Thursday 24th April

[Janice]

Lovely sunny morning here which got me up really early so I thought I'd start the thread. Will keep it brief as I have to get ready...but just want to wish everyone a good day and looking forward to reading the thread this evening.

Day 58 and I can't believe it.......when I think back to that dark February day, sitting here on MWO with a large glass of white, (which wasn't my first), as I typed.......read a particular post which made me think long and hard about what I was doing or what I was "playing" at doing. It made me question how much I really did want to be AF and had I been really trying. I stayed up all night that night, husband was away, reading, reading and more reading, even came on chat, which I never do - remember Det?? That night my switch went down and things had to change. I started to live again.

See you all later.....getting ready for work.



Janicexxx

[Seen the light!]

Thursday 24th April

Morning Janice and everyone else to follow,

Glad you're feeling so upbeat about your achievements - you deserve to - I hope I can get to Day 58 sometime!

Last night I felt a bit left out where al was concerned - My husband was going out to the pub to watch football and my best friend was going to the pub to watch a band that she knows play. it was a lovely night and it did start some cravings off in me - isn't it funny how you can be so positive and then this thing creeps up on you and you've got to fight it! Anyway the point is this morning I am thinking about how I would have felt right now if I'd have gone with one of them and drank and it wouldn't have been
good!! I have just text my husband (he starts work early) and he says he's feeling rubbish today (surprise surprise!) and I know damn well my friend will be.

I must bear this in mind as the weekend (and my danger time)approaches - ilife is so much better AF -to wake up with a clear head and lots of energy it is the best feeling.

Must go now and wash my hair - its a right mess!!!

see ya later xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[retteacher]

Thursday 24th April

Janice: I love the image of the switch coming down. It's almost like you said: "Enough is enough!" I really want abstinence but have given in on a few occasions over the year I've been here. While I don't think that has spoiled all the AF days I've accumulated, the slips have interrupted the AF run I had going. Additionally, I know that when I do drink, it's not just one or two. It's many.

Seen: I'm glad you didn't give in! Perhaps some day you'll be able to go to the pub & just have non-alcoholic drinks. Who knows?!? You might not want to either. I have gone to quite a few social events & have stayed AF. It's fine...better than obssessing all night about when & how much. The important point that you made was that instead of feeling regretful today, you feel good.

Last night I had real trouble falling asleep. I though about drinking wine to do so. I would have used the excuse of husband's impending surgery. (It is going on as scheduled tomorrow.) I knew that I'd feel bad emotionally, physically, & spiritually today. I'm so glad I didn't. Yes, I feel somewhat tired today but not hungover. I've planned a nice lunch out w/my daughter (who's on vacation): no kids, no husbands. We're getting a little bit dressed up & going somewhere special. We haven't gone out alone in a long, long time.

Mary

[charlee]

Thursday 24th April

Morning Janice, STL, and all to follow:
Janice almost to that 60 day mark!!!!..I hope you are feeling mighty proud of your accomplishment.....You describe your decision to quit the drink with such detail..I also remember the day I decided to take the plunge....I remember it so clear in my mind...a day I will never forget. The emotions ran high from the excitment of an AF life, the fear of quitting, having no alcohol in the house...and I too clung to these boards for hours, days, reading, chatting and wishing it was day 5!!!..Just wanted that first week to go away. Time does pass quickly....Taking it ODAT.....
STL, try to think (I know its not easy) of weekends as just another day, I was mostly a night time drinker, except for Sundays, and those first few were tough......just try and keep in mind how great you will feel on Monday and have a new week to start adding up those AF days...You will soon be a day 58 yourself!!!
For all to follow, have a great day!

[4theboyz]

Thursday 24th April

Good Morning Abbers,

I so proud of everyone taking a pass on the urge to drink last night!! Just think how much worse the morning would be with those extra drinks coursing through our veins - Yuck! It really takes courage to stay the course and say no to AL but it really is worth it and the right thing to for us.

My urges have been real strong as of late too so I'm not taking any chances and have gone back to the basics of my abstinence routine. Lets stay strong together and I really wish you all a great AF day today - enjoy!

[Beck]

Thursday 24th April

Morning All,

Promises to be a beautiful day here in Virginia...

Can't really say that I've had that switch moment...rather a series of bad moments that led me here. The one that stands out most is opening the mail at 6pm from my 2 middle daughters school. They had both been accepted into the gifted program. They were thrilled and I was proud. Of course being 6pm, I was also drunk. So the above is hazy at best. I continued to drink that night. Two days later daughter told me she needed the permission forms signed that day or they would not be admitted to the program. I had actually forgotten all about their acceptance let alone where I had put those forms. After a frantic search, found the forms...girls admitted...crisis averted. And I felt completely worthless.

Didn't go AF immediately. I waited until I had best chance of success. Beginning of lent coincided with end of our ski trip. I figured all the stars were aligned so better get on with it. 81 days later and so glad I did.

Enough of that - guess I needed to remember.

Janice, glad to hear you back to your upbeat self. Closing in on 60 days! Thanks for sharing...

Seen, good for you avoiding those situations. Continue to do so until you are stronger/more comfortable.

Mary, Not using husbands op as an excuse to drink...that is great. Hope and pray all goes well...

Char, glad you are still here leading the way!

4tB, getting back to basics sounds like a good plan. Stay on guard.

