Old habits DRY hard! It's DRY JANUARY thread #2... newcomers always welcome!

[HPLikecraft]

Here we are, a shiny new thread to help us stay dry.

Thread one has been great and supportive; and thread two will take us through further challenges and milestones. Hop aboard; you're all doing brilliantly!

I broke my streak today ‐ MIL came for lunch, she's recently widowed and got upset. I offered her a sherry but she didn't want to drink alone. So I had a small sherry with her. I don't even like sherry 🤔

Another productive day here, I seem to have so much more time (and motivation!) when not drinking.

Things rumbling along ok with DH, we shall see what we shall see 🤔

I managed visiting friends last night more easily than expected. I told them before I was doing DJ so I couldn't change my mind.
Today I had a sudden urge for wine, it's such a habit to have wine while I cook a roast. But I held off and had something else, so am feeling good.
I hope everyone is ready for the final push

Well it's an option for the future @Greatly, we could limit ourselves to alcohol we don't like... I could nurse a half of Guinness all evening and only have it once a month, disgusting stuff. Turn alcohol into a punishment... I think you made a perfectly good choice of course.

@Greatly
You did the right thing.

I don't know why I'm being nice to you because I've gotta tell you, you absolutely ruined my dry January 23 for me this year. You've made me feel completely unwelcome and judged and absolutely ruined it for me and I've been doing dry January for 15 years and I've never felt this Way on Mumsnet DJ before. just to let you know that. I've posted a lot less because of you. you are the only person who made me feel this way.

OP, @HPLikecraft welcomed me. At every stage. made me realise that I can do whatever I want to do. Thank you OP. with my 50th being less than a week away, but I have to tell you, just so if you know, you've absolutely ruined it massively for me this year. Not Op. another poster.

But thanks OP. I did break DJ for my friends 50th. And I'll break it for mine, my 50th, in a weeks time. That's my choice. But in between time, I've managed I think 28 dry days. Within the 31 days of Jan. And that's good enough for me.

I hope DJ next year is more welcoming. Less judgemental.

Btw. I plan to drink at least 2 Pornstar Martini's at my 50th party, a week yesterday. I drank 2 at my friends 50th at the start of January. Her 50th, then I plan to drink 2 more at mine. Hope that's all ok with you all.

And I've known her since I was 13. So 37 years.

@Oblomov22 I broke Dry January in 2018. On the day I helped my alcoholic then-husband to move into his new flat, got his stuff out of the house that was the sanctuary for me and my kids, I had a small, excellent glass of single malt. Yep, ironic as fuck - but I was not, and still am not, the one who had the dysfunctional relationship with alcohol and refused to do a damn thing about it. I posted on the thread about it too, and I didn't get any judgement. I'm so sorry that you did. It shouldn't have happened.

@Greatly you did the right thing. Compassion overrides righteousness every time.

Fill your boots. But not with passionfruit seeds because that would be squishy and revolting. Just enjoy!

@pointythings

Wow OK @Oblomov22
Thanks, I guess.

@Greatly

I thought I should let you know. You clearly didn't realise the damage you did before.

I'm sorry that you took offence. Some people find planned drinking during Dry January really triggering, I'm sure you had plenty of support from other posters. Hopefully you'll be able to move on and enjoy the rest of dry January.

Evening all. Back on the wagon today.

No need for anyone to feel a talent obligation because of me but of course if you want to and it helps pass the final week then the more the merrier.

I have to confess that I quite like the odd sherry.

In fact there aren't many alcoholic drinks I don't like apart from the really sweet or creamy type of cocktails. And baileys.

So aversion therapy doesn't really work for me

Well I've spent the whole day feeling rough with a mild headache. I'm sort of thinking I might try being teetotal again - I've had periods of this before (like years on and off). I like drinking but I did enjoy the teetotal vibe as well. It went with running and clean eating.

Some people find planned drinking during Dry January really triggering

I know I definitely do. Perhaps someone like me should really be on the alcohol board, but I’ve found this thread incredibly supportive and like I said before, there’s no way I’d still be doing DJ if it wasn’t for the thread. I think it was@Oblomov22 who alerted me to the thread in the first place though via a post on the alcohol board, so I’m very thankful for that.

Anyway, day 23 now, 71% of the way there, 9 days to go and I can definitely see a small chink of light at the end of the tunnel. For me the final push officially begins on Wednesday, because that’s the final week. Almost there!

Well I’m debating (drastically trying to avoid) a trip to casualty. All my illness symptoms have completely gone but the pain in my side (on the left) is just getting worse. I definitely had some sort of virus as adult DS came down with it last night (minus the side pain). And I thought this pain was just part of that but I don’t know now. Painkillers are dulling it for an hour or so but then it just comes back. Going to try and get a bit more rest as have been awake since 2, then think I’ll call 111. At this rate I won’t be able to take any credit for my dry week as I couldn’t bear the thought of drinking right now anyway!

@Fuwari

Sorry to hear. Painful. It's always tricky to know what to do in these situations isn't it? I hope the pain lessons after some more rest. 111 can be a bit hit and miss can't it? I hope you get it sorted either way today. Good luck.

Bought a bottle of non-alcoholic red wine yesterday for when the going gets tough. So far I haven’t drank any sort of alcohol substitute, but I am finding it tougher as the month goes on.

Had a tiny sip and it’s drinkable. Sweeter than I’d like, but drinkable.

Hope you are OK @Fuwari. Sounds really painful.

@Onehappymam I bought a bottle of alcohol free blanc de blanc from sainburys yesterday, it looks like a normal bottle of fizz and had a satisfying cork pop ‐ it wasn't too bad ‐ fizzy grape juice really but out of a wine glass it seemed like the real thing. Only 3.50 as well which made a change as all the no alcohol stuff can be very expensive.

Wishing you all the best @Fuwari

Keeping my fingers crossed for you, @Fuwari .

@Cherrymix I’m with you on the Sherry , we buy a bottle of Harvey’s Bristol Cream every December and have a glass of Sherry in a proper Sherry glass every Sunday as an aperitif , every year , on that first mouthful we say ohhhhh , it’s so delicious !!!!!
I don’t know whether it’s part of the childhood memories of my grandma and her Sherry every evening ( mind you , she’d always have a whisky Mac as a nightcap , and I really don’t like that 🤢)

So , another week begins

@HPLikecraft I’ll be handing you an annual leave request form , as I’m going on holiday on Friday for a week , off to the Canaries , it’s not going to be boiling hot ( as long as it’s warmer and drier than here ) but I do fancy a glass of wine on the balcony in the evening

Good morning all, hope you're all doing OK today. Sorry I wasn't around last night, had stuff going on. I'll definitely be posting progress and 'alcohol free benefit of the day' today.

We have all done well if we've managed to curb our alcohol this month. We have different ways and means, and different ultimate goals, but I'm delighted to have everyone along. One day, one week... however much less booze in a month is an improvement to be pleased about and build on. We will all graduate 😃

@Fuwari I hope you feel better soon and can access any help you need. That sounds awful.

@pointythings field archery sounds a lot more fun than target! If DH moved on to that I'd probably join him.

@Greatly Comforting a distressed family member was the important thing to do there... and it was a controlled choice; you didn't lose control of your AF decision, you merely decided to make a temporary deviation due to outside factors then got back in track.

@Oblomov22 I'm glad you're still with us and doing well. It's good to see everyone improving their relationship with alcohol.

I'm very jealous of those who've found a nice AF wine. I haven't found one thats not too sweet; but then I do like my wine so dry its like sucking a piece of wood.