Other people drink. I don't want to try and analyze that… it's different for each individual and I really do believe it's impossible to judge another persons drinking habits from the outside. Only each of us individually know the truth about our own habits and internal dialogues and frankly.. we each live our own lives and (so long as we're not being directly abusive or nasty to others) we can live how we want. So I just relaxed and let be. Wore my invisible cloak of sobriety which is a beautiful thing, and also wore… my new hot pink onesie! Yeah!!!!!
Mr D arrived home just before we were about to board our ferry with the onsie.. it was my Easter present he said. I was stoked. Have always wanted a onesie and yes, I can confirm that putting a onesie on is as delicious as it looks. OMG I love my onesie. I even like the word. Onesie, onesie, onesie. So with my invisible cloak of sobriety and my hot pink onesie I was all set for a great weekend and sure enough a great weekend was had.
I have definitely discovered that music is an instant ticket to happiness for sober me. My two favorite moments of the weekend involved music..
1) in my pink onesie in the kitchen at 8am lip syncing Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart to a captive audience of small girls in their highchairs. Bliss.
2) in my neon wig and flower lei waving my tinsel while bouncing around to Katy Perry's Firework at the disco.
Yes I took myself off a little earlier than others in the evenings and read my book by torchlight with my boys all sleeping in the same room. But that was ok and I wasn't the only one doing it. I don't think anyone thinks any less of me if I'm not staying up at the dinner table after the meal is finished chatting the night away. Maybe I missed out on some funny stories or heartfelt confessionals but that's ok too. I can't be a part of everything all the time.
On the last night it was a game of Trivial Pursuit post dinner that I bowed out of. I wanted to finish my lovely novel (Friendship Bread by Darien Gee.. very satisfying). My call of "I'm off to bed, good night everyone!" was met with a chorus of hearty "Night night's" and "See you in the morning's." There's no shame in going to bed early. My god, this is a total revelation to me.
I'm happy being sober. And I'm happy being sober in a world awash with alcohol. The longer it goes on the easier it gets.
Now we are home again and I have a million piles of washing to do. Bye!
Love, Mrs D xxx
Update for those of you who don't know what a bloody onesie is!!
Um....I don't mean to sound stupid but...what's a onesie? I know what it is for a baby but not sure what it is for an adult.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely holiday Mrs. D. So glad you're happy being sober...so am I!!!
Sherry
Sounds like a truly lovely weekend, Mrs D. I'm really glad you enjoyed it so much. It's great to hear that these events get easier with time. I love how you're figuring out how to be yourself in the middle of it all.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm with Sherry here--I really want to know what a onesie is, but I worry that googling "hot pink adult onesie" might just lead to more questions! xo
Thanks for adding the pic! I love it! It's the happiest pink suit in the world, and you're lovely!!!!! xo
Deletelove, Love, LOVE all of this! I heart going to bed with a book and waking up without a hangover or guilt (b/c sometimes/all the time, that "funny story or heartfelt confessional" isn't all that funny or appropriate after say, 2 bottles of wine). And who knew how inspiring a onesie could be!? Thank you for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteThat onesie is hilarious! I remember when those things first hit Australia in adult sizes, I was all ...nah, surely, not really? But yesterday I saw a woman in a tiger onesie stroll out to her curb and bring her bin in. In daylight. Nonchalant as anything. Okay then, I thought, why not?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your Easter was lovely. I never thought of Easter as a drinking holiday before, but man, the amount of people offering me a drink this weekend shot sky high! Thanks for continuing to post, I use you to reassure myself that it really will be okay eventually.
that is the difference between giving up smoking and giving up drinking: we live in a drinking world. I have struggled with the everyone else drinking thing, too. it helps me to think that I've already had my share :)
ReplyDeletelove you as Bonnie for small girls in highchairs!
Very envious of your onesie Mrs D, looks very cosy. Good to hear you had such a great Easter holiday. After soaking myself in booze on Friday and Saturday night, I woke up on Sunday and realised that I hadn't enjoyed any of it. Not one bit. And I hadn't done all of the things I planned to do. And I was sick and tired. As the saying goes, I finally really realised that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. So, I have decided to join the sober community. Day three. Thank you for providing me with the inspiration and the belief that it is possible to lead a full and happy sober life.
ReplyDeleteVery cool that onesie of yours. I'm a bit envious, but I'm sure I can find my own if I really want it. I love the line: "I can't be a part of everything all the time." I also worry about going to bed or leaving early, like I'm some lame-o or something, but you're right. I don't need to be a part of everything all the time. Just typing that exhausts me. Ha!
ReplyDeleteI think it's awesome that we're in a unique position to appreciate the simplest pleasures in life. I like the description of your highchair audience. You get to keep that lovely little memory forever. Glad you went and even more glad it was such fun. ox
ReplyDeleteSo inspiring! You sound fantastic! I get it, I really do. I am not quite there, bouncing off the walls, but I get it and I can see it in the distance in my future. It's none of my business if others drink, and it's none of their business if I don't. But, I will tell you, I don't miss the afternoon passing-out's, and I don't miss the hangovers the next day! I love being able to stuff my face twice on Easter Sunday...not because I need to, but because I can and I don't have booze taking up space in my belly! LOL Major HUGS to you, Mrs. D. :)
ReplyDeleteLoving this post as much as the questions and comments re: what the hell a onesie is. I LOVE the photo of you in one! Onesies are not in the US yet, so you are a trendsetter.
ReplyDeleteI just love what you wrote here about how individual the choice to drink or not to drink is. How we never know what's going on inside the head of another and as long as they're not being abusive or putting themselves or others in danger, it really is their business. I find this attitude so liberating and yet I get away from it from time to time. And your message here is just what I needed to read today. Thanks dear xoxo
Thanks for explaining the onesie. Great photo and as always great post. I'm loving this sober life too.
ReplyDeleteDoes your onsie have the modesty flap or do you have to take the whole thing off to go to the loo? I have the Barbie pink camouflage one :-)
ReplyDeleteRockin the Onesie Mrs D :) And I thought this was a UK only trend - my kids have bunnies and dinosaur ones! xx
ReplyDeleteSo THAT's a Onesie!!!! Totally adorable! I keep forgetting it's getting colder there while it's getting warmer here so of course you need something that covers you from head to toe.
ReplyDeleteYou wear it well my friend!
Sherry
Hello Mrs. D,
ReplyDeleteomg you've said so many great things in this post, where to begin? I love the approach you've taken regarding other people's drinking-- we all have our own reasons, problems, solutions, internal dialogues and who are we to judge each other. We should do what we can independent of what everyone else is doing. I like this, I'm going to hold on to this.
Also, I would love to just cut out of social gatherings earlier. Really, that would just alleviate so much anxiety. I love, love, love this concept. When I was sober last year I did that once or twice and it was great. Now that I'm here again I'm definitely exercising the right to leave whenever I want and not feel bad about it. You are right, it is a total revelation!
Thanks so much for this blog. It was one of the first I found last year and I'm happy to see you're still here.