No More Chardonnay for me! My booze-free Diary

Chardonnay

Thanks so much HB! It means such a lot to hear you say that. I don't know if moderating will work for me - I know that I've read countless blogs where people have tried to moderate and ended up drinking more than before! I don't think that will be me, I really hope not anyway. I know that my drinking is much more in control than it was say 18 months ago. For instance, on Saturday night, we had a lovely meal in Bristol and I had a G&T and a glass of white wine, then decided I just didn't want any more and knew I would be tired the next day if I did, so just had a Lime and Soda. In the past, that really would have been unheard of for me!

Hi Carvis! Thanks for your lovely words too! How are you getting on?

MC, I had a fab, very busy weekend thanks! Parkrun went really well - my legs were really aching as we did so much walking on holiday and also no doubt, the alcohol I consumed had an effect too. But I still did my second fastest time and managed to get under 30 minutes again so really pleased with that!

The 10k is next Sunday and I am so excited about it! It will be my first 10k race so a big learning curve for me. There's a few of us doing it and I think the atmosphere and camaraderie will be great. So it's no drinking at all now until after the race as I want to give myself the best chance possible. I'll say it again, running comes before booze now and if I do find that turning around, that will be the time to do something about it again!

Have a great day everyone

Honey_Bear

In case I forget to wish you well for Parkrun, I hope you enjoy it hugely and feel happy with yourself at the end. Jolly good luck.

Moderating. Huge subject, and if you can manage it - as most people who drink do, all the time - great! What I know about me doesn't apply to anyone else and if you're coping well, why would you want to make life difficult for yourself by stopping drinking altogether? It would appear that if we can stop drinking and not suffer any withdrawal symptoms, we're probably not chemically addicited but it's hard to tell because there is a real shortage of trustworthy information out there.

I knew, absolutely knew, that if I went on drinking for any longer it would only get worse and then be harder to give up. I'm too frightened of going back to that to even attempt to drink moderately because I absolutely know what would happen - but that's me, not you. Moderate by all means, and be like anyone else who isn't nurturing a habit that's past being sort of alright and become a bit of a problem permanently.

I can say that after a year the temptation to drink has gone and I actively like being a non-drinker but it took a bit of getting here and unless someone is committed to this course of action I wouldn't know how they could succeed.

MarylandCookie_2

Hi Chardonnany, just in case I dont get chance to log on over the weekend I wanted to wish you well for your 10k run on Sunday. I'm sure you will smash it, good luck!

Chardonnay

Thanks for the good luck wishes HB!

Thanks for your post - wonderfully written and I love your attitude. You are so open minded and I love that. That was one thing that worried me when I wasn't drinking - that I would come across a bit "holier than thou" but the fact that you are so non-judgemental is really admirable. Thank you!

Thanks for the good luck wishes MC! Am off to be tail runner at parkrun today - a new experience for me! Then I'm off to meet my two very best friends for lunch - it'll be over an hour's drive away but will be worth it! I haven't had a drink since Sunday (and then it was only 1 glass of wine when we were out for lunch) and have told myself I will not drink until after the race tomorrow. I went out with work on Thursday and the temptation to have a glass of wine was immense but I knew that if I did, I would regret it and would end up having a glass today too - so pleased I didn't!

So excited about the race tomorrow - will let you know how it goes!

What have you all got planned?

Chardonnay

Hi all, hope you all had a great weekend!

Had a very busy but enjoyable weekend. I did have one glass of Prosecco with lunch on Saturday when I met my friends, just couldn't resist and it was free too, so it would be rude not to!

The 10k went really well yesterday, I really really enjoyed it and got a PB by about 2 minutes, so pleased with that. Am on the look out for another race now! We then went out for lunch and I had two glasses of wine. A bit annoyed with myself for that as one would have been enough and I felt a bit below par for the rest of the day.

Big news though, we have two new kittens! They are only 8 weeks old, two sisters - it all happened very fast but loving spending time with them. They've both got their own personalities already!

Honey_Bear

I could never drink during the day - it always sent me to sleep. That probably made the stopping thing a lot easier, because I only had about 15 minutes of seriously dangerous tempting time a day. *Jealous* of your kittens!

Chardonnay

Hi HB! No it does make you feel lousy. I enjoy it at the time but it's later on that it catches up with me!

Haven't drank since Sunday but that's usual for me.

The kittens are wonderful - they have brought so much joy to our house! I love cats, have wanted one for years and years since our family cat died 20 years ago! It's only now that we are in a position to have one and as we work from home and have a good sized enclosed garden, it's perfect (purrfect?!! ) for cats.

Hope all is good with you!

MarylandCookie_2

Hi Chardonnany, lovely news about the kittens, what are their names, what colour are they, could we have piccies please? I've got a cat. I'd love a houseful but she's very anti social!

Sounds like your moderating is going well, mine is too, I've just not felt like drinking lately. I'm traing hard at the gym and have booked some pt sessions, so concentrating on my fitness. Sounds like you with your running xxx

Chardonnay

Hey MC, great to hear from you! Thanks, I will have to work out how to put a link to a piccy. They are both black, but the smaller sister looks like she has a little bit of tabby colouring too. She was the runt of the litter and is noticeably smaller and weaker than her sister but she is doing really well and is so loveable! Her name is Twinkle. The bigger sister is called Willow and she is very adventurous and a little more cautious but is definitely getting more used to us now and becoming more affectionate. Watching them play is bringing us hours of fun!

Yes that's the trouble I guess once you have an older cat. Bringing new cats or kittens into the home can be tricky. We only intended having one kitten but then thought it would be good to take two as it would be less daunting for them and they can grow up together.

Wow, sounds like you're doing great with your fitness, well done! That's the key with moderating isn't it I think, to find an interest that is more important to you than drinking. Getting into running has made a massive difference to my drinking habits and it sounds like it's the same with you with the gym. You must be getting super-fit now! :T

I haven't had a drink all week and am going out for a run in a minute. I have a half bottle of Prosecco in the kitchen and may have it tonight or tomorrow or possibly one glass tonight and one glass tomorrow? I am going to do some running on a proper track on Sunday, just off my own back, so I don't want drinking to impact on that!

Hope you have a fab weekend whatever you are doing! xxx

Honey_Bear

I've always had more than one cat until we took this one is as a stray and he set about, very determinedly beating up the others, who were elderly and very unwell. Not good. So, he's an only cat, just the way he wants it and until very recently has ruled the roost. The dog I got in April is more than a match for him though (unlike the others - he used to beat them up, too, and they were all terrified of him) and darts at him very occasionally. I'm on it, but it is a bit worrying when it happens.

It sounds as though you've both found the key to moderating - developing an interest to the point where the interest has more pull than the bottle. Excellent news.