Dear Diary....

Day 58 - many thanks Spooly and Wolfgang. :o)

Stay strong everyone....

I just wanted to say well done on your ongoing gambling free journey. You are doing so well.

Onwards and upwards

LG x

Aah, many thanks LG - and best wishes to you too for your journey.

Day 60 today - whoopee!

Hi Joanna

A huge congratulations on the 60 days that's something to be really proud of , it takes great strength and courage to make this journey and you are making it , and supporting many others along the way

Best wishes

Castle2

Well done on 60 days, I am 18 days behind you and never going to catch you up!

Steve

Thank you Castle2 and Steve - your kind words really mean a lot to me.

As I have said before, I really have not had to face the devastating consequences of gambling that some people have had to confront. Having said that, my gambling was getting out of control and I resented the fact that I was not only living on my overdraft every month and spending money I did not have, but also the time I was wasting glued to a computer screen.

I feel quite humble when I see others' courage and determination and that in its way has given me the strength to stay 'clean' - if they can do it then I certainly should be able to.

Joining this site was the best thing I could have done, and interacting with other people, especially the newcomers is a great way of confronting one's own problems too.

Best wishes to you and everyone on your individual journeys.

Day 61 - 'Keep calm and carry on...'

Joanna :o)

Hi Joanna

Thanks for your post in my diary, it helped a lot. You are so right about gambling software and your analogy made me smile as it's a very honest way to look at the situation. Have a great weekend and stay strong. Granite

Thank you Granite - glad to have helped.

Enjoy your weekend too. :o)

Day 62 - "Every day and in every way, I am getting better and better"

(Emile Coue de la Chataigneraie - or Frank Spencer, if you prefer!)

Hi Joanna, thanks for your posts on my diary 🙂

Well on on achieving 62 days, well over halfway to reaching the 100 club. Keep going!

Scambling

Many thanks Scambling, and good wishes to you too.

Day 65 today - a busy few days' gardening in the sunshine, so feeling healthy and energised.

I must admit that with every day that passes, thoughts of gambling recede further, which is good, but I know I need to keep focused; that's why this site is so valuable - a reminder to me that I must never become complacent, well not at this stage of my recovery at least.

Day 67 and happy to be part of this site! ;o)

Since becoming 'sane' I have been doing a lot more reading. Here's a quote from the Harlan Coben book I am devouring at the moment ('No Second Chance'):

"Let's take Jimmy, for example. Your husband had a disease. Gambling. Am I right? It cost you everything, didn't it? The insurance business. That had been your father's. Jimmy took it over for him. It's gone now. Wiped out. The bank was ready to foreclose on your house. You and the kids barely had enough money for groceries. And still Jimmy didn't stop."

Yup, that sounds about right.....

P.S. The book isn't about gambling, but a darn good thriller nontheless.

Hi Joanna,

Thanks so much for the post. I really appreciate it. I'm so glad someone connected with what I was trying to say. Yes Dad was a good man - he wasn't perfect and didn't always get things right as far as I was concerned, but on that occasion he did. It also goes against the advice that you should never give a compulsive gambler money. However, this time round I'm kind of glad I have to face up to my debts on my own, as I need to learn from this and never allow it to happen again.

I liked the quote in your latest diary entry. I'm sure gambling crops up time and time again in literature, and never in a good way. I love books - but like you I never read during the insane gambling days, so let's hope I can get back to it now. Many Thanks again, Granite.

Hi Joanna

Thanks for the post on my thread much appreciated

It's maxing the things we can do now not gambling , reading is just one of the free things in life that it has to offer along so many , I often wonder at times how I found so much time to gamble

Best wishes as always with your recovery

Castle2

Many thanks Granite and castle2 for your kind words. Perhaps we should start a Gamcare Book Club! Unfortunately all too often gambling in drama and literature generally is treated quite lightly. However perhaps all compulsive gamblers should be made to read 'The Queen of Spades' by Pushkin!!

Day 67 of sanity (No Room 16 for me - reference to 'The Queen of Spades').

Well done on day 67 keep strong

Suzannex