Monday 18th December 2006

[Waves 2]

Hi all,

Christmas is approaching far too fast. Still not one present bought! AAGH!

Hi Changeling, My targets are: Don?t drink more than 3 drinks.
Must have 3 nights AF per week.
Am going to struggle over the Christmas period I know as I am already struggling more. Eating before drinking and lots of water/juice before drinking seem to help me most. Christmas day will be the worst. I might offer to drive. Then I have to keep control.

Tumadre, Hope you enjoy your holiday. Perhaps with a more relaxed atmosphere things will look up. If not, you?ll have to become a morning bird!!

Lusch, LOL at the Limberger cheese! He says I?m being paranoid and there is no smell!! So you could be right! I did stop reading and posting to go for a run but found it harder than previously.
Only 2 days to go at school. Yippee.

Jude, I loved the botany column. Can you come and re-pot my rose for me?

Allie, Between you, Becca and Lusch you have made me laugh so much with yesterday's posts that the dog is wondering what?s wrong with me. She keeps looking quizzically at me and whining!

Hilary, I think the drink tracker is superb cos not only can you see at a glance how you are doing now, you can also look back at previous months and compare. Others can only see your here and now, but when you log in you can look back at your own track record. I love looking back at November cos that?s when I did most of my AF days. It reminds me I can do it if I have to in the future.

Tawny, I'm so glad to see you.:l I hated to think we could lose you and Kate.

Everyone else I hope you enjoy today.

Love to all of you as always.:l

Waves

[Waves 2]

Monday 18th December 2006

ps

BIG CONGRATS to Becca on one week abs and 128 lbs. Way to go!

[Mighty Mouse II]

Monday 18th December 2006

Hi Everybody!! I haven't been around much. Life has just been so hectic!!! Between work, my son's special activities, and the holidays, I'm never sure what day it is!! As many of you know, we celebrate both Channakah and Christmas! We're having a great time, but I am very exhausted. And I gained 5 lbs. over the weekend!! The traditional Channakah foods are latkes (very fattening potatoe pancakes), doughnuts, regular fruit pancakes, fudge, and tea cakes -- yes, I have them all again, and again, and again!!! No regrets though, I'm just going to watch what I eat this week. I am one of those people who gain and lose weight very quickly. My doctor says its odd, but its ok since I stay within my weight range. I like to be on the thin side, especially when I'm making appearances on television news shows. TV really does make you look five to ten lbs. fatter!

I am maintaining control with my drinking, though I would like to continue to decrease the amount of consumption. I won't be around much this week, as I am in a whirlwind for work and Alan's school applications. I'll check in as much as possible.

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays -- I recommend everyone give themselves a break from the worry and stress about drinking, but stay safe and happy!!! (I know, I ask the impossible -- but, I also want World Peace!!)

Love to all!!

MM

[fsophiah]

Monday 18th December 2006

Okay, so I have to ask...Who is Mighty Mouse? television news shows? radio shows? Don't tell us, MM. Let us just fantasize...(do you think she's on NPR?) When I first discovered skype,--and btw, this is something we should all have, long distance for free over the computer--I thought is was such a blessing. I could talk to my son in Japan without paying. Now, I get to hear about every little crisis in his life. This has been our pattern. He's a very anxious man. That's why he has a drinking problem. When he was a kid, he cried for three days after he saw "Snoopy, Come Home." And every time there is a crisis now, he calls. So I wake up in the night and worry. No matter how old they are, kids are kids.

I played becca's song this morning, and it made me cry. I don't know why, but if you haven't heard it, go look on general discussion. It has a really cute video. I spent a lot of time with my grand daughter this weekend. She's almost three. Despite the tree decorating, she wanted us to sit in a tent made from a quilt slung over two chairs that she calls the "kittie house." She got her Christmas presents and put them in the kittie house. She had me read books and pretended to go to sleep, closing her eyes and then opening them up wide and saying, "Sunny day!" She sings jingle bells all in meows. Well, I need to shut up or I'm going to make you guys throw up.

I still have to grade all those papers and finals. I've been reading posts for an hour. Does that tell you anything?

[Waves 2]

Monday 18th December 2006

Fsophiah, Either you are escaping work or you are grading our posts as practice!!! :H

Feel like I'm stumbling from one mistake to the next today.

Where is everyone? Putting up trees? Writing cards? Buying presents?

[lushy]

Monday 18th December 2006

I am here and I have decided to boycott Christmas. I am done. I am sick of decorations and Christmas carols. Okay, I am only partially kidding. It is times like this I wish I was a school teacher so I had this Christmas break off but I do not. I was supposed to do cards and baking yesterday but instead my daughter talked me into taking her to a new "conveyor belt" sushi restaurant where the food comes right in front of you and if you see something you want you grab it off the belt. We had such a great time. One of those special mother/daughter moments. We were so full when we came out of there we could hardly move. So needless to say when I got home the couch looked awfully inviting.

