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Dry January 2020 thread 2... keeping it dry!

612 replies

ParanoidGynodroid · 16/01/2020 09:11

Thread two to help us continue to share the love (and dryness)

Keep going, everyone... good luck Brew

OP posts:
Thread gallery
25
Nomorewineever · 19/01/2020 19:01

@breathmiller would your husband care to share that recipe? I’ve been veggie for 30 years and it’s the same. I slave over the roast but plonk something like a quorn escalope on the side of mine and it’s a bit ‘meh’.

Glad that bev is back on the iceberg with the other ‘guins. Get in the middle of the huddle; we’ll help you not to fall off again!

Moany whiny alert. My newfound sleep was sorely interrupted last night by DH (which today stands for dickhead, just so you know) snoring like a bloody engine from midnight onwards. He’d taken two night nurse tablets which meant that nudging him was useless. I can’t tolerate the spare bed - I have a bad back and we have a special mattress on our bed, plus I sleep with the electric blanket on 1 all night as the heat helps enormously. He huffed and chuffed. I put earplugs in - they woke me up hurting my ears. Eventually he went to the loo (not quietly) and woke me up again so i asked him to go in the spare room. He said no, on the basis that he knows he wasn’t snoring Hmm and went straight back to sleep (snoring). Honestly o looked at that clock every 30 minutes all bloody night long. Today I was like a bear with a sore head. Discussions with DH are pointless - the barriers just come down or he goes on the defence. Which makes it worse. It’s seriously affecting my mental and physical health. I was so snappy and nasty to the DC today (and him) whereas last Sunday with good sleep we had a fantastic day. No idea what to do. Other than smother him.

Going for a bath and a tonic water.

Breathmiller · 19/01/2020 19:13

nomorewinever

He just made it up...but he says....
Leek - sauted.
Chopped brazil nuts, peanuts, cashews. Slightly toasted in dry pan.
Add together with handful of green lentils. Add small bit chopped mushroom.
Splash of vermouth (cooked off- could leave out)

Veggie stock. Mushroom stock (that he always makes himself and is so good in anything mushroomy)
Dried Tarragon. Fresh Sage.
Salt and pepper.

Cooked that up until the lentils were cooked and liquid mostly all gone.

Then he stuffed the mushrooms high with the filling and baked in the oven for about 40 minutes.

He cooked it in a small dish so the liquid from the mushrooms could be absorbed back in.

He's now preening like a peacock, chuffed he's been asked on Mumsnet for his recipe. 🤣🤣 .

Breathmiller · 19/01/2020 19:14

Sorry your DH is being a DH

Nomorewineever · 19/01/2020 20:08

Ooooh I do love anything mushroomy. Mushrooms sautéed in a splash of Madeira are delicious. I’m going to have a go at a nutty recipe now. Thank you (and your DH who isn’t a dickhead)

Mammyofonlyone · 19/01/2020 22:01

Segregate I posted a thread about similar feelings yesterday (but haven't had any responses). I empathise with you. I assumed the things I fretted about were because I drank and if I could just give up I would feel fantastic. It turns out I don't, I just feel miserable and a bit bored. I think the alcohol has been a mask and, for all its downsides, it did at least give some respite.
I'm pleased you've got back on the wagon and wish you luck on your journey

Angie6868 · 19/01/2020 22:11

Hi everyone. I've been dry since Christmas Day and doing OK. Might aim for a dry February as well. I'm definitely sleeping better and have lost a few pounds. Congrats to everyone on this journey. For those of you who had a slip up, it's not the end of the world. I think we're all doing amazingly. I'm putting the money I'd usually spend on wine to one side and am going to treat myself to some thing nice.

SegregateMumBev · 19/01/2020 22:14

Sunday hasn’t been too tricky. I have been sipping on very dilute lime cordial

myhandsareverycold · 19/01/2020 23:41

Another weekend done.

And I'm loving coming to bed and reading.

Part of me wishes I was still drinking but a much, much bigger part of me is glad I'm not. That's quite the epiphany for me.

Hope you are all finding your own epiphanies; it makes this difficult journey a bit easier.

Good night. Hope everyone sleeps well.

SylviaC · 19/01/2020 23:57

Evening all. Haven't read everything but just wanted to say to breathmiller - your Sunday roasts sound like my veggie DCs Sunday roasts until I made the New Year resolution for us all to be more vegetarian. So today I made a proper nut roast with sauce and it was lovely except everyone agreed that the sauce would have been better if it had been Bisto beef gravy - which is weirdly vegetarian.

Have kept on straight and narrow over weekend and feeling good. Such a lovely frosty day here today - even managed a walk as was so on top of all stuff.

SegregateMumBev · 20/01/2020 06:50

Day 20, and apparently its penguin awareness day. So Happy Huddles!

I woke at 4 with a nosebleed (whaaaaaaaat?) and Im still a bit groggy and light headed this morning.

Dry January 2020 thread 2... keeping it dry!
nibdedibble · 20/01/2020 07:26

Yesterday evening: got to about half ten, realised I hadn’t even thought about drinking/not drinking. This is how I want to be!

ParanoidGynodroid · 20/01/2020 08:00

Your (almost) daily percentage update for today....

19 full days down, that’s now 61%! Well done if you’ve got this far. There is now light at the end of the tunnel!

Nearly caved myself after a very challenging time yesterday; but glad I didn’t. Would have been so disappointed if I had.

Oh, and I think it’s been a little while since anyone mentioned... fatty liver!

