[kathryn]

Good evening,
Another week down….they seem to go so fast now, its almost Feb already!  My son turns 12 next Saturday, i find it a bit daunting really…he is growing up.  I know, a normal thing for children to do, but i missed a lot of his little life, i spent so much time gambling.  Its nice to watch him now, and although he has a few problems, i am so grateful that i am present to deal with them. 
I am hoping to spend some quality time on chat this weekend.  I dont have a lot to do, the kids go back to school next Friday and while i have all their clothes and things ready, i still have to label them and go through their clothes from last year.   There is the usual housework of course, but if i can get it all done tomorrow then Sunday will be a free day for me.  The weather is meant to be hot hot hot….30c tomorrow and 41c on Sunday!!!  Now THAT is hot, im not looking forward to that one, too hot to do anything really.
I am pleased to report that gambling thoughts have been very few this week, if any at all.  We have a lot of big bills coming up, and these things used to send me gambling, to try to make more.  Im not the best at budgeting, but i know we can make these bills as long as we dont spend on crap.  Much easier for me than for hubby…he is hopeless.  He sees it, he wants it, he buys it.  In saying that, its nice to know that he can if he wants to. 
I hope you are all well and happy, and i hope to see some of you on chat this weekend.
Bye for now, Kathryn xxxxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hi Everyone,
I had a great weekend with my sister.  The tennis was nothing to rave about, but i did enjoy it.  The best part was on Saturday morning, sitting up in bed with my sister eating strawberry cheesecake with double cream for breakfast!!!!
I came home very relaxed.  I couldnt believe how un-messy my house was…i was shocked really!!!
So im back at work….we have Wednesday off as its Australia Day, public holiday.  Im not planning much, but it will be nice to have a day at home.  Perhaps if the weather is nice i will take the boys to the beach.
So thats about all from me. My life really has become very mundane…not that im complaining, im pretty happy with that right now!!!!!
Take care all,
Kathryn xxxxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hey Bettie,
Thought id drop in for a visit….
Your meeting sounded very emotional, but i think it was a big step for you to get through it.  Some things in life are extremely hard to face, but you did it and you should be proud.  Too often we push things to the back of our mind and leave it there.  Perhaps this will give you some closure on things.
I had a great weekend at the tennis, the matches werent so great, but spending some quality time with my sister was wonderful, not to mention laying in bed until noon on Saturday morning (the cheesecake we had for breakfast was pretty good too!!!)
Hope to catch up with you this week sometime, if our paths happen to cross!!!
Take care my lovely friend,
Kathryn xxxxx
 To live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hi All,
Ive had a pretty mundane week at work, busy, but nothing to write home about so im not!!!!
I took the boys to see Yogi Bear at the movies today, not the most stimulating movie, but they loved it and thats all that matters.
Im off to the tennis tomorrow and wont be home till Sunday, really looking forward to that.
Hopefully i will catch up with some of you when i get back.
Stay safe and strong,
Kathryn xxxxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO,
Well done Bettie, what a great way to start your morning!!!!!
With love, Kathryn xxxxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hi All,
thank you for your posts..(lovely to see you Meg!!!)
So, its vent time…..
If i ever wanted to gamble, today would be the day.  My MIL has been staying for almost 2 weeks and today she pushed me over the edge. 
She is the most manipulative person i have ever met.  She zaps the energy out of anyone she meets.  The sound of her voice today makes my body cringe.  I am OVER it.
Thankfully she is moving on to her daughters tomorrow, im not sure how much more i could take.  Its been trying to say the least and i am very happy to see the back of her if im to be honest.
I will not gamble.  I wont let her do that to me, but i know, if i was still gambling, where i would be right now.
Im grateful that i am where i am in my recovery, any less and i might be in trouble!!!!
Hope you are all well and happy,
Kathryn xxxxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hi All,
Well, so much for my Scarlett O’Hara goodbyes…..
A new battery and a new plug, that was it.  The lovely man at the store, after charging me $200 lent me one to use until my order comes in.  I know ive been ripped off but i dont care, i need my computer.
So…..after all that im back…LOL…hope you all didnt miss me too much!!!!!
Love Kathryn xxxxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hi All,
Just a quick note to say that my computer has died….well, i dont know if its the computer or the plug thing so im not sure when i can get back here…hopefully i just need a new plug and all will be well, but just in case its not…ill be thinking of you all and missing this site to death (im on my besties computer right now)
G, it did  affect me that night, but after that i feel back to normal in terms of urges.
B, thanks, he will pass with a push!!!
Take care my lovely friends and hopefully i will be back soon,
Love Kathryn xxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hi All,
What an interesting night i just had…we went to the golf club (aka my gambling haunt) tonight for my brother in laws bday.  Food was divine by the way…..
My MIL is back at our place and im not even going to go there, but…Damian went and played the machines after dinner.  I stayed in the restaurant with some of my sister in laws and the kids, which was fine and i had to make 2 trips to the bank for Dames.  After the 2nd trip i said that i was taking the kids home and to call me when him and MIL were ready to leave.  I got home with the kids and proceeded to tidy up, i took out the bins and i went through the bill box, there was stuff in there from 2009 and it needed a good clean out.
Dames called about 40 mins after i got home.  Now, i thought all was fine, i was FINE with it. We got home and i showed him what i had done, how we only had a couple of bills in there (yay) and the other jobs i had done.  He said, wow you have  been busy trying not to think about it.
I hadnt thought of it like that and i said that i was fine.  He came over to me and said "what i did to you was cruel, and i will never ever do it again".  I was shocked if im to be honest, i said "well, it is not your problem, it is mine."  To which he replied, "your problems are my problems and im so sorry for doing that to you".
WOW…… i truly didnt realise what an effect his gambling had on me, i was just thinking that i would do a couple of jobs when i came home but he was right…i was keeping busy, keeping that urge at arms length.  It was an eye opener for me and im so extremely grateful for Dames, becuase in truth, i think it was an eye opener for him.  For the record he didnt win a thing, just more ammo for me, proof that gambling never pays, and im a bit grateful for that too!!!!!
I cannot go into that gaming room, i will be removed, and i LOVE that feeling.  Its a safe feeling.  I feel pretty good right now, knowing that i am safe.
Hope you are all well and happy,
Kathryn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Lol Vera,
Yes, i have cooled off, and in truth, not that many!!!!
Love, Kathryn xxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Firstly, i do not wish to offend any lovely men on this site….this is only MY experience…
Dont you love it when its all ok when you are useful, when you are doing something for them but when theres a better offer, when you’re not needed for anything in particular you are pushed aside like a piece of rubbish.
Dont you love it when they are having a lovely time and god forbid actually think that you might have one too….its a rarity in my world. All you are good for is bringing the chicken!!!
The men in my life treat me like dirt, and today, thats exactly how i feel.
I am extremely angry and upset tonight, and in truth, i have had a gutfull.
I know i will wake up tomorrow and remember the good stuff, as for tonight, forget it, i am livid.
Hope you are all well and happy,
Kathryn xxx
 To live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hi All,
Well my NYE wasnt so great, not for any particular reason other than my bro’s friends are extremely boring and  it was so hot i thought my head was going to blow off…lol.
But….the trip up and back was lovely, i spent it with my sister, we stopped along the way, did a little shopping, and on the way home we even went and had a spa and swim in the mineral pool…..divine, although i did almost fall asleep at the wheel from being so relaxed (nothing a big ice cream, coffee and munchies couldnt fix!!)
I am back to work tomorrow and i am looking forward to getting back into it.  The kids have been amazing so i cant complain about that, im pretty impressed with them, although i have bribed them for the rest of this week to behave for mum…$20 each on Friday…i worry when she has them as she doesnt have the patience she used to and i dont want her to stress out too much.  Its proboably not the right thing to do, but its only for this week, im organised for the rest of the time, between Brea and i we have it covered!!!
Well, thats my update for now, im off to bed soon as work beckons tomorrow.
Take care my lovely’s,
Kathryn xxxxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hiya Bettie,
Girl, we have to take any compliment we can and run with it!!! 
I hope you wiggled a bit more because of it!!!
I wish you every bit of happiness in 2011 and i hope to share a lot of my 2011 with you!!!
Take care my lovely, Kathryn xxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hi All,
Thank you all for your lovely posts.
Today is my mums 80th birthday.  We had an afternoon tea for her and all the family came.  We had invited a few of her siblings and her bestie and a few surprise friends.
It was a fantastic day, i did not stop from 8am to 8.30pm, but….it was brilliant.  Mum was a bit overwhelmed but handled it all really well.  She ended up playing the piano and we all sang the old songs…a touch of my childhood which i really enjoyed. 
Tomorrow my sister and i are going to our brothers for NYE.  While im not super close with my brother i am with my sister (she is the one whose husband died in August) and i am really going for her.  Im not planning a big one, but they are all massive drinkers so while they are downing the alcohol, ill be the one having little sips…lol.
I hope you all have a wonderful NYE, and you all ring in the new year with happiness and hope in your hearts.  I hope 2011 is a gamble free one for us all (odaat, of course) and that our continued support of each other keeps us on the right path.
Happy New Year my lovely friends,
Love Kathryn xxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

