December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

[sdlovespackers]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Good Morning Everyone!!

FINALLY the last day of school for us!! We are expecting a huge blizzard to start this afternoon or early evening...just in time to make holiday travel difficult! Luckily, we are not going anywhere this year, but I just feel awful for those who had plans to do so!!

Again, I'm very sorry for not addressing everyone today...it's pretty nutso around here today!! I'm running around like a crazy person!! I think I just saw Santa walk by...I need to go help pass out goodie bags!! Hope you all are having a wonderful hump day!!!
SD:l

[ladybirdheart]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Beautiful wild weather here today, alternating thick snow and sun, sometimes at the same time. This big storm is moving very fast through the mountains and it looks like it could be a monster if it slows down in the nation?s midlands. I host a Christmas Eve party so I filled my (white) truck with lots of food treasures (goodness it was festive and confusing?there was a snowy/sunny vortex in the parking lot of Trader Joe's with cars and bicycles and baskets and evergreens and dogs and people in burkas and people in reindeer horns and music coming out of the light posts) and now I am home painting a wall.

I can?t believe you remember, Lil, that I have never had a professional manicure, so funny. I can?t even count on one at the mortuary as I shall immediately go up in smoke when my time comes. For everybody feeling lousy about drinking remember what you said to me last month when I had my face in the ditch and know it is temporary, it is really easy to lose perspective in that frame of mind and get really sad and afraid inside. The difference on this thread is we keep moving even when we are wounded and look and feel like hell. You taught me this. Stay with us, Savvy. Where are you Pea. Love, Ladybird.

[dill]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Thank you Sheri for providing the post. It is very interesting. I'm glad you are surviving all this snowy weather.

And, the Clapton book has been very interesting. He is brutally honest about his addiction and what it took to beat it. I found it sad that his son, Conner was the reason that he got sober. He wanted to be a good father. When his son died he faced all that grief sober. That must have been so hard.

Well, I managed to decorate the tree, LBH, for the first time in a gazillion years, sober. I figured if you could do it, so could I !! It was definitely a different experience, but fun all the same. The truck is white, eh? Ours is black.

Savvy, hang with us. We do what we can to support each other and have a little fun, too.

SD, start your break finally? I sure hope so. How's the weather? Soots, where are you?

Lil, Lav, everyone, Peace and strength friends.

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Wow! Another busy but good day done.......it's nearly 10 pm & I'm feeling it! Got everything done on my list, so I'm happy. Tomorrow I will be in the kitchen all day. Kids coming for dinner & gifts. Mr Lav will probably want to walk next door to his brother's house but I'm not going. That was where I made the ugly scene of me falling on my butt - still remember it like it was yesterday..........
There will be a house full of drinking people at that party, I'm sure I won't be missed. I prefer the quiet safety of my AF home

Dill, does your sober tree look good? My does, ha ha! It's my first in a long, long time too!

LBH, put me on the list of people who have never had professional nail care either. I have a hangup about strangers putting their hands on me unless it's absolutely necessary.

Savvy, grab onto my coat tail - I'll drag you right through to your 2 week goal & then some

SD, LIl, Sooty, Sheri & everyone - wishing you a good, restful evening!
Lav

[lilmea]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Well, I managed to decorate the tree, LBH, for the first time in a gazillion years, sober. I figured if you could do it, so could I !! It was definitely a different experience, but fun all the same. The truck is white, eh? Ours is black

My first sober Christmas in gazillion years as well. My oldest daughter will be here this afternoon. This will be a sad time for her and I am just grateful to be here, with a clear head, for her.

Red-Do we ever really stop worring about our children? I don't think so. These are hard times for our kids. I only hope the New Year will be better for your son. :l

Dill, LHB-Our truck is Red!-HOHOHO!!

In all the activities of the day, I will be thinking of you all. Have a safe, af day everyone.

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Good morning Lil & everyone!

Oh, I forgot to mention our truck is green. If I park next to Lil in her red truck we'd look like a giant Christmas decoration

Wishing everyone Peace & Strength today & every day!
I will be thinking of you all as well!

Lav

[redhibiscus]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

:hHappy Christmas Eve!:h

I am doing better, I was just in shock yesterday. Dill, thanks for telling me about your son struggling, and Lavanda also. It makes me feel that I am not alone in worrying about my son. We need to have a living wage in this great country. How horrible to work 40+ hours a week and not be able to pay your bills.

We are going shopping today, braving the mall on Christmas Eve. It will fun and crazy. The roads are sheets of ice, so I have to go slow. I live in a snow belt, so this is not uncommon to have to drive in this type of weather.

I am not drinking today, and stated so clearly to my family. Diet Coke all the way. This Christmas will be AF and remembered. Mass at night, and truly making this as meaningful and spiritual as possible. I am giving my family the gift of myself, good food, love, laughter, and music. Maybe not exactly in that order, but you get my drift.

Love all of you and wishing you an AF holiday, the best gift to wish the wonderful December Determinators. :l

[dill]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

"Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To
a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good
example. To yourself, respect."--Oren Arnold

Greetings All!

