The Good: This week has been a good balance of work, parenting and play. I’m a huge fan of Horse Racing so the Cheltenham Festival each March is a highlight of my calendar. 28 races over four days and I like to have a flutter on every race. Given I have an addictive personality gambling is a danger, as it is to many so I’m very disciplined with my betting hobby. I track all my bets and record my overall spend, losses and returns. As a general rule I bet within a monthly deposit limit and more often that not, use my previous monies won so it has little impact on my family life funds. It’s a slippery slope and considering I’ve already succumbed to alcohol I’m extra vigilant when it come to crossing the line of enjoyment into desperation.
My training for the several 10km road races I’ve got booked up is going well. I’m covering plenty miles each week and complimenting the strain to my body from running by going to yoga classes too. It’s good to have some positive dates in the calendar this year and the opportunity to take part in events which will have such a great atmosphere and raise countless amounts of money for charities far and wide. On a personal note, I’m fundraising for Prostate Cancer UK this year so if you would like to make a small donation you can via my secure donations page – all monies go direct to the charity!
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/barriesnerunning
The Bad: I’ve been talking about this a little on Twitter via @The_HappyDaddy but my sweet tooth has grown from nowhere since I stopped drinking. I was never really fussed on chocolate and co. in the past but in reality my body was getting it’s sugar fix from all the beer and wine I was consuming! Now that I’m feeding my body those sugar reserves from the bottle it is only natural I crave it from elsewhere. Speaking to others in recovery I’m in good company and it’s good I’m recognising this still relatively early in my sobriety. The danger is replacing one addiction with another so whilst I won’t kick myself too much, I do need to consider putting limitations in place.
The Crazy: Well, it’s hard to ignore the growing mess being created in Ukraine by that evil man Putin. It’s so difficult to see the destruction, displacement and despair from so far away here in the UK and unable to do anything. I think of the children who won’t understand this yet they are experiencing terror like they’ve never seen. The World has it’s beauty but it also has it’s evil. I only hope humanity prevails in the weeks and months to come.
Take care everybody wherever you are in the World and maybe give your loved ones an extra squeeze this week.
Happy Daddy 