PART 4 PRAIRIEROSELADY- REACHING HOME BASE

TODAY  IS SATURDAY MARCH 10TH.- I  am on the back 40, of what I jokingly call the Ponderosa in ND.

FEELING VERY STRONG IN MY QUIT! TODAY IS DAY 33.....I never thought I could do it!!!!! Never in a Million

Years, did I think I'd make the 1620 plus a few extra miles,4  long days,instead of 3...Trapped in a SUV with a very dear friend and SMOKE! Especially, when you are pretty NEW to YOUR QUIT!!!! She continued to be considerate of my Quit. I do like cinnamon 2mg Nic. gum, but only used 2 pcs. a day and my 14 mg. patch.

I did however, chew alot of gum, ate all kinds candy,sunseeds,pretzels,apple fritters and almonds....BIG suppers when we stopped at night. I did expect to cough alot from the 2nd. hand smoke.... That didn't happen either!  I was exhausted every night and fell into a coma like sleep instantly!  Awaken early  in the morning, quietly dress and take Mazy outside. Aspermont TX is NO place to spend the night! Nice Enough Community,  Grateful for a decent bed. A DQ to order something to eat... The ONLY Motel was one of those built in late 50's or early 60's. Very small room,2 queens sqoze in,a tiny table,1chair,nightstand,TV,window air and small bathroom....Served our purpose and happy we found it! It was clean, but felt TOO crowded and tight for my skin!!!!!! I am ALSO NOT A HAPPY CAMPER WITHOUT A HOT CUP OF COFFEE... RIGHT OUT OF BED!!!!There

was none to be had,until we loaded and stopped to fuel up.....Beginning Another Long Day...Knowing with every mile north the storms were raging on!!!!!!!!! Checking weather often to see just HOW FAR SOUTH THIS BIG STORM WAS GOING.......SURE ALL THE EMOTIONAL STUFF I WAS FEELING AND NOT EXPRESSING WAS THE QUIT..........My ADDICTION SCREAMING go buy a menthol and walk the parking lot with Mazy....I 

DID NOT DO THAT!!! It would have been so EASY!!! OH MY GOD!!!! I SURE WANTED TOO!!!! I PRAYED and I THANK GOD FOR ALL THOSE PRAYING FOR ME...... I had in the NEW stash: red and black licorce,hot cinnamon candies,menthol cough drops,milk duds,mm's,coke-cola......I Nibbled my way North. I also read,crocheted on my afghan,played a game,read at the site on my phone... and as Navagator, watched the GPS for our road.

Monday was sunny and temps were much cooler than we left behind us but still comfortable at 45-50. As the afternoon was turning to early evening we couldn't see any good sized towns on our Atlas or GPS. We had come across the last of Texas,Oklahoma and a good part of Kansas. After some calls and no luck in places to stay. We ended up stopping in Colby Kansas. This is good sized with more than 1 place. The temps. had been cooling off while wind had come up. We hadn't seen any snow....The wind was darn COLD and escalating ....

We Found a nice Days Inn who accepted pets. Ended up spending 2 days there. Not our 1st. choice! The storms weren't over up north. The immediate problem was Kansas had a 35-45 mph sustained wind with guts of 70+ mph...The truck stop close to us was full of semi's. As more and more SUV and Cars/Pickups pulled off the road and found lodging. Matters were made worse with 2 prairie fires and the high winds.

We were so happy to be there. The breakfasts were great! If you left hungry, it was because; you didn't want to eat. The Bar and Grill attached to the Days Inn had wonderful food. They even had room service. This worked well with Mazy. She was tired, wanted to roam the room and have her grandma fuss over her. ON Thursday the weather was good and we headed out early in the morning. Reports told us the storms were over in ND,SD and NE. We made very good time,stopping only for fuel and quick lunch. We were tired and just wanted to get home.

This was day 4 since leaving Texas. The other side of Pierre SD we started running into patches of slush and short stretches of ice. The roads in SD slowed us down and were stressing us out! Neither of us like slush or icy roads. When we hit ND the roads were much improved,as they put their people out immediately and keep cleaner highways and interstates. My girlfriend was smoking more as she was stressed and fatigued..... I did

used my cinnamon nic gum (2mg-2 pcs) that day.... I didn't SMOKE,but sure I had my share of 2nd. hand smoke. I was wearing my 14 mg. patch! I believe it was 7 ish, when we pulled into Steele. My hubby arrived shortly,we quickly loaded my stuff into his truck. After he fooled with Mazy who was now excited to be on home turf!!!!!

Our county road to the place was packed with snow and wheel tracks down the road. Not a problem for a big truck.....

I think, my hubby was as surprised as I was...that I made it through all that MESS AND WAS STILL A NON-SMOKER!!!! Huge stressors in traveling that far,knowing storms were in front of us. PROBLEMS WITH FINDING LODGING, as well as different types of storms in Kansas. I prayed,I felt prayers of many others I contacted before leaving TX. I distracted myself with needlework,kindle,phone games,candy and snacks. Watches the GPS and Atlas closely for us...... 

MY POINT IS:IF A 45 YR. SMOKER, CAN TAKE THAT LENGTHY JOURNEY, AS A FAIRLY NEW QUITTER AND ARRIVE HOME STILL A NON-SMOKER AND COUNTING UP THE DAYS OF FREEDOM! The cravings were not that bad! ANYBODY CAN DO IT!!!!! You have to want to be FREE BADLY ENOUGH, TO WALK THE WALK, NOT JUST TALK THE TALK......I am so Happy I found the site! I will NEVER BE A SMOKER AGAIN! I will tell you that I am a couple months away from my 64 birthday! I've known the Risks of Smoke for decades. I haven't lived under a rock..... I just had NEVER SPENT THE TIME TO TRULY PREPARE FOR THE LONG HAUL AND THE QUIT!

I AM A N.O.P.E.   ...alot of people will be truly surprised, when they realize I Quit! We haven't told anyone, but my prayer warriors,my sister and hubby...Going to wait and see how long it takes for all the people in my world to realize what changed. I must tell you for the 1st. time in my entire LIFE,I am CALM and RELAXED most of the time!  Do I still have my Moments! Absolutely! Do they last? Not Very Long! Sometimes, I even cuss the situation I am straightening out..... DO I WANT TO LIGHT UP???????   NOT ONE BIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope and pray, if you haven't started your journey...it will be soon. If you're on your journey and finding the road rough and tough.....Dig in!!!! Use this site! The tools...Strengthen your resolve! Do whatever it takes to free yourself...You will NEVER BE SORRY!!!!!!!  Prairie 34 DOF