OK, So who's with me????

[Boatboy24]

Well, sometimes you just have to be flexible. M-I-L called this morning and decided she wanted to spend some time with the kids tonight and send us off on a date (gosh, we are lucky). We've both been wanting to try Coopers Hawk and it is about the only place we both looked at and said, 'yeah, I'm in the mood for that'. Wife is granting me a cheat day, which I usually take, but have thus far passed on this Lent. But I'm not going there and NOT doing a tasting. So I'll cheat with just a few days left. Then back on the wagon for a few more days.

 

[ceeaton]

Well, sometimes you just have to be flexible. M-I-L called this morning and decided she wanted to spend some time with the kids tonight and send us off on a date (gosh, we are lucky). We've both been wanting to try Coopers Hawk and it is about the only place we both looked at and said, 'yeah, I'm in the mood for that'. Wife is granting me a cheat day, which I usually take, but have thus far passed on this Lent. But I'm not going there and NOT doing a tasting. So I'll cheat with just a few days left. Then back on the wagon for a few more days.

Well, at least you are cheating with your wife

Our "special" dinner moved from lunch Sunday, because of some friends who moved away last year coming to visit, to dinner. Now I just got a text that my Wife is meeting with her chemistry tutor friend from class after dinner on Sunday and she wants to move dinner up to 5:30 pm. Since she'll have to drive up to her place, no wine for her, so I guess I'm celebrating on my own. Could have saved money on the steaks and just had burgers and dogs. Thinking of cracking a beer today while I make beer since tomorrows "special-ness" just went the way everything else does around here. Chemistry first, everything else a distant second. Oh bother.

 

[JohnT]

Indulge me and please allow me a moment to paint a mental picture.....

You are crossing the Sahara desert. Every bit of common sense you have is screaming at you that this was a bad idea. Under the hot sun, your skin blisters and your mouth becomes so dry that you spend a large amount of time just peeling your stuck tongue from the roof of your mouth.

The one thing that keeps you plodding on is your guide. A native and trusted local Bedouin tribesman that has lived his whole life in this very same desert. He keeps telling you that an oasis is just 24 hours away where water gushes out of the cold ground.

The though of that cool, clear water haunts you. Just thinking about that oasis gives you the ability to reach down and plod on.

Hour by hour, minute by minute, and second by second you think of that oasis. With each footstep, you find that you are more and more relieved by the thought of being that much closer.

Then, with the oasis just 20 minutes away, your guide ascends a large sand dune. As you see your guide scan the horizon, you can not help but notice a look of concern on his face.

You ask him what's wrong and he says "I am mistaken, the oasis is another day away".

Image the heartache and sorrow!!!!


I had forgotten that I had promise to be the "designated driver" on Friday. We made arrangements to go to a "dive-bar" with some friends.

So, after a full 40 days it turns out that I had 1 more day to go. By the time I got home, I was too tired to drink and simply went to bed.

Here is a photo. In case you are wondering, my drink is the diet coke in the plastic glass.

 

[Boatboy24]

Indulge me and please allow me a moment to paint a mental picture.....

You are crossing the Sahara desert. Every bit of common sense you have is screaming at you that this was a bad idea. Under the hot sun, your skin blisters and your mouth becomes so dry that you spend a large amount of time just peeling your stuck tongue from the roof of your mouth.

The one thing that keeps you plodding on is your guide. A native and trusted local Bedouin tribesman that has lived his whole life in this very same desert. He keeps telling you that an oasis is just 24 hours away where water gushes out of the cold ground.

The though of that cool, clear water haunts you. Just thinking about that oasis gives you the ability to reach down and plod on.

Hour by hour, minute by minute, and second by second you think of that oasis. With each footstep, you find that you are more and more relieved by the thought of being that much closer.

Then, with the oasis just 20 minutes away, your guide ascends a large sand dune. As you see your guide scan the horizon, you can not help but notice a look of concern on his face.

