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.

Does anyone else want to sometimes just put a film on that will make them cry and just drink the contents of the whole house when they're having a hard day?

Flossie you lucky thing being stuck in France a little longer (I've been stuck here 17 years and in non great hurry to return to my roots).
And yes, of course I still indulge in the French practice, I'm married to a Frenchman! It's all in the preparation, as long as that's OK its fine
Glad you had- are having a good holiday, you deserve it!
Dion welcome to the menopause, I hope you suffer like I do, i.e not at all for the moment (nearly 3 years into it).
Working since 7am, its bloody hot, so gave in and had a very rare beer at 6pm after spending 2 hours on the tractor mower getting burnt. Followed by sharing 2 bottles of wine with DP. At least with him there is no need to stash, he enjoys a drink and if I want one he never says no. OTOH he can do without too. Very easy to live with, I'm lucky.
Money are you Cottonsock? I'm lost!

V quickly, but yes I jolly well did, Flossie. Rather fun at the time, but interesting now (will not elaborate as TMI). Would like to carry on with the wine, but it has now all gone, so I am going to bed. Sigh.

Liverpool won! Thank fuck for that. Dd1 was allowed to stay up and watch but is now am overtired mess. Have let euphoric DH go and deal with her. He is suggesting opening champagne. Not a good call when you're one bottle down. I have put my foot down, moderation or what? We may compromise on more wine we don't feel the need to finish. DM rang in the middle of the second goal wanting to know how to make telly come on her computer. Thanks mum!

Have done nothing about applying for new job so that's tomorrow's task, plus am hosting sleepover, though apparently dad's friend is having cold feet and may want to go home to sleep, hurrah.

Steadfastly ignoring the French practice posts as makes me wince to think of it!

Flossie, hugs, but I am glad you get to stay in France a bit longer. Sounds just what you need.

Wincing here too Longest. Hope it doesn’t put you off France Flossie.
Madame do you think all the sport keeps the hormones in check? I’m having my coil removed next week in the desperate hope I can shift some of the weight I’ve gained since having it fitted, but it must be 10 years since I had a natural cycle, so I’ll be interested to see how it goes. I just hope I don’t get mood swings. My PMT has been much better since I had this.
The beer fear has kicked in here. I keep going over the wedding I was at and thinking I don’t remember bits. I don’t think I disgraced myself but I get terrible hanxiety anyway, and I’ve not been very good at taking my ADs on holiday.
I have to collect DS1 and his new girlfriend from a party at 12 or I’d be in bed.
What apps do people use for booze? I think I need a good clear run.

Have put wine away. Have peppermint tea (and chocolate but we won't mention that).

Are you sure people weren't drunk at the wedding NC4? Maybe they were slowing down by the evening. I would like to cut down again though. Dryer Jan feels a long time ago.

No I'm not money, still cotton...

Flossie, I'm glad you had a nice holiday and hope you get home ok. Travel is always stressful.
The beach is Barry island

I drunk my bottle of wine. But didn't follow it with the mini.bottle or the two pre mixed gins. Woke in night, but got back to sleep. Could be worse!

Morning all

NC I use drink aware, it's pretty good. Pings at me at danger oclock and reminds me if it's an AF day or a moderate day so it's quite good.

However, was not moderate yesterday and have a banging headache. Urgh. Kitchen looks like a bomb has gone off, as does the garden so am hiding in the living room drinking coffee.

Bbq was good. Loads and loads of food. I did loads of picky bits, sort of a cold tapas type stuff. Friend brought loads of vegan stuff, lots of homemade dips and some veg kebabs and some lamb shish kebabs, plus I did chicken tikka kebabs and then the usual burgers and sausages and stuff.

Was loads left as well, but have sent it back with friend as her vegan family are staying for the week and we are having sunday lunch today.

Love having friends round. Our ndns came as well and my cousin so we had a full house.

Did try and moderate a little bit. Ended up sticking to lager, purely because I couldn't be arsed to get up and make gin, and the lager was in an ice bucket at the side of me. But I had about 6 cans I think from 3pm until 8pm, then had a piece of vegan cake (which was lush) and stopped drinking. Still got a banging headache though which seems a bit unfair.

Had a slight row with dd last night. Her birthday is in july. 2 years ago she had a new phone on a 2 year contract, can't remember the deal but it is £33 a month so not cheap. Anyhow it's obviously up for renewal now. So I said we would renew it for her birthday, new phone and contract.

