On water and wine

Before I, who as of yesterday has turned to tea over wine, run out to purchase that bottle of booze to bring to the party of the girl who decided last weekend that she does not drink and feels better that way, I have a few questions for the world. How does one make it through the holiday season or more generally how does one make it through life in London without drinking? What does one do when one is not drinking?

In all seriousness, there are a lot of things in my life I am excited about right now and things I am looking forward to and things I do while supposedly working and after finished with the supposed work. Dealing with that giddy strung out or mood flat-lining hung over morning, which by the afternoon gives way to an exhausted dry eyed head ache is just not that high up on the list.

But what to do? Must I join the volleyball club or the knitting club or start volunteering with pre-pubescent girls? I am afraid even that latter activity would involve drinking. That is simply what people do. Or maybe it's the people I know. Or maybe they are all waiting for someone to tell them what else there is to do. But what else is there to do?

This week alone is filled with house parties, pub quiz nights, Christmas parties and then a weekend at my parents house to round it all up. Will I be able to sit with a straight face at the pub guessing Big Brother winners from the past five years sober? Will I make my poor parents drink their dinner wine without me? Will I go to newly acquired husband's work Christmas party and neglect the open bar? What will I do with my hands? I already quit smoking! How will I bridge the awkward silence if not by taking that extra big insightful gulp?

And it gets worse. As above mentioned friend said, and I am quoting "let's be honest, if I stop drinking I will NEVER find a boyfriend in this fucked-up country."

That is so wrong, and given her genius I can assure you all that she is the one person who will manage to pull even when sober but generally speaking, she might be right. Hello knitting club.