Over the last month I have been craving. I have a large garden. I can everything from green beans, pickles to tomatoe and salsa. Canning is a process that is broken up in lots of smaller taks....wash the jars, snap the beans, wash the beans, heat the canner, fill the jars, etc, etc. Set the timer and start all over again for the next load. Last year at this time, I wasn't very far in to my quit. I struggled, boy did I struggle! Every task completed used to be rewarded by a cig. There's alot of time where you're waiting on a timer... nothing else to do but smoke. After getting through it all last year, I thought I had that trigger whipped! So, I have been through all the seasons. It's canning season, and having been through it once smoke-free, I thought I'd be just fine. But....I get done with a task and I'm actually reaching for the pack and lighter! I've gone back to my coping tools of mints, ice water, even screaming! (haha) Last night, I decided to go searching for a post that joyfulspirit did for me about smoking pickles, but I couldn't find it. I did, however, find a post that I did at around 100 days that really put in to perspective what I'm going through now. I needed that reminder of how hard it can be...because today is NOTHING compared to what it was then! I automatically steer my thoughts to something else, pop in a mint or two. It's not so much a desire to smoke as it is a feeling of something missing in the process. I keep feeling like I'm forgetting something. So... in that post of long ago, I told joyful and Luna that I was gonna have to make some SSC Spirit Pickles. And so I have...they are a delicious dill with the kick of habanero! :eg: So there is still a little bit of ssssmokin' going on, but it has nothing to do with nicotine!! Okay...so this was a long-winded way of saying yes, sometimes you'll get hit with craves even after a year, BUT, you are much more capable of getting past them! Plus, a journal will really help you realize that even though it seems bad, it's not near as bad as it once was! I will not smoke! I am free! [color=Purple]~lbugg~[/color] [B]My Milage:[/B] [B]My Quit Date: [/B] 3/17/2005 [B]Smoke-Free Days:[/B] 452 [B]Cigarettes Not Smoked:[/B] 24,000 [B]Amount Saved:[/B] $2983