Wankerbastards and summer sunshine will make us want the bloody wine. But tryers to be dryers won't give up, and ice cold becks blue we will sup.

[Frouby]

Thread 7 for the tryers.

Join us for tips and support for encouraging a more healthy relationship with alcohol. Whether you want to drink less, or not at all, stay in your units or just cut down this is the thread for friendship, support, tips and ideas.

Absolutely no judgements here, but there will possibly be swearing.

Other threads are dotted around but I have yet to master a clicky link.

Ha at least it wasn't a chicken burger and onion rings Leaving! I asked for the halloumi one but they don't do it any more apparently. I also realised I really don't enjoy eating greasy food with my hands. Am becoming very Hyacinth Bucket. Am now serving the kids up the chips they didn't eat at lunch for their tea, (along with value pizza and veg I know they won't eat) #classy. Still, have survived day. Dropped dd2 at nursery for the afternoon and older two entertained themselves in the garden till the boy left and mil arrived to keep dd1 out of my hair. She's in charge tomorrow and has grand plans of natural history museum or similar. Hero. Have booked holiday camp for weds and mum of boy who was here today is returning the favour on Thursday, though lives somewhere annoying miles from any tube and collected her son at 4pm so might think I'm taking the piss if I leave her there till 6. Hmm. Quandary for another day I feel. Am off on Friday so taking kids to see dsis in Cambridge (may stop at IKEA for free crèche on the way if I've some work time to make up! Daft things consider this a treat).

Will share some wine with mil tonight but will attempt moderation and then attempt a couple of AF days in lieu of weekend I think.

Ugh horribly heavy period now coil has resumed rightful place. Feel a bit gross. At least will be over by the time I'm on holiday.

#classy longest on the left over chips, I love it.

Evening all

Returned to FatClub tonight with my tail between my legs after 3 weeks off, alldabeer and alldacrapfood. 2lbs on which is less than I deserved so actually quite pleased with that.

Longest I haven't done any work yet. Did a couple of hours Monday morning and that's it. Planning on a couple of hours tomorrow morning. Hopefully ds will be happy with his tablet while I get a bit done.

Just dropped dd off on a dragon boat training session down at the boathouse. Apparently it's a big thing, the club are trying to get an adult and junior race team together. Cousin wanted me to do it, but it's training 3 times a week and I just don't have the time but dd says she will give it a go.

The main coach is a young lad who races with Team GB and competes in a couple of things at GB level. He's very pretty and very fit, made me a bit swoony and dd had stars in her eyes 🤩🤩🤩. I think she will definitely go again.

Started harvesting at the allotment. Now over run with a fuckton of veg so hopefully will drop this 2lb quickly.

Hi everyone!

Longest - I think you are bossing this summer holiday. Emailing from the cinema, rechauffe chips and Smaland - you've got it going on.

Frouby - 2lb! nothing at all. You've have it off in no time. erm I mean you will lose the weight in no time.

Im on the second AF day, this time without a stinking hangover so kind of the first in a way. It's fine. Feeling calm at home, no problems not hitting the wine.

Leaving - Linda McCartney stuff is vile.

Hmm.

Senseless, I had a small glass of wine at lunch time (enabling friend's fault). Have now had a large G&T, which I did not mean to have. I am not sure where this is heading, but I admire your Day 2.

PMSL at Frouby and DD and the coach. My DD has her eye on a "fit" sports coach. So does every single girl in her year. 2lb is not at all bad. You could lose that again by having a poo.

Flossie, hope you have a fab hol.

Longest, you are the one who's a hero, to be simultaneously working and giving your DDs such a great time. You remind me what hard work smaller children are. I may moan about the ungrateful teenagers, but at least they are happy to loaf around doing fuck all. I do feel guilty about working now, but I certainly put the 'entertaining them' hours in for about 15 years. I don't think there's any easy answer to any of this.

I've been up since 4.45, so it has been a long day. Waiting for the DC to return from their various days out, though I'd like to be asleep.

PS Leaving, have you tried the mozzarella burgers? not that I eat crap

Hi everyone

Frouby - 2lb in 3 weeks is nothing lovely. As Dion said, a big poo and it will be gone 😉. Your allotment sounds lush. I love veg!!

Leaving - bleurgh, I’m not a fan at all of Linda McCartney’s things. They taste really processed. I’m not a fan of quorn products either for the same reason. I’m vegetarian and love halloumi. But I’ve tried a ‘beyond burger’ plant based burger which is delicious!! Think they sell them in Tesco.

