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.

Very impressive Senseless! I know what you mean. I am chuffed I stopped at 1/3 bottle on 2 Mondays as that's normally my nemesis. I haven't had my half so I open another and it goes downhill. I am not counting camping as that's special circs and "normal". But I have been better in general at sticking to my 1/2 bottle limit the last week or two. AF days I am ok with- I always manage 2 unless on holiday. Most weeks I have three. Rarely top that tbh.

Fml. Had 1 gin. All good.

I start dinner, dh takes ds up to bed. Ds spectacularly vomits all over his bed. Fml. Fml. Fml.

Dh has made him a big glass of strawberry milkshake. Milkshake, strawberry icecream, strawberries and squirty cream. Just afyer hes eaten a huge bowl of tuna pasta. Suspect it was that rather than a bug but 48 hours sickness policy at school and he would definitely tell them he was sick so off now until monday.

He's fine in himself so hoping it just the milkshake rather than a bug. Have loads of work to do tomorrow but rule is if you are off school ill you sit or lay quietly on the sofa so should still be ok to work round him.

Fml.

Oh no Frouby :(

One gin is ok, right?

Longest - that sounds great, well done

Frouby, one gin is absolutely fine. But vomit and a child off school isn't!! I'd be saying FML too.

Senseless and Longest, agree that I'd be happier to stop once I've started than not to start at all. It's the off-switch thing.

I am pissed and miserable, in a nutshell. Lost count. Lovely to see friends, though.

hi Dionysa. Why miserable?

Sorry you are feeling miserable Dion, I am jealous of your day out with friends though. I never go out with friends anymore. We all have dcs so it's either a playdate or pub with husbands. My one childless friend sometimes meets me for lunch but we are both really busy so rarely get time.

Flossie I thought of you today. I made my Mediterranean veg pasta and remembered to take a photo for you. I have had it twice this week 😂😂

Thank you, Senseless and Frouby. Absolutely no reason at all, other than gin. No coincidence that I've had three nice cheerful (AF) days and now I'm feeling gloomy and anxious after a bottle of wine and a large G&T a small drink. The usual paranoia about DP; DD being horrible, etc. Though on a happier note, it is lovely to be able to meet friends without any of us having to think about our DC.

I want that mediterranean veg pasta. Since returning home, I've eaten half a packet of Pringles and a satsuma (to make myself feel better about a v unhealthy day).

Applause (or possibly applesauce) Senseless and Longest, enjoying A Drink (singular) is certainly where I want to get to.

Veggie pasta nom nom.

Vit C in the satsuma, Dionysa, all good.

That looks lush Frouby. I had a salad from Subway for tea. Was going to do a bbq but we were all too tired and grouchy.

I’m with you on the work boots too. I’m rubbish at flirting with strangers. If I’m on a date with someone I’m pretty good but need practice with people I don’t know. Anyway, I’ve banned myself till I lose 2 stone. No-one needs to see me naked right now 😂

Dion are you ok love? What’s up?

It’s taken me ages to write this, so sorry if I’ve missed anyone.

You are all doing really well!

Dion I'm very jealous of your day out,
I only see university friends on FB now, not the same at all. Other UK friends more often but not enough. And my French FF are lovely but I could never share a bottle of wine with then as I'd end up drinking most of it (French women generally don't drink a lot)
Can't write any more as I'm melting. 34C today in the shade and too hot to sleep tonight. Hope it's cooler in the UK

Please don't congratulate me as I feel a fraud. Just shared 2 bottles between 3 with pals and not even sure it was an even split. It was nice though, did me good, and bumped into third pal to exchange hellos with (and she gave us her leftover cheese platter, bonus).

Sorry you feel empty Dion, is it just the effects of a nice day coming to an end? Get another in the diary if so. Is good for the soul.

I am not sure I know how to flirt. Have been with DH my whole adult life and pretty sure I am either hideous or give off massive fuck off vibes as no one ever flirts with me. I don't mind though - if I were ever single I think i would relish the independence and peace. I sometimes contemplate cheating on my family with a desert island. If I ever managed to get away with sneaking off for a while I cannot imagine wasting that time factoring in someone else's desires and yet more drama. Fuck that!

Ps Madame, it is cooler. I have been appreciating it as hate it when it's too hot. My mum is in France but have not heard from her. I hope she is all right.

I totally relish the independence and peace, and the whole bed to myself, but I wouldn’t turn down a siesta crapeleuse with a bloke in work boots, man bun or not.

