This is my blog that I have been writing for the last 12 months. A year ago I decided to write this secret diary, once the year is up, well, as you can see, I've put it out here for you all to see. It's been amazing experience. I think everyone should have a go. Peer pressures, family pressures, as well as life and death experiences were all there, the urge to have a cheeky pint to relax or celebrate, to cry into or just for the heck of it, it's all there! The struggle is real! I don't have a drink problem, honest, (that was the first assumption I think most people had) I just wanted to 'see' what it's like, see if I could stick to it! I am quite proud of myself for sticking with it, it has been tough going in some of the 365 days, actually 366 because of the leap year, especially the beginning of August 2019, losing Kirsty, if ever there was a time I wanted to have just a pint to cry into, it was then I would have loved to just have raised a glass and say 'Sleep well Angel Kirsty, breath easy' , it was then. And of course my nieces 18th! Well, that was a family first for me, enjoying a great party without booze! During this year of no booze there has been births and deaths, parties and celebrations on and on top of all of that, a global pandemic, probably the biggest testing time of all! A test even Carlsburg couldn't come up with! But do you know what I found the hardest thing about all this drinking, not drinking malarky....it's when I am drinking, saying no to that last one, you know, the 'Oh go on, just one more, you might as well' or the 'Well, I've opened the bottle now, might as well finish it!
I think after this experience I will be able to say 'No thanks' and then stick by that!
Week 1
I decided a week ago to go alcohol free, just for the year! Don't worry, normal service will resume in 12 months. I am guessing you are thinking "Moosh, why would you do that?" To be perfectly frank, I am not quite sure how I came up with the idea, but I know it's a good idea! Especially after my Auntie's 70th birthday celebrations! I am afraid I got a bit larey at the bar staff after they, in my opinion, were quite rude to us after we sang 'Happy Birthday' to her. Is was the end of the evening, we were having on last drink at the last pub near to the train station, but they staff were not happy! Anyway, I got a bit emosh! I am sure if I hadn't drank as much then I could have spoke clearly and more intelligently to the staff about our rendition of 'Happy birthday.
But it wasn't just that incident. I was watching the t.v. with Kirsty and the Loose Women were talking about how alcohol bloats you, puffs you up (not just in your mind) your face gets all bloaty! I have been struggling with my weight, so maybe going alcohol free could help1 It's not as if I drink tons and tons, but I do tend to binge drink on nights out and at the weekend! What with this blimmin 'change' thing happening to me, the night sweats and the day sweats, I was thinking what harm could it do?
So there's me, full of this idea, I told my friends and family, just one at a time! Do you know what? The responses were quite unexpected! It made me think about the way I have been drinking! Here are some of the responses that I have had from my family and friends.
Why would you want to do that?
Just do a month.
Oh no, who's gonna drink with me?
Who is going to come out with me?
What about the 18th birthday party?
Keep it secret, don't tell anyone.
Why put that pressure on yourself?
Yeah, good luck with that!
You are not going to do that, you like your pint!
Then there was this response
Oh good for you!
It seems it's become a bit of a real challenge for me now as well as a kind of social experiment too. I was taking to one friend about it, about the pressures to drink when you go out. You really do feel pressured to continue to drink so much so that you start 'lying' that you are drinking a spirit with a mixer, yet actually it's ALL mixer! And woe betide you if get found out! "You light weight" "What's that in your glass" "You dry shite" are just some of the things that get thrown at you! Some will even go to extremes as to not even invite you out because 'no-body wants a sober among them, watching them make asses of them selves" Don't you think that's totally weird.
I was thinking, if I was a casual user of social drugs, you know the ones that you have to smoke, and I said 'I am giving up weed for a year', even though I didn't think there was a problem taking the weed, I would think I would get a lot more encouragement. I get encouragement giving up the cigarettes, I know on all packets it does say "This will kill you" on it. The response there would be totally more encouraging. But alcohol, the social pastime that nearly everyone enjoys, got such a negative response.
I am looking forward to seeing what happens over the next 51 weeks. I will also try and do a video blog (if I can figure out how it works!) for the time time being, this is a picture of me, the start of week 2, I had just done a 5k solo run, it took me 41:11 seconds. Not a great time, not a great time at all! It's going to be an interesting year, if not bloody boring!
Week 4
So, I am in the middle of week 4. I was going to write up a weekly report, can you imagine how long this blog would be! So every now and then I will pop a bit on, tell you all how I am getting on, as well as remind myself what has been happening.
Since I made my decision people still have said "Nah, you love your beer" or they said "Yeah right!" and always my lovely daughter wanting me to have "Some wine babes?" But I have stuck to my guns. It's the middle of August, I am rattling about my house feeling lost! The young lady who I did caring for sadly passed away on the 6th August 2019. She had Cystic Fibrosis but we had such fun in four years that I cared for her. I really could quite easily have gone and sank a bottle of wine or several pints of lager. But I thought "No, what is the point of abstaining for a year and then pick and choose when it's acceptable to break the rules?!" It reminds of a verse in the bible "if you break just one law you are guilty of breaking all of it" or words to that effect. So I stuck to my guns, I am quite enjoying my Soda and Lime drinks, quite refreshing really.
