We’re in the quite busy wind down to the end of the year at SML, but I took Friday afternoon off to trek out to the wilds to have an overdue boozy lunch with DishyExBoss.

I did not consume very much more alcohol than the usual amount that I would drink at such a lunch (which admittedly, is quite a bit), but I cannot even convey what a completely and utterly terrible state I was in afterward.

I was doing okay until I was on the train. And I fortunately managed to catch two trains safely back home, but my memory of doing so is very rusty – I spent a good amount of time snoozing. I had to call Don and he volunteered to come rescue me from the station. I spent the next very-long-time in bed clutching a bucket and only recovered on Saturday evening.

I can’t remember the last time I was so badly affected by alcohol – we’re talking years and years. Don suggests it probably happened because I weigh so much less now, but really when it comes down to it I don’t care what the reasons were – I’m horrified and appalled that I let myself get into that state. Anything could have happened. I’m exceedingly thankful that a few times on the journey occasional random strangers checked in that I was okay and I did not throw up until I was safely in bed with bucket in hand. And that I have the Best Husband Ever.

I was dithering about whether or not to take a break from drinking starting July, but certainly this was the wake-up call I needed. I clearly cannot moderate.

And of course I have now stopped – screw excuses and waiting another 18 days.

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In more upbeat news, today I felt like a human again. Earlier in the week Don and I had thought to plan a Sunday activity together and I suggested that we might like to drag out the bikes.

I bought Bessie’s bike from her just over two years ago and have still not ridden it. That makes it now TWENTY FOUR YEARS since I have ridden a bike.

TWENTY FOUR YEARS. And that was only once, I haven’t ridden regularly since I was about 16.

Anyway, we got up early(ish), threw the bikes in the back of Panzo, ducked into the service station to pump up the tyres and headed out to bicentennial park for a ride around the bike paths.

I’m pleased to report that it is like they say – you don’t forget how to ride a bike! I have never ridden a bike with gears before and this has, like 15 or something. I chose to ignore them and keep it in whatever gear it was already on. Clearly, as an ageing hipster, I need a fixie.

This ever-excellent site tells me we rode roughly 9km. It was a pretty good workout. We will definitely do that again, but take the garmin (so we can track exactly how far and fast we went) and possibly a picnic.

Afterward there was much actioning of items and Don made glorious fried chicken. And I consumed no alcohol.