Monday 18 May 2015

Day 8/9

It's May long weekend here in Canada, and we are celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday. This has always been bizarre for me, because back in 'Ol Blighty, I'm sure that most people would be hard pressed to even identify the correct month of Queen Victoria's birthday.
This weekend is also the unofficial start to summer (unless you live in one of the Prairie Provinces, where it is still possible to be buried under four feet of snow). This is why people don't get Canada!
Summer = Beer + Camping + Beer + chilled White Wine. Except not for me this year. Or ever.
Lovely people who are commenting on this blog and offering support - thank you! - will already know that I survived our first weekend camping completely alcohol free. And I am pleased with myself. I didn't feel that I was missing out, but I did have a pang, and an internal wrestle about what is to come...
My husband does drink. He does like expensive wine ( much more discerning palate than myself), and he and I have always talked about a holiday together, wandering around Northern California, the Napa Valley, sampling wine in those beautiful vineyards.
Last year, we went to England and France, and he was in seventh heaven, munching on exquisite cheese, and sipping fine French wine, so a return visit is definitely in our future.
In the past, every time I have contemplated giving up the booze, I have always bargained with myself - "except for our holidays..it wouldn't be fair if I spoiled the fun by drinking water.."
But, I suspect I was using this as an excuse to carry on my excessive ways. I realize now, that I have to re-frame experiences, both present and future, in my mind, as times that are enhanced just by being together, rather than drinking occasions.
I think of all the times when my husband has driven us home, with me half asleep, and heavily doused in wine, the times where he must have winced when I burbled nonsense and repeated myself, the times when he tried to dissuade me (to no avail) from making drunk phone calls....and I am making a promise to myself, to still go on these holidays with him, sip sparkling water.....and be his designated driver.



1 comment:

  1. I think you did really well to go away so early on and not drink don't know if I could of done that!! Brilliant!!!!

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