Dion - wow that was an early start!! Was that due to work?? Hope you’re ok lovely and dp is behaving himself. I just wish he knew how lucky he is!

NC4- Toby is gorgeous!!

Longest - I admire you so much. You are a fab mum and do so much for them, making their lives so full with fun, yet still manage to work!! You deserve a medal!!

Senseless - well done on af

All good here in the States. Hot and humid. Desperate for wine. Dh is moderating insanely though as not handling the heat well. So I feel mega guilty for even wanting wine, let alone it being $12 a glass. Had max of 2 glasses a day. Surely that’s a good thing. But hey..I thought holidays was about drinking!! Mind you, we are walking miles each day too so surely I must be toning up. Fingers crossed!!

flossie hope you are having an amazing time! Weather rubbish here so jealous of your sunshine. It's very unsettled the next few days, thunderstorms and wind.

2lbs is about 3lbs less than I deserved. Was expecting much worse. It will soon come off again if I stay off the beer.

Dd absolutely loved dragon boating. She came in so excited and happy. Had made a few friends, been earmarked by one of the club coaches to do more kayaking with and is full of enthusiasm for it all. Says the very good looking coach is nice but very strict. She did pal up with 2 other lads who are 16/17 though, both race and one does triathlon training as well. So they were talking to her about training schedules and different stuff she could do.

Have never seen her so excited by sport. She hates PE and although we have the ponies which she loves she's not a big equestrian. Am hoping she gets more involved, I think sport is so important for girls and gives them heaps of confidence and moves the focus away from hair and makeup and appearance and gives them positive body images.

Ds is fuming though. Because he isn't old enough to do it 😂😂😂. Said she wasn't allowed to do it yesterday because she hasn't been kayaking as many times as him.

Am not a LM fan either. Was veggie for years and some of the veggie alternatives are so processed you would probably be better off with a McDonalds. However you can't beat a good cauliflower cheese grill or a spicy bean burger. I have those sometimes if dh fancies burgers.

Got up early to get some work done, still sat on the sofa drinking coffee. Fml.

Had 2 dry days so far, hoping to mske it 3 tonight but if I do have a drink will stick to 1 g and t. Was hoping to take them kayaking tonight but tipped for thunderstorms later.

Holidays and drinking yes indeed flossie our family holiday is coming up shortly with enabling friends in Italy. That won’t be two glasses a day for sure. LM pies were the only LM products I saw, most frozen stuff here is from the region, few things from the US, I never tried any. My youngest is crazy for frozen peas though, while still frozen.

Love the coach situation frouby my little one started summer holidays three weeks before his brother so I got him morning swimming lessons, at ladies only swimming session (he is 5 so doesn’t count as a guy ). His teacher is wrist to ankle in black suit and hair cover. He never even mentioned it

Loving it leaving. Children are much more accepting than adults.

Ds was playing in my dms front garden last month with his cousin. A little lad came over to see what they were doing dressed in traditional muslim clothes. Ds asked why he was wearing different clothes. Little boy said 'it's because I am a muslim'. Ds just went 'oh, you believe in a different God to us, we believe in God and Jesus, what's your name? Do you want to play building a bonfire with us?'.

And then they played together.

Just made myself a quick £100 so that's work done for the day. Love my job sometimes 😜

Ugh soooo tired. Overdid the wine last night and slept badly. Just want to crawl into bed now. Guess I could.

Do it longest, I love a ridiculously early night, usually read til I am sleepy then have a lovely kip.

Not dry tonight but only had 1 35ml gin so moderated quite well. Rain and thunderstorms meant we didn't go kayaking so decided to have a gin.

Made shepherds pie for dinner, was absolutely lush. My veg refusnik ds ate 2 huge portions, including all the courgette I had put in there, carrots, celery and even 2 French beans. That's probably more veg than he has eaten all year (knowingly anyway). There is a portion left he has already earmarked for his dinner tomorrow.

Am off to bed myself shortly. Have just started reading the Val Mcdermid series with Tony Hill in. Loving it so far, its the series the old TV programme Cracker was based on which I also loved at the time, but fortunately can't remember the plot lines.

NC how is Toby settling in? Has he worked out where you sleep yet and made it his own bed .

Keep thinking I have had a lazy day today because we haven't been anywhere really but did a couple of hours work, cleaned the kitchen, generally tidied up and got a couple of loads of washing dry before the rain, cleaned the Guinea pigs out and had them out to check nails and bums, fed chooks, top and tailed a huge box of french beans from the allotment and sorted another bag of new potatoes, and entertained ds all day. Oh and walked the dog and took ds to practice riding his bike.

