GUS (Gave Up Smoking) is a community support diary for Kossacks in the midst of quitting smoking. Any supportive comments, suggestions or positive distractions are appreciated. We avoid discussion of political issues. If you are quitting or even thinking about quitting, please -- join us! GUS Library at dKosopedia is organically evolving, and stocked with free-range information: quit-smoking links, helpful GUS diary writing tips, and the GUS buddy list.
Sorry about being AWOL Monday but my wife and I were on another babysitting/Andy Frasco run and just couldn't get to it.
And what a run it was, even though to paraphrase Andy Frasco; it was a struggle. And I mean not smoking that is. There were even far fewer smokers around this time and yet I really had to fight the urge to smoke a cigarette most the time I was there. But by now I know I can resist those urges and I didn't want to lose all I've gained. So I managed to survive that.
But the rest of the trip was just absolutely golden.
Here was the known itinerary. Babysit Friday night for Andy Frasco. Babysit Saturday night for an engagement party. A birthday party for our youngest grandson on Sunday. Drag ourselves home Monday.
Realizing of course that none of you have probably ever heard of Andy Frasco except from my little diary blurbs his only real importance is all four of our adult children are fans of his and its become a recent family tradition for them to get together and go out to see him whenever he performs at the Alibi in Relapse City. And for that they need babysitters, which is where Grandpa and Grandma come in. We can babysit all five of them in one place and its a great night for everyone.
And you could tell because two of the five grandkids were still laughing and playing when their parent's got home which as you can imagine was pretty late. But what can I say, grandpa and grandma can be quite the push-overs when the cousins all get together so we just let them have their fun.
Which to us is what makes the three and a half hour drive down to Relapse City worth the time and trouble. But this trip also had a couple of additional bonuses because at least two of our kids also had an engagement party to attend Saturday night and then Sunday was our (now three year-old) grandson's birthday.
That actually makes for a pretty busy weekend but it did kind of leave Saturday open and that's when for all the formal planning that open space was where the miraculous happened. Its was where something amazing and unplanned was accomplished. An event that turned a relaxing summer Saturday morning into a very collectible different day.
It started with the whole family being together drinking coffee Saturday morning and one of the aunts asking how one of our summer projects was going? Which is helping our oldest grandson learn to ride a bicycle. Its kind of embarrassing but while the kid can play any video game in the world he's 12 years-old and has never learned to ride a bike. And the way things were going with his mother, plus grandma and I trying to help him learn this summer I'd secretly given up just about all hope that he ever would learn to ride a bicycle.
But that was not alright with one of his uncles and he simply announced that would change before the sun set on that day. And it instantly went into kind of a code-red family project. Within minutes a mountain bike just my grandson's size was produced. Then my grandson was informed he was going to learn to ride it. Then his three uncles escorted him out into the street and put him on that bicycle. And between the three of them they just completely overwhelmed him and most importantly overwhelmed the fear in my grandson's head which was actually the only thing that was keeping him from riding a bicycle in the first place. And it sure didn't hurt when his uncles told him that if he could ride that mountain bike up and down the street they would buy him his own brand new one.
And even though I could hardly believe my eyes (even though I watched for about three hours straight) low and behold before that day was over my grandson was riding his brand new bicycle up and down the street all on his own. It was just magic and I think one of the best things that has happened to my grandson (both physically and mentally) in a very long time. And it came right out of the blue. None of it planned or pre-scripted and yet it was just a great accomplishment and a wonderful day.
It was so wonderful I managed to keep a smile on my face for another night of cartoons and kids movies while we babysat for all the grandkids on Saturday night. Which turned out to be another long one even though the grandchildren were actually asleep fairly early. But we let them make a camp in the living room right in front of the TV and they fell off to sleep without even knowing it. With the only problem being I have no idea how their TV works and so we were stuck with whatever the kids had on and were too chicken to try and change it for fear of waking them up for hours.
By the time the birthday party for the three year-old came around on Sunday while grandma and grandpa were glad to be there, and neither of us would have willing admitted it, we were both just about partied out. But fortunately for us this turned out to be a great little birthday party instead of some big production and was more relaxing then it was work.
