AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

[SAUSAGE]

Hello everyone and welcome to the AF Daily Miss Doodlebug. This is a good place to drop by if you are commited to staying sober - you will find lots of support.

Thought I'd start of todays thread - seeing as no-one else has - 6.30am boxing day - kids are just waking - want to go out on their new bikes again !!!

It was great to read everyone's stories / posts yesterday and see everyone checking in sober. Many of you have some really challenging times at the moment but you are making it through AF which is brilliant.

Must go, lots to do - as ever, am really glad to MWO for everyone's support -as I said yesterday, made an AF Christmas day a lot easier. I didn't feel so alone being AF as I knew lots of other people "out there" going through exactly the same thing. Thanks everyone - will just need all your support for new year now....

Have a great AF day everyone and I'll check back later.

Sausage xx

[SAUSAGE]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

OOps - really am losing it (and I can't even use excuse of being drunk!) It's Friday 26th isn't it !!!! Hope you'll all know what i mean anyway! I always lose track of the day of the week at Christmas!

[Guitarista]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

Good morning AFer's. A nice, easygoing Chrissy had here. Having a relaxing boxing day in the backyard listening to the sound of one hand clapping.

[Miss Behaving]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

Sausage ... really thought that I was losing it as well and that we might not just be in a different time zone but have different days as well!!

I am so pleased that you got through your 53/54 days stuff .... it really is just another day!!

DG - I've never managed to escape Dec 25th, but it is possible! One year I flew from London to NZ leaving on 25th from London and landing here on 27th. If I'd made it a day earlier I would have been sweet!! I'm not much into Xmas at all - but I've spent too many years wrecking my family's xmas so I went and was nice and did what I needed to do and my Mum was very happy. She had 3 of her 7 kids there (with no fights!) and the first time she has had Xmas at her place since my dad died in 2001. She is 84, and often comments on how she doesn't know how much time she has left, and she has a much greater appreciation of good times than she used to have.

My thoughts are with you WIP, A4M, Marshy, Pamina. This time of year can be so hard when things aren't great, and when you feel alone or isolated. I've had many of them.

Really good day today .......... had a long bath when I woke up, then spent 2 1/2 hours on the couch finishing my book! We have another lot of kittens and my friend's kids came over to play with them while she and I caught up over coffee. Then a couple of hours in the garden, a visit to my brother and his wife (visiting from Asia and staying with Mum) and a long swim ....... longest distance I have done without a break, which I felt very happy about!!

My thoughts are now turning to 2009 and all that I want to achieve. As well as my fitness goals, I am auditioning for a (fairly serious) choir at the end of January. Tomorrow I hope we can clean the garage out so I can get to my old music pile so that I can practice over the next month!! But my biggest goal for 2009 is to have a completely AF year ........ which feels like a really big stretch for me. I vacillate between the ODAT approach and the "this is forever" approach. Both work and dont work depending on my mood. I often wish I could be more even or consistent or something. But some of what I've been coming to grips with over the last couple of months is my (many!) imperfections ..... the ones that are there whether I am drunk or sober.

.... and one of them is a tendency to ramble on ........!! Have had too many sleeps in over the last week, so finding it more difficult to go to sleep at my usual time!

take care everyone, have a good day!

[Marshy]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

Morning all,

Hi-ho, hi-ho it's off to work I go.

I've just spoken to my mother and all the stuff that drives me INSANE when I spend Christmas with them sounds quite funny when I'm 200 miles away. We always play board games on Christmas night, and my mother is extremely competitive, and has to win, and invariably gets really annoyed if she doesn't and accuses other people of cheating etc.

So, last night they were at my sister's house and went through all the same old rituals, and my mother was on the winning team so she's very pleased this morning. And sitting listening to this on the phone, it's quite amusing - and I'm so glad I wasn't there.

OK, gotta go to work. I'm cycling in - it's quite cold but nice and sunny and there shouldn't be much traffic about. It's five miles which is a good distance to stretch my legs and work off some Christmas goodies but not too much of a slog.

Have a good day everyone!

[brittzak]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

Goodmorning all. Christmas is over. Kids are sleeping so snug on their beds catching up and a few days lost sleep. I am enjoying the peace this morning. Didnt have any trouble at all remaining AF over the holidays and for that I am SO GRATEFUL...first one in three years but many more to come.

Our next holiday is New years Eve...I would like to know what folks are doing to get ready? This is typically a BIGGIE for lots of us...big ol party time right...gotta party to bring it on in.....I am roating oysters...fireworks with kids and bed after midnight...no booze will be bought so no booze will be had.

[charlee]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

Morning abbers
I too, am mentally preparing for 2009 with some comittments that I have been putting off for a while. I have planted the seed re smoking, even bought the Chantix...it's still sitting in the pharmacy bag I brought it home in, thats gonna be a toughie. Fitness is in there somewhere, just need the motivation!!!
Well off to work, at least it will prevent me from hitting the stores for all those big sales!
Hope everyone has a great day...

[retteacher]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

I've been thinking about 2009. I love the idea of a fresh start. I must admit that the top of my "to-do" list will be staying sober throughout 2009. It felt so good to be sober yesterday (Christmas) while people around me were having their wines. It felt OK...just a little pang when the wine was uncorked.

I just feel so grateful that I'm sober & hangover-free today. It is an unusual occurrance for me. We have some quiet times ahead, but I think I need that.

I'll check back later.

Mary

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

Good day everyone if AF-Land! We need a duck smilie like the Af-Lack (don't recall how it's really spelled) insurance company commercials.

WHEE!!! We made it!! And welcome Miss Doodlebug! Good to have you in AF-Land.

