Wankerbastards and autumn weather, crunchy leaves, browning heather. We want crisp, cool days and crisp, cool wine, or beer or gin. But only a couple, as we smash moderatin'.

[Frouby]

Thread 8 for Tryers to be Dryers.

Join in for help and support and lots of laughs to reduce alcohol. Whatever you want to achieve with your alcohol intake, whether it's alcoholidays, dry days, less booze in general we are all in the same boat.

More threads floating around but I can't do clicky links. Just look for Wankerbastards and you will find us.

These are the beasts I have to carve. And I am rubbish at carving pumpkins. Dd is quite arty but pumpkins make her gag.

Dry cos Sunday. Nearly caved earlier after giving dd a bollocking. Lazy little mare excepting to be ferried around but not wanting to do anything to help at home. So she got told to give her head a wobble.

Really fancy a horlicks which is random. Got some somewhere but it's probably out of date so cba to rummage and I am also in bed.

Wow Frouby, amazing! I can't carve either. Have no idea how people do those arty numbers. Luckily the dds seem happy enough with a traditional triangle eye and sharp teeth job. Though dd1 wants to attempt a gengar face. Good luck to her.

Is it Sunday?? FML, then, I have no excuse. I'm good at pumpkins, though, as I'm a bit arty (failure in every other way, needless to say).

Have just had a massive argument with DS about Brexit. He is a Brexiteer. Thank fuck he is a couple of months too young to have a vote.

FML.

Dionysa, lol at arguing with ds about brexit.

Frouby, ahh at your ds

Longest, I like the sound of that arrangement. Dora the explorer feels like a long time ago, I remember her from when ds was small.

AF for the first time in ages. Very sad though as one of our cats seemed ill this morning, so we took him to the out of hours vet and I think he’s going to die. They have kept him overnight and I’m to call at 6.30am to find out if he made it through the night. He’s only 3 and is so kind and loving; he prances and nuzzles me every morning when I go to feed him. Vet suspects he’s been poisoned by something and I’m worried it’s lilies as I was sent loads of flowers for my birthday (4 bouquets altogether) and I forgot about cats and lilies and didn’t remove them. Vet says could be lilies or could be anti freeze but neither have good outcomes. Ds and dd and dh are all really sad too. And I feel dreadful as it’s my fault.

Might start the 8 week blood sugar diet tomorrow as it’s 8 weeks until Christmas, so that would be mostly AF and a good kick start to losing weight. But it’s a bit ambitious so I will see how I feel tomorrow.

Gah DC with opinions, that'll be a frightening stage. Does he have good reasons Dion? I have mellowed a bit on the Brexit front only by dint of thinking we are pretty fucked come what may with Trump and Russia and climate change to contend with and whatever happens the genie is out of the bottle with rancour and division. Not very cheery but oddly calming. I do think my change of coil has helped me with the overwhelming existential despair too, although rationally i think i was probably right to feel that way, am definitely head in sand at the moment.

Oh water i am sorry to hear about your cat. I hope she makes it through. I had no idea about lillies. Surely they should come with big warnings if they are such a danger? I have never known not to give them to people with cats, so please don't blame yourself.

Thank you longest. Ha ha at existential despair, me too, I can’t bear reading the news these days.

Wow frouby, those pumpkins are whoppers!!

Longest, your cinema sounded quite sweet in the end, altho I’m not a cinema lover..prefer the great outdoors but can see the attraction of housing a small person in one place and closing my eyes for an hour while they chomp on popcorn.

Water - oh gosh. I hope your little cat is ok and you receive good news this morning. Pets really do hit your heart don’t they.

Dion - my son is politically righteous as well towards me!! Drives me nuts. He stands and lectures me as if he sits on the bench!! I just ignore him now as used to get really agitated with him about it. How’s the injury??

Well, I was at last night. We took dd’s out for dinner and I drove. I can happily drink soda water while out and really enjoy it. As soon as I got home, I put the kettle on before dh could pour the wine. He said he’d wanted to have a beer but I made a cuppa too quick. Think that’s the key!!
Have come to realise it’s all habitual. I love wine while I’m cooking. I didn’t cook..so didn’t have the wine. I really need to change these habits. But it’s so hard!!
Mind you..that and having a sore throat. Had a horrid virus last week which started with a sore throat. Got one back again now but virus has all but gone. Convinced myself it’s something sinister..as obviously only I could, having health anxiety!! Ffs. Googled away too!! Fml!!
Hoping I can be dry again tonight. But thinking realistically it will be a toughie due girls going back to school today after half term!! Love them being home as not the rush of the school runs..and the worry of Dd2 being away from me, and needing help!!

