Not posted here for a bit but the sun is shining and I have something I am looking forward to today!
Live music is back on at one of the local parks so am going to try and take the puppy along this morning to see how she gets on. That’s it for the plan for the day. Might have a mooch around the charity shops later which has been something I’ve really missed over lockdown! But will see how things unfold 
Reviving this thread on this sunny Saturday morning
Last weekend I took my first trip down to my hometown since last August, saw some family and friends who I haven’t seen since Xmas 2019 and got to introduce the puppy to some people. Had a lovely lunch with my besties and one of their kids. Met a friends one year old for the first time. Stayed up til 2am chatting shit with friends. Was the designated driver for the weekend. Got to see my nan who turned 90 last year. Loads of amazing memories.
This morning we are going to go for breakfast at a nice farm shop / cafe and have a walk along the river. Then catching up with a friend this afternoon and going to a Recovery Dharma meeting this evening. Got some veg plants to try and rescue/ plant out at some point too, maybe tomorrow.
Lots of housework to do, but there always is. It can wait!
Who’s got a good sober weekend planned?
Ooh and an extra little thing for today. Going to pick up Maggie’s brother after breakfast so he isn’t on his own while his owner goes to a hospital appointment. So puppy rumbles in the sunshine!
Saturday morning braved Costco😅 then after lunch did study with the kids and went for a jog. Tonight bil is coming over, he has something he wants to talk to my husband about, very intriguing! His family just moved so probably about that.
How many packets of crisps did you get?! 
And that does sound intriguing. Although like you say will probably end up being something fairly mundane.
Nice memory! 6 at 500g each, so 3 kg. I am genuinely beginning to think he is a bargain-holic. He spends every weekend going to this or that shop with coupons and to check the reduced section. He is hardly at home, I am not joking, it is like an obsession.
That just requires so much more organisation and commitment than I can even think about 
I remember your hubby’s obsession too. 
Do you put things back when he turns away? Or will he notice? 
Happy Sober Saturday. Costco on a Saturday??? Ahhhhhh. Can’t do it. Our Costco is a madhouse. Best time to go is weeknights an hour before closing. I slept in a wee bit. Made tomato sauce in the crock. SO has been out of town for two weeks and he returns this afternoon. I will pick him up at the airport. Doing some house cleaning and will hit the gym and will bring the dogs for a walk before I pick him up. All done hangover-free. Yesssssds! Feeling 
I was up nice and early this morning to get my first covid jab. The walk there took me through a park I don’t usually go to so that was good, and the weather was great first thing. I’ve been in my local park this afternoon, reading, walking, getting some sun and just generally enjoying being outside.
I’m back home now listening to some jazz records I bought from my local record shop on the way back from the jab. Then probably chicken wings and a movie this evening 
I’d be perfectly happy if tomorrow is the same tbh.
I woke up this morning at 5:30am and drove up the canyon for a 6 mile hike. Beat the heat, had a delicious breakfast and am feel soooooo happy and healed by nature. My body feels amazing and I had better time and stamina than ever before.
I NEVER would have done this if I was still drinking, in fact I would probably still be wrestling with sleep and feeling like shit. I’m so grateful.
OMG
.that place looks INCREDIBLE… would love to go there, love mountains…
What an amazing way to start the day! Stunning view!
Wow, absolutely amazing views. Thanks for sharing!
I had my first jab yesterday too @hailstrom - hope you’re feeling OK today!
And @Hazel6080 that all sounds (and looks!) amazing.
We had a lovely breakfast at the farm shop, we got a nice selection of cakes to bring home too. Maggie met some sheep, a donkey and an emu. Although the emu really freaked her out as it got a bit spicy with us, fortunately it was in an enclosure we walked down to the river and she also saw her first boat.
She also had a good rumble with her twin brother, he is so much bigger than her but they love playing together.
After my jab I went to a friends and we had a mini BBQ in the sun. She decided not to go to the Recovery Dharma meeting and I nearly bailed too but am so glad I went. I’m in a good place at the minute and it was nice to be able to share that with people and make those connections.
Today has been a lazy day, had a nice morning on the sofa with Maggie.
Got out for a bit this afternoon for a pineapple juice and ginger ale in the sunshine and a walk with the pup. A good weekend!
Don’t think I have ever seen you, nice to put a face to a name!
Oh my, Maggie looks like such a lovely doggo!! Is she your first pooch?
I’m moving house soon and will have a (small) garden for pretty much the first time. I’ve always lived in apartments. Which means I can get a dog!! I’ve wanted a little companion for so long but haven’t been able to so it’s exciting. I’ve been doing lots if research. I’m being careful not to get too attached to certain ideas about what I would like tho. I’ll most likely go the rescue route so it’s about the right dog for me rather than a particular breed or whatever. But I would love a little jack russell.
She is very cute, and actually becoming something more like lovely now she is getting out of some of the initial puppy stages. She still does plenty to earn her Ginger Menace nickname though
Not our first dog, we had a rescue collie before and my family has always had dogs. She is the first puppy though! It’s been… An experience 
I knew it would be hard work - she is a working breed and high energy etc, but she has really tested me.
I would say rescue is the way to go for lots of reasons. They can of course have their quirks and challenges, depending on their history. But having a dog who is house trained, with some basic obedience and a longer attention span than a goldfish makes life much easier!
Of course some puppies are a dream but you just don’t really know what you’re getting. Also so many horror stories about bad breeders, puppy farms etc, as well as lots of lovely dogs in rescue desperate for homes. We tried to rescue a couple of dogs last year which didn’t work out and it was heartbreaking for me, and my next door neighbours dog had puppies which is why we went down that route instead of waiting for the rescues.
Am hoping we will be able to rescue another dog at some point, I really love collies and my bf has caved on the one dog limit if we could find one that complemented Maggie!
When do you move?
I’m grateful for all information from dog owners at the moment, talking to as many people as I can. A couple of colleagues got dogs in the past year and i’ve been going out for regular walks with them, trying to get a feel for it, make sure it’s the right thing for me (and the dog of course).
This is exactly how i’m leaning. I think a puppy, although a nice idea, could be a mistake. I haven’t totally ruled it out but training a puppy on my own with no experience would not be fair on either of us I think. I also anticipate that rescue shelters will see a rise in dogs when people get bored of their lockdown puppies. Perhaps I’m wrong 
I have heard from a number of people how difficult it can be to adopt tho, I hope my lack of experience doesn’t put a big red cross next to my name. A friend recently adopted from Hungary but I’m not sure about that. They seem happy but I feel like that’s too much of a lottery for me, and I’d need to be totally convinced by the charity/rescue centre. I’d want to meet the dog first aswell which wouldn’t be possible.
I’ll be moving in a couple of weeks but I wont be rushing to get a pup. I need to settle myself first before introducing a dog. That’s one thing I credit to sobriety actually, patience. I don’t need everything right now, I can wait, be calm, make the ‘right’ choices. It’ll happen when the time is right.
I’m sure i’ll have more questions in the coming months 
Ive fucked up on day 10 i thought ive got this but truth is its got me