She doesn't want that, shes happy with her phone and just wants clothes. Which is fine. But then she needs to go onto either a giffgaff sim or a payg and pay for it herself.

She doesn't want that. Apparently she needs her phone and needs the unlimited minutes and txts. Have said she gets her allowance for things like this and she can't have the allowance plus an unlimited phone contract plus new clothes for her birthday. She has about £400 in her bank as she never spends her allowance so suggested she use that plus any other birthday money for clothes and we get her the phone. Flounce, flounce, flounce.

Apparently everyones parents pay for phone contracts because it's just a house bill not a birthday present thing. Asked if everyones parents also pay for 2 ponies in full livery, and are considering moving to an even more expensive yard just to keep her happy. She's had D of E stuff this year, £400 for a trip to Belgium in july plus £100 for clothes last month. She needs a new saddle (£600 +, probably be £800 unless we get lucky) and wants us to buy a trailer for pony.

Didn't argue last night as had had a drink but she will be getting told this morning. Once this headache has gone.

Still at least it's headache and not arseache like Dion 😂😂😂🙈

Glad you enjoyed your barbecue Frouby! Sounds lush. Abs pretty moderate - was it the heat/lack of water that gave you the headache?

Gah, I hate how grabby my kids are. On our way back from holiday "what are we doing tomorrow?" "And what are we doing on Monday?". Both dds' birthday lists are a mile long.

Can you get a sim-only contract renewal as part of her present for cheaper than one with a phone upgrade? Stick to your guns though - they need to learn about prioritising. My own phone contract costs way less than that - I just use it mostly when connected to WiFi.

Yep. DS2 thought he had another week off school. When he realised he has to go back on Monday he kicked off telling me: “I haven’t done ANYTHING this holidays.” Okaaay.....

Frouby I tell DS1 that while I pay his phone contract it’s technically my phone and I can have it back or have a look at it at any time I want. That might be worth mentioning to your DD. She sounds like she’s probably more trustworthy than DS1 but I do still think it’s fair enough.

What’s everyone up to today? We’re going to my mums for tea and I’m going to try and put my house in order for school/work tomorrow. I have lots of admin to do too. It might need a List.

I'm going to a bbq today and will be taking a 6 pack of Diet Coke with me.

NC4 I am glad it's not just mine! I do worry I have spoiled them. I think the conversation went something like "we haven't done much this holiday". Er, hello, apart from pony riding and pirate ship sailing and going to the sea life centre and rowing a rubber dinghy and building sandcastles and crabbing and barbecues on the beach and board games and bike rides and and and.... Dd1, attempting to back pedal "yes, I just meant I wish we had done more big stuff like the horse riding". Stop digging Dd1!

That said I may take them to the lido. Will be busy though as is quite hot. Also would like to send them out to park with DH so I can make a start on job application but will have to see. Have promised play date for dd1 at some point, and need to for it in as am banking on a returned favour tomorrow for inset day. Otherwise she's under my feet while I attempt "working from home". Nursery is open thank goodness.

I haven't checked in in a while. Hi all, including newcomers. Ramadan almost up with mixed results from health-kick. Will compile a full report I see french practices are back in the news which is funny as some days back longest posted about liking the series Fleabag which I had never heard of and found yesterday evening. Opening episode of first season is french practice related.

dion snap on period, I have had about a year of spending more time on than off with periods that were both frequent and prolonged. Nothing now for 50 odd days. I'm 46.

Frouby glad you had a nice BBQ. I'm going to one this afternoon, it is only a couple of kms away so I could walk, but I don't want to drink much so will drive instead. It's too hot and I've got really busy day tomorrow with a 6am start as usual, so need to sleep properly.
NC4 I'm sure regular exercise helps with everything. It reinforces your immune system and a friend of mine who is also menopausal and very fit physically hasn't suffered either. I started running properly 5 years ago and haven't had a cold since. You just need to make sport a habit, for me going for a run (or bike ride or swim) everyday is as much a routine as brushing my teeth every morning. Physical exercise also boosts memory and improves concentration, creativity and mental health. The negative effects of alcohol are also reduced, not sure if that is a good or bad thing!

Jealous of all of you with BBQ weather. It’s pissing down here. Which is a shame because I’ve got a nice tan under my cardi.
I’m going to attempt an almost dry June. Had an absolute shock on the scales, and feel crap, so cutting back on the pop will save me 2000 calls a week. Add in some daily exercise with the new energy I’ll have and I should shift something. God, I hope so.

