Tryers to be dryers spring into spring, not as much wine, beer or gin. We sow our seeds of hope for a dryer season, but if we drink, it's for a reason.

[Frouby]

Thread 5 for Tryers to be Dryers. A thread for those who want support for moderating or reducing alcohol. Whatever you hope to do, whether it's to have more dry days, or be less wet when you do drink, come and join us for support.

Absolutely no judgement here, just friendly support and chat, the odd swear (lots of swears to be honest). All welcome, new and old tryers to dryers.

Had a lovely evening with a friend last night, drank wine, laughed, it was great. So not AF but not excessive either, I don’t have a hangover so that’s good.

Bah, that's why it's all about the creche Frouby.

Northumberland is fantastic. I might move here. At Hogwarts castle today.

Does the creche take dhs? Asking for a friend.

God you’re all bloody lovely!! Giving you all a group hug and thanking you for being lovely friends.

We’ve got a dinner party tonight..so this pm dh has gone to golf!!

Frouby - you seriously made me howl out loud at your description of training men!! Just sooo funny but soooo bloody true!!

If your ‘friend’ gets a place in an Ikea crèche for husband, let me know..it’ll be worth me driving the two hours to my nearest store!!

Flossie, you deserve every hug going.

Hope the dinner party is ok, despite the golf.

Frouby, you are just brilliant. I wish you would write a novel.

Water, that's the way it should be.

Longest, I have never been to Northumberland, but know people who have. They all love it. I hope you are surviving despite all your various trials and tribulations.

I decided (despite the herbs) at 4.30 today that I was having a drink this evening regardless. So that is what I am doing now. I'm pissed off with life and have been very good this week. DP is a bugger. He is undoubtedly my real problem, not wine. But I will not worry about that tonight. However, I have very virtuously drawn a 125 ml line in marker pen on a wine glass, so I can measure what I am drinking.

Comprehensive fail, despite 🌿. FML.

One of my favourite childhood holidays was Northumberland. It was the first time I swam in the sea and I made a friend who became a pen friend for many years. I’m glad you’re having a lovely time Longest.
Flossie are you hosting? Hope it’s going well.
Laughing at Dion’s 125 marker. That’s like me with my gin measures. Has it worked Dion?
Just my four bottles of Estrella again tonight - 6 units in total. That’s two weekend nights of moderation for me, and with kids away too. I’ve eaten healthily too, and been to the gym.
Who is this woman? She reminds me of someone I knew in 2016...

NC4, that is v good moderating news.

All my 125ml markers did was tell me that I had five of them.

However. I'm trying to spin this in a positive way. I did set out deliberately to drink last night, to see what happened after a very moderate (for me) week. What happened was that I liked the nice fuzzy feeling. But I didn't like the 700 million unnecessary calories, or the beer fear, or the generally crap sleep, or the fact that I feel completely crap now (and have to set off soon to collect DD from a friend's). So overall, it was a complete waste of sleep and calories, and I'll spend today feeling miserable and ill. Back to the 🌿. I am trying not to see it as yet another sodding Day One, and more as part of an overall picture of trying to moderate better.

I think that is a good way to look at it Dion. 5 x125ml is nothing compared to my out of control daytime drinking yesterday (BBQ at home). I've been awake since 3:30am. FML. At home with drinky friends is a killer for self control for me. Honestly I don't even know how much I drunk. I'll look at it this way, easy AF night tonight.

Hugs for you Flossie I'm also a golf widow. Mine took secret lessons a few years back. When I asked why in secret he said "cause I knew you would take the piss". He got that right.

Frouby how tall is your friend's DH?

I think it's good that you feel rough Dion. Obviously not for you today but longer term. I stopped drinking as much because I can't stand feeling hungover. So I can moderate, but not be AF.

Had 1 can of carling last night, more out of habit than anything but didn't particularly enjoy it so don't know why I bothered.

