The Evil Twin smoked for over 16 years until he quit about 2 and a half years ago. Quit cold turkey and still has not caved in. I'm so proud of him! However, I used to smoke with him, socially - like in the evenings with a glass of wine or a Zima or two (or three). It was our time to catch up on our day and discuss different matters. In the house we're in now, we have a workshop room (attached to the house, but has a door between it and the main house), so that was our smoking lounge. We never smoked in the house or around Buddy.
When the Evil Twin quit smoking, so did I - although I did have two cigs at my 20 year High School reunion last summer - bummed from a friend of mine who also smokes menthols.
I don't miss smoking nearly as much as ET, I'm sure. But, tonight is such a beautiful night. The weather is perfect and I can smell the fireflies in the air. I'd love to be out on our porch with a tasty cig and my glass of wine (P.S. to a reader who said her "friend" was Box Wine, mine is too, but I call it "Box o' Wine" and it's still Char Donnay! LOL).
The thing is, I know I could have a cigarette or two and not think about it for days or months or years from now. If the Evil Twin had even one cig, he'd be hooked again in about 5 seconds flat. Number 1, they're terrible for your health and Number 2, they're awfully expensive these days. Plus, we get a life and health insurance discount for being "non-smokers", so it pays off that way too.
I guess it's just certain memories trigger certain behaviors. My mom smoked until our Buddy was a year old. The docs put her on Wellbutrin and she did quit, but she'd been smoking over 50 years at that point. I grew up with that. I can recall perfect summer evenings smelling her cigarette smoke as we children played in the back yard and chased fire flies. It makes it soooo irresistable to me to NOT run down to the corner shopping mart and grab a pack of Marlboros. But, I can't! I can't because that's not fair to the Evil Twin. I'm soooo proud of him. The willpower he has shown since he quit is amazing. I want to be him when I grow up.
I started smoking at age 15 and I didn't quit util I was 38. Best thing I ever did!! I know that if I smoked even one now, I would be back to 2 packs a day by the end of the week. I am so proud of quitting (cold turkey) and now I have been a non-smoker longer than I was one. Hooray!!
ReplyDeleteBoth of my parents smoked and I couldn't stand it as a kid. I've never even tried once. (Not even the wacky kind!)
ReplyDeleteDad didn't stop until it was too late. Mom quit cold turkey immediately after he died. She had smoked for 55 years.
I'm very proud of her for quitting.
I quit 12 1/2 years ago.
ReplyDeleteTwo weeks ago, I threatened to knock my boss out and steal his cigarettes. (He told me I could just have the pack if I was THAT desperate!)
I went on vacation instead.
Some nights, when the moonlight is just right and the temperatures are just so, I think that nothing would be better than a St. David's Ale and a Marlboro Medium!
You are a great wife!
I have never smoked but grew up with parents tht did and lost my mom to lung cancer. I never liked the smell of cigs, but loved the smell of the sulfer from the matches!
ReplyDeleteI love the smell of cigarette smoke, especially on long summer nights. Good on ya for keeping the ET in mind, even if it means denying yourself something you know you could handle.
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