Wankerbastards will upset us that try, but we will still be dry. Or dryer at a push. It's a good job we are not in a rush.

[Frouby]

Thread 6 for the Tryers to be Dryers.

Support thread for reducing alcohol, stopping alcohol, monitoring alcohol. All welcome, absolutely no judgement. Whatever your aims with alcohol come and join us here. Lots of swearing but no judging or criticising.

Previous threads dotted around but can never do clicky links.

I do indeed have wine. Fuck it, I say. I’ve had five AFs in the last seven.
I can’t be doing with dramas either and have pretty much told BF that. Get the curry on Frouby, I’m heading to Sheffield 😂

I love the sound of DS kayaking club. Do you do it too? I’ve been thinking of going with DS2 - it’s one of the few things he enjoys.

I don't no, but my cousin does. Loads of grown ups in the water as well as the dcs.

It's a brilliant club, 3 coached sessions a week on paddle sports, open water swimming sessions, running, biking and pilates. There is a swim coach apparently who will do small group sessions for £4. I can't get over how much they do, they take them out to compete as well plus a few weekends away down the year to use some of the main watersport facilities.

If you are going to be my new bestie move up here and make yourself a member. 😂😂.

But if you are ever up here give me a shout, think a guest pass is £3 so you can have a go then.

I used to be a kayak instructor prior to having ds.....let’s get over to Madame’s gite..sure she has a lake close by!! I’ll teach you all to kayak, frouby can knock up a curry..we’d all be well away!! 💃🏻

Great idea Flossie - I’ll bring the wine! Oh hang on ..... 🤣

Sounds like a plan Flossie! But I bet we wouldn't be dry and I bet it's not because we end up swimming after kayaking 😂😂.

Just weighed myself and on my scales am 1lb down from monday morning at the same time. Have eaten pretty well this week. Roast dinner Monday, omelette and airfryer chips Tuesday, that pasta Wednesday and again for lunch yesterday (was a huge bowl full as well!) And then fish, roast veg and new potatoes for dinner last night. So not exactly piles of salad and veg.

It's definitely beer that does me. I know some is probably water weight but not all of it. According to my scales I am 10lbs lighter than 5 weeks ago. And thats with anniversary weekend, a boozy 60th birthday party, a boozy bbq at the weekend and our usual friday night takeaway.

I think my skin looks better too, not as many bags and less puffy and bloated looking. That could be a weight loss but I think it's the booze.

Lots of benefits so I do wonder why I can't do this consistently. I haven't even particularly missed having a drink. So why some weeks I drink every night I have no bloody clue.

Busy today working. Need to get a big shift in and earn some money. Am hoping dh is home early enough to pick ds up and feed chickens so I can go through school run oclock.

Then got to take dd to tescos to get her food for her D of E expedition tomorrow. Shes a stressy mess at the moment. Got her mocks in a couple of weeks. Had a phonecall from school saying her friends were concerned in the morning before school as they couldn't find her and she had been upset. Pastoral woman said dd said she had a panic attack. She didn't she just had a teenage meltdown.

Her exam schedule went online the night before and other than English the extra 25% of time hadn't been put on. Just told dd she had to find either her form tutor or H of Y and tell them as it was clearly a clerical error.

But obviously in a 14 year olds head it was a Disaster and The End Of The World! and she would Fail!!!! And not get into top set next year, not get the gcses she needed for A Levels, and then never get to university and be a Failure For The Rest Of Her Life!!!!!!!

It's nice she is so conscientious and focused on her future but as difficult to manage sometimes as a child that isn't interested.

Have told her that after this weekend she has to ride her pony a minumum of 4 times a week, and spend less time in her room revising and studying. And that we will do a revision schedule with set hours to revise, not just constantly cramming which she claims she is doing.

I suspect as much time is spent doing fancy revision cards, chatting on the phone and watching YouTube as what she is actually revising.

All I can say for definite is she isn't spending time putting her ironing away or keeping her room tidy.

2 kg down and managed 3 days AF last week!

Ahh Frouby I don’t envy you dealing with exams. The run up to DS1s GCSEs was one of the most intense parenting times ever. Good DD is conscientious but yes, I can well imagine it’s hard to manage.
I’m in for a French kayaking adventure. I need to say no to wine though. I’ve done well this week, with lots of stressful things going on, but last night I just hit the fuck it button.
Polished off one bottle of wine and made good inroads into a second. Regret it now, of course.
I think I want to get to a point where I don’t drink alone at home. It doesn’t add anything to my life. I’ve just somehow come to believe it does. How do I change my mindset?

