happy canada day soberversary

I’m a girl you would have voted least likely to be sober.

If you had met me before, you would have thought i was entertaining, if a bit loud. You might have observed that I always had a glass going (one in the kitchen, one in the living room), but that i was funny … even if i did tell a joke that was a tiny bit beyond appropriate.

I know this to be true: I used to grate on a lot of people. I was always ‘loud’. I always had ‘a mouth on me’. There was a fair amount of ‘look at me’ behaviour. If your story was good, then mine was funnier. Even if i had to exaggerate a detail or two – that’s story telling, right?

I was like an imported black olive with a pit = you either loved me or you hated me. [ps. i think olives are poisonous]

Even as a sober girl, I’m still a work in progress. I’m quieter, listen better. have stopped exaggerating stories. I’m mush less likely to gloat (at least out loud). I still procrastinate on filing my taxes. I am prone to staying up too late. I collect tiny gift money and then don’t spend it often enough. I really am not a shopper. I used to be better at buying stuff.

But today, to celebrate my 2-year sober-versary, I’m doing a few things differently. I went shopping yesterday (in advance? me?) to get my big kick-ass ring treat. I picked out this ring a full 18 months ago, thinking i’d celebrate 6 months sober with this ring. then when I got to 6 months I figured I’d wait till 9 months… and on it goes.  Well, yesterday i bought it! and thanks to you, it is funded entirely with super generous donations to the tiny gift fund.

Today is a holiday. It’s Canada Day. It’s moving day (we moved to europe 5 years ago today). It’s my company’s year end. It’s my sober-versary. It’s been a significant date for me for a long time.

Two years ago i started Dry July, knew without a doubt that i was going to suck at it (and fail), and then i got some support from sober bloggers. and here we are today. I’m still getting support from penpals and bloggers. I’m still late on filing my taxes. and i’m just slothful enough that i may have take-out for lunch AND dinner.

and that’s alright with me.