December Determination ~ week 4

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ week 4

Hey G -
Need a slightly used nurse? :H :H
Good to see you & I hope you feel better soon

[Catbuddy]

December Determination ~ week 4

Hi all,

Quick post here, as it's 12:45pm and I'm still snuggled in bed. I am loving my last two vacation days, with no commitments and no plans. Recently, I'm telling myself that just 3 months sober, I'm still healing, and it's okay to be a bit slow.

Lav, I surely hope you brother recovers soon, and I share your commitment to natural health. I'm going to develop a plan for myself for 2013 toward that end

Yes, G, there is a lovely bunch of ladies on this thread in the prime of their wisdom. I'm learning from them.

Time for lunch. Love to all.

Cat

[dill]

December Determination ~ week 4

Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.
Helen Keller

Those surely are words of wisdom to ponder on New Year's Eve.

Is anyone making a resolution? Mine is to eat more healthily and exercise to stay as fit and healthy as I can.

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ week 4

Good morning friends,

Dill, your quote reaffirms what we've been sayin all along.....happiness is a choice we make each & every day
A new year resolution ~ yep!
I plan to stay on my healthier eating plan, keep up with my exercise plan & lose the last 8 or so pounds
I suppose tightening up on spending a bit is in order for most of us as well this year so we can pay our taxes. It's a shame that our elected officials can't get their crap together in Washington

I am heading to Curves this morning then plan to pack up the Christmas decs - tired of looking at them!!!

Cat, glad you are back!

Have a great AF Monday everyone!
Lav

[Chillgirl]

December Determination ~ week 4

Happy New Years Eve Everyone!

Dill - Great quote, indeed I learn this to be true more and more as life unfolds.

Catbuddy - with 3 months sobriety you are indeed healing. 3 months was a real milestone for me in learning to take these baby steps without a glass in my hand. Be kind to yourself at all times :l

Mr G - Im looking at the clock and realizing you are already in 2013! How wonderful! Let us know if it has a good feel to it

TDN - I have a rescue dog and have always been an animal nut. I find a great peace being with them that often is harder to find in humans.

Star - Im glad the blues have past, they cant be avoided but learning to surf them is easier than sinking into them and Im learning to let them be without giving them too much attention works best.

Lav - Whats the news on your Brother?

Thank you all so so much for lighting candles for my dear Friend, it was a full moon on Saturday and we had a clear night here. I went out and spoke to her and felt great comfort looking up at the heavens.

I had some dental work done this morning and patiently waiting for the numbness to wear off so I can have lunch. At least its done, which feels good as i've had my tooth with a temporary pack for 2 months.

Can it really be New Years Eve?! What happened to 2012? Well I have been reflecting as im sure we all have. Phew...its been quite a year...AGAIN!

Last year at this time I was in a severe suicidal depression and suffering from crippling anxiety. At the end of Jan I took my 1st reiki course, followed by a wonderful retreat with Dr David Hamilton. In March I left my loathsome job and in April I moved to Birmingham to live in my friends attic. I took my NLP training, level 2 in reiki and a diploma in nutrition. In August I discovered the County of Suffolk and fell in love with it. I moved down here and tried to make a go of a new relationship..... That didnt work out (:upset but I decided I wanted to stay and put down some roots here. In October I found my dear little loft and what pleasure it is to have my own space again.

Its not been easy but I am filled with so much optimism for the future. As my signature says "IN THE DEPTH OF WINTER I FOUND WITHIN ME AN INVINCIBLE SUMMER...." I have that happiness Dill's quote speaks of and now in 2013 im going to uncover the success in love and business. Life sure doesnt work out like you expect and so true is it that God will laugh at your plans. Leaning to be adaptable to change has probably been my saving grace and who knows what lies ahead. I wish everyone more love and peace in their lives and in the world. We can all contribute to that by starting with ourselves.
HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE MY DEAR FRIENDS!!!

Has anyone got an idea for our new January name thread??? Suggestions ASAP please

[ThreeDogNight]

December Determination ~ week 4

God morning, all.

Always great to get your positive vibes, Lav! I really want to go for happiness in 2013. I am focused on my major job--staying AF--and am doing that. Dealing with issues at home are what makes things hard. Now my 15 1/2 yr old dog is doing poorly, and even though I know it's a matter of time, it is very hard. Especially after losing one in November. He was really restless this a.m. when he woke me at 5:30, and had already pooped on the bed. Too many details, I know. I let him out and he came in and was wandering and panting. Let him out again and he laid in the snow until I went out and got him up and back in. I gave him a Melatonin, as he has a laryngeal thing and I remember that my vet told me to give him one if he was panting a lot from heat in the summer.