I hope all of you have a great Monday!!!

[Waves 2]

Monday 18th December 2006

That restaurant sounds brilliant Lusch. I wish all food just arrived miraculously in front of us.

[Saint Jude]

Monday 18th December 2006

I'm here! Got the day off, and the sun is shining! Mark the calandar!:H
Actually it was sunny here yesterday too, but I had to work @ 2:00, so I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I could have...
It is clear and cold out tho, maybe I should just go spend some $$... I did just a check from my last painting job.Hmmm
I'd love to go kayaking. Guess I'll have to wait on that...

Have a great day everybody! Love, peace & lotsa Hugs, Judie

[Quiescent]

Monday 18th December 2006

Conveyer belt service? Hmmmmmm Judie, I think they are going to put us out of business:wow:

Now that's what I call service. I wonder if they can do that with Mexican food?

[Saint Jude]

Monday 18th December 2006

I think I can still "out wit" & charm the "pants" off a conveyer belt!!:H
At least I hope so! :nutso: :wow:


Just curious tho... how much did ya tip "it" Lush?

[lushy]

Monday 18th December 2006

It said in the review I read that tipping was not neccesary but a nice thing to do. I sort of cheaped out because I am usually a very good tipper and gave a 10% tip, but I am not sure who I was tipping?!!! I have to say it was worth it for the price ($1.50 for TWO pieces of wild copper river salmon that was to die for) but the lack of personal service was annoying.......you two have nothing to worry about I don't think. Oh and Judie, awesome about your nephew being home and coming to see you at the restaurant..

[Saint Jude]

Monday 18th December 2006

Yeah! My Bro's a great tipper too!:H

[MKR]

Monday 18th December 2006

Impatience is a sign that one has temporarily forgotten, to behave at all times, as if their dreams have already come true.

You know, in case someone asks.

Tallyho,
****The Universe

_______________________________________
Busy weekend, second weekend in a row for me to have two full days off. I haven't done that any other time in 2006. What a nice thing to do! Could almost get use to that!!

Got most of the baking out of the way, all of the Hannakuh shopping, and some of the Christmas shopping finished. . . .but would rather have done the sushi conveyor belt Lushy!

I have bought a sushi cookbook for beginners and a wrap kit for my youngest, then filled out a bunch of ingredients at the grocery and Asian stores for stocking stuffers. Anytime we have a holiday, birthday etc, he says lets go for sushi. With my parents health we don't end up there. Lush, anytime I can have them for some mom/kid alone time is a great time!

Waves, sounds like a great plan. something in my mind just clicked back into place on Friday evening. don't know how and why but if you can look for that feeling, it seems to make it a bit easier to remember what you had in November, what your mind set was then and why let the holidays screw around with it? I don't know if this will last for me but it is good to be back in that frame of mind.

Judie and Rachele, don't even go there, half the fun of going out is the personalized service. Guacamole all over a conveyor belt with a mix of salsa would be a complete disaster Rachele!

We celebrated Hannakuh at my in laws last night. It was a nice celebration and we haven't seen the kids since Thanksgiving. My youngest leaned over to me and confided he made the dean's list and he is considering his ph.d after his pharm.d. He just has to decide what area he wants to do research in. I said I would be happy to continue to help with the bills for that year while he earned it. He said, he didn't think he'd need me to do that, with a part time pharm.d job, he could probably manage on his own. He said, you've worked so hard all of your life . . . I sure would like to see you rest. I had tears in my eyes when he said that. OK, stop it proud momma!

I want to catch up with all of you a bit later in the week, but if I don't get back here, Hawk, sweet thoughts on children, I am glad you have some peace of mind speaking with your husband. You are in my thoughts and prayers on Wednesday dear.

Everyone else, Love to all of you,
Mary

PS: did get back on track for drinking thanks to all of you and your support!! AF Friday and Saturday and one small glass of wine at yesterday's dinner.

[Saint Jude]

Monday 18th December 2006

Awwww, MKR, you must be so proud of your son! He sounds like an awsome guy!:h

Great to see ya!:l

Tallyho!

[lushy]

Monday 18th December 2006

Mary you sound like you just have the sweetest family. And you must be so proud of your son. Happy Hannukah to you!!!

I posted this over in general but this is my new favorite song and really hit home to me when I heard it, especially in light of this struggle with alcohol. Don't watch the video (it is a Clay Aiken montage, no idea why as he has nothing to do with the song) but it was the only way I could get the full version of the song. I think it is just beautiful.

[ame=

]YouTube - All Will Be Well[/ame]

Hey Laura, you back from Hawaii!???? Let us know how it was.

Hawk, you are in my thoughts and prayers as well as you prepare for Wednesday.......