A challenge... but it's not for not drinking!!

Another Monday, another new week.  Can't believe it's half way through June already. It's scary how fast the year is going. Will it ever slow down?!

Well, I made it through the birthday party on Saturday. And the evening too. In fact, I had no problem saying no thanks, but it took quite a bit for my friends to accept my answer!!

So, we arrive at the party, which was held at a park with bbq facilities, and the first thing I notice is the ice buckets with bottles of bubbly and stubbies of beer. No problem I thought, as I put my 2 small bottles of diet coke in the ice (and hoping no one else takes them!) My friend then tells me Don't worry, I remembered the diet coke and sure enough, there was a 2 litre bottle in the tub. Phew!

So I'm thinking this is going to be easy. I'll just drink my diet coke and everyone will be happy. Wrong! My friend C proceeds to line up several plastic champagne glasses and I just KNOW one of them is for me. So I quickly grab mine and fill it with diet coke. C gets distracted doing something else for a moment, but then turns back and notices my glass. That was for the sparkling!! she tells me. No that's ok I say, I'm just having diet coke today. Come on, have a glass with me! she says. No really I say, I'm fine. Just one she then says and I'm beginning to get annoyed. Then her husband comes over and joins in. Come on Ange he says, have one with C. No thanks I persist, I'm having a break. If I have one now I'll just want to keep drinking at home later. Then just have one now and none at home later he says. WHAT?! Did you not hear what I just said?!! So I tell them that I am doing a personal challenge and that if I drink now I will be very disappointed in myself. So the moment finally passes. But bloody hell! And the annoying thing is, they were not trying to ply alcohol on other friends. Although one other girl said no thanks as well and ended up with a glass of sparkling in her hand, but that's all she had and they didn't pressure her to have more. And through out the day I was asked was I sure I didn't want one??

I love my friends, but it was so frustrating. In their defense I didn't come out and say I have quit drinking, but should I have to? Shouldn't saying 'no thanks' be enough? I know in the past I've shared lots of drinks with them, but surely they can see that I'm not drinking at the moment. They have even said they are cutting down to lose weight, so I thought they would be more understanding.

And, being a glutton for punishment, I accepted their invite back to their house after the party but I made sure to tell them that I was driving and enlisted hubby's help as well. I told him I really didn't want to drink and asked him to back me up, just in case they were persistent. And of course they offered me a glass. But I just no thanks again and continued with my diet coke (which was flat by now from sitting in a tub all day with melted ice, but I didn't care!!) I think C didn't drink nearly as much as she would have had I been drinking too, but she still had a few. Her husband on the other hand got very drunk with one of his mates. My hubby was pretty drunk too, but not as bad.

I really didn't care that they were drinking. In fact, it made me glad that I wasn't (although, if I am honest with myself, I did have that thought when I first arrived 'what a beautiful day for a bbq and a cold glass of wine' and to be honest, if I wasn't doing the 100 day challenge, I'm not sure I would have been able to resist. But I am doing the challenge so whist I acknowledged the perfect day, I didn't consider having a glass) I know that if I had been drinking, I would have had quite a few and continued into the evening. And then I would have felt crap the next day and quite possibly I wouldn't have made it to work, at 1 o'clock in the afternoon!!

So yes, so relieved that I wasn't drinking. Because no matter how perfect the day, it would have ended up messy. The first couple might be nice but it would just go down hill from there. I was tired yesterday because we had a late night, but I got to work and was so glad I wasn't hungover.

I don't want to not go out with our friends. I enjoy their company and I don't think I need to be drinking with them for us all to have a good time. I don't want them to think I'm boring because I'm not drinking. I want them to see that you can enjoy these occasions without alcohol, that it's not a necessity. I know when I was drinking I would love having a drinking buddy, but if that person wasn't drinking, I would get over it. I would still drink and everyone would be happy. Hopefully they will get the message soon. And I KNOW, you don't have to tell me, I am going to have to tell them about the 100 day challenge. If I don't, they will just keep offering me drinks!!

Day 29.

A x