We have a couple oming early--at 1:00--and I have my roast and Swiss cheese potato casserole ready to go. Just need to do the pearl onions and some carrots and throw together a salad. Wanted to go for a walk, but it is 15 degrees here, and not sure I can do that.

Realizing more and more that Mr TDN has been depressed and sick for a long time, and has been unable to deal with anything. Keeps asking me what he can do to help--ith the usual tears in his eyes--and if I suggest anything, such as helping himself, it only gets him angry.

I hope everyone has a good AF New Years Eve, and I'll be reading a lot today

TDN

[Rusty]

December Determination ~ week 4

Good Morning!

Dill-I loved your quote. How true it is. I never keep NY's resolutions but I sure liked yours, and I think I will adopt the same ones. Thank you also for the detailed directions on how not to lose posts. You asked about my dinner party- I had two couples at my dinner party and they each brought a bottle of their favorite wine. I was a white wine drinker so I poured what was left down the drain. It doesn't bother me to be around people drinking, fortunately.

Catbuddy-a belatedCONGRATULATIONS ON 90 DAYs!!:cheering::cheering: What an example you can be to your sister. Good job on not nagging, or lecturing, shaking your finger at her. Believe me, that kind of reaction might exacerbate the drinking.

Lav-I am so sorry to hear about your brother. Is he the one who lives in MI?

Star-do you like fresh floral arrangements? I find the art of arranging them very relaxing and rewarding, plus I think they give a welcoming air to my home. Just a thought.

TDN-I hope your blue mood is lightening. Do you and Mr. TDN have any plans for NYE or NY day? I owe you a long PM. Sorry I didn't get to it yesterday. See below.

Yesterday was a great day. I spent all morning cleaning up from my party as my sober for a decade friend (and an OCD/ADHD neatnik) was coming over for breakfast and a gift exchange. She got sober (she's 58) because her husband threatened to divorce her. She got sober through AA and an online support group. We had a lovely time....talking about our changes in careers, family. Her Christmas gift to me was a beautiful and dainty necklace and I was really touched. Then we did a little post-holiday shopping. She sent me a beautiful email last night, thanking me for the visit. Later, I worked out and watched the Packers game.

Frankly, After much thought, I MUST make a resolution and a COMMITMENT not to think the worst thing is going to happen when I am anxious about an upcoming situation where I believe the exchange will be tense, etc. I have been shown time after time that those perceived negative things never happened. My sister tells me frequently, "don't borrow trouble. " I must work at this fervently.

Mr.G-great to see you here!:h Isn't it New Year's Day in Australia? Ah, me thinks Mr. G is performing somewhere or sleeping. I just saw on the news that Sydney's NY began 1 hour and 11 minutes ago.

Well friends, I have edited this post several times and I have been working on it for more than an hour. I have no plans for today other than to take a nice long walk and work out. I hope everyone here has a lovely AF NY Eve.

A cheery hello to Rustop, LBH, Cyn, Jolie, and anyone I may have missed, have a safe and AF NYE!

[Rusty]

December Determination ~ week 4

Chill and TDN-sorry-cross post!

Chill-you have achieved SO much and through the worst of times in 2012, and have ridden out Herculean waves of depression, lost, disappointment, and did so AF!:goodjob: I am so glad you are here with us.:l

TDN-sending you lots of strength today. I have no words of advice regarding Mr. TDN's situation other than meds, unfortunately. Men are no good at expressing their feelings of sadness and despair. He kind of sounds like Lav's husband. So sorry to also hear about your sick dog...poor thing. 15 1/2 years...wow, what kind of dog is he? Your dinner sounds fabulous. I wish I could join you. Care to post the recipe for the Swiss Cheese Casserole in the recipe corner?

Ok, I'm off to take a walk. I'll be back later, though!

[Catbuddy]

December Determination ~ week 4

Hi friends,

I would like to try that cassserole, too - please post the recipe. Actually, the whole dinner sounds amazing, and perfect for the weather.

Suggestion for thread name - January Jubilation?

New Year's Resolutions: So, I will try for two, both inspired by folks on this thread:

- Live well on less.
- Be kind to myself.

I have lots of room for managing my spending and saving better, and this would be a gift to myself and my son. Being kind to myself is something I never learned; I come from a driven, over-achieving household where addictive behaviors coped with stress. Now that I've given up the stress reliever, I need to cause myself less stress.

Thank you all for the encouragement. What a journey this will be. I'm realizing how much growth was stunted by AL. It's exciting, really.

TDN, do you think your recovery might inspire your hubbie to address his own issues? If supplements helped you, maybe he would try some. Lav has great suggestions.

