Annoying Mrs X

My new found energy level is a bit annoying to my better half.

Our alarm will normally go off at 6.15 a.m. where we get up and get the kids up. For some reason, I wake up at 6.00 a.m. Don't know why. I just want to get up and start making packed lunches, coffee and breakfast. Mrs X does not like to be woken before the designated time.

I like to get up early at the weekend and take the kids swimming too. If you get there early you miss the crowds. Again this is slightly annoying to Mrs X as she likes a good lie in. To be fair, I don't mind taking them on my own.

A Party

We went to a party on Saturday without the kids which would normally be a chance to get a bit tipsy and smooch a bit. The party was good and I spoke to a few friends about not drinking any more. I think peoples reactions are actually based on how they see themselves. Some people, I really believe, get a little bit defensive too. They take the fact that I have given up drinking and my reasons for it as an actual attack on their own habits.

Other people are very understanding. It's difficult to enjoy a party in the same way when everyone is getting drunk and you are not. Dancing is particularly difficult to start as the lack of Dutch Courage makes you feel a bit of a plonker. I did dance however and didn't do too bad.

I really enjoy waking up with a clear head the next day. That, on its own is a great blessing.

How Long Now

It has been 5 weeks since I had my last drink and I here's a check to see how I actually am after this time.

Most of the time I have been feeling positive about it. I feel good about how I feel now and how my exercise routine is actually affecting me positively.

I run 3 or 4 times a week for a 9 km circuit. When i get home from this, I sleep like a log. If I don't run, I do have problems getting off to sleep but I think this is because I leave it too late sometimes and get over tired. Before, a bottle of wine and a couple of beers could guarantee that I get to sleep in a muddled, deep, snoring, sodden slumber.

I don't snore anymore. I have lost 8 kilos in 5 weeks. I can fit shirts that I haven't worn for ages. Health wise I am doing well and on track.

Personally, I am finding it difficult to be the new me. I am very focused inwardly and at work but seem distant at home. I have to start tiring to address this balance. This hasn't been helped by the fact that I have been 10 times more proactive at work and thereby 10 times busier. So I have been running 3 nights and working the other 2. Mrs X is understandably a little frustrated and we aren't communicating effectively. Although I am planning in my calender to spend a couple of nights a week with no TV, computer and playing games, chatting instead, this hasn't happened.

Not to mention that my hearing is really bad in my right ear so I am probably going to have to wear a damn hearing aid.

Life goes on in a booze free way. This is just the first few weeks.

Social Pressure and incomprehension

I am encountering a lot of this at the moment. I am not sure if it is because of how people see me or how they see drinking as a whole. Whilst in the South of France we were sitting in Cannes having dinner watching the rich and the beautiful drifting past, I told a friend that I didn't drink anymore. He said, 'So when are you going to start again?' He assumed that I had just taken a temporary abstinence. When I said never. he said I was a twat and of course I would start again. I said he should go and give that supportive speech to the AA meetings!

Another friend I went out with last night just thought it was strange and a bit sad that we couldn't drink beers together anymore. He actually didn't drink as much as we would have done normally. Maybe in sympathy.

In Nice

Plane was delayed by 1 hour.

Waited for a hire car for two hours

Drove for 2 and a half hours, looked at a chateau and drove back 2 and a half hours. Finally ate at 21.55 p.m. Long day. Vineyards all over the place and I will not be tasting a lovely drop.

Never mind. I feel good for it though.

To Nice!

i am off to Nice, France tomorrow on a business trip with a couple of guys I don't know very well. One is a customer and the other is a potential customer.

Hope it doesn't come across wierd that I don't drink anything. They seem nice enough blokes.

Will miss the family a lot.

Tried a jog last night after being sick and it was really hard going. If you miss a few days, you can easily lose the motivation but I think it was just the sickness wearing off. All back to normal now though.

Update

So far, so good. I have been sick with some kind of virus the last two days so having anything alcoholic was the furthest thing from my mind anyway. I had mentioned to the kids that I don't like the taste of beer anymore. My youngest daughter decided to tell the adults at kindergarten that 'Daddy doesn't drink beer anymore.' A little embarrasing. I have been rereading the Seven Habits by Stephen Covey and will write more on that later. Coming up to 2 weeks this Sunday and I haven't really missed the booze too much.