I did read the whole of yesterdays thread and special thoughts go out to WIP and Pamina and Greenie and AFM and everyone else who had a difficult day yesterday. We still made it! We didn't die from choosing not to drink. Our difficulties weren't as difficult to handle because we were sober. Yeah for us!! And also yeah for everyone who had a more "normal" (whatever that is!) sort of day! Good days are made better by staying sober - at least for me they are. No matter what AL tries to say about it. Next year I will figure out some way to host Christmas dinner at my house so my Dad isn't so worked up and so my Mom can have a "day off" instead of a stress filled day with Dad screaming at her. Where there is a will there is a way! I'm an in much better spirits after a battery charging good night of sleep.

Sausage and Britt you both brought up planning for New Years and I think it's a GREAT idea to start planinng NOW for our sobriety. It will be easy for me because Mr. Doggy and I stay home and just have a quiet NY Eve and NY Day. Since I have 6 turkeys in the freezer right now, I think maybe I will thaw one of those out and make a big turkey spread on New Years day. Just for the two of us. We will have leftover for a week until we are sick of turkey and trimmings. What is everyone else planning? For those of you who will be around people drinking, what's your plan to stay sober?

Guitarista, what the sam hill is one hand clapping?

Marshy / Sausage / Guitarista - what is boxing day? I have been meaning to ask that since it started coming up before Christmas. I am probably the last person on earth who doesn't know!

Marshy that bike ride to work sounds awesome! The roads here are treacherously icy this morning (although not as treacherous as my own driveway). I made it all the way to Curves - passed a big snow plow that was in the ditch - only to find NO ONE THERE!!! I seriously need to work this fudge factor off my ass..... But anyway...I'm jealous of your exercise this morning! I'm LOL at your description of your family events....I'm sure it's a LOT more funny from a distance like you said...

Mame, now that I know it's possible, I will look to travel that path you recommended one of these years! Wow - more kittens!!! Did the last litter go to homes yet? Sounds like you are having a very lovely day. I love your goals for 2009!! What sort of music do you sing?

charlee I wish you well quitting smoking. It's hard, but MAN is it worth it. Today is my 22 month quit smoking anniversary. YOU CAN DO THIS! Mr. Doggy and I were talking just the other day (he is quit almost 4 years now) about whether we ever crave smoking. There is the occassional odd thought that comes right out of nowhere, but for me it's so odd I wouldn't even consider acting on it. It's not even like a "craving" it's more..."where did THAT come from???" When I tried to imagine lighting a cigarette, all I could think of what how much it would make my lungs hurt and that was downright cringeworthy. Once again, exercise helps with these nasty addictions!! Best wishes to you - YOU CAN DO IT!!! The first 100 days or so were really really bad for me, but then it started getting better. So the worst of it is over pretty fast.

Mary, I love your goal of a sober 2009. No question - I share that goal with you and everyone here who is making that a goal.

Well, I'm off to make some ham and eggs. The fudge is thankfully gone. Can't have that around here because I can't have just one. Have a great AF day all!

DG

[A Work in Progress]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

Good morning, all. CHRISTMAS IS OVER!! I feel a good solid sense of having done my best for my mother, and so now I can turn back to what I consider "my" life. I'm beginning to get ready to go to Florida to get some more work going on the house down there. I am leaning in the direction of driving instead of flying, this time; that way I can take some boxes of stuff to begin to make the place live-able (kitchen stuff, bathroom stuff, etc.). I am thinking I'll be going down there more and more frequently until I get the work done, and that by next winter, I will be able to stay there a few months, which will help me decide if I want to (eventually) move down there permanently.

Congratulations to all here for going through Christmas without drinking! It helps immeasurably to have done that, because it (once again) makes it clear that all the messages that our minds produce about "wanting" or "needing" a drink on any particular special day are.... lies. Not worth paying attention to.

[gabby]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

Joining this thread if you all dont mind. Tomorrow is day 70 for me and frankly a bit shaky at times. Could use the support I guess. More of a reader then a writer tho.

[ready2change]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

Glad to have you Gabby...let us know if we can be of any particular help. I love your Avitar...I had a beautiful Goldie as well.

Happy Xmas aftermath abbers :-) I'm so glad I made it thru unscathed! But then I do have the start of a cold and just me and hubby were here, so no pressures from entertaining. But hubby did manage to drink 2 bottles of wine by himself. Didn't interest me in the least, in fact I gave him one of mine that I had here in the house. I feel a solid resolve this time about being AF....feels very peaceful.

Have a great day everyone, and may everyone meet their goals, whatever they may be.

R2C

[ready2change]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

this is a test to see if my signature worked...

[retteacher]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

R2C: Congrats on sobriety yesterday. It isn't easy, especially if others are drinking.

WIP: I've been meaning to tell you that my father has dementia as well. Pretty awful.

Take care everyone.

Mary

[Doggygirl]

AF Daily Thursday, December 26th

Hello again!

WIP, where is the Florida house? I used to live in Clearwater - went down there for a job opportunity. I LOVED living in Florida for the most part. I hope you enjoy your time there weather occassionally or permanently. I just want to say again how sad it is to hear of your mother's situation - especially her being so fearful of ...things that aren't real (well, except for the naked man in her room :nutso. Hopefully she doesn't remember much about those fears once they are past...if that makes any sense. You ARE doing your best by her and that is a wonderful thing.

Welcome officially to AF-Land Gabby. Congratulations on 70 days! What kept me going around that time was simply the memory of what it was like starting all over again after deciding to drink for whatever stupid reason. I had SUCH a hard time getting back on the wagon. In some ways that is the biggest thing that keeps me sober. YOU CAN DO THIS!!

R2C congratulations on your sober Christmas! Like Mary, I think it must be an extra challenge to get sober while being around drinking. But it has been done and can be done, and I know you can do it.

DG