Sobriety, Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

I’m finding it hard to not bitch about my job every time I post. So I’m actively not doing that right now. Jobs are like opinions and assholes– everyone’s got one and no one wants to hear about mine.

So here we are in the sober week wrap up.

WEATHER: It was a pretty good week (disclaimer: please see statement above), we are starting to get some nice weather mixed in with the depressing, kill-yourself-with-a-rock-inducing rain.

FINANCIAL: Having performed daring feats of panic-inspired organization a few weeks ago, I am now prepared to file my tax return, all forthcoming documents cozily nested in a regulation 9″ x 12″ buff-colored envelope, identified with a mechanically-generated label “2015 Taxes”. Contrast this starkly with last year, where I ignored the entire concept until a day or two before the return was due, then spent several horrified hours discovering that I owed a SHIT POT of money, mainly due to my lack tax planning, mainly due my lack of general coherence (ie: super drunk-osity).

PHYSICAL: We have been meeting (and ever-so-occasionally exceeding) our goal of visiting the gym at least three times a week. The results are in: I haven’t lost any weight (on account of me sticking ALL KINDS OF FOOD IN MY MOUTH ALL THE THE TIME) but I’m fairly buffed. *flexing biceps*.

NIGHT LIFE: Friday was Date Night, and we decided to check out a new-ish (new to me because I just found out about it) restaurant downtown. The menu is casual (burgers, wraps, sammiches) but it has he added bonus of serving breakfast ALL DAY. This is a rare jewel to find anywhere; normally all-day breakfast menus are relegated to the Denny’s and other sub-par 24-hour variety eateries. But this establishment will give me a delicious pancake or eggs benedict at 10pm, hallelujah, amen.

The next thing I immediately enjoyed about the restaurant was the friendly enthusiasm of the gals working there, I think they were probably bartender/servers as it is a wee restaurant. The first question from Bartender 1: “Would you like to know what we have on tap?” to which my husband replies, we don’t drink. So I asked if they had anything interesting to drink that was NA and she immediately offered me a sample of the ginger beer they serve there. Then the other bartender gamely offered to make me a fancy juice cocktail with some delicious puree they have.  So I was like THEY REALLY GET ME, THESE PEOPLE.

Cock & Bull Ginger Beer, served ironically in a Tito’s Vodka ultra-chic mason jar

The last time I went to a bar asked for something besides a Coke, I was viewed as an alien life form. Non-alcoholic?? You are in a BAR, Lady! The server that time looked flustered and said, “Um, we don’t have any strawberries or anything.” Um, non sequitor.

After dinner (which was super tasty) we headed for dessert and coffee (decaf for moi, merci!).

Shiny Hall Of Cakes

And we were out until almost 10:30pm!! I shit you not.

DOMESTIC: Saturday, we discovered the new Cash & Carry (restaurant supply) and bought a pallet of food. I can’t even remember what we bought, we were mesmerized by 5 gallon buckets of soy sauce and steeply discounted animal protein. I think we have several gigantic bags of cheese cubes and possibly 10 gallons of soup. I’ll really have to go look.

SOCIAL: Today is Sunday and we’re going to the gym as soon as I finish this post (spouse is cued up needing only shoes to become instantly gym-ready). Then this afternoon, in my effort to be less hermit-y, I have a Lady Date, involving coffee and antiques, wherein I will locate the most perfect milk glass fruit bowl on this hemisphere.

Last year at this time I was probably just getting out of bed in preparation to start my Hangover Mitigation Ritual. Followed by a flurry of all the activities that I needed to finish before my weekend sailed away, completely wasted. Followed by the Angel/Devil Cage Match on my shoulder as I struggled with whether I should drink tonight or not. Followed by the inevitable glug of my wine box.

This is better. It’s SO MUCH BETTER.

So I’d better get going, because apparently I have an army-sized vat of soup to prepare later.

BTW, if anyone in the PNW knows where I can buy Cock & Bull ginger beer locally, please advise me!

I hope everyone else is enjoying/has enjoyed their sober weekend, with or without a pallet of bacon.