Newbies Nest

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Good evening all,

Another nice day here, grateful because the temp will be dropping for the rest of the week.
Yes, got my machine & I am happy. I’ve been sewing since I was 12, it’s just part of me. This is the first one I picked out & bought for myself. I’ve had hand-me-downs & new machines that were gifted. This one just feels right

Hey Pauly? Why did I buy the machine now? Partly because I have a huge request list for masks from local healthcare workers & partly because it was the right time. I did a curbside pick up, my mask on, no harm done.

Julia, keep doing what makes you happy & makes you feel whole :hug:

Belle, glad you checked in. I agree, Bernina is THE sewing machine. They do tend to last for decades.
Glad you have work coming your way, we need that! Keep moving forward & stick with us!

Narilly, I hope your daughter enjoys her new purchase!
I only cook for two of us & get irritated when someone eats more than his one serving so it screws up the leftover plan, Lol

Byrdie, my son told me his summer rental in the OB cancelled so you may not see as many tourists as usual this summer.

Ava, you don’t need to be interested in sewing because you do other handwork, That is something I just couldn’t learn as a kid so I turned to sewing.
Carl is a lucky guy to have so many handmade outfits

G, a big CONGRATS to you on your 600 days, wow!! :welldone:

Hello to all & wishing everyone a safe night in the nest!

Lav

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

G-man - Congrats on 600 Days!!! That's a great accomplishment friend

Belle - Snoots is a great nickname for your pupper :heartbeat:

Julia - great job, keep hanging in there and staying true to your course. That was a fantastic strategy with the hash shop.

Lav - if you do end up getting your new machine I hope you have a fun first day with it. We wish we had room to set up a sewing machine and leave it, at least for "project" lengths of time.

Pauly, Pav, Byrdie - I'm with all of you on the "slow re-opening" bandwagon. My wife and I are planning to keep self-isolating for quite a while after things open up again, as those first few weeks seem like they'd be the next most dangerous in terms of exposure.


Hope you all are having good starts to your weeks!

[julia1970]

Re: Newbies Nest

i feel miserable. sad, angry, empty, desperate. i want to drink. no i'm not going to, because i know it won't help and i really don't want it.

[NoSugar]

Re: Newbies Nest

It's great you know that drinking won't help, Julia. It would just make if worse. I hope you're feeling better :hug:.

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Julia, eat something. Eat until you are FULL. I promise it will make your craving pass. Scratching this itch only makes it worse, as you know. Hang in there and try to redirect your thoughts to all the things you CAN have/do! We are right here beside you!

Lav, I hope you’re right about fewer visitors. I know the locals need it for their businesses, so I feel bad saying it but until this thing has some sort of managed aspect to it, I’m staying put!
Congrats, Mr G on your big 600! You don’t see that everyday. :llama:
Hugs to all, Byrdie

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Greetings Nesters,

Turning cold again here on the east coast. Glad I know better & don’t plant anything before Mother’s day around here. I have two baby hydrangea bushes that are waiting, they’ll have to. Wait a little longer I guess. My new machine is working great, I think we are destined to become really good friends, Lol

Julia, can you think of a thing or two you can do for relief in place of drinking? We’re all different but I’m sure you can find tons of stuff in the Tool box. I agree wholeheartedly, drinking will not help. Focus on taking good care of yourself right now.

Wags, I having a ‘sewing’ area within my embroidery shop area so I can make all the mess I want & just leave it there. My biz is closed down now but i’m still busy in there & happy to have all my stuff around me, haha.

Hi NS, hope you are well!

Hello to everyone & wishing a safe night in the nest for all!
Let’s all stay safe & stay inside a bit longer. Today the Covid deaths topped 70,000. It’s too soon

Lav

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Cross post Byrdie

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hola nesters,

Thanks for the 600 days congrat's. Did i say 600 again?.....you betcha!

Julia - as you know, distraction distraction distraction. As this is ultimately a head game, changing my obsessive thoughts about getting wasted is a lifesaver. Breathing, writing are great tools, as are:

- reading
- watching movies that transport us somewhere else for awhile
- a phone call to a trusted friend/person/drug and alcohol service
- sanding back an old wooden chair/table
- youtube/netflix documentaries of interest and inspiration
- Lace up the running shoes and get out the door for a walk/run
- free online education short courses
- Painting/drawing art
- Play a musical instrument. Find free lessons on you tube

Most importantly do this - daily gratitude list and 5 mindful breaths minimum as your self care routine first thing every morning. Stop ALL negative self talk/thoughts from today, and say aloud in a mirror every morning that you love yourself and you are a Warrior legend. Do it everyday for 90 days.

Just some ideas that have transformed me, and millions of others over thousands of years.

Take it easy out there pilgrims. X

[wagmor]

Re: Newbies Nest

Quick fly-by tonight. Hope all is well with all of you nesters. Happy almost Hump Day!