It's now Friday, date night again, of course me and Alan go out, why should it stop just because I have stopped having alcohol! We went to the Kings Arms in Shoreham, it was there that I was offered a pint of soda and lime! Not just a small glass that I have to sip carefully, not to drink it too quick before Alan had finished his! I wanted to share this experience. I took a picture and shared it on social media! "Back on the pints" I jokingly wrote as the caption. Let me tell you there were a couple of people who thought I had fallen off the waggon!
Now it's Saturday, it's the Biggin Hill Festival of Flight, Alan and I decided that we would go try find a nice pub to see if we could watch some of the planes. We ended at the Blacksmiths Arms on Cudham North Lane. While we were sitting out side at the front, the table next to us had a couple of people sitting there. While we were sitting there a car pulled up to chat to the ladies, obviously the driver knew who them, "Hello" said the girls on the table,
"Hello" said the driver,
"Come and have a drink"
"No, I can't I've got......(something in audible)"
"Oh come on, you know you want too" said the second lady at the table, "A little Voddy"
"No, no, I can't really"
"That's ok, you can't help being old and boring" said the first lady at the table.
"Right, ok then, just the one" said the driver!
I just hope she stuck to her guns too, only had a soft drink. It really is amazing just little things said like that, that what to make another person feel bad about not having a drink with them. Maybe they should have said "Come in for a coffee or tea" or maybe "Just for a cola!" I am sure I have been guilty of such pressure on my friends too. It's really making me think this abstinence malarkey. Put it this way, never will I again say 'Oh come on, one for the road'
Since I made my decision people still have said "Nah, you love your beer" or they said "Yeah right!" and always my lovely daughter wanting me to have "Some wine babes?" But I have stuck to my guns. It's the middle of August, I am rattling about my house feeling lost! The young lady who I did caring for sadly passed away on the 6th August 2019. She had Cystic Fibrosis but we had such fun in four years that I cared for her. I really could quite easily have gone and sank a bottle of wine or several pints of lager. But I thought "No, what is the point of abstaining for a year and then pick and choose when it's acceptable to break the rules?!" It reminds of a verse in the bible "if you break just one law you are guilty of breaking all of it" or words to that effect. So I stuck to my guns, I am quite enjoying my Soda and Lime drinks, quite refreshing really.
It's now Friday, date night again, of course me and Alan go out, why should it stop just because I have stopped having alcohol! We went to the Kings Arms in Shoreham, it was there that I was offered a pint of soda and lime! Not just a small glass that I have to sip carefully, not to drink it too quick before Alan had finished his! I wanted to share this experience. I took a picture and shared it on social media! "Back on the pints" I jokingly wrote as the caption. Let me tell you there were a couple of people who thought I had fallen off the waggon!
Now it's Saturday, it's the Biggin Hill Festival of Flight, Alan and I decided that we would go try find a nice pub to see if we could watch some of the planes. We ended at the Blacksmiths Arms on Cudham North Lane. While we were sitting out side at the front, the table next to us had a couple of people sitting there. While we were sitting there a car pulled up to chat to the ladies, obviously the driver knew who them, "Hello" said the girls on the table,
"Hello" said the driver,
"Come and have a drink"
"No, I can't I've got......(something in audible)"
"Oh come on, you know you want too" said the second lady at the table, "A little Voddy"
"No, no, I can't really"
"That's ok, you can't help being old and boring" said the first lady at the table.
"Right, ok then, just the one" said the driver!
I just hope she stuck to her guns too, only had a soft drink. It really is amazing just little things said like that, that what to make another person feel bad about not having a drink with them. Maybe they should have said "Come in for a coffee or tea" or maybe "Just for a cola!" I am sure I have been guilty of such pressure on my friends too. It's really making me think this abstinence malarkey. Put it this way, never will I again say 'Oh come on, one for the road'
Week 8 September 16
Wow, that's gone quick! It's been 8 weeks since my last drink! Oh dear, it sounds like one of those meetings here this morning! But still, I am quite proud of myself. There have been times of course, where I thought "Why am I doing this?" For instance at Kirsty Funeral! I would have love to have toasted a big cheers to her, her funeral was just over 3 weeks ago now! Such a lovely funeral, if there is such a thing, but it really was just so her. She had a beautiful horse drawn carriage to take her on her final journey, the carriage was just so beautiful, white with glass sides. And sitting at the back of her was a beautiful tribute of flowers in the shape of a Costa Coffee cup! Yup, I would have love to have drank a pint of lager then and say "Cheers Kirsty, I will miss you immensely!" But it was at there, at the Bull were we celebrated the life of Kirsty, that I discovered Fever Tree Tonics, apparently they do it in all sorts of lovely flavours! So at least now I can have a choice of drinks from the bar that is not cola or lemonade! Also, if you ask them to make it 'look pretty' it can be adorned with fruit and a cocktail stick!
