Merry Xmas everyone, hope u all have a fantastic day with family/friends! Today is fitting for me as its my 50th day GF and im going to make it a christmas cracker!
Egfr
Happy Christmas troops!!
That's me, party animal, lying in bed with a chocolate orange and a cup of coffee just catching up with what's going in in the world after a wonderful day. My Christmas today started on the 8th December 2013..........and last night Mama B and I clicked the left mouse button together to send a final payment to my credit card.......waking up this morning debt free from gambling was special. It was a year of hard work for everyone around about me, but we made it. I was able to bless my family with nice gifts today, a nice meal (Duncs, we're all coming to yours next year.......need a decent chef!!) and couldn't help but get a bit emotional watching parents, sister, brother, nephews.........wife and daughter all having a great time. None of that would have been possible had gambling been an active part of my life any more. What a difference a year makes........
A number of people are celebrating milestones today - congratulations to all of you.......and to everyone who has clocked up another day in their count. It's another day to be proud. I am so proud to have been on this journey with all of you.
Hope the hangovers aren't too bad in the morning and that the fire in your bellies to be free burns brightly.........mine does - I'm Mr Brightside!!
Night night everyone.......Happy Christmas!!
Mr B
Checking in on Christmas day 67 days gamble free. ..
Merry Christmas everyone x
Morning all,
Checking in gamble-free on day 40. Looking forward to getting signed up to the 2015 challenge when I've got more time to write a brief introduction.
Hi all
I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas day yesterday
Thankyou to Mr B for a brilliant year of great updates and for helping us reach new personal goals. You really have helped so many people this year.Be proud of your own achievements and the position you helped us to get to !!
Phil you have some big boots to fill although I know that you will rise to the challenge,keep us all strong and marching together to even bigger new milestones in 2015.
It will be a pleasure to march under your guidance and fight the war together with our fellow soldiers.
Good luck, Best wishes and Happy New Year to each and every one of you.
Glads Dad
I'm delighted to say I am starting to feel much better. Thank you to those of you who wished me well 🙂
I was able to go to Mr B's yesterday. He did us proud with a wonderful meal (for 13!) and a home full of love :-). Such an amazing difference in a year! Such a joy to see and be a part of and such a great blessing! I hope many of you experienced similar emotions due to your commitment to your recovery - such a great gift! For those of you at the start of your journey - it's one day at a time and the rewards are there for you as the days build and you pass the milestones and see your new life beginning to unfold. Enjoy today - it's a gift - that's why it's called the present :-). Love Mama B xx
Hi All, hope you all had a peaceful Christmas with family and friends. Checking in for another gamble free week.
Mo
This is the first small step it may seem like a little one but for me it seems huge ...every morning from 6am -7.30am I play online slots/bingo today I had a lay in ...
It was harder than I thought ....xx
Just a quick post...have to go back to day one today the last six-seven weeks have been brilliant I have come a long way...
But slipped up and played on a bandit in the pub last night its a form of gambling So have to be honest and go back to day one.
Not going to be too harsh on myself its just a minor blip!
checking in for final time this year
recovery isn't easy for me
glad to be sharing both the pains and hopes with those who are participating
tri
Checking In - Day 198
Evening all,
Checking in gamble free for the final time within the 2014 challenge. The weekly updates by Mr B, individuals posts of personal battles against their gambling addiction as well as individuals offering myself support, have all helped me abstain from this terrible life wrecking illness I have.
Mr B, in my eyes, you should be on the New Years honours list as you have not only helped me, but many more people who have made themselves available for the 2014 challenge. You have stood strong throughout the year and I salute you for the time you have given, commitment, week in week out, on providing updates and support and your willingness for not only you, but for others to succeed.
I hope to see you all in the 2015 challenge and individually and collectively we can beat this addiction.
Happy New Year.
Mike
Checking in for the week 🙂
Firstly, I’m hoping that this update arrives on your screen on the back of a wonderful Christmas! It’s certainly been a very different one this year for me in comparison to its 2013 predecessor! From the lack of check ins this week I’m remaining optimistic that life volume is so loud now with our missing soldiers that they’ve simply forgotten to join us this week? With that in mind, I’m going to take my last big decision of the 2014 Challenge and actually roll check in until midnight this coming Wednesday 31st December. If you’ve checked in this week then you’re already logged in and will be part of the final update that will be posted at some point on Thursday 1st January. In order to be included in the New Year’s Honours List then you need to have checked in by midnight on Wednesday.
The 2015 Challenge
New Challengers……….and a couple of mentions……..
