Back in December 2012 my son Tom challenged me to take a month of the booze and raise money for Cancer research as part of their first ever Dryathon. To keep me on track I blogged every day with tips, thoughts and other random stuff. Since then I have gone dry every January - raising money for several different causes. In 2016 I managed a dry January and February and have since made a real effort to cut back on my drinking. Over the year I have really been able to change my mindset - thanks largely to an initiative called Club Soda which has a website and a very active and supportive Facebook group.
Now that January 2018 is just around the corner and it is Dryathlon/Dry January time once again I thought that I'd pull together all the posts from my first ever dry January. If you're taking on the challenge - whether it be to raise money, cut down on your drinking or both I can highly recommend keeping a diary or Blog to help keep you on track and share your experiences!
Rest assured I will be taking part again this year in January and beyond as I plan to do 100 days alcohol free for the start of 2018!
Dryathlon day 1: Detox!
Most years I plan to go dry for January! It’s fine for the first few days then I inevitably slip off the waggon and go back to my evil drinking ways… Well this year is going to be different. My son Tom told me about the Cancer Research Dryathlon just before Christmas and threw down…
Dryathlon day 2: More resolutions
Day two – so far so good. Yesterday it was really easy not to have a drink. The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of social events, celebrations and gatherings – all of which have involved copious amounts of food and drink which have taken their toll on my liver and my waistline. …
Dryathlon day 3: Perspective
Late this afternoon I did the first big shop since Christmas. Foolishly I thought it would be cheaper as I would not be buying any wine or beer (my husband Geoff is also keeping me company as a Dryathlete). How wrong I was! I spent a fortune on fruit, veg and salad along with every…
Dryathlon day 4: Grumpy
Last night I again slept really deeply – so much so that I over slept and missed my early morning yoga class damn it! Friday night is curry night in our house and I cooked some rather spendid vegetarian dishes event though I say it myself! Then my son Tom decided to open a beer…
Dryathon day 5: Happy
So yesterday I was grumpy – today I am happy! After another night of bizarre dreams I got up and did the yoga that I was supposed to do yesterday. Then I jumped on the scales to be amazed that I was nearly 3lbs lighter than the start of January. My friend Jan who lives…
Dryathlon day 6: Film therapy
Something a bit different today. Feeling weak after 6 days off the booze – then how about a Sunday afternoon film about the perils of drink… The Lost Weekend is an Oscar winning film starring Ray Milland who plays a recovering alcoholic who slips off the wagon. Based on the autobiographical novel of the same…
Dryathon day 7: Teatotal
In just over three hours time I will have not touched a drop of alcohol for over a week! So far I have not found it too bad – there have been moments when a glass of wine would have been really nice and they have mostly been with food. We eat an awful lot…
Dryathon day 8: Back on track
Over the Christmas holidays my early walking campaign came to an abrupt halt – in spite of the very best intentions! But today my son was back at 6th Form college and my daughter returned to school, so it was thankfully back to the old routine. I have waxed lyrical on this Blog about my…
Dryathlon day 9: Marshmallows and memories
Above is my Cadbury’s low calorie hot chocolate with a bit of frothed skimmed milk topped with marshmallows. Can you believe I’ve never had a hot chocolate with marshmallows before? It’s my daughters favourite tipple – although she also likes a generous squirting of cream along with the marshmallows too! I did rather enjoy it…
Dryathlon day 10: Crossed the bar
Twilight and the evening bell, And after it the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark For tho’ from out our bourne Of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar. Alfred Lord Tennyson…
Dryathlon day 11: Let the endorphins flow!
Zumba class at Club La Santa 2011 – yes I’m in there somewhere! I have been on a bit of an exercise kick this week. As well as my 2 mile morning walks I have managed to go for a run, a swim, do a yoga class and a Zumba session! Who needs alcohol when…
Dryathlon day 12: Zero percent
Well day 12 was one of those days where I didn’t get a chance to stop so the Blog remained unwritten – but don’t worry I haven’t slipped off the wagon! Saturday night was bound to be a bit of a test as it was our first social event since New Year’s Eve. Nothing epic…
Dryathlon day 13: If you can’t drink it cook with it!
Blogging late again after a lovely relaxing Sunday. I spent a lot of the afternoon in the kitchen cooking with my daughter. I made pheasant cooked in red wine with spices and jumbo raisins and red cabbage with bacon with a splash of port. Before you report me to the Dryathlon Police I can confirm…
Dryathlon day 14: The depths of winter
We woke this morning to find a light sprinkling of snow on the ground but not enough to close any schools – much to my daughter’s disappointment – nor to hamper my morning walk! Togged up in snow boots, leg warmers, woolly hat and my down jacket I set off with my friend Sue to…
Dryathlon day 15: Snow joke!