Also just this Saturday gone it was my nieces 18th Birthday! Of course we celebrated it. Her mum, my sister Hayley had arranged a surprise birthday party for her! It was close to their home so we had to drive, a great excuse not to drink, you would think, except my friend Karin, who is a teetotaller anyway was driving! People at the party couldn't believe that I was not drinking. My baby brother Nick had asked me "You still not drinking?" I told him that I wasn't "Good for you sis" he said, also my big brother Dean had said "Good for you" Still there are a few who couldn't believe it, and said, "just have one drink, it's a celebration",
Yesterday, that's the Sunday 15th September, it was my wedding anniversary! Thirty five years! Now that is a cause for a celebration in itself! Me and my hubby decided to go for a nice meal, a curry actually, at a place where we have not tried before. It was most delicious! At this particular restaurant they have Cobra Zero! A non alcoholic lager! Can you believe that. Now normally I just wouldn't bother with any this stuff because it never tastes the same or even smells the same as the 'real' thing, but I just had to give it a go! Guess what? I was right not to even attempt to pretend I was drinking lager! It was just awful!
Oh yes, I forgot to mention, I went for an interview for a job at the beginning of the this month.......I got it! Childcare Supervisor of an AfterSchool Care Club and Breakfast club. I am working for SCL at my grandsons school! It's a totally new venue for SCL, all new staff, so I have a chance to get things going from the ground up. I have never been 'in charge' before, so a challenge within a challenge! Of course I couldn't celebrate my new job with alcohol, but the hunt for the best tasting non alcoholic lager is now a 'mini game' within the challenge!
Oh yes, I forgot to mention, I went for an interview for a job at the beginning of the this month.......I got it! Childcare Supervisor of an AfterSchool Care Club and Breakfast club. I am working for SCL at my grandsons school! It's a totally new venue for SCL, all new staff, so I have a chance to get things going from the ground up. I have never been 'in charge' before, so a challenge within a challenge! Of course I couldn't celebrate my new job with alcohol, but the hunt for the best tasting non alcoholic lager is now a 'mini game' within the challenge!
Week 17
All is going well! I'm still going strong! But I do miss my lager! I have found a nice tasting alcohol free lager now, it's Heineken! Probably the best so far, I don't even have to put a splash of lime in there to liven it up! There are still people who didn't know that I was on a no alcohol for a year plan, my mate Carole only found out on Saturday. She was in the 'camp' of "Well done you" rather than the other camp! Tracy and I had an evening out with our friend Wendy, she was expecting me to hit the Porn Star Martinis but I was good, sticking with my Fever Tree tonics! There is still a bit of pressure to 'Just have one, no one will know' and of course there is out and out nagging from my daughter to join her in a 'wine babe'. But I know she is quite proud of me for sticking to my guns! Mind you, I can't wait for it to be over! Why oh why did I say a year! A year is not long though! I mean look at me, 57 in a few days time, where did all that time go!
Week 20 19 December
So here we are, two weeks to go before the Christmas festivities. It's now 09/12/2019! No alcohol has passed my lips! I have been busy this weekend just gone, I had a Ball to go to, Cystic Fibrosis Supporters was the charity that organised it. There was a beautiful picture of Kirsty there, last year Kirsty was with us at this Ball, she was guest of Honor! This year we remembered Kirsty, it really was a very emotional time. Here is a picture of me with Kerryanne and Jayne, Kirstys sister and mum
It is so easy to say, 'oh I will just have one, just to toast with", when you have great sadness in your life, but this is when your great resolve kicks in, and say 'No, I am not going to give in' and say a resounding 'Yes I Am' when people ask if you are still alcohol free. Will I get to the end of the year, yes I will! Mind you, I have been drinking this alcohol free lager, quite tasty (also eases pressures to have a drink) but then Wendimoo tells me that there is still a tiny bit of alcohol in there because she is not allowed to sell them to under 18's when she works behind a bar! I am just hoping there is about as much alcohol as there is in mouth wash!
Week 23 Christmas Festivities
I say it's festivities, but its all over and done with apart from taking the decorations down, still not a drop has passed my lips! I am feeling bloody proud of myself! There are still people who are finding out about my challenge and say things like 'Oh I can't do that!' It really is a state of mind, just say no! I even did my 'woo woo' run, taking a nice hip flask full of brandy and little medicinal plastic glasses so that I could share my brandy but not partake myself! I thought that would be a bit weird, but actually it was fine! I did sniff at the flask every time I shared it out!
My Christmas dinner was a success, well, the Old Boy does the cooking! The wine was flowing but I got through that. I found that particular day difficult, I would have loved to have shared in the fizzy but instead it went un-finished and eventually down the sink! But I had a great Christmas, I had two of my children home, my son in law, my grandson and the dogs! My other grandkids spent their Christmas with their mum. So it was fairly quiet!