So not a complete write off really.

Am picking my mum and aunt up tomorrow and taking them for lunch which will be nice, then thursday we are going up to the nature reserve with school mum friend and her dcs, then kayaking/dragon boating Thursday.

Bloody Hell, Frouby. 1 x 35ml is serious moderation. That would be 'just starting' for me. Interested in your £100 profit today. I have just fucked up and missed a good deal as I was too busy to do it, despite having done all the registering stuff.

Which it was. FML.

Longest, I'm with you on wanting an early night. DD was up pretty much all sodding night, for no good reason at all. When I went downstairs, I realised she had left every single light in the house on, and had also helped herself to my AF fake G&T. Very annoying.

Leaving, as Frouby says, kids are brilliant. They just don't notice or care. Everyone could learn from them...

Mine was new account sign up stuff dion, helping a 'friend' work through the offers. 😁.

Some decent offers around for Goodwood this week. There is also the Virgin bet 10 get 20 which is new but relatively straightforward from what I can see.

Sky is money back as cash for places on 1 race a day and I think most of the biggies have something on. Think Betway are doing money back as cash on 1 possibly 2 races as well.

Most of my horses won to the bookies today which is annoying though as it's put a serious dent in my exchanges until they pay out.

Frouby - crikey, that sounds mega complex. I know I’d fuck it up if I tried!!

Dion - my ds used to drink my faves. And also use my fave glass or mug and I’d find it mouldy in his bedroom!! Drove me mad!!

Longest - an early night sounds lush!!

Having a great time here. Dragged dh and dc to the hotel bar last night after we’d been out to dinner. I’d had two glasses of wine with dinner. But just needed more!! Dd1 has driven me mad so 2 wasn’t enough!! Had the most disgusting glass of Pinot in the hotel, tasted of vinegar and was served in a plastic glass. Ffs.
Was chatting to another mum on way to Disney today. She was saying she loves a drink and has bought tiny bottles for her room so she can have a few before going out with her dh and dc. She was the same age as me (45) and made me feel so much better about myself. I haven’t had ‘pre’s’ as my ds calls them while away so I guess I’ve moderated. Was nice to chat to someone else IRL and not feel shite for wanting and needing wine!! She was very open about it. Mind you, makes me chuckle that even on a trip to Disney, I chat about needing wine 😂😂

Hi. Frouby, what do you do? you sound super smart!

Day 3 here.

Pissed again. These school holidays are driving me demented.
Small victories though - was dropping DS1 off earlier, taking about his friends, I said: “I mean... I’m far from a perfect mum...”
And he replied (no eye contact): “Well that’s clearly bollocks”

Longest - are you copper or Mirena? I’ve just finished my second period sans coil. Jesus! My periods have been hormonally controlled since my late teens. I don’t know if this is just normal or some kind of peri meni madness. I don’t like it much though.

Senseless brilliant, day 3! Day 4 I guess now.

Frouby £100 was definitely worth getting up early for. Enjoy your day with your mum and aunt.

Longest I hope you feel better this morning

Flossie sounds like you are having a brilliant time in Florida, you deserve it

NC4 You need to remember and note the small victories, they count no matter how little they are.

Dion my DC are hopeless with switching things off too. DD didn't switch off the ignition of my car Monday evening so I consequently had a flat battery Tuesday, not a great start to the day.

Last 2 days have been spent looking for a car for DD, so spending far too much time driving everywhere. DP decided to fast until he drops 4kgs, so I've joined him, he is just drinking water but I ate a little Monday and last night because I ran 20kms each day. Fasting is definitely the cheapest way to lose weight. Was AF Monday but finally having found a car for DD last night she drove it home 2 hours, she only passed her test last week and has driven for a total of 32 hours. The drive was on a motorway in the wind with very heavy showers and finally in the dark for the last 10 minutes.
After that trauma I needed a glass of wine. Or two.

senseless I do matched betting. Which is basically taking offers from bookies and turning them into guaranteed profit. Am not very good at explaining it, but basically you place a bet with a bookie, then a counterbet with a bookie that allows you to lay your bet off. So I back a horse to win in 1 bookie, then a horse NOT to win in another bookie. If that's a free bet worth £20 I get that money either way.