OP posts:
tobesuretobesure · 20/01/2020 08:35

How's everyone feeling? I fell off the dry wagon on Friday night and what's weird is I didn't enjoy it, furthermore the resulting hangover reminded me that it's not worth it. It lowered my mood and is still having an effect today! I had really enjoyed the weeks being dry. More energy, no puffy face, no water retention, much more positive mood, no anxiety etc...
I used to really love a glass of wine or two in the evening, but I've really noticed these last few weeks how much better my life and my body is without it!

HisBetterHalf · 20/01/2020 08:53

Is anyone else thinking of continuing this into February, are you chimping at the bit to get to the end of January and then having a drink or have you not thought that far ahead. I want to do this for as long as possible. I really like the more positive feeling me. Thats been worth more than the physicial side for me.

FreeButtonBee · 20/01/2020 09:00

I will be having a drink or two on 1st feb - as it’s my dh birthday and we are going out for a fancy dinner.

I am going to try to drink less at home. It has been nice to be more patient and aware with the kids.

Nomorewineever · 20/01/2020 09:18

I’m having a drink next weekend! Planned though so I’ll have done 25 days straight. Then nothing sun-thurs. if something happens on a given sun-thurs (bday? Xmas? Weddings?) I’ll substitute a weekend day. So basically 5 consecutive AF free days no matter what. Before this dry jan I was doing mon-thurs which sometimes slipped to mon-weds and that needs to be tightened up as I was still packing away 30-40 units on those 4 days.

Breathmiller · 20/01/2020 09:23

HisBetterHalf

I'm not sure where I am on this at the moment. I can hear myself having the internal dialogue and actually discussed it with my husband last night.

Basically, I would like nothing better than to be someone who can take or leave alcohol. A glass of something now and again but being able to stop after a glass.

I feel that I have done that to a certain extent as i don't drink every night , mostly just weekends or even just Fridas and a little on Sunday but it always creeps up again. I have the issue of not being able to have just one glass of wine once the bottle is open.
I know I am much better without it, like when I took the year and a half off, but then I don't want to be a boring bugger who never lets go and has fun with friends. But why does that have to involve alcohol?

I have a friend who is the bubbliest,loveliest, fun person who stopped drinking years ago and I want to follow her lead.

But I find it hard and I then question why?

I was reminded (not maliciously but in fun) at the weekend about a time last year when i got inappropriately drunk and even though it was a while ago, it has brought the feelings of shame and guilt back and I feel a bit down again. So that should make it all decisive...but
....well...wine! I like it. Amongst other drinks. And I like sometimes getting a bit tiddly. I think. Or do I?

So, that's all the conflicting dialogue that's going on inside me.

I started this this time, thinking that I would like to continue on but I find myself thinking I might have a drink in February. So if others would like to then I'd certainly appreciate the ongoing support and see what happens.

Reminding myself (again!) that when the internal dialogue gets too much I can just come back to today. "Just for today, I'm not having a drink"

IWillWearTheGreenWillow · 20/01/2020 09:59

Breathmiller, I totally understand that conflict. Without wishing to be trite, do you think miniature bottles might help? 187ml is still A Drink, but then the bottle is finished and you're done. For the two years I didn't drink I was The Boring Uptight One in certain circles, and it didn't feel good at events but I felt better personally. My sister was a particular issue there, and I'm not sure how to get out of that one.

I'm definitely extending into February, my anxiety out in the world is much lower, and I'm getting more reading and sewing done and spending more time with DH in the tiny bit of evening between putting the youngest DC to bed and me falling asleep wherever I am.

New realisation this morning - AF wine doesn't help me either. I had some Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Eisberg dealcolised 0.0%) and had 3 scratchy, sweaty, thirsty nights. So clearly it's as much what's in wine as it is the alcohol for me. Today is day 18, so I should get my 20 day badge on Wednesday and my 14 day streak badge on Saturday. I am childishly excited about this.

SunshineAvenue · 20/01/2020 10:11

I'm going to do dry February.

Blaziken · 20/01/2020 10:22

Morning all. I have been having the same thoughts about what to do after this month. I would love to be able to moderate, but past experience says I can't. I tempted to try one more time and if it fails then only drink when there is a proper occasion (my birthday, Christmas, not hamsters birthday Grin ). But then is it worth it? I don't know. I don't want to return to the fogginess and moods that drinking gives me.

nibdedibble · 20/01/2020 10:23

I'm going to go for the 300-day challenge. I'd actually like to drink far fewer than 66 days this year though!

It's interesting how many people who've had a glass or two have said they felt crap afterwards. I don't know why I can't plan to go for the full 'I don't ever drink alcohol' but there we are.

Blaziken · 20/01/2020 10:27

Actually maybe I will do the 300 day challenge too. That seems doable. I wouldn't have said that before this month. Look how far we've come Grin

nibdedibble · 20/01/2020 10:31

Grin blaziken I know...I just think the 300-day thing will give me a way to plan to drink if it's something like a birthday. But actually, thinking about it, it allows for twice a week on some weeks and that's way more than I want to do.

Today was my first day of waking up raring to go!

SunshineAvenue · 20/01/2020 11:56

Is there an app for the 300 day challenge? 😆 Can't get by without an app these days 😆

7Days · 20/01/2020 12:08

Are you on the Try Dry app SunshineAvenenue?
If so, on your dashboard page you scroll down a little bit and it says Set Goal or Change Goal. You can pick a number of days in there.
I'm only on 20 to get started, but will advance.

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