Smoke Free

[AussieBarney]

Yesterday, Oh, my lord, What a day!!! Up at sparrows, three hours of driving, a marriage ceremony, a wedding lunch then three hours of driving. If there was ever a reason to suck ona durrie this was it. but, no, Barney was a good boy and kept the mongrels at bay.

My son and daughter-in-law, that's a beautiful thing to be able to write, do not follow any particular religious belief or practice. They decided to have a civil ceremony at the state registory office where a government official conducted the rite according to law. A little dry and plain for my taste, there again, not my day. But, grandpa got to hold Nicholis and keep him amused and for that privelige I would have crawled through hell on freshly amputated legs. Sha-Sha looked radiant and Joshua looked very dapper in his bag of fruit. I will try to post a photo or two later. I have managed to upload the evidence to the puter, now the trick of getting them to the forum.

As I am going to have, Have a beautiful day, stay safe, be kind to yourself and stay off the durries.

[Mrleft8]

Excellent Barn! I'm glad it all went splendidly! Yer a tuff old fart, and we all know the old farts are the strongest!

[AussieBarney]

Tuff old fart!!! be buggered. I am one of the worlds great wusses. A little thing like a nicotine addiction and I start carrying on like a big girls blouse.

Anyhow, Why is it I'm working like a dog in my shed and I cant seem to put in more than ten minutes a day on my own projects? It is the most frustrating thing at the moment. The urge to smoke is still, at times so bad I drool, Literally. I kid you not, A bad day today. If I had them I would have smoked I wanted to go an buy some but I managed to get through without them, I just added to the bite marks in the corrugated tin.

They put 24 hours in every day and I seem to run out of day at about hour 15. I gonna have to speak to the man about this.

Anyhow, again this post is at the wrong end of the day, I hope you had a good one, for our cousins across the lake, I hope it is a good one

Stay safe, be good and be kind to yourself........ Oh yeah no Durries

[PeterSibley]

No durries mate, I never did them, well a packet or two as a kid but I didn't like the taste and let them go. Lucky me. They killed every man in my family.

Keep it going and easy on the corro .

[htom]

Barney, those cravings are going to be there for years. They become less frequent, and less intense, but they're always going to be there, popping up when you least expect them. Just say "No", or "Not today", and go on. Quitting smoking and staying quit is, really, one of the hardest things to do, and this is why. I must have quit a hundred times before I stayed quit.

[AussieBarney]

Yesterday was ANZAC day for us. So, I do nothing on this day. It is a tradition. Like this not smoking is going to be.

They have these really evil adds on the T.V. about the effects of smoking, if they dont get you to quit, nothing will. I'm just cruising along using the sucker. The bride reckons I use it like a baby uses it's comforter.

If it helps I dont care what it looks like.

Take care, be good and be kind to yourself. That means don't smoke. (Gawd, I sound like Yul Brynner) The guy who was famous for being in "The King and I" Mind you, I think the lad passed away from smoking so I think he might have a point

[PeterSibley]

G'day Barney , lookin' forward to seeing you up this way !

[seanz]

You get to visit Peter? I'm jealous.


Keep up the good work, Barney.

[AussieBarney]

I've just experienced a visit from the gremlins of the computer kind. Just cruising and trying to keep it together.

I wonder if any of the other forum members in NSW have seen those T.V. adds about smoking, Gawd, they make it grim.

It scares me, I'll tell ya.

Anyhow, this thing is still playing up, I'm outa here.

[Mrleft8]

I almost bought a pack the other day. I was pretty much forced to go to Wal*Mart, a place that I despise more than pretty much anywhere on earth. I had the expected nightmareish experience there, complete with NASCAR shopping cart (only turns left), and chatterbox check-out lady with breath that could choke a horse.... And right there behind the register is a wall of brightly colored boxes of smokes with big signs advertising the low LOW prices (Still over twice what they were when I quit 5 years ago).... But the price, and the fact that they didn't have Lucky Strikes kept me sane, and by the time I'd signed the credit card slip to pay for plastic garbage that was broken when I opened the boxes at home, I was safe..... But those point of sale impulse buying spots really ought to be on the list of places that cigs can't be advertised.....

[AussieBarney]

Here, they have to have the smokes covered so the little ones dont see what they are missing

I dont have the problem of impluse buying. If I bought smokes, my bride would implusively kick me half to death and ban me to the shed without any marital privelges.

