Couch 228--The Wellness Couch

My plan which is the same thing I did for Amelia is to keep new cat in the spare bedroom for as long as it takes for new cat to want to explore her surroundings. Amelia took 7 to 10 days but I know it can be much quicker than that. Amelia will have the rest of the house (and backyard) at this point. When new kitty goes to explore the house for the first time, I'll put Amelia in the room and let new kitty have the run of the house. Step three, introduce the two and pray that they get along!

HUGS @LostOnTheTrail

I don't self harm anymore, but I also started to comfort much eat more. It's in the title = comfort. Maybe when things have settled down it would be better, but at this moment what other non food stuff brings you comfort?

Blankets? Hot tea?

*I get it's almost summer now!

Awww you sound like a very thoughtful owner!

Hugs, Lost. So near the beginning of the pandemic, when I was really stressed about it, I was talking to Dr. T about my drinking, if I should work on reducing it. He said not to focus on that right then, to try to focus on other self-care things. That it's easier to add positive coping things in (like, say, mindfulness, exercise, distraction by watching a TV show, doing an art project, things like that) than to take something away.


So maybe try that? Like maybe try to not have the emotional eating increase, just keep around the same level. But add in other helpful stuff to help you cope.

Thanks, Cake and LT.

I like Dr. T's take on it. I started a course at the beginning of the month, specifically for self care...but as things have intensified in my world, that has slipped. I need to get back into that, because I always feel like I've achieved something when I make a page in my journal.


I'm starting an Introduction to Therapeutic Writing course on Sunday as well, which will probably involve some personal practice.

I was super butch today and it isn't even 3:00. I installed a cell booster and I screwed a large storage box to the roof of my rv (measuring and power tools and roofs at the same time) and I cut memory foam to replace the rv mattresses (electric knife and measuring =no power tools on that one).

Hey electric knife is so a power tool!

Had Pizza at work today for lunch (it was a group thing) and then the boss bought ice cream for 2 o'clock break. Meanwhile I haven't made my step goal yet!

SK i hope you find a new cat on Saturday. I am sure Amelia and the dog will be just fine.

My eldest daughter is getting ready to move to the Covid ridden state next month. This state boasted that they have gold standard quarantine hotels and tip top contact tracing and yet every couple of months there are new lockdowns and they take forever to find the source, which is usually from the quarantine hotel.

Thanks so much Daffydungle! I've put a lot of thought (and experience) into how to introduce them (and read a ton of online articles) but I am hoping everything goes smoothly!

That sounds scary!

All her close friends are there and it will be easier to get job there.

Ah, that makes sense.

My birthday is at the end of the month and I wanted to either go to Olive Garden or go to a local Italian Restaurant. But my sister and who knows how many of her kids are coming down for my birthday so I don't want my Dad to have to pay like $250 or $300 for a dinner. So I said maybe Mom could make spaghetti for my birthday (she makes really good sauce) and an Angel food cake and we could go to an Italian Restaurant another day. My Dad was totally fine with that.

Since we are going to Disneyland for my birthday (but not until July) I bought the tickets and the hotel room and the parking so my Dad is going to pay for the food in the park and whatever else we buy at the shops. I like experiencing my birthday with experiences instead of just presents. Especially the older I get. Ha. It's like I have enough stuff, but not enough memories. My parents haven't been to Disneyland since 2016 and I haven't been since right before the pandemic hit. I was there last in December 2019. So I am super excited for a Disney Trip. Plus I have never stayed in one of the Disneyland Hotels so I am excited for that too.

I am super craving Italian food!

Had an interesting session earlier today, poor L, I was pinging all over the damn place - no focus or filter whatsoever. Bless her heart, she kept up with me. It's like the shamanic work we did last week and my subsequent practice/work this past week, I'm finally letting go of stuff big time and it has left free space in my mind or something?? Hard to explain. She said she could 'feel' that space. Anyway it was a good session. We talked more about the animus and working with it instead of it taking me over and stuff.

Morning couchies. I'm up & at 'em early this morning, just finishing breakfast. Hugs to those who want.

I signed up for another online workshop about the Imagination Matrix - dream tending and deep imagination. I so dig this stuff. Last time there were like 200 people on the call. It starts in about an hour so I could have slept in but I'm too excited so I got up!

'I have enough stuff, but not enough memories.'

That's a great way of putting it, Kit. Makes me think differently about birthday/Christmas gifts, for sure.

I like that too Kit, the "It's like I have enough stuff, but not enough memories." I have always been the kind of person who keeps every thing, couldn't throw anything away. I did a major purge of 'stuff' before we moved, donated a lot of things that were still serviceable and if it wasn't, recycled or tossed. My new house is staying clutter-free so far and we've been here 2 weeks as of today. I am hoping this will continue, and if it doesn't bring me joy, it's not coming into this house. And I'm also being more about the making memories going forward. I love that.

Thinking about you today as you go see the cats! Can't wait to hear all about it.

Speaking of the making memories thing. One of the best anniversary gifts my siblings and I gave our parents was for their 50th anniversary in 2008, we all pitched in and bought them a cruise. They didn't need "stuff", they had plenty of things, but my brother came up with the cruise idea instead and it turned out to be an awesome trip for them. My Dad didn't want to go initially because he thought it was stupid but I think he ended up enjoying it more than my Mom did. I remember him raving about it after they got back home, he just couldn't get over that you could go eat anytime you wanted 24x7 and not have to pay for it. haha. (He was the type of person who would, when traveling, always take pictures of his food in restaurants haha)

Damn it. I paid to access the online screening of Gabor Maté's new film The Wisdom of Trauma. Every time I try to watch it, I'm not in the right headspace. I think I have until Monday, but I'm worried I'm going to blow it.

My dogs are hard to convince that it is too hot to walk in the middle of the day but that we will go when the sun sets. They are creatures of habit. The cats love the heat but my heavy coated dog doesn't get far from the air vents - he likes to cool his privates by lying on the vents

I cancelled my home phone today, and upgraded my internet modem to a newer one that has a built-in router. (Needed a new router, which is what started all of this haha). The cost of my internet went up since it's not bundled with phone anymore, but I'm still saving $10 a month over what it cost for both phone and internet so I'm happy. Plus, the new modem/router combo has better wifi coverage than my old modem did so that's awesome.