Happy Monday everyone x

Oh Flossie, hugs, though this one i can say with absolute certainty is a classic Autumn cold with a bit of anxiety thrown in for good measure. Well done on AF! I am actually looking forward to a lighter week this week though haven't yet made a proper plan so will be slightly in dh's hands. Hope dd gets on ok at school. Mine are back today as well. They were up at shocking o'clock so not looking forward to hearing how dh gets on after school. Dd1 is harry potter obsessed and is getting by on minimal sleep so she can get up and read. Quite sweet but also a pain. Makes Christmas presents easy this year though and i managed to bag a harry potter advent calendar in Primark yesterday which i am using to bribe her into acceptable behaviour. Told her they are selling on ebay for more than i paid so I have no qualms in putting it on there if she fails to earn it. Though obviously i do, as am ridiculously soft despite being in a hopping rage half the time.

In positive news my clothes are noticeably less tight since getting back from holiday despite overindulgence on wine and turron.
In fact skirt is less tight than when i bought it a year ago. Hurrah. Sysophean swimming for the win. Must find a way ro keep it up. Unfortunately mil is away this month so i am giving up my day off to childcare. May have to skive off whuke working from home.

Any news from the vet water? Xx

Everything crossed and prayed for your cat Water. That’s so heartbreaking. I hope he pulls through.
Hugs to all back to schoolers. Mine are back today too, but DS2 stayed at my mums last night. He insisted on going home before school and catching the bus as usual but that’s all good.
Hearing you on the righteous DSs. My oldest does a good political rant. I let it wash over me, mostly. Their dad has similar tendencies so he can engage on that front.
Just leaving Mallorca. It’s been fun, and very not dry. I’m looking forward to seeing my boys and cats but not leaving this gorgeous sunshine behind.

Ah so pleased you had fun NC4, you really deserved it. You were lucky with the weather as last weekend was torrential. Did everything go ok with dfriend?

Got a place on leadership course thing i applied for so that's something. Also gorgeous pic of dnephew who now has shock of bright orange hair, love him.

Hello everyone
WARNING long and probably boring post due to absence on here recently.

Longest NC4 sounds like you had good and much needed holidays, glad you had a nice time and that you got further into your swimming challenge Longest

Water how is your poor little cat? I've lost 15 cats in the last 18 years in France. Living in rural France sounds idyllic for cats but mine have been poisoned by eating mice poisoned by the neighbouring farmer, or shot by him or other hunters, or run over. I hope the vet managed to get some vitamin K into your cat before it was too late.

Dion Flossie yes, older teenagers are so sure of themselves and their opinions now. They get all their news from the internet and lack the skepticism that adults have to question things. But it's interesting challenging their views when they think they know everything but don't

Frouby wow, those are huge. It is so hard carving a pumpkin and can be dangerous. I've done it but wouldn't have trusted my DC when they were younger. Good luck!

2nd week of half term, DD is home from uni but out most of the time, DS is on activity week at the coast doing sailing, paddle board,wind surfing etc. Even if the weather is pants I'm sure he'll have a fantastic time.
Busy here, DH's cousin is installed in the little house and we have already started trying to clean up the garden and land (3 acres) and we should be signing for the main house and other outbuildings tomorrow. No rush to move so at least that is one less thing to worry about. Teaching 4 days a week and gites to do too and all the garden which isn't easy with the non stop rain we are having. But it isn't too cold, woodburner in the evening is all we need at the moment.
My 85 yr old father was over for a few days with his GF (he still lives with my DM, it's complicated) and I found out I have a younger half brother which is interesting. I even used to babysit for him without knowing we were related when I was 16, lol. He is an Oxford don so I guess he got the lion's share of the brains in the family.
Not AF but not abusing either, still doing lots of running (22kms this morning) and swimming 2kms twice a week, although cycling is more difficult with all the rain. Exercise definitely offsets some of the negative effects of alcohol.