It sounds like we we all be across the continent and across the pond, will be engaging in similar traditions. I too, will think of you all as I work in the kitchen today, keeping food coming and baking cookies. You will be there with me in mine, keeping me company.

My nails have had a professional manicure once. It was part of the wedding party preparations at my daughter's wedding (Oct. 2008) that all the bridesmaids and Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom got together at the salon for hair and nails. There was wine and champagne, fruit, cheese, breads, hors d'ouevres.... I was struggling not to drink "too much". It was before I joined MWO but after I realized I had to quit. I was really struggling and much of my energy was going into "controlling the beast". The wedding took place in New Orleans and much of the celebration involved spirits and good food, of course. I managed to control my drinking to the point that I can recall the events, but, I did drink, and more than a "normal" person. However, I was in good company as far as that went! The good thing about this little trip down memory lane is that I can see that my struggle is a fraction of what it once was in controlling my "animal brain". It is definitely getting easier with time.

Well, on to the kitchen!

Peace and strength.

[sooty]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Hi All, sorry I missed signing in yesterday - just busy and giving kids lifts etc.
Christmas Eve is now upon me, I guess some of you are just getting going - all pressies wrapped, just got to clear up the mess I've made!
Forecast for tomorrow is good so I'm going to get the food sorted early and I'm going out for a walk.
If I don't manage to log on tomorrow I wish everyone a very happy, peaceful, sober and safe Christmas.
loads of love
Sooty

[cyntree]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Merry Christmas Eve, all! Just a quick note to greet all, and say how happy I am to be sending you all AF greetings. I made it to Omaha, am with my Mom, expecting a blizzard -- but we're together, and I grateful.

Will try to check in later today - should have plenty of time if we're snowed in!

Blessings all!

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Good evening all!

Wrapped up early this evening - dinner was nice, gifts opened, grandson on his way home to bed now
AF all the way for me, I am grateful!
Sheri - the pup is adorable.....looks like a 'Gabby' to me!

Wishing everyone a peaceful night with friends & family!
Love to everyone & Merry Christmas!

Lav

[cyntree]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

I know you are all with family and friends - I'm hoping that you're having a wonderful Christmas eve. It can be stressful with family, no kidding, but it sounds as if you are all coping. Red - so sorry you had such a stressful scare yesterday - glad to hear you sounding better today. Savvy - keep on here with us, good job on all of your AF days, and Lav is definitely has the coattails that you should grab! Hang on, and hang in with us - you deserve peace and serenity. LBH - once again, such a wonderful story about picking up all your goodies for your dinner - I can just see that parking lot, filled with cheer. It's wonderful, isn't it when on occasion the 'veil' falls away, and we humans can just 'be' together...

Wishing all a safe, serene, self-caring holiday.

[dill]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Lav, Congrats! You made it! I absolutely had not doubt you would. So did I! First Christmas Eve ever in a gazillion years, AF! Yahoo!!

Cyntree, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, too!

Sheri, that picture was adorable!

Sooty, Red, Lil, LBH, MM, EVERYONE, wishing you a peaceful night.

[ladybirdheart]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Goodness these holidays are very beautiful but tiring. Our guests are on their way home and we shall be off ourselves in a while for our annual freezing walk through the neighborhood. Sooty, we have in this part of the world a tradition where people take small brown lunch bags, weight them with an inch or two of sand, and put a votive candle in the sand. Sounds hideous but if one lines walkways, the tops of walls, all the levels and the tops of houses, with hundreds of these little brown bags (farolitos or luminarias), it is so softly glorious, the whole cold night gleams. The tradition was to light the way for the baby Christ but now we light the way for the rest of us as well. Lucky for me. I have another party tomorrow but this time at the home of Lord Bird Heart?s oldest brother, and I just need to bring some of the food. Then we can rest in our little thread for a few days and reflect, yes? I am grateful to each of you for helping me be sober this holiday for the first time since dragons roamed the earth. Love, Peace, Hope, Kindness, Discovery, and Joy to all. Merry and Bright. Ladybird.

[redhibiscus]

December Determination ~ AF ~Week 3

Merry Christmas everyone. What beautiful posts to read on this happy AF morning. I was so happy to read that so many committed to being AF and have truly enjoyed themselves. I had a wonderful Christmas Eve, shopping in the morning, cooking in the afternoon, visiting in the evening and for the first time in years, midnight mass. It was spectacular; music, flowers, prayers on a grand scale in a church I'd not been to before. Today, I am up early, and already baking for my family, cause I feel good.

Dill, I loved your quote. The best gifts we can give our from ourselves, not stuff. Also, I read the Clapton book a while ago, and enjoyed it. I was struck by how selfish he was when using, how hard it was for him to give it up totally, and the cross addiction. Just interesting.

The weather here is wild, last night a sheet of ice, now it sounds like it is sleeting out or something. I am so happy we are home and safe.

Thanks all for being there, with your love and support. I feel that I know so many of you and want you to know I am grateful for the gift of all of you. Happy Christmas.:h