2571.5 Trip Miles ~

It was a long round trip drive in a short amount of time.
But a fun and interesting adventure it was.

Niagara Falls was exceptionally cool ... and that coming from someone who's been to the southern tip of Africa. Niagara is every bit of an awesome sight to see. I highly recommend the journey to anyone who hasn't been.

A long road trip with not one cigarette. Of course, if I haven't had one in over 420 days there's no reason to think I would start on this vacation ... Except when you realize long car trips are great opportunities for smoking! What else is there to do in the car? But, I passed. No cheating what-so-ever.

Odd though ... just last week I wrote about the smoking dreams happening less frequently and this week, while in NY, I had two very real smoking dreams in a row!

The second dream even had me contemplating how to write about the 'set back' in my blog and whether I start my entire count down over? Do I confess to my failings and just move on? or have a back slash in my quit days?

Example: 420/1 and start the whole thing over after the back slash ...

I woke so disappointed I had to sit up and shake myself awake and realize it was only a dream and I could lay back down to enjoy the rest of my night and the next day of my STILL smoke free life!

Road Trip ~

Rochester NY ~ Ready or Not, Here I Come ~

My last child is going off to college.

I'm leaving today on a 7 day road trip to drive him to New York State.

I don't anticipate this being your typical College Road Trip, since we are Father and Son.

That being said, it WON'T be the driving adventures of my youth,

Smoking All The Way!

I swear, it was absolutely no big deal to drive half way across the country to New Orleans, burning an entire package of smokes along the way!

Of course, once you're in NOLA, still a very smoking friendly city, total cigarette consummation doubles.

Yes, I believe this to be a much tamer drive ...

And I'm sure my son will enjoy the smoke free ride!

Wish me luck ~

Still Dreaming ~

They are getting less and less and further and further apart ...

But on occasion, I still have a cigarette smoking dream.
And the are still so very, very real.

Last night I was in a grounded airplane ... waiting for someone to let us all off the plane.
(Go figure -- is there a worse customer service industry??)

Finally, off the plane I was able to 'bum' a cigarette off another grounded passenger.
I smoked, and puffed, and enjoyed my first cigarette in 415 days!

"Sheeeet" ... I thought, so long and now I have had just his one. This one cigarette. One single smoke ........ "Now, I have to start my smoke free count all over again."
Shoot!! (censored, of course).

I am up for quite sometime before I realize it was all just a dream and I actually do not have to start all over .... I just have to continue plugging away .... one day at a time.

PS: Thanks Kate in MD :)

Good Morning, Maryland ~

59 Smoke Free Weeks!

Still reason to celebrate!

(a) I can't believe I've made it this long.

(b) I can't believe I rarely even miss it anymore.

Thank you Pam for your input, congratulations and encouragement.

I haven't posted in two weeks now. I think that's the longest I've gone without a post since I started nearly 415 days ago.

And I think I have about two followers out there anymore ... Cali and N.E. .... sometimes Barb from FLA.

I haven't decided to keep this going or not ...

Should I go for 1000 days?? That'd be over 3 years ... or should I just let my humble little blog die a slow and lonely death?

Someone please help me decide .... FJW

Day 400 And Still Blogging ~

Yes ~ If I'm still blogging, I'm still Smoke Free too!

When I first started I was sure I could make it if I really tried ... What I wasn't sure of was how long it would drive me absolutely NUTs. The best answer to that is it gets better each and every day.

What surprises me now is how bad my breathing still is. It IS a lot better from a year ago but it's still very bad, especially on high humidity days ... like the ones we've had here in the mid-west for the last few weeks.

So .... What I really want anyone who happens to see this and hasn't given up smoking yet ... Keep in mind that each passing day you continue you are doing your lungs irreparable damage and it's going to be harder and harder to recover from.

I know it's hard, but it's worth it. At least give it a try.

Asleep At The Wheel ~