Hello everyone and wince at French practices, not my thing!

Had a great time away, have been drinking all week but will be AF today and Monday - Thursday as I am working next week.

Held a family event last night and SIL was vile to me, apparently she has had issues with me for three years but only decided to mention this last night. My crimes include not having a photo of her on display in my living room (wtf?) and inviting someone she didn’t like (I didn’t know she didn’t like her, she’d never told me!) to a party at our house. Ds was also abusive to me and so I spent a lot of yesterday in tears. Shit end to a lovely week. families, what a fucking nightmare.

Passing thru as we travel back up to madame’s territory in France. Will wave to you Madame!!

Water..sounds hideous and totally not worth involving yourself with her!! What a cow!! Similar to my sil, who said to me following a family event that I hosted and cooked for 16, that I wasn’t making enough eye contact with her!! Wtaf!! I was fucking cooking!! Knob!!
Looking at people in cars in France from my window, and wondering if they all do French practise....!!

I ended May on 21 AF days out of 31 total days so not terrible, was worse because I treated last week as a holiday really.

I am sorry for mentioning French practices. 🤣 It is not something I have previously gone in for. But I'm not saying I won't do it again.

Leaving, your periods and mine are twins. I'm a bit older than you, but not much.

My DD tries it on with phones and contracts. I won't budge, not least as I can't afford to. She just has to find wifi hotspots (I don't have a phone, so she can't say I am being a hypocrite). All she wants to do is put crap on Snapchat anyway.

My DC used to moan about not having been anywhere/done anything, when I had taken them out for Fun Activities every day in the holidays. Now that we genuinely don't do anything or go anywhere, they don't moan about not doing anything. They are just bizarre.

Agree about the exercise, MadameF. Though I am a bit obsessive about it.

Hope you have a safe trip, Flossie.

Water, I'm really sorry you've had such a horrible time. I can't for a second imagine putting a photo of my BIL on display, and I like him. Your SIL sounds like a cowbag. Your DS is presumably just sounding off, though I know from experience how horrible it can be to be on the receiving end of it.

Good luck with Almost Dry June, NC4.

Flossie, they are wankerbastards for sure! Lol at looking at people and wondering about French!

Ugh water, I know what you mean! I've come back to earth with a bit of a bump too as it's getting harder to ignore that DH still isn't right. He's grouchy and snappy with everyone and I feel like I am walking on eggshells. He's agreed to up his sertraline dose but it's a bit of a worry tbh as I don't know what the long term plan is.

DM keeps sending stressy messages from her holiday in Scotland so slightly worried about that too. She's supposed to be back on Wednesday to look after DN but I can see her bailing and I have told dsis I'll be fallback (but not work as yet). So I'll need those holiday reserves I think.

Lido was nice though. Took girl from next door. Am now hosting another friend, possibly overnight, and have a third tomorrow afternoon as her parents forgot about the inset day. Will need to learn on mil to keep them out of my hair which won't make me too popular, but I rely on other people a lot so like to help out in return if i can.

AF tonight because Sunday. Also need to get back in shape, NC4 I am with you there.

water my sil can be difficult as well. Shes a bit of a drama llama but then so are my actual sisters so she fits in really.

Have achieved absolutely nothing today except cleaning up after BBQ, staring at my phone and making airfryer chip butties for lunch. Which was the lesser of 2 evils as dh wanted mcdonalds.

Am going to go to bed shortly and read in bed. Otherwise I will just continue staring at my phone and watching crap on tv. I watched the entire weeks worth of 4 in a bed earlier. 😂😂😂. Oh I also had a nice nan nap.

Dry tonight and hopefully a better week for me now half term is over. Though ds is off tomorrow on an inset day as well. Have no car tomorrow or tuesday due to dhs not having a rear window due to thieving wankerbastards. I suppose I ought to get housework done and can have a walk up to allotment with ds and the dog.

Your sil sounds batshit water. I am not sure what you can say to that! I think I'd adopt the same approach as I do with the DC and laugh. My sil lives in Australia. I imagine she'd grate more if I saw her more often. Bil is fab though (as in dsis's DH, rather than DH's DB, who is harder work than sil.

I don't have any photos of any of them up though. And as for eye contact neediness Flossie, fucksake.