No Booze November

[FannyFernackerpan]

This thread is for those of us on the Sober October thread who have decided to continue on, plus anyone else who would like to join us.

1st November coming up on Sunday - a good day to start!

Hello 👋 I’ve been lurking but didn’t want to join until I was through the first weekend - which I now am 😅 Unless I suddenly flip and drive to the shops for wine - but I don’t think I will! So day 8 nearly done for me.
I’ll be really pleased with myself if I get through this lockdown with no wine. My wine belly from lockdown 1 needs dealing with, and I really really want to focus on a productive month at work (fairly new job , too many slightly hungover mornings so far 😳) This week I’ve felt so much fresher and more positive in the mornings.

I feel worn out at the moment too. I'm putting it down to the weather.

Not drinking but literally just sat down after cooking, cleaning, ironing, shopping etc all day whilst DH and the DCs did bugger all. Wish I was drunk I’d be much less annoyed!

FauxFox I'm with you on that. I find with wine that I don't necessarily bust a gut to do everything. No one else does it either but I just don't care....! Unfortunately it still needs doing and then I feel crap and sluggish and the bloody pixies are always all strike. Get yiurself a nice drink and snack amd go to bed/in the bath or whatever ans just feel pleased that you're holding it all together. I'm actually finding that not drinking is making me express myself clearly in what my expectations of everyone else is. Not always calmly admittedly but it's work in progress...

I have told DH to get me a mint tea and a slice of cheesecake

For a ‘support’ thread this post is pretty insensitive and dismissive! Do you bother to read many of the other posts @FannyFernackerpan? Stupendously insensitive and un-empathetic.

What a cruel, spiteful, nasty and unnecessary post this is SeaState. Really?

Perhaps you hadn't noticed, it was me who started the thread and I have done nothing but encourage and support everyone along the way.

Maybe you didn't read my post correctly. I said:

"Another booze free Friday".

That is because those of us who were part of Sober October had an issue with Fridays - our weak link if you like. Getting through that first Friday/Weekend was a big deal, hence me referencing it.

The second part of my post was "Hope everyone is doing ok" and what you can possibly find 'insensitive' and 'unempathetic' about those words, I have no idea?

Good luck to everyone on the thread. I didn't start it to get Into arguments with anyone. We're all on our own individual paths, and our own personal relationships with alcohol and it was never, ever, my intention to offend, upset or annoy anyone so I'm baling out!

Fanny x

Thanks for starting the thread Fanny. You have been supportive through this and the October thread. Personally I read your comment in total isolation of SeaSalts and I know that sometimes I come on to say something specific and don't always read (or digest) what has gone before. Sorry you had to re-start Sea Salt but at least you have. One day at a time everyone. It's a real shame that this has happened because it is a supportive thread and everyone is at a different stage. Fanny was being generically supportive of those getting through another week, the automatic alternative isn't that she was being unsupportive of Sea Salt. Hope you come back Fanny. And hope you stay SeaSalt xxx

SeaState!!! Sorry, not SeaSalt!

I agree sarcasticintrovert, hoping both of you stick with us, we're all doing so well together

Really good article in the mail today by Annie grace: mol.im/a/8926827

That is a good article Hoho. I like the bit about not quitting for life - 'I can drink whatever I want, whenever I want. I just don't want anything at the moment...' or similar words to that effect.

@Hohofortherobbers I really enjoyed that article but my curiosity got the better of me and I read some of the comments in response to it 😫

I'm on day 6 now and it's longest I've gone in many years (probably since being pregnant 13 years ago.

Grateful for this thread, and reading others too.

How is everyone else feeling?

Day 10!

Kinda amazed.

Went to Tesco this morning and got some Sangre De Toro 0%! I was astonished to see such a thing. Hope it's not rank!

Got some Nanny Dog for DH also. His drinking has reduced a lot too, just because I'm not doing it. I think he had 3 glasses of wine in the last week.

So going surprisingly well here.

No idea what my end game is. I'm going to do November and then see.

Oh I will be very interested to hear what the sangue de toro is like. I didn't read comments, will pop over and see them now

Yeah it's a certain type of person that leaves comments on DM articles.

Day 9 for me and still feeling strong, had a slight twinge leaving work on Saturday but glad I didn't cave. I also don't know what my end game is, to see a proper dent in my jelly wine belly and my productivity and mental health by the end of November and then we'll see.

I haven't felt this hopefully though in a long time (I've also been listening to a couple of self help books ) so on we go.

Hello. My Day 1 was 1st November... I'm now on Day 10.. However I'm starting to think about wine this weekend. I'm child free...

Can I ask, how do you learn how to enjoy an evening without Alcohol. Especially with no kids about, a nice romantic evening planned ect... I just associate Alcohol with fun

Thanks x

So do I. Which I why I have bought a whole cupboard full of 0% alcohol substitutes.

I may not get merry but at least I'll still be able to wave a wine glass around whilst talking shite.

Hi All, I think that in terms of enjoyment initially it is about finding distractions. As the weeks have gone on that need has faded but initially you're very much aware that you're NOT DRINKING. Maybe plan to have a bath, watch a film, or boring but useful, tackle sorting out a cupboard or room that you've been putting off. Try essential oils in a diffuser to help your sense of relaxation. Also plan to do something in the morning when you might normally be feeling a bit groggy or jaded. I was amazed at how much I got done (initially at least!). I've also made an effort to do.yoga every morning now that I can be bothered. My back is definitely grateful for it. Also when you wake up in the morning feeling fine (You may find you do have a few nights of crap sleep initially but stay with it) remember how nice it feels to make up feeling fresh.

Good tips above, also have special drinks for that evening, don't just drink something you'd have in the house all the time, buy a special bottle of soft drink which you save for that occasion, so it becomes a treat in itself.

All good advice. From my perspective, because I have not told anyone, including my husband, I find I'm not really thinking about it that much, which I'm surprised about. Also, I'm busy - so I get in from work around 6.30 and immediately start on cooking tea and a catch up with the kids, then dinner, tidy up and watch some tv. Once I'm past tea time the urge to start drinking isn't there so much anyway.

For the moment it's working, but I fully realise that it's early days and I must not be complacent 😀

I think it's the weekends... weekdays I can manage

Weekends are definitely harder

Just checking in - apologies, I haven’t read through the last few days thread as been working shifts, but I will catch up. Day 6 alcohol free here. I have tomorrow and Friday off work and, of course, I am thinking about drinking 🤔 ...thinking about getting a couple of bottles of my favourite sparkling wine, laying on the settee and watching trashy tv one one of the days off - most likely tomorrow....anyway! Hope everyone is doing ok?

Evening all, I'm still here, still sober. Had a vivid dream last night that I was drunk and was horrified at myself, huge relief when I woke up, so this weekend is the midway point for those who started Nov, which is meant to be the time that you start feeling the benefits. How is everyone doing?

@Hohofortherobbers well done! I'm only a week in as I started at the beginning of lockdown. Today I went into the local supermarket and it felt very strange not buying wine.