Forever Free - a life without booze, 2020 onwards.

[Drybird2020]

This thread is a supportive place for anyone who no longer wants alcohol to be part of their life.
This is the 4th thread in a series. I started the first 30th December last year and have been sober ever since. I couldn't have done it without the tremendous support other posters have given me.
Previous threads are linked below and are useful reading for anyone starting out, as they are full of useful advice, suggestions for reading, and strategies for managing the tricky times. Plus you will see how similarly alcohol affects so many of us, and track the journeys of people who are successfully making the change and embraced a new and rewarding life.

Thread 1
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/alcohol_support/3781133-Anyone-else-stopping-completely-in-2020

Thread 2
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/alcohol_support/3810419-Still-stopped-in-2020-a-thread-for-anyone-abstaining-from-alcohol

Thread 3 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/alcohol_support/3910349-Staying-Stopped-Alcohol-Free-permanently

The only rules are that you are committing to an alcohol free life, and that you have stopped drinking before you begin to post.

If anyone would like to use the new thread to (re)introduce themselves and give a wee summary of where they are at, please do!

Morning all, just wondering it anyone has heard from @Hangingover?

Sorry lads...thanks for your all your lovely lovely words, I have still been reading but just been quiet as I feel like a plonker. Well done on everyone's milestones. Normal idiotic service will resume shortly and I'll tell you about the manky whale picnic and poo-van-man.

There you are @Hangingover :-) Glad you're still ok, we are all plonkers here after all!

@Teetotallyimperfect, I'm just passed 60 days so a way to go but still finding its a great improvement on previous life so hoping the next few weeks and months go smoothly as well!

Yup, plonking of all kinds is encouraged. Plonk on, @Hangingover and everybody.

@Hangingover don’t be quiet, we love your stories😂😂😂 And we are all plonkers really (or at least I am😂😂😂).

Had an alcohol free gin (Seedlip) yesterday but I don’t think it’s for me. It’s a bit too much like having a gin but not having a gin. Weird, because I don’t have the same with AF beer at all, I love it!

Also wanted to say that my skin has been looking amazing!!! I really struggled a lot with my skin last year (poor complexion and spots) but over the last few months it has really transformed😱

I've heard very mixed reviews of Seedlip @BunniesBunniesBunnies - never been a gin drinker so not for me anyway - like you AF beer is more up my street (was not a beer drinker either!). Interesting about your skin, that's great to hear. I found out yesterday that I have a health assessment next week(!) including liver function test so am VERY glad I gave up back in July :-)

Hey everyone, hope you're all doing ok?

I have a new love for AF beer😂

6 months sober today - horrah!

I've set myself a challenge to run 100k this month. Only 90 to go😂

Well done Jess, that’s a fab milestone! And congrats to everyone else hitting the significant numbers.

@iamyourequal thank you - yes definitely congrats to everyone hitting milestones, and just for staying dry every day, everyone is a milestone!

Well done on the 6 months Jess🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 and on the running challenge!!! I’m hoping to do a similar one this month. Did you sign up to anything? I’m a sucker for a shiny medal...

@BunniesBunniesBunnies thanks! No, I looked at a few virtual ones then juse just decided to tot it up on strava as the month goes on. Are you on strava?

Nice one, @jess3817! Half a year!!

@Drybird2020 thanks! How are you? How's your running going?

Congratulations @jess3817 👍amazing total, you must be so proud 😀 brilliant result.

Congratulations @jess3817 on your 6 month soberversary .

Sorry @Ravenswick, I misunderstood, but congrats on passing 60 days.

Another hangover free Saturday. The novelty still hasn't worn off! Have a great weekend everyone.

@Ravenswick thank you and congrats to you on your 60days to!
@Teetotallyimperfect thank you! Same here, hasn't worn off for me either. I've been out for a short run training session on the field behind my house and I'm now off to meet my mum , get the bus to one of the villages near our town and walk back along the old railway line back home. It's a lovely day so im looking forward to it. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend too!

Hangover free Saturdays are the business.

@jess3817 I am indeed running with enthusiasm if not much grace or speed! I'm hoping to get out for a big one later today, plugged into the Criminal podcast which is my new addiction. Your Saturday sounds ideal.

@Hangingover where are you? I NEED to know about the stinky whale picnic and the manky man van... or was it the other way around?

Greetings sober sensations.

I have decided to move on from my Grey Period (that's like Picasso not medically concerning) and DP and I are camping. First stop adorably rustic extremely cheap campsite on a hill in the absolute arse end of nowhere. Mixture of stunning rolling scenery and the sort of cabins you would get murdered in.

