Australia Day Sobriety

Hello and Happy Australia Day Bloggites! I know that I am a day early on the salutations, but if I was blogging on a public Holiday it would just be unaustralian.

So I am sure you are wondering how the whole sobriety challenge is going. I am happy to report that it is going well- not one little drop of alcohol has passed these lips in 25 days- yay me :) I think I am up to stage 4 of the yet undetermined number of stages through this challenge. What is stage number 4 you ask. Well I think it might be useful to go through the first few so we all know we are standing.

Stage One: Sleep Deprivation
This may not be the case for every person who decides to ditch the bottle, but for a good 2 weeks my quality of sleep was shocking. I didn't realise that on most, if not every night, I wen to sleep with a bit of a wobble on. So getting to sleep without a wink of assistance was a little trying. But as you guessed it- I prevailed. Nearing the end of the second week I was exercising my heart out, trying to keep days jam packed so at the end of the day I would pass out from exhaustion. I am SUPER happy to say that this stage has passed and I am sleeping like a baby.

Stage Two: Sugar Craving
I have been assured that this one happens to every reformed drinker- The sugar cravings. I bet whilst you where getting tipsy that you didn't know you were ingesting a whole lot of sugar. Yes- especially in beer. Wine is not so bad, but carbs are similar, if not sugar and there are loads of carbs in Wine...
So I went a little baking crazy, starting with lemon butter- an orgasmic infusion of lemon, egg and sugar slowly cooked over a double boiler until it becomes heaven in liquid form. Then there was the ice creams- Banana, Coconut... I managed to refrained myself from baking cookies otherwise I would be the size of a house right now. And my dear friend Chocolate, I know I abused you for a week there, but I have a healthy respect for you once again I promise. To top it off I have watched that much Nigella Lawson that I have been eating sugar vicariously through her. Sugar Cracvings and all, there is still somethings I won't do- Like eating butterscotch sauce by the tablespoon in the middle of the night (or at anytime mind you) Thank you Nigella for sacrificing your arse for mine. I am happy again to say that the sugar cravings have passed and my diet back on the healthy track.

Stage 3: My good I am 17 again- but worse!
Hello pimples! Of course this stage does have something to do with all the ingested sugar over the prior weeks, but it is also a case of the old body going "Hang on a minute... its been a good 2-3 weeks since tahnee has injected toxins into me- EVACUATE TOXINS NOW BEFORE SHE CHANGES HER MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I am currently sponsored by Natio, Neutragena and the saltwater at Currumbin Alley. Unfortunately I cannot report that this stage has passed, but it has reduced in severity (Thank god! I only have so much fringe to cover my forehead)

And Welcome to the Now.

Stage 4:Emotional Evacuation
This might not be what everyone goes through and it isn't like I avoiding the TV in case a Hallmark moment comes on. But after I stopped trying to distract myself with alcohol and then sugar, the silence that comes after the cessation of distraction is brief. It seems the mind and soul have got the message that the body sent out to my face "Oh, looks like it spring cleaning time. Lets get rid of some of that baggage we have been carrying around shall we?" So I have had the pleasure of recounting some of the more painful and embarrassing events of my life. Though pleasure really isn't the correct word to describe this phase, I know that it is good for me. I am just waiting to feel like it is good for me. But slowly but surely I have been able to let go, piece by piece, like dropping sheets of paper into the wind. I am guessing I have a manuscript of papers to go, but at least I have started.

But on all accounts this is going really well and with all these stages I haven't had a chance to even thinking about alcohol. For the record, I am still my happy positive self, just with a few private moments that's all :)

So happy Australia and I'll raise my Bundy Ginger Beer with you all in toast to this great nation. See you at the Beach xoxox