Evening all

Beautiful evening here, just sat at the lake watching both dcs kayak. Dd decided to go which is nice though she looks a bit shellshocked lol.

Had a busy day juggling work and ds and housework. He's absolutely fine, definetly just the bloody milkshake. Spoke to school and explained and they have said he still needs to be off for 48 hours. I do understand the rules but seems a bit daft if a parent can categorically state it was a reaction to something rather than a bug.

Anyway, due to the fact that I don't have the school run am debating a gin when I get home. I was planning 2 last night but spewey louie sort of put me off a bit.

Am mega busy again tomorrow. Ds still off, house to blitz ready for bbq Saturday afternoon, shopping to do, work to get done and various other things to sort. Then kayaking Saturday morning for me, then food prep and sorting then I am going to collapse with my friends and let dh do everything else!

I'm glad your DS is ok, Frouby, but pah to school. And I'd be the first to say a child with a D&V bug should be kept off for about 48 weeks, never mind 48 hours. But that's not what your DS has got. By the same token, I shovelled DD off to school the afternoon after she said she was sick. There was absolutely stuff all wrong with her.

Longest and NC4, I'm less gloomy today. I think, unfortunately, it was purely the effect of the come-down from lunchtime drinking (which was fun). I have to face the fact that drinking makes me miserable, once I've passed the cheerful stage - and I do, always, pass that stage because of the bastarding faulty off-switch.

So I am AF tonight, through gritted teeth.

Won't be tomorrow, though, as DP is returning from his "work" trip.

I'm enjoying hearing about those of you who fancy men in work boots. At least we'll not be competing for the local hommes when we all go and stay with MadameF, as I don't go for the rugged type. Suits and ties, oh yes. Even better are the shirts that barristers wear, with collar studs and so on. I'm not averse to a legal wig, either. Plus proper black shoes. The list goes on. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

PS Longest, I laughed out loud at "cheating on my family with a desert island". 😂

Dion, it’s a good job we don’t share taste in men. I spend about 80% of my working life hanging round the crown court. I’d never get anything done 😂

Today I get to be proud mum. DS1 has passed his assessments and is now a fully qualified plumber. He wants to go on to do his level 3 next year which I’m totally happy for him to do. He’s still only 16 by the skin of his teeth, so it’s a real achievement for him.

We had a BBQ tonight to celebrate, just the three of us, but it got DS2 away from his special interest obsession and he got to be king of the grill. He likes cooking, so it was nice family time. Some silly giggles. We needed that.

I’ve had 2 coronas. I may have a third or I may not. I’m happy either way really so might as well not.

NC4 - well done your DS1! That is very cool.
Two beers - gosh, that's civilised drinking.

Dion - all that about the come down - me too. But I always forget and think the solution is another drink.

The sunshine made me think of drinking after work today. I was hungry actually and was fine after dinner. No booze today.

NC dh is a builder and he says that if dd or ds wants to go into a trade he will oush them towards either plumbing or electricians. Says that building changes constantly and eventually lots of housing and buildings will be prefabs made in a factory but they will.always need water and electricity and someone to fit it. You must be so proud, I would be and he should absolutely do his level 3 while his education is free. It costs a fortune for trade skills so he should make the most of it.

Dd loved kayaking which surprised me a bit. Says shes definetly going to come regularly with us, and also fancies a go at paddleboarding and windsurfing. Really glad she enjoyed it, will get her out of her bedroom over summer.

Ds was his usual bombastic self. Was really busy tonight and the kids coming later were shoved into the racing kayaks. Ds was fuming, came from the other side of the lake, chased by one of the marshalls to demand a 'sharp' kayak. Little shit. 😂😂. Marshall was laughing about it, said he should have a sharp one as he will be doing competitions soon if he can go that speed over still water.

Had my one gin and off to bed shortly. Need to start planning Tuesday and Thursday night dinner a bit better. We had stirfry tonight, ds had a sarnie and dd had a pizza. Which is all quick to do but still a faff when I am not home til 8.30pm. Could do with stuff dh can shove in the oven as we are getting changed. Shepherds pie would work. And I could do stew and dumplings in the slow cooker and get dh to lob dumplings in. And spag bol would be easy enough.

It's just thinking of things that we will all eat which at the moment is sunday dinner which isn't possible. Dh wants a proper mans dinner because he's a builder and obvs can't be expected to cook on a weeknight.

This weather though I could leave some jacket spuds in oven, get everything else ready and people plate their own up.

Or call at KFC on way home 😂😂😂

NC congratulations to your DS1 a plumber is a great job

Dion another evening AF, that's brilliant even if you won't be when DP gets back.