I think it’s fair to say that Norfolk has been in the grip of arctic weather today! After more snow over night we woke up to about 3 inches of the white stuff which was not, much to the disappointment of the kids, enough to close their school and 6th form college! So it was…
Dryathon day 16: Half way snow day!
Today was an official snow day! It was rumoured that temperatures got down to minus 14 in the village last night which is pretty chilly to say the least. Over 260 of the schools and colleges across Norfolk were closed so it meant a day off for our two teenagers. As I work from home…
Dryathlon day 17: I demand to have some booze!
This evening I feel like just Withnail in the brilliant 1987 film Withnail and I. As I sat in front of my spaghetti and meat balls this evening wanted to shout: “I must have some booze. I demand to have some booze!” That meal was just crying out for a glass of Chianti. Of course…
Dryathlon day 18: Cabin fever
I think I may be suffering from cabin fever. After the jokey meths post frenzy of yesterday today I have been feeling more and more maudlin as the day has gone on. I’m fed up with the cold and realise that I have not been out of the village since Monday. We have also lost…
Dryathlon day 19: Dance till you drop
After yesterday’s rather gloomy post I’m back on track today – quite literally! Part of our Saturday night pizza making routine – along with the wine – is listening to music. Dancing around the kitchen to some great dance tunes can really life the mood – even without the alcohol. So I’ve put together an…
Dryathlon day 20: Comfort food
I have been a prisoner in my own kitchen this weekend – not because anyone has forced me but with the oven on it’s the warmest place to be in this continuing cold weather! Yesterday was a baking day and between us (while putting together the Spotify Dryathlon Dance mix) my daughter and I made…
Dryathlon day 21: Blue Monday
Today is Blue Monday and is meant to be the most depressing day of the year. According to Wikipedia this is based on the following formula: where weather=W, debt=d, time since Christmas=T, time since failing our new year’s resolutions=Q, low motivational levels=M and the feeling of a need to take action=Na As far as today…
Dryathlon day 22: Pink fizz!
I have bounced back from feeling gloomy and under the weather yesterday and am pleased to say that today I have been positively fizzing with ideas and energy. Perhaps it’s because I have finally sorted my In Box and can see the wood for the trees or maybe that the sun came out for just…
Dryathlon day 23: Cold
A thaw is meant to be coming but today this cold seemed to have penetrated deep into my bones and I just could not get warm. I took my self off for a walk first thing and enjoyed crunching though some relatively untouched snow along a little used country lane. A week ago the snow…
Dryathlon day 24: Memories
Today was the funeral of our family friend Frank who I wrote about on 10th January after he had lost his short battle with cancer. Funerals are never easy things to go to and sadly the older one gets the more frequent they seem to be. Today’s was a sad poignant occasion but not with…
Dryathlon day 25: Target reached!
I seem to have filled the gap left by alcohol with cake as January has worn on. This morning I had an impromptu coffee morning with a few friends which added over £20 to my sponsorship money. After putting a picture of my cakes up on Facebook more donations rolled in and I’m thrilled to…
Dryathlon day 26: Simples
January is always an expensive month as our car and house insurance are both due at the start of the month. That means I spend a happy few hours trawling through the various quote sites in order to get the best deals (and then having to enduring the endless sales calls that follow). This year…
Dryatholon day 27: Light at the end of the tunnel
After the cold, ice and snow of the last two weeks we woke up this morning to find that our white world had dispappeared and had been replaced by a green one and brilliant sunshine. Stepping outside to hang out some washing was like going out into a new season. The sun felt warm and…
Dryathlon day 28: A few thank yous…
Today I allowed myself to wander along the wine aisle at the supermarket checking out the latest offers. I’m sure fellow shoppers could see my eyes lighting up as I gazed wistfully at the Merlot, Chianti and Pinot Grigiot – soon they will be mine – all mine!! On a more serious note, as well…
Dryathlon day 29: Alex
The picture above is of me with our dear friend Alex taken just after I’d run my first ever 10k for Cancer Research back in 2005. Earlier in the year Alex lost his first wife Jenny to ovarian cancer, which gave me the impetus to train for the 10k and run in her memory. Alex…
Dryathlon day 30: Hope for the future
I realise that some of my posts have been a bit sad and glum when talking about Cancer, so today I want to post something more positive! I decided that I would count up how many friends and colleagues that I know who are cancer survivors and I am pleased to say that there are…
Dryathlon day 31: Not long to go now!
In just over three hours the Dryathlon will be over. I’m really chuffed to have stayed the course and to have raised over my target of £200. With over 34,000 Dryathletes taking part for Cancer Research I would imagine the final total of sponsorship raised will be quite impressive. If you’ve been reading this Blog…