I have finally installed the stove in my shed. I bought it at the tip for $15. The flue kit cost $450.
Even though the temps dont get below freezing, ever, I will be able to work with epoxy when the temp. is below 22C'.
I'm getting real flash, the shed has its own toilet, stove and I have to install the sink, once thats done, all I need is a hammock and when I get exiled to the shed I will be comfortable.
Now that i have the shed set up I wont be allowed to get in there. I have still got a couple of big jobs on so we will see

Take care, begood and be kind to yourself. And stay off the durries, on good authority I been told their no good for ya.

Meli, how is your effort going? Please say that you have made some progress. Mind you, with the rat problem you got, it might be a bit hard.

[Mrleft8]

Wow! a toilet in the shed.....and soon a sink!....
Just remember that you need to have each one drain into different buckets.... The sink one you can use to lubricate your water stones..... The other one....enh.... Not so much!
(There's a real honest to god story behind that comment, but I'm waiting for my brother and sister-in-law to die before I tell it all...)

[Oldad]

I did not read all of the posts so sorry if someone already said what I am about to. Quitting smoking is the hardest thing i ever did. Tried many times. I started when I was twelve, became a pack a day smoker in no time. Totally addicted for thirty years. They lied when they said it was not addictive. Here is the secret and it is so simple. You have to want to quit. Not know you should or think you should. You have to want to. That's it. Forget the gimmiks, forget chewing gum, patches and all the rest. Why? If you backslide you will blame the gimmik and not the one responsible for not really wanting to quit... you! Instead substitute hard physical exercise every time the urge strikes, scream, swear, anything (except kicking the dog--that will just make you feel worse) but do not pick up a butt. Long deep breaths work too. If you mean it you can do it. But only if you mean it.
Oldad

[agadaleta@internode.on.ne]

G,Day Barney,
I smoked for some 25-30 years, my wife did not like me smoking, but not nearly as much my two boys did. I had tried aproximatley 10-12 times to quit unsucessfully. I desperatley wanted to quit but could not beat the habbit, even with my youngest child beleiving i would drop dead if i had another cigarett, (the power of advertising on 6 yr olds). My eldest boy 8 yrs at the time would even destroy any cigarettes he fould in my car or brief case so that it would stop me having the next cigarett. Things were so bad I would have to hide my cigaretts and lie about my habbit to make my children belive i had stopped smoking, belive me i felt really bad every time i sneaked a smoke without their knowledge. June 2001 my eldest boy 11yr old at the time anounced he wanted a family meeting with me, my wife and both the boys to discuss my smoking habbit,(unknown to me they all knew I was still smoking). My wife & both boys had decided i would quit this time or they would be financially better off. They had a contract that they wanted me to sign and adhere to that basically went like this, if I smoked again I would have to pay each of the boys $500.00 & my wife $1000.00 for the first cigarett & $250.00 for each cigarette there after. I have never smoked from that day on it was not easy, thou I am so thankful to my wife & boys & now I cannot stand the smell of burning tabaco. I believe anyone can quit with the right motivation, it is just a case of finding the motivating factor that suits you.

I hope my post will help others kick the discusting habit that smoking is

Tony

[paulf]

Hi Barney,
When I was in the Marines they put 4 smokes in every meal (Viet Nam).
In those days they sold them in country for $1.00 (10 cents a pack) a Carton.

And yes after meny years the urge rears it's ugly head, I even sniff my old pipes and think....maby this won't hurt just once, but no way!!

Doc says it's the best thing you can do for your health. And it's a grim death. I had a friend die of lung cancer.....long and painful.
PaulF

[AussieBarney]

G'Day all, lets see if this works. I ve been having a few computer problems of late. I have not been ignoring this.

Yeah Palf, i know where you are coming from, many years ago, when I was not a good boy I spent some time with Her Majesty. While I was there I was issued with 4oz of a very strong tobbacco called "White Ox" a week. Fair dinkum mate, That stuff would kill a black dog forty feet against the wind. It was a Dutch Black Shag and it was rank. One of the abiding memories of that episode.

Jeez, Secrets are out !!!

Be good, take care and be kind to yourself.

Boats coming along. Did a big cloth job.

[PeterSibley]

Here, they have to have the smokes covered so the little ones dont see what they are missing

I dont have the problem of impluse buying. If I bought smokes, my bride would implusively kick me half to death and ban me to the shed without any marital privelges.

I have finally installed the stove in my shed. I bought it at the tip for $15. The flue kit cost $450.
Even though the temps dont get below freezing, ever, I will be able to work with epoxy when the temp. is below 22C'.
I'm getting real flash, the shed has its own toilet, stove and I have to install the sink, once thats done, all I need is a hammock and when I get exiled to the shed I will be comfortable.
Now that i have the shed set up I wont be allowed to get in there. I have still got a couple of big jobs on so we will see

Take care, begood and be kind to yourself. And stay off the durries, on good authority I been told their no good for ya.

