Author Archives: msnewleaf

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 …”

But I didn’t drink it. Yesterday, I came out of my room after finishing work for the day, and my neighbor had brought over a six pack of beer. So, here’s the thing. I have been off-again with the booze much more often than not for the past 9 1/2 months, and she knows that.Continue reading “Argh! There’s beer in my house!”

I’m feeling stuck. Trapped. Wanting to spread my wings, but knowing I can’t really get out of the nest. Not yet. Trapped by COVID, trapped by the massive wildfires which sprung from my lovely lightning, stuck in the house, stuck in a mask, stalled in my relationship, bored and frustrated with my pandemic bubble friends,Continue reading “Feeling Trapped (and Grateful) II”

Historically, the summers are not reliably hot (or even warm) where I live. With climate change, we have had much warmer summers for the last ten to fifteen years, but it still usually doesn’t get “hot” here. This week, it has been miserably hot. Unless I have air conditioning, ample outside shade, and (ideally) aContinue reading “Silver Linings”

I’ve pushed it to the last minute again, and now it is 30 days until my 50th birthday. I’m back on the wagon, and it is time to get my other self-improvement tasks (soon to be habits!) going again. I’ve made absolutely no progress in the weight loss department since my last check-in about it.Continue reading “30 Day Countdown”

I’m writing this for me and for anyone reading this that may have been sober long enough to forget the horrible side effects of boozing. Personally, I keep staying sober for weeks (and loving it!), but then deciding to drink again for a while before hopping back on the wagon. It isn’t terrible, I suppose,Continue reading “The Many Crappy Side Effects of Alcohol (Part II)”