[kathryn]

Hi All,
So, i had a very interesting day yesterday….
I went to the Boxing day sales, not something i do too often, but..because Baileys cd player didnt work on his new stereo…because i bought Breas boyfriend PS3 games instead of XBox360 ones (im hopeless..lol) and i had a quilt cover to return i decided to head on in.
I took the items to the store and was told that i could not return the stereo as i had to contact the manufacturer…hmm, unfortunately i saw red and proceeded to ‘do my lolly’ in the store.  I dont normally do things like that (much), anyway, long story short, she would not give me the refund, i gave her a mouthful, got a refund on the other items and left, but was it over?  Not by a long shot.  I got down the escalator and thought..no way, im not having it…and then i rang the manager of the store, told him the situation, told him my contract was with the store and not the manufacturer, went on and on and on and guess what?  I got my refund!!!  Moral of the story…the squeaky wheel gets the grease!! lol.
Had to share this one as it absolutely exhausted me, i was sooooo angry.  Any other day it would have been a massive trigger, i would have gone and gambled that night to ‘relieve the stress’.  As it was, i took that refunded money and bought Bailey a big box of leggo, turned out he didnt want the stereo ( i was shattered as i thought it was a great gift) but hey, it isnt about me is it?  And he has spent all day today putting it together, bless him.
I have my mums 80th birthday on Thursday and today i got a call this morning from the bakery i ordered the cake from saying that it had changed hands and they dont ‘do’ birthday cakes….aaaaahhhhhhh.  Ive passed it to my sister to organise as the only day the shops are open is Wed, and im working!!!
So, theres a couple of good reasons (like i needed any) to gamble.  Im happy to say that i didnt (well, i cant really) and a big woohoo to myself for that!!!
Hope you are all well and happy, sorry for the rant, i needed to get that out!!!
bye for now, Kathryn xxxxxTo live, that would be a great adventure – Peter Pan

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