But all told it did take a toll on us by the time we managed to drag our way home Monday, and I keep saying "drag" because my legs were still sore from having to prove grandpa was not lying when I told my grandsons once you learn to ride a bike, even if you haven't ridden one for decades, you never forget how. Which was a foolish thing to say because it was immediately followed with; "Oh yeah. Prove it." And I was right. Even after not riding a bike for decades I still remembered how. I had just forgotten how sore that could make me. But even that soreness kind of made me smile because it reminded me of the magic of the weekend.
So that's how its going for me. How's it going for any other GUSers in range this morning?
So you've had some experience with the effects of smoking, and want to write a GUS diary or host an open thread? Please sign up in the Butt Can (Tip Jar), and name the day and time that works for you (AM, PM, late-night, early-bird...) How to write a GUS diary the easy way.
And the latest updated Buddy List by Mr. Amazing, anodnhajo!!!! (7/21/14) with "itsjim"
1BQ, 2thanks, 3rdGenFeminist, 417els, A Man Called Gloom, Abra Crabcakeya, Actbriniel, addisnana, AfroPonix, aishmael, Alise, Alpha99, also mom of 5, ambeeeant, American in Kathmandu, amk for obama, andsarahtoo, angry marmot, Anne933, anodnhajo, aoeu, AoT, aquarius2001, arcadesproject, Archie2227, arodb, Arthur Wolf (in memoriam), assyrian64, Aunt Acid, awkawk, b4uknowit, BadKitties, bamablue, BARAKABETH, barnowl, b barrie, bdizz, beatpanda, beefydaddy18, betterdemsonly, BFSkinner, bgblcklab1, BigAlinWashSt, Bike Crash, BirderWitch, BJKay, bleeding heart, blingbling65, blue husky, Blue Intrigue, bluedust, BluejayRN, BlueJessamine, BlueMississippi, Bluerall, bluestatedem84, BoiseBlue, boudi08, Brahman Colorado, breedlovinit, BrenP, BrianParker14, Bronxist, broths, BrowniesAreGood, bsmechanic, Buckeye Nut Schell, buddabelly, Bugsydarlin, bumbi, BusyinCA, cactusgal, cagernant, Carol in San Antonio, CathiefromCanada, CathodeRay, CDH in Brooklyn, Cedwyn, cee4, Cen Den, ChocolateChris, Christy1947, ChurchofBruce, ciganka, cinnamondog, citizenx, ClapClapSnap, claude, Cleante, Code Monkey, codobus, Coldblue Steele, Colorado is the Shiznit, coloradomomma, common green, commonmass, Common Sense Mainer, congenitalefty, coppercelt, CwV, dadanation, Damnit Janet, dangoch, DarienComp, dauber, Dauphin, Dave in AZ, Dave in Northridge, David54, deedogg, demkat620, Dexter, Diana in NoVa, Dickie, DiegoUK, Dingodude, dirtdude, distraught, djMikulec, docreed2003, dolfin66, donnamarie, Donna O, dotsright, Dr Teeth, Dreggas, DRo, droogie6655321, Dube, duckhunter, Eclectablog, Eddie C, EdgedInBlue, edr, effervescent, elbamash, El barragas, el vasco, electricgrendel, entrelac, ericlewis0, Everest42, Ex Con, exiledfromTN, exlrrp, ExpatGirl, ezdidit, fat old man, fauve, fhamme, Fineena, fiona2, fishhawk, Flea, flumptytail, Friend of the court, fritzi56, FrugalGranny, Garrett, Gator, gchaucer2, GDbot, Geiiga, GenXangster, glpaul, gooderservice, gooners, Gordon20024, gravlax, GreenMountainBoy02 (in memoriam), greylox, grndrush (in memoriam), GrumpyWarriorPoet, GuerillaLiberal, GulfExpat, gzodik, Haningchadus14, Haole in Hawaii, HappyinNM, henlesloop, here4tehbeer, HeyMikey, hideinplainsight, High Tide, hiliner68, history first, hold tight, Homers24, Hugh Jim Bissell, hulibow, I love OCD, I said GOOD DAY sir, Im a frayed knot, imisa, Indexer, indubitably, indyada, Interceptor7, Inventor, Isaacsdad, ItsaMathJoke, itsbenj, itsjim, Jahiz, James