Less booze. More AF days. But still a bit damp. Not dry jan, but not a soggy summer. Support thread for reducing alcohol.

[Frouby]

New thread in case the other fills up while I am busy this weekend.

Did I mention I get married tomorrow? 😁

Rubbish at clicky links but sure someone clever will be along to link the last thread.

This is a support thread for those wanting to reduce the amount you drink. There is no judgement on here. We are all struggling along with our own problems and lives and looking to cut down. You might only want a couple of weekends off. Or reduce the amount of days you drink. Or the amount you drink. Or both.

Whatever your starting point and whatever your goal come and join us for friendly chat and support.

Dion fuck knows what they do with stationary. Am sure DD must flog it or something.

I made her write a list this year. Only of things she absolutely needed. And stuck to the list. It's better I have found to have a plan and a budget before you go anywhere near the shops.

Water you are doing brilliantly I don't think I've ever got past Day 5 except when pregnant.
Frouby an evening reading sounds wonderful, what books do you enjoy?
Dion I'm a bloody idiot, my brother said well its a situation you want isn't it, no full time man, fwb so what's the problem, but I still can't envisage man sharing without being ripped apart by jealousy even if he isn't actually having sex with the other woman he is still sharing her bed and holding her.
We receive a list from the schools in France for collège (high school). My son starts in September and everything I bought cost 170€ (stationary only). But there is no school uniform and a lot of families receive a return to school payment which is very generous, I got 750€ for both my children (my daughter is in her final year).
Damp here last night but only one bottle of wine consumed over the weekend.

dammit, just typed a long message and lost it. Anyway, I am on day 35 AF according to my calendar so I think I underestimated last time I posted. Won't drink all week as I am working and also have a big meeting on Friday that I need to be focussed and sharp for.

Where does the stationery go? I keep buying calculators and rulers it seems...

I may watch the Adrian Chiles prog, will report back if I do.

Nearly September, how did that happen?!

anglaise I read anything and everything. I like crime and thrillers, chic lit, lit fiction. Not particularly into sci fi or dystopian type stuff or real life/bios.

Currently enjoying the 2nd book in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and have also just downloaded The Hearts Invisible Furies which is rated a lot on here.

I love reading. I am a simple soul really. I like outdoorsy stuff like the ponies and the allotment and walking the dog, then reading in an evening. Am really looking forwards to the autumn. I always feel a bit frantic in the summer, trying to get everything in and make the most of the weather. But their isn't as much pressure on come September.

2 glasses of wine and a g and t last night. Not sure what tonight will bring, possibly dry, possibly damp.

Been for a mooch around the garden centre this morning. Now chilling out and other than feeding the chickens not planning on moving.

Hi everyone!! I’m home!!

Frouby - I’m so so sorry to read about your aunt. You must feel numb/scared/out of control. The waiting for appointments is just so awful too. Sending hugs and thinking of you. Your cousin is very lucky to have you close.

Anglais - firstly..you are indeed a complete babe in that pic!! Well done on your race. 10k used to be my fave distance. As for forest man..really be strong. You know you are deep down. Don’t take any shit and make sure you lay down the law. If he can’t break away from her then I think you should give him marching orders. He has a choice at the end of the day..make sure he makes it. You deserve so much, don’t take anything less. Good luck.

Dion - bloody stationary shopping!!!!! Got two daughters and both are stationary mad!! Ffs..they don’t even use it. They told me this..they basically take it to school on the first day and they all show each other what’s in their pencil cases and that’s it!! Ffs!!
I’ve got the pleasure of uniform and stationary shopping tomorrow!! Bleurgh!!

As for me..was absolutely soaking wet for my entire 2.5 week holiday!! Literally smashed!! I’d had such a crap time leading up to the break. Dd has been immensely ill, I was loosing control of everything, so I continually pressed the fuck it button.
Well I got home last night, had some white wine with my parents who had been house sitting. They left this morn. I cooked roast lamb for my brood tonight. And the big thing is that I’ve switched from white wine to red. I can easily neck an entire bottle of white so quickly. With red, one glass and I’m done. So I’m hoping by making the switch, that I will be majorly moderating!!
So one glass of red still being sipped here. Dh and ds watch football. I bloody hate the noise of it, and them!! So I’m off to run a bath and have a pamper

Sorry..hi to all the newbies that have joined since I’ve been away. Will catch up properly tomorrow. But welcome. It’s lovely here

Welcome back woosey, we've missed ya little face.