New Year Eve celebrations.....was a curry with my daughter and the kids, they left at 10:30 pm! So all very quiet, But I did indulge in a little distilled beverage that my eldest daughter had bought me for a Christmas present. I had already brought some Fevertree tonics, Elderflower and Aromatic flavours, to enjoy with my gin! No, I haven't slipped, it is Seedlip non-alcoholic Gin, excuse the unintentional pun! It is rather tasty, a delightful light hint of a gin flavour so it really did add something to my tonics. I totally recommend it, it is a light refreshing drink, and makes a change from some of the non alcoholic beers I've been drinking. I must just say this though, pubs and restaurants, not all of them support the idea of stocking non-alcoholic beers in . And when they do stock it it turns out that it is more expensive, pint for pint than actual real beer! Why do they do that? Supply and demand I suppose!
New Year Eve celebrations.....was a curry with my daughter and the kids, they left at 10:30 pm! So all very quiet, But I did indulge in a little distilled beverage that my eldest daughter had bought me for a Christmas present. I had already brought some Fevertree tonics, Elderflower and Aromatic flavours, to enjoy with my gin! No, I haven't slipped, it is Seedlip non-alcoholic Gin, excuse the unintentional pun! It is rather tasty, a delightful light hint of a gin flavour so it really did add something to my tonics. I totally recommend it, it is a light refreshing drink, and makes a change from some of the non alcoholic beers I've been drinking. I must just say this though, pubs and restaurants, not all of them support the idea of stocking non-alcoholic beers in . And when they do stock it it turns out that it is more expensive, pint for pint than actual real beer! Why do they do that? Supply and demand I suppose!
Week 28 - End of Dry January! Monday 3rd February
It is the end of the 'drought' for some of my friends and family who have done the Dry January Challenge. It appears they were all looking forward to fall from the waggon, with eagerness! I still have weeks and weeks left! Is it a struggle? Well, no not really, have I missed the odd pint or two? Yes, yes I have. But after all, it's only 1 year, right? It's not the end of the world. I have never completed a challenge over such a long time before and to be honest, I am quite proud of myself. I am sure there are some people who may think I had a bit of a problem with the whole drinking, but there was and is no problem. If anything else, it has shown me that drinking doesn't give you bravado, it doesn't give you confidence, if anything it gives you false confidence! But saying no to this alcohol stuff has been relatively easy for me! The most hardest thing for me to give up has been ciggies! At least now since the beginning of this year (I know it's only been 8 weeks) I can count how many ciggies I've had on the prongs of a dinner fork! Not bad really!
Pressures from family and friends to 'just have one, no one will know' seems to be gone! People have now accepted that I have this challenge and like me, just waiting till the end of the year......well, not the end as in December, but the end of the year long drought which is in July!
Benefits of not drinking! Hmmm, weight loss, energised, fit? Not a bloody thing! Which just goes to show that for those things you really do have to work hard for, which is probably why obesity is quite high in this country.......and that includes me! I need to work harder for all of those things mentioned. It's so blimmin easy putting weight on, getting lazy, chilling out, but by just giving up one thing.....it isn't going to change any of that!....Unless you give up on being lazy and overeating!
I didn't really know what I expected by giving up alcohol for a year, but I am enjoying the challenge! Weirdly! I will be partaking again of the amber nectar, and also most definitely the odd glass of pink gin, which I found I like just before I decided to go alco free!! I shall keep you posted. I haven't done another picture but I'll do one next time!
Week 34 - March 18 2020 - The start of our epidemic! Corona Virus
Who would have thought this could happen! From the beginning of my NoBearForAYear (plus anything with alcohol in it really) I never thought that I would be saying, "I think I made a mistake!" Because really, if there was anytime that I could do with a drink and enjoy a nice cool class of lager it is now! Some shitty virus is spreading it's nastiness all over the world. Most people will be affected, so governments have been saying. Most of those people will be fine, for some it will be life threatening and some won't make it! My goodness, it's a huge worry about which camp my family and I will fall in! Apparently kids are fine, they feel like they have a cold or maybe not even know they have it! For anyone who is elderly and by the way, the government have decided that anyone over 60 is elderly now, then they are at the 'at risk' category! Seventies and over are to stay in, for months!!
Over the past week things have developed really quickly, with information and guidelines changing almost daily! Stay in for 7 days if you come back from certain counties, no, stay in for only 4 days if no symptoms show! Stay in for 7 days if you have a new cough or high temperature, no stay in for 14 days if you have temperature, new cough and live with people who also have to stay in for 14 days! It's all so worrying, not to mention the selfishness of the common people!
