Alcohol free January

DD pinched my purple Doc Martins when she went off to uni in 1990. I never saw them again

But I remember them well, so can conjure up a virtual pair. Will that do?

I can't find my mobile (with the DryJanuary app) so don't know what day I'm on. Must be 26 as I'm 3 behind JG

I've got my challenge for next month sorted too. Going to give up sweetners in tea and coffee- though perhaps not in diet tonic water

Come on Willow spill the beans or this lot will be thinking all sorts

Can't provide the fish, i'm afraid. The fly fishing season doesn't start until the middle of March! But i could do what i do when i've had a 'blank' day - nip into Morrisons fish counter and then lie through my teeth !
But here's a thing... If i can give up alcohol for a whole month and not hardly agonise about it, why can't i give up the miniscule amount of sugar that i MUST have in my coffee? I was doing really well before Christmas but have fallen off the sugar wagon big style since!

Anya DD asked for Schuu vouchers for Christmas and bought herself a gorgeous pair of Doc Martens! She hasn't had a pair since her twenties, and they do look great!

How about that as your February Challenge Greyduster ? Then we can brag about who's doing best support each other?

One challenge straight after the other? That's not fortitude, that's masochism! I'll think about it!

I once bought a child's fishing net for GS1 to fish in our pond (there was only the odd bug and some pond weed but it kept him occupied for ages sitting there on his little chair and happily he never fell in) but the same day I bought it I wandered into Sainsbury's and stood at their fish counter.

The wag behind the counter looked at me and the fishing net (on a 5' bamboo pole) and declared 'so, you couldn't catch anything yourself and you think you'll come here instead'

That's the spirit Greyduster onwards and upwards

Anya

Just reporting in ...have held fast despite going to an event where they were serving free wine AND having my BF visit.
She quaffed her way through a whole bottle of wine over the course of the evening and then said 'don't tell my DH'.
I had drank diluted cream soda.

Momentarily felt guilty having miso soup but decided it was ok. Looking forward to a Peruvian hot chocolate and a chilled glass of prosecco in a few days but most of all to a morning mug of Redbush tea!

I managed to keep on the wagon today when I went to a 70th Birthday Party, just two non-alcoholic ginger beers.

Greyduster I have found Stevia which is a plant based sweetener is a very good substitute for sugar.

I thought at our virtual party on Monday we could all do our Party Piece to entertain each other. I will do some balloon modelling any suggestions of animals you want?

Here's the biggest laugh I have had this year. At the party today I went to say hello to one of the guests who is 80. He turned to me and said 'you are looking very sexy today', he was either doolally or had started drinking earlier on. No one has said that to me for at least 20 years ! Do you think I am having hallucinations whilst off the drink ?

Sorry, NanKate I've tried it and found I didn't like it, but it was kind of you to think of it!

NanKate - well done on all counts, on the wagon and looking sexy! Never mind what state he was in, the thought must have been there.
A Party Piece is a great idea. I think I might like you to make an elephant which does sound a bit tricky I know. I've received a hilarious email which I'd love to share - do you think if I copied it that it would paste on here? Don't like to try it in case it all goes wrong.
Going out for a family lunch tomorrow to a really nice pub - hope the tonic water will be very cold.....

Brilliant - 30 dry days

Congratulations to everyone who's got this far, those who fell and got up again, those who have been sorely tested (by others ) and those who just sometimes really wanted a and desisted - so many names to list but well done all... just one more day

NanKate - I'm ing for you ...
Elrel I'm with you on the prosecco
Showergel - that took guts
Anya I keep looking at the Doc Marten's site....
Willow - Do tell....

February challenges already being announced by Anya, Greyduster - that's impressive ? ..... anyone else ...?

Hang on a minute!!!

Greyduster

Elrel your challenge is beyond me, and I like a challenge. Very Well Done.

That goes for everyone who has had a dry (or damp) January too. Just tonight to get over and done with.

Grey no pressure. Giving up the sweetners I've used in tea and coffee for decades now will be hard, but it's something I've always said I'll do. Can't be harder than alcohol, can it?

Trying to motivate myself to get out the house and walk. It's grey and wet and cold and my waterproof trousers still haven't arrived despite being ordered via Amazon on Jan 3rd

That's shocking non service Anya - you won't need them soon

Absolutely no pressure Greyduster - just encouragement

The penny has just dropped Elrel - that was some challenge! Big congratulations ?

I am thinking about this whole sugar thing - I don't do sweeteners - so no diet drinks etc... but chocolate - now that's a whole different thing. Also during dry January I may have turned to chocolate as a replacement

Huge congratulations to all of you who did Dry January! ?

jg - At present giving up chocolate for a month seems a step too far. I think I had more during January than usual.

Yay! It's Feb 1st tomorrow and we've done it! ???☕️☕️

OK well now I've really gone and done it and opened a bottle last night - well it's nearly the end of the month and having bought some when we went shopping only to find the wine rack was still full I had nowhere to put the spare I got a pay rise which was why I was celebrating

'There but for the grace of God.....', Willow! Congratulations on the pay rise, and I bet the wine tasted good!

My d-in-l cooked a lovely pasta dish tonight which would have gone down well with a chilled glass of Chablis - what did I have, a half water half apple juice drink.

To be honest (and I never thought I would say this) it has got easier and easier and I really intend to drink a little less and to be more aware of the calories I am glugging down.

So grateful for all the encouragement from you fine ladies.

Well done everyone - I'm going away for a few days and I will certainly enjoy a - just the one though

Thank you to everyone for support and company

Dry day 31 .... signing off...!!!!

Well done all who have lasted the course! Me? Well I've spent a lovely weekend having an annual meet up with a group of old friends, so I always knew I'd stop a couple of days early. But I'm glad I did it, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. It's easy to have a drink out of habit rather than a real desire, so I think a general awareness of what I drink on a regular basis is a good thing for me. So maybe a damp February could be on the horizon after all