Aww frouby, your dd sounds like mine. So conscientious but sometimes not always a positive thing as can become stressful!! And as for those fancy revision cards!!!!!! My ds had to have those when he did his A levels, but admitted after that he’d never done ANY revision and just liked writing on the cards. As for dd, those cards are EVERYTHING apparently!! Without those cards, she will never ever make it to university!! (She’s currently 13!!!!)
I hope your dd is ok and her H of Y can help her.

Well done on your weight loss, that’s fantastic!! You must feel so much better. I remember when I did slimming last, that when I hit the 10lb loss, that’s when I noticed feeling so different.

I weighed with a friend today. So today is day 1 SW for me!!!!!!! Already craving halloumi though and not sure the syn value!! Also, after last nights bottle of Pinot I’ve vowed that’s it!! My body feels permanently hung over. I owe it to myself!!

I was relaying my day yesterday to dh when he got home, I was teary. He said ‘let me go and pour you a glass of wine’, to which I replied ‘I’ve had half a glass at 6pm just to take the edge off’. It was at that moment I felt shame. First real time. Dh asked me, in the kindest way, never to drink on my own before 6pm. It hit home to be honest, that I really have a massive problem!!

So tonight I’m allowing myself ONE glass of red wine!! I’m going to be eating slimming world pasta with home made veggie sauce.

This is day one of the rest of my life!!

Frouby yes, you will do well if you can keep a bit of balance in her life. So much pressure on kids these days. I was a bit of a swot at school and have the string of top grades on my CV and I can vouch for the fact that it's no golden ticket to eternal happiness. Dsis had a bit more balance in her life, and had a happier time then, and since too really. In any case my parents had the same ideas as you - they took us off caravanning in the lakes during the week break between exams. Good plan I reckon.

Supposed to be speaking to old boss about scary potential new job later. Getting cold feet but hey ho. Is also going to have to be by phone while kids squabble in front of TV, but at least I had practice of that at Kew.

DH in the midst of increasing his meds so still a bit eggshelly here. Had to call on him
last minute to collect Dd1 as was running late. Resulting in total drama about 15 min walk. I didn't get cross, I was genuinely sorry for messing up, but it was still a bit of a depressing reminder of how far we have sunk. Reminded me of what you said Flossie about letting yourself pretend things are ok for a while. Big hugs for you for your rubbish day.

And for NC4. Bust ups with friends are horrible.

Flossie, more hugs for your last post, which crossed with mine. You can do this my love. Really pleased to read about DH being more kind to you. Xxxx

Good luck with the negotiations Longest. I’m sure you have it all in hand. You always sound like you do, even if it doesn’t always feel like it!

Handhold for Flossie. I am having my first session back with my old PT tomorrow morning, so we’re starting from a similar spot. I’m also determined to cut back the stress drinking.
Let’s do it together my love x

You are all welcome over whenever you want, kayaks or no kayaks. 2 lakes and the sea nearby.
Frouby congratulations on the 10lbs weight loss, that's fabulous. And I'm sure the skin changes are due to less alcohol too. It really has a horrible effect on skin and eyes.
I hope you manage to get DD to de stress for her exams. It's a tricky period. My DD is doing her Baccalauréat at the moment, so far so good for the orals, but the written exams next week will be hard.
Longest I hope your old boss can help with your new job application
NC4 I hope the PT inspires you to be strong and take things in hand as you want.
Flossie ((hugs)) So pleased you are feeling positive about day 1 moderation. It sounds like DH will be very supportive. You shouldn't ever feel you NEED alcohol. It should be a treat, something you enjoy with others, but sadly it is all too easy to use it as an escape from daily stress, we've all been there! Red wine is better for you than white, too
We've found a litter of kittens in the garden under a honeysuckle bush. Not sure where they came from as there is only one cat in the hamlet, he is male and castrated.
I remember when I moved here my old neighbours regularly drowned kittens. It is cheaper than having the mother cat sterilized.
Another long weekend here, Monday's a bank holiday. Weather is crap, DD is going to her first ever festival and I'm pretty sure the tents will blow away with all the wind.

Hi I'm a newbie despite hovering around and reading advice... I stopped drinking cold turkey in March. Before that I was drinking two to three or more glasses of wine a night since finally getting my awful abusive ex husband to leave the house. So for a year I lived on cheese and wine. Anyway, I didn't drink for two months, thought whooo me! This is easy! Had one glass of wine with a friend at dinner, ooh no I shall not have wine in the house again! I'm so strong and fearless!!
So of course two bottles of wine smashed through this week, alone, on my sofa of an evening.
So annoyed with myself and sad that I cannot do balance in any way.