Meli, how is your effort going? Please say that you have made some progress. Mind you, with the rat problem you got, it might be a bit hard.

Jealousy ! After 25 years in my shed I still don't even have running water. I did for 3 weeks then the rats ate through the poly pipe in 4 places and I learned my lesson.

[Mrleft8]

Rats.....
When Carter was in S.Africa the problem was elephants... They'd bathe in the pond/watering hole, then decide the water was too muddy to drink, so they'd rip the poly plumbing off the buildings and use them as pachyderm water fountains....

[PeterSibley]

Elephants I can do without !!

[George Jung]

Gives the saying 'the elephants in the room' a whole new flavor.

[AussieBarney]

Ive just lost my whole post, the forum wouldn't respond so Windows in their wisdom, closed the program and rebooted it. Gone, poof, It's the first time it's happened to me in four years so I cant complain.

Any how this no smoking gig is making me do long hours on jobs I have left for to long. I'm glad I'm doing it.

I,m out of here Goodnight all

[Mrleft8]

I hate it when that happens..... (The losing post thing.... Not the extra time for getting stuff done!)

[AussieBarney]

After 53 bloody long hard years, You would think a man could read a tape. I'm finishing the fences around here and I have two sets of gates to hang with small panels to fill in the gaps. I'm using 4by4 ironbark posts to hang the gates, I dont trust the steel posts they supply with the gates

So, this morning I measured twice, twice mind you, and, guess bloody what. After I had sunk four holes in yellow clay using a spud bar and a post hole shovel I found out that I had measured wrong, I was 250mm or 10 inches out. every hole had to be enlarged by that amount. I ended up with holes that were twice as big as they should have been. Not only was it a double effort, it cost me a fortune in concrete cause I had to fill the holes

Apart from being completely nackered, I feel like a complete idiot. If any day was the day for a relapse, today was the day.

I did not go and by any ciggarettes. I was a good boy.

So, does anybody else do dumb things like that or am I on my lonesome with this?

I think I am on my own giving up the durries, Nobody else seems to be having a go. Is there anyone else giving it a whirl? I know Meli is or was trying to cut down, I hope Meli is still getting ready for the big push.

I,m going to cruise the bilge an then get my head down for some sleep.

So, Stay safe, be good and DON'T SMOKE. The Surgeon General of the United States says it's bad for my, our health. If that is the case, why do they allow people to sell a product that kills. Isn't that, at least, manslaughter?

[Bobby of Tulsa]

My tape measure lies to me all the time, don't be feeling to bad about yours. You are doing a great job beating the smokes.

[Mrleft8]

They put too many numbers and little lines on tape measures.
It's not just you guys...... I saw it happen to 3 different people, besides me, in one day!

[chas]

LOL, Here's your problem, Barney

"I was 250mm or 10 inches out." You gotta get off the fence. Are you an Imperial Man or a metri-gnome? A man's worth has no comparison when you are being measured by a "meterstick". Who wants only ten eggs when you can get a dozen for the same price? You were installing 4x4 posts, not some 780mmx780mm aberration! Those type of measurements are for mechanics and...well, the rest of the mathematically challenged universe.

Or ... do like I do and get a tape with a wide blade and just one set of really big #'s. And blame it on the help, that always works for me, and 53 is really too young to use age as an excuse. You needs be at least 57-58 before that is allowed.

Glad to see you're hanging tough; Keep it up! / Jim

[htom]

Barney, if that was the biggest mistake I made in a day, I'd think I'd had a great day!

[AussieBarney]

Chas, Mate I was being nice!!!! I was translating metric to imperial for the benefit of the people who don't own a two sided tape or have never heard of the metric system,like people who were educated in Texas

I was about 13 when Australia changed over to metrics. I can and do work in both systems, often at the same time. What my problem was, "I just read the tape wrong". no excuse. I compounded the problem by allowing the error to be transferred along the fence to each hole as I marked out.

I finished the job today and it came out reasonably good. The gap between the gates is too big so I will get a strip of steel and make a cover to fix that problem.

When you stuff up a job, you show your ability by how you dream up the way to cover it up and make it work anyway.

I had an almost relapse today. I was standing waiting for the bride to get a cut and polish at the beauticians and there was this mob of teenagers smoking in the laneway and I almost, almost bludged a smoke. The temptation was overwhelming, but, being the hero that I am, I resisted I still like the smell of tobbacco, funny HUH? I just like to make my own life as difficult as I can.

I'll take this opportunity to thank everyone again for their support.

