Ok so last night we took the kids out for an early meal at Mr D's colleague's house. There were a few adults there, watching the rugby and then takeaways for dinner. Nice low-key kiwi way of doing things. Beer & wine on offer on arrival. "No thanks" from me. Easy. Didn't feel a pull. No internal conversation within myself trying to deny, push away, justify and then usually end with an acceptance "yeah a white would be great, thanks."
At dinner the nice wine glasses were out on the table and the red was opened. My poison of choice. But still - no pull! - and a "not for me thanks" tripped easily off my lips.
I think it was easy because I don't know these people very well. No-one blinked at my refusal of alcohol. I'm pleased to have had a dry evening there as I already have a bad booze memory with them. The first time this colleague and I met, at a BBQ thrown by the boss of the company welcoming her into the fold, I drank just a little too much, and got a tad loose lipped .
Lets revisit a vew bad social booze memories so you, dear blog, will forever remind me of my need to stick to my resolve.
A rare night out for Mr D and I. Started with a few drinks at home, then to a bar for cocktails and tapas. Last stop a small gathering of friends at a bar where some DJ mates were spinning tunes. Me, drunk at this stage. Slurring just a little. Talking to an old acquaintance and him making an excuse to get away from me. I know this to be true. Me slurring. Him excusing himself badly, and moving to the other side of the room. Embarrassment.
Dinner with a bunch of workmates at a restaurant near the office. Hitting it hard at work first. Then hitting it hard at the dinner table. Wobbling to the loo. Spinning out. Making it into a taxi. Concentrating very hard in the back seat. Really horribly drunk. Managing to get inside. Puking in the loo.
A Saturday afternoon get-together with neighbourhood friends and kids. 3 families, 6 adults, 10 kids between us. All of us boozing. Like minded kiwis. Speed drinking - girls, the wine! Fast, fast, fast. Chatting, preparing food, eating, disco dancing with the kids! Woo Hoo!! 9pm need to get the kids home, concentrating very hard now on getting things done. Wobbling down the road with the pram, kids into bed. Me into the loo, fingers down the throat to empty my stomach.
To be fair to me these extreme examples of public drunkenness have occurred over the past 3 years. But I know well the feeling of waking up with a tender throat and remembering I've been pushing my fingers down there to try and empty my stomach of all the booze I've been pouring into it.
Please sobriety stay with me.
Love, Mrs D xxx
Day 4 clear head. Still feel seedy but put that down to mother nature's curse, new bed and all the stress of a recent move. While I would prefer to be feeling a million bucks straight away, I suspect this process takes time. Your post is all too familiar. My issue is speed and quantity. I have got friends who can artfully sit on 2 glasses all evening, participate, enjoy and drive home. I will drink 2 (large) glasses before they have taken 2 sips. And then I am off, full swing, full banter, laughter, loudness. With age I have learnt to curtail my tongue but oh too often over the years I have said things I shouldn't have. Worse still I fail to remember what I have been told. One night I finally got the version of a sordid tale from the horse's mouth, only to remember not one thing the following day. This girl was doing her best to set the record straight with me and to this day I couldn't tell you what her side of the story is. Not to mention the numerous times I have spilt wine in my joyous ability to tell stories with wild arm actions. As far as the puking is concerned, too many to name. And that is why my time to quit is long overdue!
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