One month & two days and no alcohol

So it's been just over a month since I started on the task of an alcohol free year and if I'm totally honest, I don't really notice that I'm not having a drink.

I have given the proviso that on special occasions I can, if I want to, have a few alcoholic beverages.  However having celebrated both my husband's birthday and our wedding anniversary already in January, both passing without a tipple, I don't really see me actually bothering.

Of course, I say that now...however my birthday is towards the end of June, by which time I will be almost half way through the year.  

Mind you, one would hope I wouldn't do a repeat of my 18th birthday celebrations.  Like many, I started going pubbing and clubbing by the age of 16.  By 17, and upon passing my driving test, I preferred to be the designated driver, much to my Father's dismay, as I always had the car.  He once asked a 17 year old me why I was "always the one who had to borrow a car for the night?"...he couldn't argue with my answer of "I'm the only one who can enjoy a night without drinking and I like to see all my friends home safely" (can you tell what a geek of a teenager I was!?!)

So when it came round to my 18th birthday, I hadn't drank in seven months.  Mad Dog 20/20 was all the rage - this was my first time of trying it!  Some would say it was consuming 4 bottles in less than an hour.  Some would say it was only having a glass of milk and a Dairylea triangle lining my stomach was the issue.  Some would say it was the moon rising in the wrong sign.  I'm going to go with the combination of all over the above.

Stood in Times Square (pub in Warrington, not exciting place in New York) playing the Crystal Maze game (I was obsessed with it) and I passed out briefly before standing up and continuing playing - now THAT'S dedication!

I wasn't well shortly afterwards and the girls had to take me home (well, I was staying at a friends).  I remember one trying to get my contact lens' out.  The night was written off.  It was about half nine.  

I'd love to say my lesson was learnt...but it wasn't.  Hangovers get harder as you get older. They get even worse when you have children because no longer do you have the luxury of staying in bed, dying.  I honestly think one of the hardest things to do is to deal with a young child after a heavy night, having had only a couple of hours sleep, and whilst you are both still drink and also sobering to get your hangover...I'm sure I'm not the only parent who knows what I mean there...