Future began 14/11/2014

1 year today

Wow can't believe it's hear it seemed so far away and an impossible dream when I first stumbled across this site a year ago. Without this place and the people who make it what it is I don't think I would have quit for a week let alone a year.

So I would like to thank every single one of you who has posted on my diary and aided in my recovery. I would list you all but there are so many and I wouldn't wanna miss any out although there is 2 I would like to single out for a special mention,

firstly ODAAT you were the first to respond to my very first post in the introduction forum and without her super quick response I probably would have left as quickly as I came it encouraged me to start this recovery diary and I have never looked back not only that but she has stuck with me all the way through this diary from day 1 to day 365 so thankyou so much.

The next is Suzanne again always there throughout this diary I don't think a week has gone by without her popping along with her words of encouragement just when you need it so thankyou very much to it makes the world of difference to know there are people there and your not on your own.

I have never been one for writing on message boards or forums even my social media I am on there but very rarely ever post. This place is special every single person is welcome and I've never been and probably never will be as active on anywhere else.

Back to the impossible dream it is possible I'm proof of that my life revolved around my next bet there was never a minute in a day I never had a bet running the second one lost it would be replaced with another. It can be done it's not easy especially in the early days you have to battle like mad but believe me it does get better and it's well worth it.

This time last year I panicking like mad about how I was gonna get thru the Christmas period and letting the family down well it's gonna be a whole lot better this year not perfect but that will come in time with continued recovery I haven't won I'm not a success the fight goes on forever.

I am still fairly heavily in debt probably managed to half it by the end of calendar year aim to do the same in 2016 and come back on here a year from now on 2 years and debt free.

Keep fighting folks the rewards are there.

Way to go Dave...Welcome to the 3% club 🙂

You may still be in financial debt but what you've gained in the last year is priceless & I'm super proud to be on this journey alongside you as you start Year 2 🙂

Aww Dave, thanks x

Welcome to the 3% club my friend, massive massive well done.

Keep reaping the rewards that we only get from our recovery,

Life is sane after one year, lol, and life is for living in the real world.

Take care,

Suzanne xxx

Taxi man.

Fella I don't believe I have written on your thread before, but never the less I have followed your own recovery journey and would like to simply add my own congratulations on your 1 years continued abstinence.

It is without doubt true in my mind that the rewards of the commitment to recovery are there for anyone who wants to take them, nobody can do it for you, in fact intervention often just reaps more destruction.

Your efforts are plain to see

I salute them, keep making the right choice

Abstain and maintain

Duncs stepping forward never back

Thanks for posts ODAAT, Suzanne and Duncs.

Many thanks Duncs your diary was one of the first I read when I joined here been one of the largest.

Well I've had a terrible weekend and where's the best place to vent my problems than here so sorry in advance.

I thought it was pretty bad last week when I had to pay out 700 quid on repairs for the taxi this close to Christmas.

Then over the weekend we have had a major flood and blackouts all over the Lancaster & Morecambe area we are quite fortunate to have not had any water in our home and are currently one the few in the local area to have power at the moment but it may not last for much longer do not counting my chickens.

Then today to top it all off the driver came to pick up the car for work was out 2 mins and got a call to come round the corner as he had crashed the taxi into a minibus.

Rung the insurance and I'm still waiting to hear from them when they are coming to assess it probably due to the fact most of garages still haven't got power and a back log as hundreds of cars got washed away over the weekend! Would say it's 50/50 wether it will be repaired or written off a week after a 700 bill I'm gonna be pretty gutted if it's the latter.

Anyways after 2 claims made this year and all 7 years no claims lost I'm thinking of throwing in the towel of taxi ownership as its more hassle than it's worth so I will drive somebody else's taxi or return to my previous job of bus driving as I left on good terms shudnt be a problem.

If the taxi gets repaired I will probably battle on with it!

Anyways on a positive note I still haven't gambled for over a year and after all that I'm still probably in the best position I've been in for years.

And many people in the local area are struggling with the weather and floods a lot more than myself so shouldn't really be moaning.

Take care folks

Keep holding on taxi man, these problems will sort themseves out in time. Give yourself a breathing space - you do it well, you tend to take things on logically and youre doing so well!

Keep on keeping on - one step forward, keep moving ahead, you are worth it.

Hi Dave,

Hope you are feeling more positive today, bad news about your car:(((

Have never experienced being in a flood area , it must be devastating there, with folks houses flooded and no electric.

Keep strong, stay focused, and keep safe.

Suzanne xxx

Thanks Sandra and Suzanne for your posts and support

Insurance assessor called today and will come to see the taxi next Tuesday 15th earliest possible presumably due to all the flood damaged cars around locally at the moment.