The common people, people like you and me, have gone nuts! I mean completely overboard! They have gone around buying up forest loads of toilet paper because they think they are going to be shitting out the virus from backsides like it's no tomorrow! All while cooking up shit loads of pasta, while bathing in tubs and tubs of hand sanitizer for 20 hours a day! Seriously, the ordinary folk, the none greedy ones, like you and me, can't go out and buy the usual essentials because nut-nuts have gone and bought up the supermarkets weekly supply of those particular items! It meant that people went around trying to find things to store for themselves, just in case. It meant the elderly couldn't buy their little four pack of toilet rolls and radox bath salts because some greedy fuckers have them stored the entire supermarket stock in their garage!
I found myself buying an extra packet of toilet rolls because I saw them in the supermarket! I wouldn't normally have bought them right at that moment, but I thought, "Just in case"! I also felt like I had to make sure people saw that I only had the one packet too! Yesterday I went out to buy some supplies for the ASCC and BC that I run, I couldn't find a disinfecting spray anywhere! I bought some bits for myself, a bit of mince, not beef mince, as it seems the british public have demanded that all beef cows be killed and minced up for all the hoarders out there with huge walk in freezers! No a bit of mince beef to be found. I found lamb mince! There were two packets left on the shelf......shall I buy both...just in case? No, I bought one, there is bound to be another person like me wanting to knock some up a bit of spag bol.........shit...no pasta! The woman in front of me at the check out looked longingly at my mince "I couldn't find any mince, you're lucky you found that" She said "There was another packet left" I said almost apologetically! As if I really did need to explain that I didn't have the last packet of mince! I looked in the mans shopping trolly behind me, he had 6 bottles of bleach! Six! Would he normally be buying that amount for himself, I almost said something, but then I noticed that he was in 'that age category!' He had a few cans of beer for himself, "Just in case they go crazy for the beer" he said!
Well I have not doubt that people will go crazy for the beer, because now the government have said not to go out to pubs, clubs and restaurants. We are to practice 'social distancing'. More and more people working from home, they can enjoy a glass of wine while working on the computers, no one is going out (unless it's to go and hoard more toilet rolls and hand soaps). As for me, I am still working, looking after peoples children in the Breakfast Club and Afterschool Care Club because apparently the government are not ready to shut schools down as it will be too disruptive! The virus obviously hates schools, won't go in one! Teachers, caterers and people like me and my colleagues are pretty safe from the virus, because as I've said, the virus doesn't like school! Why else would our government keep it open while most other countries have gone into lock down!
So yes, a nice cool glass of lager would be most appreciated in these really trying times, sit down and relax with a nice flavoured gin, even sink a nice bottle of Rose' with a Sunday roast would be most welcomed! I am still optimistic that I will finish this challenge......just because I have started it.......but.....lets pray that it will be possible at the end of this Corona Virus pandemic that I will be sharing my beer with all of my family and friends!
Week 39
Well, we are still in lockdown, this is week 5 of lockdown! I think most people are doing really well, but you can tell that people are wanted to know when it's going to be lifted. The thing is, people were moaning that Boris was late with the lockdown, "Why didn't he do this sooner" moan, moan, moan! So when he did it, people really took the piss! I mean, they treated it like a fecking week long bank holiday! Going to the pubs, (Mind you I think Boris should have closed that lot down anyway) Come the weekend they were all getting in their cars to go for a drive to the countryside, the seaside! What?? It was totally unbelievable! They asked for the government to do something and the take the piss! So Boris told them outright, "NO GOING OUT UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECCESSARY" which included just for exercises, like an hours walk/run/cycle. That is all that is necessary!
So for 5 weeks now, we are all in lockdown, so far so good. I don't think I have lost my mind! I haven't gone for the beer either. So that's all good. I think most peoples bins are getting their fair share of extra bottles and cans! We were out side today, social distancing of course, clapping our NHS staff and all key workers, the people who need to be out there working, and listening to the neighbouring streets singer. When we were all coming back we spoke about having a bbq on the green after lockdown has been lifted! And there it was again, from the some of the neighbours, if we have party before 22 July, then a beer would be ok, "It'll be allowed, after all we've been through" Well, I think I will be able to hold out.....if however lockdown lift off is after that day.......then I will be having a fab afternoon and evening!
Oh, by the way, on the subject of 'not losing my mind', you don't call going on Facebook Live, during the weekday, exercising to totally random youtube workout videos and my peloton app insane do you? Do you.....?
WEEK 46 4th June 2020
So I am still not drinking! I feel quite proud of myself for this, bloody annoyed though, I think a few cans of lager and some lovely bottles of fizz would have help this lockdown no end! Anyway, I have been doing my exercises and been trying to get back on my bike, to keep my self fit, it's been difficult, mentally to stay on top of things, but sometimes I've forced myself to do things, like getting my bike out! I remembered how I loved my bike rides, such great fun times. Well this just below was going to be an entry to my cycling blog, but then I realised, it has hardly anything about riding my bike in it, nor does it have hardly anything of my running in it.! So, I quickly copied and pasted it to this blog. So here it is
My 'Don't know where to put this piece of writing' blog
Hello readers
I am very pleased that I am able to write this up, I am very pleased that I did not die or have life changing injuries! A bit dramatic, you may think. Well, I think that too, at least I did think that until I spoke and heard from just a couple of people about having bike accidents too. As you guys know, I have not been on my bike for well over a year, so during this Covid-19 pandemic I have had more than a few hours a week to get out there, back on my bike, whether it's by myself or with Naggy, my 'one other, socially distancing friend' With less cars on the roads what better way than to build up confidence again!
