Dear Readers,
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| Dancing at Wedding |
This last week was incredibly busy.
I have been in Madison for a family wedding and then working with my brother and sister, and hubs, cleaning out my mom’s house in order to sell it.
The wedding was lovely, and hubs and I danced and danced!
We were the only people not drinking, (except the kids). And that was fine with me. We still had as much fun as the drinkers, and we had no hangovers the next day!
Did I miss drinking? I did not, especially when I saw how much other people were drinking! I would have wanted to keep up with them, which would not have been pretty!
What was fun was catching up with all my family, and visiting Madison with them!
Cleaning out my 91 year old mother’s house was extremely hard physically. She and my father were both hoarders, especially my father (who has passed). The amount of old and heavy stuff that had to be cleared out was overwhelming. So for seven days and nights, my sister, brother, hubs and I, cleaned, carried trash, painted, fixed things, packed and packed, had a garage sale and had an open house.
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| On Steps of Capital in Madison, Wisconsin |
I was so impressed with all of us, including my mom, on how well we worked together to get this done. I have never worked so hard in my life. It was back breaking work, but we never gave up, and we never had any big meltdowns! Just a few minor ones!
I can’t imagine drinking through this stress! I would have been worthless. I definitely would have had at least one big meltdown! And there is no way I could do what I did with hangovers! I was so happy being sober.
The lessons I learned were many, and I am still processing them all. But one of them is, I am stronger than I think and could be doing more than I think. I do need the support of other people, a team. Every time I thought I couldn’t carry one more heavy box, my sister helped me push forward. Every time she needed a push, I helped her. “Let’s Do It,” became our motto. And slowly one box at a time, we cleared all the rooms, including the yucky basement! (We also had help with the heavy stuff from her very fit daughter and my hubs.)
Being sober definitely helped me this past week. It made the happy times happy, and the hard times not so hard.
With Some New Found Muscles,
On Day 655
Wendy
Untipsyteacher 
Wow, big week indeed! You are such a strong gal. Cleaning out the home must have been very intense. I went through the same situation with my dad's house. He was a hoarder as well. He had passed a few weeks prior and I was 8 months pregnant when my husband and I went through everything. It was awful. I could not have done it without him. Your wonderful husband and family sound really awesome, just like you! Go you for another fun sober time at the wedding and I know how thankful you are to have the boozy life behind you. You 're an inspiration and I continue to appreciate your support- thank you. 🙂 ❤
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Thank you so much, CWD!Oh, I don't know how you did that pregnant!This week proved to me once again, that I don't need alcohol in my life!xo
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Sounds like you had a busy week Wendy! I'm so glad you had a great time at the wedding. I can't imagine having to clean out my mums house! So much stuff and so many memories. Hopefully I won't have to for a long time. Congrats on day 655! A x
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You are definitely strong. And taking assistance to supplement your strength is exactly what we all need to do.Plus – dancing! Awesome!
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I couldn't imagine doing that whilst drinking either! I would've been of no help whatsoever! When I think of all of the things my drinking got in the way of! Ugh! I loved your post…it was filled with strength!!! xo
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Angie,It was hard for my mom seeing her life stuff being tossed or donated, as there is no room for everything!xo
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Dancing was so fun! I love to dance, and now hubs will do it and doesn't need a drink to get started!Thank you, Anne!xo
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You are Superwoman! What you and your sister did, pushing and encouraging each other to just take one more box, one more step reminds me so much of what we do in the sober community. Keep Dancing, Sistah!
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What a wonderful trip. Dancing at wedding sober is the best! I can very much relate to that. Never tried dancing sober until I tried dancing sober–haha. (Never tried a lot of things sober until I started doing EVERYTHING sober). And so glad I did because I get to follow, hear from, people like you Wendy.
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I just want to say WOW! You're amazing. Gorgeous photo, too! xo
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I'm glad you managed to get everything done for your Mum. Also dancing at the wedding sounds great. It's reassuring to know that you don't miss drinking! PDTG
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I can see now, that drinking stopped me from growing in many ways.But it's not too late, and we are learning now!Big Hugs!xo
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Thank you, Kary May!It's so true, that we help each other when we think we just can't make it another day without drinking.But we can!xo
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Hi Mark!I had to look up who Blog was!My hubs is learning to dance sober, and he likes it, too!!Thank you so much!xo
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I didn't even get crabby too much! Something else I didn't know I could do! Ha!When hubs and I dance, it's fun because we dance a kind of a knock-off disco dance. xo
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I am learning that if I think I will miss drinking I will.But if I approach situation with the expectation that drinking will bring nothing to the table, then I don't miss it, or not as much!xo
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We nailed sober dancing at our first sober wedding this week-end too Wendy! 🙂 xx
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Yay!!We rock!It was fun!! xo
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So glad all is well and went well. The is something very noble/worthwhile about working our bodies physically to their limit, especially in a team or group. It is good for the soul as is dancing so your soul must be runneth over. No fights is amazing drunk or sober where family is concerned and especially when you are actually dragging memories about all day. Thanks for sharing and reminding us of all the reasons to do everything sober.
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Hi Ginger!I think using my body a little more is going to help me.I learned I need to move my body more, adding a long walk to my day!We really were dragging memories around all day. It was hard on my mom for sure, but she did well.xo
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You are such an inspiration to me! You have a positive attitude and really embrace sobriety. I'm glad to see your post.
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Hi RipleyBelle!I didn't have this at first, but time is showing me how much happier I am! xo
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Dear Wendy,What a BIG BIG thing you just did. Wow! So great to realise that things are much better without alcohol than they are with. I wish I had been sober when my parents house was cleared out. :-(And you look GREAT! Beautiful. 🙂 I am happy for you. Next thing on my list: work my way to have a body like Wendy! Damn girl! You! HOT! Keep up the beautiful life. <3xx, Feeling
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Feeling!You made me laugh!I want to bike more like you!!And my hot body is cranky this morning!xo
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Hey Wendy… nice post thanks for sharing. Looking great at the wedding, aren't wedding's a blast?? I love them… we have one coming up in September, should be fun. Good work on your sober dancing, I hope to be able to do that by the time this wedding comes too 🙂 xox
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Weddings are crazy! Hubs did great! He helped me get the beat when I couldn't hear it!!I hope you are well! xo
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Gorgeous photos, gorgeous smile….and gorgeous spirit! You are soooo photogenic!Can sympathize w the clean out ……it was a nightmare for my sister and me, even some help from my brother, when we had to do my mother's small one-bedroom. A whole house – yikes! (And lets see….oh yes! I live in a whole house w Too Much Stuff!)You are an inspiration, thanks for the sharing!
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I know, I went home and am cleaning out many of my clothes!It feels really good!xo
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I used to be a hoarder but I turned that around. My husband is terrible! He won't throw anything out. I was cleaning out the garage yesterday looking at tins of empty paint stacked in the corner…. Why???? Thinking how awful it would be if we died and the kids were left to clean it out. Now I read this and am convinced I need to carry on the de cluttering today 😜
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I am cleaning out some of my many clothes that I don't wear!I told my hubs I don't want my nieces and nephews to have to do what we did!xo
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