As you may be aware Beach & Bay Realty are participating in Dry July. The funds raised directly benefit the lives of adults living with cancer right across Australia.
How on earth is the Beach & Bay Team going to get through a booze free month? That is a very good question! This daily journal will give you all a little insight into our Dry July journey.
If you would like to make a donation go to www.dryjuly.com. You can find the Beach & Bay team at www.dryjuly.com/groups/boozefreebeachbayrealty
Wish us luck. We are going to need it!
Thursday 1 July - I started early as I have my school reunion on 31st July which I need to drink at! So I had to get through end of financial year with no alcohol. It was tough let me tell you!
Friday 2 July – 2 staff now on leave and Rachael and I are into day 2 officially of no drinking. Help! Friday night was camomile tea (I was cold alright! and no red wine to warm me up), felt strange drinking camomile tea with Thai take away. Mel C said she was suffering as she had a terrible day and the kids were out of control and all she wanted was a calming drink!
Saturday 3 July – Rachael had a 21st to go to last night and she didn’t end up going, hopefully this is not a sign of things to come. Wonder how the others are coping, Anne has her daughters birthday dinner tonight and is designated driver. Have to check how much we have raised to remind me that this is for a good cause.
Sunday 4 July – Walked past the Opera Bar today on the perfect winter’s afternoon, didn’t stop. Rachael went to a party on Sat night where the alcohol was free, now that would have been tough. Mel A. stayed home the whole weekend.
Monday 5 July – Mood – grumpy
Tuesday 6 July- (Post by Rachael). I’m turning 21 in 6 weeks and while not a seasoned wino I have drunk almost every weekend (usually 2 times) since I was 18. (And If I’m honest, sneaky drinks underage). Binge drinking is huge in my age group – it was not uncommon for me to drink more than 10 drinks playing drinking games – and my group of friends often have “pre drinks” where we drink at least 6 standard drinks (and then go out for many more). Over the last year I have cut my drinking down to no more than 5 (95% of the time) but it’s still a big part of my social life.
When I told my friends I was participating in Dry July not one person congratulated me or thought it was a good idea. “But why?” or “Don’t be boring”. Even after my first weekend booze free I’ve began to notice how people react when someone is sober. Firstly, I don’t drive – so I didn’t have the legitimate excuse of driving home. Because of this, on Saturday night I was continually hassled – offered to be bought drinks by no less than 5 people and told I was a “bad friend” if I didn’t have a drink. It appeared that people were really offended by my choice not to drink, and my age group didn’t really appreciate that it was for a good cause. I woke up fresh on Sunday at 8am so walked the dogs, went for a run, cleaned the house and went and got coffee (by myself, everyone else was too hungover) – all before midday.
Today is my sisters birthday – she’s pregnant so at least I won’t feel bad not celebrating with a wine!!
Wednesday 7 July (Post by Rachael) -A little disappointed that we are no longer beating Neil Perry from Rockpool in donations. James Packer sponsored the celeb chef $10,000 ! Hey James, what about us? Going to dinner tonight with a friend. He said he would bring the wine. My heart sunk a little and I texted back that he can’t. Kylie went to a friends house last night where both women were drinking red. She promptly left and went home and had tea. She’s off to the Dendy tonight at Newtown to see a movie and get dinner. Sparkling mineral water is her new best friend.
Thursday 8 July (Post by Kylie) – Last night I went to a pub and drank mineral water, my friend asked if the barman could dress my mineral water up a bit, maybe a piece of lemon and a nice straw. Then the barman asked if I wanted my friend’s wine in a frosted glass in a straw so it looked like he was drinking lemonade or sth. Oh dear, next we headed to the Dendy Newtown where my 2 friends proceeded to sit next to me sipping red wine and even went out midway through the movie to get a top up. Normally I like the fact that you can sip a wine during a movie but not when I am on Dry July. Day 8 finished!
Friday 9 July (Post by Rachael) – I’m training for Sutho 2 Surf (July), City 2 Surf (Aug) & a 1/2 Marathon (Sep) so Dry July comes at a good time! I’m eating the healthiest I ever have and not drinking and guess what….I’ve just gotten sick! See – red wine IS good for you! I’m wondering what to do tonight now that the idea of Fusion sober is unbearable. Might go to the movies but seeing it’s school holidays my only real options are Toy Story & Shrek. (Party on!) Saturday night I have another 21st with unlimited free alcohol. GREAT!
Anne has just realised she is going to the snow for 3 days in July. Could someone be so kind and buy her a golden ticket so she can enjoy some red at least one of the nights? Anne also went to bed at half time during State of Origin on Wednesday. Just wasn’t the same without being able to drink!
Saturday 10 July (Post by Rachael) Went to a 21st and realised that everyone’s stories weren’t as funny as they usually would be. Ended up mulling around the food table and eating to compensate lack of drinking. Felt a bit blurgh, non social and while I still had a dance I was itching to get home by 11:30pm. (Outside party, freezing cold and no wine to warm me up!)
Anne was ‘designated dryver’ and went to a restaurant with friends. The group had pre drinks, wine during dinner, then more drinks after! Anne had soda, water and tea but found it pretty hard.