You ask him what's wrong and he says "I am mistaken, the oasis is another day away".

Image the heartache and sorrow!!!!


I had forgotten that I had promise to be the "designated driver" on Friday. We made arrangements to go to a "dive-bar" with some friends.

So, after a full 40 days it turns out that I had 1 more day to go. By the time I got home, I was too tired to drink and simply went to bed.

Here is a photo. In case you are wondering, my drink is the diet coke in the plastic glass.

That was Friday. What were your Saturday and Sunday like?

 

[JohnT]

Waaaaaaahooooooo!

On Saturday, the so long awaited end of lent came.

I spent my time doing what I love to do most. I had alexa playing some great music (a live CSN&Y concert), and spent some quality time in the kitchen cooking and sipping some wine!!! I was in HEAVEN!!!!

I ended my lent with my 2014 Montepulciano. A very nice choice indeed! It was smooth, complex, and full bodied. Of all the wines that I have made, this one is one of my favorites.

After sipping our way through that, my next selection was my 2014 barrel reserve. Although it was still a little tannic and could definitely use more age, it yummy just the same.

On Sunday I kept to the diet coke. believe it of not, I was a little hung over.

I am proud of myself. "Shutting off the tap" was rather easy this year. I had no cheat days and it seems that I spent very little time thinking about how much I missed wine. All I can say is that giving the liver a rest is not as hard as people might think. I especially like the fact that I have lost weight (about 10 pounds)!!

Hopefully, next year I will have even more folks that will want to join in. ( @ceeaton / @boatboy20 - I can count on you guys next year, right???)


Here is a picture of my very first glass of wine taken just before my very first sip!!!

 

[ceeaton]

Hopefully, next year I will have even more folks that will want to join in. ( @ceeaton / @Boatboy24 - I can count on you guys next year, right???)

We'll see, ask me next year. I think the whole experience was more traumatic for me in the beginning, but the end product has been rather dramatic. Was 214.8 lbs Sunday morning (bathrobe and slippers), that's the lightest I've been in 15+ years. Also have become a light weight drinker, couldn't get past 6 beers yesterday, I think that is a good thing! Now on to 200 lbs or less by Christmas time. We'll see what my new policies do for my weight, and whether I'll follow them for an extended period of time.

 

[Boatboy24]

This year was the easiest yet. I'd actually decided not to cheat, until dear wife wanted to go to Coopers Hawk on Saturday. Well, these last couple days will be a breeze. It was particularly helpful as I was training for a 10 mile run that I did last weekend. I'm working on a half marathon for May 21st and will probably continue fairly limited consumption until then. Its kinda hard to wake up early on a Saturday or Sunday morning and run 8-12 miles if you drank a bottle of wine the night before. I also noticed that my recovery time from longer training runs was A LOT faster.

 

[mainshipfred]

Congrats to those giving up wine for Lent, but isn't Lent over this Thursday the 13th?

 

[ceeaton]

Congrats to those giving up wine for Lent, but isn't Lent over this Thursday the 13th?

I attempted to give it up for 40 days for health reasons. Lent is just a nice measuring stick, time wise, to follow along with. I'm studying my Bible more during Lent. If I gave it up for Lent, I think I'd be required, depending on the denomination you might attend, to indulge in what I gave up on Sunday's, which defeated the purpose for me to go without alcohol.

 

[JohnT]

Congrats to those giving up wine for Lent, but isn't Lent over this Thursday the 13th?

Lent is 40 days, mimmicking the sacrifice that Jesus made in the desert just after being baptized.

But, the period between ash Wednesday and Easter is actually 46 days. Traditionally, Sundays are not considered as part of lent. Since there are 6 Sundays between Ash Wednesday and Easter, we have a span of 46 days.

To me, I preferred to do a straight 40 days as my Lenten sacrifice. I think drinking on Sundays would have defeated the purpose. Also, since I had my last drink on 2/26 (started a little early), my 40 days ended last Friday.