Okay off to have my day...Be well,
Beck

[Guest]

Thursday 24th April

Had a bad day with my teenage boy yesterday and really felt the urge for a glass of wine (dont even drink wine much!!) He is getting sooooo bold and cheeky and I woulndnt mind but he has the life of reilly(whoever reilly is) .He was in Prague in april and is going to milan in may and was in england last week for a few days! I never get to go anywhere!!He declared that on his 15th birthday in 2 weeks he will be staying out with friends till 11pm.I told him no chance of that and the shit he was giving me ,`why the hell not` and all this crack .I have him in for 9 pm cos hes only 14 still and I feel thats late enough. After hours means they are up to no good in my opinion. He only goes out with friends on saterdays cos hes busy at school till 7 most evenings. Is this unreasonable of me I wonder ? Oh! well ,I told him for his birthday ,a one night only special gesture, a 9.30pm curfew might be allowed but hes still not happy......The battle continues!

[Lorelei]

Thursday 24th April

Morning All,

Another day down! Talking about switch moments....mine was last Tuesday. I had way to much to drink the night before and realized that my life was much like the movie Groundhogs Day. I kept making the same mistakes over and over, the only thing that seemed to change were the people I made the mistakes around. I was very close to starting that cycle over with a new batch of people when I decided to take a good hard look at what I was doing to myself and to those around me. I've been in worse positions before but I've also been in much better positions. I decided to choose the better position as the one I wanted to pursue. Oddly enough I was on this track right before dad died. I had a choice between getting involved with one of two men. One was my classic bad boy, emotionally unavailable twit and the other was a funny, caring, family devoted kind of guy. In the past the bad boy would have won hands down, but I decided that I wasn't going to get what I wanted long term with him. I chose the sweetheart and we were really happy until dad died and Al took over my life. We have been apart since October but talk from time to time. We still have stuff over each other's houses so there's a foot in the door. I know that he loves me but just couldn't stand to watch me go any further down the spiral. So here I am dragging my butt out of the depths and waking up with a more positive attitude every day. Its a long road but definately worth it.

Best wishes everyone!

-lorelei

PS: Limers at your son's age, my bedtime was 9pm - I don't even want to talk about my curfew.

[retteacher]

Thursday 24th April

Beck: I've read that it's good to remember the bad drinking experiences...not for the purpose of feeling ashamed or beating ourselves up. It's to take the romance & relief factor out of drinking. I have plenty of awful remembrances that I must conjure up when I say: "Maybe I need a little something to relax." M

[Mohun]

Thursday 24th April

Morning all. It's just 7:30 a.m. here on the left coast of North America. 14 days for me now. Congrats to all.

Limers, I have three daughters, 11, 13, and 14. They are all good kids with good friends. We don't have a particular curfew, mostly because they are all very responsible (so far). The oldest has a cell phone which makes it easy to keep tabs. They only get to stay out when it is something organized like going to the movies, or being at someone's house. Still, kids are very, very stressful.

Have a great AF day everyone.

[aquamarine]

Thursday 24th April

Hi Everyone.Just checking in, going to try and come back on later. I haven't had any time with the kids and husband home this week. Take Care, Aquamarine

[Determinator]

Thursday 24th April

Happy Thursday AB-critters!!

Janice, it seems like yesterday sometimes eh? so glad for you hon.

Mary, Hope the very best for your hubby.

Switch moments? I remember in late 2006 reading a post by Irish Lady (it was a poem actually) about her saying good by to al and I just lost it and burst out crying. I was pretty wasted when I read it but something reached down in my spirit and rang true.

this really is an amazing and often dramatic adventure we are all on here at MWO isn't it?

I'm off to the airport to take my dear Dx to holidays with her friends. so I'm home alone for 10 days!! I'm taking an antabuse right now.
Be well friends!

[retteacher]

Thursday 24th April

Good Luck Deter! Get involved in some kind of a project or something. Cook & freeze. Paint a room. Plant a tree. Whatever. M

[wantrealmeaning]

Thursday 24th April

Hi all,
I'm a bit late checking in today, my kids have been of school today cause of teacher strikes. I didn't get up till 9.30am, I slept like a baby last night, I was really pleased cause I haven't been sleeping to good since going AF, even with all the gardening. Yep, I've been gardening again today. I love it, both my front and back garden are really starting to look good. I should be finished with both of them by next Tuesday, money permiting I'd be finished by Sunday :dang:.

Janice, day 60 AF for you on Saturday, I am so, so pleased for you :l. God, how I hope I'm gonna be able to say that in 44 days, not that I'm counting :winkmonkey:

My switch was 4th April when my kids videoed me whilst I drunk, I had 2 glasses of wine with a friend in need on the 8th and haven't had a drink since then. I've only had to look at that video once at about day 3 or 4 when I was craving really bad. I really haven't felt the need since then, but if I'm temporary insane with drinking thinking I know it's there, it's my antabuse.

Seen, it's brilliant that you resisted going to the pub, well done.

Mary, hope your lunch was nice with your daughter. I'm glad you didn't drink any wine last night, insomnia is awful, it's one of the reasons why I drank and smoked cannabis.
I'll be thinking of you and your husband tomorrow.

Beck, 81 days, that's fab.

Limers, my daughter is just 15 and is allowed in at 10pm. My curfew was 9 but all her mates said they were allowed out till 10 so I checked with their parents. She never comes in late, I'm lucky, she's a good girl and her friends are a nice bunch of kids. My 13yr old daughter has to be in for 9pm, some of her friends are still out at 10 but I'm not having that at 13. My 11yr old son has to be in at 8pm, but he's usually in for 7pm, he likes his soaps. They've all got mobile phones. It's hard to know what is best.

Hi Aquamarine, Charlee, 4theboyz, Lorelei, Mohun and anyone else to come.

take care
want
:l:h

[retteacher]

Thursday 24th April

Goodnight everyone. Thank you for all the support. We'll be fine. Mary

PS: Lunch w/Patty was great fun.