LESS Alcohol ~ October 2025 ~ One Day at a Time

@WestCoastGirl_1 ~ Congrats, you did it!! I am so excited for you and your success. Keep going…one day at a time….

@Womona ~ nicely done, sticking to one glass and 12 AF days!

@NonnieDoiron A = 0, you are doing an amazing job and have the results (less pounds) to show for it. Keep going!

@globalhiker ~ you've done it before, so you can do it again. Reset in the works ~ You got this!!

@Michieb125 ~ Can't wait to check out that link.

@tmbg1 ~ I will be thinking of you and your family this weekend.

@Jthanmyfitnesspal ~ good to see you, and congrats on the sober October! I say go for Thanksgiving…you're already in the AF state of mind..so just ride the wave.

@xbowhunter Congrats on the positive blood work and nice loss!

A week from today, I turn 65.
I’m happy (hopefully, still a week to go! 😉) to be reaching that milestone — because many do not. Aside from extra weight (yeah, there's that), my early October annual and bloodwork results came back almost perfect. A little high on LDL but overall cholesterol 174. After my sister's diagnosis, I went through heavy screening for me and all is well. Still, I’ll admit there’s a bit of sadness mixed in. So much life has passed — both the beautiful and the hard — and it leaves me feeling a little melancholy at best.

I’ve never really had a problem with milestone birthdays. I was even fine with 60 — and that one landed right in the middle of COVID, so celebrating was pretty limited.

When my husband turned 65, I took him to Punta Cana. His birthday’s in January, and he kept saying, “I want to wake up somewhere warm on my birthday.” So I granted that wish! ☀️ I didn’t necessarily expect the same in return, but I guess I did hope for something more than flowers and dinner out. Every once in a while, he’ll ask, “What do you want to do?” — which tells me he’s got nothing planned. That kind of stings. He doesn’t have the funds for extravagance, but that’s poor planning on his part. It's not like he didn't know it was coming 🤣

I had considered planning something for myself… but didn’t. Maybe I should have.

At any rate, I’m choosing to look for the positive. I’ve lived long enough to know that my happiness is my responsibility. So….

✅ 65 Acts of Joy — I came across this idea and loved it. For the 65 days leading up to my 65th birthday, I’ve focused on one thing each day that makes me happy — or better yet, brings joy to someone else. I wasn’t always spot on every day, but I made up for it when I missed. It’s been a fun and meaningful exercise.

✅ Lola, my puppy — a pleasant, crazy, and challenging little diversion. I just built a cement wall around my couch to protect her from the electrical cords (we have a reclining sofa). The things we do for love… and puppies. 🐶

All this to say, my focus on being alcohol-free hasn’t been as stellar this month. Wine does make me happy — but my goal is moderation, not daily drinking, even if it’s just a glass or two.

So yes, I’ll probably continue to wallow a little in my feelings until my birthday while I figure out something fun to do to celebrate — even if it’s just Lola and me. 💖