Earl, JamesEB, janl1776, Janeo, jarbyus, JayinPortland, jayjaybear, jbalazs, JBL55, jbou, Jeffersonian Democrat, jillwklausen, jmadlc55, jmonch, Joes Steven (aka Steven), john keats, john07801, johngoes, johnny wurster, jsfox, just another vet, JVolvo's Mom (in memoriam), jwinIL14, Kai99, kailuacaton, Kamakhya, kat herder, katchen, Kelly of PA, khloemi, Khun David, Kitsap River, kittania, kos, KrazyKitten, Kristina40, Ksholl, labwitchy, ladypockt, Lahdee, LamontCranston, langerdang, LarsThorwald, LA rupert, last starfighter, LaughingPlanet, Laurie Gator, Lava20, Leo in NJ, LiberalVol, lightarty, Lipstick Liberal, litoralis, lmdonovan, lockewasright, Lonely Liberal in PA, Lonely Texan, longislandny, Lorinda Pike, LtdEdishn, lunacat, lunachickie, luvsathoroughbred, lying eyes, maggiemay, magicsister, mango, Marc in KS, MargaretPOA, Marjmar, Mark E Andersen (Kodiak54), marknspokane, marsanges, maryabein, Matf, Matt Esler, Maxiemax, maybeeso in michigan, MBNYC, mdemploi, Meteor Blades, Micburke, michael1104, MillieNeon, minerva1157, MinervainNH, Missys Brother, Miz Trom, mjbleo, MnRaindog (in memoriam), mntleo2, mollyd, Morague, MotoGP, Mr Bojangles, mrsgoo, mskitty, msmacgyver, MsWings, Murphoney, nannyboyz, Naturalized Texan, ncsuLAN, NearlyNormal, Nedsdag, Nespolo, Nick Zouroudis, NinetyWt, nokkonwud, NotGeorgeWill, notgivingup, NY brit expat, occupystephanie, oceanview, Ole Texan, OleHippieChick, Olkate, one pissed off democrat, One Pissed Off Liberal, Onomastic, operculum, OrangeMike, Ordvefa, Overseas, Over the Edge, Pager, paige, PaintyKat, palmer18, paradox, parryander, paulitics, peglyn, Pennsylvanian, Penny GC, peterfallow, phrogge prince, plok, Portia Elm, Positronicus, post rational, PowWowPollock, Proud Mom and Grandma, psycho liberal, ptolemynm, Purple Priestess, PvtJarHead, Qwisp, racheltracks, Radiowalla, randallt, ray bob, real world chick, red mittens, Reepicheep, regis, relentless, revelwoodie, revsue, Rex Manning, rexymeteorite, RiaD (in memoriam), rickeagle, ridemybike, rightiswrong, Rileycat, rincewind, rkex, roadlion, RoCali, Roger Fox, Rosebuddear, roses, rscopes, Rudini, RumsfeldResign, Safina, SallyCat, Sanuk, Sark Svemes, sboucher, scooter in brooklyn, Scrapyard Ape, seenaymah, Senor Unoball, sewaneepat, sfbob, sgary, Shahryar, sheddhead, shesaid, Shifty18, shmuelman, shopkeeper, sidious666, sidnora, slksfca, slowbutsure, smartcookienyc, smeesq, Smoh, snoopydawg, snorwich, SnyperKitty, SoCalHobbit, SoCalSal, sofia, soonergrunt, sostos, sowsearsoup, SpecialKinFlag, spmozart, spotDawa, SpotTheCat, StateOfGrace, Statusquomustgo, stiffneck, stonekeeper, suesue, sunbro, Super Grover, susans, Syoho, tallmom, tarkangi, Tay, tdslf1, teknospaz, The Eyewitness Muse, The grouch, The Technomancer, The Termite, theatre goon, TheGeneral, TheStoopingRabbit, tigerdog, TigerMom, Tim DeLaney, tiredofcrap, TomP, tonyahky, Toyotabob7, TracieLynn, TreeFrog, triciawyse, tripodisblack, trs, trueblueliberal, TrueBlueMajority, ttanner, Tulsonian, Turn VABlue, Turtle Bay, Tyto Alba, uc booker, UncleCharlie, Unduna, Unforgiven, ursoklevar, USArmyParatrooper, VA02 femocrat, Vacationland, valadon, Vayle, vc2, Vetwife, vgranucci, Via Chicago, Village expects idiot home soon, viral, vulcangrrl, waytac, webranding, Wee Mama, weelzup, Wes Opinion, Whimsical Rapscallion, willy be frantic, willy mugobeer, Wood Dragon, wolfie1818, Wordsinthewind, Wreck Smurfy, x, xopher, yet another liberal, Zotz