I have volunteered to drive my husband Stephen and our friends this evening, and don’t mind one jot that it means having a sober new year. I just wish there were more interesting non-alcoholic drinks available in bars.
I’m not one for yucky Britvic fruit juices, they are so tasteless, and mineral water is fine – up to a point. One of my favourite non-alcoholic tipples is soda water and lime and this can cost as little as 30p – so I am very cheap to take out.
We are going to a local pub where our eldest son David is working behind the bar, and a racy comedian, Johnny Dee, will have us in stitches.
One of the friends joining us is a professional photographer, Bob Mozejko, who I have asked to take a special family portrait for me before David leaves home for uni next September. I thought it was quite a creative suggestion, to snap Stephen, David and younger sibling James all bare chested, just wearing jeans and looking relaxed. But my husband refuses to shed his shirt in the name of art.
I am not making any new year’s resolutions, just pledges (is there a subtle difference?) to spend more time with my lovely mother, enjoy our existing, family life before David flies the nest for uni, try and visit Sicily to meet up with Welshcakes Limoncello and JaneJill, and look forward to lots of new challenges, both professionally and personally. This includes improving my walking stamina from my present 10-12 mile comfort zone to a more arduous 15-18 miles so I can keep up with Geoff and Sally.
Happy New Year to you all.
Great ideas Ellee, many thanks for the mushroom soup 🙂 Maybe next time you will do the walk with us. wishing you a happy New Year
Yep Thanks for the great soup yesterday.
I know you can walk 17 miles 🙂
Best wishes for the new year to you and your family x
When I lived in the UK I liked Schweppes Bitter Lemon when out on the town. Do they still have it?
Have a wonderful 2009 Ellee.
They are good pledges, Ellee. Hope you have a super New Year!
Hi Geoff and Sally, you were very welcome to the soup, and yes, I would love to join you both on the Cambridge-Ely walk again sometime. Even though my mother thinks you are barking mad to do such a thing!
JMB, yes, you can order a bitter lemon still, it used to be my father’s favourite drink. But I don’t like fizzy and gassy drinks. I would rather have a smoothie with lots of fresh fruit.
Have a very Happy New Year, Ellee.
What the Government has done to cigarettes will happen to drinking.
Boozing – the next big “No No”
I can understand Davids reluctance – I’m the worst possible person in front of a camera but at least I have an excuse! However, my friends had a family portrait done and all wore white shirts and jeans with bare feet and a white background – it looked absolutely fabulous. Just an idea.
I too have always been fond of lime and soda and when I was ill people gave bottles of wine (and I was on painkillers!) and I realised last year I was just drinking because it was there, as if drinking meant I was getting a treat, a gift. Daft. You don’t need alcohol to have a good time. And I’m sure you’re going to have a good time Ellee :-))
I long to be able to walk 12 miles again 🙂
Happy new year Ellee, all best wishes from Pip and the poppets x
Happy New Year, Ellee. It would be fantastic to see you and janejill in Sicily! I think you would like my [non-alcoholic] tea pinch – the Sicilians do! Auguroni x
oops – I meant “punch”!
Hello, Ellee! Thanks for the heads-up on the new site address so that I may keep up with you. I pledge only to spend more time with my guitar (that gently weeps)! Pun intended. However, I am with you on the walking. I am up to 45 minutes of fast walking daily on the treadmill as I build back up to my daily 4 miles in one hour. You have us all beat on such distances. I feel you may be missing a variety of non-alcoholic drinks. Investigate and Happy 2008!!!!:D
Happy New Year Ellee!
Pineapple juice with lemonade is my soft drink of choice. But last night I cycled to the pub and was able to compromise! I didn’t see a single car as I cycled home the four miles at 1.00am in the pouring rain!
We worked last night on persuading my husband to be photographed bare chested, a la Calvin Klein jeans advert, for a portrait, and Bob was able to suggest a few artistic poses which might preserve his modesty. I was fine on soda water and lime – 30p a shot, according to David behind the bar as the soda water is free.
Maalie, I take it you was drinking something stronger than pineapple juice and lemonade last night. Happy New Year to you.
I quite agree about all those horribly sweet soft drinks but hope you had a good evening. Sound like a good lot of goals – I need to increase my stamina as well!
Happy New year!
I had a sober New Year as well….I shouldnt complain since Ive had quite a few drunken ones too
Happy new year Ellee!
Ellee – are you going bare chested too?
Hi Elle,
Here’s wishing you and your Inner Circle all the best for the coming year, may it be filled with much fun, joy + happiness. The days filled with much much Sun (light) and the nights filled with bright Starlight.
Pip, yes, that has been mentioned, but I’m not sure that’s how the boys would like their mum on a family portrait. I had a vision of a trio of male flat chestedness. Manly chests is a weakness of mine.
Hi Ellee, Had a great night with you & Steven, thanks for the lift to & from the Lazy Otter pub, Somehow we will manage to get Steven to do the picture for you before david goes to Uni. Year again to you all, see you soon. Bob
Happy 2008 to you, dear friend.
How did the photographic session go?
[…] A sober new year […]
Thanks Bob, I know I can rely on you and that you will take a great pic.
A very happy New Year to you, Ellee.
‘Cheap to take out’
The more I learn about you, Ellee, the more I realise that I hung out with the wrong gals.
Swoon.
Kevin, I hope you eat those words as I know you have a lovely wife and gorgeous twins. Anyway, good company means far more to me than a few drinks.