I went to my bellringer's Christmas Dinner last night. An annual event down here in my part of Devon (UK) - must have been about 24 of us. Unfortunately the "greased pig" contest was cancelled due to the vicar having a bad knee.
Now as I've been in recovery (I was dry this time last year, but drank again) for a bit, I honestly did not want to drink at all. Anyway, the way this lot were drinking (I love them all dearly) it wasn't worth starting.
I sat there all evening monitoring my stretch of the table for how much people were drinking
I've probably always behaved like this, but I really noticed it last night. Most people had one or two alcoholic drinks all night. There was much cooing and clucking about how I had stopped drinking and smoking (which I liked) but there was an opened bottle of red wine, half full, in front of me. I didn't want to drink the wine at all, but it was sitting there NOT being drunk. To me, this was amazing, how could there be an open bottle of booze on the table and no one was drinking it.!!?? If I were drinking I would have necked that small offering and ordered two more. It was like having a naughty picture of Britney Spears on the table, my eyes kept wandering to it and then I would look away quickly as if I shouldn't have been looking.
When we got up to get our coats at the end it was still there on the empty table !! Not consumed !! How could these people not have drunk the wine..!! I'm sure I heard a quiet giggle as I turned to leave.
A great sober evening for me and I've learned some more about myself too.
much love
JC