Wish me luck this morning. Am tackling ds room. It's a fucking shitpit. Have bin liners ready. Whatever doesn't fit in or on a 2 x 4 kallax is going to be either binned or donated.

Leaving he's about 5ft 11in, built like a hairy arsed builder, going grey and got a beer belly.

Will she get away with it do you reckon?

Mind you, she says shes never going to Ikea with any of her family again as they are all fuckers. Same family is pestering for a Costco card so they can 'have a look round as well'.

She's resisting that as well.

They also want to go to the big local shopping centre (Meadowhall for the northerners amongst us). She's resisting that as well as it's hell in earth. Especially at a weekend and her family are spendy fuckers with the dh and teen dd having a liking for designer clothes. Apparently F and F and George dupes are not the same thing. At all.

Friend is considering how much gin she has to get through the easter break.

Frouby - I could’ve wrong but I’m not sure the height stick thingy goes up to 5ft 11” - better warn your friend 😅

Dionysa - 5x125ml is less than a bottle! Not bad moderating for a Sat night. I think you are doing really well.

Flossie - I hope the dinner party went well and your DH pulled his weight.

NC4 - well done

Leaving - I’m joining your camp - had far too much on Friday night catching up with my best friend. Had a lovely evening though. I’ve just got too much on socially over Easter to think about being AF. However am going to get prepared for after the hols with herbs etc ...

Jesus fuck.

I may not be dry today. Have sorted DS room. Would attach before and after photos but the before is horrendous. In my defence I have ignored it for 2 weeks as I knew I was sorting but it was horrendous.

Looks a million times better now, needs a lick of paint but will have to wait until winter for that, am too busy in spring and summer to set off something else. Unless we have a spell of horrendous weather.

Started at 9ish, just sat down now for a coffee. DH dispatched to the tip to get rid of loads of stuff.

Just need to go through his wardrobe and sort the top of it out, it's got some stuff shoved up there I need to find another place for and it's all done.

Impressive stuff Frouby. I’ve been meaning to tackle DS1s room while he’s away but a) he’ll see it as a huge intrusion and b) it looks like a squat.

I’m taking myself off to Manchester tonight to the theatre. It’s a bit out of my comfort zone but it should be good. Part of some training I’m doing encourages you to ‘Woo your creativity’ by taking yourself on artistic dates. It’s proper hippy dippy stuff, but I quite like the idea of dating myself.
Just deciding whether to drive or get the train.

NC4 - my instinct is ‘get the train, I could have a drink!’ Enjoy lovely x

Canshop - sounds like you had lovely eve with your friend, and that’s the main thing. Enjoy everything you have planned and think again afterwards.

Leaving - bloody golf!! Somehow turns them into some selfish twat!! My dh has always loved golf. We will be discussing what are upcoming plans are..mine always involve house and kids. His always start with ‘well as long as I can get a game of golf in (6hrs) and a bike ride (4hrs), my time is yours’!! Gee thanks lovely!! 🤪. Like he’s doing me a favour!!

Frouby - ds’s room looks lush!! What a little treasure he looks too 💕. As for shopping with husbands and kids..bloody nightmare!! That’s why they invented online shopping surely?!

Dion - as previously said..your 6x125’s are still less than a bottle. I’d be mega proud of that!!

Well, yup, I hosted last night. They are such lovely friends that I look forward to it. But I also want it to go perfectly. Was chuffed with my food tho so that’s a weight off!! Dh did serve drinks all night and help clear up so he turned round the fact that I wanted to bury him under the patio for going to golf while I prepared dinner!! I didn’t drink too much. A small gin to start and about half bottle of wine!! Not bad really I didn’t think.
Today’s been a chilled day. Know dd needs to go to hosp for a procedure to reduce her pain level. Just dreading it. Thought about taking her tonight but know the wait may be more due to the right staff not being there. So heading in tomorrow instead. So hey..what could I do instead..open the Pinot!! Ffs!! Just fancied it tonight. I normally drink out of habit but tonight really fancied it!!