Sunday 11 July (Post by Rachael) Still feeling a bit sick and rundown I stayed home today. Also didn’t go to Northies which is a Sunday regular. Instead I ordered pizza and watched movies. Woke up on Monday morning with a massive food hangover! (Post by Kylie) On Sunday I went to a restaurant in a vineyard and spent almost 4 hrs there, watching everyone around me drink wines that complemented the food, I sat on one very large mineral water and made many trips to the bathroom. I had dessert instead of wine and I am feeling the kilos piling on. It was quite excruciating but when I think of people with cancer going through chemo I think I should get a grip. Of course I drove everyone home too.
Monday 12 July – Easy, too tired after watching the soccer to do anything else but go to bed so now worries today!
Tuesday 13 July - Almost half way, cutting back on the sugar addiction/replacement food this week
Wednesday 14 July – Anne W. came in to see us, she spent Sat night as designated driver, friends went bar hopping, restaurant then back to bar hopping, friends wanted to buy her a golden ticket, no support from friends just bad influences.
Thursday 15 July - Half way! Half way! Half way! Giving ourselves a pat on the back, feeling very clear headed and focused. Kylie is looking down the barrel of a Nun’s Pool dinner tomorrow night though with some bad influence friends!
Friday 16 July – Cupcakes & coffee at Bass & Flinders Cafe in Cronulla Mall to celebrate the half way mark of Dry July.
Saturday 17 July – (Post by Kylie) I was quite thankful a b’day dinner was cancelled at Nun’s Pool last night, don’t know how I could have got through dinner there without a nice Italian red wine…
Sunday 18 July – (Post by Kylie) Toy Story 3 at Cronulla Cinemas. 3rd weekend finished.
Monday 19 July – (Post by Rachael) Went to a ‘Christmas in July Party’ Saturday. Lots of punch & beers were drunk by everyone else. Sipped water and ate loads of rocky road. On the home stretch now!
Tuesday 20 July - Looking forward to saying we have been sober for 3 weeks tomorrow, wondering why July had to be such a loooong month with so many weekends
Wednesday 21 July - 3 weeks! 21 days!
Thursday 22 July – (Post by Kylie) Thinking I might have the sugar fix under control now?!!! Maybe the exercise regime will kick in soon but maybe not as it has been a very cold winter without my red wine.
Friday 23 July – (Post by Rachael) Going to a pub in Surry Hills tonight for dinner with a friend from Sweden who I haven’t seen for over a year! Tonight is going to be tough. Then we plan to go clubbing (tougher). I am beginning to think that after Dry July there will be a tsunami in August…..
Saturday 24 July (Post by Kylie) Definitely a tsunami Rachael, 1 week to go and it can’t come soon enough, I am stressed, grumpy and driving everyone nuts! At least this is the last full weekend left of Dry July.
Sunday 25 July (Post by Kylie) I rise and shine early Sunday morning, no hangover to speak of, this is becoming easier and harder at the same time, I am keeping very busy so I don’t think about Dry July! Later Sunday afternoon the text messages start, 3 Dry Julyers are feeling rather guilty it seems, there might be some back dating of Golden tickets, oh dear.
Monday 26 July – (Post by Kylie) I am trying to stand tall, while everyone else is falling down, down, down beside me. Not a drop for me though, I am 2 days ahead too as I started early so today I am celebrating 26 days official and 28 days unofficial (a short month!). Why did July have to be such a long month.
Tuesday 27 July - (Post by Rachael) Friday night re-cap. My friend arrived in Aus from Sweden last week. My friend from Sweden likes a beer or 2. The conversation was stalled because English isn’t his first language. Wine made it easier! We went out for dinner and I had 3 glasses and got roped into having a shot of Jagermeister (filth!!) when we went out dancing. I woke up with a slight hangover, full of remorse! Didn’t tell Kylie for 2 days and didn’t write back to her text saying “Only 7 days left”….oh dear I thought, I’ve broken the pact!
Sunday night – Murray from work bought me a Golden Ticket to drink on Sunday night too (terrible Rachael!) I helped organise a team of runners for the Sutherland to Surf for Australian Youth Against Cancer (a charity we blog about often). We raised $4000 and I wanted to celebrate! Another 3 glasses of wine…..
Wednesday 28 July – (Posted by Kylie) Over dinner tonight heard about my family drinking a bottle of 1985 red earlier in the week. Wanted to cry.
Thursday 29 July - (Posted by Kylie) – Out to dinner last night for my mum’s birthday, busted a Dry Julyer at the same restaurant enjoying a glass of wine and hit her husband (bad influence that he is) up for a backdated Golden Ticket. 2 sleeps for me left and I am done! Just in time for my school reunion!
Friday 30 July -
Saturday 31 July
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I also notice at my cousins 21st that I didn’t have the confidence to go up and socialise throughout the night. I didn’t know anyone bar my cousin and without a drink in hand it was a bit daunting. I ended up hanging out with my family, mum, cousins, uncles and aunties – getting lots of glasses of water and texting on my phone…
Not a good start!
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