Lovely watching the whales prrfffffing on the horizon. Me and DP laying in the tent with our heads zipped outside the flat looking at a million stars and using DPs star atlas ap thing (useless).

Unfortunately have picked same night as the local angeling club shindig. They are very nice and extremely drunk. They've built a large fire and packed the children off in a ute with a high powered torch to go and shoot the local wildlife and the elders are all sitting around getting shitfaced. I nodded and listened to the lady who explained the points-based ranking system of the angling contest. I always get paranoid strangers can somehow sense veganism (also was eating lentils at the time) so try to look interested and ask questions but all my brain could come up with was do you win if you catch a whale. Temporarily yearned to be lying under stars, alone, full of wine and drugs and chain smoking but had a tea instead. @Cyllie33 you still with me buddy? Day 100 next week

No @Drybird2020 the bloody poo-man-van came over because the place we've been staying is usually a very little used holiday home and the plumbing isn't used to having people there all the time...so the septic tank filled up and the poovan had to be called to empty it for the first time in twenty years, boak . For reasons best know to himself the owner of the house, who is extremely nice and very talkative, seems to have told the entire bloody town about this (apparently septic tanks are what passes for news in small towns) and while at the manky whale picnic (to follow) someone we barely know came over and said "hey DP, hear you've block up Chatty man's loo", which seemed a bit over familiar. Tbf to DP without missing a bit he replied "ah well, you know me, I'm full of shite" which made me fall about laughing.

Hi everyone
So great hearing everyone's milestones.

6 months is amazing jess3817

Mine seems to pale into insignificance in comparison but 4 weeks tonight. And I have found it easy. And instead of looking at others with more time under the belt and thinking I could never do that, I feel ready to join you and inspired.
I could even hear that voice that I had before going on in my head "Thanks, but I don't drink" Not wanting to skew it with over confidence as its a life long commitment but I seem to have dropped into it much easier this time.
Feeling generally loads better, a medical issue I've had since the end of last year, I just got the all clear from (which I do think is mostly coincidence) but what isn't a coincidence is my skin is more glowy, my face not as puffy and I have energy which means I am so much more productive.

I am also perimenopausal probably just about to head into menopause proper and for the first time in months my mood didn't drop dramatically just before I was due. I totally put that down to the last month being AF.

Had a great week back in my studo and another huge positive step in my family has been taken. Life feels pretty good.

The view from the yoga mat this week is the power of the Sangha. A community of like minded people to practice with to help support that practice. So my studio full of real humans instead of on a screen and this
lovely community of folks here giving each other support in our practice of not drinking- Sangha.

Hi All. I’ve not been posting much but good to hear everyone’s updates. I hope you got time for your run Drybird. I’m so pleased your first month has gone so well Breathmiller, especially your health, that’s great. And congrats to you Ravenswick too! This thread is smashing it.
I’ve not had the best of weeks (but am still sober) as my poor old dad has been in hospital all week and wasn’t allowed any visitors due to Covid (as very vulnerable patients on his ward). He is out now but still very weak and we are not sure what the future holds for him right now.

But I have had a walk with DH and the kids to clear my head today and that was nice (except for all their bickering!). You are spot on Totally - it is lovely getting up on a Saturday morning with a clear head, let’s never forget that. It’s just a shame the rest of me aches - especially my lower back, every morning. I think I thought I was going to jump out of bed every morning feeling like a teenager again when I quit. I was a wee bitty deluded there I think!

Oh, and Hangingover - you’d best be staying off those lentils for a bit. It doesn’t sound like the Western Australian septic system can cope with you! 😂

Hello everyone!!! Well done on all the milestones and the running!!!

I’m not on Strava, I track my runs on a Garmin app. Have really really missed running during quarantine, it really is my coping mechanism. Still sober (21 weeks today!) though. School is starting again for my kids this week, can’t bloody wait!

@Breathmiller no way does it pale into insignificance! It's brilliant! A lot of positive things going on for you too which is fab.
@iamyourequal sorry to hear about your dad. ((Hugs)) @BunniesBunniesBunnies yeah, I'm on Garmin to😂 bet you can't wait to go out and run. My kids started back on Thursday - the house was so quiet!! It as lovely😂 enjoy the peace when yours go back.

I'm just going to throw this out there, but if anyone who runs and is on strava or Garmin and would like some extra kudos / likes, I'd love to follow any of you - or if you'd like to follow me that'd be fab! Little but of extra support is always nice. Pm me if you want to and I'll give you my surname so you can find me. No worries if not..Just an idea 🙈