It's difficult knowing where to start, so, lets go right back to the 'well I always used to do things this way' stage. For years, I have been riding my bike with the Old Boy, with family, with friends, all without my helmet. I have one, and on the odd occasion I wore it, on the road cycling, on busier roads, but not always. I was always thinking 'Well, I ride ok, I am always careful and confident, and I always let other road users know exactly what I am going to do" Perfect right, so for years, since I bought my brand new Giant back in 2013 I think it was, I rode around mainly without my helmet. I had some great rides too. London to Brighton on several occasions, sometimes with a helmet and sometimes without! No problem. Me and the Old Boy rode for miles around, evening taking the car with the bikes strapped on the back and going to other places. Such fun. No problems. I was always careful, always looked around for cars before making a move, always checking for potholes in the road.
There have been a couple of little wobbles when I have been clipped in with my new road bike! Oh she was....and is pretty. I bought her because she matched my shoes, my cycling shoes that I had bought to make my cycling more comfortable, hopefully less cramping in my feet! For a few more years I enjoyed trouble free, accident free riding. I was just loving it, the evening rides with the Old Boy, sneak in a cheeky pint before coming home was just brill! I had this cycling sorted.
But for some reason, the whole of last years 2019, I just didn't get my bike out! Al that fun and freedom me and the Old Boy used to have, well, we just didn't seem to have the time, motivation, (he was so much fast than me too) The one or two times I did get my bike up, it just didn't seem to kick start the motivation to get back to it. It was such a shame, my lovely bikes just sitting there, but I guess with the way things were with me that year, I wasn't going to beat myself up. Working with Kirsty was becoming more emotional than ever as the dreadful disease began to win its battle with Kirsty, I really wasn't in the right mind to kick start anything. I just wanted to make sure Kirsty had everything she needed and that I could do the best I could for her. Kirsty lost the battle in the August, it really was so dreadfully sad. I missed our chats, our coffees, our writing to celebrities!
I moped about for a few weeks before I applied for new jobs! I couldn't believe it when I got one, to begin work in a school as a Childcare Supervisor for SCL! It's a local school as well, with two sessions a day, in the morning before school and then afterschool. Perfect for me. I will have time during the day for cycling or running! Nah. I didn't do either! Lazyitus had set in, as well as the fact I had stuff to do for my new job!
When things had bee learned for work, I had a nice routine going and managed my time well, I was going to get back to looking after myself better, with my running and cycling. During the summer and warmer days I was going to ride my bike to work each day and also to do running in the afternoons. But what happen next, bloody COVID-19 thats what! March 20th was the last time I went to work at the school, and I've been furloughed!
This Corona Virus shit has and is still bloody scary! Talk about changing your life! Lockdown! No one is to meet up with other households, stay 2 meters apart from everyone that does not live with you! It really is scary stuff! But the Government did say we were allowed out to exercise just once a day! Well, I used my exercise once a day to walk Naggys dog, and then I worked out at home, finding some great stuff on line to work out with.
Then the government said that we could exercise for longer than an hour, just don't meet up still, so that;s when I decided I was going to get my bike back out of moth balls, build up my confidence, start having some great times on my bike again! I tell you, it' was quite scary getting back on it. Not just the whole clipping in and clipping out either, thankfully I had got my Giant back from my daughter (she had borrowed it for months!) and it meant that I could chose whether to clip in or not as I had dual style pedals!
Anyway, to cut a very long blog to just a long blog, I shall cut to the part where it could have been life changing, but in some respect, it is life changing! My last bike ride, which was 31st May, I was with Karin, my friend. We decided that we were going to to the Jubilee park route with the other two parks included. We rode along Southborough lane, turned left into Crestview and then left into Tentpeg Lane, But as I was riding towards the cycle path, I just got to it and then I saw the dog. A big husky dog ran right in front of my bike. I really don't know if I hit it or not, or if I just swerved to avoid it, I don't know, I can't remember! I came off my bike at that point, I must have come down on my head and shoulder! I was knocked unconcious! My next memory was that of Naggy on her knees holding onto my head! She had told me a day or so later that there was a lot of blood! Her socks are never going to be white again! My son and husband were called after the ambulance was called, my son took off his teeshirt to give to Karin to help keep me comfortable and to stem the bleeding! I think Karin did a fantastic job!
