The Cutting Down / Giving Up Booze Thread (Part 14)

maggiem

9/15 for yesterday, hopefully double figures by tonight. Hope all ok and freedom beckons that your success is continuing

cathybird

Morning all, 19/21 for me please.

ElusiveLucy

9/14 for last night for me please. Trying to watch what I eat as well, so need to cut back on the alcohol at weekends.

Honey_Bear

It's almost without irony that I thought, 'Hmm, that's sobering' about your figures WBF!!! I know you want to be doing better than you are but in all fairness to you you're fully aware of your drinking and that's a heck of a lot more organised and honest with yourself than I was when I drank. Having said that, I honestly wouldn't want anyone to get themselves in to the pickle I did, so if you can put the brakes on now a bit that would be huge progress. It's a mindset, I'm sure of it, that changes, 'Well, one wouldn't hurt, would it?' to, 'Nope, today's an AF day.' If only I'd been able to do that .... Good luck with the rest of November and December. I truly hope you make your target and get your banana. (Sorry, I can't rephrase that to sound okay no matter how much I try!)

maman wrote: »

While I had a lovely break last week it also feels good to be back in my normal routine.

Welcome back, Maman!

Poor_Single_lady wrote: »

No drinking lunches for the foreseeable.

I could never drink at lunch because by 3.30 pm I'd be wanting to snooze and by 4.30 pm I'd be in bed, done for the day. I worked that one out when I worked in London and management used to go to a pub called the Pepper Pot (long gone) on Fridays, and pretty much any other day of the week when they felt like it. I tried it and realised it didn't suit me at all' and never did it again when I worked. It also helped that at one point I worked for British Rail and it was instant dismissal if you even walked onto the Depot having had a drink - and no-one ever, ever did. I've had a few at lunchtime at weddings, silver weddings and golden weddings and to be honest, I never got used to it.

I'm pretty sure it would be the most straightforward way to start nibbling away at the habit, just by knocking lunctime drinking on the head once and for all. In a way I suppose I did when I was in my mid-20s. Shame I didn't learn from my early mistakes, really.

Shame that Freedom Beckons hasn't logged in again since their first two posts. I hope whoever it is is okay, and at least reading even if they aren't posting. I think I posted only once, a very short post, about three years before I actually gave up drinking, admitting that I should probably do something about it, and then sort of wimped out because it all seemed too much. Whatever the reason, if you're reading this FB, we're all rooting for you.

21/30 please Shaggy. The little black cat is particularly poignant because our beloved Devil Cat has a non-operable tumour and we've known for months that he's terminally ill. Both of the vets who are involved in his care didn't think he'd make it this far but he's still enjoying life, playing, washing, eating like a little pig and dosed up to the eyeballs, so we're just making the most of every day.

Arkers

Good morning everyone,

13 please Shaggy.
Welcome home Maman.
Arkers x

maman

I don't remember where you started from WBF (for me it was absolutely no AF days at all:o) but I think you have to be kinder to yourself. You're right to go back and review as you can learn from the data but don't use it as a stick to beat yourself with. When the scores are lowest was that through stress/sod it or because of holidays? For me taking a conscious decision to enjoy a drink on holiday is very different from self medicating.


For me, having a target of 10 and then feeling good when I exceed it is what suits me best but it's horses for courses. Good Luck!:)


Sorry to hear about your cat HB. I'm not really an animal person but I feel for you.


I won't be AF tonight as I'm going for a meal with friends but it's not likely to be much at all and back on the wagon tomorrow.:)

cathybird

Honey Bear, also sorry to hear about your cat, he sounds lovely and these things are always hard. x

cathybird

I was out last night with a friend and the fact that I barely drink at home any more has really had an effect - I got to two and a half drinks and then just couldn't drink any more, until a couple of hours later when I managed another half glass, then had to stop again. Even a year ago that would have been totally inconceivable and back in the day this friend and I would have drunk a bottle each, maybe more, without turning a hair. I am really heartened by the change. It's tricky to moderate this new lightweight me who can't drink but I guess that's a good problem.

sukeyboo

So sorry to hear about you cat HB - I know where you are coming from as we have lost two 'fur-babies' in similar circumstances - all you can do is care for them until the time comes to say goodbye :sad:

11/14 for today please Shaggy

PriceySOS

13 please, Shaggy, thanks[/B]