I can moderate easily with gin. And wine tbh because I feel shite if I have more thsn half a bottle. Lager I can drink 4 or 5 cans and not feel pissed. So am currently avoiding lager.

Dry tonight. Couldnt be arsed to faff making a gin. No wine in the fridge.

#winningnotginning

Wahoo that’s ace frouby. The fact you couldn’t be arsed is a major breakthrough in my books!! I would walk bare foot on broken glass if there was a chilled bottle of Sauvignon at the end waiting for me. I’d say you’ve done fab!!

woosey frouby on moderating with different drinks - that's a good idea - no idea what mine would be as I can drink gin & any colour wine like water!! I think maybe beer because I hate the taste (but that would prob put me off drinking it in the first place!!) Day 9 AF here (including birthday and family party - no clue how that happened!!) aiming for dry until holiday early October but we shall see..... Did anyone catch the Adrian Chiles thing last night? Was really good but I was a bit confused by Frank Skinner who basically said that unless he was hallucinating he was fine to carry on as he is (3 figure alcohol units per week!) and that his social life had gone down the toilet since he's been dry!! Cheers mate - that really helped!!

Hi all !

I watched the Adrian Chile's programme too and I agree about Frank Skinner. But I don't think Adrian had been completely honest with him about the amount he was getting through.
I have read through most of this thread so it felt rude not to say hi.
I can't remember the last day I didn't have at least one drink which is not good . A lot of the programme resonates with me . I don't fall over pissed , I don't down a bottle of vodka in one night but I am way over my units mostly out of habit and I would like to cut down.

To drink at special occasions or a couple on a weekend would be great . Instead every day I reach for a drink about 6 or 7 .

And I need to lose weight so that would be an added bonus as well.

Aaaarrrrggggghhhhh

What a bloody stressful day.

Did invoicing this morning, then have sold my wedding dress after about a million timewasters. Lady needed it posting out though which I didn't really want to do, so told her only of she paid by bank transfer. I rarely sell stuff but have read all sorts about being scammed by PayPal monies being held. Anyway, she paid by bank transfer so had that to package up.

It was quite stessful trying to package a big frock without squashing it too much. And now I am worried she won't like it and want her money back even though I have been really honest and sent loads of photos.

Then yard owner where ponies live phoned and asked if she could have more livery money as she had panic bought hay for the winter. Wtf? She got a right royal no. I spoke to our farmer last week who assured me that they have plenty of hay for regular customers. Anyway our farmer refused to sell her a bulk order, mainly because if everyone panic buys and stashes it, it will run out! So she has ordered a fuckton to be delivered this week and is now panicing about paying for it.

And yard owner gets paid twice what the DIY liveries pay off me, exactly so I don't have to worry about price increases. Then she moaned that BabyPony will get out if she doesn't have loads of hay. Pointed out that every fence needs properly repairing or replacing so she perhaps ought to get cracking with that.

Am borderline giving my notice anyway. If she increases the prices that will be me gone.

Then dds mate is staying over so picked her up, nipped to tescos and did a shop, went to allotment and sorted chickens out and complained to next door plot their ducks were getting on my plot and were decimating my veg.

Came home and blitzed house. DS being a little shit cos dds mate staying and he wants to join in. Dog robbed a corn on the cob we picked and chewed it up over my clean kitchen floor.

And tomorrow I am taking my auntie for her PET scan. That's going to be stressful, hospital is in the next city, it's a bastard to get to, hate driving there and I have to get parked up. I drive a pick up truck which is easy to park but can be a fucker to get out of spaces.

Am very looking forward to September when the dcs are back at school and I stand a chance of having a coffee in peace.

Tonight might not be dry.

Welcome to the thread howlong. I need to watch the programme yet. Hoping to get DH to watch it with me.

Crikey frouby..what a shitting awful day you’ve had!!!! I’d say you have every right to not be dry!! Am sending you heaps of love for tomorrow. Forget everything else for those few hours and concentrate on your aunt. Sending you strength.