Welcome NameChange. Your post is totally relatable. I left my XH a year ago and have been on the wine since. I’m gradually getting it back under control but I still have pretty regular blow-outs.
Onwards and upwards though.

Madame I nearly cried about the drowned kittens. I love my cat as much as I love my kids. He is my third baby. When he comes in from the rain he cries till I dry him off with a towel then purrs his big soppy heart out. How anyone could drown kittens is beyond me.
Will you get to keep them?

Oh Flossie. Having one glass of wine on your own is totally fine imo. I often have that one and no more. Some people drink differently than others. I don't go out to drink much at all. So my one glass cooking dinner is my treat. I dont think I would feel shame over it.

I'm away for weekend soon. It won't be dry but I'll try to be moderate. Not buying a bottle of wine for the room will be different from normal!

I need to get back to slimming world diet next week. I have 4 hotel breakfasts this week, 2 with family and 2 with work. My jeans are already tight.

I'm def up for the kayaking holiday

Well today has been stressful.

Work been a pita, nothing worked as I wanted it to. Asked dh to pick ds up from school so I could get some stuff done, but he couldn't as was anticipating being stuck in traffic. Funnily enough when I got back after feeding chooks as well he was back with a can of beer open.

Took dd to tescos for her pack up for D of E. Have told her every.fucking.night to start packing her bag. Obviously she hasn't. Obviously she can't find her compass or whistle. Obviously that's my fault. Obviously there is fuck all I can do at 5.30pm on a friday night. Obviously I am having a gin.

Fml.

Dh is half pissed and wittering at me about work. Ds is being a pita. And dh just invited ndn round as his partner is away. Love my ndn, but not him particularly. He's OK but not brilliant company and even if he was brilliant company I am not in a social mood.

Fml again.

And again. And again.

Oh Frouby. I feel a bit similar. Day has had some nice biys actually but dd2 came home from forest school at 3:30 and has effectively managed one long whinge ever since. I cannot bear the whinging, it makes me want to break down and cry. Prefer a tantrum.

Went to Sainsbury's to get party food. Have absolutely no idea how to cater for a kid's party really. There will be some parents and it's lunchtime. There's normally fizz and beer at equivalent parties round here but have no idea how many people will come and how much they might drink. Or eat. Oh well.

Had chat with old boss. Was positive about me applying for promotion over all but managed my expectations about this job specifically, which is fair enough. Am in the same position as before really but will stick a speculative application in just for the practice.

Longest work out how many you got coming and do 1 full sandwich per person, 30g of crisps, 2 slices of 12 in pizza, 1.5 buns, 1 slice of quiche, 1 decent salad bowl thing, chop 1 cucumber, 2 peppers, half a head of celery and 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes. If it runs out you know you have put plenty out! But it does depend how old the kids are as well. I would say BYO for alcohol, but have soft drinks available.

DH just gone with ndn to pick food up. Dd back from emergency shopping having also been to Frankie and Bennies 🙄. Spoilt little madam being rewarded for being unorganised. My cousin loves to spoil them though, she is a typical fun auntie bless her and her wife absolutely loves kids and would take them both every day if she could. They are just about to start another round of ivf and I am desperate for it to work out for them.

Just on my 3rd gin and that will be me done for the night. Not too bad a week really. Not sure if I will drink tomorrow but it won't be a lot if I do. Just hope I can keep up this level of moderation for longer than a week or 2.

Oh, kayaking club also announced that it is going to be doing a course for the parents of the water rats as they call the junior members.

Need to keep abstaining if I am going to be forced into a kayak 😀😀😀. Am definitely not wearing a bloody wetsuit though.

Thanks Frouby. Am a lazy arse though so just bought pizza, crisps, peppers, carrots, cucumber, biscuits and stuff to make cake. Oh and beer and prosecco and coffee. will buy fruit tomorrow to make rainbow fruit salad. Kids are 4 but I said siblings welcome. And parents may or may not stay.

FX for your cousin's IVF Frouby.

Oh longest I sympathize for the kids party! The first party I did in France for DD I prepared games and sandwiches and other party food. The kids enjoyed games but ate nothing. I soon learned that all that is required for a birthday party in France is lots of sweets. That's it. Not even a birthday cake is required. Phew.

Nc4 à photo of one of the kittens for you!

Oh Madame! Have you taken them in then?

Squeeeeee at kittens!

Love to everyone

Flossie, ffs one glass does not an alcohol problem make

Have been drinking most of week due to shit annoying family

Next week will be better

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Kittens

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Here’s mine. I luffs him so much.