I remember seeing the dog again as I was on the trolly, Karin had told me later dog owner had spoken to her saying "It was my dog, it ran in front of her bike" But Karin couldn't really talk to her at the time! I can remember some of the journey to the hospital, my daughter came with me, but she couldn't stay with me in the hospital, no one was being allowed to be with patients due to this covid shit going on. I had 6 stitches in my head and a CT scan. I was home by around 9 that evening! What a silly mare I was. Not wearing a helmet that I have in my house! Vainity! Silliness! Never again!
Of course, there was definitely no drinking, not with a head injury! It would have be nice though, to have had a nice lager, help me sleep that night, because I didn't sleep very well at all. The next day the aches and pains kicked in, my muscles that I had tensed and pulled in wrong directions as I fell started hurting, there was another sleepless night! It is now Thursday, 4th of June, my stitches will come out on Monday. And I will have to think about going back on my bike again!
I am very pleased that I am able to write this up, I am very pleased that I did not die or have life changing injuries! A bit dramatic, you may think. Well, I think that too, at least I did think that until I spoke and heard from just a couple of people about having bike accidents too. As you guys know, I have not been on my bike for well over a year, so during this Covid-19 pandemic I have had more than a few hours a week to get out there, back on my bike, whether it's by myself or with Naggy, my 'one other, socially distancing friend' With less cars on the roads what better way than to build up confidence again!
It's difficult knowing where to start, so, lets go right back to the 'well I always used to do things this way' stage. For years, I have been riding my bike with the Old Boy, with family, with friends, all without my helmet. I have one, and on the odd occasion I wore it, on the road cycling, on busier roads, but not always. I was always thinking 'Well, I ride ok, I am always careful and confident, and I always let other road users know exactly what I am going to do" Perfect right, so for years, since I bought my brand new Giant back in 2013 I think it was, I rode around mainly without my helmet. I had some great rides too. London to Brighton on several occasions, sometimes with a helmet and sometimes without! No problem. Me and the Old Boy rode for miles around, evening taking the car with the bikes strapped on the back and going to other places. Such fun. No problems. I was always careful, always looked around for cars before making a move, always checking for potholes in the road.
There have been a couple of little wobbles when I have been clipped in with my new road bike! Oh she was....and is pretty. I bought her because she matched my shoes, my cycling shoes that I had bought to make my cycling more comfortable, hopefully less cramping in my feet! For a few more years I enjoyed trouble free, accident free riding. I was just loving it, the evening rides with the Old Boy, sneak in a cheeky pint before coming home was just brill! I had this cycling sorted.
But for some reason, the whole of last years 2019, I just didn't get my bike out! Al that fun and freedom me and the Old Boy used to have, well, we just didn't seem to have the time, motivation, (he was so much fast than me too) The one or two times I did get my bike up, it just didn't seem to kick start the motivation to get back to it. It was such a shame, my lovely bikes just sitting there, but I guess with the way things were with me that year, I wasn't going to beat myself up. Working with Kirsty was becoming more emotional than ever as the dreadful disease began to win its battle with Kirsty, I really wasn't in the right mind to kick start anything. I just wanted to make sure Kirsty had everything she needed and that I could do the best I could for her. Kirsty lost the battle in the August, it really was so dreadfully sad. I missed our chats, our coffees, our writing to celebrities!
I moped about for a few weeks before I applied for new jobs! I couldn't believe it when I got one, to begin work in a school as a Childcare Supervisor for SCL! It's a local school as well, with two sessions a day, in the morning before school and then afterschool. Perfect for me. I will have time during the day for cycling or running! Nah. I didn't do either! Lazyitus had set in, as well as the fact I had stuff to do for my new job!
When things had bee learned for work, I had a nice routine going and managed my time well, I was going to get back to looking after myself better, with my running and cycling. During the summer and warmer days I was going to ride my bike to work each day and also to do running in the afternoons. But what happen next, bloody COVID-19 thats what! March 20th was the last time I went to work at the school, and I've been furloughed!
This Corona Virus shit has and is still bloody scary! Talk about changing your life! Lockdown! No one is to meet up with other households, stay 2 meters apart from everyone that does not live with you! It really is scary stuff! But the Government did say we were allowed out to exercise just once a day! Well, I used my exercise once a day to walk Naggys dog, and then I worked out at home, finding some great stuff on line to work out with.
Then the government said that we could exercise for longer than an hour, just don't meet up still, so that;s when I decided I was going to get my bike back out of moth balls, build up my confidence, start having some great times on my bike again! I tell you, it' was quite scary getting back on it. Not just the whole clipping in and clipping out either, thankfully I had got my Giant back from my daughter (she had borrowed it for months!) and it meant that I could chose whether to clip in or not as I had dual style pedals!