We still have power thankfully although some places may experience shorter periods of time without power later this afternoon.

My brother has got me on his insurance for the time being so I can now do the same job for 50% less still at least it's summat so I will be back out in the morning.

Off to fleetwood to watch the shrimps tonight in the northern semi final of the jpt. Hopefully a win will cheer me up tonight.

Oh Butler (you kept that one quiet), do you never learn...You're gonna need to support a better team if you're relying on the footie to cheer you up 😉 Looks like Mansfield has been abandoned in our house for the mighty Leicester :-0 I have pointed out, in my capacity as the bird of the show...There's a lot of season left 🙂

Phew to having power (I was about to stick my head torch in the post) that must be horrible 🙁 Hopefully you won't be affected later!

& rubbish news about Kit after all that money on repairs 🙁 I hope the only injuries were from the kicking you dished out! Fingers crossed for the 15th but in any case...Don't make any rash decisions about driving for someone else, 50% less is a stop gap for sure!

Thanks ODAAT for your post and support and wow Leicester got another massive win last nite so happy for them hope they can keep it going it's amazing funnily enough Vardy who has been doing most of the damage was touted to Morecambe a few years ago for 20k they decided it was to much worth millions now.

All the power supplies back to normal now although several businesses in the area have been decimated Upto 6 months before some reopen.

D-day for the taxi today don't know what time to expect the assessor anytime today, still don't know if I want it fixing or not have been quoted 5034 for insurance renewal ouch unsustainable.

Making half a fortune as we do this time of year still in a better position financially than when I was gambling for sure!

Hey up Dave, saw you in the paper the other week, swimming about in your kitchen...Must say, you've aged a bit since those Baywatch days 😉

£5000+ for insurance renewal...Ouch 🙁 But, yeah, I hear ya, I probably burned through that in some months back in the day :-0

I know you'll be working your socks off but I hope there'll be time to come down the chimney/climb through the window next week & have some relaxing family time on baby's 1st Christmas? Do the little ones still believe? There may be a Sherry & some mince pies in it for you!

Hope you had the outcome with Kit that you wanted & hindsight is a wonderful thing, he won't be @ Leicester next season & there'll be a few more noughts on the end of that 20k Morecambe couldn't spend!

Be safe out there with all the drunks & have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS 🙂

Hey ODAAT thanks for the post and support

Haha you are funny I bloody feel it at the moment aswell long 12-14 hour days back to back not for the rewards I'm used too and I'm so knackered can't see this been a viable option long term at all.

Yes I will parking up at 6pm Christmas Eve to play Santa not sure I'd fit down that chimney tho! Will be having a whole 2 days off so they mite get to see daddy then.

I would say the big girl does deffo believe and the lad I think knows but isn't letting on he knows. The weird thing is they both seem to 100% believe our woolen elf on a shelf actually does all his naughty stuff by himself!

They will have to be told before high school I remember been about 13 and coming out at high school that I'd seen him flying past my window haha funny now but never lived it down at the time!

Unfortunately the taxi is a goner has been written off by the insurance company and the settlement figure just about covers the repairs I paid out for 3 weeks ago so pretty gutted with that.

I'm hoping the insurance renewal is just cos they wanna see the back of me after 2 claims this year and not taken into account the 7 years claim free before this.

Some big decisions to be made in the new year about where to go from here part of me wants to go back to been a bus man to get the guaranteed money and paid holidays etc just not sure I can give up the freedom I have now.

Take care folks

Merry Christmas everyone hope you all have a great day!

Taxi man wrote:

Merry Christmas everyone hope you all have a great day!

Merry christmas to you too

THIRTEEN?!? Not sure how you ever lived that one down :-0 I had a right result myself...We were down @ my Nan's sisters for Christmas (I have it in my head that it may have been round about July time, I don't think they made the Christmas cut) & Mum & Nan took me to one side & told me not to ruin Christmas for my little sister! Confused I was but lucky for me, they had decided that I was far too clever & grown up (I'm gonna guess I was about 6 from the photos) to believe any more & would never have been taken in by a random uncle in a Santa outfit! Obviously it didn't exactly ruin Christmas since that had been & gone several months before & we were getting new presents anyway but I swear I spent the whole night peering @ Santa & trying to convince myself that they'd told me the truth! If they hadn't given me credit where credit wasn't due, I swear I'd still believe it now 😉

Hopefully you aren't rushing into any decisions & are going into 2016 with a clear head on where you go from here?

Fingers crossed you had a lovely Christmas & here's to an even better 2016 🙂