I'm gone, Take care, be good and be kind to yourself

Do not smoke, remember, if you do you are making someone filthy rich at the expense of your health

[Mrleft8]

Chas, Mate I was being nice!!!! I was translating metric to imperial for the benefit of the people who don't own a two sided tape or have never heard of the metric system,like people who were educated in Texas

There's yer problem right there Barn..... That's like trying to dig an upside down hole.....

[skuthorp]

I had an almost relapse today. I was standing waiting for the bride to get a cut and polish at the beauticians and there was this mob of teenagers smoking in the laneway and I almost, almost bludged a smoke. The temptation was overwhelming, but, being the hero that I am, I resisted I still like the smell of tobbacco, funny HUH? I just like to make my own life as difficult as I can.

I haven't read this thread being a non smoker since I was about 23. Took it up as a teenager and gave it up when I nearly drowned in WA. I was pipe smoker, beautiful aromatic Rhodesian tobacco, but it still stank on your clothes. But in times of stress the temptation still surfaces 45 years later..

[fishrswim]

Barney- I just checked in for my smile after a weeks absence. Honestly you can't start up again, I depend on you for my daily smile. No pressure.

[AussieBarney]

Thanks, Fisher, No pressure, Huh? The press just came down at least another two turns. One of the reasons that I am making this effort is that all the forumites who reply to my musings are cheering me on and I thank everyone for their support.

If I am going to try and write something on a daily basis, I can, at least, try to be somewhat amusing. I am glad that one person finds that I have some sense of humor. My bride tells me I have the sense of humor of a junkyard dog in a good mood.

I got roped into attending a baby shower today. If you lot dont have this strange ritual, it's when a pregnant women has a party, usually in the afternoon, and she and all her bloody mates sit around talking about babies and bitching about their husbands and kids. I'd rather be staked out on an anthill covered in honey, I kid you not!!!

I survived, with my sanity intact. It was a close run thing,but I am a tough old sod and I made some rather strange excuse which involved epoxy and heat, with the outcome being the loss of civilization unless I got home to save the world.

Anyhow, I have a bottle of Jim Beam calling me and by the time I'm finished the tide is going to be out.

Stay safe, be good and be kind to yourself. And, Just to stay on message, keep your grubby little whatsists of off the smokes, my mum tells me they'll stunt your growth

[Mrleft8]

Jim Beam..... That leads me to a question that's been hounding me for years, but I've never bothered to look up.... Do you Andy Podiums have any whiskey distilleries, or do you just drink the stuff your cousins in Scotland, Ireland and North Hamerica send over?

[pila]

Hang in there !
I had a heart doc check me over last year ( the wife's doctor) which showed no problems. (I still renew my FAA medical without any problems.) He asked if I smoked, to which I answered yes. He asked how long...I said over 60 years ( I'm 80) and he just shook his head. A bit late in life to get too excited about it for health reasons, but it costs too much money !!

[McMike]

I was at an open market where one of the vendors was smoking . . . it was the first time in 5+ years that the smell didn't trigger physical cravings. I can say that I am officially over them.

Keep up he good work, it's worth it!!!

[seanz]

Jim Beam..... That leads me to a question that's been hounding me for years, but I've never bothered to look up.... Do you Andy Podiums have any whiskey distilleries, or do you just drink the stuff your cousins in Scotland, Ireland and North Hamerica send over?

Yes, we are whisk(e)y deprived, please send some emergency supplies, we are desperate.

There's boutique distilleries but nothing large-scale springs to mind.

Keep it up Barney, you're a bloody inspiration and I don't even smoke.

[AussieBarney]

Ive been away at university at an intensive study block. so I have not had the time to get oline. It's easy to not even think about smoking there, they're deadly serious about their no smoking policy. so there is no smoking in buildings or under walkways. And, you are too busy to scatch any way. I,m studying for my degree in Social Work and the word intensive can be taken literally, there is 11 three hour tutorials over four days. at the end you feel like your brain is a bowl of soup

Any how I hope everyone is doing well.
I ve been travelling for about 9 hours today and I'm outa here
Take care.

[PeterSibley]

Doing well Barney , same to you mate.

[stevebaby]

Yes, we are whisk(e)y deprived, please send some emergency supplies, we are desperate.

There's boutique distilleries but nothing large-scale springs to mind.

Keep it up Barney, you're a bloody inspiration and I don't even smoke.

Hey, what about Corio? http://www.nicks.com.au/index.aspx?link_id=76.1611
You must be too young to remember it (for which you may thank your deity of choice) but once tasted it was never to be forgotten.I've had a few homemade spirits (slivovitz) but Corio was the vilest concoction ever distilled.