I had a couple of beers earlier too. They were what dh calls dustcutters 😂😂. And ds bedroom was bloody dusty down the side of his bed and back of his wardrobe.

Dh is up in bed, ds is too and dd in the bath. I am watching the last series of Shetland. Having a can of san pellegrino. It's ok for a soft drink, not too sweet and sticky and 73 calories a can. It's expensive though, £4 for 6 cans usually but I got a pack of 24 from Costco for £8 so not too bad.

We had pizza hut for tea, couldn't face doing a roast but just invited my mam and auntie up next sunday for their dinner so don't mind missing 1 week.

Frouby, pmsl at dustcutters. Your DS's room looks absolutely fab, though. I quite like San P, too, as it's not too sugary (but not aspartame-y, either).

Finished off an ancient remainder of white (prob a small glass, but I drank it out of the bottle as I'm a slob).

Nothing left now.

Flossie, I'd go on the train, too!!

Hope it's good, NC4. I am full of admiration for your ability to say yes to things!!

Thank you for encouragement, Canshop.

Knackered and going to bed now...

AF today but drank too much last night. Never mind.

Hello everyone. Made it to Sheffield. Drove past your Ikea Frouby, and meadowhell as my rellies call it. Took the kids sailing which was fun, and we stayed in a caravan last night which they found vert exciting. Have done far too much driving this holiday though, with kids squabbling in the back over whose teddy is the best and other nonsense. Not planning one like that again in a hurry. Have 2 nights here at least staying with dcousin. First one has been moderatev- two small glasses. Just as well as the rest of the holiday gasxnit been, and I have eaten like a pig too.

Well, apparently there was a crash on the M61 which put all thoughts of driving out of my head.
What a brilliant date I’ve had 😂 I had to have a swift pint in the Star & Garter with the punks and bikers (nearest boozer) to pluck up courage to go into the venue itself but it was absolutely brilliant. It was a production of Trainspotting, amazing acting, great gritty venue. I’ve wanted to see it for ages but had no-one to go with.
So I went by myself. I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t my homework, but I’m buzzing.
My horizons just got wider. Who knew?!!

Well done for taking yourself on a date NC. Sounds brilliant.

Longest - ahh a road trip!! The joys!! I wouldn’t have moderated either!!

NC4 - well done on the theatre trip. My dsis goes alone all the time. She reckons it’s better. It’s her and the stage and no one in between!! Book again for something..sounds fab!

NC4, brilliant. so glad you had a good solitude is the new company I reckon.

Flossie I know- it wasn't planned that way. We were supposed to be driving to Edinburgh with a couple of stops to break up the journey but then I got moved to brexit job in the middle of planning and couldn't book any more leave so had to turn it into a shorter trip and head straight back
Probably should have cancelled Northumberland at that point but I am a skinflint and also it was great for the 24 hours we were there! To be fair the girls have squabbled in and out of the car, they seem to be looking for things to needle each other with, but we've kept them up late trying to make the most of each place so that's probably not helped. Glad your dinner party went well, and DH has lived another day after his golf betrayal.

Morning all

Start of the Easter holidays here. Worked this morning for a couple of hours and my 2 nearly killed each other. Jesus fuck. A fortnight of this shit.

Anyway. Off to the ponies shortly. Where ds pony will be a knobber and ds whining to ride. Pony not had any work since November, its cold here with a stiff breeze and the spring grass is coming through.

Pony will be an absolute buffoon on the end of the lunge. Ds will still want to ride. Ds will end up splattered. Need to sneak past his tack on the way out and go 'oh sorry ds, silly mummy forgot your saddle, never mind, you can ride another day'.

It's either that or likely spend a few hours in A and E later and I have too much to do.

Just had scrambled eggs on a toasted muffin. Was lush. I will need the energy for hanging onto to 2 feral ponies 😂😂😂

Frouby - eggs on muffin!! Yum!! I love that with melted cheese under the egg!! Yum!! Horses sound scary!! Hope you keep ds at bay