DRY 11

[TeapotDictator]

Time for a shiny new thread.

Old thread here

Fantastic effort how I'd probably have feigned a migraine or something, I hate things like that and can get quite claustrophobic.

how you are a sober rockstar!

How you doing Matron. ?

Happy Glorious sober days everyone. What plans? I have an AA meeting at lunchtime. A work assignment to finish, then for my Happy and Sober post of the day, plan to take DS for a ridiculously large ice cream sundae after school.

Nice one How. I'm sorry it was a crap night but having got it successfully in the bag, it might make the next sober challenge slightly less daunting.
Day 12 is good - hardest bit is behind you I still can't do that thing where you make the other person's name appear in bold - doh!

Slim I am doing great another day with no hangover

notbad all of my news is mundane some finances in, some out, good school report general family stuff. The part that is perplexing is what to do with it.

Previously I drank to celebrate, comfort, protest and every other emotion in between.

Lots of information and emotion is draining to absorb sober.

how being looked out for by a group of strangers is a poweful thing. We are all strangers but yet know each other intimately by our common relationship with alcohol. Everyone on this thread understands and that's great!

(absolute put an asterisk either side of the word/ phrase you want in bold - no spaces)

Morning all! Day 6 for me today and a stiff test awaits: an afternoon in the pub with friends gambling on horses. I read something recently that really resonated (fuzzy it might have been on that hangover free blog you put me on to, I'll try to find it) - it was about 'attempting to moderate' and how it often doesn't work because by choosing to have 'a' drink, but knowing oneself, one is actually choosing to abdicate responsibility for what follows almost at the moment of the first sip (ie 'accidentally' ending up completely slaughtered - but I only intended to have a couple...etc). So I'm channeling that today. I am choosing to retain control of myself. I am choosing to ensure that there is no chance whatsoever of me getting myself into the state I was in on Saturday night . I am choosing to avoid a monumental hangover tomorrow.

Another aspect is that watching DP is like seeing my previous self with new eyes. He rolled home last night with a kebab and a bottle of wine after about 10 pints in the pub, asked me the same questions several times, told me the same things several times, got right on the cat's nerves, smashed his wine glass, fell asleep on the sofa without locking up as he had promised (I knew he wouldn't manage it) and kept me awake snoring most of the night. All in all, not particularly endearing. Except previous me wouldn't have noticed because previous me would have been just as arseholed as he was.

So fingers crossed I can hold that thought today and if it gets too much I might nick off round to slim's - an ice cream treat sounds like just the thing!

So great to read everyone's successes; each day staying AF in the early days means so much. I found it got a lot easier after the first month, and really kept in my mind the thought "why would anything change if I had a drink now?". I know for absolute sure that even now, if I had one drink, it's not that I would turn into an utter loon, but that voice would be there, my eye would be casting itself upon the bottle and wondering if I could/should have another. That there's no way I would finish one glass of wine and sit back with my feet up thinking "well that's better! Glad I scratched that itch, now what shall I do with the rest of my day?". Totally accepting this truth has been crucial for me.

Slim well done on the meeting. I really really really really must try to get back to one.

All going okay here. I'm waiting to hear back from a second interview I had yesterday and the not knowing is driving me crazy. It would be an amazing opportunity and I'm keeping everything crossed!

notgrumpy - do you HAVE to go to that??! It sounds not-particularly-appealing sober... if you do have to go, please please make sure you have a tactic for a speedy exit should you need one. XX

No I don't HAVE to go. It will only be about 4 hours and I think DP is beginning to realise that I mean it this time, one thing he did say last night while he was still making a reasonable amount of sense was to suggest that we just stay while the racing is on then toddle off home with a takeaway (and a gallon of wine for him obviously) so he's already got it that I won't want to sit with him stone cold in the pub while he makes a night of it. I'm feeling confident but if I do start to crumble I'll just make my excuses. And if that happens and he fails to come back because suchabody turned up and then suchabody else and everyone kept getting him another round in and before he knew it etc... he'll have let me down and will be making my point for me that our drinking, his as well as mine, is out of control. Either way I couldn't care less. I will not drink today.

Everyone is welcome for icecream. :)

notgrumpy got right on the cats nerves

I can picture the cat's expression.

matron can you also picture the cat (who, for quite some time before he wobbled over to her, had been placidly and absentmindedly rolling about on the rug) chewing great chunks out of his hand while he was 'only trying to say hello to her'?

Woohoo! All round to slim's!

notgrumpy I would love a cat but I'm worried about working and leaving it alone for too long.

two cats would keep each other company!

(Disclaimer - I am a mad cat lady).

....although if you get two siblings at the same time it would prevent fights.... [narrows eyes at Cheesy Cat and Cheesy Kitten]

Two cats! What happens in the day do they just roam the house or do you let them out?

Luckily we have a garden so they are let out.

Currently both DH and I work mostly from home so that is easy but when we did not we had a cat flap. However, about 10 years ago I lived in a flat and my two cats were inside cats. They were fine with that, but at weekends I would take them out to the park with little harnesses on.

I've got a garden and a utility room is it ok to let them have utility and garden and cat flap?

Notgrumpy cat has a cat flap. All the other cats hate it because it's one of those microchip ones so it only lets her in and not them.

Looks like a good cat Google is in order for me this weekend

I would say a garden, catflap and utility room would be ideal. Cats sleep 75% of the time anyway. We have the microchip catflaps too.... saves the neighbours' cats coming in and eating our food.

Ours is one of these:

www.amazon.co.uk/SureFlap-Ltd-Microchip-Door-White/dp/B003EGIM3O

The instructions seem complicated at first but basically you just get your cat/s chipped then press a button on the thing and post them through it.

OK I'm in the pub with a Fanta. No questions so far. Feeling strong.

Well done Not! Bah, who needs alcohol.

I got a couple of cats last summer (mum and kitten from rescue place) and it has been the Best Thing Evah. I do let ours out but they sleep most of the day anyway. I'd say the best thing for them is to have a companion - I hadn't planned to get two but it was the rescue centre's policy to home them in pairs (or threes, they tried and failed to get me to take another one!) and I am SO glad I did. They are so cute together most of the time and definitely get a lot out of each other's company. The kitten makes a cute little squeaky noise when he sees his mum for the first time in a few hours.