Been a busy old summer so far, got a new job within my company which will finally give me something to get my teeth into, this alcoholic gets bored running the same old projects year after year, and their letting me loose running projects in the US get a break for a while from international side.
Just got back from a wonderful week away with my fantastic girlfriend, while we missed the kids while they were staying with their grandmother it was great to get a whole week for just the two of us.
We landed a Belfast and had a little luxury at the MalMaison Belfast and were very impressed with the redevelopment of the city centre, and got to have dinner with an old friend who stuck with me throughout the worst of my drinking and her son.
We then drove down the coastal route to Dublin, I visited there 6 months sober seeing it 8 years sober was a very different experience, re-doing things a little while a part in sobriety gives me a great comparison of how much I’ve changed in sobriety.
Got to make a small amend to my late Irish Grandmother who never saw me sober by lighting a candle and saying a prayer for her in St Patrick’s Cathedral.
Dublin is an amazing city and we’ll certainly be going back, even managed to make a meeting there.
We toured over to Donegal, travelled through the mountains along to the Giants Causeway, staying in a hostel (discovered our days or staying in hostels are over, communal living with hippies and scary German Lesbians not fun), visited the village of “Muff” because we could and got a snap of me pretending to “Dive” by the sign, had a romantic Fish and Chips in Portrush under blankies, then drove along the Antrim coast back to Belfast. Tried unsuccessfully hunting for a meeting on the Falls Road, ended up with a tour of the other side of Belfast with the murals and Flags, a little scary as we did rather out of place driving up and down hunting for the place.
Few of the snaps below and more in the Gallery as ever without the people in keeping with Tradition 11
Weeks away in beautiful places with the lady you love and having a bloody good laugh as we did it, is what this Alcoholics Recovery is for, I wouldn’t have gone through all the crap in the early days if their weren’t rewards like this.
I had the most wonderful day on Thursday 19th, celebrating Eight years of recovery.
Cards, text messages, presents and treats.
I got given a day out being pampered at a relaxation centre in my home town, with Spa, Sauna and a full body massage by my wonderful girlfriend, and then taken out for a great dinner at an Italian Restaurant, great food and a vibrant atmosphere generated by the highly excitable owner and staff.
My girlfriends girls made me cards and I now have the campest pink nodding poodle in the back of my car. I was given every 8 year old boys dream a scaletrix, a space hopper, two lava lamps and a Bagpuss video.
I never thought I’d make 8 days out of rehab let alone 8 years, its been one hell of a roller-coaster ride at times and taken me to places I’d never even have dreamed of when i landed in AA just wanting the crap to stop. I have the most F*cking fantastic life today thanks to AA which I would never have got to see if I hadn’t been willing enough to keep coming back and not pick up a drink a day at a time.
Finally got to have a chill out weekend without driving places or rushing around, stayed in the village I grew up in and also where my AA home group is. Great to get the chance to escape from City life with my Girlfriend and her kids, even got to have my grandmother over for Sunday lunch. The sun even appeared for us and there was a little respite from the torrential rain.
Life doesn’t get much better than this………
Took a ton of pics but my favorites without people in were just from around the garden.
Archived in the category:
Life
Got my car troubles sorted finally with the help of a friend in the fellowship who kindly came to look at cars with me as I’m clueless with that kinda thing.
Poor old “Dirty Bill” my battered old Mondeo got written off by a rather thoughtless lady in a BMW. Fortunately and most importantly no one was seriously hurt but the pain in the ass was a bump to the head, shock, being late for my first dinner with my girlfriends mother, dealing with the useless insurers, car hire company and finding a new car.
Got to be grateful I wasn’t pissed behind the wheel at the time, I have a shiny clean driving licence, I was insured, I have a car and the freedom to travel where I like when I like and life is just about manageable enough to be able to sort out the life stuff.
Dead Dirty Bill
Shiny new Max
I’m an Uncle!!!! and I don’t have to be the embarrassing “drunken uncle” slumped in the corner.
Congratulations to by brother and his wife on the birth of their first baby daughter, might be a little while till I get to meet her unfortunately as they live in Ghana.
My mathematical obsession continues, 250 million seconds since I landed with a bump into my new sober life at the tender age of 24.
I survived the millennium eve celebrations sober, participated in first Christmas sober, first Birthday sober, first wedding invite, first of many things have happened and so long as I don’t have a “duvet day” and go out and participate in my own life then there are lots more firsts to be experienced.
Had my first school concert last night and was fantastic to see my girlfriends youngest 6 year old daughter having a great time on stage singing and dancing.
Slightly blurs Tradition 11 although I’m barely recognisable from this snap of me about 5 years in, on Brooklyn Bridge, so hot that holiday I shaved my head.
