Author Archives: msnewleaf

So, I love New Year resolutions. It is probably for the same reason I can really enjoy a good self-help book. I love the idea of flipping a switch somewhere in my mind, and suddenly making a change that greatly improves my life. Of course, it doesn’t really work this way. While the final decisionContinue reading “New Year, New Resolutions”

Surprisingly, this has been one of the best Christmases ever. It has been only the three of us, but it has been really fantastic. We have just been hanging out, no agenda, playing video games, reading, doing activity books. No pressure to do anything in particular. It’s raining outside, I have a pork roast inContinue reading “Cozy Sober Christmas”

WARNING! RANT AHEAD! Where I live, we are officially in lockdown again – no outings unless it is for an essential errand like the grocery store, no gatherings with anyone outside of your household, and no unessential travel. Anyone coming into our county has to strictly quarantine in their house or hotel for 10 daysContinue reading “The Bubble”

I had a really rough last month. I was completely underwater with a work project, and I think I went at least three weeks with only one day off. It was hideous, but it is done now. I’m so relieved, and I can now take it a little easy going into the holidays. I’m stillContinue reading “Mommy Doesn’t Need a Cocktail”

I don’t have a lot of time today, so this will be quick. I did, however, want to celebrate making it to day 100 in this second adventure in sobriety. I’m feeling really good about it. This time was much easier than the first time, although there were some challenging days for sure. But fewerContinue reading “Day 100 (Again)”

I can’t seem to get it together to post more than every couple of weeks these days. I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by work and life lately, and that always makes it harder. I’m struggling through a massive sugar hangover today so this will be a short post. I ate a ridiculous amount of HalloweenContinue reading “Sugar Hangover Today”

It’s been 71 days since I last drank wine now, and things are going well on that front. I have been in the house too long again, though. First, it was the return of the wildfire smoke for a few days, then work, then some stuff that meant taking medication that made me sleep allContinue reading “I’ve Been in the House Too Long (Again)”

Well, it has now been 55 days since the last time I decided to drink wine, and I’m feeling pretty good. The goal of quitting for an entire year is sounding better and better these days. I have had more energy and motivation in the last couple of weeks than I’ve had in many monthsContinue reading “Day 55 and Other Updates”

So, I did it! I celebrated my 50th birthday sober. We rented a fantastic older house in Carmel, California, full of nooks and hidden rooms and right across the street from the most lovely beach. Yes, the smoke from the fires was bad, but it was still beautiful there. We spent lots of time playingContinue reading “I did it!”

I woke up this morning to a reddish/orange hellscape of a sky. Right now, it is 8:13 in the morning, and I am sitting here in my unusually darkened room looking out at a thick blanket of orange clouds outside my window. We have had red sunrises for many days recently, but this orange skyContinue reading “Red Sky in the Morning …”