Stoptember

I am currently tucking into my first beers (first alcoholic beverages in fact) for over a month.

Man drink beer

I had my last drink on Sunday 31st August.

We were up in Yorkshire for Mrs P's auntie's wedding. which was on Saturday 30th.

I'd enjoy several pints during the celebrations, but somehow on the morning after, I had managed to put my back out when I placed one of youngest daughter's nappies in the bin(!).

So, while everyone was enjoying the post-nuptial celebrations, I sipped on two glasses of red wine in between back spasms and paracetamol.

I didn't have any plans to take part in Stoptober, as its the same month as the Falmouth Beer Festival; Bryher's birthday is in November, so there will be celebrations; Christmas in December; and my 40th in January.

I'm not really sure why I put being dry for a month on the #40before40 list, so it seemed to be a case that September was now or never.

I enjoy beer and wine and I've even brewed my own beer (Beardstroker) as part of this challenge.

Beardstroker

I drink a lot less than I used to in my 20s, especially since having children, and I like to think I am fairly responsible.....

Perhaps it was the test to see if I could do it.

I was slightly aided by my bad back.

As soon as we got back from Yorkshire on Monday 1st September I booked into see the doctor.

He prescribed me with some pretty hardcore painkillers (Codydramol) - well, they were pretty hardcore for me as I rarely take medicine.

The PIL (patient information leaflet) advised me not to drink alcohol with the medicine, so I didn't.

After four days, despite the drugs feeling great when they were working, I was still getting painful spasms in my back. Being woken up at 5.30am by three spasms is not a good experience people.

So, I went back to the doctors and got some more pills. I was also recommended to take ibuprofen.
I'd always avoided them as technically I have asthma.

But due to doing loads of running and exercise I've not had to take an inhaler for several years, so the doctor said to give them a try.

The drug taking carried on for another week.


The drugs do work

By the time I was finished the course of drugs, it was halfway through the month, so I thought I might as well carry on being dry.

Due to our hectic work and family life, the last two weeks of September flew by and I didn't miss having a drink.

One possible issue was that we were due to go to a fancy dress party in Penzance last weekend, but Liv was poorly, so we gave it a miss. I'd also decided to drive to help me in this quest.

However, I'm not sure if not drinking has made a massive difference.

There are days when I have felt really good for going a few weeks without imbibing in booze, but there are days when I feel absolutely shattered. This is mainly due to parenthood and having two little girls who like to wake up before 6am, as well as having to work late to catch up on my to do list.

What I have noticed is that, as the time went on, the smell of alcohol seemed to get stronger.

If Mrs P had a glass or two of wine I could really notice the aroma, or if I was near a drink, it smelt really strong.

On Wednesday 1st October, after completing 30 days off drink, I went to the Bottle Bank (a most excellent establishment) in Falmouth (following an event at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall) and treated myself to four beers.

Beer from the Bottle Bank

I was planning on drinking one, some or all of them in the evening, but I'd been on a team building event with a client, and by the time I got home at 10pm, I was tired and had a headache (not aided by the fact Liv and Bryher had both woken up at 5.15am that morning).

In fact I was feeling quite tired tonight, but with Mrs P out at a meeting and the girls fast asleep in bed, I decided to crack open one of the beers - The Mayan produced by Ilkley Brewey - a very dark chocolate, chipotle stout, and enjoy it while I wrote this blog.

This was quickly followed by another stout - produced by The Kernel and coming in at 7.1%.

So, would I do another month off? Well, yes. It was fairly easy. There was only the odd occasion, when the girls were in meltdown, that I thought I really could do with a drink, but other than that, the last month and a day have been fairly straight forward.

But, after coming back to beer, I think I may sleep well tonight!

Zzzzz.....

Beard Blog

Number 21 on my list was growing a beard.

Last time I grew a full beard was in January 2008. I did it to keep my face warm when I went snowboarding for my stag do before I married Mrs P. 

Since then I've been pretty much clean shaven every day, especially since Olivia was born nearly four years ago. That includes weekends. 

I just got into a habit of shaving daily. 

I hadn't really planned when I was going to grow my beard, but naming my beer Beardstoker gave me the imputus to be slight more hirsute for the launch at MPAD's refreshed brand / 15th birthday party. 

I decided to start growing the beard on 15th April, which gave me 23 days to grow for the bash.

Day 1 without shaving

The one thing I noticed as my beard grew was that whiskers that had previously been ginger had now turned grey. 

Olivia even asked me if I was going to be Father Christmas. 

I was quite pleased with the beard at our party. It went down well with our clients and associates, as did Beardstroker. 

Day 23

The Beardstroker label

After five weeks the beard started to get slightly messy and uncomfortable, despite shampooing, conditioning and moisturising on a daily basis. 

Day 35

I now had a choice: to invest in a beard trimmer or to go clean shaven again. 

I decided to go for the beard trimmer.

Beard trimmer

Day 36 and a trimmed beard

Seven weeks and half weeks and counting and the beard is still here. 

Trimming every two or three days and continued moisturising is helping. 

Now I just need to decide when and if it goes....

In the meantime, here's a short time lapse film made up of five weeks of beard growth photos.

40 before 40 - The List

In no particular order, here is the list.

There are 21 things on there so far, so suggestions for the other 19 are welcome.

1. Sort finances so we can have a road trip to the USA (east coast) in 2016, as well as buy a bigger home
2. Tone up*
3. Complete second leg of the Classic Quarter quicker that 2013
4. Run 850 miles in 2014
5. Define my role within MPAD
6. MPAD to grow by 10% in 2013/14
7. MPAD to grow by 20% in 2014/15 (the financial year will end after I hit 40, but most of the work will be in place)
8. Take part in a Tough Guy / Tough Mudder event
9. Clear garage
10. Sell old toys on eBay
11. MPAD to achieve ISO14001
12. To win more national contracts
13. Take Liv to watch her first West Brom game (preferably at the Hawthorns)
14. Have a coffee (it's been over 10 years since I drank my last cup)
15. Try a new sport (I'm thinking squash)
16. Christmas Day swim
17. Brew my own beer
18. Go vegan (for a period of time - week or month perhaps)
19. Back, sack and crack wax (suggestion courtesy of Kelly Rowe!)
20. Learn to play Liv's ukulele properly
21. Grow a beard
22. Drive a tank
23. Swim around the Cribbar in Newquay (via Richard Wadman)
24. Sign up for a Donor Card
25. Give blood
26. To score a goal in a competitive football match
27. Be teetotal for a month (depending on how hectic life and work is)
28. List and document the things I've achieved while in my 30s
29. Write a short story (and get it published, if that is possible in the timescale left)
30. Use email less at work and other means of communication more e.g. phone calls.
31. Have a great big party to celebrate being 40
32. Take part in a fell run in Yorkshire
33. Watch The Wire

* Pink = work in progress and not a finished task.