again. I feel so much better and healthier sober.

be well, dear friends
Sam

[Lavande]

I have developed a sort of 'automatic response' where AL is concerned. I've heard myself saying something like 'yeah, I don't do that anymore' with a calm smile on my face
No one ever questions that, nice.

[Sunbeam]

Happy Halloween, friends! Have fun, stay safe.

[Eloise]

Congrats Cherokeer! 150 days is awesome!

Some days ARE harder than others, but I am here to tell you that a hard day sober is 1000 times better than any day I spent drunk. Byrdie

Me too Byrdie, me too.
Happy Birthday lady!

[Pavati]

Hi, all:

I've met friends for drinks, and then just ordered something non alcoholic. I think it CAN make people feel uncomfortable if they want to drink (and believe me, I have plenty of drinking buddies), but I don't really care. Mostly these days I suggest meeting for a walk or lunch if I can.

Feliz Dia de los Muertos. Bwaaah.

PS - 11 months for me today. Whoot.

[Lavande]

Awesome Pav