Last week of May and into June. Army open for business as usual.

[IamMary]

It was only when my own "witching hour" was approaching that I would start to get antsy if we weren't home and I would start counting the hours/minutes/seconds until we would be and I could take that first BIG sip. Frankly, it rarely crosses my mind anymore although I do wonder once in a while what it would be like to have a drink. Not that I have any cravings, TBH, it's more like curiosity than an actual craving. And seeing that I know only too well where that one drink would lead, the thought is usually followed by a slight feeling of mixed nausea/fear or something. Hard to describe. AL is just no longer a part of my life, period..

I wasnt a morning or day drinker either Stirly. Weekdays, it could be 8 or 9, but then I would drink really quickly. I loved being on my own and downing 2 large glasses in quick succession, with no one to judge me. Then sip the next. Weekends were trickier cos I could drink earlier, so I had to pace myself. Always calculating, always measuring.
I just have a raft of occasions at the moment and there's a constant focus on drink.Then again, maybe there isnt, Im still very sensitive around these conversations.
Your right though, following the image of what happens after a couple of drinks, keeps me reaching for the sparkling water!

Wine didn't appeal to me at all earlier in the day. Sometimes I would look at a bottle of it in the morning and try to understand why I couldn't keep that feeling of ambivalence all day. The same thing happens now with coffee. I don't really crave it but I LOVE my first couple cups in the morning. If I have a third, it is ok. Later in the day, the thought of drinking coffee makes me feel rather ill and I actually dislike the taste. Addiction is complicated, isn't it??? Hope you all have a good weekend. NS

Never looked at it like that NS. I am exactly the same, tea/coffee until lunch time and then it instantly looses its appeal. And the reverse with AL. From day 1, I relished the feeling in the morning, then struggled once dinner time hit. Oddly, it would pass then by 10ish, even at the beginning. I dont get that so much now but sometimes I find myself or let myself romanticise over a favourite bottle and its not when the wine is being poured necessarily, its the idea before hand, at the planning stage, before I get to where I am going.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback! have a great weekend. Will check in tomorrow from the loo at the party if my head is wrecked!!!

Hope JC is rocking it about now.

Night all. X

[satz123]

Yes agree with all.
I've never thought about it like that either.
I have coffee in the mornings but wouldn't dream of it at night.

I think it is hard wired with us that alcohol is acceptable for the evening time - daytime drinking on a normal day is hitting 'real' rock bottom in our warped minds..
But I think that is social constraints more than not wanting it.
I believe if we had our way and all constraints ( work, kids, family commitments) were lifted we wouldn't hang on till evening.

Even drinking in the evening, every evening is not socially acceptable - hence the secret drinking we did.

Look at people on holiday. Get up late and usually first drink is a couple of hours later with lunch. This is heaven for the problem drinker.
I know once I hit the airport my holiday started under the guise of freedom and everyone else was doing it.

[satz123]

Good thread on the subject of 'craving' or the Al voice started by Autumn Mers

[stirly-girly]

Morning Satzeroonie, if yer still around! I'm at work today, but not much going on here. I even brought along my portable sewing machine to work on a couple of tops I'm making. Haven't sewn much in a long time and kind of got inspired this year. Lack of anything decent in the shops was the main reason. Went to Athens to buy some fabric to make a quilt for our new Granddaughter we're expecting in July and saw some nice fabrics for tops, so thought I'd give it a shot. Got a lovely bunch of different prints for 5 summer tops plus a lightweight knit for a summer cardigan. Cost me a total of 45 euro for the lot and I'm delighted with them! inkele: Am putting the finishing touches on two of the tops today and will get to the cardi next. It will take some time since I've an idea of what I want to do with it and it will be more complicated than a simple top. But it will be a winner if it turns out how I envision it. Hey Ho! Off I go.... :flowerspin:

[NoSugar]

I think it is hard wired with us that alcohol is acceptable for the evening time - daytime drinking on a normal day is hitting 'real' rock bottom in our warped minds..
But I think that is social constraints more than not wanting it.
I believe if we had our way and all constraints ( work, kids, family commitments) were lifted we wouldn't hang on till evening.

It didn't seem that way to me, Satz. I was never interested in the Mimosas at brunch or a glass of wine with lunch when those opportunities arose. I might have taken a couple sips to be sociable but that was it. I even experimented, trying to figure it out. I'd drink a little wine at say 10 am and absolutely not like the taste or want more. By 4 pm I would feel like I was desperate for the exact same stuff and thought it tasted wonderful. And wanted more and more and more.

Your sewing projects sound great, Stirly. I also make quilts but gave up on clothes years ago - too hard to make them fit right! Hope what you did today turned out well :smile:.

[satz123]

It didn't seem that way to me, Satz. I was never interested in the Mimosas at brunch or a glass of wine with lunch when those opportunities arose. I might have taken a couple sips to be sociable but that was it. I even experimented, trying to figure it out. I'd drink a little wine at say 10 am and absolutely not like the taste or want more. By 4 pm I would feel like I was desperate for the exact same stuff and thought it tasted wonderful. And wanted more and more and more.

.

Fascinating stuff isn't it NS ?

[JackieClaire]

Great topic today, but soooooooo tired I'll jump in tomorrow.

Have to say the wedding yesterday has zoomed into my top 5 happiest days evah. Simple, moving, fabulous food and bloody good company.