Chill, it sounds like 2012 was about five years of living for you. I wish you a more peaceful 2013.

Everyone, Happy New Years.

Cat

[Rusty]

December Determination ~ week 4

Hi Catbuddy,

I'm STILL here....wow, I haven't done anything but be on here all morning.:H I should stick to my guns and get out for that walk. I like your resolutions, and like you, I will have to learn to live on less this year. How old is your son? Also, how old is your sister who started drinking after 5 years? Sorry if I'm getting way too personal.

Are you from Canada or California?

[Chillgirl]

December Determination ~ week 4

Hey Rusty & Catbuddy :waving:

I think Im already pretty kind to myself so I reslove to be kinder to others in 2013

I've just been into town for my last coffee and carrot cake of the year,
its heavy rain here and thats me now home for the evening, its 5pm.

[Rusty]

December Determination ~ week 4

Heyyyyyyy....Chill and TDN. Here I am, happily posting again. Ah, it feels so good that it's a Monday and I am not working.

TDN-don't you have guests coming in um 13 minutes? I just finished writing you a LONG PM. In fact, you are only allowed something like 7,500 characters and I had to edit my post 4 times because I had 10,567 characters!:H Wow, that was a lot of work. Aren't you sorry that you asked about "My Story?" hahaha.

Chill-awwww.....you ARE kind to others!:l You're amazing. I promise sometime today, I will go into the testbed and try and attach that picture of my living room I took where I have my 3 candles lit for your friend....or I will reread Papmom's instructions to me on how to use Photobucket.

Pap-I think I know why you're sick. You got that new job. You stayed strong and endured the grueling hours-long interview process, and when you learned you got it, you just "let it all hang out" as my mother would say, and since you were finally relaxed after that long process, you were vulnerable to germs. Please check in with us, dear friend, we miss you.

Ok, I am going back to my instructions on attaching pics.

I love you guys.

[rustop59]

December Determination ~ week 4

Hi everyone

Have been out all day and am shortly going out again. Myself and hubby are going out for dinner in a nice restaurant. I am chauffeuring my daughter home at about 3 am but it's good to be able to do it. Could not let 2012 end without wishing you all a very happy new year and to say thanks for being there all year each and every one of you.

My resolution is to try and make more time for posting. See you all in 2013.

Rustop

[Kaslo]

December Determination ~ week 4

A bliss filled end of the year to all of you Decembrists. I read the thread and was sad to see such burdens. I hope for the new year, a fresh start, a better year. To any of you struggling, I just have one thing to say, Vitamin D. SO easy for us older ex's especially females in North America to be deficient in this and it SO influences our mood. You wont notice a huge difference right away, but it will gradually spool up. you need 3000 IU a day. There is just not enough sunshine, from which our bodies make our own, or Vitamin D in the diet at this time of the year.

Nuff said about that.

Lots to say, no time. I have to go get something for dinner out of the tiny little grocery store here early or there will be nothing but dry goods for dinner tonight. I am in the middle of the end of nowhere. Perhaps a chicken, roasted? I was watching a group of Juncos, Chickadees and Nuthatch bombing around in the bushes by the feeder and thought to myself that in my next life I think I would like to be a bird. Then I remembered, wait a sec, Im afraid of heights. Ok, well maybe a flightless bird, then. Perhaps a chicken. But what would be the point of that? Or an ostrich. Too tall, and all that sand in the ears. I'll settle for what I have now while i have it.

Maybe a salmon instead. land locked but still.

Happy New Year to you all. Quiet dinner with youngest daughter and her BF and Mr Kaslo. Perhaps a photo slide show.

Love to all
k

[Lavande]

December Determination ~ week 4

Guess what Kas?
I do have a chicken roasting in the oven right now :H

Happy New Year to you Rustop!
Enjoy your nice dinner out. I'm afraid that sort of thing is not in the cards for me anymore - oh well.

Rusty, did you ever get that walk in lady?? :H
Good for you dumping the last of the wine ~ I wouldn't leave it sitting around either.
I haven't heard from my SIL since Saturday....guess nothing has changed. They are in Holland, MI.

Coffee & carrot cake for NYE sounds pretty good Chill

YB will be showing upi soon although I don't really know why. Free home cooked meal I suppose.
TDN, a depressed man is a strange creature indeed!
At least when women are depressed - we generally say so, talk to friends, etc. But men just withdraw even further & absolutely deny & resist help
It only took YB 18 damn years of this nonsense to finally accept some help. He's taking Cymbalta now so we shall see. I understand your difficulties.......

The sun has disappeared, oh no!
I'd better make coffee or risk taking a granny nap