Our cat died 😰 he was the nicest most cheerful, bouncy kitty. dd and I are really upset, we’ve had him 2 years, from a kitten and, as dd said a few weeks ago, “he makes us happy and we make him happy don't we?” - he’s the nicest cat I’ve ever had. Well, was. 😰😰😰

Day 2 AF here and day 1 of the 8 week BSD. I'm very motivated right now and have just been shopping with dd for nice food. Vet called me at 2.30am and I didn’t get back to sleep until 6.30 so I’m knackered and emotional. Not hungry though as just had smoked salmon and prawns for lunch.

Madame, well done on not abusing, and sorry about all your cats too.

Oh Water I'm so sorry, big hugs to you and your DD. It always seems that the best cats disappear .
Well done on your Day 2 and BSD, not that makes up for poor kitty.

Oh i am so sorry Water, i was really hoping for good news. for you and dd.

Ahhhhh shit water, poor you and poor kitty. Our pets are so important to us, I was devastated last year when one of our guinea pigs died.

First day of half term here. Been busy but productive. Dragged LittlePony in and scrapped some mud off him with ds, then lunged him and tidied his mane into plaits and rugged him up to try and minimise the filth. Brought BabyPony in, tidied her up and free lunged her which was fun. She was very good and ds was very impressed by our circus tricks.

Then fed chooks, bought ds a new winter jacket, only a tesco cheapy one but its fir the ponies and allotment and generally being mucky in. Got home and blitzed house, did an hours work, had a shower and peeled some spuds for tea and ordered 2 new rugs for ponies and was debating a gin. However dh has come home knackered and gone to bed for an hour and wants a really early tea and bed so I won't bother. Which will be 3 dry days! Yay me.

Need it tbh. Or rather my waistline does. Sacked fatclub cos I was fed up of going so me and cousin going to do a weekly weigh in here instead and hold each other accountable. Swapped from stones to kgs as well to make it less cringey weighing in in front of each other. If I can lose 5kgs between now and 15th December will be happy.

Airfryer chips, leftover gammon, poached egg and garden peas for dinner tonight though which I am really looking forward to. And has pastrami and gherkins on wholemeal bread for lunch.

Really need to up the fibre. Things have been a bit slow and uncomfortable lately 🙈.

Water - so sorry to read your post. Pets are really part of our family and mean so much. Sending big hugs.

Madame - lovely to hear from you. Well done on the sport. You really inspire me. I so so want to get back to it. Keep putting it off. Altho I do yoga a lot which helps my mind, I just need to run to help the waistline too!!

Debating wine. One dry night under the belt and I become pathetic again!! Cooking risotto tonight which is not going to go well, as I pour wine into the pot, so probs going to pour into glass too!! Ffs!!

Anyone heard or tried to sirtfood diet?? Have you seen Adele and her transformation?! Just wonder how easy it is.

Well done Mme. And wow re half brother revelation. Hope you're ok.

Frouby woo indeed. Good luck with half term and diet.

Flossie, i hear you. This morning's "looking forward to more AF nights" is now fighting with "end of a long day, is pitch black and miserable, perhaps wine would help'. I'll keep you posted on who wins. Luckily i have tasty game casserole leftovers in fridge.

So sorry about your kitty Water. I’ve missed mine while I’ve been away - like you, I would be desperately sad if anything happened to either of them.
Please don’t blame yourself. It’s just an accident and you don’t even know if it was the lilies. Heartbreaking whatever happened 💔

Madame. How are you following the reveal of your half brother?? I ask because I was told similar when I was a child. But have never seen or met him. Don’t even know if they know of me!! God life’s wierd sometimes. I hope you’re ok. It does turn your world and your belief in your own self, upside down x

Ah thank you, you're all so kind. I’m drinking and watching trash tv. other lovely cat is jumpy, it’s so sad.

Managed to stay AF. Have sudden onset of sore ear and nausea which i hate to say only intensified the battle of good and evil, but pyjamas and Netflix won in the end. May have to go to doctor tomorrow, yawn.

Aw Water. Poor other cat too x

Oh water. That’s so sad. I remember when we lost my poor dog. Our other dog was devastated. It was seeing her grief that hurt the most. Sending you huge hugs x

Longest - oh you poor thing. That’s rubbish!! Do you suffer with ear infections??

Well I’m pissed. Fml. Made risotto. Told dh I was pouring wine into pan as I cooked, but I poured it into my glass instead. Ffs. Feel proper pissed. Wtf!!!!!!