It was great to see posts from Emily 82 and Lesley6loc this week, both of whom expressed an interest in joining the 2014 Challenge. I’d love for you to be the last “joiners” of this year and would ask that you both drop another post onto this thread and I’ll include you in the final 2014 Challenge Honours list!! Even better, it’d be superb to see you both on the 2015 Challenge and beginning to rack up some huge clean days under Phil’s stewardship.
Hardtimes…….Linda…..superwoman!! It was fabulous to see you dropping in to say “Hi” this week – hope you’ve had a fabulous Christmas and congratulations on making it a full year without gambling! Whether you like it or not(!), you’re going to find yourself in the final Roll of Honour……it wouldn’t be complete with you girl!
Milestones Celebrated in the Last Week
duncanmac – broke through the 60 week milestone during the week and reached yet another landmark figure on his amazing journey. Superb going Duncan – proud to be a part of this with you……and you’re only a matter of days away from achieving that major milestone you’ve been aiming for since 31/10 last year – can’t wait to be there with you!
Baggins – I wanted to note the triple century Mrs – amazing going! It’s been an amazing year for us and I’m just so delighted to see you having joined up for the 2015 Challenge so I can walk with you to the full year!
Delboygolf – 40 weeks done and dusted to the most reliable check in soldier in the group! Only 3 months to go Del before the 1 year feather joins all the other milestones in your knapsack! Really looking forward to it mate!
mjc1974 – 30 week milestone has now been passed and marching along the road to the next big one which will see you go by the 9 month mark! Congratulations on the journey so far – doesn’t seem 2 minutes ago you joined the group and have been a main stay, never missing a check in, ever since!
Wolf57 – 200 days and the double century all wrapped up! Congratulations mate and I’ll overlook the cheek about my disastrous FF team to join you in your celebrations! Have you looked out some dates yet?
Elfie17 – that’s half a year Elfie! Absolutely brilliant – I’m picturing a lovely early summer’s afternoon, some champagne and a 1 year anniversary cake to be scoffed!! Congratulations on the 6 month marker Elfie!
Rst.Ex-CG, AndyJ, Mo (and Dot83 today?) – all became the latest members of the Century Club! What a way to celebrate the Christmas week…….it was particularly pleasing to see you guys march through the CC door with the journey’s you’ve had – what an amazing milestone to hit and I’m so so proud you’ve made it!! Many more big milestones to come!
mba – today is the 10 week mark mba!! Congratulations on hitting double digit weeks fella! A great milestone and only 3 weeks away from the quarter year…….a great start to 2015!! Really well done mate!
egfr – the half century is here already Greg! Superb going so far soldier and looking forward to seeing the 10 weeks, 3 months and so on appearing on the 2015 thread!! Keep going!
Milestones to be Celebrated……..up to an including 1st January!
The last milestones of the year will be celebrated by…………
My wee mum, Mama B celebrates her 70th Birthday on Monday………..she had a worry that with having the flu recently she would look her age………but no chance of that!! You look great mum…………and with a mental age of about 30, that means you’re averaging out at 50!! Even then you’re looking great for it! Hope you have a great day!
SuzyLemon will be the newest Double Century Club member as the 200 day mark is reached on Monday!! Congratulations Suzy!
On New Years Day we will have 6 (well 8 really….you’ll see why shortly!) of the group celebrating the last milestones of the 2014 challenge……..
Wolf 57 celebrates 30 weeks gamble free while mrt1969 reaches 3 months free from gambling!! Superb going folks!!
For 4 of the checked in group………but 6 if you include a couple of ex soldiers who have been in touch recently………..the 1st January 2015 is the day that we can celebrate 1 full calendar year free from gambling – we made 2014 the year that we never staked…………glasses will be raised and congratulations given to……….
Del79, Duncanmac, Happy Days, Mr Brightside……….hardtimes and No Maybe!!! Couldn’t miss you girls on the list!!
That’s the update for this week then folks………….only one more check in for those of you who haven’t signed on since last Sunday……….and then on Thursday 1st January, we&rsquo ;ll close out this year, get our 2014 Tour of Duty badge and begin the 2015 journey with Phil!
My pledge for this week is that I will post every day…….counting down the last few days of the year and encouraging everyone to take 2015 by the scruff of the neck and to make it the most successful year us all………….and be gamble free!!
It’s the last week everyone – all the very best to you all for the last few days of 2014!
Mr Brightside
PS Ringerbell………just caught your check in mate – great to see you and delighted you’ll be in the final update!
Checking in on day 283. Merry Christmas all.
Steve
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