And the hotel upgraded us to a de-luxe room with the biggest and comfiest bed I have ever seen...........all I could think of with such a big bed was how much room there would be for more Labs including Bess. Oh and one of those big bath tubs that Mr JC could get his 6'4" self into.

There'll be more wedding stuff as I remember it.

[IamMary]

Evening...
Going to jump over and read the craving threads shortly, thanks Satz. Good chats here today.
In Galway...Left the party a bit early and I'm back in bed. It was lovely but spent way too long imagining what would it be like to have a few glasses of wine, to have the craic on this sunny day where everyone is chilled out and happy. Think i am losing a bit of confidence all of a sudden. I really don't think it's craving, just not properly part of 'the craic'. Ok, possibly some craving.
But it passed, so that's all that matters.

JC, wedding sounds just fabulous!! Top 5, wow!!! I love a good wedding.. Did you stay up late?? Sound like you that got it spot on, what a lovely memory you all have now.

Stirls.. I love sewing.. Not that I do it much anymore but i would lose myself in a project for hours. Mindfulness before they invented such things:namaste:

[IamMary]

Morning

Get out of that scratcher!!
Another sunny day out west. :sendflowers:
Back later tonight...

[JackieClaire]

Good morning lovelies,
Mers, oh boy do I know what you mean.............
After the wedding breakfast which finished about 5ish there was a mini-bus at 5:30pm to the couples new house where the party was going to continue with a BBQ............Mr JC and I had to get changed and I managed to persuade him that we'd get a taxi and go on a bit later...........got there about half 7. Well every one was well hammered by then and Mr JC just needed a couple to top him up from the afternoon session............now I was fine but then it got to 9:30pm and apart from the 6 year old from next door...........I was the only other one sober. Bus was due back at 10:30pm to take us back into the big town.

Any way the last hour was awful.............not that I wanted a drink..........I just felt as if I was watching through a window........all of a sudden the sing-a-long had turned into caterwauling, the noise level had gone to 11 and beyond and all I could hear was babble, I was gasping for a cup of coffee and couldn't get one as I couldn't find it and the worst thing all the soft drinks were diet and I was in the mood if I couldn't have a coffee I was going to have a full of sugar coke.

[Mick]

Good morning lovelies,
Mers, oh boy do I know what you mean.............
After the wedding breakfast which finished about 5ish there was a mini-bus at 5:30pm to the couples new house where the party was going to continue with a BBQ............Mr JC and I had to get changed and I managed to persuade him that we'd get a taxi and go on a bit later...........got there about half 7. Well every one was well hammered by then and Mr JC just needed a couple to top him up from the afternoon session............now I was fine but then it got to 9:30pm and apart from the 6 year old from next door...........I was the only other one sober. Bus was due back at 10:30pm to take us back into the big town.

Any way the last hour was awful.............not that I wanted a drink..........I just felt as if I was watching through a window........all of a sudden the sing-a-long had turned into caterwauling, the noise level had gone to 11 and beyond and all I could hear was babble, I was gasping for a cup of coffee and couldn't get one as I couldn't find it and the worst thing all the soft drinks were diet and I was in the mood if I couldn't have a coffee I was going to have a full of sugar coke.

sounds like a dead good party ....but just think ..no sare heid..no what did I say/do last night, who has nicked all my money...and all this before half 9...

[JackieClaire]

I know that and so grateful, Mickleoden, just all of a sudden I felt like an outsider.............anyway I was the one who didn't make breakfast..........blaming it on all the feta cheese I ate......... didn't half have a grumbling tummy in the morning.

I would have gone and had a lie down but his damned cockatiel was in the bedroom making a hell of a racket too.

[satz123]

Good morning lovelies,
Mers, oh boy do I know what you mean.............
After the wedding breakfast which finished about 5ish there was a mini-bus at 5:30pm to the couples new house where the party was going to continue with a BBQ............Mr JC and I had to get changed and I managed to persuade him that we'd get a taxi and go on a bit later...........got there about half 7. Well every one was well hammered by then and Mr JC just needed a couple to top him up from the afternoon session............now I was fine but then it got to 9:30pm and apart from the 6 year old from next door...........I was the only other one sober. Bus was due back at 10:30pm to take us back into the big town.

Any way the last hour was awful.............not that I wanted a drink..........I just felt as if I was watching through a window........all of a sudden the sing-a-long had turned into caterwauling, the noise level had gone to 11 and beyond and all I could hear was babble, I was gasping for a cup of coffee and couldn't get one as I couldn't find it and the worst thing all the soft drinks were diet and I was in the mood if I couldn't have a coffee I was going to have a full of sugar coke.

Welcome to my world Jacks - with Mr S being the social animal he is I have to constantly put up with that shit.
I am less tolerant now and the family know that - but when there is no escape route it is painful.

[JackieClaire]

Welcome to my world Jacks - with Mr S being the social animal he is I have to constantly put up with that shit.
I am less tolerant now and the family know that - but when there is no escape route it is painful.

You know, love, you went through my mind more than once..........I have to be very, very grateful this is probably only a once or twice event a year.

[paulywogg]

Jackie,sounds like a night of hell I think that's why I've been avoiding going anywhere with hubs,its not so much being tempted to drink but having to put up with people drinking and feeling like a boring wallflower, oh well at least its over