Anyway, to cut a very long blog to just a long blog, I shall cut to the part where it could have been life changing, but in some respect, it is life changing! My last bike ride, which was 31st May, I was with Karin, my friend. We decided that we were going to to the Jubilee park route with the other two parks included. We rode along Southborough lane, turned left into Crestview and then left into Tentpeg Lane, But as I was riding towards the cycle path, I just got to it and then I saw the dog. A big husky dog ran right in front of my bike. I really don't know if I hit it or not, or if I just swerved to avoid it, I don't know, I can't remember! I came off my bike at that point, I must have come down on my head and shoulder! I was knocked unconcious! My next memory was that of Naggy on her knees holding onto my head! She had told me a day or so later that there was a lot of blood! Her socks are never going to be white again! My son and husband were called after the ambulance was called, my son took off his teeshirt to give to Karin to help keep me comfortable and to stem the bleeding! I think Karin did a fantastic job!
I remember seeing the dog again as I was on the trolly, Karin had told me later dog owner had spoken to her saying "It was my dog, it ran in front of her bike" But Karin couldn't really talk to her at the time! I can remember some of the journey to the hospital, my daughter came with me, but she couldn't stay with me in the hospital, no one was being allowed to be with patients due to this covid shit going on. I had 6 stitches in my head and a CT scan. I was home by around 9 that evening! What a silly mare I was. Not wearing a helmet that I have in my house! Vainity! Silliness! Never again!
Of course, there was definitely no drinking, not with a head injury! It would have be nice though, to have had a nice lager, help me sleep that night, because I didn't sleep very well at all. The next day the aches and pains kicked in, my muscles that I had tensed and pulled in wrong directions as I fell started hurting, there was another sleepless night! It is now Thursday, 4th of June, my stitches will come out on Monday. And I will have to think about going back on my bike again!
Week 51
I can't believe that the last two months have gone by and I haven't written anything down. It just goes to show, 10 months into a challenge and it becomes just a normal thing, a new habit, everyone just excepts it and just don't think about it at all! My year actually ends next week, on the 22nd July, but I will be on holiday! what a fabulous way to finish off my challenge than to sit in the lovely area of Cornwall with my family....and the two little pooches and enjoy a cool lager or a nice glass of wine, or which I am sure will become my new favourite short, a pink gin!
But my goodness, what a year it has been, will I be tempted to carry on being tee total? No, I don't think so, I like it, end of! But I also know, that I don't need to have a drink to have fun, to be social. I would have loved to have gone to a karaoke bar during this, just to see. That could be a thing I will plan though, just to see! Maybe plan a karaoke night and be designated driver or something! I am sure I will still get up there and belt out 'Son of A Preacher Man' like I wrote the song myself! I also know that I can order a 'pretend lager' or 'pretend pink gin' and not have peer pressure too!
Do I feel better? Not in particular, but then we are going though one hell of a mother f... of a pandemic. Locked down, no working, no meeting friends, only 1 hour exercise for so many weeks and weeks. That's whats been hard! I've put on a stone! A stone! even with all that exercising I have been doing every day except Sundays, since April! The exercising has been me, prancing in front of my camera which has been switched on and going 'Live' on FaceBook! I do have a following though, Janice! She told me a couple of days ago that she reached 50 workouts with me! How cool is that! My sisters was doing it with me, but now they both at work.
Has my health improved? Well, I am sure my liver loves me! But because of Covid-19 and my love of all things chocolate and tasty, probably not as much as it should have done. My hot flushes are still about, maybe just a little less intense, my face still looks all puffy, but, Covid-19 inactivity and boredom has a lot to do with that! But I feel sure my liver looks brand new!
Are my friends and family proud of me? Yes they are, they still think I'm a total nutter to do it 'just like that' with no other goal in mind than just to reach a whole year without drinking. People said I should have done it for a charity, but what if I failed? What then. But I just thought about something while writing this bit, there is nothing wrong with still donating to a charity that I would have done it for, and what better charity than a brand new one, Kirstys Wishes. Jayne wants to be able to grant wishes for people with CF just like her daughter Kirsty had! There is already one lovely young lady that the charity has waiting in the wings (angels wings) for a wish already. She is desperately trying to raise the rest of the money so that she can carry out this wish for the young lady in Kirstys name. Details are here, just click on the link
Angel Kirstys Wishes
Click on this link and it will take you straight to the fund raising page.
Click on this link and it will take you straight to the fund raising page.
END OF CHALLENGE
So this is it! All done, A tough challenge in the beginning, but after that, no problem. I had a huge wobble only last week though. I was on holiday, my challenge finished on the Wednesday! I nearly, nearly succumbed to having a drink on the Monday but, as my husband pointed out, that would result in me failing the challenge. But confession, way back in the beginning of this, I went to the theatre with Kirsty and Jayne and Wendimoo plus my daughter, although I didn't have a drink there, on the way back we stopped for a refresher......half a shandy! After 366 days ( we had a leap year this year) I had a quarter of a class of lager! So, not quite as successful as I wanted! Will I do it again, probably not!
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| As you can see, no change in weight! But proud of myself Cheers all! |
