Wednesdays and weekends

You know the feeling. It's been a looooong day. You're tired and hungry. All you want to do is put up your feet and ignore the world for half an hour to build up the strength to see you through the sessions of cooking / cleaning / homework / television you need to do before you can flop into bed. A lovely glass of wine would be just the ticket - but you had a few drinks last night.

In the interests of full disclosure, I should start by saying that I'm not really a big drinker. I've had periods where I've not drunk for weeks or months for various reasons without too much bother. If I had to choose between giving up coffee or alcohol, I'd choose alcohol. (I would NEVER give up coffee - please don't make me!)

But that said, I do enjoy a few glasses of cool rose. Or an icy cold beer on a hot summer day. Champagne, nibbles and chats with the girls? I'm there!

As I've got older I've found that I enjoy a drink a bit more than I did when I was in my 20's - I finally get what people were always talking about when they suggested having a glass of wine after a rubbish day. It's nice.

So what used to be one or two glasses on the weekend had started to creep up over the years to be one or two glasses a couple of times a week and on weekends. It wasn't a problem, but it didn' feel quite right to me. 

Australian Government guidelines recommend that healthy men and women should drink no more than 2 standard drinks on any day to reduce the lifetime risk of harm - and no more than 4 drinks on one occasion.

For me, drinking two glasses of wine every night would be just too much. It's not that it makes me drunk, but it takes my focus away from other things. I'm less likely to want to put effort into cooking and if I'm already tired it will be enough to make me fall asleep on the couch. I needed to find a balance that worked for me.

Enter my fabulous acupuncturist with some great advice. He loves a good glass of red and sometimes we chat about different wines we have enjoyed.  One day I mentioned that I didn't like to drink too often but found it hard to find a ritual that suited me and then he gave me the best drinking advice ever.

"I only drink on days starting with "W", he said.

I would have raised my head to stare at him except that I had half a dozen strategically placed pins in my neck, back and shoulders, so I resorted to a snigger.  But before I could point out the obvious, he explained: "I drink on Wednesdays and Weekends."

And you know what? It was great advice - that now totally works for me. It gives me something to look forward to in the midst of the working week but it also helps me keep things in check.Win, win.

Of course if I'm out at an event or its a special occassion, I go for it. But as a general rule, drinking on the 'W's" helps me see if I'm straying away from my comfort zone and I know I'm not creating a problem that might be harder to manage down the track.

What rules have you set for yourself around alcohol?

Seeing clearly

My annual eye exam came up recently so I took myself off to the Optometrist to get tested. I went to a new place because the last time I got glasses I paid the most exorbitant amount of money for the blasted things and I vowed that I would NEVER do it again. I mean honestly, I have good private health care. They are generous when it comes to glasses. The things are small and they aren’t made of gold.  I truly fail to see how a set of frames with an ultra-cool brand name on the side can cost as much as my last pair did. 

So, off I went to my appointment. Eye test was fine, my peepers are in good shape other than the fact that they just don’t see quite as well as they used to. I moved into the glasses area to make my selection and briefed the assistant about my requirements. 

For the look: “No frames that are too big, nothing cat’s eye or goggle-like. Nothing too funky – I’m not that cool. Don’t make me look ugly.” (Gotta try at least). 

For the price: “Not the cheap, two-pairs-for-one-low-price that are totally flimsy and break in a month. I want good quality, mid-range glasses that are sturdy and reliable. And not ugly.”

The team were friendly and helpful and dashed around holding a dizzying array of glasses up in front of my face. There were a dozen different shades, colours and styles to try and the team took my criticism of some of their choices quite well. (In hindsight, "Oh good God – are you mad?" might have been a bit harsh). 

We ended up with a plain blue pair and the girls at the cash register agreed that they were a good choice. I also asked to have the new prescription added into my old glasses so I’d have a second pair and it cost me extra - OF COURSE - but still not as much as I paid for them the first time. 

Fast forward a few weeks and I've had some time to get used to my new glasses. Overall I like them -  I’m seeing better and they work the way they should. There’s just one thing – they aren’t as good as my old ones.  While they aren’t completely flimsy, they are still a lot lighter and feel less sturdy than my original pair. I find I have to be careful when I take them off and fling them on my nightstand (yes, I do that) for fear of breaking them.  

Can it be that my old, trendy-branded, super expensive glasses were more expensive because they are actually better made and more reliable?  Could it be true that you have to pay the equivalent of the national debt of Bolivia to actually get a reliable, well-made pair of spectacles? Only time will tell how this new pair wear, but it’s going to be a purchase worth watching.

                              

                             I think the owl glasses holder that I bought in Paris like the new purchase.

In celebration of birthdays

I recently celebrated another birthday. And when I say ‘celebrated’, I really mean it. I just LOVE birthdays!

The world seems to fall into two different camps when it comes to birthdays: you either love them or ignore them.

For me, it’s a great excuse to catch-up with friends for a glass of wine and a gossip and I can have cake for breakfast because “it’s my birthday!” I’ve gone beyond the need for a pony and a princess party, but I still love getting birthday hugs and good wishes, and feeling just a little bit special, even if it’s only for one day.

According to friends who are anti-celebration, it’s just another day. Everyone has one, it happens every year, and you share your birthday with potentially billions of others. Oh, and it reminds you that you are getting old.

But from where I sit, it’s an anniversary worth celebrating. We are all unique and precious souls and no matter how old you are, the day you were born marks the start of your lifelong journey.

Your birthday also marks a lot of the other milestones in your life – it’s the criteria that lets you start school, ride the rollercoaster, get a licence, have sex, vote, drink, get married, and retire.

How could you not want to celebrate that?

So on my birthday I smile as I read the Facebook messages from my friends, laugh over texts and calls, and generally bask in the fact that I’m lucky enough to have friends and family who tell me they love me.  And even in quiet moments, I feel a tiny spark of excitement that this is MY day.

I also give thanks for getting to live on this planet for another year, make plans for the future – and tell myself I don’t look my age. Bring on many more!

What do you think of birthdays? How do you ‘cope’ or celebrate them?



It's not all candles and party hats, but birthdays are still fun!