As for me..running around after dogs this morn, back from kennels then to groomers. Then pick dd up from friends and do food shop. Then drove my girls to do stationary and uniform shopping!! Omfg!! Why do they do this to parents!! It was hellish!! Only came back with socks ffs!!!!!!!!! Oh and the biggest bag of glitter gel pens and crappy pencils and novelty sharpeners!! Wtf?!

Got in and knocked up a veggie spag Bol for the kids. Then due to the fact I’m starting SW tomorrow, I made a potatoe dauphinois for dh, ds and I to eat for dinner later with a chicken dish I love. All of which is a billion calories but needed the night before SW starts!!!!!
So the question is....considering today’s mental madness..and SW tomorrow....would it be hideous to open the chilled Sauvignon that remains in my fridge?!

What a lot to catch up with.

Frouby, you really ought to be a writer. You have such a talent for turning a shitty day into a hilarious read.

Seems we are all in the same boat so far as crap stationery is concerned. DD is starting her first GCSE year, and it's all about school bags and pencil cases. She has also had a friendship drama already, and they don't go back until 7th Sept. FML.

Meanwhile, DS has surpassed himself in every possible way, which could also account for three soaking wet nights in a row here.

Flossie, I am glad you are back. I have missed your contributions. I hope your DD is ok.

Wannabe, I did laugh at your 'cheers mate'. I will try to find that programme.

Howlong, your story is all too familiar. But this thread really does help, even if just to make you feel that you're not alone. I also think that acknowledging that there is a problem is part of the solution.

That said, as I was having my second G&T this evening (thanks to sodding DP), I came to the conclusion that my problem is similar to anorexia (from which I suffered as an older teenager). People can nag you about eating all they like, but the anorexic is the only person who can make the decision to start eating. Likewise, I can count units, calories, blah, blah, blah - but the only thing that will stop me drinking is me deciding that I'm not going to do it. Anorexics have no problem with will power; it's just a question of how you deploy it. At the moment, for whatever reason, I don't want to stop drinking quite enough. And I have, of course, attached myself to someone who makes me feel pretty shitty, which doesn't help.

Sorry. Selfish rant.

Meanwhile, DD's hamster has just tried to commit suicide by throwing himself down the stairs in his play-ball thing. As I said to her, it's a good job she isn't in charge of a toddler.

Dion I would love to be a writer. However I hate miseryporn style lit and that's all I can write. Plus Bridget Bastard Jones did my idea.

Am sure my 20's would have been much more interesting than 'got up, swore at dh, called the dog a cunt as well, did some work, did the school run, tidied up the fucking cesspit of a house, swore at the chickens, swore at someone elses ducks, picked some more bastarding courgettes, fell off BabyBastardPony, picked ds up, swore under my breath at him (which he heard and repeated), made ds tea, argued with dd, got pissed, made dhs tea, went to bed, passively aggressively didn't shag dh because tired of all this shit, fell asleep, beerfear at 2am,3am,4am alarm at 5am, repeat'.

Still. Everyone got a dream

“Bridget bastard jones” pmsl

Dion - totally get what you mean about the about anorexia and self help scenario. I totally feel I’m there too. I want to stop drinking and I want to be healthy and proud. But then I actually don’t really want to stop!! I actually want wine to be healthy for you so I can carry on without the risks!!

Bastarding courgettes and the passively aggressively not-shagging thing

I would never be passively aggressive and try to leave DP during the night. Honestly.

In fact, I am now tempted to change my username to "BastardingCourgettes"

Do it dion. We could call you BastardC for short .

Frouby, it hadn't already been taken. I think you should have trademarked it.

I now want Flossie44 to change hers to BridgetBastardingJones.

Will NC back when less under the influence.

Sodding teenagers.

BastardC love it.

If I could work out how to NC I would change mine to "passivelyagressivelynotshagging" 😂😂

Go on frouby!!

😂😂

God we’d be dangerous on a night out!! 😂😂

Hello. I have been lurking and now I am tip-toeing in to join you, if that's ok please?

Very early days for me. Today is day 4 AF following a bit of a (drunken) moment of clarity on Friday night when I realised something needed to change. I am 42 but my liver feels older. Either that or it has lived before...

Baby steps...for now am trying to read as much as I can. And I did watch the Adrian Chiles programme this evening.