Non-alcoholic January

We have 4 days to go to complete our Dry January, I have found it quite hard some days and I know Philippa has too. The toughie moments seem to have been:

dinners with friends   -    gigs and concerts    -   relaxing days
family events   -   stressful times

We have been overwhelmed with everyone's support and donations; they have helped me get through the start of my chemotherapy and its side effects, helped Philippa feel she is doing something too and will certainly help those in the future who will sadly be travelling this path too ... thank you.

Clare and Philippa - Drop the Gin

Headwear time

In my previous posts I mentioned Ceder's Gins and they have certainly been a huge help. I would drink these again if trying to reduce or not have any alcohol ... my issue is they cost as much as gin and recommend double quantity per serving!

I have also had all three Sainsbury's non-alcoholic wine, they all served a purpose, the red wine was great to have when our friends came for dinner. All the wines were pleasant drinks but you would find more flavour in fruit and soft drinks, and wine does need the alcoholic depth.

Sainsbury's red

My overall opinion is these non-alcoholic wines are not going to replace wine, however they are pleasant drinks.

They are great for the 'mind' - the pop of the fizz bottle for that special occasion, the pouring from a wine bottle into a wine glass at a dinner with friends, the pouring of a chilled white after a busy day

.... a bottle of wine gives more than it's nose and flavour, think how you feel when you hear a cork pop or a screw cap twist .... the satisfaction starts right there!

I've taken great comfort from still having a G&T in my large gin glass. It was nice too to have a 'bottle' with my dinner at the pub, although again my Kopparberg was expensive, more than Hubby's pint! There is certainly a psychological side to having an alcoholic drink.

My alcohol free Kopparberg 

I was delighted last week to have been chosen as one of the winners of Fever Tree's competition to win a case of their Ginger Ale. Absolutely perfect for me just now with not only Dry January but the chemotherapy has altered my tastebuds and what my tum wants (it's like having a piccy toddler) - Ginger Ale is great for both, although I am looking forward to trying one with a 'wee dram'.

My Ginger Ale prize 

'A wee few from our Scottish holiday'
my competition entry photo

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Huge thank you again to everyone for your support, Dry January will soon be complete but I do have a longer road to travel .......

Drop the Gin is going well

I must start this post with a HUGE thank you to everyone who has supported our fundraising for Cancer Research and my local hospital's Breast Care Unit. Philippa and I are so grateful and for me personally it gives a focus through some difficult days.

Clare and Philippa - Drop the Gin

Chemotherapy smiles

It's half way through our Dry January challenge and Philippa and I are doing ok. I have discovered some lovely non-alcoholic gin, tried some no alcohol wine and Philippa is enjoying Elderflower cordial.

Quite refreshing
although it's the same price as real gin !

My non-alcoholic rose wine

I am starting to think about a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc, mainly because I'm feeling better after my first week of chemotherapy. I'll hold out though for our bottle of Champagne Autreau chilling nicely for 1st February. It's a bottle we purchased when we had a superb visit to their domaine in 2018.

The beautiful flowers in my non wine photo are a surprise gift from Jo and everyone at Cellier des Dauphins - I have fond memories of being at their launch evening last November, here's the link to our super evening. My flowers are still looking lovely a week on, thank you Jo.

Today I had another surprise; a rose, some tea and some shortbread from Brittany Ferries. We've travelled on many of their boats; one of our early sailing was in 1992 and last year I woke up on my birthday onboard Normandie with room service breakfast- so lovely as you can see in my 'Our petit tour de France' post.

Thank you so much to the Brittany Ferries team, you made my day.

This week I am feeling more like myself, although I don't seem to have much energy. Next week they say I'll feel good, there's more hospital appointments and a dreaded blood test before my second round of chemotherapy. It's a totally new world to Hubby and I: scary, worrying, confusing but we are hoping to resume our little trips away as the weeks progress.

Thank you again to everyone for your kindness, I really do appreciate it 😍

2020 starts with a Challenge

Life for me turned upside down early December when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The weeks up to Christmas were daily visits to either our local hospital or Coventry for numerous scans and tests, hard for anyone but with my severe needle phobia each visit was quite traumatic.

Just after Christmas I had three lymph nodes removed and yesterday I had a titanium clip inserted in the tumour. I now face 6 months of chemotherapy followed by a second operation to remove the lump which should by then be tiny.

Nick has been amazing, it hit us both out of the blue, our holiday to Copenhagen had to be cancelled and some of our Christmas plans altered. It's a blessing we are both retired and can work together through this.

2020 will be a tough year for us, and always up for a challenge Philippa and I have decided to do Dry January. It will give me a purpose and a focus away from treatments and needles.

We have set up a Virgin Money donation page 'Clare and Philippa - Drop the Gin' and will be splitting any monies given between George Eliot Breast Care Unit and Cancer Research.

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/ClareandPhilippadropthegin

Starting at midnight with just the New Year toast we plan to stay alcohol free until midnight January 31st .... we have Nosecco ready for today's New Year lunch and plan to try some of the non-alcoholic gins that are now available.

Wishing you a very Happy New Year

 - here's hoping it progresses as planned for us all.