[BelleGirl]

Re: Newbies Nest

quick morning fly-by to say hi to nesters, check-in and holy 600 days to Mr G!! That is awesome.

having evening cravings. getting hard as after a grueling day of work I feel like I need some sort of thing to calm me down. ugh. I have to go into the office today for a few hours 😷. I'm just feeling really bleh.

Ava, my pup Bonnie "Snoots" is about 5 months old. She was rescued in Puerto Rico...running around a junkyard as a little pup. She is really a sweetheart. we had her DNA analyzed and she is just a crazy mix of breeds. so we pretend like she is her own breed. the 'snoots' breed. She almost never barks. idk if that is good or bad.

off to shower and head to office. have a great day everyone.

[Pavati]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hi, All:

Mr. G, congratulations on your 600 days! That is a momentous occasion! The advice you give seems so rational and simple, but darn if it doesn't work. Five mindful breaths and a gratitude list. Going to set that up right after this. I have a journal and try to remember to actually write down my gratitude, but I don't every day. Thanks for the reminder.

Belle, Snoots is adorable. I would be grateful that she doesn't bark - a plus in a dog in my book. I'm glad she can be there to comfort you! You know the drill for those after work cravings - all of the things G mentioned plus whatever you have in your own bag of tricks. I read a lot of sober blogs and memoirs - i know I NEVER want to get there. For some, though, those can be triggering because of reading about the drinking. You'll have to find what works for you. I also took A LOT of walks. All over. Listening to the Bubble Hour podcast. It is a good one. I don't know if you remember, but my son was into fashion there for a bit - he asked for a sewing machine for his last birthday. We found a good one on sale, and that's what he got. Well, that turned out to be a flash in the pan, so now we have a new sewing machine and no one here knows how to use it. I'll maybe take some lessons when this quarantine is over...

Julia - same advice to you. Find something to hold on to that isn't booze or weed. I might recommend reading about the Pink Cloud effect. The first several weeks after quitting, you can feel "high" on the idea that you're sober. It feels good and easy. Then reality sets in, and that is where a lot of quits get lost. It was a SLOG for me. It is when I felt a bunch of pity for myself and I felt lost. For me, knowing it was a "thing" and that it would pass was a lot of help.

Nar, I've been wondering about the camps, too. How's it going with your husband?

I have given up week day ice cream and it is HARD. I have a craving for something sweet now after each meal because I developed that habit - it is comforting to me. Now I just have to ride that wave. Sometimes I have an orange for the sweet, sometimes I chug a glass of water. But either way, no ice cream. Seems so simple...

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. As they said early on, no matter if you go back to work or stay snuggled in your bedroom, wash your hands, and don't touch your face. And - don't drink.

Pav

[julia1970]

Re: Newbies Nest

i went to the park, sat against a tree with an af beer, and cried. texted my friend, he called, and i cried some more. and then i got through the evening.
i know drinking will not make this very present absense go away, neither will it help me to go through the change i have to go through now that he's gone. as i wrote: i'm not going to drink. then i'd have lost my over 4 months of sobriety along with him, that makes no sense. but the thoughts are there. i can understand that.
i don't think i feel like a victim. i'm just hurting a lot.

[Byrdlady]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hugs, Julia. glad you were able to put one foot in front of the other and get through it. Sometimes, that’s all we can do and that’s enough. We are thinking of you.
Pav, are you still taking singing lessons? Gosh, I’d have been thrown out long ago. When people ask me if I can sing, I tell them it depends on how much they’ve had to drink! I have about a 3 note range. Sewing lessons sound intriguing. I always got stuck threading the darn thing, what an ordeal! Maybe things have changed. I hope so. I am referring to my grandmother’s Singer foot pedal powered thing. I don’t know how she did it.
Belle, Snoots is precious. He does have quite a schnoz!
Stay strong, everyone! Every craving you overcome makes you stronger! Byrdie

[Lavande]

Re: Newbies Nest

Greetings Nesters,

Suddenly cold & soggy here, ugh. We even have a fire going to ward off that bone aching dampness. Such weird weather.
I’m making some progress with my new machine - it’s face mask city here haha!!

Pav, there are millions of you tube videos/tutorials for easy sewing projects. Check them out & you may discover you were meant to be a maker of wonderful things

Hi G, Wags & Belle, hope you are well!

Julia, I know it’s hard but you’ll get thru this & be proud that you didn’t lose your quit. Hang in there :hug:

Byrdie, no singing here either, haha, just can’t!

Hello to all & wishing everyone a safe & comfy night in the nest!

Lav

[Guitarista]

Re: Newbies Nest

Hiya nesters

Thanks for the congrat's Belle, Pav and evabody. I remain grateful every day. Grateful for all of you here to talk to and to read about. Such diversity and guts. There are a lot of brave people here. Everyone here is badass!

You are doing an incredible job Julia.

Hi Belle. Against all odds you are crushing it in your own way.

Big virtual hugs to Lav and Byrdy! :heartbeat:

Thanks for being here y'all. It is so helpful and heartwarming to be able to log on and write how i feel and to read how others are negotiating this thing called life. I'm grateful for all of you, and for this site.