Senseless when I was a serious moderator I made rules and stuck to them. It was easy when I didn't have a DP living with me.

Frouby enjoy the warm weather

Here it's too hot, 36C today but thankfully we aren't too far from the coast and there is always a breeze. The heat makes you want to eat less and alcohol is far les attractive. Although I did sink half a bottle of red shared with DP after working all afternoon in the garden.

Longest I hope your mum is ok with the heat, they have forecast 46c tomorrow in the south east

Talking about tradesman - there is a running joke in my running club that Wi go out with an appropriate artisan whenever I need specific work done on my gites. There was a stone mason, a plumber electrician, a plasterer/tiler....but I swear it was just chance 😂😳😬
DP is good at everything (phew), I could never have married a man who can't.

Haha, I have spent a disproportionate length of time weighing up the two quite appealing options you have all laid out for potential workwear of imaginary crush. I could go either way I think. DH is neither very posh alpha male barrister type nor very hands on practical work boots type but I do find him irresistibly sexy. Perhaps the sad truth is that the slightly nerdy public sector bureaucrat look is my ultimate dream. I do quite like a post work tieless suit compromise as long as it can be pulled off without conjuring up Tory MP on the campaign trail. I think I am a reluctant sucker for the alpha male public school barrister charm, but the novelty would fade and I'd end up in perpetual argument. In fact have spent whole evening attempting to persuade one such alpha male he is wrong about something in a work context. Know already he won't give in and am all worked up just thinking about it.

AF tonight but yesterday was a bit silly in retrospect. Bff said she was actually sick this morning and I didn't feel especially rough, which worries me a bit.

Glad you had fun kayaking Frouby. Not sure what to suggest re tea - bane of my life, but I tend to try and make 1 meal last 2 nights.

On my way out, but just checking in.

Flossie, I have been thinking about you endlessly. How did it go on Wednesday?? Gentle hugs to you.

NC4, that is fab about DS1. Congratulations to him - and to you.

Longest, you make me laugh with every post ( Perhaps the sad truth is that the slightly nerdy public sector bureaucrat look is my ultimate dream) I think that anything basically posh and well dressed is mine.

Madame, I think I'd need every tradesman in the universe, by that reckoning. The thing about all the men I fancy is that they're bloody useless at anything useful.

Kayaking news is v good, Frouby. I'd be very happy if DD found something to do instead of staring at her phone.

I am definetly not attracted to suits and ties, think it was working in banking and sales and marketing that did it. Got sick of the sight of sharply dressed men. Inuaed to have a couple of very good male friends, did nights out, clubs, hung out with them but never once was tempted to make it anything other than platonic. But an all muck and muscle type would give me the fanny gallops.

Every serious relationship apart from 1 has been with a builder/tradesman/someone in a manual job. The 1 who wasn't was a public servant and although I liked him very much, I never really fancied him.

And despite dh being a builder he's pretty useless at DIY. Doesn't have the patience for it. I mostly do stuff myself because it causes arguements if DH does it. He painted our fence and decking this year. Told him he needed to jetwash and scrub the decking before painting it, or it would flake. Obviously he didn't fucking listen and it's now flaking.

I have said I told you so and pointed out that next year he will have double the amount of work to do, jetwashing, scrubbing and sanding down.

Hope you are OK Flossie. Let us know you are.

Tea would be easy if it was me and the dcs longest. I would just do pasta, tuna for ds and veg for me and dd. It's dh that's the awkward fucker. Think he can sort himself out or have what we have. To be fair he would be happy with a sandwich and a bag of crisps so might start doing that. He loves a good sandwhich but I refuse to do it very often as I don't think its a proper meal.

XH was brilliant at practical stuff. He was a qualified mechanic, time served painter and decorator and then joined the police. Not sure what gave me the biggest swoon - seeing him in his body armour and big boots or seeing him in the garage with his jar jacked up, covered it dust from welding.
It’s a shame it didn’t work really. I proper fancied him.
And my car was always well maintained, house pristinely decorated and anything else fixed when it needed to be.
I remember once my sewing machine broke and he said ‘let me have a look at it.’
I was like, ‘can you fix sewing machines?!’ And he said, ‘it’s just another bit of machinery.’
10 minutes later it was sorted.
That’s how he wooed me. On our fourth date he changed my oil filter. I knew he was a keeper 😂

NC4 I got carried away with workwear fantasy and forgot to say congratulations to NCDS1! Fantastic news. You must be very proud. Is he only 16 then? I thought he was older. Well impressive.