Good work on the durries Barney, and good luck with the degree.

[George Jung]

Good to see you're still kickin' a$$, Barney. As Yogi Berra said, 'It's 90% mental, and the other 50% is physical'!

[Le Bateau Ivre]

Quitting smokingis theeasiest thing in theworld ...I havealready stopped600 times
Bye bye dall'Italia.
Bob.

[Steve McMahon]

I'm back with you Barney. My Daughter bought me the book " The Easy way to Quit Smoking" which worked for her.
http://www.theeasywaytostopsmoking.com/

I'm on day 2 again...... but very determined. Pity anyone who crosses me over the next few days. They will never find the bodies.

[RFNK]

Tuff old fart!!! be buggered. I am one of the worlds great wusses. A little thing like a nicotine addiction and I start carrying on like a big girls blouse.

Anyhow, Why is it I'm working like a dog in my shed and I cant seem to put in more than ten minutes a day on my own projects? It is the most frustrating thing at the moment. The urge to smoke is still, at times so bad I drool, Literally. I kid you not, A bad day today. If I had them I would have smoked I wanted to go an buy some but I managed to get through without them, I just added to the bite marks in the corrugated tin.

They put 24 hours in every day and I seem to run out of day at about hour 15. I gonna have to speak to the man about this.

Anyhow, again this post is at the wrong end of the day, I hope you had a good one, for our cousins across the lake, I hope it is a good one

Stay safe, be good and be kind to yourself........ Oh yeah no Durries

Yeah! Don't let him call you a fart ever again!! Call him a fart back!

Good on you Barney, and you too Steve! It probably really annoys people giving up when everyone (especially non-smokers!) says `good on you' etc. - it would annoy me! But we know it's really hard and ...... impressive! So we mean well at least!!

Rick

[AussieBarney]

I,m in the throes of the most savage virus attack on my computer at the moment, bad enough that i think the computer is going to be trashed. I'm writing this on a borrowed lap top. I wont be able to post for at least a fortnight. The computer whizz I have looking at it says it's bad. The whole nine yards have been wiped and the virus has created damage to the hardware. I have to wait to pay his fee and then buy a new set of hardware and then hope I dont get a second dose. I had the required security protocols in place so ?????

Anyhoe enough of my issues, I hope everyone is well and that the dreaded durries dont latch on.

[chas]

"Anyhoe enough of my issues, I hope everyone is well and that the dreaded durries dont latch on. " ...There's some hardware that works better after you quit smoking, Barney. The trade-off is worth it, LOL. Keep up the good fight! / Jim

[Steve McMahon]

Good luck with the computer Barney. I'm now smoke free for 5 days. I was very disoriented for the first few days and found it hard to concentrate on anything. It's getting much better now. I pick up the book every day and read a few lines to remind myself that I am in fact not giving something up, but rather I am stopping a disease. I also remind myself that having smoked for 33 years I have so much to gain.

[George Jung]

Good post, Steve. It is (and should be) a real eye-opener, hearing you (and others) describe the effects of nicotine withdrawal. Always amazes me we allow the sale of such a nasty, addictive drug. But it points out the obvious - government is addicted to the taxes on tobacco (and a whole lot of other stuff).

Hang tough, both of you.

[George Jung]

Microsoft Security Essentials might be an option. Seems to work very well, and.... it's 'free'. Make sure it's active and updated!

[PeterSibley]

Mate, format the thing and load Linux. No viruses and free support, it's really good and trouble free.

I,m in the throes of the most savage virus attack on my computer at the moment, bad enough that i think the computer is going to be trashed. I'm writing this on a borrowed lap top. I wont be able to post for at least a fortnight. The computer whizz I have looking at it says it's bad. The whole nine yards have been wiped and the virus has created damage to the hardware. I have to wait to pay his fee and then buy a new set of hardware and then hope I dont get a second dose. I had the required security protocols in place so ?????

Anyhoe enough of my issues, I hope everyone is well and that the dreaded durries dont latch on.

[fishrswim]

I,m in the throes of the most savage virus attack on my computer at the moment, bad enough that i think the computer is going to be trashed. I'm writing this on a borrowed lap top. I wont be able to post for at least a fortnight. The computer whizz I have looking at it says it's bad. The whole nine yards have been wiped and the virus has created damage to the hardware. I have to wait to pay his fee and then buy a new set of hardware and then hope I dont get a second dose. I had the required security protocols in place so ?????

Anyhoe enough of my issues, I hope everyone is well and that the dreaded durries dont latch on.

Might be time to check out a Mac.