If you do enough of those bets a day you can earn decent money. Well, more money than me working round the dcs anyway. Anyone can do it, you just need a bit of time and patience.

madame your dd is so brave! I have been driving 20 odd years and since having dd 15 years ago refuse to drive on the motorways. Completely lost my nerve while I was pregnant. I never need to luckily.

NC I pull my hair out with dd sometimes. But then she drops in that all her friends think I am really cool and funny. Dd sometimes shares the rare fakebook updates I do so her friends can see it as I refuse to accept their friend requests as my fb is a bit sweary. Small victories and all that.

Just watching stuff on the BBC about extreme weather. Just wish it wouldn't be so extreme over the summer holidays. Ds is going to explode if I don't get him outside for a good few hours in the next day or 2.

NC4- that's a whopping great victory! Teenagers aren't known for trying to make you feel better. Take the compliment and feel proud.

Flossie glad you're having a great time! Yes, sometimes I think we are too busy beating ourselves up to spot that drinking is actually quite a big part of our culture. There was a news story the other day saying effectively that society was crumbling due to people no longer going to the pub. In particular we have lost inter generational connection. I've been wondering about that. Sometimes I think there are worse things than sitting peacefully at home wanting to unwind after a busy day. We could be power hungry like Trump, or just rampantly consuming the earth's resources or anything really. I'm trying to dial down the guilt and just focus on balance for my own sake.

I am now on the copper coil having ditched the Mirena one for making me want to slit my wrists each month. It does make my periods heavier though - wondering if that's partly why I felt so done in yesterday. They had settled after the first but in retrospect that was because coil was awol!

Madame wow, motorway driving at the weekend was no fun at all. Though it's good to get experience quickly I guess. I didn't learn till I was 25 but then straight away had to drive to Watford every day on the motorway for work. I'm the only driver in our house which is tough sometimes but thinking of ditching the car anyway for climate reasons. We will be in the ULEZ next year so will need a new one otherwise. Going to get a bike anyway as both girls can ride now. Might try this week actually as will be useful for taking dd1 to sailing camp. She's gone to the one at the school connected to dd2's nursery today. They've gone to Greenwich in the cable car which sounds fun, however much she likes to moan!

Ps Frouby - you should be proud too! You are cool and funny and it's great to have raised a DD that recognises it. Well done you!

Can I join? I really need to cut down

Frouby - you should be proud too! You are cool and funny and it's great to have raised a DD that recognises it. Well done you!

I second that, Longest. Loving your DS's comment too, NC4.

Flying by, but will be on again later.

I am really not cool at all, I am just a bit more sweary and more gritty than most of dds friends parents, who are all much posher than us. Apparently because I don't nag dd about homework (cos I don't have to) and because I drink on a school night, and take the piss a bit out of the very serious 15 year old girls but in a nice way, I am cool and down with the yoof 😂😂😂. It doesn't take much I don't think.

Had a lovely day with my mam and aunt. Took them to local pub for lunch, 2 mains for £8.99 plus upgraded their fish and chips to a large haddock for an extra 99p, refillable cup of tea each and then an hour walking round the big, new B and M near me and it was like we'd done tea at the ritz and a shopping trip to Harrods 😂😂😂. Dropped them home 6 hour later clutching bags of French beans, runner beans, courgettes, new potatoes, a dozen eggs and a jar of pickled beetroot each from the allotment. Happy as pigs in muck they were.

Off to nature reserve in the morning, hoping the weather improves. Then kayaking tomorrow evening. Wasn't dry today, 2 gins but am ok with that. Will be dry tomorrow though. Had 3 gins since Saturdays excess so a big improvement on the last 2 weeks.

Sounds like a bargain Frouby, my kind of day out!

Was tempted by wine but pal is coming over tomorrow so sated myself with peppermint tea and bananagrams #proud.

Dd1 would tell me nothing about her day other than she got the cable car and had lunch on a bench. I asked her how she got to the cable car "erm, we took a train like any normal person would". Smart arse. DH offered to have her at home again tomorrow but her pal's mum wants her as company for her ds. Hope she isn't a nightmare as am counting in her being allowed back next week.

Had to give talk to former colleagues about social mobility stuff. Am so terrible at that, was actually shaking at one point. Am such a muppet. Embarrassing. Next on the bill was someone who had just got back from climbing Everest. She was there when all those people died. It sounded absolutely horrendous she had altitude induced anorexia, pneumonia, frostbite, hypothermia, you name it, but everyone was congratulating her on an amazing achievement. I was