I intend to be undrunk throughout January. The whole of January. No alcohol. Dry January.
Eek.
To say I am not looking forward to it is an understatement of some gravitas. I love my wine. Since deciding I would not guzzle in January, I have been swigging back cava at an alarming rate. A bottle a night has been the norm since Christmas Day. I fear for my liver. I am reminded of my brother (a hefty drinker in his own right) who airily waved away liver worries with a prediction that by the time his was pickled you would be able to 'get a new one on ebay and get it plumbed in by BUPA'. God, I hope so.
And so another Christmas has come to pass. A strange one. Oliver, having been hyped up about December as a whole since his birthday in June, found his enthusiasm for festive activities waning quickly. I, disappointed by this inexplicable apathy, felt I had to try too hard to embroil the family in a glow of seasonal happiness and it all seemed a tad false.
This said, all the usual homey and cosy things bought warm reactions, good food was to be had and lovely pressies to be given and received. On Boxing Day we had Mark's eldest two children here for lunch. After an estrangement of nearly seven years, Mark has been meeting up with them - a sudden and unexpected development which initially had me emotionally reeling, and earlier in the month we all went out for a meal together where Oliver got to spend time with the brother and sister he has not seen since he was about five years old. There is too much to be said about it all, but - if you had told me three months ago I would be sat around my dining table with my stepchildren on Boxing Day playing board games, laughing and feeling nothing but pleasure, I would have said over my dead body.
Life turns on a dime.
Adieu, not goodbye
oh, the joy of cracker gifts
Christmas Eve a-carolling
THE gift of the year
FIN.
Janice ..It is surely a surprise what happens in the space of a year sometimes
ReplyDelete...and how you can get over the emotional hurdles. .have had many here ..not always blogged if I and honest. .fear of a reread and regret I suppose. Glad you all had lovely times together. . And we too are reduce v the bread cakes and wine again in New Year..its the only way if you want to have odd months to wallow ..and you do enjoy it more after a spell of abstinence. .really!
I am running a weekly prompt next year if you want to drop in.. x
You are so right - life does indeed turn on a dime. Glad it spun round so happily for you all - really lovely. Dry January - eek indeed! But one does feel better leaving off alcohol for a bit and I always remind myself that it's full of calories so a few weeks off is good for liver and waistline! Happy New Year Janice! E x
ReplyDeletePs see also my email! Thank you so, so much!